A STRANGE DISAPPEARANCE
Yellin' Kid looked at Bud in surprise.
"You heard someone talkin' about this here shootin', Bud?" he asked.
"Not exactly about the shooting of the marshal, but last night Nort and
Dick and myself were wandering down by the new shack that Dad put up,
and inside two men were talking--one of them was a Mexican. We heard
this Mex say something about getting some money for the delivery of
Chinks. That sure means smuggling, doesn't it?"
"That's what it means all right. Couldn't you see who the two men
were?" the Kid wanted to know.
"We tried to, but they got away," said Dick. "We went in the front
door and they ran out the back."
"Aw say, do you know what I think, fellows? I'll bet what we heard was
just some rancher asking a friend to send him a Chinese cook,"
suggested Nort, with a faint grin.
"Cook, hey? Why did they sneak in a deserted bunk house to talk about
a cook? And how about that remark of 'double crossin'?' And what did
they run for? Why?" demanded Dick.
"Oh, all right--all right!" cried Nort, who was now grinning widely.
"Have it your own way, Dick. It was probably a great Mexican plot to
send a million Chinese to this country and form an army to capture
Texas. And after they captured Texas they'd set up a kingdom and the
king would have Snake Purdee sing 'Bury Me Not' for him every morning
before breakfast."
"You can jolly all you like, Nort--just the same, I'm willing to lay
odds that we see some excitement when we reach Roaring River. Let's
go, boys--that bacon will be frozen by the time we get to breakfast."
And Dick led the way toward the dining room.
Although they were cautioned several times by "Ma" Merkel to eat more
slowly, the boys hurried through the meal. Each of them was "rarin' to
go," as Kid expressed it, and lingering over the ordinary occupation of
eating seemed a waste of time. Within an hour the five--Bud Merkel,
Nort and Dick Shannon, Yellin' Kid and Old Billee Dobb--were standing
by their ponies, ready to spring to the saddles and be off.
There was a sudden cloud of dust as the five urged their mounts into a
gallop. With one last yell to those watching, they streaked across the
ground in a typical "cowboy start." Within two minutes they were lost
to view behind a ridge.
Now for a moment let us leave them while we learn something of their
earlier adventures. The three boys, Bud Merkel, and his eastern
cousins Nort and Dick Shannon, were introduced to you in the first book
of this series, called "The Boy Ranchers; or Solving the Mystery at
Diamond X." In that book was related how Nort and Dick Shannon went on
their vacations to the Diamond X ranch, owned by Mr. Merkel, Bud's
father. While there they were confronted with a strange situation,
regarding the searchings of a college scientist, Dr. Hendryx Wright,
who was discovered digging near the Diamond X holdings. At first it
was thought that he was looking for a lost gold mine, but later
developments brought to light the fact that his purpose was to unearth
the bones of a prehistoric monster for his college museum.
The adventures of the boys while on the ranch were also concerned with
Del Pinzo, a villainous half-breed, who nearly succeeded in bringing
the career of all to a sudden close. After successfully overcoming all
their difficulties, Nort and Dick decided to form a partnership with
their cousin Bud, and they located on a ranch in "Happy Valley" which
Bud's father bought for them.
In the several volumes following was related how the boy ranchers went
to camp, and how they took the trail, and the exciting times they had
in rounding up a band of Yaqui Indians who had escaped from their
reservation and were raising havoc with the neighboring territory.
Following this the boys went to Spur Creek, where they had many
startling adventures among the sheep herders. The book immediately
preceding this present one is called "The Boy Ranchers in the Desert,"
and tells of the difficulties they had in their search for some lost
gold.
After the first wild dash, the five travelers pulled their ponies into
that long loping stride which carries the cowboy for days and days over
many miles. Bud and Dick were in the lead, with Nort and Kid and Old
Billee Dobb following close behind.
"Say, Kid," Bud called back, after a while, "what would you do if you
saw a smuggler come along now with a herd of Chinks with him?"
"Tell you what I'd do, Bud," Yellin' Kid replied, "I'd stop the Chinks
and find out what happened to a shirt I sent out to be washed the last
time I was in Dallas!"
"You mean that shirt with the yellow dots on, Kid?" Dick asked with a
grin. "If that's the one, I can tell you what became of it. They
thought it was an oil painting that got in the wash by mistake, and
they had it framed and hung up in the picture gallery!"
"Never you mind about the color of that shirt, Dick--it was a shrinking
violet compared with the vest you bought over to Alamito. Purple and
green--wow! First time I saw it it was three o'clock in the afternoon,
and I had to look at a watch to make sure it wasn't morning. Thought
the sun was comin' up."
"Got you that time, Dick!" Nort laughed. "That's one you owe him.
Say, is that a new pony you're ridin', Kid?"
"Yep! What do you think of her?"
"Looks good. How far can she go on a gallon?"
"Twice as far as yours can--and twice as fast!"
"Think so? Try it--see that bush up ahead? Race you to there!"
"Right! Let's go!"
"Hey, hey! Wait a minute, you fellows! We're not goin' on a picnic,
you know. We've got a good long ride before us. Take it easy." This
from Billee.
"What's the matter, Billee? Gettin' old?" asked Bud mischievously.
"Old? Who, me? Say, young feller, I can give you a head start half
way to that bush and still beat you there!"
"How about me? If there's a race, I'm in it too!" cried Dick.
"All right. Tell you what--we'll start from here, and the last man
there has to kiss a sheep!"
"Right! All set? Ready--go!"
"Ye-e-e-ow!"
"Yip-yip-yip-yipee-ee!"
"Ride 'em cowboy!"
"Leggo that leather!"
"Gangway--gangway!"
The five riders flashed over the ground almost on a line. Kid's mount
was running easily, head well up. Dick pulled a little ahead. Nort
just touched his pony with the spurs, and in a moment he was even with
Dick. There was a sudden rush behind them--and Old Billee Dobb, hat
fanning his pony's withers, hair streaming in the wind, streaked to the
front!
"Look at the old boy go!"
"Stay at it, Billee--stay at it!"
"Two bits he wins!"
And win he did. He reached the bush a full length ahead of the others,
who were laughing so hard they could hardly stay on their horses. The
spectacle of the gaunt, elderly man sitting straight up in the saddle,
teeth clenched and bowed legs wrapped around his pony, was too much for
them. They leaned on their pommels weakly and roared with laughter.
"Attaboy, Billee!"
"Golly--did you see the old boy streak it out!"
"Oh, cracky! hold me up, somebody, or I'll fall off!"
"Now--who's gettin'--old!" panted Billee. "Beat me, hey? Not in--a
million years!"
"What do you say, boys--we give Billee a salute!"
Four guns flashed out of the holsters and were raised aloft.
"Bang!"
They roared as one.
"Sure sounds like a celebration," chuckled Nort as he blew the few
remaining grains of burnt powder from his smoking barrel, and replaced
the gun. "Billee, accept my congratulations!"
"Granted, youngster--if that's what I'm supposed to say," Billee
retorted, his eyes twinkling. "And just remember--a man's not old out
here until he can't ride no more."
"You look as though you might be good for several hundred years yet, if
that's the case," laughed Dick. "Anyway, you sure showed me a few
things. Say, that race made me pretty thirsty. Is there a water hole
near here, Kid, or shall I use my canteen?"
"Save it--I think I can find water for you. Guess the ponies could use
a little too. Let's see now--'pears to me there should be a water hole
right over here to the left. You boys stay here while I go look. Be
back in a jiffy."
Leaving the four on the trail, Yellin' Kid rode swiftly away to the
left. Water holes are few and far between in that section, and a
cowboy who rides a country a great deal knows the location of every
single one. Often that knowledge means the saving of a human life.
The Kid had been gone ten minutes when Bud said:
"Thought Yellin' Kid said he'd be right back? I guess he's all right
though. He knows the country about here pretty well, doesn't he,
Billee?"
"Like the palm of his hand, Bud--like the palm of his hand! But maybe
his pony broke his leg in a prairie dog hole--seein' as how it's a new
pony, he might do that. Tell you--I'll just have a look. You fellows
wait here for me."
The three boys watched Billee ride off in the direction the Kid had
taken. It was a deserted, lonesome place.
Fifteen minutes later Billee rode back--alone.
"The Kid show up yet?" he asked as he pulled up.
"No--couldn't you find him?" Dick asked, a look of anxiety on his face.
"Nope! Neither hide nor hair! Something sure must have happened. The
Kid isn't one to go wanderin' off and get lost. I'm afraid he's in
trouble, boys!"