ose
cows were shot. But let's wait a bit before we go any closer. We
can't do those dead cows any good and it may save our lives."

Though their curiosity made them eager and anxious, the boy ranchers
held themselves in check and while riding slowly around on their ponies
kept a keen watch of the territory surrounding the grazing herd and the
motionless forms of the dead cows.

But when nearly half an hour had passed, and there was no sign of any
human enemy, and when nothing suspicious had been observed, Bud gave
the signal to ride on to come closer to the scene of the mystery.
During the wait the living members of the herd had exhibited no signs
of uneasiness. They wandered around, grazed, ambled here and there,
some coming close to look at the boy riders. They behaved like any
normal herd of cows. Some of the calves showed their playfulness in
kicking up their heels and darting hither and yon, while some of the
young bulls engaged in head-butting contests.

"Whatever happened," said Bud as he and his cousins rode nearer,
"didn't scare the whole herd. Death must have come silently, and in
the night."

"Silently, I grant you, but not necessarily in the night," spoke Dick.
"It could happen any time, as it did to Sam. That was in the daytime."

"You're right," Bud admitted. "It sure is mighty queer. But maybe we
can find out, now that it has happened almost under our noses as you
might say."

This section of Dot and Dash ranch consisted of diversified country.
There was a wooded portion, with a small stream running through it, and
in the distance were rolling hills and dales. It was ideal cow country
and the herbage was succulent and rich.

Near the place where the five dead cows were stretched out was the
beginning of a long, narrow defile, or gorge which ran back into the
hills. Some of these hills were quite high and were covered with a
growth of timber. Others consisted of big rocks piled in fantastic
fashion as though there had been a volcanic eruption some time when the
world was young. Between the hills were small valleys here and there,
which made fine, sheltered places for the grazing of cows.

Having satisfied themselves that there was no lurking enemy waiting to
attack them, the three young men rode up to the cows. The ponies
showed no signs of fear on approaching the dead bodies, as some Eastern
horses might have done. A cow pony has no nerves. He gets used to so
many queer sights an