they'd go only as far as the bridge. But they've been gone a long while,
and I wish you'd ride after them and bring them back."

"I will," said Mr. Bunker. "Want to come for a ride, Rose?"

"Yes, Daddy."

"Well, I'll get your pony out of the corral, and saddle him for you.
Then we'll ride and get Russ and Laddie."

A little later Rose and her father started out on their ride. As they
passed near the queer spring, which, for the last day or so had not
emptied itself of water, Daddy Bunker saw quite a hole in the ground.

"What's that?" he asked Rose.

"Oh, it's where Russ and Laddie started to make a well," she answered.
"But I guess they didn't find any water."

Daddy Bunker got off his horse to take a look. He bent over the well the
boys had dug, and stooped close down to it. As he did so a queer look
came over his face.

"I wonder if this can be the place?" he said to himself.

"What is it?" asked Rose.

"I don't know," her father answered. "But it sounds to me like running
water down near where Russ and Laddie have been digging. If it is, it
may mean we can find out the secret of Uncle Fred's spring. I guess I'd
better go and tell him. It won't take long, and then we can all ride on
and get Russ and Laddie, if they aren't back by then.

"Yes, I shouldn't be surprised but what those two boys had started to
solve the riddle of the spring. I must tell Uncle Fred!"

CHAPTER XXIV

MORE CATTLE GONE

Uncle Fred was out in the barn, talking over some ranch matters with
Captain Roy, when Daddy Bunker and Rose came trotting back.

"What's the matter?" asked Uncle Fred. "Has Rose found some more Indian
papooses?" and he laughed.

"Not this time," answered her father. "But those boys of mine, Fred,
have dug quite a hole near your spring. I went past it just now, on my
way to find Laddie and Russ. There is a queer sound of gurgling water
seeming to come from the bottom of their 'well,' as they called it. They
didn't strike water, but they came near to it. You'd better come and
have a look."

"I will," said Uncle Fred. "Better come along, Captain Roy," he went on.
"We may all get a good surprise. I'd be glad to have the secret of the
spring discovered."

The three men and Rose rode back to the hole Laddie and Russ had dug.
Then Daddy Bunker, Uncle Fred and Captain Roy got off their horses to
listen more closely.

"Do you hear it?" asked Daddy Bunker of the children's uncle.

"I hear water running