THE END OF THE SHEEP
Court had convened. It was the day set for the decision in the Spur
Creek open range matter--a decision which would say whether or not
sheep could be pastured on land that the owner of Diamond X had long
claimed as his own.
In the open West--where there is much hard work and little play--unless
a man makes the latter for himself--the opening of court, even for
small matters, was an occasion for the "gathering of the clans." From
far and near, those who could get away to attend the sitting of the
judge, and sometimes the trial of cases, were always on hand. It was
the same sort of an occasion as in the East is the circus, the cattle
show or the county fair.
At court, as at the circus and fair, friends who had long been
separated met again, and, not infrequently, relatives found those of
whom they had long lost trace.
And so, as there was a gathering of lawyers, a judge or two, some
witnesses and any number of mere hangers-on in the city where court had
been convened, there were heard on all sides such greetings as:
"Well, ef thar ain't ole Bill! Put here there, Bill!"
"Horn-swoggle me ef 'tain't Nate! Well, gumsozzle me!"
Two hard and calloused hand would meet in a crack like that from a
small gun and two bearded faces, seamed and wrinkled, would light up
with pleasure.
Near them--all around them--similar scenes were being enacted, and, not
infrequently, ancient enemies would thus come together, with none of
the kindly greetings that I have indicated. Often as not there would
be the drawing of guns and an exchange of shots, more or less dangerous
under any circumstances, and particularly so where there was a throng
as at the opening of court.
But on this occasion all grudges seemed to have been forgotten or
buried, for there was no shooting. The feeling was of the friendliest,
save that an important issue was to be fought out between the sheep men
on one side and the cattle men on the other.
To both sides the issue meant much, for it meant success or failure in
what they elected to gain their livings by means of. So it cannot be
wondered at that there were more or less serious faces as men met and
inquired one of the other:
"How do you think it's going?"
"Well, you can't tell much about it," the answer might be. "These
lawyers and judges----"
"That's right. They don't seem to use common sense--some of 'em."
"But what sort of a case do you s'pose Diamond X has got, anyhow?"
"Pretty good, I hear."
"Well, I hope they have. Gosh! If we're goin' t' be overrun with them
onery sheep jest as we've got things runnin' nicely fer cattle--wa'al,
I don't want t' live around here--that's all I got to say!" exclaimed
one grizzled cowman.
"Same here!" commented some of his hearers. "Sheep's no good; never
were any good; an' what's more, never will be any good!"
"That's right!" came a deep-voiced chorus.
To hear them tell it one would think that a sheep had no rights at all
and that a sheep man was the worst being on earth, and yet, as a matter
of fact, many a cowman, sick of the eternal beef that he had to eat,
welcomes a tender bit of roast lamb.
But such is the world!
To the cattlemen the sheep owners and herders were despised and hated
of men--not fit to live within the same thousand-mile area of cattle
and horses.
Of course sheep was not the direct issue. As was said, the point
turned on whether the Spur Creek land came under the provisions of the
open range, as defined by Congress, and once this was settled a man
could pasture elephants on the land he staked out, provided he could
get elephants to stay there.
But the coming of the sheep meant the going of the cattle. And that is
why the courtroom was so filled with spectators. Dick was there, his
bullet-wounded hand almost better. Bud was there, as was his father
and many cowboys from Diamond X.
Del Pinzo, with a grin on his evil, bearded face, was there also.
"We will take up first the matter of the open range land," said the
Judge. "The matter was laid over until to-day to enable the defendant
to produce certain papers in court substantiating his claim to
pasturage along Spur Creek. Are you ready to proceed, Mr. Bonnett?"
and he looked at Mr. Merkel's lawyer.
"Your Honor," began the attorney, "we hoped to be able to settle the
matter definitely to-day. I expected to show the deeds proving our
claim. But, unless a certain witness whom I depended on soon arrives,
we shall have to proceed to trial. If this witness were here, and if
he could prove what I hoped----"
"You will never be able to prove anything!" broke in the sneering voice
of Del Pinzo.
"Silence in the court!" cried Sheriff Hank Fowler, but almost as he
spoke the decorum was again broken by a voice which cried in ringing
tones:
"Oh, yes, we can prove everything, Del Pinzo! Here are the deeds that
prove Mr. Merkel's claim to the land, and I can prove that you stole
them the night of the shooting!"
"_San Diabalo!_" muttered Del Pinzo, turning quickly. "It is the
brother of Feliece!"
"Not exactly," laughed the voice of the newcomer. He snatched off a
wig of black, wiry hair and stood revealed as--Nort Shannon!
He tossed a bundle of papers to Mr. Merkel's lawyer, and then all eyes
turned on Del Pinzo, who feverishly was examining a bundle of documents
he tore from an oiled-silk bag.
"_San Diabalo!_" he cried again. "They are gone!"
"No, they are here!" mocked Nort. "I found where you had hidden the
real papers, and I just took them out and substituted some of my own."
Del Pinzo glared about the court for a moment, and then made a movement.
"Catch that scoundrel!" cried the Judge. But it was too late. Del
Pinzo slipped out, leaped to the back of his fleet horse and though the
pursuit was soon organized, he got away.
"Where did you come from, Nort?" asked Dick, as he shook hands with his
brother.
"Direct from the professor's camp. Didn't get here any too soon,
either, as it happens. My horse went lame and then there was a lot of
excitement when they found the Brontotherium."
"Oh, did they find another of those monsters?" asked Bud.
"Yep! The Grandfather of 'em all, I reckon!" laughed Nort. "And
during the ruction I managed to get to the place where Del Pinzo had
hidden the deeds he stole. I took them out and put in some worthless
documents so he wouldn't suspect. Then I came on here. Now I guess
they won't pasture any sheep at Spur Creek."
And they did not. With the finding of Mr. Merkel's deeds, which had
been stolen, his ownership was clearly established. No one now dared
claim his lands. Of course there were parts of the open range where
the sheep herders could go in, but none were as choice or as much
desired as the pastures of Spur Creek. And they were far enough away
not to menace Diamond X.
"The application of the plaintiff for permission to take over the Spur
Creek range is hereby denied," announced the Judge. And thus ended the
case of the men whose cause Del Pinzo had taken up. Some of them were
innocent parties to his treachery, and he had engineered the whole
scheme to enrich himself eventually. For these innocent victims sorrow
was expressed. But even sorrow would not induce a cattleman to allow
sheep on his ranch.
And so, a few days later the sheep which had been held in readiness
south of Spur Creek were driven back into Mexico.
"Well, Nort, suppose you tell us how it all happened," suggested Bud,
when matters at Diamond X were about normal again. "How did you come
to disguise yourself like a Greaser, go off to the professor's camp and
get the deeds where Del Pinzo had hidden them? Tell us."
"It isn't much of a story," began Nort, modestly enough. "In the first
place, you know about as much of the beginning of it as I do. Del
Pinzo heard about the government opening the range lands, and he knew
the deeds to Spur Creek must be here. So he organized a robbery and
carried it out, drawing us away from the place by a lot of shooting.
Professor Wright, as of course you know, had nothing to do with it.
His coming was just a coincidence.
"Those mysterious lone riders were sent by Del Pinzo to see how things
were going, and that rocket signaling was, as we guessed, communication
from one of Del Pinzo's gang to another. Then, when that Greaser had
the deeds safely hidden, as he thought, he gave the signal for the
sheep to start for Spur Creek."
"But how in the name of Zip Foster did you know where he had the deeds
hidden?" cried Bud.
"I didn't," answered Nort. "I simply guessed that he had taken them,
or had some one take them for him, and I reasoned he would keep them
near him, in the professor's camp. So, with your dad's permission,
Bud, I disguised like a Greaser and went to work in the fossil camp. I
had to kidnap one of the regular Greasers, and pass myself off as his
brother, which I did. By the way," he remarked to Slim, "we can let
Feliece go now."
"All right," chuckled Slim, who was one of the few in the secret. "He
didn't mind being a prisoner here, for he got well paid and had plenty
of grub."
"After I established myself at the camp," went on Nort, "and even the
professor didn't recognize me, I made it my business secretly to keep
on Del Pinzo's trail until I located where he had hidden the deeds, in
one of the many excavations made in searching for fossil bones.
"Then, when the Brontotherium was really found there was enough
excitement so that I could sneak over to the hiding place, take out the
right papers and stick in some dummies I had all ready. Then I sent
word to Mr. Bonnett, and came on as soon as I could with the deeds.
Zeb Tauth, the janitor whom the professor brought with him as a sort of
personal aid, helped me out in that. He was a good scout, Zeb was,
though he doesn't care much about fossils. He says he's anxious to get
back to his furnace and ash cans."
"Shades of Zip Foster!" chuckled Bud, as the explanation was concluded.
"It couldn't have been slicker if you'd practiced it for a year! I'll
never forget Del Pinzo's face as he opened his oiled-silk package and
realized that he had been fooled. Oh, Zip Foster!"
"So it's all over now," commented Dick.
"Well, it was a mighty good ending," said Mr. Merkel, "and I'm much
obliged to you boy ranchers. You helped a lot. I'd like to catch Del
Pinzo, however."
But the wily half-breed Greaser disappeared, though it might be feared
he would bob up again in the lives of the boy ranchers. For they were
destined to have other adventures.
"But we're through for a time," said Bud, as, with his cousins, he rode
the trail that led to home.
Nell met them near the horse corral.
"You're just in time," she said.
"For what?" asked Dick.
"Pie!" answered Nell with a laugh. "Mother and I have baked some for
you."
"Whoopee!" yelled the boy ranchers, and as they race for the kitchen we
will take leave of them for a time.
THE END
THE BOY RANCHERS SERIES
BY WILLARD F. BAKER
_12mo. Cloth. Illustrated. Jacket in full colors._
_Stories of the great west, with cattle ranches as a setting, related
in such a style as to captivate the hearts of all boys._
1. THE BOY RANCHERS
_or Solving the Mystery at Diamond X_
Two eastern boys visit their cousin. They become involved in an
exciting mystery.
2. THE BOY RANCHERS IN CAMP
_or The Water Fight at Diamond X_
Returning for a visit, the two eastern lads learn with delight, that
they are to become boy ranchers.
3. THE BOY RANCHERS ON THE TRAIL
_or The Diamond X After Cattle Rustlers_
Our boy heroes take the trail after Del Pinzo and his outlaws.
4. THE BOY RANCHERS AMONG THE INDIANS
_or Trailing the Yaquis_
Rosemary and Floyd are captured by the Yaqui Indians.
5. THE BOY RANCHERS AT SPUR CREEK
_or Fighting the Sheep Herders_
Dangerous struggle against desperadoes for land rights.
6. THE BOY RANCHERS IN THE DESERT
_or Diamond X and the Lost Mine_
One night a strange old miner almost dead from hunger and hardship
arrived at the bunk house. The boys cared for him and he told them of
the lost desert mine.
7. THE BOY RANCHERS ON ROARING RIVER
_or Diamond X and the Chinese Smugglers_
The boy ranchers help capture Delton's gang who were engaged in
smuggling Chinese across the border.
8. THE BOY RANCHERS IN DEATH VALLEY
_or Diamond X and the Poison Mystery_
The boy ranchers track mysterious Death into his cave.
CUPPLES & LEON COMPANY, Publishers. New York.
THE BASEBALL JOE SERIES
BY LESTER CHADWICK
_12mo. Illustrated. Price per volume, $.65, postpaid_
1. BASEBALL JOE OF THE SILVER STARS
_or The Rivals of Riverside_
2. BASEBALL JOE ON THE SCHOOL NINE
_or Pitching for the Blue Banner_
3. BASEBALL JOE AT YALE
_or Pitching for the College Championship_
4. BASEBALL JOE IN THE CENTRAL LEAGUE
_or Making Good as a Professional Pitcher_
5. BASEBALL JOE IN THE BIG LEAGUE
_or A Young Pitcher's Hardest Struggles_
6. BASEBALL JOE ON THE GIANTS
_or Making Good as a Twirler in the Metropolis_
7. BASEBALL JOE IN THE WORLD SERIES
_or Pitching for the Championship_
8. BASEBALL JOE AROUND THE WORLD
_or Pitching on a Grand Tour_
9. BASEBALL JOE HOME RUN KING
_or The Greatest Pitcher and Batter on Record_
10. BASEBALL JOE SAVING THE LEAGUE
_or Breaking Up a Great Conspiracy_
11. BASEBALL JOE CAPTAIN OF THE TEAM
_or Bitter Struggles on the Diamond_
12. BASEBALL JOE CHAMPION OF THE LEAGUE
_or The Record that was Worth While_
13. BASEBALL JOE CLUB OWNER
_or Putting the Home Town on the Map_
14. BASEBALL JOE PITCHING WIZARD
_or Triumphs Off and On the Diamond_
CUPPLES & LEON COMPANY, Publishers. New York.
THE JEWEL SERIES
BY AMES THOMPSON
_12mo. Cloth. Illustrated. Jacket in colors._
_A series of stories brimming with hardy adventure, vivid and accurate
in detail, and with a good foundation of probability. They take the
reader realistically to the scene of action. Besides being lively and
full of real situations, they are written in a straight-forward way
very attractive to boy readers._
1. THE ADVENTURE BOYS AND THE VALLEY OF DIAMONDS
Malcolm Edwards and his son Ralph are adventurers with ample means for
following up their interest in jewel clues. In this book they form a
party of five, including Jimmy Stone and Bret Hartson, boys of Ralph's
age, and a shrewd level-headed sailor named Stanley Greene. They find
a valley of diamonds in the heart of Africa.
2. THE ADVENTURE BOYS AND THE RIVER OF EMERALDS
The five adventurers, staying at a hotel in San Francisco, find that
Pedro the elevator man has an interesting story of a hidden "river of
emeralds" in Peru, to tell. With him as guide, they set out to find
it, escape various traps set for them by jealous Peruvians, and are
much amused by Pedro all through the experience.
3. THE ADVENTURE BOYS AND THE LAGOON OF PEARLS
This time the group starts out on a cruise simply for pleasure, but
their adventuresome spirits lead them into the thick of things on a
South Sea cannibal island.
CUPPLES & LEON COMPANY, PUBLISHERS. New York.
THE BOMBA BOOKS
BY ROY ROCKWOOD
_12mo. Cloth. Illustrated. With colored jacket._
_Bomba lived far back in the jungles of the Amazon with a half-demented
naturalist who told the lad nothing of his past. The jungle boy was a
lover of birds, and hunted animals with a bow and arrow and his trusty
machete. He had a primitive education in some things, and his daring
adventures will be followed with breathless interest by thousands._
1. BOMBA THE JUNGLE BOY _or The Old Naturalist's Secret_
In the depth of the jungle Bomba lives a life replete with thrilling
situations. Once he saves the lives of two American rubber hunters who
ask him who he is, and how he had come into the jungle.
2. BOMBA THE JUNGLE BOY AT THE MOVING MOUNTAIN _or The Mystery of the
Caves of Fire_
Bomba travels through the jungle, encountering wild beasts and hostile
natives. At last he trails the old man of the burning mountain to his
cave and learns more concerning himself.
3. BOMBA THE JUNGLE BOY AT THE GIANT CATARACT _or Chief Nasconora and
His Captives_
Among the Pilati Indians he finds some white captives, and an aged
opera singer, first to give Bomba real news of his forebears.
4. BOMBA THE JUNGLE BOY ON JAGUAR ISLAND _or Adrift on the River of
Mystery_
Jaguar Island was a spot as dangerous as it was mysterious and Bomba
was warned to keep away. But the plucky boy sallied forth.
5. BOMBA THE JUNGLE BOY IN THE ABANDONED CITY _or A Treasure Ten
Thousand Years Old_
Years ago this great city had sunk out of sight beneath the trees of
the jungle. A wily half-breed thought to carry away its treasure.
6. BOMBA THE JUNGLE BOY ON TERROR TRAIL _or The Mysterious Men from
the Sky_
Bomba strikes out through the vast Amazonian jungles and soon finds
himself on the dreaded Terror Trail.
CUPPLES & LEON COMPANY, Publishers. New York.
End of Project Gutenberg's The Boy Ranchers at Spur Creek, by Willard F. Baker