ghty well, Professor! Yon rode mighty well!" complimented
Slim Degnan.

"But what's the next thing to be done?" asked Bud, as there came a
pause in the conversation. "Did they take everything out of the safe,
Dad?"

"Well, I didn't have much money in it, luckily, but they did get some
valuable papers--documents that prove my claim to land along Spur
Creek--land that is the key to the situation in this new tract the
government is opening, or, as a matter of fact, has already opened."

"It means the sheep herders can come in then; does it?" asked Nort.

"Practically that, unless I can get back those papers and prove that I
am the real owner of the land, and that I owned it before this
government opening took place," answered Mr. Merkel.

"It must have been someone interested in sheep herding who knew about
the papers, who knew you had them here and who wanted them," commented
Dick.

"Yes, that's probably true," assented the ranchman.

"Well, there's only one thing to do," declared Bud.

"Get after 'em!" cried Nort and Dick.

"That's it!" exclaimed their cousin. "We must take the trail after
these sheep-herding thieves and get back Dad's papers!"

Bud started from the room.

"You aren't going to take the trail to-night, are you?" asked his
father.

"Why not?" demanded Bud. "The longer we wait the better lead they'll
have on us."

"I know, but you can't do anything in the dark."

"Yes, we can!" cried Bud. "Come on, boys!" he called to his cousins.
"It won't be the first time we've ridden a trail at night. Please pack
us up a little grub," he called to his mother and sister.

"Oh, Bud, I hate to have you go," said Ma Merkel.

"Can't be helped!" he laughingly assured her. "We'll be back in a
little while, unless we get on the trail of these chaps and run 'em
down. While the grub is being packed, Dad, tell us just how they got
in and frisked your safe."

"Well, they just naturally got in the back door while we were all out
in front watching you boys ride off after those who put up a game to
draw us out," was the answer. "When we went back in the house, after
you'd gone, I saw my safe open and a lot of papers scattered about.
The combination is very simple. What little money was in it--not
much--was taken, and the Spur Creek deeds."

"Well, we'll get 'em back!" cried Bud. "On the trail, fellows!"

And catching up bundles of hastily prepared "snacks," the boy ranchers
started on the trail afte