devolved the duty of looking after law and order
in that part of the west where Diamond X was located, not far from the
Mexican border.

The boy ranchers and Billee kept on for another mile, to top a certain
high piece of land, over which they could have a good view, as they
thought from this vantage point they might see some signs to guide
them. But from the eminence they only viewed an endless rolling
prairie with here and there a clump of trees. They saw bands of roving
cattle and a few horses--their own stock or that of some neighbor, and
Billee decided that nothing could be gained by going any farther along
the cold trail.

Turning their horses' heads, the members of the little party swung back
toward Diamond X. On the way they stopped at the ranch of Bud and his
boy partners in Happy Valley, learning that everything was in good
shape there, being in the efficient hands of a capable foreman and some
cowboys. News of the robbery of Mr. Merkel's safe had already been
telephoned to Happy Valley, but though the cowboys had ridden out for
several miles in a number of directions, they had seen nothing and no
one suspicious they reported.

"No luck, boys?" asked Mr. Merkel as his son and nephews turned their
weary horses into the corral and entered the house.

"No luck, Dad," answered Bud. "What's new here?"

"Nothing much. Professor Wright's party came up and he has taken them
into camp over near the place where they dug up the monster fossil
bones some time ago."

"You didn't hear anything about the fellows who took your papers then?
What are you going to do, Dad?"

"Well, I don't know what I can do. It isn't as if this was the east,
where such things are a matter of record, and where you have the courts
and judges right at hand to put a stop to anything unlawful. It's
almost as if an unregistered government bond was stolen. I've got to
prove my property against those that have it, and I can't do it very
easily, because the men I bought it of originally are all dead or moved
away. It's just as if the Spur Creek land was owned by no one, and the
first comer has a chance to take it, now that the government has thrown
open the tract."

"But you aren't going to sit down and let 'em frisk you that way, are
you, Dad?" cried Bud, surprised at what he thought was the supine and
non-combative attitude of his parent.

"I should say not, son!" was the vigorous answer. "I'm going to fight!"

"That's more lik