The Project Gutenberg eBook, The Broncho Rider Boys on the Wyoming Trail, by Frank Fowler This eBook is for the use of anyone anywhere at no cost and with almost no restrictions whatsoever. You may copy it, give it away or re-use it under the terms of the Project Gutenberg License included with this eBook or online at www.gutenberg.org Title: The Broncho Rider Boys on the Wyoming Trail A Mystery of the Prairie Stampede Author: Frank Fowler Release Date: April 30, 2012 [eBook #39578] Language: English Character set encoding: utf-8 ***START OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK THE BRONCHO RIDER BOYS ON THE WYOMING TRAIL*** E-text prepared by Roger Frank and the Online Distributed Proofreading Team (http://www.pgdp.net) from page images generously made available by the HathiTrust Digital Library (http://www.hathitrust.org/digital_library) Note: Images of the original pages are available through the HathiTrust Digital Library. See http://hdl.handle.net/2027/nyp.33433082303136 The Broncho Rider Boys on the Wyoming Trail Frank Fowler CONTENTS CHAPTER I.—ALONG THE WYOMING TRAIL. CHAPTER II.—THE STRANGE ACTIONS OF JUPITER. CHAPTER III.—THE FIRST NEWS OF THE BAR-S RANCH. CHAPTER IV.—THE NIGHT ALARM. CHAPTER V.—THE STAMPEDE. CHAPTER VI.—TO STAND BY A CHUM. CHAPTER VII.—FOLLOWING THE CATTLE RUSTLERS. CHAPTER VIII.—THE CORRAL IN BITTERSWEET COULIE. CHAPTER IX.—READY TO ACT. CHAPTER X.—CLEVER WORK. CHAPTER XI.—LAYING PLANS. CHAPTER XII.—DRIVING THE STAMPEDED STOCK HOME. CHAPTER XIII.—ADRIAN HIRES MORE HELP. CHAPTER XIV.—THE LAME PILGRIM ON THE TRAIL. CHAPTER XV.—FACE TO FACE AT THE CORRAL. CHAPTER XVI.—A THREATENING STORM. CHAPTER XVII.—ADRIAN TAKES THE REINS. CHAPTER XVIII.—THE SHEEP AND THE GOATS. CHAPTER XIX.—BILLIE HAS SUSPICIONS. CHAPTER XX.—ALMOST CAUGHT. CHAPTER XXI.—MR. THOMAS IS AMUSED. CHAPTER XXII.—SAFE IN THE CORRAL. CHAPTER XXIII.—TO HAVE AND TO HOLD. CHAPTER XXIV.—TREACHERY. CHAPTER XXV.—ADRIAN MAKES A STAND. CHAPTER XXVI.—A BOLD PROPOSAL. CHAPTER XXVII.—TRAPPED. CHAPTER XXVIII.—COUNTING THE MINUTES. CHAPTER XXIX.—THE COMING OF THE RUSTLERS. CHAPTER XXX.—WHEN THE SHERIFF CAME—CONCLUSION. Plainly branded on the flank of the dead animal was the sign manual, a bar, and the letter S. THE BRONCHO RIDER BOYS ON THE WYOMING TRAIL OR A Mystery of the Prairie Stampede By FRANK FOWLER Author of “The Broncho Rider Boys Down in Arizona,” “The Broncho Rider Boys at Keystone Ranch,” “The Bronco Rider Boys Along the Border,” A. L. BURT COMPANY NEW YORK. Copyright, 1914 by A. L. Burt Company THE BRONCHO RIDER BOYS ON THE WYOMING TRAIL CHAPTER I.—ALONG THE WYOMING TRAIL. “Getting near the end of our long ride, ain’t we, Adrian?” “Another night out ought to finish our great gallop from the Arizona border away up into the Wyoming cattle country, Billie.” “Huh! mebbe I ain’t just glad to hear that news now. This broncho riding business may be all very well for a while; but a fellow can get too much, even of a good thing; ain’t that so, Donald?” “I’ve found that out myself many a time, and ’specially around the Christmas stuffing season, Billie. But you’ll admit that our horses have held out well. Wireless is about as willing as when we started from my home weeks back.” “That’s right, and so is Jupiter here, which is a wonder, considering that I’m nearly as heavy as my two saddle chums combined. Time was when Jupiter kept me guessing which way he had made up his mind to throw me off; but he don’t act like a crazy thing any more.” “No, you cured him of that trick, all right, Billie, though we thought he’d break that stubborn neck of yours in the bargain,” laughed the boy called Adrian. “And you stick to the saddle like a burr these days, because you can ride just as well as—well, you can eat, which is going some, if I do say it,” went on the third of the young riders, whom the fat boy had called Donald. Billie laughed merrily, showing that he was a good-natured chap, and could take a joke, even when it was on himself, which is more than some lads are able to do, the more the pity. While they plod on in this way, heading toward a group of houses where they hoped to find a wayside tavern at which they might secure some sort of a lunch, for they did not wish to stop to do any cooking at noon, we may as well take advantage of the opportunity to introduce these three lively boys to those readers who may not have had the good fortune to meet them before in earlier volumes of this Western series of books. Donald Mackay was the son of a well-to-do ranchman located down along the Arizona border, where he carried on his cattle business at Keystone Ranch; and was at the same time heavily interested in certain copper mines situated among the mountains. Adrian Sherwood was a friend, and a chum of Donald’s, who had spent a long stretch with the Mackays, so that he almost looked upon their home as his own. He was an orphan, and owned a cattle ranch of his own up here in Wyoming, which had for a long time been managed by his Uncle Fred Comstock; but which the young fellow had not visited for a term of years, ever since meeting Donald, in fact. During the last twelve months or so he had been receiving very disappointing returns from his property. All sorts of evil things had apparently swooped down on the valuable ranch, which had once been known under another name, but now went by that of the Bar-S outfit. Adrian had bothered very little about it at first, but as these bad returns continued, his curiosity was aroused; and finally he found himself tempted to visit his property secretly, without warning his uncle of his coming. In this way he hoped to see for himself just what strange things were taking place up here in what was once the finest cattle country, barring none, in all the Wild West. The third member of the trio of riders was named William Stonewall Jackson Winkle. Hence it would go without saying that he came of an intensely patriotic Southern family, one or more of whose members must have ridden with the famous Confederate general in those terrible days of the Civil War; though the Winkles now lived in the North, and Billie’s father was a rich New York lawyer. The boy had really been sent to pay a year’s visit to his cousin, Donald, in the hope that the bracing air and breezy life of a cattle ranch, with plenty of outdoor exercise thrown in, might reduce his flesh more or less; and the cure had been fairly successful. While Billie was still an enormously fat chap, his muscles were no longer flabby, but “hard as nails,” as he often joyously avowed. He had come out West a genuine tenderfoot or greenhorn, only knowing how to ride fairly well; but gifted with an extraordinary stubborn disposition that forced him to keep “plugging” away at any thing he wished to learn until it had to succumb. So he had conquered the vicious pony named Jupiter, which none of the cow-punchers had had the patience to break of his evil ways. For a long time it was an open question whether Billie would break the pony, or the latter break Billie’s neck; but in the end the determined boy had won out. And from that day on they delighted to call the fat chum Broncho Billie. Down in Arizona these three lads, known far and wide as the Broncho Rider Boys because they were nearly always seen galloping swiftly over the plains on their mounts, either in pursuit of game, runaway cattle, or just for a wild lark, had of course met with numerous exciting experiences. Some of these will be found narrated in previous volumes of this series, to which the reader who would know more about the saddle pards, is referred. They had made the journey of hundreds of miles mounted on their horses, and taking things rather easy. With them they carried rifles, and some cooking utensils as well as blankets; for many a night they camped just as they found themselves in the open, making themselves fairly comfortable. At other times they put up at roadside taverns, especially when a bad spell of weather came along, and the chance for shelter offered. From what Adrian had said to the stout chum, they were now close to the end of their long journey, with their mounts in tiptop condition. Indeed, he had assured Billie that this night would in all probability be their last on the Wyoming trail, as they should reach Bar-S Ranch before another sundown succeeded the one that was before them. Billie liked riding, but being such a heavy fellow he longed for a change. To his mind a few days spent in lying around and taking things easy would be a delight. At times he joked, and told his chums that if they kept him on the jump much longer he would be able to get a job in some dime museum as the Living Skeleton; but somehow this doleful information did not appear to cause either Adrian or Donald any alarm. They would look him over critically, and then grin, as they shook their heads in the negative, as though unable to detect any difference in his heft nowadays from what it used to be when they left Keystone Ranch. In this way they rode in among the houses that formed a prairie village. Farms doubtless lay scattered around, with the owners preferring to live in a community, and ride out to their work every day, either in wagons, or the latest thing in automobiles, which were already becoming very common on the plains. Seeing an awkward, half-grown boy, who looked as though he might be connected with the tavern in front of which they had halted, Adrian called out to him. “We want to stop over and get some lunch; can you have our ponies fed, and then brought around to the hitching fence again, after being watered?” “Reckon I kin, boss,” replied the boy, who was a rather silly looking fellow, Billie thought, and who kept staring at him so hard that he rather fancied he had never before set eyes on so stout a youth; he even grinned and chuckled while taking the bridle reins of the three ponies, and continued to stare at Billie until the three travelers had disappeared in the tap-room of the tavern. “Seems like you made a hit with that fellow, Billie,” remarked Donald, chuckling. “Well, I ain’t proud of my conquest,” muttered the fat boy, who had not felt easy under the bold stare of the hostler; “he hain’t got the sweetest face I ever set eyes on; and ’peared to me he might be close to a fool.” “Here’s the landlord,” remarked Adrian, and turning to the tall man who came bustling forward, he continued: “We’d like to have something warm to eat, if you can give it to us in a short while; your stable boy has taken our ponies around to bait and water. Are we in time for dinner?” “Be ready in ten minutes, and glad to hev you along with us,” replied the other. They found that the dinner, while limited in variety, was very good, and with an abundance that pleased Billie especially, for the fat chum was a great eater. Having satisfied their appetites Donald and Adrian gave Billie a little extra time. They recognized the fact that he had to eat for nearly twice their weight; and had only one set of jaws with which to do the masticating, as Billie often complained, when they reproached him for lingering over the spread. But finally even he had to confess that he could devour no more, though he did shake his head when leaving the table, as though it was against his principles to allow so much to remain after he had dined. The horses were already fastened at the rail out at the front door, and having settled for the accommodation, besides leaving a generous tip for the hostler who did not appear to be around, they mounted and rode off; at least Donald and Adrian did without any trouble. Billie, however, was not so fortunate. Jupiter acted very queer, after having had his wild spirit so well brought under subjection by his young master long ago. He shook his head, and snorted, as though afraid of something, even prancing hither and thither as if unwilling to let Billie get into his saddle. “Whoa! you silly thing!” shouted the fat boy, with a foot in the stirrup; and then, seeing that Jupiter was bound to make him try his best to mount this time, Billie suddenly threw himself upward, and as his other leg passed over the saddle he found himself seated. Hardly had he done so than Jupiter commenced a series of prancings and buckings of the same type as of old, evidently objecting strenuously to Billie’s weight. Not being able to dismount his young master in this way the really frantic pony suddenly dashed furiously along, passing both the others like a shot. And Billie, as he left the village tavern in the lurch, believed he heard a discordant shriek of boyish laughter that, it struck him, must have come from the throat of the ugly stable boy who had stared so hard at him and grinned like an ape! CHAPTER II.—THE STRANGE ACTIONS OF JUPITER. “Hello! what ails Billie and his mount now?” burst out Adrian, as the fat chum went flying past, with Jupiter acting like a crazy thing, stopping short every little while to “buck,” and leap, and dance wildly, after which he would go off again like the wind. They started their own bronchos along at a lively pace in order to keep Billie in sight, at least. “Looks like Jupiter might have suddenly gone back to his old ways again,” remarked Donald; “and I don’t know that I ever saw him carry on just like that, even when he used to give every broncho-buster on the range the time of his life trying to break him in.” “But Billie sticks like glue!” declared Adrian; “look at him, would you, when the pony nearly stands on his silly head? If Billie never did another thing he’s shown us that he comes of a race of riders, that’s sure. Chances are that boy at the stable wondered how such a fat fellow ever could keep in his saddle when on a lively broncho.” Donald made no reply. Perhaps these words had set him to thinking; or it might be he was so taken up with watching the frantic evolutions of the runaway pony just then that he could not spare the time for talking. Meanwhile Billie was having what he would call a “warm session” with his mount. He tried to soothe Jupiter with caressing words, but for a wonder they seemed to have no effect; for if anything the beast only acted uglier than before. Discovering this Billie changed his tactics. Believing that it was only a return of Jupiter’s old vicious nature, he was now determined to give him a treatment similar to those that had in the past proved so salutory. “Well, if you just feel like you must go and run away with me,” he muttered between his set teeth, “I’ll help things along the best I know how. I’ll try and give you something to run for, you crazy thing!” With that he brought his quirt down upon the flank of the pony with decided emphasis. As a rule he seldom had need to let Jupiter feel the sting of the lash, as the animal was a “willing goer,” and ready to “break his heart” as Billie said, in carrying that heavy weight along as rapidly as the others could gallop. Of course when he felt the cut of the quirt, brought down with all the vigor of Billie’s stout arm, the pony no longer stopped to try and unseat his rider. He seemed to know that that was no longer possible; and accordingly he went dashing off at a mad pace that would necessitate the other chums urging their mounts on to do their level best, unless they wished to be distanced in the race. So they went careering madly over the level prairie, with Billie leading, far in the van. The others managed to keep close enough together to exchange occasional remarks; and as they were constantly growing more curious concerning this strange freak of the broncho, it can be understood that they did more or less talking. “You don’t think Billie can be at fault in any way for this sudden outbreak, do you, Donald?” Adrian queried. “I don’t see how he could,” came the reply. “The horse was acting mighty queer when our pard first laid hands on the saddle. I noticed him jump just like he used to in the old days. Seems like he might have had a sudden return of that crazy spirit. The boys used to say it’d come back to him some day or other, and warned Billie never to fully trust Jupiter.” “But the broncho has been acting more than halfway decent for a long time now,” Adrian went on to say, as he galloped swiftly along, keeping a wary eye out for gopher holes, because he did not want to take chances with a broken neck by being suddenly pitched over the head of his mount; “and I really began to believe he’d never go back on Billie, for he seemed to have grown to love his master.” “You can never tell what a broncho will do,” replied Donald, with his long experience as a guide; for he was a genuine prairie boy, much of his life having been spent on a cattle ranch; in fact he was even educated at home by his mother, who had once been a very clever teacher in a Chicago high school before marrying Mr. Mackay. “Yes, they come of a wild race, and sometimes seem to feel a touch of the old free spirit that their ancestors enjoyed when they ran wild over the plains!” Adrian called out; for they had to raise their voices while speeding along at such a pace. Billie kept lashing his mount furiously. It was the only method whereby a stubborn spirit in a pony could be subdued. The animal is to be taught that he has a master on his back, and that he must conform to the will of the rider, whether it is to run like the wind, or pull up. The first thing a broncho-buster does is to drive this idea well into the mind of his mount by whipping him constantly until he is fain to draw up when the lines begin to pull, from utter exhaustion. And after this seed has begun to take root it is comparatively easy to make an indelible impression by starting him off again with the quirt, and the spurs, to pull him in from time to time until the lesson is well learned, never to be forgotten. And Billie was doing the only thing left to him by whipping his broncho, though somehow it seemed to go against the grain to do it once more, after all these long weeks of peace and docility on the part of Jupiter. Already was the animal lathered with sweat, partly because of his tremendous exertions, but more on account of his excitement and nervous state; for those coming along in the rear were in no such condition. An hour and more passed, with the wild ride still continuing. But Donald’s keen eye detected signs that told him Jupiter was growing very tired. “He’ll get him before much longer,” he asserted confidently. “Looks to me as if the broncho might be weakening,” returned his companion, critically; “you see, the long journey is apt to tell on Jupiter. For days steady we’ve covered a heap of miles, and the grind of carrying all that weight is sure to pull down the stoutest horse going.” “Yes,” Donald continued, “there, Billie nearly pulled him in then, though when the beast commenced jumping like mad he slashed him with his quirt, and just made him run again, though it was easy to see Jupiter didn’t have much heart for it.” “The end isn’t far off,” observed Adrian; “and since we’ve covered an afternoon’s gallop in this hour and a half, I reckon we might as well think of halting near where he finally stops his mount.” “Sure the poor beast will need a good rest!” declared Donald; “I can’t quite make up my mind what ails him. Seems like he had gone clean crazy some way or other. I’ve seen horses act like that when they’d been locoed; but we know our animals haven’t been near any poison weed like that.” “Well, we’ll soon know a little more’n we do now,” argued Adrian. “Looks like it, because Billie is going to get the upper hand pretty quick, I reckon, from the way things look,” added his chum. Both of them had been making rapid time of it since leaving that prairie village where they had eaten the last meal. Of course Jupiter had flown along at even a faster clip; but then he lost time by stopping occasionally to try some of his ancient games of bucking, so that the pursuers were able to come closer again before he took a notion, under the lashing of the busy quirt, to once more start off. Billie had not even taken notice enough of his chums to wave a hand in their direction at any time during his furious ride. But then they could understand that easily enough, for he had to keep his attention constantly fastened upon Jupiter, lest the curveting animal spring a sudden trick calculated to dismount his rider. Luckily the fat boy had been very particular to always have the best of girths and other gear in connection with his riding outfit. A whole lot depends on such little things as this when trying to master the ugly spirit in one of those lively bronchos; as many a cow-puncher has learned to his sorrow when something gave way, perhaps even in the moment of his victory, and not only hurled him to the ground but spoiled all that had been thus far accomplished in regard to taming the pony. It was plain to be seen that pure exhaustion and nothing else was causing Jupiter to give in now. He acted just as strangely as ever, but lacked the strength to hold out. And it was this fact that caused Donald to shake his head and say something to himself that undoubtedly had a bearing on the solution of the mystery, only he did not feel positive enough to communicate the same to Adrian. But Billie had finally brought his trembling mount to a standstill. When this was accomplished the fat boy carefully threw himself to the ground, keeping a tight grip on the bridle. If Jupiter attempted to rear, or break away, he would find all that weight was as good as any anchor that could have been attached to him. He might as well have tried to move a mountain as Broncho Billie, when once he stood firmly on his two legs. “Whatever is he doing, do you think?” demanded Adrian, as he and Donald rode forward toward the spot where their chum and his foamy mount were to be seen. “I declare if he hasn’t thrown the saddle off!” cried Donald, and there was a ring of exultation in his voice, that seemed to announce that certain dim suspicions which he had been entertaining were duly strengthened by this queer fact. “But he can’t mount again if Jupiter takes a sudden notion to bolt!” said Adrian. “No danger of that happening, take my word for it,” replied Donald. “See here, you’ve guessed what all the racket is about, I just know you have,” the other cried, as his suspicions were aroused by Donald’s manner. “Well, I’ve been thinking something for a little while now, even if I didn’t say a word about the same,” admitted Donald, laughing. “And you won’t tell me?” urged his comrade. “What’s the use at this late stage of the game?” replied Donald. “Give Billie a chance to let the cat out of the bag; because there he is, waving to us right now, and wanting us to hurry along.” When the two who were in the rear came galloping up a couple of minutes later it was a very red-faced and indignant chum they found there, patting the trembling Jupiter tenderly, and even caressing his velvety muzzle, as though begging his pardon for all that slapping of the cruel quirt. “But how was I to know that all the while the poor thing was in agony, with me in the saddle pressing these poisoned stickers deeper and deeper into his back? Oh! it was a cruel trick, putting this bunch of sand spurs under the saddle; and no wonder the broncho acted like he was crazy as I jumped up and down, driving the points in deeper. Poor old Jupiter, how was I to know you weren’t to blame?” CHAPTER III.—THE FIRST NEWS OF THE BAR-S RANCH. “A mean trick!” echoed the indignant Adrian, “I’d like to help whip the fellow who would think it funny to inflict that torture on a poor dumb beast, not to mention having the rider run a chance of breaking his neck. Whoever d’ye think could have been guilty—oh! yes, that grinning hostler at the village tavern. It must have been him!” “Just who it was!” said Donald, grimly, and his face told how gladly he would have taken pleasure in being one of several to treat the ugly-faced half-grown cub to a good hiding, to pay him for his detestable trick. “He kept on looking at me all the time, and grinning like a monkey,” grumbled Billie, who was still caressing his broncho; and somehow Jupiter seemed to understand it was all a mistake that he received that whipping, for he whinnied, and rubbed his nose against his master’s cheek. “Yes,” continued Donald, “somehow the silly thought it’d be a fine sight to see how a fellow built like Billie here is, would carry on when a horse got skittish; and like as not he couldn’t think up any other way than this. I once knew a mean greaser to fasten some of these sand spurs under a horse’s tail, and the game worked so that the rider was thrown; with a broken arm to show for it.” “What happened to the Mexican?” demanded Billie, eagerly. “I never just knew,” replied Donald, seriously; “but the boys took after him, and from that day to this I’ve never set eyes on his yellow face again. I sometimes think they must have lynched the scoundrel, though nobody would ever let on.” “Well, he sure deserved it,” muttered Billie; “but say, I hope now we ain’t going any further this same day. I’d like Jupiter to have some rest; and besides, I want to rub his poor blistered back here with some witch hazel, and put some salve on. When I ride tomorrow I’ll see there’s a good pad under my saddle, you hear me.” That was just like generous, good-hearted Billie. He would never harm any sort of domestic animal, which accounted for his anger toward the thoughtless hostler who in order to have a little fun, and see the fat boy throw his arms around the neck of his mount, as he imagined would come to pass, had taken advantage of his opportunity to play such a wicked trick. “Oh! we’d already decided that!” declared Adrian. “And we stop somewhere close by, do we?” asked Billie, anxiously; “because, like as not this terrible work will give me something of an appetite, and I’ll be wanting to start supper a little earlier than usual tonight—now, don’t laugh, boys; I know it’s hard on the rest of you that nature made me so big I have to eat for two; but I just can’t help it. And that work used up all my dinner, you see.” They had long ago stopped arguing with Billie with regard to his abnormal appetite. Sometimes one or the other would joke him about it, but they never tried to cut him short on his rations. Looking around Adrian quickly decided that they had come upon as good a place to spend this the last night on the Wyoming trail as any that could be found. “What better could heart wish?” he put it up to them; “with this fine little watercourse running zigzag along, and right here a motte of timber where we can make our camp? And there are several riders heading toward us, that perhaps we might try and pump, so as to get some information about the Bar-S Ranch. That landlord at the tavern didn’t seem to know anything.” “Look like cowboys too,” declared Billie, after an anxious glance toward those who were galloping in their direction; for Billie knew that on the plains it is hardly wise to trust any one you happen to meet until they have proved their title to be looked on as friends. “Oh! come, don’t keep feeling for your gun that is strapped so safely to your back, Billie,” said Adrian, laughing. “There are only three in the bunch, and they’re sure enough punchers. Let’s give them the cowboy salute, and show that we happen to be of the same stripe; though I reckon our outfit tells that already.” “Yes,” added Donald, “and don’t forget, Billie, that we said we’d keep mum about Adrian here being the owner of the Bar-S Ranch. Just say we belong down Arizona-way, and have come up here to look around. People mind their own business generally speaking, here on the plains, and they won’t pry into our affairs when they see we don’t care to open up.” “All the same, I’d like to ask a few questions myself,” Adrian went on to say. “It might be right useful to us if we could get a line on what’s going on up around the Bar-S, before we arrived.” “A good idea,” commented Billie, quickly. “They say forewarned is forearmed, you know; and if we learn something is crooked, why, you’ll be able to figure on what you ought to do, eh, Ad?” “Just what I will, Billie,” replied the other, grimly; “though it’s hard for me to even suspect my uncle of stealing. If you knew what a spirited little man he used to be, and what a high sense of honor he had, you’d understand that. But keep quiet about these things now, Billie, for here they come galloping up, waving their hats, and whooping like mad.” The three cow-punchers quickly pulled in when apparently about to ride the others down, and hearty salutations followed on both sides. They were just such rough riders as may be found scattered all over the country where cattle are raised for the market, requiring a host of dashing fellows to herd them, brand the mavericks and youngsters, and keep the drove from being stolen by rustlers or preyed upon by wild animals. Just as they had planned to do, the three boys told that they were from a ranch away down in the Southwest, coming up in the Northern country just to look around, and see how things were done here. Adrian had quickly made sure that he did not know any one of the men, and this seemed to promise that they could not have the least suspicion regarding his own identity. It was Donald who led the conversation to the subject of the ranches within a radius of fifty miles; and when one of the others happened to mention the Bar-S among several, the Arizona boy remarked: “Seems to me I’ve heard considerable about that same Bar-S Ranch. And whoever it was told me must have said it was a bang-up outfit, as smart as any in Wyoming. Let’s see, it’s owned by a man named Comstock, ain’t it, pards?” He saw the three cowboys turn toward each other, and thought a flicker of a smile passed over their weather-beaten faces, while one winked his eye at the same time. “Oh! Fred Comstock he’s on’y manager of that Bar-S Ranch,” replied one. “He used to be,” chuckled a second, “and as husky a little manager as you’d be apt to run up against in a month out here.” “Why, who’s the manager now, then?” asked Adrian, rather startled; for he had not had any intimation of a change; and certainly nothing of the kind had ever been instituted with his consent. At that the three cow-punchers chuckled some more. “Why, you see, everybody reckons as how Mrs. Fred Comstock she holds the whip hand over pore old Fred; and runs things as she feels like at the Bar-S,” came the puzzling reply. Then Adrian remembered that a year and more ago he had heard that Uncle Fred, being an old bachelor, had married; though the woman whom he had taken to his heart was utterly unknown to the boy. He had sent them his best wishes, and a generous present at the time, and then forgotten all about it, because a boy of Adrian’s age could hardly be expected to care in the slightest degree about such things. “Oh! is that it?” remarked Donald, elevating his eyebrows. “Seems to me I heard that this same Fred Comstock was a little terror, and his punchers minded him from the word go. Has he changed any since he got in double harness, boys?” “Changed any?” echoed one of the rough riders, with a grin; “well, you’d never know it was the same old Fred Comstock these fine days. He ain’t got a bit of spunk any more, seems like. She just orders him around like he was a waterboy. Reckon that woman must be a terror when she gets mad, and everybody says as how Fred he had both his eyes black for a month before he give in. She runs the ranch as she sees fit. But that ain’t the wust of it, neither.” “Why, what more could there be, with poor old Fred Comstock sat down on in such a way?” demanded Donald, noticing that the three men looked toward each other, and acted in a mysterious fashion, as though afraid about saying too much. “Well, we don’t want our names mentioned in the matter,” said one, finally; “but you see, this Mrs. Fred was one of the Walkers before she got spliced.” “And who are the Walkers?” continued Donald, bent on learning all he could, for the benefit of his chum, who was listening eagerly, his face filled with surprise, because all this was indeed news to him. “The Walkers—well, they happen to be a pretty numerous family in Wyoming at the present time,” replied his informant, cautiously. “They got three ranches down south from here, and people says as how—” began a second cow-puncher, when one of his mates held up a finger warningly—“well, all I’m agoin’ to say is that lots of people believe they ain’t runnin’ them three ranches jest for the cattle they raise. Some say the Walkers are bootleggers in the dry counties, acarryin’ licker when it’s against the law. Others have gone further and call ’em a bunch of cattle rustlers; but as for me, kids, remember that I ain’t asayin’ anything agin that bunch, I don’t know a thing; I’m just tellin’ what I heard other folks say.” “It may be true, and agin it might be a pack o’ lies,” a second remarked, as he prepared to start off again, after shaking hands with Adrian and his chums. “But where there’s smoke there’s nearly always fire,” observed Donald, sagaciously, as he in turn took the hand of each of the three genial punchers in his. “You never spoke truer words, my friend,” said the last man, leaning down to speak in a low tone, as though he feared that the trees might carry what he said to hostile ears; “and while you’re around these diggin’s best remember not to get too much interested in what the Walkers are adoin’. They seem to have a wide chain o’ friends, and nobody ain’t ever had the grit to round that bunch up, so far. We used to work on the Bar-S before she came there, but it soon got too warm for us, and we quit. So-long, boys; hope you get safe back again down in old Arizona, where some of us may drop in later on; and if we do, we’ll sure hunt up the Keystone Ranch, and ask for Donald Mackay.” With that he too whirled his cow pony around, and waving his hand to the boys, went off at a reckless pace in a cloud of dust. CHAPTER IV.—THE NIGHT ALARM. “That was a time you got some news that looks like it staggered you, Adrian,” remarked Billie, after the three cow- punchers had dashed away, on their road west. “Seems like it,” declared the one addressed, who was scratching his head in a puzzled way; “but do you know, it’s hard to believe that any sort of woman could get the whip-hand over my Uncle Fred. Why, there never was a more fiery and determined character. He ran things with an iron hand, even that puncher admitted as much. How he could be brought under a woman’s thumb is more’n I can understand.” “Oh!” spoke up Donald, sagaciously, “you don’t know how some women can manage. And from the way that fellow mentioned Mrs. Fred I reckon now that she’s that big she can just fling her hubby around like a cat, when she’s riled up. Two black eyes is going some, and for a whole month too! Looks like you might be getting a little closer to an explanation of the queer things that have been going on up here on your Bar-S Ranch, Chum Adrian.” “Yes, it looks like it,” agreed the other; “but I’ll never believe Uncle Fred is ruled by a petticoat till I see it with my own eyes. He’s a small man, but a masterful fighter. I can remember him flinging a fellow twice his heft in a wrestling match; for Uncle Fred has been in Japan, and learned the ju jitsu way of doing an antagonist up.” “Mebbe he has,” remarked Billie, who was taking pains to search his pack for the bottle of witch-hazel, meaning to get to work easing the pain of the lame back Jupiter had; “but seems like it don’t work with a female scrapper; or else your unk is too gallant a gentleman to apply such strong tactics against the wife of his bosom, so he lets her get the best of every scrimmage, till his spirit is broken—leastwise that was what our cowboy friend seemed to imply just now.” “It’s something to think about, anyhow,” observed Donald; “and for one I’m right glad we ran across those punchers. And we know about the Walkers, too. Fine bunch to have around, ain’t they, now? And Mrs. Fred, he took pains to tell us, was one of the Walkers before she got married! There’s a nigger in this woodpile somewhere, Adrian, and looks like it might be up to us to find out just where.” “We will, before we head back South again, depend on that,” said Adrian, with the set look about his mouth that his chums knew so well, and which spoke of a grim determination before which every obstacle must give way. They now set about making themselves as comfortable as possible, meaning to camp there in among those few trees for the night, which was only a couple of hours distant. As this was a very old story with both Adrian and Donald, and even Billie now came to look upon it as a lesson well learned, they knew just how to go about it in order to get the best results. The ponies were staked out, not that it was expected that any one of the well-trained animals would stray far away while cropping the grass; but on account of wild animals, or possible horse thieves, it was thought best to have them within reach, and so fastened that they could not be stampeded in any way. Then came the duty of starting the cooking fire. This was usually Billie’s job, for he had shown considerable ability along the cooking line, and moreover relished being placed in a position where his allowance of “grub” could not be cut down by ruthless hands. On this particular occasion Billie was so much taken up with doctoring the sore back of his pony that Adrian took the duty of making the fire on his shoulders. In lieu of stones with which to build a fireplace where coffee-pot and frying-pan could rest, he simply dug out a hole in the ground, and started his blaze there. Later on, when this became half-filled with glowing embers, it would be time to commence the business of getting their camp supper. No matter where they might happen to partake of a meal, or how good the fare at some of the taverns they had struck in towns along the way, Billie loved the genuine camp meal best of all. They had found chances to do some shooting when on the trail, so that it was seldom they were without fresh meat for supper. On several occasions Billie had even insisted on purchasing a big generous beefsteak in some town through which they happened to pass along about the middle of the afternoon, when it was decided that they would keep on and camp out, the weather conditions seeming favorable. There was some venison still in the larder, for on the previous day Adrian had managed to creep up close enough to several feeding antelope to attract their attention by waving his red bandanna, while he lay sheltered from their view among a patch of rattle-snake weeds; the timid animals had started to run away at first, and then that fatal gift of curiosity began to get in its work, so that they had stopped, come back a little, run off again, and repeated these hesitating tactics until the sportsman, believing they were within easy rifleshot, had taken aim and knocked over a youngster. And there was plenty left for a full meal all around, even counting on Billie as two persons, which the others generally did. “We’re going to have a decent night of it, I reckon,” observed Donald, as the three of them sat around, just before sunset, and discussed the tender venison that had been cooked, and which along with coffee, and plenty of crackers, made up their supper. “Yes,” added Adrian, with a glance aloft as he spoke, “some clouds floating over, perhaps, but not enough to mean rain. And the moon ought to come up in less’n two hours from now.” “Glad of it,” ventured Billie, wondering if he could manage to dispose of that last piece of meat in the pan, for it always distressed him to throw anything away; “because I just hate black nights. You never know what might lie close to you, out here on the big open, when it’s like the inside of your hat. But give me the jolly moonlight. I just love the nights when you can look out miles away, and tell when a measly old wolf is creeping up.” At that the others laughed. “Seems like you hadn’t learned your lesson yet, Billie,” remarked Adrian. “Just wait till the brightest night you ever saw comes along, and find out how far away you can say for sure whether it’s a stump you see, or a cow lying down. Moonlight is all good enough close at hand, but this thing of telling your best friend two hundred yards away is silly. It can’t be done, can it, Donald?” “Well, I should say not,” agreed the other. “You surprise me, fellows!” declared Billie; “and the first chance I get I’m going to put it to the test. But mebbe not tonight, because I’m that weary after my hot ride I feel like I could lie right down now, and never open my eyes till sun- up.” “That wouldn’t surprise us any, Billie,” chuckled Donald; “fact is, it’s a regular habit with you, seems like. I’ve rolled you over as many as seven times, and only got a few grunts out of you to pay me for it. A dash of cold water in your face is often the only way we have of waking you up.” “Yes, and every time I’m dreaming that I’ve fallen overboard in Niagara River, and find myself floating down the terrible falls!” declared the fat boy, “so please let up on that game, won’t you? Try sticking a pin in me if you want. P’raps then I’ll go and dream I’m bleeding to death; but even that’s better than to drop over Niagara Falls.” They sat there as night fell, chatting, and occupying themselves in various ways. Adrian had his log to write up, and no doubt would do full justice to the wild ride that the fat chum had been forced to take that afternoon, all on account of the mean trick played by the village boy. Donald was writing a letter to his home folks, which he hoped to mail on the next day somewhere; while Billie wandered out several times to where Jupiter was tethered, wishing to put more soothing balm on the abrasion caused by the bunch of sand spurs weighed down under the saddle. About the time the battered moon appeared above the level horizon in the east all of them were thinking of making their beds ready, being more or less tired after the long day’s journey. It was not thought worth while to stand guard, for the ponies had been trained so as to give warning if anything out of the common came about. Both Adrian and Donald were light sleepers, and should the horses commence to snort, or strike the ground with their hoofs, the sound was sure to awaken one or both lads. Each of them had a heavy double blanket along, which would feel very comfortable during these chilly nights. Wrapped up in this, Billie found it easy to shut off all sounds, and could be asleep in about three minutes, because he never worried over anything, leaving all this to his chums. But then neither of the others was very long in getting to sleep on this night. Possibly Adrian lay there for a little while, puzzling his brain over the singular news he had received from those three cow-punchers, with reference to the remarkable change that had come to pass in the domestic relations of Uncle Fred; but in good time he too yielded to the demands of Nature, and slept peacefully. It must have been some hours later when Donald lifted his head to listen. Then he gave Adrian a little punch, as he whispered: “Wake up, Ad; something doing, I reckon, because our horses are acting queer and uneasy out here.” Instantly the other sat up, throwing back his blanket, while his hand, perhaps unconsciously, reached out for the faithful rifle that had lain close beside him as he slept. “Hear ’em?” inquired Donald, presently. “I should say, yes,” came the reply; “and just as you say, Donald, it must mean danger of some kind. The moon’s behind the clouds, and p’raps we’re going to have some sort of a storm after all, because that sounds like thunder I hear.” “Listen again, Ad,” said the other, quickly, “and perhaps you’ll change your mind about the kind of thunder that is. When a heap of hoofs come down chunketty-chunk on the hard prairie it always makes that thunder noise.” At that Adrian jumped to his feet. “What’s that, Donald?” he cried, excitedly, “do you mean long-horns?” “Just what I do, and heading this way as fast as they can come. Sure you must know all the signs right well, Adrian; you’ve been on the range enough to understand when cattle get frightened, and start off on a stampede. That’s what’s happened; and as they go past this timber, p’raps we can see what it all means!” CHAPTER V.—THE STAMPEDE. The two boys stood there, listening to the sounds that constantly increased in volume, as though approaching rapidly nearer the camp in the timber growing along the little stream. There could no longer be the slightest doubt as to what made the noise. Before now Adrian had heard enough to fully agree with his chum when the other pronounced it a stampede of cattle. Besides the crash of many hoofs on the earth, they could catch wild snortings, low, frightened lowings, and the rattle of striking horns; all of which were very familiar sounds to both lads, as they had witnessed just such sights on many a previous occasion. “The queer part of it is,” Adrian had taken pains to say before the noise grew so boisterous as to prevent all ordinary conversation, “that there doesn’t seem to be anything around to start such a wild rush. A storm will do it quicker than most anything else, and there couldn’t be one in the quarter where they’re heading from.” “Wait and see,” Donald had wisely added; if he suspected anything as to the real facts he did not appear willing to share his thoughts with his chum as yet, waiting doubtless until he could pick up further proof. “Shall we wake Billie up?” asked Adrian. “He’d never forgive us if we didn’t,” the other replied. “You’d think the sound would get him to stirring, but Billie could sleep through the biggest earthquake that ever happened; and if you did knock him up he’d want to know who was shaking the floor with dancing. But I’ll get him on his feet, while you fetch our ponies in.” So Donald stepped over to where the fat chum was cuddled up in his blanket just like an Esquimau. After shaking him several times without any result, save a grunt, Donald shouted in his ear: “Wake up, Billie! earthquake! cattle stampede, and we’re right in the way!” “Goodness gracious! is that so?” remarked Billie, as he sat up, and began to dig his knuckles into his eyes; then, hearing the roar of the approaching hoofs he became suddenly greatly excited, as he realized that it was after all no joke his comrades were trying to play upon him. “Oh! will they grind us to powder, Donald? Can’t we even climb a tree, and get out of reach of their hoofs? Hurry up, and say something before it’s too late! Think what a terrible muss there’ll be if ever they trample on me, and do please tell a fellow what to do!” “Don’t worry, Billie; they won’t come into the timber at all. Fetch your gun, and come along to join Adrian near by. We want to see what it all stands for as the herd sweeps past. Be quick now, or you’ll lost a sight worth looking at, I tell you!” Billie hurried at hearing this. Besides, he did not exactly fancy being left behind when his chum departed. “How about the ponies, Donald; won’t they get in trouble?” he managed to call out, as he trailed along in the wake of the other. “I reckon Adrian has brought the lot into the timber; he was just starting out to do the same when I came to wake you up. Yes, here he is, and with all our horses safe and sound. Fasten Jupiter to a tree with his rope, and be quick about it, Billie!” This was speedily done, after which the trio of Broncho Rider Boys crouched there on the edge of the timber, waiting until the herd of stampeding cattle came along. “If that moon’d only draw out stronger,” said Adrian, as he cast a look upward toward the sky, over the face of which light clouds were drifting lazily; “but it don’t mean to, and we’ll just have to do the best we can. Look sharp, boys!” “I can see ’em coming right now!” announced Billie. In fact all of them saw the fast-moving blurr upon the prairie some little distance away, which they knew must be the cattle rushing headlong toward them, spurred on by some unseen power, either fear, or a more tangible force. Ten seconds later and they were on a line with the hidden boys, who, crouching there, stared as hard as they could, trying to see whether wolves were chasing after the herd, as might happen when the ferocious animals were in great numbers, but not otherwise; or what other cause there could be for such a great commotion among the cattle. “Oh! did you see that steer go down?” ejaculated Billie suddenly. “He must a put his forelegs in a gopher hole, and before he could get up the rest had trampled him into flinders. Whee! ain’t I glad that wasn’t Jupiter and me!” “You’ve a right to be thankful, believe me,” said Donald, solemnly; “because it’d be all over with you before you could give more’n a single yelp. That steer was a big and powerful beast, but you saw how even he couldn’t get up again, once those many hoofs began to pound him flat. We’ll find him there afterwards, and only food for the coyotes.” The stream of cattle had now swept past them, and the thunder of their many hoofs was gradually growing less insistent as they passed on. “Well, that was a queer sight, sure,” said Billie, rubbing his eyes, as though he hardly knew whether he could believe what they had told him or not. Adrian was strangely quiet, Donald thought. “Did you ever see a stampede like it?” asked Donald, determined to find out what the other chum’s opinion might be. “I surely never did, if it was a real stampede,” returned Adrian,...