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," suggestedSnake.
"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 fromNort. "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 theCelestials 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 aSunday 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!"
Boy Ranchers in Death Valley; Or, Diamond X and the Poison Mystery Page 10