tranger scowled.

"That's my business. What I'm aimin' to find out is, what's yours?"

"This is the Shooting Star, isn't it?" broke in Bud.

"It is."

"Well, we're the new owners. My name is Bud Merkel--my father just
bought this ranch, and we came over to take possession. This is Dick
Shannon, and his brother Nort. Billee Dobb and Yellin' Kid on my
right. Will that do you? Now how about tellin' us who you are?"

"Me? Oh, Jim'll do, I guess. I happen to be the boss hand on this
here sheep ranch. So you're the new owners, hey? Wonder what old 'J.
D.' will have to say to that. You got papers, I suppose?"

"Certainly. Here is the bill of sale, and----"

"Take it easy, Bud, take it easy," Billie Dobb cautioned in a low tone
of voice. "I don't exactly care for this feller's looks."

"Who's 'J. D.'--the one tendin' the ranch now?" asked the Kid.

"Yea--only he's not exactly tendin' it. He's here, and something tells
me he's goin' to stay here--new owners or not. 'J. D.' don't care much
about owners. What he's interested in is keepin' what he's got. And
as far as I can see, he's still got the Shootin' Star."

"I don't like to dispute your word," Nort said hotly, "but we might
have something to say about that ourselves. Come on, boys, let's ride
in."

"Just a minute--just a minute! Where you-all countin' on headin' for?"
sneered the lone horseman.

"The ranch house, of course!"

"Now just you let me give you-all a little piece of advice. I won't
charge nothin' for it, and it _might_ be useful. If I was you boys,
I'd turn _right_ around and ride the other way. Tell you what you do,
youngster--" this to Bud--"you tell your father you couldn't find the
ranch."

There was a moment's ominous silence. The Kid was the first to speak.

"Well, now, stranger, that's kind of you. Yes, sir, I think that's
right kind of you to take an interest in us like that," he drawled.
"But you know how it is. We sort of want to find out things for
ourselves. So if you don't mind--" his tone changed suddenly. "We'll
be gettin' along to the ranch. Out of the way, puncher! Let's go,
boys!"

The stranger's eyes narrowed. He half raised his rifle, then
apparently thinking better of it, let it drop again. As the five moved
forward he rode slowly along in the rear.

They reached the corral at the side of the house, and Bud and Dick
dismounted. Nort, Billee, and the Kid stayed on their ponies. Walking
to t