Part 17 (1/2)

This was considered the best thing to do, and soon the weary cattle were drinking their first water in many hours. Afterward they all lay down to rest, not even eating until some of the weariness had pa.s.sed.

Meanwhile the cowboys under Old Billee had come to close quarters with the rustlers and the fight started immediately. There was nothing unusual about it, the rustlers merely desiring to get away and the outfit from Diamond X wis.h.i.+ng to capture them to make them pay for their lawlessness.

One rustler was captured, for he was so wounded that he fell from his horse. The others got away, one badly hurt, it seemed, for he had to be taken in charge by one of his companions who lifted him to his own saddle.

As for Billee and his forces, they suffered somewhat, two of the cowboys being painfully wounded by bullets. But, on the whole, the affair ended much better than might have been expected. The stolen cattle had been recovered, in as good condition as could be hoped for, and the rustlers had been driven off, with the exception of the wounded one.

It was planned to take him to the nearest jail, but this trouble was obviated for the man died in the night.

Riding back after having driven off the rustlers, Billee and his men found the cattle quietly resting, while Bud and his friends were doing likewise, as they had ridden hard.

”We'll camp here for the night,” decided Billee. ”Too bad there isn't a telephone here that we could use to send word back to your dad, Bud.

But we can't have everything.”

”No,” agreed Yellin' Kid with a chuckle. ”I'd like a room an' a bath with plenty of hot water, but I don't see any growin' on no trees around here!”

However, the cowboys were used to this sort of life and they counted it no unusual hards.h.i.+p. A fire was made, those who had been scarred by bullets were looked after and then the ever-welcome ”grub” was served.

The next day, after the hasty burial of the dead rustler, on whom little sympathy was wasted, and concerning whose ident.i.ty no one cared much, the march back to Diamond X was begun, the cattle being slowly driven toward their former pasture. As not all the cowboys were needed for this, a sufficient number were told off by Billee, and the remainder, including the boy ranchers, made better speed back to headquarters.

There the news of the successful chase after the rustlers was received with satisfaction, and Mr. Merkel said he hoped it would be a lesson to other thieves.

”I wish we could give the same sort of lesson to any sheep herders that might be around here,” remarked Bud.

”That's so,” said his father. ”And perhaps you'd better be getting back to Spur Creek. No telling what might have happened while you've been away. We didn't leave anyone on guard.”

”I don't know as it was necessary,” said Bud. ”But, all the same, we'd better get back.”

They made the start early the next morning--the boy ranchers, with Yellin' Kid and Snake, and there was the promise of more cowboys to help them hold the ”fort” should it be considered necessary.

”Well, everything seems to be all right,” remarked Bud as he and his party rode up to the shack on the edge of the stream. ”No signs of the sheep yet.”

”And no smell, either,” chuckled Yellin' Kid, as he sniffed the air.

”It takes the perfesser for that!” said Snake with a laugh.

”I wonder what Professor Wright is doing?” said Nort.

”Oh, digging up a lot of old bones, I reckon,” Bud answered. ”But let's get grub and rest. I'm tired.”

The events of the past few days had been strenuous enough to make them all welcome a period of rest. And they had it, for a few hours. And then something occurred to start a series of happenings that lasted and created excitement for some time.

It was toward the middle of the afternoon when Nort, who had gone down the stream a little way, looked across Spur Creek and saw hanging in the hazy air a cloud of dust.

”Wonder if that's a wind storm,” he mused. But as there was not a sign of vapor in the clear blue sky he gave up that theory. ”Guess I'd better let 'em know,” he thought, turning back toward the fort.

And when the others came out to look at the cloud of dust, on the Mexican side of the river--a cloud which had grown larger--Bud exclaimed: