The Boy Ranchers Among the Indians | Page 5

were allowed to raise cattle on their own responsibility. Without water Diamond X Second was out of the question. And the story in the second book has to do with the efforts of Del Pinzo, a dangerous character, and others, to drive away the boys. There was a fight over water rights, and another desperate fight, involving some strange ancient secrets.
The third book, "The Boy Ranchers on the Trail," deals with the boy ranchers after they have become full-fledged "cow punchers." So successful were they in Happy Valley that they incurred the enmity of Del Pinzo and his followers. Cattle rustlers stole many valuable steers from Bud and his cousins, and it was not until after a desperate encounter that the unscrupulous men were defeated.
Then, for a time, peace settled down over Diamond X and the boys' ranch. The spring round-up was over, and a successful year begun, when the ordinary course of events was interrupted in the manner I have set down in the beginning of this book--by news that the Yaquis had risen.
All eyes were turned on the solitary horseman, who rode fast on the heels of Billee Dobb. As this rider came nearer, it could be seen that a paper fluttered in his hand.
"Special delivery letter, maybe," ventured Dick.
"Maybe," admitted Bud.
"I--I have a feeling that it's bad news," murmured Mrs. Merkel to Nell.
"Maybe not," Bud's sister whispered. "It may be only a rush order for cattle to be shipped.
"All that were fit have been shipped," her mother said. "I'm afraid--I'm afraid--"
With a shower of gravel, scattered by the sliding feet of his hastily-reined pony, the man drew up in front of the group.
"Mr. Henry Merkel here?" he asked, crisply.
"Here," said Bud's father, quietly.
"Got a telegraph message for you. It's from La Nogalique!"
"La Nogalique!" murmured Mr. Merkel. "Oh, I hope Rosemary--"
With a rapid motion Mr. Merkel tore open the yellow envelope.
CHAPTER III
"GET HEADY, BOYS!"
Anxiously the boy ranchers and the others watched the face of the stockman as he read the message. It was rather lengthy, which accounted for the somewhat protracted time it took Mr. Merkel to get at the meaning of the words. But when he had read to the end he passed the missive to his wife, exclaiming, as he did so:
"Couldn't be much worse!"
"Are they killed?" cried Nell, clasping her hands.
"No, but maybe they'd better be," grimly answered her father. "Rosemary and Floyd are carried off by the Yaquis!" he added.
"How do you know?"
"Does the message say so?"
"Which way did they go?"
These were the questions, fired in rapid succession, by Bud, Nort and Dick.
"That information's in the telegram," explained Mr. Merkel. "The message is to me from the Sheriff of La Nogalique, or at least from some one in his service, for it's signed with his name. I know him, slightly."
"Did he see Rosemary and Floyd carried off?" Dick wanted to know.
"Not exactly. But wait. I'll read it so you may all hear," said Mr. Merkel, taking the missive from his wife's trembling hand. "Old Hank Fowler didn't try to get it all in ten words so we have a pretty fair idea of what went on. Reckon he knew he didn't have to pay for that message. It come out of the county funds I take it. Listen to this, boys!"
Mr. Merkel read:
"'I regret to inform you that some relatives of yours were carried off in the last raid of the Yaquis here. The Indians came over the border from Mexico and shot up this place (La Nogalique). I was away, but some of the boys give them a fight, and drove them off. But they took with them some guns, cattle, what money they could steal and a young lady and gentleman who claim to know you. The way it happened was this. This young lady, named Rosemary Boyd, and her brother Floyd, came here in an auto, from California. They give it out they were on their way to Diamond X. But they hadn't more than reached town than the Yaquis came in and shot things up.
"'The Indians took this young couple, and it was owing to the pluck of the girl that we knew what happened.'"
"Good for Rosemary!" cried Nell. "How did it happen?"
"I'm coming to it," her father said, having paused to get his breath. It was dry work, talking so much and under the stress of excitement, and Nell had broken in on him.
"'As the Indians were riding away, with this young lady and her brother,'" the message went on, "'she managed to scribble something on a piece of paper she tore from a note book. She tossed it to one of the cowboys who was shot in fighting the Yaquis. He brought the girl's message to me after the fight, when I'd sent some of my men to