say!" cried Bud. "Let's get after the rustlers, Del
Pinzo and the rest! I always did suspect that slick Greaser, and now
we've got the goods on him. Shouldn't wonder but what that Double Z
outfit was mixed up in this, too."

"Don't go jumping too fast," counseled his father. "Zip Foster
wouldn't like it!"

"Oh--er--well, you'll see if I'm not right!" said Bud, somewhat
confused.

It was planned, in the light of what Nort and Bud had seen and heard,
to close in and raid the mysterious camp of the professors' the next
day. This talk had taken place during the night and early morning
hours, following the meeting of the refugees with the rescue party.

"Maybe we ought to close in on 'em this morning," suggested Bud, as the
conference broke up, when the first streaks of dawn were coming in the
ranch house windows.

"No," decided his father. "Nort and Dick want to get a little sleep,
and we want them with us when we close in. Then, too, I want to
circulate the word around a bit, and have some deputies from the
sheriff's office on hand to see that everything is done regular. Of
course I'd have a right to go in there, right off the reel, and take my
cattle. But I'd rather do it regular."

So it was planned. Nort and Dick, indeed, were glad to get some sleep
and rest, for they had had a hard time during the last two days. But
they were hardy, healthy lads, and their life almost continually in the
open since coming to Diamond X ranch had made them able to endure
hardships they could not, otherwise, have stood. So, after a short
rest and sleep, they were as eager as Bud and the cowboys to start on a
raid.

Meanwhile Mr. Merkel had not been idle. He had sent word of what had
happened to several adjoining ranches, being careful, however, not to
let news of what was afoot trickle through to Hank Fisher, owner of the
Double Z. As a matter of fact, while there was no evidence to directly
connect Hank with the mysterious operations at the professors' camp,
this man was believed to have been involved in more than one cattle
rustling operation.

It was hinted that he branded more mavericks than were rightfully his,
and on several occasions cattle with "blurred brands" had been found on
his ranch. But he always managed to explain matters, though his
association with Del Pinzo, who gave it out that he was officially
attached to Double Z, did not raise the value of Hank Fisher's
reputation. So it was thought best n