t what it is! We'll be glad to have
you stay and help us solve the mystery. We need some ranch hands and
I'd be glad to take you on."

"Thanks. I've got to stay, anyhow, a few days until I get to feeling
more like myself. After that we'll talk business. But I warn you it's
dangerous here."

"We knew that before we came," said Bud, quietly.

Much puzzled, and not a little alarmed over the strange story, the
members of the outfit from Diamond X now began putting things to rights
about the ranch house in preparation to taking over Dot and Dash.
While Snake and Yellin' Kid began to repair the corral fence, Bud, his
cousins and Old Billee brought their food and supplies into the ranch
house and began to arrange for supper, since it was now late afternoon.
A look in the bunkhouse showed it to be clean and in good shape.

"I'll take charge out there, with Kid, Snake and this new hand," said
Old Billee, referring to Sam Tarbell who had been put in a bunk the
better to regain his strength. "You boys'll stay here," and he
indicated the ranch house.

"It might be a good idea to divide our force up that way," agreed Bud.
"Then, in case the jinx comes it won't get all of us at once."

"According to the stories," said Billee, "nothing ever occurs inside.
It's all out of doors. Well, we'll see what happens."

In spite of the sinister cloud of fear that hung over the place, the
adventurers managed to make a good meal, and when the horses had been
turned into the repaired corral preparations were made for the night.
Both parties--the one in the bunkhouse and the boys in the main
building--decided to keep watch all night.

But their precautions were not needed. Nothing happened. The sun rose
bright and warm over Dot and Dash next morning and Sam Tarbell said he
felt like a new man after his sleep.

"The first thing to do," decided Bud after matters had been talked over
at the breakfast table, "is to have a sort of round-up. I want to see
just how many head of cattle are left, and what the chances are for
getting more. Also we want to give the whole ranch the once-over."

"That's right," agreed the veteran Billee.

"Shall we all go on the round-up?" asked Dick.

"No," said Bud after a moment of thought, "we'll have to leave some one
here in charge. But in time each one of us must know all there is to
know about Dot and Dash--I mean just how it's laid out, where the
water-holes are, what shape the fences are in an