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The Boy Ranchers in Death Valley: or, Diamond X and the Poison Mystery
The Boy Ranchers in Death Valley; Or, Diamond X and the Poison Mystery
CHAPTER I
BAD NEWS
Excited shouts, mingled with laughter, floated on the sunlit anddust-laden air to the ranch house of Diamond X. Now and then, abovethe yells, could be heard the thudding of the feet of running horses onthe dry ground.
"What do you reckon those boys are doing, Ma?" asked Nell Merkel as shepaused 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 achuckle. "They're always up to something. And, now that your Pa isaway – "
Mrs. Merkel's remarks were interrupted by louder shouts from thecorral, 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 ofher brother Burton, commonly known as Bud, answer:
"I'll do it yet! Just you wait!"