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