me of the boys seem to think," replied Mr. Merkel.
"Here's what happened."

Briefly he told how during a time when many of his men were driving to
the nearest railroad station a bunch of choice steers for shipment to
Kansas City, a raid was made on an outlying herd that was being
fattened in a sheltered valley for future shipment. Not only were a
hundred or more steers driven off, but one cowboy of Diamond X was
killed and another wounded.

"And didn't our boys shoot back?" demanded Bud indignantly.

"Oh, yes, they gave a good account of themselves," his father replied.
"They got three of the Greasers. That's how we made pretty sure it was
Del Pinzo again. They were just his type of rascals.

"And so, because I didn't have men enough here to take after the crowd
and get my cattle back, and, at the same time, run things on the ranch,
I had to send for you. We'll have to let Spur Creek look after itself
for a while."

"I reckon it can, Dad," said Bud. "The sheep herders won't come up for
a few days yet, I guess," and he told of the latest development in
which Professor Wright was concerned.

"Hum! So he was lost again, was he!" mused Mr. Merkel. "Seems to me
he's getting into a regular habit that way."

"Does look so," chuckled Nort. "He's all right in his own way----"

"But he doesn't weigh much!" laughed Bud, perpetrating an old joke at
the expense of the professor's thin frame, for he did not have much
flesh on his bones. More than one cowboy privately recommended to Bud
that his father "pasture" the professor out on some good grass for a
season.

"Well, now you know as much as I do," went on Mr. Merkel. "Our cattle
have been stolen, and the gang--Del Pinzo's, I'm pretty certain--is
driving them south. It's up to us to get after them."

"And we will!" cried Bud. "As soon as we have a bite to eat and can
pack up some grub----"

He paused, for the telephone began ringing violently.

CHAPTER XI

COWBOY FUN

Bud, being the nearest to the instrument which was sending out its call
from a small shed near the corral--an extension line having been
established there--Bud sprang to answer it.

"Hello! Hello!" he called, in his excitement his voice resembling that
of Yellin' Kid. "This is Diamond X," Bud went on. "What's the
trouble?"

He listened for a moment and then called:

"We'll be right over!"

Hanging up the receiver with a bang on the hook, Bud hurried out of the
shed and crie