Realizing that there was nothing more to be learned within the office, Roy and Teddy returned to the ranch yard and informed the men of what had occurred. There was a quick rush for “shootin’ irons,” which had to be forcibly quelled. There were many saddened faces when Roy told them that they could not start in immediate pursuit of the marauder, but must wait for the return of the boss. “I hate to hang around here as much as you do,” he finished. “But dad’ll be back soon, and then we’ll have our inning. There’s a bare chance that some one else may pick up The Pup. If that happens, we’ll be saved the trouble--although it would almost be a pleasure,” and his lips shut tightly. “An’ we ain’t to do nothin’?” Pop Burns asked wistfully. “Not yet awhile. We can’t. If dad were only here, we could get up a gang and go after him. But we’ve got to stay on the place. That was the order, an’ I aim to see it’s enforced. Of course if when you are on range you should see The Pup, well--” “That’s enough, Roy,” Nat interrupted feelingly. “We’ll do the rest. There ain’t no need for you to elucidate. But aside from that, if you say we stick on the ranch, stick we do. But I hope the boss gets back soon. Marino--the polecat! Rustlin’ one of our best horses! The ole--” and Nat proceeded to lay bare the secrets of The Pup’s life as he understood them. The first excitement of the discovery over, the ranch settled down to its usual workaday tasks. There was much to be done, and the men were soon absorbed in their labor. There are dull times about a ranch, but the early fall is not one of them, and thus it was that when a rider, dusty, hot, and tired, loped into the ranch yard he found it deserted. The only person in sight was Sing Lung, who sat in the doorway of the cook house enjoying the morning sun, and probably dreaming about the pleasanter and more picturesque lands across the sea. But when he saw the horseman, a grin came to his face and he waved a hand. “’Lo, Nick,” he beamed. “Why you come back quick? Cows all fixee, maybe yes?” “Maybe no,” Nick answered shortly, “Rustle me some grub, pronto, Sing. Where’s Roy an’ Teddy?” “Horse pen, me t’ink. You find?” With a grateful sigh, Nick slid from his horse and set out for the corral. “I been ridin’ most of the night,” he sang out over his shoulder, “so let that grub be early and plenty.” He found the boys engaged in replacing one of the corral rails. Roy held one end of the new bar in place and Teddy was about to raise the other when he saw the man on foot. “Nick!” he exclaimed, and dropped the rail. “What in thunder--” “Left yore dad last night late,” Nick interrupted wearily, “an’ rode like a fool to get here. I got a message for you.” He reached in his vest pocket and drew forth a soiled paper. Looking at it with a glassy stare for a moment, he passed it over to Roy. Wonderingly, the boy took it, and as Nick flung himself full length upon the grass he opened it and read: “Roy and Teddy: