stretch of rough, hilly country which touched
the lower extremity of the ranch. But for the stealing to go on for three
or four months, without something drastic being done to stop it, seemed
peculiar, to say the least.

"What's been done about it?" Buck asked briefly.

"Oh, they've gone out at night a few times, but they never caught anybody
that I heard. Seems like the thieves were too slick, or else--"

He paused; Buck regarded him curiously through the faintly luminous
shadows.

"Well?" he prodded

Bud moved uneasily. "It ain't anythin' special," he returned evasively.
"All this time they never left anybody down to Las Vegas till Rick was
sent day before yesterday. I up an' told Tex straight out there'd oughta
be another fellow with him, but all he done was to bawl me out an' tell me
to mind my own business. It ain't safe, an' now they've gone out--"

Again he broke off, his voice a trifle husky with emotion. He was
evidently growing more and more worked up and alarmed for the safety of
his friend. It was plain, too, that the recent departure of the punchers
for the scene of action, instead of reassuring Bud, had greatly increased
his anxiety. Buck decided that the situation wasn't as simple as it
looked, and promptly determined on a little action.

"Would it ease your mind any if we saddled up an' followed the bunch?" he
asked.

Jessup drew a quick breath and half rose from the bunk. "By cripes, yes!"
he exclaimed. "Yuh mean you'd--"

"Sure," said Stratton, reaching for his boots. "Why not? If there's going
to be any excitement I'd like to be on hand. Pile into your clothes, kid,
and let's go."

Jessup began to dress rapidly. "I don't s'pose Tex'll be awful pleased,"
he murmured, dragging on his shirt.

"I don't see he'll have any kick coming," returned Buck easily. "If he's
laying for rustlers, seems like he'd ought to have routed out the two of
us in the beginning to have as big a crowd as possible. You never know
what you're up against with those slippery cusses."

Bud made no further comment, and a few minutes later they left the
bunk-house and went up to the corral. The bright moonlight illumined
everything clearly and made it easy to rope and saddle two of the three
horses remaining in the enclosure. Then, swinging into the saddle, they
rode down the slope, splashed through the creek, and entering the further
pasture by a gate, headed south at a brisk lope.

The land comprising the Shoe-Bar ra