He covered the distance to the ranch in record time, and found Mr. Bellmore busy over some calculations. The engineer was surprised to learn what had happened, and at once jumped on his horse and galloped off with Dave. When they again reached the valley Mr. Carson had not yet returned from his trip to the bend, but the cattle were in a worse tangle than before. The cowboys efforts to drive them away from what was now nothing but a long mudhole, were unavailing. "Something's got to be done!" cried Skinny. "We've lost some already, and more will die soon. We've got to get 'em away from here. But we can't as long as they smell even the mud. What's to be done?" Dave looked gloomily on, but could not answer. Could the engineer solve the problem? CHAPTER XVII THE ROUND-UP Again and again did the weary cowboys try to force the maddened cattle to move away from the now veritable mud hole, that they might drive them to another range where there was water for them to drink. But the steers, usually intelligent in this matter, seemed to have lost all their instinct. They only wanted to remain near the spot where they had been accustomed to drink. "Say, this is fierce!" cried Mr. Bellmore. "It certainly is," agreed Dave. "What can we do?" "Let's see if we can't lend a hand to get the animals off, and on the move," suggested the engineer. "Those cowboys need help." Skinny and his mates certainly did. They were almost exhausted from their strenuous labors. But even with the experienced help of Dave, and the well-meant efforts of Mr. Bellmore, the cattle could not be moved. They fought for places at the edge of the stream-which was a stream no longer, but only a slough, in which more than one fine steer was now mired. "It's of no use," said Skinny, wearily, after a bit. "You can't budge 'em! They'll have to die here." "No they won't!" exclaimed the engineer. "How are you goin' t' stop 'em?" asked another of the cowboys. "They can't get any water here, they won't leave, an' everybody knows that without water cattle can't live long." "If we can't drive 'em to water we'll have to do the next best thing." "And that is--" began Dave. "Bring the water to them!" "But how can we? The supply is cut off somewhere above. Dad went to see about it, but he hasn't come back yet." "Then we'll go up there too. Something's got to be done. It may take desperate measures, but if the Molicks have built a dam, to divert your water from here, we'll have to open it; that's all." "Will they let you?" asked Skinny, settling wearily in his saddle.