ention to the
deaths of the cows."

"You're right there!" declared Billee. "Looks like the same old
trouble was starting up again."

However the mystery was not solved by Dr. Taylor who came to the ranch
next day. He looked at the dead cows, but beyond saying that they had
undoubtedly died from some sort of poison he could give no opinion.
And, because of the hot weather, it was not considered wise to cut up
any of the bodies to send the inner organs away for a laboratory test.

"We'll have to solve the problem some other way," Bud said.

So the unfortunate cows were buried and then, resolving not to be
frightened in their operations by this streak of bad luck, the boys
carried out Mr. Merkel's ideas by completing the purchase of several
score more head of choice animals and hiring additional cowboys to help
with the work at Dot and Dash.

The new ranch was, by this time, quite an establishment, and though
many croakers in Los Pompan predicted failure for it, as those who had
gone before failed, Bud and his chums went on with their heads high and
their hearts strong.

Fences were repaired, the herds were put out to graze, arrangements
were made to ship away cattle at the most advantageous times and the
work of Dot and Dash was now in full swing. Meanwhile nothing more had
been seen or heard of the old hermit, as the boys called Tosh.

Bud and his cousins paid another visit to the Elixer Cave, as they
christened it, but aside from the ashes of the fire they found nothing.
The cavern was too big for them to explore completely in the limited
time at their disposal, though they resolved, after the fall round-up,
to investigate it fully.

Fah Moo fitted well into the routine at Dot and Dash. He was a good
cook and was popular with the punchers for that reason. But he was
cured of any "snooping" habits he may have had. He would not touch a
bottle of any liquid, no matter how openly it was left around. Two or
three times some of the cowboys, having heard the story, laid traps for
the Chinese. But he blandly passed them by, murmuring:

"No can do!"

Mr. Merkel had been informed of the progress of affairs and though he
expressed a little anxiety because of the fact that those five cattle
had been found dead, he added that the animals might have eaten some
poison weed which the others in the herd did not get at. And as since
then nothing had happened, he expressed the hope that nothing would,
and that his wi