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

y and emotion that had possessed him, grew quieter as he threw the reins down over his pony's he

ave me bad news, Buck," remark

ed the Ind

he first to tell me about the water stopping in the reservoir. And from then on

ght!" asse

ng on now?" Dic

ck Tooth tell it, instead of keeping him gassi

was the Ind

t Diamond X

nything?" Dick

hurt?" as

only Babe-him get broken l

sorry I didn't let you ride harder at first. How much did they get? Was it rustlers, and I'll bet a co

chuckle as ever he achieved, "Fall down-bust leg. Your padre

n of the spring round-up, that many thousands of dollars, from the sale of cattle, were often kept in his f

on somet'ing?" "You're only mixing him up!" d

safe open, they may have lit out with a tidy sum, and we ought to take the trail after 'em. That's what Buck came here

the matter is a question that was not settled. For, just as the Indian was about to resume, Dick looked off to

the robbers now, ri

ds on their weapons, but, after a glimpse of the approachin

id. I know his riding. I reckon he's

ved to be

d as usual. "We started at th' same time, shortly after midnight when th' break was m

at time!" asserted Bu

abe badl

a hurry t' take a pot shot at th' bunch that tried to ho

for Babe, the fat assistant foreman of Diamond

doctor for a cow puncher!" chuckle

ned his pony out to g

ld the boys wh

he cowboy stated, "an' followin' th' usual preliminaries we all settled down for t

's bungalow, Bud. Course that couldn't mean but one thing, an' we all got our guns an' rushed out,

fe was. She called your father an' he took a look, with his gun, of course. He saw a

d t' say, an' out th' winder he jumped, th' burglar, I mean. Then the rest of

' main part was in th' safe, an' that they couldn't get open. Course soon as we knowed what was up we organ

know what had happened, an' partly t' see if there was any trace of th' skunk

nd here when we arrived last evening," Bud an

what we foun

do with the matter. Maybe some doctor, or medical student, is ou

pe!" asked Yellin' K

erat

w you. But say, what can we do

to go to the tents with the boy ranchers, Buck Tooth followin

on up and sit down. I'll make you some

ode hard! But so did Buck Tooth, only you'd hardly k

ished between midnight and dawn. And when he and Yellin' Kid were havin

rs left to further enlightenment. Mr. Merkel had only seen one in his office, bending over the safe, and this one h

aving been clouded over-that the direction t

e th' safest way-for them! But there's a chance some might '

e job here, and we get our allotment of cattle so things settle dow

ed Yellin' Kid. "But where's tha

. "Here it is," and he exhib

nce. But now, if it's agreeable t' you fellers, let's have a look around. Maybe s

sed nothing, and then Bud and his cousins set about getting b

in the telephone line. If that had been working last night you could h

it wouldn't have been of much use, it seems. Them burglars didn'

tem was likewise hooked-up with the long distance. But a recent wind, just before the round-up, had blown down some poles in

up their duties with Bud, Nort and Dick; for the cattle not sold were again sent b

and their identity remained hidden. They had gotten away with about $500, missing a much larger

ud, when he and his cousins had ridden over to pay a week-end vis

safe very closely, except to notice that it was all right

pers. It was a large, old-fashioned safe, proof from any fire that might visit the ranch, and b

k at the heavy door he saw so

before the attemp

there,

of the door. It does look as i

atches!" repeated Mr. Merkel, coming over to look. "No, I never noticed them before. Why, she is clawed up some," he admitted. "But I can't say that they haven't been the

r, Nell, took a hand

Nort and Dick thought the prettiest they had ever seen. "I know, for I dusted your o

hows we have to deal with a regular gang of safe