room
Ted suddenly halted and stared at a man who was leaning against the wall
of the station.

"By Jove, I believe it's him!" he muttered.

"Who's him?" asked Kit.

"The express robber, Checkers," answered Ted. "And yet I'm not sure. If
it is him it's one of the best disguises I ever saw. Look at your friend
of the red necktie hurrying up to him. By Jove, they're a good pair! I
wish I could hear that fellow in the checked suit speak."

"That fellow will get caught up yet if he persists in wearing checked
suits," said Kit. "It seems to be his badge, or a disease with him."

"I suppose that's why they call him Checkers," said Ted. "I wish I knew.
I'd take a chance at arresting him."

At that moment the man in the checked suit looked up and caught Ted and
Kit staring at him.

Hastily calling the attention of the man with the red necktie to them,
he hurried around the corner, and the other followed.

Ted ran to the corner of the station, but all he could see of either was
through a swirl of dust as the motor car in which they were riding flew
up the street.

"By crickey! I'll bet anything that was Checkers," grumbled Ted. "I'm
always too late to get to him. But next time I'll take a long chance
with him."

The train pulled into Green River at eight o'clock that night, and they
all went to the leading hotel, and Ted registered them as coming from
the ranch.

During the evening the boys mingled with the crowd in the hotel lobby,
talking cattle, and met many of the representative women of the section.

They were out after a bunch of stockers, and promised to be in the
neighborhood for several days and to visit the ranches and look over the
stock.

One of the men whom they met was introduced to them as Colonel Billings,
ranch owner and speculator in cattle.

He was a middle-aged man of most pleasant features--benign,
good-natured, and yet shrewd. He dressed well for a cowman, and from his
pink, bald crown and gray chin whiskers down to his neat shoes, he
looked the part of the prosperous business man.

"I have a lot of stock such as I think you boys need out at my ranch,"
he said to Ted, when he learned that they wanted to buy. "I'd like to
have you bring your party out to the place and stay several days as my
guests. You would then have plenty of time to look the stock over, and
if you like them I'm sure we can strike a bargain."

Ted thanked him and promised to go out to look at the stock, but as for
the