.
"Dave, you was right," he announced, a little later. "It must have been
Merwell and Snogger, fer see, they have taken the old trail along the
river. That leads to another trail that runs to the Merwell ranch."

"Well, they are gone, that's certain," answered the youth, after another
look around. "We may as well be on our way. But we ought to mend the
bridge."

"We'll do that,--an' post a warning, too," said the cowboy.

Not without difficulty, they managed to fasten the planks into place
once more. Then, at either end of the rickety structure, they set up a
stick in the road.

"That's the usual warning in this country," explained Todd. "It means
'Go slow and look out.'"

When the pair arrived at Star Ranch they found the boys and girls
waiting for them.

"You must have walked back," said Belle. "We have been waiting for you
ever since we heard the locomotive whistle."

"Oh, we had to stop to fix the bridge," answered Dave, and then handed
around the letters, which instantly claimed attention, so no more
questions were asked. Then the Crumville youth had supper, and by that
time it was late enough to go to bed.

"You've got a cut on your cheek, Dave," said Phil, when the three boys
were undressing. "Did you scratch yourself?"

"Thereby hangs a tale, Phil," quoted Dave, and then, in a low voice,
told of the encounter at the railroad station, and gave the true
particulars of the trouble at the river.

"It's the same old Link!" murmured Roger. "We'll have to watch out for
him!"

"I really think the girls ought to be warned," said Phil. "There is no
telling what mean thing Link might do--if he met them alone."

"Well, we don't want to frighten them," answered Dave.

"Better frighten them than give Link the chance to annoy them," answered
the senator's son.

"Say, I wish I had seen you polish off Link!" cried Phil. "It would have
done my heart good. I'll wager he was as mad as he could be!"

"Oh, he was mad enough," replied Dave, with a grim smile. "But say, when
you get the chance, I want you to look at that Hank Snogger. He looks
like somebody I've met somewhere, but for the life of me I can't place
him."

"Is he handsome?" quizzed the shipowner's son.

"No, he looks melancholy--as if he had something on his mind. It's a
peculiar face, and for the life of me I can't get it out of my mind."

Several days passed and nothing of importance happened. The boys and
girls enjoyed themselves thoroughly, and