“And what place is that?” came in a chorus from his chums.
“Big Horn Ranch.”
CHAPTER XVII
GOOD-BYE TO SCHOOL
“What do you know about that!”
“Big Horn Ranch! That sounds interesting!”
“What sort of a place is it, Spouter?”
“I suppose you must have thousands of heads of cattle?”
“How about horses, Spouter? We’ll have enough mounts, sha’n’t we?”
“Any good hunting or fishing?”
“Stop! Stop! What are you trying to do?”spluttered Spouter. “Trying to drown me in a flood of questions? Why don’t you ask one thing at a time?”
“Well, where is the ranch and how are we going to get to it?” questioned Jack.
“And how big is it?” put in Fred.
And then came another flood of questions until poor Spouter placed his hands to his ears in dismay.
“I can’t answer everything at once,” he said finally. “So you’d better let me tell what I know in my own way. Big Horn Ranch is located out in Montana, and it comprises a thousand acres or more—how large I don’t exactly know. To get there you journey by rail to a little jumping-off place called Four Rocks, and then you have to ride or drive to the ranch, which is four or five miles away. The nearest town of any size is Arrow Junction, which is quite a distance off.”
“How is it your dad bought a place like that?”broke in Gif. “I didn’t know he was interested in ranches.”
“Oh, he has always liked outdoor life—you all know that. And this ranch came to him in rather an unexpected way. There were two brothers who were interested in a speculation in which my dad was interested, too. My dad advanced a lot of money to these brothers, and as they couldn’t pay up in cash they asked him if he wouldn’t take the ranch off their hands by allowing them an additional thirty thousand dollars. So he made a trip out there in company with another man who knew all about ranches and then he concluded to buy, and did so. So now we own Big Horn Ranch, and the family expects to spend a large part of each summer there.”
“And your father said we could all go out there with you?” questioned Randy.
“Yes. He told me to invite you four Rovers and also Gif. And that isn’t all,” went on Spouter. “He’s invited all your folks out there, too. He’s going to make a great big house-party of it!”
“Our folks!” exclaimed Fred. “What do you mean? They can’t all go. Uncle Dick is just back from Texas, and somebody has got to look after the offices in New York.”
“It has been arranged that your father and mother are to go along first, Fred, and later on Randy and Andy’s father and mother are to come out. Then, when they go back to New York, it’s possible that Jack’s folks will come West before the season is over. Gif’s folks have not decided on what they can do, but will let us know in a week or two.”
“And what about the girls?” questioned Fred quickly.
“Of course, they are to go along, too. Martha will go with Mary and her folks, and May will, of course, be with my mother, and she is going to try to get Ruth to go with her.”
“But Ruth said she was going somewhere else,”remarked Jack, and his face showed disappointment.
“I know that, Jack. But I think May can get the Stevensons to allow her to go. Anyway, all the girls are going to try.”
After that the Rovers and Gif asked many other questions concerning Big Horn Ranch and Spouter told them all he could.
“Of course, I know only what dad has written and what was said about the ranch before we purchased it. I suppose I’ll learn a lot more as soon as I go home, and then I’ll let you know about it.”
“Gee! we ought to have the best time ever,”exclaimed Andy gleefully, as he caught Spouter by the shoulders and commenced to dance him around the room.
“It was certainly well worth waiting for, Spouter,” came from Jack.
“I don’t see how you managed to keep it a secret,”put in Randy. “I’d have been bustin’ to tell it every minute.”
“Well, I had a job of it, believe me, with you fellows dinging at me all the time,” was Spouter’s answer.
“When do you suppose we can start?” questioned Fred.
“That, of course, will depend a good deal on you and your folks,” answered Spouter. “My folks are already out there, getting the ranch in readiness for visitors. I suppose you’ll want to go home over the Fourth of July, but maybe you’ll be able to start West right after that.”
“I don’t know what could hold us back.”
“Is the ranch house big enough to accommodate such a large crowd?” questioned Jack.“There are a lot of us, remember.”
“I think so. You see the ranch is really a combination of two ranches, the buildings of one ranch were located near the eastern boundary while the buildings of the other ranch were set equally close to the western boundary, and as a result the two sets of buildings are not very far apart. Father and mother didn’t know exactly what they were going to do. They said they would either divide the party between the two ranch houses or otherwise send all the hired help to one of the houses and keep our whole party at the other.”
“It would be nice if we could stick together,”said Randy.
“Oh, it won’t make much difference, because, as I understand it, it’s only a short walk from one set of buildings to the other.”
After this revelation from Spouter it was difficult for the Rover boys and Gif to settle down once more to their essay writing and their examinations. However, all did their best, and when the school term came to an end each had made a creditable showing.
“I’ll be proud to take this card home and show it,” said Fred, as he examined the pasteboard which had been handed to him.
Out of a possible 100 percent. he had received 94 percent. Jack had passed with 92 percent., Randy with 89 percent., and Andy with 88 percent. This last figure was the one also reached by Gif. Spouter, who was naturally a very studious person, had passed with the highest mark of the class—96 percent.
“Well, eighty-eight percent. isn’t as good as it might be, but it’s a good deal better than lots of the fellows made,” remarked Andy. “And it’s a long way from the failure mark—below seventy.”
Of course the boys had already talked over the telephone to the girls, and then it leaked out that all of those at Clearwater Hall knew about Big Horn Ranch and that Ruth was almost certain that she could go with the Rover girls and May.
“If we all go together we had better charter a private car,” remarked Jack.
“Say, that would be something worth while!”put in Fred, with satisfaction. “Let’s put it up to our folks!”
Two days before the boys were to leave for home, Randy saw a messenger boy deliver a telegram to Snopper Duke. The professor read the brief communication and then Randy saw him stagger up against a chair in the hallway as if about to fall. He rushed forward and caught the professor by the arm.
“What is the trouble, Professor?” he questioned kindly, for he could see that Snopper Duke was in deep distress.
“I—I—— Don’t mind me, Rover,” stammered the teacher. “It’s a little bad news, that’s all. And coming on top of some other bad news I’ve received lately I can hardly stand it,” and with these words Snopper Duke turned and went slowly upstairs to his room. Half an hour later he was closeted with Colonel Colby and then drove away from the Hall; and that was the last the Colby Hall cadets saw of the strange teacher during that term.
“He’s certainly got something on his mind,”said Randy, in telling the others of the incident.“And I must confess I’m growing really sorry for him.”
On the next day came another surprise for the Rovers. All of them were out on the campus when they saw Brassy Bangs leap a side hedge and start toward the school. At the same time t
hey saw a tall man wearing a slouch hat hurrying off in the opposite direction.
“Hello! there is that fellow Brassy had trouble with in town,” exclaimed Randy.
“Just look at Brassy!” whispered Fred, after the youth had passed them and gone into the Hall.“Why, he’s as pale as a ghost!”
“It certainly is a mystery about Brassy and that strange man,” was Jack’s comment. “Just as much of a mystery as about Professor Duke’s doings.”
Soon the boys were busy packing up, getting ready to leave. Then came the usual jolly times just previous to saying good-bye to their fellow-cadets and the teachers. The students were to scatter in all directions and the majority of them expected to have a glorious time during the summer vacation. Phil Franklin was to go back to the oil fields, to visit his father.
At the railroad station the Rovers met Mary and Martha and also some of the other girls, and here many good-byes were said.
“I hope you get a chance to get out to Big Horn Ranch,” said Jack to Ruth.
“So do I, Jack. But I haven’t received permission to go yet. If I don’t get there you must write to me.”
“I certainly will, Ruth. And you must write also. But come out if you possibly can.”
The home-coming of the Rovers was, as usual, made a gala event. The three mothers had come down to meet their children and there was a happy reunion at the Grand Central Terminal, and then the three families drove off in their automobiles to their homes on Riverside Drive. A little later the fathers of the young folks came in from downtown, and that night there was a grand dinner spread for all in Tom Rover’s house.
“Gosh, it’s good to be home once more, Mother!” cried Andy, and hugged his parent from one side while his twin hugged her from the other.
“And it’s mighty good to think that we can all be together,” came from Jack. “It’s so different from what it was when the war was going on.”
“Oh, please don’t speak of the war! I never want to hear of it again!” put in Martha.
“And to think we’re all going out to Big Horn Ranch!” burst out Fred. “Isn’t that just the grandest ever?”
CHAPTER XVIII
ON THE WAY WEST
“Well, we’re off for Big Horn Ranch at last!”
“It certainly is a grand prospect, eh, Jack? We ought to have barrels of fun on the ranch.”
“Yes, Randy, it certainly ought to make a dandy vacation.”
“I’m fairly itching to get on horseback,” put in Andy. “What dandy rides we shall have!”
“Maybe we’ll get a chance to break in a broncho,” put in Fred, with a grin.
“Don’t you dare do such a thing, Fred Rover!”burst out his sister Mary. “Most likely the bronco would break your neck.”
“Well, we won’t bust any broncos until we get to the ranch,” came with a smile from Fred’s father, who had followed the young people into the sleeping car at the Grand Central Terminal.
It was the day of their departure for the West, and the young folks were quivering with suppressed excitement. Sam Rover and his wife headed the party, which consisted of the four boys and the two girls.
Fourth of July had been spent rather quietly at home preparing for the trip. Of course, Andy and Randy had had some fun, especially with fireworks in the evening, but otherwise the young folks had been too preoccupied with their arrangements for getting away to pay special attention to the national holiday.
It had been arranged that only the Rovers mentioned above should at first make the trip to the ranch, and Gif and Spouter were to meet them in Chicago, where they would change cars for Montana. Tom Rover and his wife were to come to the ranch two weeks later and bring with them May Powell and Ruth Stevenson. Later still it was barely possible that Dick Rover and his wife would come West.
Jack’s idea of chartering a private car had fallen through because not all of the party to meet at Big Horn Ranch were to go at the same time. But those now gathered had seats at one end of the sleeper along with a private compartment for Mrs. Rover and the two girls, so they were all comfortable.
The boys were in the best of spirits; and for a while Sam Rover had his hands full making Andy and Randy behave.
“I hope we strike a lot of lively cowboys, Uncle Sam,” broke out Andy.
“Perhaps you’ll find some of the cowboys too lively,” was the answer.
Jack and Fred, as well as their sisters, were disappointed that May and Ruth had not been able to accompany them, but they were glad to know that the others would follow later to the ranch.
Soon New York was left behind and the train was speeding along the Hudson River on its way to Albany.
“Just think! By this time to-morrow we’ll be in Chicago,” remarked Martha. “Isn’t it wonderful how you can cover such a distance?”
“Do you know, I almost wish we were going out there in an auto,” returned Fred. “That would be a trip worth taking.”
“Especially if you had to put on all the extra tires along the way, Fred,” added Andy, with a grin.
“Oh, well, I guess I could do that, too, if I had to,” answered the youngest Rover boy quickly.“But the roads from here to Chicago are pretty good, they tell me, so I don’t think we’d have many punctures or blow-outs.”
“Such a trip would be dandy, only it might take more time than we’d care to spend on the way right now,” remarked Jack. “Personally I want to get out to Big Horn Ranch as soon as possible.”
“Exactly my sentiments,” came from Randy.“Me for the mountains and plains and a life in the open air!”
“Oh, for a life in the open air,
Under the skies so blue and fair!”
sang out Andy.
“Gee, Andy is bursting into poetry!” cried Fred. “What’s going to happen next?”
“Maybe he ate something that didn’t agree with him,” giggled Mary.
“You’d better bottle up that poetry stuff, Andy,” remarked Jack. “Remember we’re going out to a ranch owned by Songbird Powell, and he was nicknamed Songbird while at Putnam Hall because he was always bursting out into home-made poetry. Maybe we’ll get a surplus of it when we get out to the ranch.”
Lunch was had in the dining car, and almost before the young folks realized it the train was rolling into Albany. Here an extra car was attached, and then they were off on the long journey through the Mohawk Valley to Buffalo, Cleveland, and the great city by the Lakes.
After the train had passed Utica Andy and Randy, who found it hard to sit still, took a walk through the cars from end to end, thinking they might meet somebody they knew. They were gone so long that Sam Rover became a little worried over them.
“I think I’ll hunt them up,” he said to his wife.“For all we know they may have gotten into some mischief.”
“More than likely they’re into something,” answered Mrs. Grace Rover. “They’re exactly like their father Tom when it comes to stirring things up.”
Sam Rover was just leaving his seat when Andy and Randy came back to the car. Their faces showed their excitement.
“What do you think!” exclaimed Randy, as he dropped into a seat. “We met that same fellow who was threatening Brassy Bangs at Haven Point.”
“Was Brassy with him?” questioned Jack quickly.
“No. But two other men were with him, and it’s a tough crowd, believe me.”
“Where are they?” questioned Fred.
“Two cars behind. And from the way the three talked they must have gotten on at Albany. The fellow Brassy had something to do with is tough enough, but the other two men seem to be much worse. By their talk, they are cattle men, and I shouldn’t be surprised if they have been cowboys.”
“And that isn’t all!” added Andy. “They spoke about going to Arrow Junction!”
“Arrow Junction!” repeated Fred.
“Why, that’s the town that Spouter said was nearest to Big Horn Ranch!”
“What were they going to do at Arrow Junction?”questioned Jack.
“They’ve got some sort of a deal on for handling horses and cattle. We couldn’t make out exactly what it was,” answered Randy. “But they certainly are a tough bunch. It looks to me as if they might have been drinking.”
“Did you hear them mention Brassy?” asked Fred.
“No. But that fellow who met Brassy at Haven Point, the chap called Bud Haddon, told the others he had struck a real snap in the East. And one of the others answered that he had noticed that Bud was rather flush.”
“It’s certainly a mystery what that fellow had to do with Brassy,” remarked Jack. And then of a sudden his face became a study.
A sudden thought had occurred to him, and it was such a horrible one that he was inclined to force it from his mind. And yet it came bobbing up time and again until Fred, who was sitting beside his cousin, noticed that something was on his mind.
“What are you thinking of, Jack? Ruth?”
“No, Fred. I was thinking of that fellow who met Brassy Bangs in Haven Point.”
“You’re wondering, I suppose, why Brassy let him have some money.”
“Partly that and partly something else, Fred. But it’s so horrible I hate to think of it.”
“Why, what do you mean, Jack?”
“Well, if you must know, it just happened to cross my mind that that Bud Haddon was hanging around Haven Point and was seen around the school several times just when Colby Hall was robbed.”
As the young major uttered these words in a low tone of voice, Fred stared at him in astonishment.
“My gracious, Jack, that’s so!” he whispered.“Isn’t it queer we didn’t think of it before? From what Andy and Randy tell of how that fellow treated Brassy I wouldn’t put it past him to be a bad one. But if he had anything to do with the robbery at the school, do you think Brassy had, too?”
“I don’t know what to think, Fred. Brassy never struck me as that sort of a fellow. He’s loud-mouthed and he’s got a big opinion of himself, and all that, but I never put him down as being crooked.”
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