When Mr. Hammond heard of their adventures at the bears' den he
became serious at once. But it was not the strange noise they heard
that disturbed his serenity. It was regarding the unknown Mexican
lurking about the gulch.

"Got to look him up. Maybe nobody but some harmless critter. Can't
always tell. But there is one sure thing," added Mr. Hammond
slowly. "We crossed the trail of that gang of horse thieves where
they broke up into two parties. One party skirted the range, going
north. We followed the others because they were driving the stolen
critters.

"That's the upshot of it--the rats! If what this Mexican girl
friend of yours, Rhoda, says is so, that Sivello and his party made
a clean-up of the Long Bow horses, and the bulk of them started
back for the Border. Maybe their leader and his personal friends
came up this way, thinking to make another search for old Lobarto's
plunder.

"I swanny! I wish they'd find the stuff and get away with it. Every
once in a while a bunch of them comes up here and makes us trouble;
and the excuse is always that old Mex. treasure. My idea, they
always have their eyes on our cattle and horses. If they don't find
the gold, they pick up a few strays, and it always pays 'em for
makin' the trip up here."

"But can't you keep the Mexicans from coming here?" asked Walter.

"If they'd keep their thievin' hands off things, I wouldn't care if