Turning, Mr. Manley walked slowly toward the house. Teddy saw him mount the steps of a small side porch and enter his office. The door slammed shut. When Teddy rejoined his brother, who was waiting with the two horses, Star and Flash, already saddled, he told him of Nat Raymond’s wolf hunt. Then he spoke of their father’s behavior on learning of Peterson’s friendship with the two Leftons. “Seemed worried, did he?” Roy asked, and Teddy nodded. There was no more said for a time, and, mounting, the boys rode out of the yard. After an hour they came in sight of a small herd of cattle--about a hundred--and they loped over. “See if there are any strays in this bunch,” Roy said. “There are a few breaks in the fence, you know. Of course there’s no range near us--that is, no range where cattle are grazing, but we’ll look, anyway. The best time to take out strangers is before round-up, not after.” They came closer, and peered at the brands. On every cow there could be plainly seen the X--X. “Guess these are all right,” Teddy commented. “Might as well--” A peculiar whistle came from the air just above them, and the two boys ducked automatically. At the same instant Teddy’s hat flew from his head. He gasped, and put his hand up. Then he looked at the fingers in amazement. They were smeared with blood! CHAPTER XII VOICES IN THE NIGHT Teddy’s surprise did not prevent him from going into immediate action. He had not been hurt by the bullet, which had been just low enough to draw blood and not stun him. He jumped Flash forward and swung to the left, leaning far over his saddle. Roy, when he saw that his brother was not injured, followed. But there were no more shots. On the other side of the herd of cattle they halted. There were a hundred cows between them and the hidden gunman, for the shot could only have come from the one direction. Thus protected, they pulled rein. “Better slide off,” Roy said in a low voice. He dismounted, as did Teddy. “Let’s see your head.” Teddy submitted to an inspection. “Skin’s broken, but that’s all,” Roy pronounced, relief in his voice. “By golly! who in thunder did that?” His anger flared up suddenly. There is a feeling of helplessness about being shot at from ambush which fills one with a hot rage. “That’s the trick of a skunk! Tried to get you from the back! By golly--” “Well, he missed,” Teddy said shortly. His lips were pressed tightly together. His eyes flashed. “If we had guns on I’d like nothing better than to do a little hunting. I know where that shot came from. Some place in that grove of trees.” “What grove? Oh, there?” Roy pointed to a group of trees the tops of which could be seen over the backs of the cattle. Teddy nodded grimly. “I’d take a bet on it. That’s the only place anyone could hide. Say, gun or no gun--”