But these shots, mingled with those coming from the plain below, had one
good effect. The cattle had been stopped in their mad flight and now they
turned back in the direction in which the cowboys wanted them to go.

As the pistols rang out the mountain lion gave a scream of commingled
pain and rage. Then it crept forward several feet and made a movement as
if on the point of leaping for Fred and his steed.

"Back up! Back up, Fred!" yelled Andy, and fired a second time, and his
cousin did likewise.

This time the aim of the boys was better, and the mountain lion was hit
in one of the forelegs and in the flank. It made a sudden leap, but the
wound in the leg made it fall short, and it fell down between the rocks
directly in front of where Fred's horse was standing.

As the mountain lion went down in the hollow the horse uttered another
wild snort and an instant later leaped directly over the wild beast,
coming down at the foot of the rocky ledge beyond. The steed Andy rode
backed violently until some other rocks stopped its retreat.

"Hi there! What are you shooting at?" came a cry from below, and the two
boys recognized the voice of Joe Jackson.

"It's a lion!" called back Andy.

"Then plug him! Plug him quick!" yelled Jackson. "Plug him before he gets
a chance to get at you!"

There was no need for this advice, for Andy was already taking aim. This
time the bullet passed through the body of the lion and the beast leaped
up, turning over and over convulsively. Then Fred managed to steady his
mount for a moment, and he, too, fired, this time catching the mountain
lion in the ear. Then the beast gave a final leap and tumbled down the
rocks almost at the feet of the astonished ranch foreman.

"Are you hurt?" demanded Jackson anxiously, as he gave a glance at the
lion to make certain that it was breathing its last.

"No," came from both of the boys. But it must be confessed that their
voices were trembling. They had all they could do to quiet their horses,
the steeds showing a great inclination to leap over the rough rocks and
run away.

By the time that Fred and Andy managed to descend to the plain below them
the stampede of the cattle, which had been only momentary, was coming to
an end, only two steers having run away for parts unknown.

"But they'll come back, Boss," said one of the cowboys to Jackson. "They
always do. You can't hire 'em to herd by themselves. They'll sure be
back."

"A mountain lion! What do you know about that!" exclaimed Jack, as he
came riding up, followed by the other boys.

"Did he hurt you at all?" questioned Spouter quickly.

"He didn't get a chance," answered Fred, just a bit proudly. "Andy and I
let drive at him almost as soon as we saw him."

"A pretty powerful beast, I'll say," remarked Gif, as he made an
examination of the lion that was now dead. "I don't think I'd like to
face such a creature."

"We had to fight him," declared Andy. "He was right up on that rocky
shelf yonder, and he couldn't back out. If he had had the chance he'd
have leaped right on us."

"Well, you're the prize hunters of this crowd," declared Randy.

"You can't put that down to hunting," answered his twin promptly. "That
was simply a case of necessity."

"Anyway, you've got the lion, and that skin will make some rug," declared
Spouter.

"I wonder if there are any other mountain lions around?" remarked Gif.
"I'd like to get a shot at one of them myself."

"They often travel in pairs," answered Joe Jackson. "But if you're going
after lions you had better arm yourselves with rifles. It was only good
luck that brought this beast down with pistol bullets."

"The pistols were good enough at close quarters," answered Andy. "Just
the same, I'd rather shoot the next mountain lion from a distance," he
added dryly.

Of course, when the boys rode up to the ranch home with the carcass of
the dead lion there was a good deal of excitement among the older folks
and the girls, and Fred and Andy had to tell their story in detail.

"You really must be more careful in the future, boys," declared Mrs. Sam
Rover. "Why, you might have been trampled under foot by the cattle, as
well as chewed up by this mountain lion!"

"I didn't know there was any danger of the cattle stampeding," put in
Mrs. Tom Rover.

"Oh, Jackson assures me that the stampede wasn't of much consequence,"
remarked Songbird Powell. "But, of course, the boys shouldn't have gotten
in front of the animals. But this question of facing a mountain lion is
another story."

"Py chimminy! you don't vas cotch me facin' no mountain lions," declared
Hans Mueller emphatically. "I did me dot years ago, ven I go oud mit your
faders. But I ton't do him no more alreatty."

"Oh, Fred, you must be more careful!" protested May to the youngest
Rover, when she got the chance. "Suppose that lion had jumped right on
top of you?"

"Believe me, May, I didn't want to get so close," he answered. "When we
discovered the beast he wasn't over twenty feet away."

"And they told us there weren't very many wild beasts around here!" came
from Martha. "After this I guess we had better be careful how we roam
through the woods and along the river."

"Oh, they're not likely to harm you unless you corner them," said
Songbird Powell. "They'll sneak away from you if you give them half a
chance. It's only when they're cornered or when they're needing food that
they are really combative."

The mountain lion was skinned and the pelt taken away by the ranch
foreman to be cured, and then Fred and Andy took it easy for the rest of
the day.

"Isn't it queer that Brassy Bangs has never showed himself around this
place?" remarked Spouter that evening. "Wouldn't you think he'd at least
ride over to see what sort of an outfit we had here?"

"More than likely he's afraid of his welcome," said Jack. "He knows that
none of us care for him."

"I'd like to know if he really started that auto," put in Fred.

"Gosh, what a sour fellow that Jarley Bangs was!" exclaimed Andy.

There had been an indication of a storm, but this had passed away, and
one day found the Rover boys and their chums off on a trip along a trail
which led across the river and to the mountains westward, a trail which
they were informed by Jackson led between the ranches owned by Jarley
Bangs and Bimbel.

"I'd like to get a better view of Bimbel's ranch and also of Bangs'
place," declared Jack. "And maybe we'll see something of Bud Haddon and
his crowd."

All of the boys were now on good terms with Hop Lung, and he had prepared
for them a substantial lunch and also something extra in case they should
remain out after the supper hour.

"Now you lads take good care of yourselves," admonished Tom Rover, when
they were ready to depart on their day's outing. "No more rattlesnakes or
mountain lions!"

"Or mix-ups with runaway cattle," put in Sam Rover.

Spouter and Jack carried small rifles, and the others were armed with
pistols. They, however, were not going out to hunt, but thought best to
provide themselves with the firearms in case any game presented itself.

It did not take the boys long to cross the river, and then they followed
a trail which led up a long hill and through a somewhat dense forest.

They had journeyed along the best part of two hours when they noticed the
sun going under a cloud. This caused the trail under the trees to become
dark.

"Gee! I wonder if we're going to have a storm?" remarked Randy.

"Oh, maybe it's nothing but a wind cloud," answered Spouter.

They continued to move along the trail, and presently reached a small
opening where there was a spring.

"Halt!" called out Jack, who was riding ahead with Spouter.

"What's the matter?" questioned Gif quickly.

"Look there! Isn't that a wolf?" asked Jack. He pointed with his rifle,
which he had already unslung, and all the boys looked in the direction
pointed out.

"Maybe it's a dog," put in Fred quickly.

"You don't want to shoot somebody's pet," admonished Gif.

The animal had slunk away behind some brushwood, and now they saw it
trying to retreat, pulling something through the dead leaves as it did
so.

"It's a wolf! I'm sure of it!" declared Jack, and, raising his rifle, he
took quick aim and fired.

As the echo of the firearm died away the lads heard a snarl and a yelp,
and an instant later a gaunt wolf showed himself, his fangs gleaming
dangerously as he came closer.

Several shots rang out, for all of the boys had their weapons ready. The
wolf was hit in three places, and gave a single leap into the air and
then dropped lifeless.

"Hurrah! We've got him!" yelled Randy, with satisfaction.

"Be careful! Don't go too close before we're sure," warned Jack. "Better
reload first."

But the wolf was past doing further harm, and having assured themselves
of this the boys looked at what he had been carrying away.

"It's the side of a calf!" exclaimed Spouter. "Isn't this the limit? I'm
glad we brought him down!"

"He must have been raiding some cow yard," said Jack.

"No ranch cow yard," said Gif. "This half of a calf was skinned by some
person. I'll bet he stole it out of some ranch larder." And later on it
was learned that the calf meat had been stolen from Jarley Bangs' place
the night before.

The boys had become so interested in bringing down the wolf that they had
paid no attention to what was taking place overhead. But now they noticed
that the sky was more overcast than ever. The wind began to blow through
the woods, and of a sudden there came a downpour as surprising as it was
dismaying.




CHAPTER XXVIII

IN THE CAVE


"We're in for it now!" cried Jack, as he looked up at the sky and at the
trees beginning to bend in the wind.

"And it's going to be some storm, or I miss my guess," added Gif.

"I wonder if we can find any shelter around here?" put in Randy. "If we
can't we'll be soaked to the skin in no time."

"Jackson was telling me of a couple of caves toward the end of these
woods," said Spouter quickly. "I wonder if we could reach the nearest of
them? It might help us to get out of the rain."

"Come on--let's try it!" put in Fred eagerly.

Leaving the dead wolf where it had fallen, the boys pushed forward on the
trail, which now led downward on the other side of the hill. Here they
noticed the going was getting rougher, and presently they found
themselves entering a defile among the rocks. Here the trees were more
scattering and consequently they were exposed to the full fury of the
elements. Ever and anon a flash of lightning would illumine the sky,
followed by the crack and rumble of thunder.

"Say, maybe we had better stay under the trees," suggested Andy.

"Suppose the trees should be struck by lightning?" questioned Jack. "I
think we had better go on, especially if we're anywhere near those caves
Jackson mentioned."

A turn in the defile brought them to something of an open place. Here on
one side the rocks towered fully fifty feet above their heads and at one
point there was an opening perhaps fifteen feet square and leading into
the side of the hill.

"This must be the first of the caves!" cried Spouter. "Come on in!" And
without ceremony he led the way, and the others followed, glad to get out
of the storm.

They found the cave an irregular one, running in somewhat of a semicircle
and with a flooring that was comparatively level. It was dry and fairly
comfortable, and once beyond the fury of the storm the lads dismounted
and proceeded to make themselves at home.

The rain continued to come down and, with nothing better to do, the boys
proceeded to make themselves as comfortable as possible. Near the
entrance to the cave they found some leaves and dead tree branches which
were still dry, and these they dragged inside and then made themselves a
campfire.

"I reckon we'll have to cut out going any further," announced Spouter.
"Even if the storm clears away, the trail will be very wet and
slippery."

It still lacked an hour to noon, and with nothing else to do the boys
tethered their horses and then proceeded to investigate their
surroundings. From the campfire they obtained several torches, and with
these in hand they moved along slowly around the bend of the cave and
over a series of rocks which led upward.

"It certainly is a larger cave than I supposed," said Jack, as he and Gif
led the way, with the others close behind.

"I think I see a light ahead, Jack," was Gif's remark. "That must be
another opening to the cave."

"Maybe the two caves that Jackson mentioned are really one, and this
passageway connects them."

"We'll soon find out."

By this time all but one of the torches had burnt themselves out. But
this the lads did not mind, for the light ahead was steadily increasing,
showing that they could not be far from another opening.

"Look!" called Jack suddenly. And then he added: "Keep quiet, all of
you!"

He pointed ahead and there, around a bend of the rocks, all saw two
figures moving around on horseback. One was the figure of a tall man, and
the other that of a well-grown youth.

"Why, that's Brassy Bangs!" whispered Fred excitedly.

"Yes. And the man is Bud Haddon," returned Andy.

"What do you bet Haddon isn't after Brassy for more money?" put in Fred
excitedly.

While the youngest Rover was speaking, he and the others saw that the two
figures on horseback had disappeared behind a mass of rocks.

"I'm going ahead and find out about this," declared Jack. "Come on! So
far as we can see there are only two of them, so the six of us have
nothing to fear."

"Especially as we're armed," added Fred, who carried his pistol with
him.

Throwing down the last of their torches, the six boys advanced with
caution. They heard the horses beyond the rocks occasionally stamping a
hoof and caught a faint murmur of voices. Then, led by Jack, they mounted
the rocks noiselessly, presently gaining a point where they could look
directly down upon Brassy Bangs and his companion.

"It's all wrong, Bud Haddon, and you know it!" they heard Brassy declare.
"And sooner or later the authorities will get after you for this."

"See here, Lester Bangs, you don't have to preach to me!" growled Bud
Haddon. "You're just as deep in some things as I am in others."

"It isn't true, and you know it!" whined Brassy. And now the lads who
were listening could see that their fellow-cadet was very much upset.
"I'm not guilty, and I never have been guilty of any wrongdoing!"

"You tell that to the police and see what they have to say about it,"
sneered Haddon, "You know well enough that you set fire to John Calder's
barn and burnt up horses that was worth thousands of dollars."

"And I always said it was some cowboys or tramps that did it!" stormed
Brassy.

"Not much! You did it! I know it, and so do Jillson and Dusenbury! We've
got the goods on you."

"What were Jillson and Dusenbury and you doing around the place?"
questioned Brassy suddenly.

"Never mind what we were doing around there. We know you set the barn on
fire. Didn't you have a quarrel with old Calder?"

"Yes, I did. But I didn't make any fire. Maybe you had a quarrel with him
yourself."

"Hold on there, Bangs! None of that!" cried Bud Haddon sternly.

"Well, you wouldn't be too good to set the fire," added Brassy, with
sudden recklessness. "Not after the way you are acting out here, running
away with those horses, and after the way you acted at Colby Hall, trying
to rob every room in the place!"

"Wait a minute now! Wait a minute!" returned the man sarcastically. "Who
was it lent me his uniform and who was it that told me just what rooms to
go into? Answer me those questions, will you?"

"You wouldn't have gotten hold of the uniform and you wouldn't have
gotten any information if you hadn't threatened me in all sorts of ways,"
answered Brassy, somewhat lamely. "I wish now that I'd never had anything
to do with you!"

"Well, you keep your tongue between your teeth, or else you'll get
yourself in the hottest kind of water!" burst out Bud Haddon. "Don't you
know that they can send you to prison for ten years for what you did?"

"I haven't said anything to anybody as yet," answered Brassy hastily.

"Well, you see that you don't!"

"But I didn't set Calder's barn on fire--really I didn't!" pleaded the
boy. "I don't see why you won't believe me."

"I'm willing to let that matter drop if only you'll keep a civil tongue
in your head and mind what you're doing," returned Bud Haddon. "And don't
forget--I want at least a hundred dollars more just as soon as you can
lay your hands on it."

"I don't see how I'm going to get it. I'm expecting some money from my
uncle. But that has got to pay for my tuition at Colby Hall this fall."

"Well, you let the school wait for its money and you turn it over to me.
They won't want you there anyhow if they should find out what sort of a
fellow you are," went on Bud Haddon coarsely. "Now I've got to be getting
back to Bimbel's, rain or no rain," he continued. "Just remember, you've
got to fork over a hundred in cold cash before you start East again. If
you don't--well, look out, that's all!" And with this threat the tall man
rode out of the cave.

The Rovers and their chums had listened to every word that had been
spoken. They were both mystified and amazed by what had been said.

"That fellow Haddon is surely a first-class rascal," whispered Spouter to
Jack.

"Do you know what I think we had better do?" returned the young major.
"Let's stop Brassy and have a straight talk with him. I don't think he's
quite as bad as we thought he might be."

"Yes, let us stop Brassy by all means," came in a low tone from Fred.

Brassy Bangs had ridden to the mouth of the cave and there sat astride of
his horse, watching Bud Haddon as he galloped away though the rain. Then
he turned back in anything but a cheerful humor. The other boys saw him
dismount and sink down on a rock, covering his face with his hands.

"Come on," said Jack, and without more ado he scrambled down from the
rocks and came around to where Brassy was sitting, and the others did the
same.

Brassy's misery was so great that for several seconds he did not notice
their approach. Then, he looked up startled and leaped to his feet.

"Where did you come from?" he demanded, as soon as he could speak.

"We came from the other end of the cave, Brassy," answered Jack.

"How long have you been here?"

"We've been here long enough to hear the talk you had with that fellow
named Haddon," answered Fred.

"You did!" Brassy turned pale. "It wasn't very nice to listen when you
had no business to!"

"Never mind about that now, Brassy. What we want to know is, did you or
that fellow rob Colby Hall?"

"He did it! I didn't have a thing to do with it--at least, willingly!"
cried Brassy Bangs. "He forced me to do everything I did. He threatened
me in all sorts of ways--said he would put me in prison and all that if I
didn't help him. Oh, he's the worst man there ever was!" groaned the
overwrought boy. And now the others could see that he was on the verge of
collapse.

"See here, Brassy, why don't you tell us the whole story?" put in Gif
kindly.

"Why should I tell my story to you? All you fellows are against me--you
always were!"

"We're not against you, Brassy," answered Jack. "If you can prove to us
that you're really being hounded by that man, we'll do what we can to
help you. Isn't that so, fellows?" And at this question the others
nodded.

"Hounded is right! He's done nothing but hound me ever since he knew me,"
whined the accused one.

"You tell me one thing!" demanded Spouter, striding up and catching
Brassy by the shoulder. "Did that rascal steal the horses from our
ranch?"

"I think he did--in fact, I'm about certain he did. That is, either he or
the fellows he's in league with."

"Who are those other fellows?"

"Two fellows who just came out here from Chicago named Jillson and
Dusenbury and two others from Bimbel's ranch named Noxley and Jenks. The
whole bunch were mixed up with Bimbel some years ago in a shady
transaction, and they lit out for quite a while. But now they're back
again."

"I don't see why you want to get mixed up with a crowd like that," was
Andy's comment.

"I didn't want to get mixed up with 'em," declared Brassy. "I haven't had
a thing to do with any of 'em except Bud Haddon. Oh, I wish I'd never met
that man!" And now Brassy seemed almost on the verge of tears.




CHAPTER XXIX

A CONFESSION


After that it was an easy matter for the other boys to get Brassy to make
a complete confession.

"My first trouble came when I got a job with John Calder who has a farm
on the outskirts of Omaha," said Brassy. "I had had a quarrel at home,
and also a quarrel with my uncle here, and had made up my mind to get a
place and support myself. But I couldn't get along with Calder, who was a
very strict man, and one afternoon we had a lively quarrel, and I told
him I'd leave, and I did so and went to Omaha. About a week after that
Calder's barn burned down and a number of horses were caught in the fire.
That was just after I had fallen in with Bud Haddon and his two chums,
Jillson and Dusenbury. Haddon pretended to be quite friendly. But all at
once he accused me of setting the fire and said that Jillson and
Dusenbury, who had left the day before, could prove it. I protested my
innocence, but he insisted I was guilty and worked me up to such an
extent that I gave him almost every dollar I had in my pocket to keep him
quiet."

"And you say positively that you had nothing to do with the fire?"
questioned Fred.

"Not a thing!"

"Couldn't you prove that you weren't there when the fire took place?"
asked Andy.

"No, I couldn't, because I went to a vaudeville show that evening, and I
was among strangers, so that I couldn't account for my time."

"Did Haddon hound you when you came to Colby Hall?" questioned Gif.

"He certainly did--not once, but half a dozen times. And I gave him all
the money I could scrape up. In fact, I even borrowed some money from
Halliday and a couple of the other fellows."

"But what about the robbery at the Hall?'" questioned Fred.

"Several times Haddon came to me and spoke in a mysterious manner about
its being an easy matter to make a big haul. Then he hinted about the
robbery; but I would have nothing to do with it. On the afternoon when we
were getting ready to celebrate that night, he sent word that he wanted
to see me at a certain barn not far from the school. When I got there he
demanded that I help him go through the bedrooms while the fellows were
having a good time on the campus and down by the river. I said I wouldn't
do it, and then all of a sudden he hit me on the head and knocked me
down. Then he stripped me of my trousers and jacket and tied me fast in
one of the disused horse stalls."

"And you mean to say he used your uniform in stealing into the school?"
asked Spouter.

"That's it. I didn't know it at the time, because he went to another part
of the barn where I couldn't see him. But later on, when he brought the
uniform back, he told me all about it. He thought he had been wonderfully
slick."

"Why didn't you expose him at once?" demanded Jack.

"He told me that if I exposed him he would tell the authorities that I
had planned the whole scheme and that I had done most of the work myself.
He said some one had seen him in the uniform scooting from one room to
another, so that the report would circulate that some cadet was guilty.
He got me so worked up that at last I promised to keep quiet."

"And had he really robbed your room, too?" demanded Fred.

"Yes. I lost my stuff just as I reported. Oh, you can't imagine how I
felt!" went on Brassy Bangs in a hopeless tone of voice. "Many a time I
thought I'd go to Colonel Colby and confess everything. But then I
thought they would bring that old charge of barn-burning up against me,
as well as the charge of helping in the robbery, and I didn't have nerve
enough to say a word. Oh, I know I was a big fool! I should have faced it
out!"

"Wait a minute!" put in Jack suddenly. "Are you pretty sure Haddon, as
well as Dusenbury and Jillson, are guilty of making off with the horses
that are missing?"

"I am!"

"Well, then, isn't it possible that those three went to this John
Calder's barn and stole some of the horses and then set fire to the place
to cover the theft?"

"By golly, I'll bet that's just what they did!" burst out Brassy Bangs.
"I remember now that the reports in the newspapers said the fire had been
so fierce that the carcasses of the horses had been burnt up completely.
They only found some of the bones in the ruins. Oh, if they really did do
that!"

"Did Calder have any particularly good horses?"

"Yes, he had a splendid team of matched grays that were worth
considerable money. He thought more of the grays than he did of all his
other horses put together."

"I'll wager a toothpick against a lemon that gang stole the grays before
the fire," declared Andy emphatically.

"The police ought to arrest those three men and put 'em through what they
call the third degree," remarked Gif.

"I'd like to know one other thing," went on Andy, and now his face showed
a slight grin. "What do you know about your Uncle Jarley's auto running
away by itself?"

"Oh, please don't mention that tin junk wagon!" pleaded Brassy. "I
started it, and the blamed thing ran over me, and I was lame for a
week."

"Does your uncle know anything about what Haddon and his crowd are up
to?" questioned Jack.

"Not exactly. Although he's becoming suspicious of the whole gang around
the Bimbel place. You know he's never trusted Bimbel since the man got
into difficulty with the authorities several years ago."

After that the seven boys talked the matter over for half an hour longer.
And then the others insisted upon it that Brassy accompany them to the
other entrance to the cave, and there all sat down to partake of the
lunch brought from Big Horn Ranch.

Brassy appeared much relieved by the confession he had made, and readily
answered all the questions put to him. His assertive manner had left him
entirely, and he appeared quite humble.

"If he ever gets out of this I'll bet he'll be a different fellow,"
whispered Randy to Fred.

"I think so myself," was the reply. "But how he is going to square
himself with Colonel Colby remains to be seen. It was a serious piece of
business to let Haddon steal all those things from the school and say
nothing about it."

While the boys were eating the storm stopped, and less than an hour later
the sun was shining as before.

"I think we might as well be on our way back to the ranch," remarked
Spouter. "The sooner we get there and let our fathers know how matters
stand, the better."

"Don't you want to go with us, Brassy?" asked Jack.

"If I did that I couldn't get back to my uncle's place to-night, and then
he'd worry about me. Otherwise I would just as lief go to your place as
not. Now that I've told you everything I'd like to see the whole matter
cleaned up, and quick too."

"How far is it to your uncle's ranch?" asked Fred.

"Not over a mile and a half."

"Then suppose we go there first, and then all of us can strike out for
Big Horn Ranch. Maybe your uncle will want to take part in what is going
on," said Jack.

"I wish you would go with me!" cried Brassy eagerly. "I'm afraid my uncle
will raise Cain when I tell him the truth."

"He won't dare do much when we're around," answered Gif. "If he gets too
ugly you can clear out and meet us on the way to our place."

"That's the talk," said Randy.

Again there was a discussion, but in the end it was decided that the
whole party should lose no time in getting to Jarley Bangs' ranch. They
would explain matters to Brassy's uncle, and then set out for Songbird
Powell's place.

The campfire was speedily stamped out, and leaping into the saddle, the
seven boys set out for the Bangs' place, Brassy leading the way, with
Spouter beside him. It was a wet and dismal ride through the woods, and
it is safe to say that Brassy felt every bit as dismal as his
surroundings.

"Gee, but I certainly am sorry for him!" whispered Andy to his twin. "He
isn't a fellow that I would cotton to, but he certainly has got himself
into a pickle."

Presently the woods were left behind and they came out on the open
prairie. Here the sun shone brightly, and the trail was drying rapidly.
They urged their steeds into a gallop, and in a short while came in sight
of the Jarley Bangs' outfit.

As they rode up they saw Jarley Bangs come from the ranch house and move
swiftly toward one of the stables where the horses were kept. He was
evidently in a hurry and much excited.

"Hello! where have you been?" he demanded of his nephew. "Where did you
pick up these chaps?"

"I met 'em during the storm over at Twin Caves," answered Brassy.

"It's a wonder you wouldn't stay around the house once in a while,"
grumbled Jarley Bangs. "If you would, maybe I wouldn't be losing
things."

"Losing things! What do you mean, Uncle Jarley?" questioned the nephew
quickly.

"What do I mean?" stormed the ranch owner. "Do you know what has happened
since you went away?"

"No."

"Well, then, I'll tell you! Two of our best horses have been stolen!
Right out of the stable, too!" exclaimed Jarley Bangs wrathfully. "Duster
and old Whitehead!"

"Stolen!" came from all of the boys simultaneously.

"Yes, stolen! Nobody saw 'em taken, but they're gone, and not a man on
the ranch was near 'em!"

"I'll wager that's more of Bud Haddon's work," declared Jack quickly.

"But he wasn't here--he was over at the caves," returned Fred.

"Well, if he didn't do it, then some members of his gang did," put in
Randy.

"I'm going to have the law on somebody for this!" stormed Jarley Bangs.
"Too many horses in this neighborhood have been stolen. I'm going to
visit some of the other ranchmen and notify the sheriff, and see if we
can't raise a posse to run down the rascals."

"That's the way to talk, Mr. Bangs!" cried Spouter. "And we know just
what gang to go after."




CHAPTER XXX

THE CAPTURE--CONCLUSION


Less than an hour later found the whole party, including Jarley Bangs, on
the way to Big Horn Ranch.

Brassy's uncle had listened with keen interest to the story his nephew
and the other lads had to relate. He had interrupted a number of times to
ask questions, and at the finish of the recital had held up both hands in
disgust.

"You're a bigger fool than I ever thought you were, Lester," he had told
his nephew. "Why in thunder didn't you tell your folks and me all about
this just as soon as it happened? We could have set a trap for those
rascals and caught 'em easy."

"But, Uncle Jarley, remember how I was tied up in that Colby Hall
affair!" Brassy had pleaded.

"I don't believe Colonel Colby would hold you responsible for that--not
after he'd made a thorough investigation. But that ain't here nor there.
What we want to do now is to grab those fellows before they've a chance
to make a get-away. I'd just like to ketch 'em with Duster and Whitehead
in their possession! I think I could find enough old-timers around here
to hand all of 'em a rope," and Jarley Bangs' eyes had flashed with a
fire that was anything but agreeable.

The Rover boys and their chums had thought to take the regular trail
leading back to Big Horn Ranch, but Jarley Bangs told them he knew of a
shorter way.

"We can cut off over a mile," said he. "And I reckon the quicker we get a
posse out the better."

"Don't you suppose we can round them up around Bimbel's ranch almost any
time?" queried Spouter.

"Maybe, and maybe not. We'd probably be able to get the others, but
Haddon, Dusenbury and Jillson come and go. Sometimes they're here, and
sometimes in Omaha and Chicago."

"Perhaps that's where they disposed of their stolen horses," suggested
Jack.

"More'n likely."

Jarley Bangs had armed himself with a double-barreled shotgun, and he
rode in advance with Spouter at his side and the others close behind.

The way lay across a stretch of prairie and then into the edge of the
woods bordering the river. The party had just gained the water's edge and
were looking for a good fording place when Brassy suddenly uttered an
exclamation.

"Look up the river, will you? There are those men now! And see! they are
leading a couple of horses!"

"Get back out of sight, quick!" ordered Jarley Bangs. And in a few
seconds all were behind the bushes which at that point lined the river.

"Why, they're heading almost straight for Big Horn Ranch!" exclaimed
Spouter excitedly.

"They're going to follow the old river trail," announced Jarley Bangs.
"More'n likely they'll take to the lower trail when they reach the
forks."

"Can't we head 'em off and capture 'em?" questioned Fred.

"I think we can. Anyhow, we can try," was Jarley Bangs' answer.

The old ranchman made a swift mental calculation and then directed the
boys to follow him to a fording place a little further down the river.
Once on the other side of the watercourse, he urged his steed forward at
topmost speed in the direction of another patch of timber further
southward.

"They wouldn't dare take the upper trail," he told the lads. "For that
would take 'em too close to Big Horn. They'll come this way, I'm almost
certain."

It was not easy riding on a trail which was used but seldom.
Nevertheless, the lads hurried after the old ranchman as well as they
could. They wound in and out over some rough rocks and up a small hill,
and presently emerged upon a much better trail.

"Here is where they ought to pass," announced Jarley Bangs. "Now then,
we'll put our horses in the thicket and then see what we can do toward
pocketing 'em when they come."

The old ranchman had seen strenuous times in his younger days, and he
seemed to know exactly what to do. He divided the boys into two groups,
placing them on either side of the winding and rocky road.

"Now if you have to shoot, shoot high so as not to hit anybody on the
other side," was his warning. "But maybe we can get 'em without firing a
shot," he went on.

Brassy was armed with a small rifle, and he insisted upon remaining in
the roadway with his uncle. The other lads with their pistols and guns
were placed in advantageous positions behind nearby rocks and trees.

The arrangement was scarcely completed when they heard the tramp of
horses' hoofs over the somewhat rocky trail, and in a minute more Bud
Haddon came into view, followed by Jillson and Dusenbury, all on
horseback and each of the latter leading an extra steed.

"Throw up your hands!" shouted Jarley Bangs, as the horsemen came closer,
and he leveled his shotgun full at Haddon's head, while Brassy covered
Dusenbury with his rifle. The boys behind the rocks and trees covered all
three men as well as they were able.

The three rascals had not anticipated such a meeting, and, seeing the
guns leveled at them, not only from the front but also from the sides,
three pairs of hands went up almost as one.

"It's Bangs!" murmured the man named Dusenbury. "I reckon the jig is
up."

"Don't dare to budge or I'll blow somebody's head off!" roared Jarley
Bangs. And he looked as if he meant what he said.

"You've got the drop on me, and I ain't moving," answered Bud Haddon
surlily.

"Hi, Powell! Come out here, will you?" went on Brassy Bangs' uncle. And
then, as Spouter came from the bushes with rifle in hand, he continued.
"Go up there and take every one of their guns away from 'em."

As soon as they had been disarmed the three rascals were told to dismount
and stand in a line along the side of the road. Then, as the boys
confronted them, Jarley Bangs went through their pockets once more to
make sure that no weapon had been overlooked.

"Fine piece of business, to run away with my horses!" exclaimed the old
ranch owner, and he jerked his head in the direction of the two animals
the men had been leading.

With their hands tied in front of them, the men were made to remount, and
then the entire party lost no time in heading for Big Horn Ranch.

"I'll fix you for this!" hissed Haddon at Brassy when he got the chance.

"You do your worst!" retorted the boy. "I'm not afraid of you any more."

Of course, there was great excitement at the ranch when the crowd came in
with the three prisoners. The story of what had happened was quickly
circulated, and Joe Jackson and a number of the cowboys were called in
from the ranges. One of the cowboys was sent off to notify a deputy
sheriff of what had occurred and of what the ranch owners expected to do,
and two other cowboys were started off to notify the owners of other
ranches in that vicinity.

As a consequence early the next morning a posse consisting of twelve men
headed for Bimbel's ranch. Of course, the boys wanted to go along, but
they were forced to remain behind, much to their chagrin.

"You might get shot," said Songbird Powell. "And, besides that, you have
had glory enough, helping to catch these three rascals," and he smiled
faintly.

The affair at Bimbel's was rather a strenuous one. Jenks and Noxley, as
well as Bimbel, tried to escape, and Noxley was shot in the leg. The
fellow thought he was going to die, and while waiting for the doctor to
come and attend him he made a full confession concerning the stealing of
many of the horses in that neighborhood. He said that Bud Haddon was at
the head of the gang and that Haddon, with Jillson and Dusenbury, were in
the habit of disposing of the animals either at Omaha or Chicago,
although one or two steeds, including one belonging to the former owners
of Big Horn Ranch had been sent further east.

"I guess it was one of the early thefts that took Haddon to Haven Point,"
declared Jack, and in that surmise he was correct.

With this evidence against them, Haddon, Jillson and Dusenbury were
submitted to a severe gruelling, each being examined separately. Finally
Dusenbury broke down completely and admitted that he and the other two
had fired John Calder's barn after stealing his noted pair of gray
horses. The horses had been shipped out of town, and were later on
recovered, as were also Mr. Powell's Blackbird and several other of the
animals.

When Bud Haddon's effects were examined many pawn tickets were
discovered, and following up the clues thus afforded Colonel Colby
managed to get back many of the articles stolen from the school. These
included Professor Duke's heirloom watch and a number of the things lost
by our friends.

At first it was thought that Brassy might be prosecuted, but when Bud
Haddon was brought to trial for the thefts the State used the youth as a
witness against the fellow, and consequently Brassy was allowed to go
free. He, however, received a stern lecture from Colonel Colby and was
then told that he had better not return to the Hall.

"I don't think I want to come back," said Brassy. "A whole lot of the
fellows would never forgive me for what I did." And in this surmise he
was probably correct. Brassy returned to his uncle's ranch, and that was
the last heard of him for a long time.

With the mystery of the robbery at Colby Hall and of the missing horses
cleared up, the Rover boys and all the other young folks at Big Horn
Ranch turned their attention once more to having a good time. Sam Rover
went back to New York to take charge of the offices in Wall Street, and
that gave Dick Rover and his wife a chance to come out and pay the ranch
a visit.

"We've certainly had some strenuous times here," remarked Jack one day.

And he was right. But other strenuous times were still in store for the
lads, and what some of these were will be related in the next volume, to
be entitled, "The Rover Boys at Big Bear Lake; or, The Camps of the Rival
Cadets."

"Big Horn Ranch is a delightful place," said Ruth. "I never thought a
spot where they raised cattle could be so interesting."

"Is your father going to stay out here and become a regular ranchman,
Spouter?" questioned Fred.

"I don't know about that," answered the ranch owner's son. "He'll stay
here for a while, anyway. He likes it better and better every day."

"I dink some day I got me a ranch mineself alreatty," remarked Hans
Mueller. "Den I could raise all mine own meats for mine delicatessen
stores, not so?" and he smiled complacently.

"Come on, boys, let's get on horseback and have a race!" cried Andy, as
he came up from finishing a game of lawn tennis with Mary.

"I'm with you," answered Fred, who had been playing a game of croquet
with May and some of the others.

"All right! A horseback race it is!" cried Jack.

"An extra piece of cake to the boy who wins!" shouted his sister Martha
after him.

"Hurrah! Me for that piece of cake!" came from every one of the boys
assembled.

And here, while they are running down to the corral pell-mell to get on
their horses for a gallop across the prairie, we will leave them and say
good-bye.


THE END


      *      *      *      *      *


THE FAMOUS ROVER BOYS SERIES
BY ARTHUR M. WINFIELD
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OVER THREE MILLION COPIES SOLD OF THIS SERIES

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THE ROVER BOYS AT SCHOOL
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THE ROVER BOYS ON THE GREAT LAKES
THE ROVER BOYS IN THE MOUNTAINS
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