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

. That it was only grass which was aflame they had known before this, for that was all there was to ignite in that section of the valley. There

p in smoke, Bud!" yelled Nort

se than that we're l

u mean?" a

d after it dries up on the ground, the way this has. But if

s?" asked Nort, encouraging his pony

ng match or cigarette, and most cow punchers aren't that careless. Our fellows wouldn'

Double Z bunch

hat way," replied

thud of their ponies' feet and the creak of saddle leathers and stirrups. The smell of the burni

xclaimed Nort. "How

ouldn't very well bring water to, and if it doesn't rain much, as it hasn't lately, the fodder gets as dry as ti

arm will be done; wil

ing to the fact that the grass was so dry that no cattle would feed on it, there were no steers in the immediate vicinity of the blaze Had the fodder been cut it w

could feel the heat of it, now. "It's queer how frightened animals are of fire," went on the rancher's son. "There must have been some wonderf

I've read some of those stories in C

he goods that ti

at now," voiced Dick. "With

eservations, except when they make a break, ride off and act up ba

we'd make a lot of money. The government is trying to get several herds started, but it's no

ort, not thinkin

Bud. "I haven't seen 'em

ew! It's getting hot," he added, as a shift in the wind bro

decided Bud. "Let's ride around to the

. They had been riding over a stretch of the valley carpeted with rich, dark green and fairly damp gra

cattle in sight had shown more than momentary fear of the blaze. They had run some distance from it and then stopped, someti

hat smoke screen," declared Bud. "Some rust

over in that dire

ay have ridden over when they saw the smoke, same as we did. But I

cling to the right to get

g out," obs

Bud. "And no great damage done, either, unl

, and could ride across the fire-blackened area, and behind what was still a

lly; expected to encounter. There were some cattle on this side of the fire, but they had run far

laimed Nort

s!" excla

ster had not been mentioned in several weeks. The mysterious personage, on whom Bud called in times of great excitement, was almost a stranger, of late,

orm of a distant rider that of Henry Mellon, the new cowboy. "And what he

llel to the direction of the fire. He was on the edge of the burned area, and

dropping his reins and mak

back. Then he must have seen the boys, for he waved his hat at them. Next he pointed ahead

e impulsive Nort. "Le

his pony forward, but

ahead, and our horses are too played out If he

nk he'll come back!

some queer things going on around here, and he may be one of 'em.

cousin slacking his pony's pace. "Shall we go on to

e being. He may have seen some cowboys he'd like to interview about this fire, and be after them. Or he may not. As for getting on the trail

back to camp

ot grub, and water isn't so far off

e," asse

re," agr

emergency, and they "packed" sufficient rations for several substantial, if not elaborate, meals. They had a c

ranchers rode on to the nearest water-hole, and there prepared to spend the night, though it was still several hours until darkness should fall. But the horses were tire

own, having picketed their steeds, and looked at the receding p

ke care of ourselves-at leas

l since you came out here-you aren't tenderfeet any

anyhow?" asked Dick, as he chew

ere are a lot of serious questions we have to s

to keep on, aren'

rs or not! And those are the only fellows I'm worrying about," a

stlers to worry abou

o

t accuse Hank Fisher of being a rustler, exactly," he went on, "though I think Del Pinzo is. Th

nd that Double Z bunch so

use dad dammed the Pocut River and took some water for this valley. As if that hurt H

h you!" added

again the question troubled them of whether or not they could get on the trail

their blankets and crawled between their tarpaulins with their feet to the smouldering fire. They talked

akened he did not know. But

se rapidly ridden, and, evidently, approaching the pl

, and without preface. Under the

's t