"What is the trouble, Professor?" he questioned kindly, for he could see
that Snopper Duke was in deep distress.

"I--I---- Don't mind me, Rover," stammered the teacher. "It's a little
bad news, that's all. And coming on top of some other bad news I've
received lately I can hardly stand it," and with these words Snopper Duke
turned and went slowly upstairs to his room. Half an hour later he was
closeted with Colonel Colby and then drove away from the Hall; and that
was the last the Colby Hall cadets saw of the strange teacher during that
term.

"He's certainly got something on his mind," said Randy, in telling the
others of the incident. "And I must confess I'm growing really sorry for
him."

On the next day came another surprise for the Rovers. All of them were
out on the campus when they saw Brassy Bangs leap a side hedge and start
toward the school. At the same time they saw a tall man wearing a slouch
hat hurrying off in the opposite direction.

"Hello! there is that fellow Brassy had trouble with in town," exclaimed
Randy.

"Just look at Brassy!" whispered Fred, after the youth had passed them
and gone into the Hall. "Why, he's as pale as a ghost!"

"It certainly is a mystery about Brassy and that strange man," was Jack's
comment. "Just as much of a mystery as about Professor Duke's doings."

Soon the boys were busy packing up, getting ready to leave. Then came the
usual jolly times just previous to saying good-bye to their fellow-cadets
and the teachers. The students were to scatter in all directions and the
majority of them expected to have a glorious time during the summer
vacation. Phil Franklin was to go back to the oil fields, to visit his
father.

At the railroad station the Rovers met Mary and Martha and also some of
the other girls, and here many good-byes were said.

"I hope you get a chance to get out to Big Horn Ranch," said Jack to
Ruth.

"So do I, Jack. But I haven't received permission to go yet. If I don't
get there you must write to me."

"I certainly will, Ruth. And you must write also. But come out if you
possibly can."

The home-coming of the Rovers was, as usual, made a gala event. The three
mothers had come down to meet their children and there was a happy
reunion at the Grand Central Terminal, and then the three families drove
off in their automobiles to their homes on Riverside Drive. A little
later the fathers of the young folks came in from downtown, and that
night there was a grand dinner spread for all in Tom Rover's house.

"Gosh, it's good to be home once more, Mother!" cried Andy, and hugged
his parent from one side while his twin hugged her from the other.

"And it's mighty good to think that we can all be together," came from
Jack. "It's so different from what it was when the war was going on."

"Oh, please don't speak of the war! I never want to hear of it again!"
put in Martha.

"And to think we're all going out to Big Horn Ranch!" burst out Fred.
"Isn't that just the grandest ever?"




CHAPTER XVIII

ON THE WAY WEST


"Well, we're off for Big Horn Ranch at last!"

"It certainly is a grand prospect, eh, Jack? We ought to have barrels of
fun on the ranch."

"Yes, Randy, it certainly ought to make a dandy vacation."

"I'm fairly itching to get on horseback," put in Andy. "What dandy rides
we shall have!"

"Maybe we'll get a chance to break in a broncho," put in Fred, with a
grin.

"Don't you dare do such a thing, Fred Rover!" burst out his sister Mary.
"Most likely the bronco would break your neck."

"Well, we won't bust any broncos until we get to the ranch," came with a
smile from Fred's father, who had followed the young people into the
sleeping car at the Grand Central Terminal.

It was the day of their departure for the West, and the young folks were
quivering with suppressed excitement. Sam Rover and his wife headed the
party, which consisted of the four boys and the two girls.

Fourth of July had been spent rather quietly at home preparing for the
trip. Of course, Andy and Randy had had some fun, especially with
fireworks in the evening, but otherwise the young folks had been too
preoccupied with their arrangements for getting away to pay special
attention to the national holiday.

It had been arranged that only the Rovers mentioned above should at first
make the trip to the ranch, and Gif and Spouter were to meet them in
Chicago, where they would change cars for Montana. Tom Rover and his wife
were to come to the ranch two weeks later and bring with them May Powell
and Ruth Stevenson. Later still it was barely possible that Dick Rover
and his wife would come West.

Jack's idea of chartering a private car had fallen through because not
all of the party to meet at Big Horn Ranch were to go at the same time.
But those now gathered had seats at one end of the sleeper along with a
private compartment for Mrs. Rover and the two girls, so they were all
comfortable.

The boys were in the best of spirits; and for a while Sam Rover had his
hands full making Andy and Randy behave.

"I hope we strike a lot of lively cowboys, Uncle Sam," broke out Andy.

"Perhaps you'll find some of the cowboys too lively," was the answer.

Jack and Fred, as well as their sisters, were disappointed that May and
Ruth had not been able to accompany them, but they were glad to know that
the others would follow later to the ranch.

Soon New York was left behind and the train was speeding along the Hudson
River on its way to Albany.

"Just think! By this time to-morrow we'll be in Chicago," remarked
Martha. "Isn't it wonderful how you can cover such a distance?"

"Do you know, I almost wish we were going out there in an auto," returned
Fred. "That would be a trip worth taking."

"Especially if you had to put on all the extra tires along the way,
Fred," added Andy, with a grin.

"Oh, well, I guess I could do that, too, if I had to," answered the
youngest Rover boy quickly. "But the roads from here to Chicago are
pretty good, they tell me, so I don't think we'd have many punctures or
blow-outs."

"Such a trip would be dandy, only it might take more time than we'd care
to spend on the way right now," remarked Jack. "Personally I want to get
out to Big Horn Ranch as soon as possible."

"Exactly my sentiments," came from Randy. "Me for the mountains and
plains and a life in the open air!"

    "Oh, for a life in the open air,
    Under the skies so blue and fair!"

sang out Andy gayly.

"Gee, Andy is bursting into poetry!" cried Fred. "What's going to happen
next?"

"Maybe he ate something that didn't agree with him," giggled Mary.

"You'd better bottle up that poetry stuff, Andy," remarked Jack.
"Remember we're going out to a ranch owned by Songbird Powell, and he was
nicknamed Songbird while at Putnam Hall because he was always bursting
out into home-made poetry. Maybe we'll get a surplus of it when we get
out to the ranch."

Lunch was had in the dining car, and almost before the young folks
realized it the train was rolling into Albany. Here an extra car was
attached, and then they were off on the long journey through the Mohawk
Valley to Buffalo, Cleveland, and the great city by the Lakes.

After the train had passed Utica Andy and Randy, who found it hard to sit
still, took a walk through the cars from end to end, thinking they might
meet somebody they knew. They were gone so long that Sam Rover became a
little worried over them.

"I think I'll hunt them up," he said to his wife. "For all we know they
may have gotten into some mischief."

"More than likely they're into something," answered Mrs. Grace Rover.
"They're exactly like their father Tom when it comes to stirring things
up."

Sam Rover was just leaving his seat when Andy and Randy came back to the
car. Their faces showed their excitement.

"What do you think!" exclaimed Randy, as he dropped into a seat. "We met
that same fellow who was threatening Brassy Bangs at Haven Point."

"Was Brassy with him?" questioned Jack quickly.

"No. But two other men were with him, and it's a tough crowd, believe
me."

"Where are they?" questioned Fred.

"Two cars behind. And from the way the three talked they must have gotten
on at Albany. The fellow Brassy had something to do with is tough enough,
but the other two men seem to be much worse. By their talk, they are
cattle men, and I shouldn't be surprised if they have been cowboys."

"And that isn't all!" added Andy. "They spoke about going to Arrow
Junction!"

"Arrow Junction!" repeated Fred. "Why, that's the town that Spouter said
was nearest to Big Horn Ranch!"

"What were they going to do at Arrow Junction?" questioned Jack.

"They've got some sort of a deal on for handling horses and cattle. We
couldn't make out exactly what it was," answered Randy. "But they
certainly are a tough bunch. It looks to me as if they might have been
drinking."

"Did you hear them mention Brassy?" asked Fred.

"No. But that fellow who met Brassy at Haven Point, the chap called Bud
Haddon, told the others he had struck a real snap in the East. And one of
the others answered that he had noticed that Bud was rather flush."

"It's certainly a mystery what that fellow had to do with Brassy,"
remarked Jack. And then of a sudden his face became a study.

A sudden thought had occurred to him, and it was such a horrible one that
he was inclined to force it from his mind. And yet it came bobbing up
time and again until Fred, who was sitting beside his cousin, noticed
that something was on his mind.

"What are you thinking of, Jack? Ruth?"

"No, Fred. I was thinking of that fellow who met Brassy Bangs in Haven
Point."

"You're wondering, I suppose, why Brassy let him have some money."

"Partly that and partly something else, Fred. But it's so horrible I hate
to think of it."

"Why, what do you mean, Jack?"

"Well, if you must know, it just happened to cross my mind that that Bud
Haddon was hanging around Haven Point and was seen around the school
several times just when Colby Hall was robbed."

As the young major uttered these words in a low tone of voice, Fred
stared at him in astonishment.

"My gracious, Jack, that's so!" he whispered. "Isn't it queer we didn't
think of it before? From what Andy and Randy tell of how that fellow
treated Brassy I wouldn't put it past him to be a bad one. But if he had
anything to do with the robbery at the school, do you think Brassy had,
too?"

"I don't know what to think, Fred. Brassy never struck me as that sort of
a fellow. He's loud-mouthed and he's got a big opinion of himself, and
all that, but I never put him down as being crooked."

"Neither did I. But you must remember one thing--that fellow was dinging
at him for money. He said Brassy must get it or there would be trouble."

"Yes, I'm remembering that, Fred. I must confess it looks pretty bad. But
I don't think we had better say anything until we know more about the
men."

"Let's pump Andy and Randy all we can."

Fred's suggestion was followed out, and the four Rover boys talked the
matter over among themselves. The twins were as much surprised as Fred
had been when Jack mentioned what was in his mind.

"Gee, that Bud Haddon may be the guilty one!" burst out Randy. "Why
didn't we think of this before? Colonel Colby might have put a detective
on his trail."

"Do you think we ought to send him a telegram or anything like that?"
asked Andy.

"It wouldn't do much good. What would be better, I think, is for us to
watch the man and see if we can find out more about him. If he is going
to Arrow Junction we may have a chance of learning more about him out
there. Did he expect to stay at the Junction?"

"I think so--or at least in that vicinity. The whole crowd is bound for
some ranch out there."

"Then if we learn anything of importance against the fellow we can have
the local authorities make an investigation," said Jack.

"Gosh! wouldn't it be queer if that fellow really had robbed Colby Hall
and if Brassy was mixed up in it?" remarked Randy.

"It would be terrible if Brassy was guilty," answered Jack. "It would
just about ruin him forever."

"Come on, Jack. Suppose you and I walk back and see if we can locate the
fellows," suggested Fred. "They don't know us, so they won't be
suspicious."

"Well, we might try it," was the young major's reply.

And thereupon he and his cousin walked through the cars to the place
where the twins said Bud Haddon and his two companions were seated.




CHAPTER XIX

IN THE SADDLE


The two boys located the three men without any trouble. They were seated
near the end of the car where there was a water cooler, and here the two
lads stopped to fumble for a minute or two over the paper drinking cups
and then to take their time getting a drink.

"Yes, we ought to make a lot of money on that deal, Noxley," they heard
Bud Haddon say. "That is, provided we mind what we're doin'."

"Oh, there'll be no trip-up this time," answered the man called Noxley.

"I've been wonderin' how many horses there would be that we could sell,"
put in the third man of the group.

"I heard we could get at least twenty, Jenks. Of course, I can't tell
exactly until I've looked over the ground."

"Well, twenty head of horses and two hundred head of cattle are not to be
sneezed at," answered the man called Jenks. "A fine piece of business,
I'll say," and he laughed shrewdly.

"How long do you expect to stay at Arrow Junction before you go out to
Bimbel's Ranch?" questioned Noxley.

"Not more 'n three or four days. I'm expectin' word from Bimbel as soon
as I reach the Junction, and then I'll know just what he wants us to
do."

"One thing I want understood," went on Jenks crossly. "This time I get
all that's comin' to me--no holdin' back!"

"And I want the same, remember that," put in Noxley sourly.

"You'll get your full share--no fear of that," said Haddon reassuringly.
"Only remember, you've got to do your full share of the work, too. No
shirkin' at the last minute!"

"Well, we don't want to be takin' too many chances," and Jenks shook his
uncombed head dubiously.

"You've got to take chances in this game, Jenks. You can't expect the
hens to lay eggs right in your hands," and Haddon chuckled at his little
joke.

After that the men talked about a good time they had had in Albany the
evening before. They said nothing further of what they expected to do in
the West nor did Haddon mention Haven Point or Brassy Bangs.

"We might as well go back," whispered Jack to Fred, after they had
remained as long at the water cooler as they dared. The men had glanced
at them carelessly, but had evidently given them scant attention.

When the two lads returned to the others they held a consultation, and
then laid the whole case before Fred's father. Sam Rover listened with
interest, and his face became a study.

"It is just possible that your guess may be correct and this fellow
Haddon may be guilty of robbing Colby Hall. But it would be sheer
foolishness to accuse the fellow unless you had sufficient evidence
against him. This talk about horses and cattle may be a perfectly
legitimate affair. However, when we get to the ranch we can look into the
matter further and find out what sort of place this Bimbel's ranch is and
what the men really intend to do while there. That may give us a better
line on this Bud Haddon and the others."

"I'm going to watch that crowd as long as they travel with us," said
Jack, and the other lads said they would do the same.

A night was spent on the train, all the boys sleeping soundly, and in the
middle of the forenoon they rolled into the great station at Chicago.
Here the lads kept their eyes wide open and saw Haddon and his two
companions walk away, dresssuit-cases in hand. Nor did they reappear when
the Rovers, an hour later, hurried for the train which was to take them
further westward. Evidently the three men were going to take some other
train to Montana.

"Here they are! We've been waiting for you folks!" came the cry, and
Spouter rushed up to the Rovers, followed by Gif.

"Ho for the glorious West!" put in Gif. "Aren't you fellows anxious to
get there?" he questioned.

"Anxious doesn't express it!" answered Andy. "Why, all night long I was
riding broncos and lassoing wild cattle!" and he grinned.

Sleeping-car accommodations had been reserved for all of the crowd, and
they were soon making themselves at home. Then, as the train sped
westward, the Rovers told their chums about Bud Haddon.

"That certainly is interesting," said Gif. "Just the same, I can't think
that Brassy Bangs is a thief. Why, if you'll remember, he said he had
been robbed himself!"

"He might have said that just to throw dust in the eyes of the public,"
answered Spouter. "To my mind it will certainly be a good thing to keep
our eyes open for this fellow Haddon."

The trip to Montana took the best part of three days, and every one in
the party enjoyed the journey thoroughly. They often went out to the
observation end of the train, there to view the endless panorama of
prairies and mountains, forests and streams, as they sped swiftly past.
The magnificent view impressed Spouter as much as anybody.

"It's sublime--stupendously sublime," he murmured over and over again.
"The thoughts that well up in my bosom at such a sight as this are beyond
the power of words to express. When I view these immense plains, these
mountain tops fading away in the distance, these wild and weird torrents
rushing over the rocks, and these trackless forests with often not a
human abode in sight, I cannot but think----"

"That there is room here for every man, woman and child in the city of
New York and then some," finished Andy. "Gee, how can they stick in one
or two miserable cubby-holes of rooms when we have all this land to draw
on!"

"That's what gets me," put in Gif. "But they do it. And I'm told that a
whole lot of 'em would rather die huddled together than live out here
where neighbors are miles apart."

The through train took them only as far as Arrow Junction. Here they
alighted and then boarded a little side line, running through the hills
to a dozen small stations, including Four Rocks.

"This isn't so nice," sighed Martha, when all had piled into one of the
two little cars which comprised the train. Their baggage had been put in
the other car, which was a combination baggage and smoking car. There
were but a few other passengers in the car, including one fat woman with
two small and exceedingly dirty children. There were also several
cowboys, and a Chinaman who looked as if he might be a cook.

"I think dad has a Chink at our ranch," said Spouter. "Anyway, he wrote
he thought he'd hire one."

They had telegraphed ahead, so that there might be some one to meet them
when they arrived at Four Rocks.

"It's certainly an odd name for a railroad station," remarked Mrs. Rover
to her husband.

"Four Rocks sounds substantial enough," he returned, with a smile.

"Is it much of a town?"

"Not likely to be any town at all. Perhaps a little railroad station and
possibly one store, which, of course, would also be the post-office."

Sam Rover's idea of Four Rocks proved to be correct. Situated near a
ridge of rocks was a small railroad station with a telegraph office and
baggage room attached, a water tower, and opposite to the station were
two low buildings, one a general store and the other a place where there
had once been a saloon and dance hall, but which was now closed up.

"There's my dad now!" cried Spouter excitedly, as he leaped off the
train. And the next minute he was running towards an automobile in which
sat his parent. "Where is ma?" he demanded.

"She remained at the house to see that everything was in readiness when
you got there," answered Songbird Powell, as he shook hands with his
son.

Close to the automobile stood a number of horses, all saddled. On one sat
a bronzed cowboy, who grinned broadly at the boys and tipped his hat
rather awkwardly to Mrs. Rover and the girls.

"This is my foreman, Joe Jackson," said Songbird Powell. "Joe, this is
Mr. and Mrs. Rover, and these are the Rover boys and their sisters, and
this is my son and another of his chums. I guess you'll get better
acquainted a little later on," and he smiled broadly.

"Who's to ride on horseback?" questioned Andy quickly, "We can't all get
into that machine."

"You boys can all ride with Joe," answered Spouter's father. "I thought
you'd rather do that than anything else. The girls and the others can
ride with me."

"How do you know I don't want to ride on horseback, Uncle John?" cried
Martha gayly. She often called this intimate chum of her father "uncle."

"No, Martha, you'd better ride with us now," put in Mrs. Rover hastily.
"You can do your horseback riding later on."

"Oh, I was only fooling, Aunt Grace," the girl replied.

"I'm just crazy to see Big Horn Ranch, Uncle John," came from Mary.

"Well, I hope you'll like it," returned Songbird Powell. "I want every
one of you to have the best times ever while you're here." His eyes
glistened. "We ought to have a regular old-fashioned reunion." And then,
unable to control himself, he broke out into a bit of his old-time
doggerel.

    "I'm glad you're here.
    I hope you'll stay.
    I'll miss you much
    When you're away."

"Hurrah, Songbird, that certainly sounds natural!" cried Sam Rover,
slapping his old chum on the shoulder. "You'll have to give us more of
that later on."

"I haven't spent much time on verses the last few years, Sam," answered
Songbird. "I've been too busy attending to business. But maybe I'll get
back to it while loafing around the ranch," he added.

"Are any other people coming to the ranch?"

"Yes, one other person. And I think you'll be very much surprised to see
him."

"Who is that?"

"Oh, you had better wait until he arrives," returned Songbird Powell, and
began to grin as though the thought of what was coming pleased him.

The older persons and the girls waited until all the boys were safely in
the saddle, and then Songbird Powell started the automobile.

"I'm leaving them in your care, Joe," he called back to his foreman, as
he moved along. "Bring 'em to the ranch in safety."

"Trust me," called out the foreman promptly. "We'll be at the ranch
almost as soon as you."

"Well, don't ride the horses to death," shouted back Songbird. And then
in a few minutes more the automobile disappeared in the distance.

"The boys will certainly enjoy that horseback riding," said Mary.

"Glad of it," answered Songbird Powell, and as the automobile rolled
onward he murmured gaily:

    "An elephant sat on a bamboo tree
    And he was as happy as he could be.
    'To travel,' said he, 'is awfully punk
    Unless you remember to take your trunk!'"

"Oh, what a funny rhyme!" giggled Martha.

"I'll have to write that down in my scrap book," returned her cousin, and
at this remark Spouter's father looked real pleased.

"Hurrah for Big Horn Ranch!" shouted Randy, waving his cap. "Come on if
you're ready."

"Don't work your horses too hard at the start," cautioned Joe Jackson.
"It's a good five miles to the ranch, and part of it is rather tough
climbing."

"If it's tough climbing how is the automobile going to get there?"
questioned Jack quickly.

"Oh, they'll go around by the river road. But that is eight miles longer.
We'll take the hills."

"Then maybe we can get there first after all!" broke in Fred.

"Well, we can try, anyhow," answered the foreman of the ranch. "Do all of
you boys know how to ride?"

"Sure we do!"

"Then forward it is!" And away rode the foreman with Jack and Spouter on
either side of him and the others following close behind.




CHAPTER XX

AT BIG HORN RANCH


The way lay along a flat stretch of prairie bordering the river, and then
up into the hills. The brushwood in the immediate neighborhood was
scanty, but in the distance they could see some scrub timber backed up by
a stretch of forest. Far to the westward they could see the distant
mountains over which the sun was now setting.

"Come on, you fellows, come on! Don't lag behind!" shouted Spouter, and
set off at a brisk pace along the well-defined trail leading to the
ranch.

Joe Jackson, having seen that all of them could ride well, was quite
willing to let them set their own pace.

"Only look and see where you're going!" he shouted. "And remember at the
split in the trail to take the one on the right." And then he allowed
them to plunge on ahead, but kept his eyes on everything they were
doing.

[Illustration: "OFF TO THE EASTWARD YOU CAN SEE A BIT OF OUR RANGE."
Rover Boys at Big Horn Ranch (Page 205)]

Two miles from the station the boys found they had quite a climb, and
here they were forced to slow down. A little later they reached the top
of the first hill.

"There off to the eastward you can see a bit of our range," said the
ranch foreman, pointing with his finger. "And those cattle yonder are our
cattle."

By the time they reached the foot of the first hill the sun was setting
beyond the mountains in the west and the long shadows were creeping
across the trail and over the forest beyond.

"This must be some dark trail at night," remarked Jack.

"Dark as a tunnel," answered Joe Jackson. "You have to carry a lantern or
a flashlight when you try to ride it after dark."

"Ever get held up?" questioned Fred curiously.

"Nary a hold-up, lad," answered the foreman, with a grin. "We leave all
that to the movie men."

"Did you ever have a moving picture company out here?" asked Gif.

"Yes, we had one crowd out here last year. They stayed around about six
weeks taking some sort of a drama, as they called it. It was funny,"
added the foreman, with a chuckle. "The leading lady was scared to death
of horses, and yet she had to do a little riding. The man who was having
the pictures taken wanted her to smile while she was cantering along. But
that smile, believe me, wasn't anything to brag about. They ought to have
brought along some leading lady who liked horses and knew all about
'em."

"Did they use any of your outfit?"

"Oh, they used a few of our cowboys in a round-up. They wanted me to go
into some of the pictures, but I told 'em there was nothing doing--that I
was here to manage the ranch and not make moving pictures."

"How many men on the place?" asked Randy.

"We have six at present. But the boss is thinking of getting some more
and increasing the herd."

"Did dad get his Chinese cook?" questioned Spouter.

"Yes. He's got a Chink named Hop Lung; a pretty good sort of a chap,
too."

They crossed two more hills and then passed through a patch of tall
timber. Here there was a rough wagon road, and the foreman explained that
it was used for hauling firewood to the ranch house and the bunkhouse.

It was growing dark when the party on horseback approached the ranch.
Already lights were streaming from the windows and the automobile stood
in front of the wide veranda which ran around two sides of the building.

"They got here ahead of us," announced Jack.

"I thought they would," answered the foreman. "The river road is in
pretty good shape just now, so I suppose the boss made fast time in
driving over."

"The trail to the ranch was rougher than I expected," put in Andy. "If
you tried to run a horse over it he would most likely break a leg and
maybe you would break your neck."

"I've known one of our boys to go over to the station inside of twenty
minutes," returned the foreman. "But he only did it to catch a train and
on a bet. I'd rather take my time and save my horseflesh."

When they reached the ranch Mrs. Powell came out on the veranda to greet
her son and his chums. She was a round-faced, motherly woman, and she
immediately did all she could to make the young folks feel at home.

"You must be thoroughly tired out from your long trip," said she. "So we
will have supper right away, and then if any of you want to go to bed you
can do so."

"I can't say that I'm tired," answered Jack. "But I suppose the girls are
and maybe Aunt Grace is, too."

The travelers were shown to some rooms and then told where they could
wash up if they so desired.

"Supper will be ready in ten minutes," announced Mrs. Powell. "So don't
take too much time in primping up," she added, with a smile to the girls.
"Remember, you are on a ranch now and you can dress exactly as you
please."

"I'm going to slip on a plain gingham right now," declared Martha.

Their hand baggage had been brought along on the running-board of the
touring car, and a little later one of the cowboys came in with their
trunks, which had been brought over from the station in a wagon. In the
meanwhile the crowd sat down to a somewhat elaborate supper which Hop
Lung had prepared under Mrs. Powell's supervision.

"He's a very good cook," the lady of the ranch confided to Mrs. Rover.
"But he occasionally tries to turn out some very funny concoctions, so
that I find it advisable to keep my eyes on him."

"The cowboys are quite excited over the idea of having visitors here all
summer," said Songbird Powell during the course of the meal. "And two or
three of them are especially excited over the fact that there are going
to be so many girls and ladies. You see, the brothers who used to own
these combined ranches weren't married, and all they had around the
houses were an Indian woman and a real old Dutch woman who was almost
entirely deaf.

"Joe Jackson told me that one of the cowboys, a fellow named Hank Minno,
was very bashful and had almost been on the point of giving up his job
when he heard so many skirts were coming here."

"Oh, dear, I think I'd like to make the acquaintance of Mr. Hank," said
Martha mischievously.

"Perhaps if he saw you coming he'd run away," returned Mary.

"Oh, I think he'll get over his bashfulness, and so will some of the
others," answered Songbird Powell. "And let me tell you one thing--when I
first got here I thought the men were a pretty rough crowd, but the more
I get to know them, the more I'm satisfied they're all right at heart."

"Your foreman certainly seems to be a fine fellow," said Jack. "We got
well acquainted with him riding over."

"He was well recommended by the former owners of the ranch, Jack. And so
far I've had no occasion to find any fault with him. He seems thoroughly
trustworthy."

The Powells had given their visitors their choice of what to do
concerning rooms. They could either crowd themselves a little and remain
in the one ranch house, or otherwise the boys could take rooms in the
other house, which was located about two hundred yards away.

"If we went over to the other place we could have things all our own
way," whispered Andy to his brother and Fred. "We could come and go to
suit ourselves."

"I think you boys had better stay in this house with us," said Mrs.
Rover. "Then we can keep an eye on you."

"But there is no sense in all of us being crowded," returned Sam Rover.
"And the boys are certainly old enough to take care of themselves. I
think we had better let this matter rest until to-morrow, and then we can
see how we can arrange it."

"If the boys go over to the other ranch house I'll have Joe Jackson stay
there with them," said Songbird. "He'll know how to make them line up if
anything goes wrong."

Several days later it was arranged for all the boys to take their
belongings and settle down in the other ranch house so far as rooming was
concerned. They were to have their meals in the main house. The foreman
of the ranch went with them, taking a room in a corner where he could
watch what was going on if it became necessary to do so. The boys took
three connecting rooms, the twins occupying one, Jack and Fred another,
and Spouter and Gif the third.

On the second day at the ranch the boys began to feel quite at home.
Accompanied by the men, they had visited many points of interest and had
become acquainted with all the cowboys, and also with Hop Lung, the
cook.

"Wellee nice boys," remarked the cook, after they had been chatting with
him and gone their way. "Wellee nice boys. Me cookee heap good dinner for
'em." And then he dived into his kitchen to start his preparations for
the next meal.

The boys found all the cowboys friendly. One of them could do some
marvelous stunts with a lasso, and, urged by the foreman, gave an
exhibition which interested the lads exceedingly.

"Why, that fellow is as good as anybody on the vaudeville stage,"
remarked Fred. "I never dreamed so much could be done with a rope. Just
see how he whirled it around his body and between his legs and over his
head!"

"Yes, and how he lassoed those three running horses all in a bunch,"
added Fred. "That's what got me."

"He ought to be in a Wild West Show," put in Jack.

"I'll have the boys give you an exhibition of shooting this evening,"
said the foreman, and he was as good as his word.

Some of the cowboys proved to be remarkable shots both with the rifle and
the pistol. But here the boys, especially Fred and Jack, felt at home,
and they, too, showed what they could do.

"Rattlesnakes and tarantulas!" exclaimed one of the cowboys, Hank Minno,
the fellow who was supposed to be so bashful. "You kids sure kin shoot
some. I s'pose you learned it at that there military school you've been
goin' to."

"Yes," answered Fred. "Although we sometimes do a little practicing when
we're at home. Down in the long cellar of our house."

"Well, it's a good thing to know how to shoot, lad. Sometimes it comes in
mighty handy like," answered Hank Minno.




CHAPTER XXI

HOP LUNG AND THE FISH


By the end of the first week all of the boys felt thoroughly at home on
Big Horn Ranch. They had visited many points of interest, including the
cowboys' bunkhouse and also the big range to the eastward, and they had
likewise tramped over a number of the hills and tried their hand at
fishing in the river.

"It certainly is one dandy place," remarked Jack to the others one day
when they were coming up to the house from the river, each with a
fair-sized string of fish to his credit.

"We certainly never had such fishing as this in the East," answered Gif,
as he looked at his string admiringly. "Just look at the size of 'em,
will you?"

"I wonder what Hop Lung will say when he sees them," remarked Fred.

"I've got a scheme!" cried Andy. "Let's have a little fun," and thereupon
he unfolded to the others what he had in mind to do. They readily agreed
to his suggestion, and all came up to the ranch house by a roundabout
way. Then Spouter called out loudly:

"Hop Lung! Hop Lung! Come out here a minute!"

A moment later the Chinese cook appeared, a long soup ladle in on one
hand and a carving knife in the other.

"You callee me?" he queried.

"Yes," answered Spouter. "I want you to come around to the front of the
house and tell me what you know about this," and he motioned to the cook
to follow him around to the big veranda.

No sooner had their chum and the cook disappeared than the others ran
into the kitchen. Here at one side was a home-made kitchen cabinet, the
top within a foot of the ceiling.

"See if you can find the big bread-board," said Randy. "I guess that will
answer our purpose."

"And here is the fishing line," added his twin. "We can run it from the
ceiling over to the window and then outside."

The line was run to the window as mentioned, then fastened to the ceiling
back of the cabinet, and then to the back end of the board, which was
placed flat on the top of the cabinet. On the board the boys placed the
fish, laying them out in a row from front to back. One fish was placed on
the pulled-out shelf of the lower part of the cabinet.

"Now then, clear out before Hop Lung catches us," said Andy. And the lads
lost no time in disappearing.

In the meanwhile Spouter had taken the Chinese cook to the front of the
ranch house and then to an out-of-the-way corner where there was a large
spider's web.

"Hello, he's gone now!" exclaimed Spouter, in a tone of disappointment.
"Do you see him anywhere, Hop Lung?"

"Hop Lung see what?" demanded the puzzled cook.

"Why, that great big blue and gold spider with white feet!"

"Blue an' gol' spide?" queried Hop Lung. "See black spide."

"Oh, no, I don't mean the black spider. I mean that great big blue and
gold spider about that long," and Spouter showed up his two forefingers
six inches apart.

"Noee see spide so long dat," answered the Chinese cook, shaking his head
doubtfully. "Sploutel maybe see catpillal."

"No, it wasn't a caterpillar. It was a spider. Although I think it might
have had wings."

"Um, wings! Spide he all the samee buttelfly," announced Hop Lung. "No
see him," and he got down on his hands and knees to peer up into the
corner to make certain.

Spouter continued to engage his attention until he heard the boys coming
around the corner of the house. Then he turned to them as if in
surprise.

"Hello! I thought you fellows were off fishing," he remarked.

"So we were," answered Gif calmly.

"I got a nice little fish, Hop Lung. I laid him in the kitchen for you,"
remarked Andy.

"You git only one flish?" queried the cook in surprise.

"Well, maybe you can catch more," put in Randy.

"Hop Lung no go flishee. Hop Lung cookee," was the calm reply. And then
the cook walked back to the rear of the ranch house.

Watching their chance, the boys stole back, some to the window where was
located the string which had been attached to the board on the top of the
cabinet, and others to another window from which they might see what
would take place. Hop Lung had gone inside and picked up the fish left on
the cabinet shelf. He looked it over, wiped off the shelf carefully, and
then took up the fish and disappeared into the pantry with it.

"Now then, Andy!" whispered his twin. And thereupon Andy gave the string
in his hand two or three little jerks. From the board on the top of the
cabinet a fish fell down to the shelf below.

It had hardly fallen in place when Hop Lung came from the pantry. He
looked to see how matters were going on the stove, and then turned again
to the cabinet.

A queer look came over his face when he saw the fish lying in the same
place that the first had occupied. He looked toward the door to find no
one there.

"Him funny," he murmured in his Pidgin-English. "Him vellee funny." Then
he took up the second fish and walked into the pantry with it.

No sooner had he done this than Andy, doing his best to control his
laughter, jiggled the string again. This time, as luck would have it, two
fish came down, to light side by side on the cabinet shelf.

Again Hop Lung entered the kitchen and again he looked at what was
cooking on the stove. He stirred the mass in one of the pots carefully,
and then came back to his cabinet to get some seasoning.

When he saw the two fish lying there his eyes nearly started out of his
head. He jabbered something in his native tongue and then looked around
wildly, first to one side of the kitchen and then the other. Then he
looked toward the door leading to the dining room and then he came to the
door leading to the yard.

"Duck!" was all Andy said, and he and the others lost no time in getting
out of sight.

Hop Lung looked carefully around the yard and then came slowly back into
the kitchen. He walked again to the stove to see that nothing was
burning, and finally came back to the cabinet and picked up the two fish
gingerly. Meanwhile, the boys tiptoed their way back to their original
positions at the windows.

"He'll begin to think the cabinet is haunted," whispered Jack.

"Either that, or else he'll think he's bewitched," answered Gif.

And both were about right, for the poor Chinaman looked all around the
cabinet and even behind and under it, and then he looked under the table
and the chairs. Finally, still bewildered, he walked into the pantry with
the fish, which he carried before him at arm's length, as if afraid it
might bite him.

"Better give him a shower now, Andy," whispered his brother, and
thereupon Andy gave the string a strong pull which sent all the remaining
fish tumbling down on the cabinet and the floor. The noise reached Hop
Lung in the pantry, and he came forth on a run.

When he saw the quantity of fish that had appeared so miraculously he was
nearly dumbfounded. With eyes and mouth wide open and hands up-raised he
uttered a sudden yell of fright and dove through the doorway leading to
the dining room and the living room beyond.

In the living room Mrs. Rover and Mrs. Powell were sitting doing some
sewing. The sudden appearance of the Chinaman caused them to look up in
astonishment.

"What is the matter, Hop Lung?" demanded Mrs. Powell, as she sprang to
her feet.

"Flishee! Flishee!" screamed the cook. "Kitchen full flishee! Hop Lung no
knowee where flishee come! One flishee--two flishee--two flishee
more--whole blame kitchen flishee!" spluttered the cook, his eyes rolling
from one side to the other.

"Gracious me! is the man crazy?" asked Mrs. Rover, rising. "What does he
mean by 'flishee?'"

"Flishee! Flishee!" repeated Hop Lung. "No flishee--all flishee!"

"I can't imagine what he's driving at," remarked Mrs. Powell. "Where is
the trouble, Hop Lung? In the kitchen?"

"Les, Miz Plowell. Kitchen all flishee!"

Without ado the lady of the ranch marched into the kitchen, followed by
Mrs. Rover. All the ladies could see were the freshly-caught fish resting
on the cabinet shelf and the floor.

"I don't see anything the matter here except that some of your fish are
on the floor," remarked Mrs. Powell calmly. "You had better pick them up
and wash them off."

"Did the boys catch those fish?" asked Mrs. Rover. "They said they were
going fishing a couple of hours ago."

"Boys clatchee one flishee," announced Hop Lung. Then a sudden idea
entered his head, and he made a quick leap to the yard door. He was just
in time to see the boys trying to retreat, all laughing merrily.

"You foolee Hop Lung! You foolee Hop Lung!" he shrieked wildly, and of a
sudden came back into the kitchen, scooped up several of the fish, and
ran outside again. Wildly he threw one fish after another at the lads.

"Hop Lung, stop that!" commanded Mrs. Powell sternly. "Those fish are too
good to throw away!"

"Bloys fool Hop Lung," was the reply. "One flishee--two flishee--four
flishee--all whole lot flishee," he continued, trying his best to
explain. And then by pantomime he showed how he had found the first of
the fish and placed them in the pantry.

"It's nothing more than some of their tricks, Hop Lung," said Mrs.
Powell. "They had no right to play such tricks, and I'll call them to
account for it. But you had better pick up the fish which you threw
outside. They're too good to be thrown away."

"Hop Lung flix bloys, play flishee tlick," answered the Celestial. And
then a little later he set about preparing supper.

The boys did not think it wise to return to the house just then, and so
wandered off to the stable where the ranch horses were kept.

"It was certainly a rich joke," remarked Fred, with a chuckle.

"I'll bet Hop Lung will have it in for us for that," returned Randy.

And Hop Lung did have it in for them, as they were to learn in the near
future.




CHAPTER XXII

A HORSE AND A SNAKE


During the days which followed at Big Horn Ranch the Rover boys and their
chums asked Joe Jackson if he knew Bud Haddon and the other men who had
been with him.

"Yes, I know Haddon," answered the foreman of the ranch. "He used to work
for Bimbel on a ranch on the other side of the river; but I think he left
there several months ago."

"Well, if he did, I rather think he's going back," answered Jack. "Can
you tell us anything about him?"

"Oh, I imagine he's as good as the average fellow around Bimbel's place,"
answered Joe Jackson. "You see, none of our crowd have much to do with
that outfit. Bimbel is a hard fellow to get along with, and some of the
men working for his outfit have rather shady characters." The foreman
looked at the boys curiously. "How do you happen to know the fellow?"

The lads had come to like the foreman very much and felt that they could
trust him thoroughly, so they told their story in detail, to which
Jackson listened with interest.

"Looks to me as if Haddon was trying to blackmail that kid Bangs," was
his comment. "That is unless there was something in the talk about that
barn being burned with the horses. It's just possible that fellow Bangs
had something to do with it and Haddon was making him pay for keeping his
mouth shut."

"Do you know anybody by the name of John Calder whose barn burned down?"

"No. That couldn't have been anywhere around here or I certainly would
have heard about it. But there's one thing I do know," added the foreman
suddenly. "There's a man named Jarley Bangs who owns a ranch on the other
side of the river--a small place next to the one run by Bimbel."

"Jarley Bangs!" exclaimed Fred. "Do you suppose it could be Brassy Bangs'
father?"

"I don't think so," answered Gif. "I believe Bangs' folks live in
Wyoming."

"But this Bangs may be some relative of his," put in Spouter.

The matter was talked over a while longer, but the boys could learn
little further from the foreman.

"I'll tell you what I'll do," said Joe Jackson at last. "I'll put it up
to some of the cowboys. They may know more about Bimbel and his outfit
and about Jarley Bangs than I do. Bangs has a reputation for being a very
queer and miserly man, but that's about all I can say of him."

The boys, and even the girls, spent quite a little of their time in the
saddle. Both Mary and Martha had learned to ride while at home, using the
bridle path in Central Park, so they felt at home when galloping over the
plains.

"This outing is going to do Mary a world of good," confided Mrs. Rover to
Mrs. Powell. "She has always been so timid."

The river in which the boys went fishing and also bathing was a broad,
shallow stream which could be forded in many places with ease. So far,
however, the lads had remained on their side of the watercourse. But one
day Jack proposed that they go off on horseback and do a little exploring
on the other side.

"We might ride past the Bimbel place, and also the one Jarley Bangs
owns," said he. "Who knows but what we may catch sight of Bud Haddon and
his crowd."

"We don't want to get into any trouble with those fellows," put in Fred
quickly.

"Oh, they can't touch us!" exclaimed Andy. "They don't even know us. And
we've as much right to use the trails around here as anybody--the land
isn't fenced in."

"Yes, but you know what Jackson said," went on Fred. "He said the Bimbel
outfit wasn't a very nice one and that Bangs was very miserly and
peculiar. That sounds as if both places were good ones to steer clear
of."

"Oh, come on! Let's go anyhow," put in Spouter. "I'm anxious to know what
sort of neighbors we have. They can't find any fault with us for coming
over when they find out that my father owns this ranch."

The boys talked this matter over several times, and the next day obtained
permission to take the horses and go off for a day's outing along the
river. They were to take their lunch with them, and did not expect to
come back until evening.

"I wish we could go along," sighed Martha.

"We'll take you along next time, Martha," answered her brother. "This
time I'm afraid the ride will be a little too long for you."

"Never mind, Martha and I will take a little ride of our own," declared
Mary. "We can go up to the edge of the woods and pick some wild
flowers."

"Let's do it!" answered her cousin quickly. "One of the cowboys tells me
there are all sorts of wild flowers up there near one of the springs."

Hop Lung was told to prepare a lunch which the boys might take along with
them, and set to work immediately. As he got the things ready the
Celestial had a faraway look in his eyes and once or twice he stuck out
his tongue suggestively.

"One flishee--two flishee--lot flishee," he murmured to himself. "Hop
Lung fixee boys," and he smiled in his own peculiar way.

The day dawned bright and clear, and immediately after breakfast the boys
leaped into the saddle and with good-natured shouts swung the sombreros
they were wearing, and started off on their ride. Each had equipped
himself with a pistol, although they expected to do no shooting, and
several carried small saddlebags containing their food and drink, the
latter placed in a couple of thermos bottles. They also carried feed for
the horses.

"Whoop-la!" shouted Andy gaily. "Come on, fellows! let's put distance
between ourselves and the ranch."

"Better take it a little easy at the start, Andy," remonstrated Gif.
"Remember we expect to cover quite a few miles, and we don't want to wear
out the horses at the start."

"We'll let Spouter set the pace," announced Jack, for he had not
forgotten that they were all guests of the lad mentioned.

They had questioned the foreman regarding the lay of the land, and he had
drawn up a rough map for them which Jack carried. Inside of half an hour
they reached the fording place he had mentioned, and there crossed the
stream, coming out on the side of a small hill.

"I wonder if we'll come across any wild animals," remarked Fred, as they
pushed along a well-defined trail leading to the top of the hill and
through a small patch of scrub timber further westward.

"From what Joe Jackson said, I don't think there's very much left in this
immediate vicinity," answered Spouter. "You see, the cowboys have scared
most of the animals away. Of course, they occasionally come across a
bobcat or a mountain lion, and then we might come across a wolf or a fox
or some jackrabbits, or even a bear."

"Well, please don't let 'em come at us in a bunch!" cried Randy, with a
grin. "One at a time, please."

"It'll be our luck not to see a thing worth shooting," declared Fred. "I
wouldn't give five cents for our chances of bringing down anything."

Fred had scarcely spoken when the horse Gif was riding shied suddenly to
one side, throwing Gif into some low bushes. Then the horse gave a snort
and leaped ahead on the trail, not stopping until he had covered a
hundred yards or more.