The Boy Ranchers on the Trail; Or, The Diamond X After Cattle Rustlers

's your turn to cu

ake a mux o

do that! You've r

like this. If I make a fizzle th

o make a start. Besides, anybody's likely to make a mistake. That's why they pu

t, Bud! H

, and in response to the little jerk of the reins and the clap of heels against his sides. Into the herd of milling, turning and twisting cattle the intelligent animal made h

d a voice from among

ack to his brother, who sat astride his pon

calf he hoped to cut out so it could be branded. Nort leaned forward in his saddle, and then his

writhing and uncoiling like a snake. In an insta

" yell

done better!" compliment

ead of him, and the dust raised by thousands of hoofs wa

sing the lariat to pull taut and, the ne

dragged the prostrate calf along over the ground, an operation not as cr

in Bud. "I knew you could do it! Now th

swered the stouter lad, as he urged his po

d threw the calf over on its side, for it had managed to struggle to its feet when Nort ceased dragging it. One man twisted a front leg of the struggling creatur

rintending the round-up of his herds and those entrusted to Bud, Nort and Dick in

holds they had secured, keeping it under restraint

g out Slim Degnan, f

ad cut out was thrown and held. In a moment the fire-tender had seized the bran

wing off the men who were sitting on it. But the branding was a

ed out of the corral, lashing its side with its little tail. Plainly branded on it now, neve

alled the

Bud, as Nort rode up beside

rother. "I guess we're

he owner of Diamond X. "I told you it wasn't s

emarked Nort, as he prepared to rid

the affair-his task being the same as that of his cousins-to cut

attle are driven in from the outlying ranges, to be tallied, inspected, marked an

ve branded into their hides the marks of their owners. Then, too, some yearlings escaped brand

s," and when the herds of different owners mingled, there was, usually, a di

actice was to claim all unbranded calves in a herd. His cowboys would

meaning that it bel

y become associated with an

X, not to mention Diamond X Second, or Flume Valley, of which his son Bud, and

it after the mystery of the underground water was solved, we

e cowboys, called in from distant ranges, had driven the cattl

ounds toward Diamond X. The cow punchers had galloped hard all day, and they had ridden herd at night, to keep

ed to run away from the herd. As this might start a stampede it was necessar

usand or more of steers, calves and mavericks had been gathered at Diamond X, the work of tally

ongside of more seasoned "punchers." Calves were cut out, thrown

m Capta

Horse M

th his big, red silk handkerchief, or, rather, neckerchief, sta

torian tones from Yellin

ssed the throw he made for a calf, it is doub

Merkel, when Dick, Nort and Bud

eyes-eyes that gleamed amid a face dark with the tan of th

of Diamond X as he kept on with his tallying.

oth is doing a heap sight more t

ted Mr. Merkel. "I'm glad to know it. Heard anything from Dou

eem to have quieted down

esn't make trouble

ack to Happy Va

ry about Hank! He's all talk-he and tha

e notorious Hank Fisher, a few days before the round-up, the subject of dispute being the ownership

reasing as calf after calf, maverick after maverick, was branded, and the st

ing confusion, there was o

, with his cousins, rode slowly up to the ranch house, when the final ca

voice. He, like his cousins, was too tired. For the da

ou would," said Mr. Merkel, as he rode along with his son and n

stock will lay over anything you will s

at you are right, Bud! We

cousins were through with their meal first, and, having persuaded his sister, Nell, to pack a basket

to Happy Valley," he urged. "It

it!" comme

servoir," added Dick, as he slipped in through the gate and caught one of his ponies-not Blackie, who was ti

mystery of the water supply, we'll

s had not yet been erected in Happy Valley, though some were projected. Tents formed the abiding place of o

boy ranchers would be down in some swale, or valley, and again topping one of the foothills which led to Buffalo Rid

ed down the slope which led to the collection of tents er

imed Bud, with a yawn. "We don't have

cried Nort

camp when Bud, who had trotted ahead, pull

ho are you and wh

w the moon gleaming on the .45 gu