"How many cattle do you think they took?" asked Nort.

"Oh, I should say fifty," answered Yellin Kid, "includin' th' one
they killed for beef. Probably they blurred th' brands on th'
others an' drove 'em off--an' I shouldn't be a bit s'prised," he
went on, "but what we'd find most of your cattle, Bud, walkin'
around on Double Z."

"Hank Fisher; eh?" exclaimed Dick.

"Yes, an' that slick Mexican half-breed of his, Del Pinzo!"
declared Snake. "Anyhow, they got away with a bunch of your
steers, Bud, an' now what are we goin' t' do? Are we goin' t' sit
back an' let 'em laugh at us?"

"Not much!" declared the boy rancher. "But let's get this
straight. I wonder why they didn't drive off the whole herd while
they were at it?"

"Probably it was too big a contract for 'em," remarked Yellin'
Kid. "An' then, too, they might not 'a' had men enough, or th'
cattle may 'a' stampeded."

"An' maybe they was scared off," added Snake.

"Yes," agreed his partner on the ride from which they had just
returned, "that may have been so. Somethin' may have scared th'
rustlers. But if I get a chance at 'em, I'll throw a bigger scare
int' 'em!" and he significantly tapped the grim .45 at his hip.