THE X BAR X BOYS ON WHIRLPOOL RIVER [Illustration: THE RUSHING CURRENT SWEPT TEDDY OUT OF REACH OF THE ROCK.] -------------------------------------------------------------------- THE X BAR X BOYS ON WHIRLPOOL RIVER BY JAMES CODY FERRIS Author of “The X Bar X Boys on the Ranch,” “The X Bar X Boys in Thunder Canyon,” etc. ILLUSTRATED BY Walter S. Rogers NEW YORK GROSSET & DUNLAP PUBLISHERS Made in the United States of America -------------------------------------------------------------------- WESTERN STORIES FOR BOYS By JAMES CODY FERRIS THE X BAR X BOYS BOOKS THE X BAR X BOYS ON THE RANCH THE X BAR X BOYS IN THUNDER CANYON THE X BAR X BOYS ON WHIRLPOOL RIVER THE X BAR X BOYS ON BIG BISON TRAIL THE X BAR X BOYS AT THE ROUND-UP (OTHER VOLUMES IN PREPARATION.) GROSSET & DUNLAP, PUBLISHERS, NEW YORK Copyright, 1926, by GROSSET & DUNLAP The X Bar X Boys on Whirlpool River -------------------------------------------------------------------- CONTENTS I King of the Forest II The Brainy Beastie III An Angry Visitor IV Joe Marino V Guarded Words VI To Whirlpool River VII Suspicion VIII Follow Us IX The Water Trail X A Figure among the Trees XI A Night in the Woods XII Voices in the Night XIII The Fugitive XIV Failure XV A Vain Search XVI Separated XVII Primitive Tactics XVIII Afloat Again XIX The Whirlpool XX Burying the Hatchet XXI The Chase XXII The Man at the Fire XXIII Boss and Bandit XXIV Flying Bullets XXV Meet the Wife -------------------------------------------------------------------- THE X BAR X BOYS ON WHIRLPOOL RIVER CHAPTER I King Of The Forest “If there be such in these woods, then such there be,” announced Teddy Manley, and punctuated this cryptic utterance with a slight grunt as he bent over the marks in the soft earth. “No doubt, no doubt,” his brother, Roy, declared dryly. “Speak the mother tongue, Teddy. What are you staring at, anyhow?” “Take a look for yourself,” Teddy answered briefly, and stepped aside. Roy moved closer, gazed curiously at the impressions on the ground, then gave a low whistle. “Bear tracks!” he exclaimed excitedly. “Bear tracks, or I’m a shad!” “You remain as originally intended,” remarked Teddy. “Those are definite, certain, and never-to-be-doubted bear tracks. Now the burning question is--” he hitched up his belt and turned his head from side to side. “Whar am Mister B’ar?” Roy hunched his shoulders in a gesture expressing entire ignorance of the subject. The tracks were fairly fresh, but their maker could be many miles away by this time.