ound Los
Pompan. But it's as bad as the other."

"Suppose you tell me more about it, Billee," suggested the ranch owner.

"Sounds like it would be a good yarn!" commented Bud.

"The kind I like to read about," added Nort.

"This is no _yarn_!" declared the veteran puncher in an ominous voice.
"It's gospel truth. I'll tell you all I know."

He hitched his heavy chaps around to make his legs more comfortable and
then, selecting a place on the ground, where a shadow was cast by the
cowboys on the fence, Billee Dobb began his narrative.

But before I give you that, I want to make my new readers somewhat
better acquainted with Bud Merkel and his two cousins. They are the
youths who are to be the heroes of this story, and they first came into
prominence in the initial volume of this series, entitled: "The Boy
Ranchers; or Solving the Mystery at Diamond X."

In that story was related how Norton and Richard Shannon had gone out
west, from New York, and how they took up life on the ranch of their
uncle Henry Merkel. There they found Bud, who had been among horses
and cattle all his life. Nort and Dick soon assimilated the traditions
of the west, became accomplished riders and able to punch cows with the
best of the hands on Diamond X. The lads from the east also learned
what it was to come to grips with rustlers, led by that notorious half
breed Del Pinzo.

After having solved the mystery at Diamond X, Bud and his cousins were
given virtual charge of another ranch in Happy Valley, not far from the
main one managed by Mr. Merkel and his foreman Slim Degnan. But even
on what was, practically, their own ranch, the troubles and adventures
of the boys were not over.

Del Pinzo and others tried more of their tricks and in the succeeding
volumes of the series is related about the water fight, the battle with
more cattle rustlers, how the Yaqui Indians were trailed, and how the
sheep herders were overcome. "The Boy Ranchers on Roaring River; or
Diamond X and the Chinese Smugglers" is the title of the book
immediately preceding the present volume, and in that Bud, Dick and
Nort had some narrow escapes from unscrupulous men. Incidentally they
helped the United States government bring to justice a large Chinese
smuggling band.

Things on Diamond X had somewhat quieted down after the strenuous days
with Delton and the others, and Mr. Merkel had gone off on a business
trip, the import of which was little known to the boy