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

rly flung himself out of the saddle, and with his rope,

ton, the assistant foreman, pausin

in'! Some

oot ride Tartar?" cried Bud. "That horse is next door to

" came the quick res

is he, anyhow?" cried Bud, as he slipped throu

erfoot," so

ride!" add

cousin," added a

n Tartar-standing within the fenced-off place. This lad, who bore all the marks of a newly-arrived Easterner, was rather short and stout-not to say fat. He stood beside an ancient and v

Get off!" crie

nd I'll rope Tartar!" he shouted, trying to make his voice heard above the thunder of

throw a skillful rope, and he now took his position just within the corral, and at a place where he could int

lim, from his cross seat in his

m!" was the

kel, not the least of which was the remark of Babe Milt

cted a quick glance at the fat lad now hugging the inner rails of the co

sking oneself questions. There was need

he plunging, rearing, running Tartar. In another instant Bud had taken a turn or two arou

permit of this. And as the other lad obeyed, and shook himself to

ng answer. "I could 'a' stu

his lariat from the neck of the now subdued animal. Tartar, once the offending stranger was no longe

the quick response. "If

d, who looked enough like the daring rid

Dick!" snapped the

urmured the fat assistant foreman of D

e men handed to him. "But Tartar isn't a regular pony. He's an outlaw, and even Del Pinzo won't take a chance

he pseudo-authority held by the son of the ranch ow

have it so, and we roped Tartar for him. I told

d that the strange lad had been in some danger, he also realized that the cowboys, fond

g to brush some of the dust and horse hair fr

me of the cowboys, glad

Bud and the daring rider from the corral. "I told him

ed Slim Degnan, as he amb

sins; aren't you?" he asked, holding out his brown, muscular hand to gr

e going to stay all summer-if you'll keep us," he added, with a wh

an learn to ride western cow ponies," he added quickly, fo

so much as I thought I

ride a lot a

nvited Bud. "Dad's away, but mo

of your wagons over at the depot, and rode out here in it. I sort of lost my head when I s

cousins toward the main ranch house, which stood in the midst of a number of low red buildings, itself

g," said Nort. "And, as I say, we started s

mentioned, casual like, that you'd be along sooner or

the fat youth, with a sigh of evident re

repared for it. But I'm mighty glad you've come! We can have some corking times. I'll get you ponies that'll be-er-better

ider, though I can stick to the saddle once I land there,

k if there'd been a s

ble. I'll ride Tar

e's mother in the door now, and I can sm

one standing beside the stout, motherly-loo

ister Nell,"

n!" cried Nort. "I didn'

untry for growing up i

ck, Mother!

Merkel, hastily wiping off her mouth with the corner of her apro

aunt and girl cousin, an example gladly followed by Nort

ng for a month yet! Where's your trunks? How'd you

th, at the same time fairly "shooing" them into the house as a

" he exclaimed, as he looked back before entering the house, and saw, through the clear air, the wonderful bl

voiced Bud. "But you want to get those duds off,"

trunks. They're in the wagon. Maybe they aren't just th

Bud, and he was about to follow hi

is comin

ngs. He came from the direction where Bud and the foreman had seen the slim wisp of smoke about

! Can't you