The Boy Ranchers; Or, Solving the Mystery at Diamond X

annon offered this possible explanat

in these regions all the ye

tered Nort, while the cowboys gazed

e not after gold. These two professors are from some eastern college, I take it," he went on. "They ma

all one summer in the Adirondacks, getting material for a new geology book t

o crime in getting rock specimens, or in making up a new geology, only I wouldn't want to do i

ght!" declared his broth

Bud. "They aren't on our ranch, and this is a free country. They may

ble Z land?"

from," and he motioned toward the ranch buildings. "Better be hitting the home trail to

n't see that we can do anything more here-they

eeling had arisen over his hasty warning to Yellin

e two wounded men. I don't like to let them go to your place, hurt as t

ttle of antiseptic stuff right after grub. Wash out the wounds, pour some of this stuff on and bind 'em up. Th

amp outfit. Some of my men deserted, and I have reason t

Slim. "That is if it isn't askin' a personal question,"

r Blair. "We are here on a scientific mission, as perhaps Professor Blair told you, and a few of the delude

ble than gold!" excla

er is that I had to discharge the leader of my uneducated helpers because he persisted in trying to find out what we were after. He took some of the men with him, necessitating the hiring of others. Then

your own business best, but I wouldn't take any chances with

d. "But I do not fancy they will again attack us soon. We wounded some of them before you came, and

hen he called to the cowboys: "Don't 'pear to be

Diamond X ranch, Bud's cousins had a chance to tel

ht spend a summer in the great open, but, for one reason o

alled him to South America. He decided to take his wife wit

ort, whose name, as you may have guessed, was Norton. "We did

"But we knew we could find you,

. He's been terrible busy lately, arranging for a big shipment of steers, and our telephone has been out of order, so mayb

e!" excla

lephone?" asked Nort, with someth

e. We're hooked up with other ranches, and we have a private line of our own from one ran

wild west, if you have a

Didn't you get your fill on Tartar, and haven't you

smile. "I hope your dad won't think I was too fresh, gettin

h," laughed Bud. "But the boys s

station without being expected by you, as it now turns out. We scouted around, and found

can ride-a little--" he quickly qualified his statement

did. Tartar is next door to an outlaw. He's a bucker and a roller, and they do say he killed

we didn't stop to do any thinking. We hit the corral, and though some of the men did warn

ding you want if you stick around here. We don't know what walking means

vel country around

Bud nodding toward the hills at their ba

clared Nort. "We want t

s lope along a little faster. If we don't get to the table the same time a

er of buckles and the squeak of damp leather. Then the cowboys, and the young ranchers, trotted down the slo

es, and, with a satisfied sigh, she went back in the house, and began to put

t of house and home to

e

plenty," commented

later, as they drew chairs to a long table at which they sat with

d, talk and joking retort ran about the board. Bud took his part, but the two easterners were silent, pre

fore?" asked Bud's mother, when an accou

s deadly fear of rattlers that were occasionally met wi

ocoed tenderfoot who was grubbin' for diamonds,

kel. "You say you're going to send ove

o it," he answered

e of the boys can ride over this evening. I d

d Bud unde

too?" asked

a moment and

s mother he said: "I'll ride o

d Mrs. Merkel, with a q

. Merkel w

hose Greasers won't come back, especially after dark

ed. This was living life as they had dreamed it-a nig

to his cousins, as they left the table. "

de the change. If not exactly attired as were the cowboys, t

ranch hands were saddling ponies for the little part

felt his responsibility at taking t

ed Nort, and Dick

t's just as well to pack 'em. I'll get you a couple guns," and he started toward the bu

ng to Dick and Nort the guns. "Lots to learn, but they've

y hit th