. If the cattle remain healthy they may resist the germs. Nature
sometimes provides her own remedies. She'll have to, in a case like
this, where so little is known about this malady that no cure is yet
available to science."

"That sure is a funny smell--I don't like it!" said Nort again.

"No, it isn't very pleasant," agreed the veterinarian.

And then Bud, who had been in a serious, brown study seemed, for the
first time, to become aware of the evil odor.

"That smell! That smell!" he cried. "I've smelled it before!"

"Not unless you came in contact with the germs," spoke Dr. Tunison.
"Where did you smell it, Bud?"

But, as suddenly as he had spoken, Bud Merkel became silent. He seemed
to be thinking deeply, and as he turned aside he said:

"Oh, maybe it was when Old Billee rode in to tell me he had seen these
dead steers."

"Possibly," admitted the veterinarian. "The smell is very
characteristic, as I said. But you'd better arrange to bury these
animals, Bud."

"There isn't any danger--I mean to humans; is there?" Bud asked. "If
there is we'll let 'em stay here. The buzzards will make short work of
'em."

"No, there's no danger to man, even in directly handling the germs.
That has been proved," said Dr. Tunison. "But if you let the cattle
lie here, and the buzzards eat 'em, in some manner the disease may be
carried to your other cattle. Best bury 'em, and fence off this
water-hole."

Which was done. So the evil-looking buzzards were deprived of a feast,
and flapped mournfully away.

There were anxious days that followed the appearance of the epidemic
among the cattle of the boy ranchers. I speak of the cattle as their
own, and they were, in a sense. For though, of course, Mr. Merkel
really owned Flume Valley, and put up the cash to start the boys in
business, he had determined that they should run the place as though it
was their own. They must stand or fall by what happened. It was the
only real way to start them in the way of becoming cattlemen, he
decided.

So, though the boys were young, possibly the youngest ranchers in that
part of the west, they were in earnest and accepted all the
responsibilities that went with the venture.

Bud was very thoughtful those anxious days. There was hard work for
all, since dividing the doubled herds into small units meant that each
cowboy, including Bud, Nort and Dick, had to look after a certain
number day and night. But no one shirked, eve