E-text prepared by Al Haines Note: Project Gutenberg also has an HTML version of this file which includes the original illustrations. See 21794-h.htm or 21794-h.zip: (https://www.gutenberg.org/dirs/2/1/7/9/21794/21794-h/21794-h.htm) or (https://www.gutenberg.org/dirs/2/1/7/9/21794/21794-h.zip) THE BOY FROM THE RANCH Or Roy Bradner's City Experiences by FRANK V. WEBSTER Author of "Only a Farm Boy," "The Newsboy Partners," "Bob the Castaway," "The Young Treasure Hunter," Etc. Illustrated [Frontispiece: "Some fired their revolvers"] New York Cupples & Leon Company Publishers Copyright, 1909, by Cupples & Leon Company THE BOY FROM THE RANCH CONTENTS CHAPTER I. ROY RECEIVES A MESSAGE II. MR. BRADNER IS SUSPICIOUS III. A FAREWELL RIDE IV. ROY IS PUZZLED V. A QUEER BED VI. A SUDDEN AWAKENING VII. A GAME ON THE TRAIN VIII. A STOP FOR REPAIRS IX. THE DUDE IS SWINDLED X. ROY GAINS A FRIEND XI. ROY STOPS A RUNAWAY XII. AT THE HOTEL XIII. A VISIT TO MR. ANNISTER XIV. ROY'S TRICK XV. CALEB ANNISTER IS SURPRISED XVI. SOME NEW EXPERIENCES XVII. CALEB ANNISTER MAKES PLANS XVIII. ROY IN DANGER XIX. ROY IS MISSING XX. IN THE TENEMENT XXI. A DANGEROUS DESCENT XXII. GETTING A CLUE XXIII. A LAWYER'S ADVICE XXIV. ANOTHER RASCALLY ATTEMPT XXV. THE ROUND-UP--CONCLUSION LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS "Some fired their revolvers" . . . . . . _Frontispiece_ "Look out," cried Roy, "they are swindlers!" "Get out of my office!" "I think you'll stay there for a while," said Wakely. THE BOY FROM THE RANCH CHAPTER I ROY RECEIVES A MESSAGE "Hi there, Low Bull, ruste [Transcriber's note: rustle?] around the other way and round up them steers! Hustle now! What's the matter with you? Want to go to sleep on the trail?" Billy Carew, foreman of the Triple O ranch, addressed these remarks to a rather ugly-looking Indian, who was riding a pony that seemed much too small for him. The Indian, who was employed as a cowboy, was letting his steed amble slowly along, paying little attention to the work of rounding up the cattle. "Come now, Low Bull, get a move on," advised the foreman. "Make believe you're hunting palefaces," he added, and then, speaking in a lower tone he said: "this is the last time I'll ever hire a lazy Indian to help round-up." "What's the matter, Billy?" asked a tall, well-built lad, riding up to the foreman. "Matter? Everything's the matter. Here I foolishly go and give Low Bull charge of the left wing of rounding up these steers, and he's so lazy and good-for-nothing that he'll let half of 'em get away 'fore we get back to the ranch. Get a move on you now!" he called to the Indian, and, seeing that the foreman was very much in earnest, Low Bull urged his pony to a gallop, and began to get the straggling steers into some kind of shape.