Kitabı oku: «The Boy Ranchers in Death Valley: or, Diamond X and the Poison Mystery», sayfa 5

CHAPTER X
DEAD CATTLE

"What's the idea?" spluttered Snake, for he had his mouth set for adrink, and did not appear to like being balked.

"Better wait until you find out what's in the bottle before you sampleit," advised Nort.

"Why, didn't the old gazaboo tell us what it was – Elixer of Life? Somesort of tonic, I reckon, and, believe me, boy, I need something rightnow!"

"What you need is grub!" broke in Sam. "I'm in the same boat. I'mgetting my appetite back," he added with a look at Nort, whose turn itwas to get the dinner.

"Well, maybe this will give me an appetite for baked beans," suggested

Snake.

"More likely to take your appetite away," went on Nort. "This may be agood, safe stomach medicine, and, again, it may be deadly poison. Iwant it analyzed by a chemist before I take any of it. And, even then,I don't believe I'll try any though it may be safe. I don't need it."

"Poison; eh?" mused Snake. "Do you think – "

"No, I don't think this harmless, crack-brained old man had anything todo with the deaths that are said to have taken place at Dot and Dash,"interrupted Nort, guessing at Snake's implied question. "But a crankis a dangerous man to have mix your drinks. He may have brewed thisfrom honest herbs, or it may be an extract of toadstools. I'm goingslow at it."

"Well, I guess I'd better, too," agreed Snake, ruefully, "I'm glad youdidn't let me sample it, Nort."

"It's better to be sure than sorry," said the boy. "Is there a chemistin Los Pompan," and he nodded in the direction of the town that laynearest to the ranch.

"I don't believe there is," Sam answered. "But there's a doctor andmaybe he can tell whether this stuff is safe or not," and he gazed atone of the Elixer bottles he had picked up off the bench where Nort hadset them.

"Safe or dangerous, we don't need it," went on the boy. "I only boughtit to lead the old man on. But we didn't get much out of him."

"No," assented Snake. "His answers were crazy enough. Guess we'llhave to wait until Billee and the others come back to find out what'sthe real secret of Death Valley."

"Maybe we won't then," suggested Sam, in a low voice.

"Do you mean they won't come back?" asked Nort with a sudden increasein his heart beats.

"Oh, some of 'em are bound to come back," was the not very cheeringreply. "The deaths ain't wholesale like that. And maybe nothing won'thappen to any of 'em," which was sufficiently clear and hopeful if notvery grammatical. "But, even if they all come back, which is more thanlikely," went on the most recent foreman of Dot and Dash, "that ain'tsaying they'll find out the secret."

"No, I suppose not," agreed Nort. "Well, we'll hope for the best."

They resumed their labors of getting the group of ranch buildings inshipshape against the return of Bud and the others. Sam had agreed tostay for a while to aid in the check-over and as soon as possible, asNort knew, Mr. Merkel intended to add to his cattle already on theranch, and hire more men to look after them.

"I wish we'd found out that old geezer's name and more about him beforewe let him vamoose," said Snake as he worked away with Nort.

"Yes," agreed the boy, "but so much was happening, and he was so queer, that I forgot about it."

"Guess we all did. Well, we can pick him up again when we need him – ifwe ever do," chuckled Snake. "I mean if the doctor says this hereElixer is any good."

"If there isn't any harm in it that's the most I expect," came from

Nort. "As for finding the old man – "

"He's an eel, I tell you!" broke in Sam. "I've seen him more thenonce, riding along, that is some time ago, 'fore I was knocked out.But when I tried to come up to him he'd vanish. And to look at it youwouldn't think that cayuse of his was any quicker'n a snail!"

"He must have some hiding place," suggested Snake.

"Maybe," admitted Sam. "But I don't like that hombre and you hearwhat I'm tellin' you!"

Dinner was served, and eaten with hearty appetites in spite of what hadhappened and what might take place later. Then more work was doneabout the place, and as the afternoon waned Nort began to get ratheranxious for the return of those who had gone on the round-up.

It was not a round-up in the real sense of the word – but merely ariding around of the place to size it up – to ascertain the number ofhead of cattle on the ranch, to find out the location of water holes, the best pasture, look to the condition of the fences and such mattersas that.

"And I wish, while they were at it, they'd get a Chink cook," said Nortto whom had fallen the task of washing the dishes. "Any chance ofgetting a yellow man in Los Pompon?" he asked Sam.

"Oh, sure, I should think so. If you can get him to stay."

"Why wouldn't he stay?" Nort wanted to know. And then he rememberedand added: "You mean on account of possible deaths?"

"Sure! That's it. Them Chinks is powerful leery about anything likethat. But maybe we can get one fresh smuggled over from Mexico and hewon't be so particular."

"That's right," agreed Nort as he recalled how desperately eager the

Celestials were to be smuggled into the United States.

It was getting dusk, and the three were a bit anxious as they preparedthe evening meal, for, as yet, the prospectors, as they might becalled, had not returned. Nort was going to suggest that perhaps itmight be well to ride out and see if his brother and the others were insight when the clatter of horses' feet was heard and into the ranchyard came riding the cavalcade.

A quick count showed not one missing, and it was with a relieved heartthat Nort greeted Bud and Dick.

"Anything happen?" asked Snake.

"Nary a thing!" boomed out Yellin' Kid. "It was as peaceful as a

Sunday school picnic. But this is sure some dandy ranch."

"That's right!" chimed in Bud. "We didn't have time to go all overit," he went on to those who had been left behind. "But we saw enoughto convince us that dad made no mistake in buying it – that is if we canclear out the jinx."

"But you didn't see any signs of him – or it?" asked Nort.

"Who?" inquired Dick.

"I mean the jinx."

"No, not a thing. Didn't even see a dead calf, and, as we know, they're common enough on a ranch. Everything was lovely."

"It sure is a good buy," went on Bud. "Of course it's a bit run down, and the fences here and there need mending. But there's plenty ofwater and what cattle there are seem to be in good shape. When we buya few more herds, and hire some more men to help us, we'll be sittingpretty."

"Then we didn't need to do so much worrying?" questioned Nort.

"Seems not."

"And that warning was all tommyrot!" added Dick with a laugh. "Hello, what's this?" and he picked up one of the bottles of Elixer, for bythis time the whole party was in the ranch house, and saw the threeflasks on the table.

"Stuff your brother bought to save lives!" chuckled Snake, and thestory was told.

"An old man, half crazy; eh?" mused Billee as he listened. "Who is heand what about him?"

"Doesn't seem to amount to much, really," stated Nort. "But I thoughtwe'd better have this stuff analyzed."

"Sure!" assented Billee, and, taking the three bottles he locked themin a wall cupboard and put the key in his pocket.

There was much to talk about at Dot and Dash that night. Nort relatedthe coming and going of the vender of Life's Elixer, and on their partBud and Dick told of the scenes about the ranch, and added to theirfirst statements that it was an ideal place to raise cattle.

"And there weren't any signs of sudden deaths?" asked Nort.

"Nary a one. It's a shame to call this Death Valley," declared Bud.

The week that followed was a busy one and there was plenty of work forall hands, including Sam Tarbell who, when he found that there was nosudden passing away of any of his new friends or the remaining cattle, decided to stay and work for Dot and Dash.

A careful examination was made in the vicinity where Sam had "keeledover," as he expressed it, and where his horse had died. Nothingsuspicious was discovered, however, and there was no way to account forthe strange happening. The animal appeared to have died a naturaldeath.

"Of course," Sam said, "my pony might of dropped dead from heartdisease, and when he fell I was throwed off and hit my head on a rock.That's what might have knocked me out."

"It's very possible," agreed Bud.

Arrangements were under way for the purchase of two herds from ranchmenin the adjoining county, and several more cowboys had been engagedwhen, like a clap of thunder out of a clear sky, it happened.

Bud, Nort and Dick were riding over to the south end of the ranch oneday, to inspect the present herd, with a view to shifting it, when Nortpointed to what looked like several dark bowlders on a distant, grassyslope.

"What are those?" he asked. "Big stones?"

"Stones?" queried Bud and, a moment later, he exclaimed, "Those aredead cattle! Boys, I guess the jinx has come back!"

CHAPTER XI
INTO SMUGGLERS' GLEN

"Hop to it, boys!" cried Nort, as he dug his spurs lightly against thesides of his pony. The spurs were blunt ones, for Mr. Merkel insistedthat his men treat their horses kindly, and the spurs were such in nameonly. However, even these gentle ticklers indicated to Nort's animalthe need of haste and it leaped ahead.

"Come on!" echoed Dick, following his brother's example and guiding hisanimal toward those silent forms on the grassy hillside.

Bud, however, held his animal back and shouted to his cousins:

"Hold on a minute! Don't be rash! Hold on!"

Nort pulled his pony back so suddenly that the creature reared high inthe air. Some time ago Nort would have been unseated by such a trick, but now he stuck to the saddle like a burr to a cow's tail.

"What's the matter?" Nort shot back over his shoulder.

"Don't you want to find out what killed those cattle?" asked Dick, riding back to join his cousin.

"Sure!" Bud replied. "But I don't want to keel over myself. Theremust be something there that killed those cows, that is if they'redead. And what killed them may kill us, if we go too close, just as ithas killed others and nearly did for Sam."

"Those cows are dead all right," declared Nort who, now that his ponywas quiet, had taken a pair of field glasses from the case slung at hisshoulder and was examining the silent forms. "They're as dead as alast year's sunflower."

"But maybe Bud's right about wanting to be careful before we go anycloser," suggested Dick. "You know Uncle Henry warned us not to runour necks in any noose."

"But we got to find out what killed these cows, so we'll know how toguard the others against the same danger," declared Nort. "And if itwas poison water they drank, or maybe poison grass they ate, why, wedon't want our other animals to do the same thing, or get any poisonwater ourselves."

"No," agreed Bud, who, having taken the glasses from his cousin, wasnow making a careful observation, "we don't want to drink any poisonwater or have cattle eat any poison grass, if there are such things onthe ranch. But we can stop a bullet just as easy as a cow can and withjust the same bad results for us."

"Bullet?" questioned Nort, wonderingly.

"Do you think those cows were shot?" asked Dick.

"They might have been."

"Who'd do such a thing?" demanded Nort.

"If it was done at all – which I'm not saying for a fact – it probablywas done by the same man, or men, who have been doing the otherkillings in Death Valley."

"But what in the world for?" exclaimed Dick.

"Search me!" answered Bud.

"The other cows weren't shot!" asserted Nort. "Sam's horse that diedwasn't shot, and no bullet nipped him or even creased him."

"No," agreed Bud. "I guess I'm out when it comes to guessing thosecows were shot. But let's wait a bit before we go any closer. Wecan't do those dead cows any good and it may save our lives."

Though their curiosity made them eager and anxious, the boy ranchersheld themselves in check and while riding slowly around on their ponieskept a keen watch of the territory surrounding the grazing herd and themotionless forms of the dead cows.

But when nearly half an hour had passed, and there was no sign of anyhuman enemy, and when nothing suspicious had been observed, Bud gavethe signal to ride on to come closer to the scene of the mystery.During the wait the living members of the herd had exhibited no signsof uneasiness. They wandered around, grazed, ambled here and there, some coming close to look at the boy riders. They behaved like anynormal herd of cows. Some of the calves showed their playfulness inkicking up their heels and darting hither and yon, while some of theyoung bulls engaged in head-butting contests.

"Whatever happened," said Bud as he and his cousins rode nearer,"didn't scare the whole herd. Death must have come silently, and inthe night."

"Silently, I grant you, but not necessarily in the night," spoke Dick.

"It could happen any time, as it did to Sam. That was in the daytime."

"You're right," Bud admitted. "It sure is mighty queer. But maybe wecan find out, now that it has happened almost under our noses as youmight say."

This section of Dot and Dash ranch consisted of diversified country.There was a wooded portion, with a small stream running through it, andin the distance were rolling hills and dales. It was ideal cow countryand the herbage was succulent and rich.

Near the place where the five dead cows were stretched out was thebeginning of a long, narrow defile, or gorge which ran back into thehills. Some of these hills were quite high and were covered with agrowth of timber. Others consisted of big rocks piled in fantasticfashion as though there had been a volcanic eruption some time when theworld was young. Between the hills were small valleys here and there, which made fine, sheltered places for the grazing of cows.

Having satisfied themselves that there was no lurking enemy waiting toattack them, the three young men rode up to the cows. The poniesshowed no signs of fear on approaching the dead bodies, as some Easternhorses might have done. A cow pony has no nerves. He gets used to somany queer sights and happenings that even an auto rearing up on itsfront wheels and running backward while a cow turned somersaults on thefender would not cause a pony to turn his head.

The boys dismounted, pulled the reins of their animals over their headsas an intimation to the creatures not to stray and then made their waytoward the cows.

"They're sure dead all right," remarked Bud, prodding the one nearesthim with his foot.

"Have you just found it out?" asked Nort.

"No, but I remember what happened to Sam, and I was thinking maybe theymight be only stunned, or something like that. But they're dead."

"And not long, either," added Dick, noting the fresh and limp conditionof the bodies. "This didn't happen later than last night or early thismorning."

"Guess you're right," admitted Bud. "Yes, they're dead sure enough."

"And a total loss," came from Dick. "Can't even sell the fresh beef inLos Pompan. We wouldn't dare, not knowing whether the cows died frompoison or not."

"No," agreed Bud. "And it can't be anything but poison of some sort, for I'm sure they weren't struck by lightning."

"There was no storm last night," declared Nort.

As Dick had said, the cows were a total loss, or nearly so, for itwould hardly pay to have a skinner come out to flay off the hides ofsuch a small number. Often when a cow or steer is killed by accidentthe carcass is fit to eat and there is fresh beef on the ranch or thecarcass may be sold to the nearest butcher. But in this case it wouldhave been dangerous and foolish to use this cow meat for food.

"Nothing to do but bury 'em and forget it, I guess," sighed Dick. "Butit's quite a loss."

"It sure is," remarked Bud. "But we're not going to bury 'em rightaway – at least not all of 'em, and we're not going to forget it."

"No, I didn't mean just that," went on Dick. "We've got to get to thebottom of this. But why not bury the bodies, Bud?"

"Oh, that will have to be done, of course. But I mean to have somesort of a doctor come out here and look at these cows, or at one ofthem. Maybe he can tell what killed 'em."

"Good idea," said Nort. "There may be a horse doctor in town."

"I think there is," spoke Bud. "And we'll see if he can tell usanything about what that Life Elixer is composed of. I'd like to havethat analyzed."

"Do you think that, or the queer old man, had anything to do with thedeath of these cows?" Dick wanted to know.

"There's no telling. I'm not going to pass up anything until I findout there's nothing in it!" retorted Bud. "Dot and Dash isn't going toruin if I can help it!"

"That's the idea!" echoed his cousins.

They rode about the place but could discover nothing wrong. The cowsseemed to have dropped in their tracks, dying without a struggle, though the ground around them was considerably cut up by their hooves,as though the animals had "milled" restlessly before death overtookthem.

The remaining and live members of the herd showed no uneasiness and nosigns of having been injured or disturbed as far as the boys could seeby riding among them.

They rode over to the stream, which the ponies showed an anxious desireto drink from, but as Dick was riding his horse toward the clear water, evidently to let the animal plunge its nose in, Bud cried:

"Do you think it's safe?"

"Why not?" Dick asked, momentarily pulling his pony back, and it wasnot easy, for the creature was thirsty.

"Maybe this is the poison water the cows drank."

"Running water like this couldn't very well be poisoned," declaredDick. "A stagnant pool or a water hole might be, but not this. Andhorses won't touch bad water. Watch mine."

The pony fairly got beyond control, now, in its mad desire to quenchits thirst and was soon drinking greedily, an example followed by theother two.

"Yes, I guess this water's all right," Bud finally admitted. "As yousay, a horse won't touch bad water. I'm going to sample some myself."

This he did, and he and his cousins found the stream sweet andrefreshing. There was no taint to it and they drank their fill as didtheir ponies.

"Well, what next?" asked Nort, as he sat easily in the saddle, while hewatched the water dribbling from the champing jaws of his steed."Shall we go back and get that horse doctor, and then bury the deadcows?"

"Not yet," answered Bud. "I want to ride up that defile and see what'sat the other end." He indicated a long, narrow valley leading up intothe wooded and rocky hills.

"What's the idea?" asked Dick.

"Oh, just a notion," Bud replied. "That would make a good hiding placefor rustlers," he added.

"It's dark, and silent and secret enough," agreed Dick as they turnedtheir horses into the defile. "Regular smugglers' glen!" and hechuckled at his suggestion.

"We can call it that," assented Bud. "Come on, then, let's see whatwe'll find in Smugglers' Glen."

They rode on into the narrow, sinister valley, all unaware what theywould discover there.

CHAPTER XII
THE ELIXER CAVE

"Nifty hiding place – this," remarked Dick as the three rode side byside up "Smugglers' Glen," as they had jokingly named the defile.

"Sure is," agreed Bud.

"A man, or a band of men, if they wanted to, could hole up in here forthe winter, slip out when they liked and raid a ranch, and get backagain without any one being much the wiser," suggested Nort.

"Let's hope that doesn't happen," remarked Bud. "But it's just as wellto know about this place. Some of our cows might wander up in hereand, not finding them on the range, we'd think the rustlers had paid usa visit."

"That's right," came from Nort.

"Maybe rustlers have used this for a hiding place," was Dick's nestremark.

"Smugglers' Glen or Rustlers' Glen – it's about the same," commented

Bud. "If those fellows we fought last year, who were running the

Chinks over the Mexican border, had known of this glen they'd have used it."

"That's the truth for you," agreed Dick. "And, speaking of Chinks, when are we going to get that Celestial cook we talked of?"

"I expect he'll be back at the ranch when we get there," was Bud'sreply. "Fellow in Los Pompan promised to ship me out a good one."

"I won't be sorry!" chuckled Nort. "I'm tired of cooking and washingdishes."

The boys and their older companions had taken turns with the not veryagreeable duties of housekeeping on the ranch. Old Billee Dobb was anexperienced cook and Snake often said the old puncher could make beanstaste like roast turkey. But Billee drew the line at washing dishes.Said he couldn't see any sense in cleaning plates only to muss 'em allup again. So when it came his turn to cook somebody else had to do thecleaning.

Talking of various matters, speculating on the mystery at Dot and Dash, and wondering what had caused the latest deaths, the boys rode on andon up into the depths of the glen. As they went on, the little valleyseemed to shrink in width until it was barely wide enough for the threeof them to ride abreast. On either side the grim, rocky hills, studdedhere and there with trees and bushes, rose high above their heads. Nowand then they came upon a little stream meandering its way down thedefile. Here and there it dropped over a ledge of rocks, making apleasant, if miniature, waterfall.

Aside from the clatter of their horses' feet, the occasional fall of adead branch or the rattle of loose stones and the tinkle of the stream, the only sounds were those of the boys' voices.

"This place sort of gives me the creeps!" remarked Nort with a littleshiver and a backward glance. "We might as well have called it aPirate Den as what we did."

"It is sort of dismal," assented Bud. "But I guess we aren't going tofind out anything here, so we might as well turn back in a littlewhile."

"Say after the next turn," suggested Dick, indicating a place where thedefile swung around a shoulder of bare rock.

"Suits me," came from Bud.

They reached the big rock, swung around the narrowest section of thedefile they had yet encountered and, a moment later, made a discoverywhich filled them with surprise.

Burrowing into the side of the gorge, just beyond the sharp turn, was acave with an arched opening. At first glance it looked as if it hadbeen cut by the hand of man, but it evidently had been made by theerosion of water through many centuries.

"Jumping flapjacks!" cried Nort, pointing to the cave. "Do you seethat?"

"Why not?" chuckled his brother. "It's big enough to be seen."

"But did you know it was there?"

"I didn't," put in Bud. "Though that's nothing, for this is the firsttime we've ever been here. But dad said this was a wilder anddifferent country than back home, and caves aren't anything unusual."

"No," assented Nort, "and I s'pose I might have expected to find one ormore in these hills. But it sort of startled me. Wonder if there'sanything in it?"

"Meaning bears, wildcats or other such varmints?" inquired Dick with alaugh.

"Yes," said Nort. "Or maybe rustlers might have hung out in there."

"The only way to find out is to go in and have a look," suggested Bud.And, urging on their steeds, which they had, involuntarily, pulled to ahalt, they were soon at the cave entrance. It was big enough to givepassage to a man on horseback – at least for a little distance within, but the boys did not think it would be safe to guide their ponies intothe cavern. They were not certain of the footing.

Dismounting, then, at the opening, and tethering their horses, thethree boys entered the dark hole, not without some trepidation. For itwas very dark; the outside light, which was not strong on account ofthe darkness of the defile, only penetrating a short distance insidethe cavern.

Their footsteps echoed eerily as they advanced, and the state of theirnerves can be judged when Dick and Nort jumped and exclaimed aloud asBud took out a flashlight and suddenly switched on the current, sendinga brilliant, though small, shaft of illumination down the stretches ofblackness.

"Did I scare you?" chuckled young Merkel.

"A little," Dick admitted. "I didn't know you had a lantern with you."

"Oh, I generally carry a small pocket torch," Bud replied. "Never cantell when you'll be caught out after dark."

The flashlight showed the cavern to be hewn out of solid rock, thoughhow high the roof was, or how wide the walls from side to side, theycould not judge, for their light was not powerful enough to penetrate.But the cave was, evidently, a big one.

Suddenly, as they walked along, Bud became aware of a growing sheen oflight ahead of them. At first he thought it was but the reflection ofhis own torch on what might be crystals in the cave's sides or roof.But as they walked on the glow increased.

Nort and Dick also noticed it, and Nort exclaimed:

"Guess this is more of a tunnel than a cave. I see daylight ahead."

"'Tisn't daylight – too red for that," objected Bud. "Looks more like afire."

And, a moment later, as they rounded a turn, they saw that the lightwas caused by a fire. It was a fire blazing on the floor of thecavern. Over the fire, suspended on a tripod, was a black kettle, averitable witch-caldron and, bending over it, if not a witch, was agood imitation of one. For it was the figure of an old man – a man withlong, straggling white hair and a flowing white beard, as the flamesrevealed. It was the same old man who had called at the ranch with hissinister warning when he sold the Elixer of Life.

"Look!" murmured Bud, but he need not have said this. His two cousinswere looking with all the power of their staring eyes.

"It – it's him!" murmured Nort, and the others knew what he meant.

"But what's he doing?" whispered Dick.

There was hardly need to ask that question. Undoubtedly the old manwas brewing something in the kettle over the fire. There was apeculiar odor in the air, not unpleasant, but rather overpowering.

"He's making that stuff he bottles and sells," went on Dick. "The

Elixer. And maybe – "

He did not finish the sentence. Either the cautious talk of the boyranchers, or some noise they made carried to the sharp ears of the oldman.

He started back, out of the circle of light cast by the fire under thekettle. He seemed to be alarmed.

"Who's there?" he cried.

The boys did not answer. They did not know what to do. It was all sostrange and startling.

A moment later the queer hermit, for such he seemed to be, had snatchedthe kettle off the chain by which it was suspended. With a quickmotion of his foot he scattered the embers of the fire so thatimmediate section of the cave was obscured by smoke and fantasticshadows. Then the old man ran back into the darkness of the farreaches of the cavern and disappeared from view.

"There he goes!" cried Nort. There was no longer need of whispering.

"After him!" cried Dick.

"No! Don't go!" exclaimed Bud. "You don't know what he was doing, what he may be up to nor where he's gone. It isn't safe!"

This last was so evident that Nort and Dick at once agreed to theproposition and halted. But Dick added:

"We don't know, for sure what he was doing, but I can pretty nearguess!"

"What?" asked Bud.

"He was brewing stuff to poison our cattle. He's the fellow that'sbeen doing it. He's the cause of all the trouble at Dot and Dash. Weought to have him arrested, and we've got good proof against him!"

"What proof?" Bud asked.

"The bottles of stuff he sold us. Lucky we didn't take any of it!It's poison, sure! Come on, let's get back and then send word to thesheriff to come and arrest this old man."

It seemed to be good advice and the best thing to do under thecircumstances, whether or not Dick's theory would be borne out by facts.

"We'll go back and have that Elixer analyzed," said Bud as he swungaround with his cousins and began the retreat. "I meant to have itdone before but there's so doggoned much to do here it slipped my mind.But I'll have it looked after now."

It did not take the three long to emerge from "Elixer Cave," as theynamed the place where they had seen the hermit over his brew. Theirhorses were patiently waiting and in a little while the boys werewithin sight of the ranch house.

But something seemed to be going on there. Snake, Billee and Yellin'Kid were standing near the cook house, whence came a series of wild, yipping yells.

"What's the matter?" cried Bud as he rode up to the group of cowboys.

"Who's doing all that yelling?"

"Fah Moo!" answered Old Billee Dobb.

"Who in the world is Fah Moo?"

"The new Chinese cook that come out from town soon after you boys left."

"But what's the matter with him?" asked Dick. "Doesn't he like it herethat he's taking on like this?"

"Maybe he's singing for joy," suggested Nort as a louder series ofyelping cries came from the cookhouse.

"More like he's in pain," remarked Snake Purdee. "I'm mighty glad Ididn't drink any of it."

"Any of what?" asked Bud, wonderingly.

"That Elixer of Life the old gazaboo sold for a dollar a chunk. Therewas three bottles of it, you know."

"Yes, I know," assented Bud with growing uneasiness.

"Well," went on Snake, "you know I started to take a swig from thebottle I bought, but Nort wouldn't let me. Then Old Billee locked thethree bottles in a cupboard."

"That's right," assented Bud.

"Well," resumed the cowboy, "we discovered, a little while ago, andsoon after Fah Moo arrived to take charge of the kitchen, we discoveredthat those three bottles were gone. We found 'em in the new cook'sdepartment and the last one was empty."

"You mean he drunk all that Elixer?" cried Dick.

"Onless he used it for bathin', which I doubt!" chuckled Snake. "Hemust have been nosing around, discovered where the stuff was hid and hedrunk every last drop. That's what makes him sing so, orcry – whichever way you take it."

"He's poisoned!" cried Bud, no less excited, now, than were his twocousins. "Poor Fah Moo is poisoned. We just discovered some of ourcattle dead over on the south range. And we found a cave where the oldman brews that Elixer. It's poison, sure. I guess it's all up withthe Chink, but we'll try to get a doctor to save him. I'll 'phone into town!"

Bud disappeared into the ranch house while the cowboys looked at eachother's startled faces, and, meanwhile, Fah Moo continued to yelp, yapand yip in his high, falsetto voice.