The Boy Ranchers; Or, Solving the Mystery at Diamond X
slide toward their holsters, where nestled their .45 guns. Bud had taken his off, on reaching the hou
as either the ranch foreman or his fat ass
st, but when you do need it you nee
They were almost a necessity for a lone rider to signal for help, or indicate the need of certain action, and more than
le's ranch, to "pack a gun," but their advent and arrival had been so sudden, and their time so crowded since reach
as they galloped along, and saw the foreman and his fa
tinctively sought the leather sheath. Professor Blair
ed spurs to his already well-doing horse, and shot ahead of th
ard Newton and Silas Thorpe," was the answer. "But the other day we
reman, slightly checking his horse to accommodate i
seemed about a doze
when he told me
ad odds," m
ht?" asked Nort,
ern ranch lad. "But we'll have to la
ght owing to the uneven nature of the country. He might have been
his score, though he did
r bunch coming
t's some of our bunch," he added. "Cowboys from Diamond X. Guess mo
glistening face with the big handkerchief that adorned his neck, and the neck of ev
rned later, the silk or cotton squares formed very effective protection to nose and mouth while riding range in the thick, heavy dust stirred up by the fe
, as he spurred forward again, having
t is all a mistake-thinking we are after gold-but they'
wed outburst of shots, punctured by shrill yel
hey'll kill him!" mo
as the three boys managed to get their ponies on a line with the stur
lls, which formed a sort of stepping stone to the grim mountains behind them, along the base of which flowed a river. These hills, or part of them, m
owing a path, or "trail," as it should be called. This trail had been worn by countless
h, Bud and his cousins saw a sight which thrilled them through and though, thoug
rricade. They were firing over this line of defense at objects unseen, but which, as the white puffs of
n addition a series of sharp and wild yells which, now that the scene wa
d to be the owner of the camp, were using their voice
n along the trail. "Come on, boys!" he yelled and inst
t I bring mine
ck!" excl
un firing than there was silence on the part of the attackers. A few scattering shots
followed by Babe. At the same time those in the little camp, who had had their backs
, resting the butt of his rifle on the ground as he surveyed
rked quietly. "And just in time, too
on't know your names, gentlemen," he went on, turning to Bud a
her occasion to thank
at included all the res
my men, possibly two,
hey have
a doctor, but that brand isn't plenty out here. If they're
ents, and while Slim dismounted to make his way the
Mexicans or half-breeds. These were all armed and had, in common with their white employers, been firing at the attacking p
?" asked Nort, with sparkling eyes, as the foreman
much a surprise to me
know this ca
reckon it is?
"I reckon even Zip Foster co
Foster?"
son," chuckled Babe, who was rapidly making a survey
even his tan did not altogether hid
ing two white men (evidently the Ed Newton and Silas Thorp spoken of by Professor Blair)
ought to be treated with some dope I've got at the ranch house. T
rofessor Wright. "But it might
s!" excla
t might inflam
e medicine. Here they come now," he added, as, with whoops of delight at the prospect of a fight, a troop of othe
bered his gun. It needed but one utterance of his to esta
ctly. "Don't know just what i
restive, nearly brought down one of the small tents. As it swayed, a flap opening becau
must enter that tent!" shar
rather grieved tones. "Come out of that, you soap footer!" he cr
to his side Professor Blair, quickly fastened the tent shut
see something we hadn't a right
s act queer,
d much more prone, than was his brother, to ascribe motives t