his mother and sister, that something was wrong. Prepared as Nort and Dick were for stra

ening meal. Slim Degnan, the foreman, Babe, his assistant, and one or two others started forward as if to intercept the horseman. But a cowboy on foot is like a sailor o

lane that led toward the ranch house, where Bud and the ot

ter of him-loco

him, and Bud has his gun. Still, I don't know but we'd better mosey up

ere," he called to the other cowboys, some of whom seemed to sh

eastern lads, with Bud, his mother and sister, the lone horseman had dismounted, not with any de

ack in the direction whence he had come. "If you

s garb was of the East as his riding had been, though he sat a fairly good saddle, or he never could have ridden at the speed he did. But he had a good horse. Even Dick

ting answer. "He's off there-with his

like a professor,"

" sharply co

ed his hand toward where Bud and Slim, on their homeward ride, had seen the wisp of smoke. "Some Mexicans threaten to attack us," went on the man who called himself Professor B

exclai

were only here!" m

ell, with sparkling eyes. "I wish

he called after Bud, for he was already half way down the lane leading to th

t to see some lively

do!" ye

ange our clothes?" a

you want to! I'm going to shed mine!" and shed it he

o the house, met the fleeing young rancher, who had even distanced P

ack toward the professor. "He and a party are camped over in the hills-where we saw the smoke a while

Milton briefly, as, with more speed than you would

rong, had begun to catch and saddle enough ponies to

he cowboys who were in the corral. "You can ride those,

s time than it takes to tell it, they were riding along the trail, directed by Professor Blair, whos

ins, as he, himself, spurred ahead alongside Slim and Bab

"Oh, boy! A fight the

yelled to

ud. "These Greasers may hit the tr

xicans, aren't t

believe a few Indians, also, in our prospecting work. Our own men are all right, but we were attac

ed the row?

med to embarrass

east know where valuables may be," he answered. "I believe they

ound gold!"

ret the object of his search, and perhaps the mystery surrounding it has been misconstrued by the ignorant men. T

wed by faint yells. Bud Merkel clapped spurs to his horse

lling him! They