back yet?" cried Dave.

"No, and his father was a good deal worried about his absence. When I
told about the loss of the horses, Mr. Merwell was worried more yet. He
said we needn't think that his son touched them."

"It is queer where Link is keeping himself," mused Roger.

"That's true--unless he was hurt by the storm," answered Phil.

"Have you any idea who these horse-thieves are?" asked Dave.

"We have a general idea, yes," answered Mr. Endicott. "The gang who took
the other animals was led by a bold cowboy named Andy Andrews. Andrews
is a thoroughly bad egg, and there had been a reward offered for his
capture for several years. More than likely this raid was made by him or
under his directions."

"Then I sincerely hope they round up this Andy Andrews," remarked Dave.

"So do I--and that we get our horses back."

The night and the next day passed quietly. When it grew dark Sid Todd
came in, followed by several of the ranch hands. The look on the
foreman's face showed that he had had no success in his hunt.

"We got the trail once, but lost it ag'in," said the cowboy. "The
sheriff has got a posse of six men working on the trail now,--but I
don't think they'll make anything out of it." And then he told the story
of how the woods had been scoured, and of a hunt along the river and
over the plains. The men had ridden many miles and were all but
exhausted.

"Did you see anybody from the Merwell ranch?" asked Dave.

"Saw Link and his father just as we were coming home," answered Sid
Todd. "Merwell said he had seen nothing of the thieves."

"Did Link say anything?"

"No. He was dead tired and he looked scared."

"Scared?" queried Roger.

"Yes. When he saw me I thought he was going to run away. I asked him if
he had seen anything, and when he answered me his face went almost
white. I reckon he was scared--thinking of the way he treated you folks
on the trail. Maybe he thought I was goin' to pitch into him for it."

"Maybe," said Dave, slowly. "He hadn't seen anything of the thieves?"

"No. He said he didn't know the hosses was gone until his father told
him. He said he got lost in the woods, and stayed in a certain spot till
the blow was over."

"Humph!" murmured Dave, and there the talk came to an end. But Dave was
not satisfied. He still wondered if Link Merwell knew anything about the
taking of the horses.

CHAPTER XX

FISHING AND HUNTING

The remainder of the week went by, and the boy