post-office.

"And Link Merwell was abusin' him--callin' him a thief!" cried Hank
Snogger, and his eyes commenced to blaze. "How did he dare! Why, Link
Merwell is a thief himself!"

"A thief!" echoed Dave.

"Yes. But let that pass now--I'll tell you later. Tell me of my boy, my
Charley," pleaded Hank Snogger.

Dave told all that he knew, and the man listened eagerly. Then Snogger
told something of his life's history, how he and his wife had quarreled
and how some neighbors had gotten them to separate. He had drifted to
the West, and remained there for three years. Then he had gone back to
look for his wife, but had found out that she was dead. He could get no
trace of his little boy, and finally had gone West again. At first he
had carried himself straight, but presently he had gotten in with the
wrong set and had drank and gambled, and left Mr. Endicott to go to work
for Mr. Merwell.

"But I am going to turn over a new leaf," he said. "Only let me find my
boy! I'll show him what a good father I can be to him!" And his face
took on a look of hope.

"And now I am going to tell you about Link Merwell," went on Hank
Snogger, a little later. "I feel you ought to know, for you are the one
who has suffered most because of his doings. You remember how your
horses were stolen."

"Yes."

"Well, Link took 'em. He says he didn't mean to steal 'em, but that is
what it amounted to. He took 'em, and while the storm was on some
cattle-thieves, headed by Andy Andrews, came along. Link says Andrews
and his gang took the horses away, but I think Link made a deal with the
hoss-thieves, for the next day I see Link with a roll of bank-bills, and
I know Mr. Merwell didn't give him the money. He had about two hundred
dollars, and I think he got the wad from Andrews--on his promise not to
open his mouth."

"How did you learn this?"

"I was out, rounding up some stray steers, and I saw him just before the
storm with the hosses. I wasn't near enough to talk to him, but that
night I spoke to him, and he couldn't deny that he took 'em in the first
place. He was terribly afraid I'd give him away, and he said if I did
he'd say I took 'em. Well, you can believe me or not, but he took 'em."

"I believe you," answered Dave. "And we'll have this matter sifted just
as soon as we return to Star Ranch."

It was some time ere Todd, Roger, and Phil showed themselves. In the
meantime Dave made Snogger promise not to say anything about the sto