eons Belle owned, and the boys
grew enthusiastic over the horses.

"I never saw better animals!" cried Dave, his eyes resting on a black
horse that was truly a beauty. "What's his name?" he asked.

"Hero," answered Mr. Endicott. "He can go, let me tell you. You can try
him this afternoon, if you wish."

"Thank you, perhaps I will."

"And if you like him, you can use Hero during your stay here," went on
the railroad president, and then he pointed out various horses that the
others might use.

"No busting broncos here, I suppose," said Phil, with a grin.

"No. If you want to try a bronco, you'll have to see Todd. But I advise
you to be careful. Some day I'll have Todd give you an exhibition of
bronco busting, as it is called."

During their tour of the place they met several cowboys and other
helpers, and soon became well acquainted. In the past, visitors to Star
Ranch had been numerous, consequently the most of the men were not as
shy as they might otherwise have been. They gladly answered all the
questions the boys and girls put to them, and offered to do all sorts of
things to render the visit of the newcomers pleasant.

After lunch the girls felt like resting, for it was rather warm, but all
the boys were anxious to get into the saddle. They had heard that Sid
Todd was going to a distant part of the range, to see about two steers
that had fallen into a ravine, and asked to be taken along.

"All right, my boys," said the cowboy. "Come ahead. But you'll have to
do quite a bit of riding to get there and back by nightfall."

"Well, we may as well get used to it," answered Phil. "I expect to about
live in the saddle while I am here."

Todd had several things to attend to before starting, so they did not
leave the stables until nearly three o'clock. Dave was mounted on the
steed he had so admired, and the others had equally good horses.

"Shall we take our guns?" asked Roger.

"What for?" asked the cowboy.

"Oh, I thought we might get the chance to shoot something."

"We'll not have much time to look for game," answered Sid Todd.
"However, if you want to take your shootin' irons, there ain't no
objections." So each of the lads provided himself with a shotgun. Todd
carried a pistol, of the "hoss" variety and nearly two feet long, the
same being deposited in the holster of his saddle.

The course was to the westward, to the foothills of the distant
mountains. Here, the cowboy explained, was a treacherous ra