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

d along. The sun was hot, and the dust stifling, a cloud of it forming a f

aten cowboy, taking a long breath, raised his v

e a cry of anguish a

ne with a rop

purs unde

of them sweet,

My true-lo

partly emerged from the cloud of dust, could be seen as a lad of about

he lanky one, seeming to arouse as

t of remarking about

't sad!" declared Slim

I wa'n't really payin'

t if you want a r

as the owner of Diamond X ranch. "Not that I blam

ave more'n a ride than I figgered on, but I don't aim to put up

ime. I'd spend another night out in

phere! Zow hippy! But it's hot an' dusty an' thirsty! Come along there, you old hunk of jerked beef!" he added to his pony, giving a gentle

y Bud-a pinto-started to fol

le gallop," comme

ey top the rise, and see t

zzling drink of water!" cried Slim, whose name fitted him

lone with a rop

dust more thick. As they approached a hill, beyond which lay the corral

before we hit the hill,"

an's easy comment as he slung one l

lines of wire fences that kept the stock of Diamond X somewhat within bounds, a

not have all the ordinary comforts. But, as Bud had said, he had not minded it. However, the ponies were rather used up, and the riders in t

, at length. "Sooner we get some water inside

t believe Zip Foster could have don

with a quizzical lo

er," answ

e foreman, but he saved Bud the embarrassment of answer by s

had caused it. But he followed the direction of the foreman's gaze, and, like him, saw arising in the still air, about two miles away, a thin thread

d Slim. "They aren't out on round-u

lt the call of the wild, and slipped out to have a forbidden feast on some cattl

es, but, with all that, they know enough not t' make a fire that smokes. Must be so

ke and despise the sheep herders, whose flocks ate so closely as to ruin the feeding range for s

know at the ranch. We'll be headin' home now, I guess. Come on there, you old

ne with a rop

purs unde

of them sweet,

My true-lo

n as the animals came within sight and smell of their stables, and caught the whiff of ever-welcome water, th

ared to pull up on reaching the corral, "I'd ride over after s

"If it should happen to be she

he corral of the ranch-a fenced-off field where the cowboys kept their string of ponies wh

and others leaned over. Some were swinging their hats as though in encouragement, and one was rap

rs surrounding it an exceedingly fat cowboy, whose face, wreathed in smiles, was

boys! Some rid

Slim, of his assistant who had

!" laughed the fat one. "Two tenderfoots-Oh, my

ing rapidly around the enclosure on the back of a bucking bronco. T

as he recognized the pony to which the strange lad