"I'll be ready in a moment," remarked Henry Mellon, and Bud and
his cousins could not but note how differently he spoke from the
average run of ranch hands.

"More like one of those college professors who were after the
ten-million-year-old Triceratops," remarked Nort, commenting on
the talk.

"Yes, he is a bit cultured in his speech," assented Bud. "Guess
he hasn't been out west long."

"Then how can he be such a wonderful roper?" Dick wanted to know,
for there was no doubt about the ability of Four Eyes, even if he
had not yet made good oh his boast of putting his lariat around
four galloping horses at once.

"Oh, well, it comes natural to some people," said Bud, "and then,
too, he may have been in Mexico. Some of the Greasers are pretty
slick with the horsehair. But let's watch."

By this time the four cow punchers, counting Buck Tooth as one,
for the Indian was a good herdsman, had lined themselves up about
a hundred feet from where Four Eyes sat on his horse--not the
same black one he had ridden in, but another, of Bud's stock,
that had been assigned him.

"Ready?" asked Yellin' Kid.

"All ready! Come a running!" shouted Four Eyes, and even here he