The Boy Ranchers; Or, Solving the Mystery at Diamond X
rly flung himself out of the saddle, and with his rope,
ton, the assistant foreman, pausin
in'! Some
oot ride Tartar?" cried Bud. "That horse is next door to
" came the quick res
is he, anyhow?" cried Bud, as he slipped throu
erfoot," so
ride!" add
cousin," added a
n Tartar-standing within the fenced-off place. This lad, who bore all the marks of a newly-arrived Easterner, was rather short and stout-not to say fat. He stood beside an ancient and v
Get off!" crie
nd I'll rope Tartar!" he shouted, trying to make his voice heard above the thunder of
throw a skillful rope, and he now took his position just within the corral, and at a place where he could int
lim, from his cross seat in his
m!" was the
kel, not the least of which was the remark of Babe Milt
cted a quick glance at the fat lad now hugging the inner rails of the co
sking oneself questions. There was need
he plunging, rearing, running Tartar. In another instant Bud had taken a turn or two arou
permit of this. And as the other lad obeyed, and shook himself to
ng answer. "I could 'a' stu
his lariat from the neck of the now subdued animal. Tartar, once the offending stranger was no longe
the quick response. "If
d, who looked enough like the daring rid
Dick!" snapped the
urmured the fat assistant foreman of D
e men handed to him. "But Tartar isn't a regular pony. He's an outlaw, and even Del Pinzo won't take a chance
he pseudo-authority held by the son of the ranch ow
have it so, and we roped Tartar for him. I told
d that the strange lad had been in some danger, he also realized that the cowboys, fond
g to brush some of the dust and horse hair fr
me of the cowboys, glad
Bud and the daring rider from the corral. "I told him
ed Slim Degnan, as he amb
sins; aren't you?" he asked, holding out his brown, muscular hand to gr
e going to stay all summer-if you'll keep us," he added, with a wh
an learn to ride western cow ponies," he added quickly, fo
so much as I thought I
ride a lot a
nvited Bud. "Dad's away, but mo
of your wagons over at the depot, and rode out here in it. I sort of lost my head when I s
cousins toward the main ranch house, which stood in the midst of a number of low red buildings, itself
g," said Nort. "And, as I say, we started s
mentioned, casual like, that you'd be along sooner or
the fat youth, with a sigh of evident re
repared for it. But I'm mighty glad you've come! We can have some corking times. I'll get you ponies that'll be-er-better
ider, though I can stick to the saddle once I land there,
k if there'd been a s
ble. I'll ride Tar
e's mother in the door now, and I can sm
one standing beside the stout, motherly-loo
ister Nell,"
n!" cried Nort. "I didn'
untry for growing up i
ck, Mother!
Merkel, hastily wiping off her mouth with the corner of her apro
aunt and girl cousin, an example gladly followed by Nort
ng for a month yet! Where's your trunks? How'd you
th, at the same time fairly "shooing" them into the house as a
" he exclaimed, as he looked back before entering the house, and saw, through the clear air, the wonderful bl
voiced Bud. "But you want to get those duds off,"
trunks. They're in the wagon. Maybe they aren't just th
Bud, and he was about to follow hi
is comin
ngs. He came from the direction where Bud and the foreman had seen the slim wisp of smoke about
! Can't you