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Digital Library.)
[Illustration: The weird old Zuni Witch Doctor whirled around, looked
at Billie, raised his hand and made a threatening gesture.]
THE BRONCHO RIDER BOYS ALONG THE BORDER
or
The Hidden Treasure of the Zuni Medicine Man
By Frank Fowler
Author of
"The Broncho Rider Boys On the Wyoming Trail,"
"The Broncho Rider Boys at Keystone Ranch,"
"The Broncho Rider Boys Down in Arizona"
A. L. BURT COMPANY
NEW YORK.
Copyright, 1914
by A. L. Burt Company
CONTENTS
CHAPTER I.--THE THREE RANCH PARDS.
CHAPTER II.--BILLIE HAS A CLOSE CALL.
CHAPTER III.--ON THE TRAIL TO THE ZUNI VILLAGE.
CHAPTER IV.--THE STRANGE SHOT.
CHAPTER V.--RIVAL DEER HUNTERS.
CHAPTER VI.--A LIVELY SCRIMMAGE.
CHAPTER VII.--THE WITCH DOCTOR.
CHAPTER VIII.--THE MAN WHO VANISHED.
CHAPTER IX.--THE POISONED SPRING.
CHAPTER X.--LOST IN THE SAND STORM.
CHAPTER XI.--AN UNPLEASANT EXPERIENCE.
CHAPTER XII.--THE LONG NIGHT.
CHAPTER XIII.--THE PANGS OF STARVATION.
CHAPTER XIV.--THE ZUNI SNAKE CATCHER.
CHAPTER XV.--A MEETING WITH THE MEDICINE MAN.
CHAPTER XVI.--THE BLANK WALL.
CHAPTER XVII.--A SECRET OF THE SACRED MOUNTAIN.
CHAPTER XVIII.--THE STRANGE HABITATIONS OF THE ZUNIS.
CHAPTER XIX.--WHERE LADDERS WERE STAIRS.
CHAPTER XX.--BILLIE AND THE SHOWMAN.
CHAPTER XXI.--A TREMENDOUS SCHEME.
CHAPTER XXII.--ANOTHER WARNING.
CHAPTER XXIII.--THE STEALING OF THE SACRED BELT.
CHAPTER XXIV.--A DESPERATE SITUATION.
CHAPTER XXV.--THE COMING OF DONALD.
CHAPTER XXVI.--THE RATTLESNAKE DANCE.
CHAPTER XXVII.--HOMEWARD BOUND.
CHAPTER XXVIII.--AT THE END OF THE ROPE.
CHAPTER XXIX.--THE MEDICINE MAN'S SECRET.
CHAPTER XXX.--BILLIE MAKES A DISCOVERY--CONCLUSION.
THE BRONCHO RIDER BOYS ALONG THE BORDER
CHAPTER I.
THE THREE RANCH PARDS.
"We'll never get another chance like it, fellows!"
"No more we won't, Billie."
"And so I say let's stay around this section till we see all there is."
"That's what Adrian remarked, Billie, before you put your oar in."
"Oh! well if it's a unanimous vote, why, I reckon the whole thing might
be called settled then, eh, Donald?"
"We'll stay for a while, anyhow. You know our saddle chum, Adrian, is
getting just wild to take a run away up into that Northern range country
in Wyoming, where in times gone by they used to have big cattle
ranches."
"Yes, I've heard him say he was uneasy about that ranch he owns up
there, but hasn't seen for so long. It's being run by an uncle named
Fred Comstock, and our pard has a sorter idea that it's more profitable
to Uncle Fred than to him. So he thinks he'd better take a jaunt up that
way unbeknown to all parties, and see for himself. And Donald, when he
starts there'll be _three_ of us in the bunch, won't there?"
"Sure thing, Billie. You don't think we'd go and let our right-hand
bower trail away off like that alone. Look at him smile when he hears me
say that. Adrian knows we'll stick as close to him as a burr, don't you
now, old fellow?"
"Well, I'm certainly glad to hear you talk that way, boys," replied the
third member of the little group standing on a rocky height, from which
a very fine view could be had of that mountainous mining section of
Arizona; and the presence of three spirited cow ponies near by told just
how the boys, who were in range costume, must have come there.
For the benefit of those who have not had the pleasure of making the
acquaintance of these wide-awake lads in previous stories of this
Series, a minute or two might profitably be taken up here and now in
telling a little about them, so that something of their character and
aims may be understood.
Donald Mackay was the son of a ranchman who not only owned a vast tract
of land in the Far Southwest range country, but had interests in mines
as well. Adrian Sherwood was his chum, and had been for a long time
back; while the fat chap, whose rosy and freckled face seemed bubbling
with good humor most of the time, had not been out in this wild region
many moons.
In fact, being Donald's cousin, and a Southern boy by birth, though his
folks now lived in the North, Billie had been sent down on a year's
visit to the cattle country for the sake of his health!
To look at him no one would suspect that this was in any degree
imperiled; for he was terribly stout, and at times fairly waddled; but
that was the trouble; and it was hoped that the free life of the range,
with all sorts of hard riding, and kindred sports, would not only reduce
his girth, but harden his flabby muscles.
Already Billie was another boy. He had lost twenty pounds, so he
claimed, and called himself as "hard as nails," whatever that might
mean. Certain it was that he could ride in a manner that astonished
those who were liable to secretly sneer at his clumsy appearance; and as
for pluck and endurance, why Billie was as stubborn as an army mule,
once he set out to accomplish anything.
At first he had ridden a demure old nag named Maudie, that was always
trailing so far behind those mounts of his comrades Wireless and Ten
Spot, when they rode forth, that Billie just made up his mind he would
never stand for it. So he had Mr. Mackay give him an unruly cow pony
called Jupiter, that few of the punchers cared to ride; and for weeks in
and weeks out Billie had his regular daily stunt with that raging beast.
How many times he went over its head no one knew, for they had lost all
count; but somehow the fat boy seemed to bear a charmed life, for his
hurts were all of a minor character. And in the end he won out, just as
the others knew he would; for given time running water can wear away a
stone. And now Jupiter was under perfect control, save for an occasional
little spasm, when his old ugly nature tried to show itself for a
change.
These three lads had seen considerable excitement around Keystone Ranch,
as the home place was called; and later on Donald had been sent down
into Arizona when his father, being disabled, could not come; in order
to settle some troubles that had arisen in connection with a rich copper
mine, in which he and some others were heavily interested.
An unscrupulous syndicate of capitalists, headed by one Colonel Deering,
a close neighbor of the Mackays, but who had always been on bad terms
with the other ranch-owners, had secured a footing in the copper mine,
knowing of a very rich lode that had just been discovered; and tried by
every means in their power to freeze out the other stockholders, even
engineering a serious strike that threatened to be the ruination of the
whole property.
But Donald, assisted by his two chums, had skillfully managed to alter
the complexion of affairs during their visit, as related in the second
book of the Series; making friends with the leader of the strikers in a
way that was at once wonderful and lucky; so that in the end those who
had been trying to foment trouble had to throw up their job and decamp,
for the miners all came flocking over to the side of Donald, and gladly
signed contracts to work for his father for a term of years, under the
new and favorable terms.
Of course Billie had another name, and perhaps it would be as well to
mention all there is to say in that connection right here and now, so
that agony will be over with.
He had been christened William Stonewall Jackson Winkle, for, as can be
seen, his father or grandfather must have at one time fought under the
most beloved general known to the Southern Lost Cause. Some of his boy
friends delighted to call him "Little Billie" and "Wee Willie Winkle,"
just because he was anything but small. But when he got out there in the
cattle country, the cowboys of the ranch, seeing his natural clumsiness,
in a spirit of fun quickly dubbed him "Broncho Billie," never dreaming
that the fat boy would show such grit as to conquer that terror of the
corral, Jupiter Pluvius. And nowadays no one ever thought of calling him
by any other name.
Billie had done considerable reading when at home, and one day while
they were still roaming all around the wild rocky region that surrounded
the Red Spar mine he had asked a lot of questions about the Zuni
Indians, saying that he had always longed to see for himself if half the
queer stories he had heard and read in connection with these quaint
people of the rock houses could be true.
He knew that they were not more than three days' ride right then and
there from a Zuni village, and every little while he had pestered the
life out of his chums, hinting at the great and glorious opportunity
that was right then knocking at their doors, and which might never come
again.
And now that Donald had admitted, under severe cross-questioning, that
both he and Adrian had long ago decided to see all there was to be
observed while in that section of Arizona, of course Billie was fairly
overjoyed.
Billie was the best natured bungler any one ever knew. No matter what a
mess he made of things, when one of his chums started in to take him to
task, his blue eyes would take on such a reproachful expression, while
his jolly broad face was apt to expand in such a smile that made it
impossible for them to feel in the least degree angry; and so it always
ended in a general laugh all around, and Billie solemnly promising never
to do it again--until the next time.
These three lads were seen so much on their ponies that they had come to
be known all through the section of country where Donald's father had
his ranch as the "Broncho Rider Boys;" and they took considerable pride
in living up to their reputation as good horsemen.
Having come out from the mine on this particular day to investigate a
place that Corse Tibbals, the superintendent at the Red Spar Mine had
told them was worth seeing on account of the view, as well as the fact
that it had more venomous reptiles to the square foot than any other
section of the State, they had prowled around, and used the glasses
Adrian carried, until tired.
Then Donald and Adrian had thrown themselves down, saying they would
take it easy for another half hour, when it would be time to make a
start on the return trip, if they wished to reach the mine before night
set in.
Broncho Billie kept on "rooting," for he always loved to "browse around"
as he called it, in every old place he could find, looking for curious
things to add to the collection he was making of strange objects
calculated to astonish his boy friends at home in the East, when he
returned there later on.
"I've heard a heap about that blessed Gila Monster," he had told the
others on several occasions since starting out on this day's gallop and
climb; "and perhaps now we might run across a single specimen, where
there are so many venomous toads and rattlesnakes and such. Oh! don't
shake your wise old heads, and look at me in that way. Just you make
sure I ain't going to touch anything like _that_! I've been duly warned
by Si Ketcham the ranch foreman, and also Harris over here at the Red
Spar Mine, to keep my distance. But if I could only get a specimen, and
stuff it, I'd be a happy Broncho Billie."
Ten minutes afterward the two who were resting heard him calling to
them.
"Oh! just come over here and see the rattlesnake cage I've struck,
fellows! Must be a regular nest of the varmints, dozens and dozens
asunning themselves down in this rocky pit."
"Hold on there, be careful, Billie, what you do!" called Donald, as he
and his chum scrambled to their feet; but it was only to hear a wild
screech from the fat boy; and then followed a terribly significant
rattling of shale that struck them with a cold chill.