their semi-hiding places across the valley. No wisp of smoke, and
no movement of horse or rider was to be observed. And silence
once more settled down on Happy Valley--not quite so happy as it
had been. For, following the clearing-up of the mystery of the
water supply, new and sinister events seemed pending for the boy
ranchers.

But, as yet, there were only straws, showing which way the evil
wind was blowing.

"Could it have been a chance shot?" asked Dick, raising himself a
little to get a better look.

"That bullet was aimed straight for the bottle, over our heads,"
declared Bud. "It was no chance shot."

"One of ours couldn't have glanced, could it?" Dick wanted to
know.

"Surely not!" affirmed Bud. "Why, no one had shot for some time.
I'd just put the new bottle on the stick for you."

"Yes, and I was just going to shoot, when somebody took the
bullet out of my gun, so to speak," went on Dick, grimly jesting.

"Do you think they were shooting at--us?" asked Nort,
hesitatingly.

Bud did not answer for the moment, and when he did it was to say,
as he suddenly arose: