to stay there alone."

"He don't stay all the time. He rides to town, and smokes and gambles,
and gets into all sorts of trouble, and then he gets scared to death for
fear the old man will find it out," concluded Sid Todd.

They were soon at the station, and there found they would have to wait
half an hour for the train to come in. Several cowboys were present and
also a gentleman with a white, flowing beard.

"That is Mr. Hooper," said Sid Todd. "He owns a ranch up the river--the
Bar X. He's a fine man." And a few minutes later he introduced Dave to
the ranch owner.

"Glad to know you," said Mr. Hooper. "I heard that my friend, Endicott,
had a lot of boys and girls at his place. Tell Belle she must bring all
of you over to my place some day."

"Thank you, I will," answered Dave.

"We haven't any boys and girls there, but I reckon we can give you a
good time," went on Mr. Hooper.

Among the cowboys at the station, Dave noticed one tall and particularly
powerful fellow. His face looked somewhat familiar, and the Crumville
youth wondered if he had met the man before.

"That is Hank Snogger, the fellow who left our place to work for Mr.
Merwell," said Sid Todd, in a low voice.

"His face looks familiar to me, but I can't place him," returned Dave.
"Did he come from the East?"

"I think he did, years ago. Think you know him?"

"It seems to me I've met him before--or met somebody that looked like
him," answered Dave, slowly. He was trying in vain to place those
features.

"Don't you remember the name?"

"No."

"We ain't on very good terms any more, otherwise I'd give you a
knock-down to him," went on the cowboy.

"I don't know that I care for an introduction," answered Dave. "He
doesn't look like a person I'd want for a friend--he looks rather
dissipated."

"He was a good man when he worked for Mr. Endicott. But he's not so good
since he went over to Merwell."

There the talk about Hank Snogger ended. Once or twice the man looked
curiously at Dave.

Each time something in his face struck the youth as decidedly familiar.
Yet, try his best, the boy could not place the fellow.

"It's no use," he told himself at last. "Perhaps I don't know him, after
all. But I've seen a face like that somewhere--I am sure of it."

CHAPTER XV

AMONG THE COWBOYS

"Here she comes!"

It was an enthusiastic cowboy who uttered the words, and by way of
emphasis he fired his revolver in the air, as he rode up be