and raise cattle
down there. But first Death Valley has got to be cleaned up, and
that's certain!"

"And cleaning up Death Valley and solving the mystery is just what we
are going to do!" declared Bud. "How about it, boys?" and he turned to
his cousins.

"We're with you!" echoed Nort and Dick in chorus.

After the meal, and as darkness began to fall, the travelers sat about
the campfire, the dancing flames of which cast flickering shadows over
their faces. The men were smoking and the boys talked among
themselves, speculating over the mystery and occasionally listening to
the conversation of Billee, Snake and Yellin' Kid.

"Well, I'm goin' to turn in!" Billee announced at last as he rose and
started for his blankets. As the air was warm and dry they had not
erected the small tent which was carried.

"Shall we stand guard?" asked Nort.

"What in the name of Tunket for?" asked Snake. "What good did it do
you to have sentry-go the other nights?"

"None," admitted Bud. "Guess there isn't much sense in it."

"What do you say, Billee?" asked Nort.

"Anybody what wants to stay awake all night listenin' to them pesky
coyotes has my permission!" chuckled the old man. "As for me, I'm
going to pound my ear," and he prepared to crawl into his bed.

"We'll let it go," Bud decided and his cousins were not at all averse
to this, for it was no fun for one member of the trio to lose even a
few hours' sleep while waiting to call his relief to take the nest
trick.

Accordingly, a little later, all six of the travelers were peacefully
slumbering, while the restless horses moved about the length of their
picket ropes, picking what herbage they could reach.

It happened to be Dick who was suddenly awakened at what he judged to
be the middle of the night. And the manner of his awakening was this.
He seemed to be dreaming that he was buying a new pair of shoes and,
after having tried on several tentative pairs in a shop, the salesman,
who was attired in the full regalia of a cowboy, gave Dick's left foot
a sharp kick as if to indicate that he should remove the shoe from it.

This kick was so realistic that it awakened the youth and he sat up,
his eyes barely open, but feeling a distinct pain in his left foot.

"That was some vivid dream," Dick was murmuring to himself when he
suddenly became aware that some one was moving away from him--a dark
figure barely seen in the shadows of the night--shadows cast by the
flicker