"I wish we"d found out that old geezer"s name and more about him before we let him vamoose," said Snake as he worked away with Nort.
"Yes," agreed the boy, "but so much was happening, and he was so queer, that I forgot about it."
"Guess we all did. Well, we can pick him up again when we need him--if we ever do," chuckled Snake. "I mean if the doctor says this here Elixer is any good."
"If there isn"t any harm in it that"s the most I expect," came from Nort. "As for finding the old man----"
"He"s an eel, I tell you!" broke in Sam. "I"ve seen him more then once, riding along, that is some time ago, "fore I was knocked out.
But when I tried to come up to him he"d vanish. And to look at it you wouldn"t think that cayuse of his was any quicker"n a snail!"
"He must have some hiding place," suggested Snake.
"Maybe," admitted Sam. "But I don"t like that _hombre_ and you hear what I"m tellin" you!"
Dinner was served, and eaten with hearty appet.i.tes in spite of what had happened and what might take place later. Then more work was done about the place, and as the afternoon waned Nort began to get rather anxious for the return of those who had gone on the round-up.
It was not a round-up in the real sense of the word--but merely a riding around of the place to size it up--to ascertain the number of head of cattle on the ranch, to find out the location of water holes, the best pasture, look to the condition of the fences and such matters as that.
"And I wish, while they were at it, they"d get a c.h.i.n.k cook," said Nort to whom had fallen the task of washing the dishes. "Any chance of getting a yellow man in Los Pompon?" he asked Sam.
"Oh, sure, I should think so. If you can get him to stay."
"Why wouldn"t he stay?" Nort wanted to know. And then he remembered and added: "You mean on account of possible deaths?"
"Sure! That"s it. Them c.h.i.n.ks is powerful leery about anything like that. But maybe we can get one fresh smuggled over from Mexico and he won"t be so particular."
"That"s right," agreed Nort as he recalled how desperately eager the Celestials were to be smuggled into the United States.
It was getting dusk, and the three were a bit anxious as they prepared the evening meal, for, as yet, the prospectors, as they might be called, had not returned. Nort was going to suggest that perhaps it might be well to ride out and see if his brother and the others were in sight when the clatter of horses" feet was heard and into the ranch yard came riding the cavalcade.
A quick count showed not one missing, and it was with a relieved heart that Nort greeted Bud and d.i.c.k.
"Anything happen?" asked Snake.
"Nary a thing!" boomed out Yellin" Kid. "It was as peaceful as a Sunday school picnic. But this is sure some dandy ranch."
"That"s right!" chimed in Bud. "We didn"t have time to go all over it," he went on to those who had been left behind. "But we saw enough to convince us that dad made no mistake in buying it--that is if we can clear out the jinx."
"But you didn"t see any signs of him--or it?" asked Nort.
"Who?" inquired d.i.c.k.
"I mean the jinx."
"No, not a thing. Didn"t even see a dead calf, and, as we know, they"re common enough on a ranch. Everything was lovely."
"It sure is a good buy," went on Bud. "Of course it"s a bit run down, and the fences here and there need mending. But there"s plenty of water and what cattle there are seem to be in good shape. When we buy a few more herds, and hire some more men to help us, we"ll be sitting pretty."
"Then we didn"t need to do so much worrying?" questioned Nort.
"Seems not."
"And that warning was all tommyrot!" added d.i.c.k with a laugh. "h.e.l.lo, what"s this?" and he picked up one of the bottles of Elixer, for by this time the whole party was in the ranch house, and saw the three flasks on the table.
"Stuff your brother bought to save lives!" chuckled Snake, and the story was told.
"An old man, half crazy; eh?" mused Billee as he listened. "Who is he and what about him?"
"Doesn"t seem to amount to much, really," stated Nort. "But I thought we"d better have this stuff a.n.a.lyzed."
"Sure!" a.s.sented Billee, and, taking the three bottles he locked them in a wall cupboard and put the key in his pocket.
There was much to talk about at Dot and Dash that night. Nort related the coming and going of the vender of Life"s Elixer, and on their part Bud and d.i.c.k told of the scenes about the ranch, and added to their first statements that it was an ideal place to raise cattle.
"And there weren"t any signs of sudden deaths?" asked Nort.
"Nary a one. It"s a shame to call this Death Valley," declared Bud.
The week that followed was a busy one and there was plenty of work for all hands, including Sam Tarbell who, when he found that there was no sudden pa.s.sing away of any of his new friends or the remaining cattle, decided to stay and work for Dot and Dash.
A careful examination was made in the vicinity where Sam had "keeled over," as he expressed it, and where his horse had died. Nothing suspicious was discovered, however, and there was no way to account for the strange happening. The animal appeared to have died a natural death.
"Of course," Sam said, "my pony might of dropped dead from heart disease, and when he fell I was throwed off and hit my head on a rock.
That"s what might have knocked me out."
"It"s very possible," agreed Bud.
Arrangements were under way for the purchase of two herds from ranchmen in the adjoining county, and several more cowboys had been engaged when, like a clap of thunder out of a clear sky, it happened.
Bud, Nort and d.i.c.k were riding over to the south end of the ranch one day, to inspect the present herd, with a view to shifting it, when Nort pointed to what looked like several dark bowlders on a distant, gra.s.sy slope.
"What are those?" he asked. "Big stones?"
"Stones?" queried Bud and, a moment later, he exclaimed, "Those are dead cattle! Boys, I guess the jinx has come back!"
CHAPTER XI
INTO SMUGGLERS" GLEN
"Hop to it, boys!" cried Nort, as he dug his spurs lightly against the sides of his pony. The spurs were blunt ones, for Mr. Merkel insisted that his men treat their horses kindly, and the spurs were such in name only. However, even these gentle ticklers indicated to Nort"s animal the need of haste and it leaped ahead.
"Come on!" echoed d.i.c.k, following his brother"s example and guiding his animal toward those silent forms on the gra.s.sy hillside.
Bud, however, held his animal back and shouted to his cousins: