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

rt and Dick, and they both confessed, afterward, that if they had not been wearing the heavy r

ise ceased, dying away in what seemed to be sobbing, insane laughter. With a swall

hat was

came his brot

mebody

laugh relieve

yote," said the b

eated Nort and

f 'em. Little animals, sort of half wolf, half dog. They

at's a howl I want to know it!

ed his brother. "Was t

be sho

es as you'd think, and it isn't much use. They don't do any particul

better advantage. He was beginning to realize that if he was to be a westerner, an outdoor lad

Nort, as he shoved back into his hol

of times it's wor

e. What do they do it for?" he asked, as, once a

lone coyote calling to his mate; or he may be summoning the pack to feed on a dead calf, or som

red years," commented Dick, as, for the third time, the cr

In fact it seems to sort of soothe 'em.

numbers of the bunch of cattle resting easily on the grass. They were either tired out from the ra

moment later, as he urged hi

?" ask

one of 'em stray off. I can't see just how many th

bout fifty, as Bud roughly estimated, when he and his cousins had completed the circuit, thus "riding herd," as it is called, to dist

owned a number of large expanses of land, completely

anches. Some of the open range was richer in grass than the fenced-in portions, but there was a certain amount of additional work attached to t

ys, night and day, rode slowly around the bunch of steers, keeping them from straying or stampeding. At times they were "hazed,"

n here "riding line" was necessary, as one could never tell when a break might be made in the fen

ough the half darkness, across the rolling prairies where, for all they knew,

d Bud, after a wait of half an hour, during which n

e back here?

," answered Bud

l we wait?"

ickly. "You've traveled all day, and must be tired. It isn't far back to the ranch, and

uess not!" ex

ed Dick. "This is

ike it," began

lads in unison. "It's just wha

ect Babe'll be back long before then," Bud went on. "

ispered Nort. "I he

ing to stumble now and then. There was an uneasy movement among the cattle, and the

be?" whis

ered Bud. "Doesn't r

, almost stumbling along. At first he could not clearly be made out but suddenly th

the horseman for the scientist from the mysterious c