s and girls amused
themselves as best they could. During that time, Mr. Endicott received a
visit from the sheriff of the county, and Dave and his chums were called
upon to tell all they could about the missing horses. Then, after some
whispered talk between the county official and the ranch owner, the lads
were requested to describe the man who had been seen on the trail in
company with Link Merwell.

"I really think the fellow was Andy Andrews," said the sheriff. "But if
so, he had a big nerve to show himself in these parts."

"Didn't you ask Link about the man?" asked Dave.

"Yes. He says the fellow was a stranger to him, and they were just
riding together for company. He says they were together about half an
hour before he met you on the trail, and that the fellow left him about
a quarter of an hour later and headed in the direction of the railroad
station. He said the fellow didn't give any name, but said he was
looking up some ranch properties for some Chicago capitalists."

This was all the sheriff could tell, and on that the matter, for the
time being, rested. Fortunately, Star Ranch possessed a good number of
horses, so none of the young folks were deprived of mounts. But Belle
mourned the loss of her favorite steed, to which she had become greatly
attached.

"I don't care so much for the others, but I do hope papa gets back Lady
Alice," she said, dolefully.

A spell of bad weather kept the young folks indoors for the time being,
and one day they were reminded by a cowboy of the entertainment they had
promised.

"As soon as it clears, we'll give you an exhibition of fancy ridin',"
said the cowboy. "But jest now the boys are dyin' fer some good singin'
an' music, and such."

Dave and the others got their heads together, and the upshot of the
matter was that an entertainment was arranged, to be given in the big
dining-hall of the ranch house. One end of this room was elevated to
form a stage, with big portieres for curtains, and Roger, Phil, and Dave
rehearsed several of the "turns" they had done at various times at Oak
Hall. The girls practiced a number of songs, and Laura and the senator's
son decided to give a dialogue, which they called "Which Mr. Brown
Lives Here?"

Word was passed around about the coming entertainment, and it was
announced that it would be for the benefit of an old lady, the mother of
a cowboy who had been killed in a cattle stampede the season before. The
tickets were placed at