hould not have had a sheep left. Here is Master Donald Clark, the son
of our owner," went on Sandy, as Donald came nearer. "Let him thank you.
Don, this soldier is one of the government rangers."

Leaning from his saddle the horseman put out his hand.

"I am proud," he said, "to meet one of the owners of Crescent Ranch. If
you are learning about the range, Master Clark, you cannot be in better
company than to be with Sandy McCulloch. There is little about sheeping
that he doesn't know; nor is there a cleaner-handed herder to be found.
We never need to see his permit or count his sheep. He is no
lawbreaker!"

"I hope none of our men are," replied Donald, shyly.

"Crescent Ranch has always had the reputation of being run on the
square. We have no complaint to make," was the ranger's answer.

"We--my father means that it shall be," the boy asserted modestly.

"I do not doubt he does. You will have trouble, though, I fear, in
finding another manager who can match Old Angus--or even Johnson. They
were rare men who were famed throughout the county for their honesty and
common sense."

"We shall try to find some other manager as good."

"May you be so fortunate. Good luck to you!"

With a wave of his hand the ranger cantered into the darkness and was
soon lost from sight.

"You see, don't you, Don, that the rangers are not our natural born
enemies after all," said Sandy, with a good-humored smile that bared his
glistening teeth.

"I should say not!"

"They are all like that if we but live up to our part of the bargain. I
never yet met a ranger who was not friendly and kind. But you cannot
have folks for your friends if you do not meet them half-way."

[Illustration]

CHAPTER VIII

DONALD HAS A SURPRISE

It was something of a disappointment when one morning a week or two
later the camp-tender, who had scrambled up over the rimrock, informed
Donald that he was to return to the central camp where his father would
meet him, and take him back to Crescent.

"The ponies are tethered just below, so you can ride down along with
me," said the Mexican. "There is nothing the matter, only your father
has more than he can do with but Thornton and Green to help him. He
needs you for a while. He told me to tell you that in a few weeks you
might come back."

Donald looked regretfully at Sandy.

"I'm sorry to go, Sandy. I promised, though, that I would return to
Crescent whenever father wanted me; of course I am