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      The Boy Ranchers on Roaring River Or Diamond X and the Chinese Smugglers

      CHAPTER I

      A DANGEROUS MISSION

      "Hold up there, you pint o' peanuts! Hold up, I say! Well, for the love of spread eagle! I suppose you boys are lookin' for a job; eh?"

      The speaker, a typical, raw-boned cowboy, looked down from his pony at three boys seated on a bench at the side of the cook-house.

      "Whether we are or not, we've got it, Kid," answered one of the seated trio, a well set-up youth with light hair. "And the funny part of it is, we don't know what the job is."

      "Huh! Got a job and you don't know what it is? Well, Nort, guess I'll have to look into this," and the cowboy whom Nort addressed as "Kid" – or, to give him his full nick-name, "Yellin' Kid" – swung lightly from his saddle. "Hold up there, you pony, you!" this as the Kid's mount started to prance about wildly. "Just got this here dust-raiser, and she ain't used to my ways yet," he chuckled. "Hy' ya', Dick, and Bud! How's the boy, Nort? By golly, ranchin' is sure doin' you fellers good! You-all got some powerful grip!"

      The three boys, Nort and Dick Shannon, and their cousin Bud Merkel, grinned widely. They were all of the same mold – clean-cut, straight-shooting lads, their faces bronzed from the prairie sun, and their eyes as clear as the blue sky above them.

      "Yes, Kid, ranching has done us good – in more ways than one. In fact it's done us up brown." And Bud laughed a little ruefully.

      "What's the matter? Rustlers, or disease?" The Kid's face expressed instant concern as he mentioned these two nightmares of the rancher's life.

      "No, not either – but something almost as bad. You tell him, Nort," suggested Bud.

      "You started it – you might as well finish out, Bud. You know as much about it as I do."

      "Aw, get Dick to. He hasn't said a word yet."

      "Well, for Pete's sake, somebody tell me before I drop dead from excitement!" burst out Yellin' Kid.

      "All right – I'll tell you, Kid," Dick started. "Last week we were to deliver a herd of longhorns to J. K. Jackson, over to Double-O ranch. Sold 'em at a good fat price, too, that would have put us on our feet for the rest of the year. Well, we sent four of our men to ride 'em in. I went along with 'em. We started about sun-up, calculatin' to reach the Double-O before night, and everything was lovely. 'Long about noon we reached the gorge near Galgo. I suggested we ride the cattle as far from the gorge as we could get, 'cause I know how easy a herd of long-horns are started. But no, nothin' would do Sam Holiday but going as near to the big cut as possible, to save time. Sam's our new foreman, you know, and I didn't want to assert myself over him. So we drove 'em close to the edge. I told Sam once or twice to keep away – but oh, no! everything would be all right, and we'd have the cattle in by five o'clock. Well, we had 'em in by five o'clock all right. But not at the Double-O!

      "Just as we were passing the deepest part of the cut we heard a most awful Bang! and I knew in a minute what it was. Stump-blasting. Yes, I knew what it was – but the cattle didn't. And nobody had time to tell them, either. The steers on the extreme right made a sudden lunge – and in three minutes it was all over. Nothin' left but an old cow who broke her leg in the first rush. And the rest – every blessed one of 'em – two hundred feet down, lyin' dead or dyin' in the bottom of the gorge!"

      The Kid was the first to break in on the morose stillness Dick's speech had invoked.

      "Well now, say, boys, that's right sorrowful – yes, sir, that's what I call right sorrowful! I sure am sorry for you-all! A whole herd of cattle gone to the dogs! Well, well – that's sad. Say, is there anything I can do to – you know, sort of help out – like, well, maybe – "

      "No thanks, Kid," spoke up Dick quickly. His glance told the Kid that he realized what the half-spoken offer meant. In the west one man understands his friend more by feeling than by words. "Real good of you to offer, though. No, I guess we'll make out all right. Can't have easy riding all the time. I imagine Mr. Merkel has something for us to do. He sent for us to come over to his ranch. So here we are. That was the job I told you about."

      "A blind job, hey? Well, I guess it's O. K. or the boss wouldn't be mixed up in it. Anyway, here's your chance to find out. Here comes Mr. Merkel now."

      A tall, pleasant-faced man, hair slightly grayed at the temples, strode out of the ranchhouse toward the four waiting cowboys. His resemblance to Bud – especially around the eyes – was easily noticeable.

      "Hello, Nort and Dick! How are you, son? Say, boy, you're getting hard as a rock! What have you men been feeding Bud – leather? He sure looks, as though it was coming through!" The kindly eyes of the older man lighted with pride as he grasped the hand of his son.

      "No, Dad – I guess hard luck toughened me up," said Bud, but his smile belied the meaning of his words.

      "Yes, I heard about your accident, boys – and that's partly why I sent for you. I thought you might have time to do a little business for me."

      "Well, I guess I'll step along, Mr. Merkel," the Kid said, as he realized he might be intruding on a private conversation. "I got that fence fixed up all right."

      "Did you? Good! No, Kid, you stay right here. You're in on this too. Where's Billee Dobb? I want him to hear what I have to say."

      "He's 'round back, boss. I'll get him."

      "Bring him in the house, Kid. My room. Come on, boys – we'll get settled inside and wait for the Kid and Billee."

      As the boys followed Mr. Merkel each one wondered what it was all about. Dick voiced the thought of all as he whispered:

      "Say, what's up? You know, Bud?"

      "Nope! I'm as much in the dark as you are. Dad never said anything to me. We'll soon know, though."

      By this time they had reached the ranchhouse. As soon as the Kid arrived with Old Billee Dobb – a grizzled product of ranching who had been with the Diamond X from its start – Mr. Merkel motioned them to be seated and began:

      "I reckon the first thing you men want to know is the reason for this gathering. Well, it's nothing very mysterious. I bought a sheep ranch out near Roaring River, and I want you five to take hold of it for me. Now – just a minute. I know what you're going to say, Kid – that sheep nursing is no job for a cowman. But you haven't heard the rest of it. There's been some very funny things happening out near that ranch. I've had a letter from the government official over at Candelaria asking whether I intend to manage those sheep, myself, and if I do would I let him know before I take charge. Now, I'm not going to say just what is the trouble, as I'm not actually sure myself. But I have a hunch. And that's the reason I want you five – men I can trust – to take charge there. Will you?"

      His listeners looked at each other. In the eyes of each – with the possible exception of Old Billee Dobb – the light of adventure was shining. Whatever scruples the Kid had about "sheep nursing" had vanished with the word "trouble." And he was the first to speak:

      "Sure we will! What do you say, boys? Do we go out? How about it, Dick and Nort? What do you say, Bud? Billee here is just achin' for the experience!" And the Kid laughed, for Billee Dobb's tendency to pretend displeasure at every change of conditions was well known.

      "Yes I am – not! Like as not we'll all get shot full of holes. But if you fellers want to go – guess I'll have to trail along to take care of you-all!"

      "Listen to him – Just try to hold him back if there's any shootin' goin' on!"

      "Then I take it you'll go?" Mr. Merkel asked.

      "Yes, Dad – I'm sure we'll all be glad to take charge out there for you," answered Bud. "I don't suppose you could tell us any more about this government business now?"

      "I'm afraid not, son – I want to be sure of my ground before I make any statements. Well, I guess that's settled. You'll leave to-morrow."

      Since this was the last night the Kid and Old Billee were to spend on the Diamond X, it seemed fitting to the rest of the boys that there should be some sort of an entertainment. An entertainment to a cowboy means principally

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