van Belder of all the conspirators was calm. He ripped a beard
from his face, and there stood Darby O'Neill, the United States secret
agent!

"Say, Ted, give me that counterfeit of the Green River National Bank. It
is all I need to take Norcross away for a long term. I've been working
on him for a long time, but you knocked the persimmon at last."

"You had me guessing," said Ted. "When I got that note that was slipped
into my pocket in St. Louis I ought to have guessed that it was you, but
you are so clever at disguise that you always fool me."

"But you've never fooled me yet," was the reply. "I've banked on you
every time, and every time you've come back with the goods."

"But who was the young lady who slipped me the note?"

"My sister, who is a very clever girl detective, as you may know some
day."

After the boys had made secure the three men at the head of the train
robbers' syndicate, they went to the cabin in which Ted had so nearly
lost his life, and secured the rest of the robbers.

Next morning at daylight they found the body of Checkers lying beside
the fatal red car not far from the scene of the holdup. He had been
killed by a stray shot fired by one of his own men.

Thus was the train robbers' syndicate wiped out through the acumen and
courage of Ted Strong, and the loyal backing of his comrades.

The broncho boys decided that more stock was needed at the Moon Valley
Ranch, and the entire outfit set out for No Man's Land, in northern
Texas.

CHAPTER XXV.

THE MAGPIE PONY.

"Say, podner, might I be so free an' onquisitive ez ter inquire ez ter
whar yer got thet thar palfrey yer ridin'?"

The speaker was a tall, gaunt old man with a tangled mass of grizzled
whiskers, and the "podner" he addressed was Bud Morgan.

"Yer might," answered Bud, eying the questioner keenly.

"Well!"

"Why don't yer?"

"Oh, I see. Whar did yer git it?"

"I traded a Waterbury watch fer it, an' ther feller what made ther trade
throwed in a pack o' cigareets."

"Oh!"

"Anything else ye'd like ter know?"

"Well, seein' ez yer so communicative, I'd like ter hev yer tell me how
fur it's ter Yeller Fork."

"Betwixt grub."

"Come ergin."

"Ez fur ez yer kin ride betwixt 'arly breakfast an' dinner."

"Well, I'm obleegin' ter yer. I reckon we'll be hikin'."

"Who's ther kid?"

"Thet boy is my grandson. We come outer Missouri ter see what could be
did in this yere new country, an' it's mighty har