The Boy Ranchers Among the Indians | Page 5

for them to get into the cattle raising business on
their own account.
This they did, but not before they had solved a strange mystery
centering about Diamond X. As you may recall, the ranch was named
after the brand used to mark its cattle--an X within a diamond outline.
The mystery solved, the boy ranchers turned their attention to other
matters, and these are related in the second volume, "The Boy Ranchers
In Camp." Mr. Merkel, by using an ancient underground water course
beneath Snake Mountain, had brought much-needed moisture to a
distant valley he owned, thus making it possible to use it as a place for
raising cattle. This new ranch, variously called Happy Valley, Diamond
X Second, and Buffalo Wallow, was given in charge of the boys to

experiment with. They 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,