But at this moment Bud came out of the tent, having finished his telephonic talk with his father. "There's an epidemic of disease at dad's Square M ranch," Bud explained to his cousins and the others. "It's so bad that a lot of the steers have already died, and dad is going to take off the rest of the stock before they catch the trouble. Some he's going to put at Triangle B, some at Diamond X and some he's going to haze over to us. We'll have to double up, fellows," he told Nort and Dick. "I guess dad is glad he's got Flume Valley now. It may save him a lot of money that otherwise he'd lose." "Got t' double up, eh?" murmured Old Billee Dobb. "How many head's he goin' t' send here, Bud?" "About five hundred he told me. They'll be stock that hasn't been near the infected cattle," he went on, "so there won't be any danger to our herds." "Can we look after five hundred more steers?" asked Nort. "Oh, I'm comin' to help you," offered Snake. "I forgot t' say that I was going t' move into one of your _flats_," and he waved his hand toward where the white tents made an attractive camp. "Didn't bring my duffle bag," he added, "but one of th' boys is going t' ride over this evening with his 'n' mine." "Is some one else coming?" Bud wanted to know. "If we double up too much we'll need more grub." "Your dad told me t' tell you he'd send some," went on Snake. "Yep, a new ranch hand is due t' arrive this evenin'. He's a wonder with th' gun an' rope, t' hear him tell it!" chuckled Snake. "One of them fly boys?" asked Old Billee, mildly, with a gleam of light in his eyes, however. "Will his heels need clippin', Snake?" "Might," was the brief answer. "But now you know th' worst. There's trouble at Square M, an' you'll have to double up with cow punchers an' stock, Bud." "I don't mind," said the boy rancher. "Dad says he'll split the profits with me, and that's what we're looking for--to make a success of Flume Valley ranch. We'll do it, too!" he asserted confidently. "If th' water holds out, an' no more black rabbits don't throw you," murmured Old Billee Dobb. "Shucks!" laughed Bud, but the day was to come when he recalled the old cowboy's ominous warning. "It's queer, though," said Bud that evening, when they were gathered around the camp fire, discussing the coming of the cattle from Square M, which were to arrive the following day, or the one after that. "It's queer what made that disease break out so suddenly among dad's steers. There aren't any cases of it at Double Z; are there?" he asked Snake. "And Fisher's place is the next one nearest ours." "No, I don't recall hearin' that Hank's stock is sufferin' any," the cowboy admitted. "But Square M is hard hit. It's a disease the government experts are tryin' t' find a remedy for. Been experimentin' with all sorts of serums, germs an' th' like, I understand." "Is it a germ disease?" asked Nort.