wanted to know. "If we double up too
much we'll need more grub."

"Your dad told me t' tell you he'd send some," went on Snake. "Yep, a
new ranch hand is due t' arrive this evenin'. He's a wonder with th'
gun an' rope, t' hear him tell it!" chuckled Snake.

"One of them fly boys?" asked Old Billee, mildly, with a gleam of light
in his eyes, however. "Will his heels need clippin', Snake?"

"Might," was the brief answer. "But now you know th' worst. There's
trouble at Square M, an' you'll have to double up with cow punchers an'
stock, Bud."

"I don't mind," said the boy rancher. "Dad says he'll split the
profits with me, and that's what we're looking for--to make a success
of Flume Valley ranch. We'll do it, too!" he asserted confidently.

"If th' water holds out, an' no more black rabbits don't throw you,"
murmured Old Billee Dobb.

"Shucks!" laughed Bud, but the day was to come when he recalled the old
cowboy's ominous warning.

"It's queer, though," said Bud that evening, when they were gathered
around the camp fire, discussing the coming of the cattle from Square
M, which were to arrive the following day, or the one after that.
"It's queer what made that disease break out so suddenly among dad's
steers. There aren't any cases of it at Double Z; are there?" he asked
Snake. "And Fisher's place is the next one nearest ours."

"No, I don't recall hearin' that Hank's stock is sufferin' any," the
cowboy admitted. "But Square M is hard hit. It's a disease the
government experts are tryin' t' find a remedy for. Been experimentin'
with all sorts of serums, germs an' th' like, I understand."

"Is it a germ disease?" asked Nort.

"That's what they call it," the cowboy asserted. "It can be given
easy, from one steer to another, just by rubbin' horns, so t' speak.
Or the trouble may break out sudden in a herd, if th' germ gets loose
in 'em."

"That's all bosh!" declared Pocut Pete, the new cowboy who had arrived
just about grub time, with his own outfit and that of Snake Purdee, who
had ridden over "light."

"What's bosh?" asked Old Billee.

"The idea that this disease is spread by germs, or 'bugs,' as some
folks call 'em. I think the cattle get poisoned by eating some weed,
same as lots of 'em get locoed."

"Well, maybe," agreed Bud. "Anyhow, we got good feed here, and plenty
of water for dad's cattle, as well as ours. We can double up as well
as not. Now I wonder if we have blankets enough for