soon going to find my father, I hope," and he related his meeting with
the trooper.

"Good!" cried Mr. Alden. "Here comes Sam now. I told him you might be
along soon," and he turned to introduce a rather shiftless-looking
cowboy who sauntered up.

"Pleased to meet you," said Sam Reed. "I never cal'lated when I writ
that there letter that I'd ever see you in flesh and blood. I've got
your pictures, though," and he showed those that had appeared in a
magazine, giving an account of the work of Joe and Blake.

As might have been expected, Sam knew nothing of Joe's father. The best
the cowboy had hoped to do was to put the boy on the track of Mr.
William Duncan, and, considering that Joe's uncle, as I shall call
him--though he was really only a half-uncle--had enlisted in the army,
Mr. Reed would probably have had hard work to carry out his plans.

"Well, I'm glad you met your relative, anyhow," said Sam to Joe; "and I
wish you luck in looking for your father. So he's somewhere on the
southern California coast?"

"Yes, in one of the lighthouses," explained Joe. "My uncle didn't know
exactly where, but I can easily find out from the government office when
I get on the coast."

The boys were made welcome again at Big B ranch, and talked over once
more the exciting time that had happened to them there when the Indians
stampeded the cattle.

"Here are the films you left with me," said Mr. Alden, giving the boys
those they had made of the cattle stampede and of the cowboys doing
their stunts. "And so you got other good ones?"

"Yes, fine ones," replied Blake. "And we must soon be getting back to
Flagstaff. We have stayed away longer than we meant to, and Mr. Hadley
and Mr. Ringold may need our services."

But the boys at the ranch would not hear of their starting for a few
days, and so Joe and Blake stayed on, being royally entertained. They
witnessed a round-up and the branding of cattle, but could get no
pictures, as their films were all used up. However, the subjects had
often been filmed before, so there was no great regret.

Then came a time when they had to say farewell, and they turned their
horses' heads toward Flagstaff. The cowboys gave them a parting salute
of cheers and blank cartridges, riding madly around meanwhile.

"It reminds me of the Indian attack," said Blake.

"Yes," assented Joe. "I wonder if we'll go through another scare like
that?"

"I hope not," spoke his chum; but, though they did not k