The Boy Ranchers in Death Valley or Diamond X and the Poison Mystery   By: Willard F. Baker

THE

BOY RANCHERS

IN DEATH VALLEY

OR

Diamond X and the Poison Mystery

By

WILLARD F. BAKER

Author of "The Boy Ranchers," "The Boy Ranchers at Spur Creek," "The Boy Ranchers in the Desert," "The Boy Ranchers on Roaring River," Etc.

ILLUSTRATED

[Transcriber's note: Frontispiece missing from book]

NEW YORK

CUPPLES & LEON COMPANY

THE BOY RANCHERS SERIES

By WILLARD F. BAKER

12mo. Cloth. Frontispiece

THE BOY RANCHERS Or Solving the Mystery at Diamond X

THE BOY RANCHERS IN CAMP Or the Water Fight at Diamond X

THE BOY RANCHERS ON THE TRAIL Or Diamond X After Cattle Rustlers

THE BOY RANCHERS AMONG THE INDIANS Or Diamond X Trailing the Yaquis

THE BOY RANCHERS AT SPUR CREEK Or Diamond X Fighting the Sheep Herders

THE BOY RANCHERS IN THE DESERT Or Diamond X and the Lost Mine

THE BOY RANCHERS ON ROARING RIVER Or Diamond X and the Chinese Smugglers

THE BOY RANCHERS IN DEATH VALLEY Or Diamond X and the Poison Mystery

Other volumes in preparation

CUPPLES & LEON COMPANY, New York

COPYRIGHT, 1928, BY

CUPPLES & LEON COMPANY

THE BOY RANCHERS IN DEATH VALLEY

Printed in U. S. A.

CONTENTS

CHAPTER

I. BAD NEWS II. UNDAUNTED BY FEAR III. ON THE TRAIL IV. A NIGHT ALARM V. THE WARNING VI. AT DOT AND DASH VII. SAM TARBELL'S STORY VIII. THE ROUND UP IX. THE QUEER OLD MAN X. DEAD CATTLE XI. INTO SMUGGLERS' GLEN XII. THE ELIXER CAVE XIII. FRIGHTENED HORSES XIV. BUD DISAPPEARS XV. THE SEARCH XVI. BUD'S STRANGE TALE XVII. THE AVENGERS XVIII. DRIVEN BACK XIX. GAS MASKS XX. GLITTERING YELLOW XXI. FALSE SECURITY XXII. TO THE RESCUE XXIII. TESTING THE GOLD MINE XXIV. A STRANGE DISCOVERY XXV. THE END OF DEATH VALLEY

THE BOY RANCHERS IN DEATH VALLEY

CHAPTER I

BAD NEWS

Excited shouts, mingled with laughter, floated on the sunlit and dust laden air to the ranch house of Diamond X. Now and then, above the yells, could be heard the thudding of the feet of running horses on the dry ground.

"What do you reckon those boys are doing, Ma?" asked Nell Merkel as she paused in the act of laying the top crust on a raisin pie.

"Land knows," answered the girl's mother with half a sigh and half a chuckle. "They're always up to something. And, now that your Pa is away "

Mrs. Merkel's remarks were interrupted by louder shouts from the corral, and Nell heard cries of:

"Try it again, Bud!"

"You missed him clean, that time!"

"How'd you like that mouthful of dust?"

"Git up an' ride 'im, cowboy!"

Like an echo to these sarcastic exclamations, Nell heard the voice of her brother Burton, commonly known as Bud, answer:

"I'll do it yet! Just you wait!"

"I wonder what Bud's trying to do?" murmured Nell.

"Oh, run along and look if you want to," suggested Mrs. Merkel, with a kind regard for Nell's curiosity. "I'll finish the pie."

"Thanks!" And Nell, not even pausing to clap a hat over her curls, hastened out into the yard, across the stretch of grass that separated the main house from the other buildings of Diamond X and was soon approaching the corral where were kept the cow ponies needed for immediate use by the owner, his family or the various hands on the big estate.

Nell saw several cowboys perched on the corral fence, some with their legs picturesquely wound around the posts, others astraddle of the rails. Among them she sighted Dick and Nort Shannon, her two "city" cousins, who had come west to learn to be cowboys. And in passing it may be said that their education was almost completed now.

"Why, I wonder where Bud is?" asked Nell, as she made her way to the fenced in place.