ing, for the tenderfeet, at least, were dog tired.

No further trace of the cattle rustlers was discovered, if indeed there
had been any. All the evidence there was lay in the sight Bud and the
others had caught of a stray bunch of steers being hazed over toward
the river, across which lay open range. The cowboys who relieved Babe
reported nothing out of the ordinary as having happened during their
night vigil.

Mr. Merkel came home that day, the second of the eastern boys' stay at
Diamond X ranch, and the cattleman warmly welcomed his nephews.

"We'll fit you out to be regular ranchers!" he declared, and in less
than a week Nort and Dick felt that they were, indeed, on their way to
this enviable goal.

They were provided with sheepskin chaps, such as Bud and the other
cowboys wore--chaps being in the nature of overalls, and affording much
needed protection to the legs when riding amid a bunch of milling
steers.

The eastern lads were given complete outfits, from the rather awkward
high-heeled boots to the broad-brimmed range hats, and they wore their
handkerchiefs, or "neckerchiefs," most proudly.

These neckerchiefs were more than ornaments. In the choking dust,
often strongly alkali, the squares, pulled up over nose and mouth, gave
needed relief and protection.

"Suppose we ride over and see if there's been any more trouble at the
professor's camp?" suggested Nort to Bud one day.

"Good idea!" declared Dick.

"All right, if you want to," assented Bud. "Dad was sort of mentioning
that he'd like to hear how the shot men were getting on. We can make
it easy before supper."

Together the boy ranchers trotted over the gently rolling land toward
the foothills, in the midst of which the camp lay. As they drew near
Bud scanned the horizon for a sign of smoke, such as he and Slim had
observed once before. But there was no trace.

"Shouldn't wonder but what they'd vamoosed," he said.

"Lit out, you mean?" asked Nort.

"Yeppie! There doesn't seem to be any signs of life."

And as they rode into the site of the camp the reason for this became
plain. The camp was deserted. The tents were down, and all that
remained were emptied tin cans, broken boxes and the cold ashes of the
fires. But over on the side of the hill, where there was an
outcropping of red sandstone, curious marks showed. They were the
marks of digging and excavating on rather a large scale, and as Bud
caught sight of these mute evidenc