r. Merkel.
"The Yaquis are quartered some distance from here, and news doesn't
travel as fast as all that. How do you account for it, Billee?"

"Well, the fellow who told me got his information from one of those
scavengers," explained Billee.

"_Scavengers_!" cried Bud.

"Yes, you know--one of them fellers that go up in flyin' machines,"
explained the old cow puncher.

"Oh, you mean _aviators_!" exploded Bud, trying not to laugh.

"Well, something like that, yes," admitted Billee. "Word of the rising
of the Indians was sent out by wireless, and some of the flying
machines were ordered to the border. One of 'em who was flying around
here had tire trouble, or something like that, and had to come down.
It was from him the boys back in town got some of the news, and the
deputy sheriff gave out the rest.

"Oh, the Yaquis are risin' up all right, and they may come out here. I
rode over like a prairie fire to let you folks know. We've had trouble
enough here at Diamond X and I didn't want any more."

"Much obliged to you, Billee," said Mr. Merkel. "Did you happen to
hear what town it was in Arizona that the Yaquis raided?"

"It was La--La--wait a minute now. It was one of those crazy Spanish
names. I'll tell you--La--La--La Nogalique--that's it!"

"La Nogalique!" cried Mr. Merkel, and he looked at the letter from
Rosemary.

"That's her!" affirmed the cowboy.

"Why--why!" exclaimed the ranchman, "that's the way they were
coming--in their auto! La Nogalique! They might have been there--"

"Who were coming?" asked his wife quickly.

"Rosemary and Floyd; They'd be there just about--when was that raid,
Billee Dobb?" cried Mr. Merkel.

"Last Friday!"

The ranchman whistled.

"That's bad!" he murmured. "Bad!"

"Would Rosemary and her brother have reached there by then?" asked Mrs.
Merkel.

"Just about," her husband replied slowly. "Just about! This looks
bad! Boys, we've got to do something! Those Yaquis may just be off on
a little harmless jamboree, or they may be excited by a lot of their
Medicine Men, or whatever they call 'em! Once let 'em get on the
rampage, half Mexicans as they are, and we won't know what to expect!
It looks bad! I'm glad the round-up is over. It gives us time. Boys,
I think--"

But what he thought Mr. Merkel did not disclose--at least for the time
being. The attention of all was again attracted by the sound of rapid
hoofbeats, and, looking toward the trail that le