at Nort and Dick, for they were partners with him on this venture of
trying to raise cattle in Happy Valley--which would have been
almost a desert save for the water that came through the strange
mountain tunnel.

"Tell us about it," urged Dick.

"Well, there isn't so much to tell," replied Yellin' Kid, his
voice a bit lower, now that there was serious business afoot.
"Snake an' I started there, to haze back th' steers as you; told
us, Bud. But when we'd rounded up th' herd, drivin' 'em in from
where a lot of 'em had strayed, we saw, right away, that th'
count was short. First we thought a bunch was hidin' out on us,
but we made a pretty good search an' then we got th' evidence."

"The evidence?" exclaimed Nort.

"Yes, we saw where the rustlers had been at work. They must 'a'
been there a day before we arrived. They probably cut out a good
bunch of cattle an' drove 'em off. But they didn't drive 'em
all."

"What makes you think so?" asked Bud. "Do you mean that we have a
few left?" and he laughed uneasily.

"Oh, there's more'n a _few_," said Snake. "But by evidence
Kid means we saw where they'd been blurrin' the brand--the
Diamond X brand!"

"Oh, they're doing that; are they?" asked Bud, sharply.