slide toward their holsters, where nestled their .45 guns. Bud had taken his off, on reaching the hou

as either the ranch foreman or his fat ass

st, but when you do need it you nee

They were almost a necessity for a lone rider to signal for help, or indicate the need of certain action, and more than

le's ranch, to "pack a gun," but their advent and arrival had been so sudden, and their time so crowded since reach

as they galloped along, and saw the foreman and his fa

tinctively sought the leather sheath. Professor Blair

ed spurs to his already well-doing horse, and shot ahead of th

ard Newton and Silas Thorpe," was the answer. "But the other day we

reman, slightly checking his horse to accommodate i

seemed about a doze

when he told me

ad odds," m

ht?" asked Nort,

ern ranch lad. "But we'll have to la

ght owing to the uneven nature of the country. He might have been

his score, though he did

r bunch coming

t's some of our bunch," he added. "Cowboys from Diamond X. Guess mo

glistening face with the big handkerchief that adorned his neck, and the neck of ev

rned later, the silk or cotton squares formed very effective protection to nose and mouth while riding range in the thick, heavy dust stirred up by the fe

, as he spurred forward again, having

t is all a mistake-thinking we are after gold-but they'

wed outburst of shots, punctured by shrill yel

hey'll kill him!" mo

as the three boys managed to get their ponies on a line with the stur

lls, which formed a sort of stepping stone to the grim mountains behind them, along the base of which flowed a river. These hills, or part of them, m

owing a path, or "trail," as it should be called. This trail had been worn by countless

h, Bud and his cousins saw a sight which thrilled them through and though, thoug

rricade. They were firing over this line of defense at objects unseen, but which, as the white puffs of

n addition a series of sharp and wild yells which, now that the scene wa

d to be the owner of the camp, were using their voice

n along the trail. "Come on, boys!" he yelled and inst

t I bring mine

ck!" excl

un firing than there was silence on the part of the attackers. A few scattering shots

followed by Babe. At the same time those in the little camp, who had had their backs

, resting the butt of his rifle on the ground as he surveyed

rked quietly. "And just in time, too

on't know your names, gentlemen," he went on, turning to Bud a

her occasion to thank

at included all the res

my men, possibly two,

hey have

a doctor, but that brand isn't plenty out here. If they're

ents, and while Slim dismounted to make his way the

Mexicans or half-breeds. These were all armed and had, in common with their white employers, been firing at the attacking p

?" asked Nort, with sparkling eyes, as the foreman

much a surprise to me

know this ca

reckon it is?

"I reckon even Zip Foster co

Foster?"

son," chuckled Babe, who was rapidly making a survey

even his tan did not altogether hid

ing two white men (evidently the Ed Newton and Silas Thorp spoken of by Professor Blair)

ought to be treated with some dope I've got at the ranch house. T

rofessor Wright. "But it might

s!" excla

t might inflam

e medicine. Here they come now," he added, as, with whoops of delight at the prospect of a fight, a troop of othe

bered his gun. It needed but one utterance of his to esta

ctly. "Don't know just what i

restive, nearly brought down one of the small tents. As it swayed, a flap opening becau

must enter that tent!" shar

rather grieved tones. "Come out of that, you soap footer!" he cr

to his side Professor Blair, quickly fastened the tent shut

see something we hadn't a right

s act queer,

d much more prone, than was his brother, to ascribe motives t