CHAPTER IX
"WHAT DOES IT MEAN?"
Mutual recognition, followed by half suppressed and surprisedexclamations, followed the advent of Professor Wright on the scene. Hehad been pursuing his way, whether peaceful or otherwise the boyranchers could not determine, until he unexpectedly stumbled on Bud,Nort and Dick riding herd--said herd being the bunch of Diamond Xcattle some one had tried to haze away.
"Oh!" murmured Professor Wright, as the growing illumination, caused bythe moon coming out more clearly, revealed him to the boys and them tohim. "Were you--er--looking for me?" he asked in his usual culturedtones.
"Not exactly," replied Bud. "We were just over to your camp, to leavethe stuff for the men, and you weren't there."
"No, I had to leave," said the professor, smoothly. "I am going backnow. I am sorry I missed you."
"You didn't!" Bud said grimly to himself. And then the scientistseemed to realize this for he added:
"I mean I am sorry I was not there to thank you. It was very kind ofyou to help the men. I'm sorry this trouble occurred."
"Oh, we're always glad to help," spoke Bud. "Out west you never knowwhen you're going to need help yourself, so it's always a good plan tohave a balance in your favor."
"Yes, I should say that was so," spoke the professor thoughtfully."You found everything all right, at my camp?" he asked, rather thanstated.
"All right--yes," answered Bud. "We left the stuff with ProfessorBlair. He said you were out."
"Yes, I had to make a little trip. But aren't you off your road?" heasked the boys. "I mean doesn't your ranch lie over there?" and hepointed in the proper direction.
"It does," assented Bud. "But we've got to look out for these cattle."
"Oh, I see. You are 'riding herd,' as I believe it is called."
"In a way--yes," spoke Bud and then he went on boldly: "Some rustlerstried to haze this bunch over the river, but we caught 'em!"
"Caught them?" repeated the professor quickly.
"Well, our assistant foreman is after 'em now," Bud explained. "We'rewaiting here for him to come back. We thought you were Babe as youcame along, but as soon as I heard your horse I knew it couldn't behim. He doesn't ride--er--just that way."
"I realize that I shall never become a horseman," said the professordryly, and with a little half smile, visible in the moonlight. "But Ican ride enough for my purpose."
Bud, as well as Nort and Dick, found themselves wondering just what theprofessor's "purpose" was. However he did not seem inclined todisclose it, for he pulled up his horse, which was idly cropping thegrass, and said:
"Well, I must be going. Thank you, again, for your kindness. I hopewe may meet again. Good-night!"
He urged his animal onward, and a moment later was lost in thedarkness, as a thicker cloud than any that had yet obscured it, coveredthe moon.
For several seconds the three boy ranchers remained, looking off in thegloom which had swallowed up the mysterious scientist. For that he wasmysterious none of the lads could deny.
"Wonder where he had been?" mused Bud in a low voice, for in thatsilent, dark open place voices carried almost as clearly as acrosswater, and he was cautious.
"Search me!" declared Nort.
"Guess he didn't expect to see us," added Dick.
"Say!" suddenly exclaimed Nort, urging his horse against Bud's in hiseagerness and excitement, "maybe he was one of the cattle rustlers,Bud! He circled around and rode back after he found he couldn't getaway with the steers, and that Babe was on his trail. That's what itis!"
"No," spoke Bud, quietly. "There's something queer about thatman--Professor Wright as he calls himself--but he isn't the kind thatrustles cattle. Cattle thieves don't make a permanent camp. They'rewanderers--mostly Greasers, Indians and half breeds, with a bad whiteman mixing in--and they don't stay long in one place."
"Don't you think he had anything to do with trying to drive off yourcattle?" asked Nort.
"Well, you can't be altogether sure of anything in this world," halfdrawled Bud, "but it doesn't seem reasonable."
"But he came from the direction to where those men ran that weredriving away the cattle," said Dick. "Wonder if he met Babe?"
"You can ask him," said Bud. "Here comes Babe now."
The two other lads were not aware of the approach of the assistantforeman of Diamond X, but Bud's quick ears had caught the faint soundof the horse's feet approaching, and in another moment Babe rode upfrom a little clump of greasewood shrubs, which growth, to the easternlads, had resembled sumac at first.
"Find 'em, Babe?" asked Bud in a low voice.
"Nope! They razzled off 'fore I could get up to 'em. All right here?"he asked, though a look convinced him there had been no serioustrouble, at least.
"All serene," answered Bud. "Did you meet the professor?" he inquired.
"The professor?" Babe's tone of voice, indicating surprise, was answerenough. But Bud went into particulars, telling how the scientist hadridden up on them a little while before.
"No, he didn't come nigh me!" declared Babe. "Mighty funny, too," hewent on.
"Could he be one of the rustlers?" asked Nort, eagerly.
"Oh, he _could_, I reckon," admitted Babe. "But it doesn't seemreasonable. Guess he wouldn't head back this way if he'd tried to runoff some Diamond X stock. I'd like to know where those fellows slippedto," he said, musingly.
"Well, they didn't get anything, anyhow," declared Nort.
"Not much, that's a fact, son," drawled Babe, as he eased himself downoff his pony, for he wanted to stretch his legs. "Course I don't knowhow many there ought to be in this bunch," and he looked over the smallherd that had now settled quietly for the night. "But they didn't getaway with much. You fellows might as well ride on back, and send outsome of the boys," he added. "Your ma'll be wondering about you, Bud."
"Yes, I reckon she will, 'specially as I have some tenderfeet with me,"and he laughed good-naturedly.
"Don't go back on our account!" exclaimed Nort. "We can camp out hereall right."
"It'll be pretty dry camping," chuckled Babe, "an' there's no need ofit. Slim will be wanting to know how we made out, and he may get areport on the rustlers, not knowing that we headed 'em off. So it'sjust as well for you lads to go back. You can send out some of thenight men, and I'll follow you as soon as I'm relieved," he added.
This seemed the best plan and back toward the ranch headquarters rodeBud, Dick and Nort, leaving Babe in charge of the small herd, a taskeasy to fulfill now, as the animals were quiet.
The weird howls of the coyotes followed the lads almost to the ranchhouses, and the advent of the three, with the story they told, createdno little excitement. Cattle rustling was not common enough to be aregular part of the day's work.
"Zing zowie!" exclaimed Slim Degnan as he heard the particulars. "Youfellows landed feet first right into some doin's!" he added, looking atNort and Dick.
"We sure did!" exclaimed the city lads, much pleased in spite of beingweary.
A little later, while Bud and his cousins were eating what might becalled a midnight lunch that Mrs. Merkel set out for them in the cozyliving-room of the ranch house, two cowboys rode off to relieve Babe.
"And now it's time for you tenderfeet to turn in," said Mrs. Merkel toNort and Dick. "I told your mother I'd look after you as I would Bud,if she'd let you come out, and, now you're here, I'm going to keep myword. Turn in, all three of you!"
And, for once in their lives, the boys were glad to go to bed withoutarguing, for the tenderfeet, at least, were dog tired.
No further trace of the cattle rustlers was discovered, if indeed therehad been any. All the evidence there was lay in the sight Bud and theothers had caught of a stray bunch of steers being hazed over towardthe river, across which lay open range. The cowboys who relieved Babereported nothing out of the ordinary as having happened during theirnight vigil.
Mr. Merkel came home that day, the second o
f the eastern boys' stay atDiamond X ranch, and the cattleman warmly welcomed his nephews.
"We'll fit you out to be regular ranchers!" he declared, and in lessthan a week Nort and Dick felt that they were, indeed, on their way tothis enviable goal.
They were provided with sheepskin chaps, such as Bud and the othercowboys wore--chaps being in the nature of overalls, and affording muchneeded protection to the legs when riding amid a bunch of millingsteers.
The eastern lads were given complete outfits, from the rather awkwardhigh-heeled boots to the broad-brimmed range hats, and they wore theirhandkerchiefs, 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, gaveneeded relief and protection.
"Suppose we ride over and see if there's been any more trouble at theprofessor's camp?" suggested Nort to Bud one day.
"Good idea!" declared Dick.
"All right, if you want to," assented Bud. "Dad was sort of mentioningthat he'd like to hear how the shot men were getting on. We can makeit easy before supper."
Together the boy ranchers trotted over the gently rolling land towardthe foothills, in the midst of which the camp lay. As they drew nearBud scanned the horizon for a sign of smoke, such as he and Slim hadobserved 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 becameplain. The camp was deserted. The tents were down, and all thatremained were emptied tin cans, broken boxes and the cold ashes of thefires. But over on the side of the hill, where there was anoutcropping of red sandstone, curious marks showed. They were themarks of digging and excavating on rather a large scale, and as Budcaught sight of these mute evidences of operations he uttered a lowwhistle of surprise.
"What does it mean?" asked Nort.