CHAPTER IX
A CALL FOR HELP
This announcement, calling attention to the approach of the scientist,rather overshadowed other matters for a moment. But the interest wasmade more intense when the identity of the men accompanying theprofessor was made known.
"He's in with a bunch of Greasers!" cried Snake Purdee.
"And look who one of 'em is!" added Nort. "It's the _spy_!"
Without doubt one of the approaching party was the same Mexican who hadso airily bidden our friends "_adios_," on the occasion of his firstvisit.
"Well, what do you know about that!" exclaimed Bud.
"What do you reckon the professor is doing, or was doing, over there?"asked Nort.
No one answered him, but Bud turned toward Old Billee.
The veteran cow puncher had spoken of "suspicions." Bud wondered ifthey were along a line that might connect with the professor. But ifOld Billee had anything to say he was keeping it to himself. Thoughthere was a quizzical look on his face as he observed the approachinghorseman, of whom Professor Wright appeared to form the nucleus.
"If those fellows think they can cover up their game by getting one ofour friends to accompany them, they've got another guess coming," saidBud grimly.
"That's right--don't let 'em cross!" cried Dick.
But the "spy," as he was called for want of a better name, and hisMexican companions, seemed to have no intentions of fording Spur Creekwhich, though rather wide, was not very deep in some places. Reiningin their horses when yet several hundred feet from the southern bank ofthe stream, the Mexicans halted, and the one who had ridden up aloneseveral days before, waved his hand toward the waiting cowboys, andthen motioned to the professor as if saying:
"There are your friends."
As a matter of fact that is what he did say, for Professor Wright saidso when, a little later, he had urged his horse across the creek, andhad joined the boy ranchers and their friends.
Watching the scientist cross the stream, the Mexicans stood for amoment, rather picturesque figures on the southern bank and then, whenthe "spy" had again lighted a cigaret, and waved his hand as if inmocking farewell, the band rode off.
It was a very silent contingent from Diamond X that watched the loneapproach of Professor Wright. The scientist seemed worn to weariness,and looked worried as he smiled at his acquaintances and said:
"Well, here I am."
"So we see," observed Billee Dobb, dryly, not to say sarcastically.
"Where have you been?" asked Bud.
"Did they capture you and hold you for ransom?" Nort wanted to know.
"What happened?" asked Dick.
"With my usual stupidity I became lost again," explained ProfessorWright. "I have been out looking around, 'prospecting,' I believe itis called, seeking a new deposit of fossil bones. I wandered fartherthan I intended, and got across the creek. I found I was on the wrongtrail, and that there was nothing much of interest there, so I turnedto come back. But I must have turned the wrong way, and have gonesouth instead of north, for I began to note signs that I wasapproaching the Mexican border.
"I started back then, when these gentlemen overtook me. They were verykind and when I told them where I wanted to go they agreed to accompanyme."
"Passing over for the time being the use of the word 'gentlemen,' andrealizing that you probably don't know them as well as we do, I'd liketo ask if they said why they were coming this way?" asked Billee.
"No, they didn't, and I didn't ask them," replied the professor. "Theyjust seemed to be riding for pleasure."
"Pleasure of their own kind," chuckled Snake.
"Did you see anything of sheep in your wanderings?" asked Yellin' Kid.
The professor thought for a moment before replying. He was alwayscareful to give a correct and exact answer to a question.
"I saw no sheep," he declared.
"That's queer," murmured Billee. "From what news we have it'spractically certain they're going to try to rush sheep in here soon,and yet they aren't in sight."
Then Bud bethought himself of something.
"Did you _smell_ any sheep, Professor?" the boy asked.
Again the scientist thought before answering.
"Yes, I _smelled_ sheep very strongly, though I saw none," he said. "Idistinctly remember the smell of sheep, for it brought back to my mindmy youthful days when I used to go to the county fair. I _smelled_sheep all right."
"That's more like it!" cried Yellin' Kid.
"Where were they?" asked Billee eagerly.
"That is more than I can say," answered the professor. "We were in ahilly section, when those gentlemen overtook me and kindly offered toescort me here, and it was when the wind blew that I smelled sheep moststrongly."
"In what direction was the wind?" asked Nort, for he thought he mightget a clue in this way, as he realized the scientist was likely to havenoticed natural effects like wind or rain.
"The wind--ah, yes--the wind was blowing from the south," saidProfessor Wright, after thinking it over for a moment.
"Well, that's where I'd expect 'em to be," declared Old Billee."They're probably working their way up slowly. Did you see anythingelse suspicious, Professor--or smell anything?"
"Suspicious!" exclaimed the college man. "What do you mean? Is thereanything suspicious in the smell of sheep--or the sight of them, forthat matter?"
"I guess you don't understand," spoke Bud. "You have probably been sobusy with your research work that you haven't had a chance to hear thenews about the opening of the new range land, and the danger of sheepcoming in."
"I heard something of this--and the theft of your father's papers--thenight I arrived, and caused you so much trouble," the professoradmitted. "But, truth to tell, it slipped my mind, and I gave nofurther thought to it. So you fear the advent of sheep; do you? Arethey likely to spread some disease among your cattle?"
"Disease? They'll drive the cattle away!" cried Old Billee, and thenit was briefly explained to the professor what a menace the sheep were,though very necessary in their own station of life.
"I'm sorry I didn't observe more closely," said Professor Wright. "AsI told you, my mind was filled with thoughts of new fossil deposits Imight discover, and I wandered too far. Then these gentlemen found meand showed me the way back."
"They were glad enough of the excuse," murmured Nort.
"Excuse for what?" the scientist wanted to know.
"Excuse for getting back here to have a peep at us," answered Bud."They wanted to see if we were still on guard," and he explained aboutthe "fort."
"Well, they found us here and waiting," commented Dick grimly.
Professor Wright consented to stay for lunch at the outpost of DiamondX, but declined an invitation to remain over night, saying he must getback to his colleagues who would be wondering over his long absence.
"Are you sure you can find your way back to your camp?" asked Bud, forthe scientists were established not far from Mr. Merkel's ranch houses.
"Oh, yes, I can make it all right," was the reply. "Thank you."
And when he was gone, many curious glances followed him. He was alwaysa matter of curiosity to the cowboys for they could not understand hisdeep interest in digging up the bones of monster animals that hadwalked the earth millions of years ago. However, Bud and his cousinscould appreciate this scientific interest, knowing what it added to thesum of human knowledge.
But now there was a new source of curiosity regarding the professor,and I am frank to say there was no little suspicion. In spite of thefact that (as I have told you in the first book of this series), theprofessor was cleared of certain suspicions there still remained, inthe mind of some persons, suspicions and lurking thoughts.
Why had the scientist returned to Diamond X at the very time when thegovernment opened the land to claimants? Why had he led astray thepursuit of those who fired the shots that night? And now was hisexplanation of how he happened to be in company with thos
e believed tobe sheep herders a good explanation?
These were questions that needed answering, though it may be said thatthe older cowboys were more concerned about them than were the boyranchers. They were young enough to be naturally unsuspicious of theirscientific friend.
"But I wish I knew what he really crossed the creek for," said Billee.
"Then you don't believe his story?" asked Snake Purdee.
"Not by a long shot!" exclaimed Billee. "Do you?"
"'Twas kinder fishy," admitted the other. "But what would his objectbe, and what was his game?"
Billee had no chance to answer, for just then the telephone belljingled, and the veteran cow puncher answered it. He had no soonergiven the customary "hello," than the expression on his face changedand he cried:
"You don't say so! That's too bad! All right, some of us will beright over."
"What's the matter?" asked Bud anxiously, coming up just in time tohear Billee's remark.
"There's trouble back at the ranch," was the grim answer. "They havejust called for help!"
"Trouble! What sort?"
"Oh, nobody's hurt, as far as that goes," Billee hastened to assure theboy. "But there's been a raid on your cattle. Rustlers up to theirold tricks, I reckon. It's a call for help from Diamond X!"