The Boy Ranchers in Death Valley; Or, Diamond X and the Poison Mystery

o blaze. By the light of this Dick saw the figure hurrying out of the maze of sleeping bodies in

ng the gun with which he had begun to draw a b

lace where the old puncher had spread his blankets. And a

mysterious figure that had caused the night alarm slipped out

ntastic vision of the cowboy shoe salesman kicking his foot, Dick sat the

himself when two other things happened simultaneously

at Billee Dobb himself awakene

the veteran cattle

rmed them. In a flash it came to Dick that the intruder he had seen was trying to steal a horse. The

thief,

tant, for, in spite of the progress of automobiles, the horse is st

ried Billee in ringing

oys! We'll

ed from their warm blankets and had grabbed their guns. Bud threw some light cottonwood on the embers and the blaze that at once resulted

way did he go?" s

en that day. Quickly he told his story-how he had been awakened by

ntire camp was trailing after him in the dire

fter emerging from the circle of illumination of the fire into the blackness of the s

et?" asked Bud. "Gee! Why

ts about me," was the answer.

enerally send word the

rikes me you've ma

stake

an, as you say he w

else w

sn't. But he didn't t

for yo

d pack animals tethered near the camp and the count w

ick for him," commente

cky you

ot!" chuckled Dick. "Lucky

en't none the worse off as far as I can make out. Guess I was a little out when I

ve sentry-go from no

a bad idea,"

t it," said Dick. "I'm

l know him again if he

, after another supply of light wood was placed near the fire in readiness to throw on and produce a

self as comfortable as possible and at first he was able to keep widely awake. Then as the fatigues of the day manifested themselves in a

e turn of Bud to relieve Dick. Later Nort relieved Bud and finished the night watch

chuckled Billee as he sauntered down t

ed while I was on d

e while I was sitting up wa

k?" asked Yellin' Kid of the remaining

didn't come bac

r, anyhow?" mused Bud w

o the wa

picked something up off the ground. It was a soiled bit of

this!" suggested Nort as

that-what is

warning, I guess," wa

ers. The writing was large and straggli

ALLEY IF YOU KNOW WHAT