CHAPTER XV
THE SEARCH
Pleasant enough it was, riding over the sunlit, undulating broadstretches of the range, and Dick and Nort would have thoroughly enjoyedit had it not been for the nature of their errand. Had Bud been withthem they would probably have "whooped it up" with joyous, care-freeexuberance. But now they were rather solemn, not to say glum.
Dick, noticing that his brother rode along with his eyes bent on theground just ahead of the pony, inquired:
"What are you looking for--lost something?"
"No. But I was thinking about the possibility of poison weed and Ithought maybe I could spot it before anything happened."
"I don't take much stock in that poison weed theory," said Dick.
"No? What do you think caused the deaths?"
"Hanged if I know! I'm more concerned, right now, with finding outwhat's keeping Bud away."
"Well, that's why I was sort of looking for this weed--if there is sucha thing."
"You thought maybe he'd been overcome by it?"
"Somewhat--like Sam Tarbell was overcome, you know."
"There's a possibility of that," admitted Dick, with an anxious air."But we ought to meet him soon."
However they rode on for several miles, and though they strained theireyes for a sight of their returning cousin, they did not glimpse him.It was getting dusk when they came within view of the original herdwhich had been purchased with the ranch. The cattle were quietlyfeeding, chewing cuds or roaming about as suited each individual taste.But there was no sight of Bud.
"Something must have happened to him!" said Nort, voicing not only hisown fear but that of his brother. "He doesn't seem to be around here.Something sure has happened!"
"I'm beginning to fear so," admitted Dick. "He might have had atumble, or his pony might, and gotten a broken leg from it--I mean Budmight."
"He could manage to sit on his horse with a broken leg--that is somekinds of broken legs," Nort pointed out.
"He couldn't get back up in the saddle if he fell off and broke hisleg," objected Dick. "Gosh! I wish we'd find him."
They topped a little rise, which gave them a good view of thesurrounding territory, and eagerly scanned the vista. There seemed tobe nothing but cattle in sight, but a few moments after reaching thelittle hill summit Dick exclaimed:
"There's a pony!"
Excitedly he pointed to it, and a moment later Nort had taken his fieldglasses from their case and was focusing on the animal. After whatseemed like a long time, but which, really, was only a few seconds,Nort cried:
"That's Bud's horse all right!"
"Do you see Bud?" anxiously inquired Dick.
"No, he doesn't seem to be in sight. But let's ride over there."
They urged their ponies forward at top speed but as they drew nearBud's favorite mount, which he had brought with him from Diamond X, thesteed perversely kicked up his heels, wheeled about and was away on afast trot.
"He must have lost his bridle, or else the reins are caught up on thesaddle horn!" cried Dick as he and his brother took after the runaway.For a Western horse, in almost all cases, will stand still if the reinsare dropped over his head to the ground. Of course there areexceptions, but Bud's mount was well trained in this habit.Consequently when Nort and Dick saw the animal running from them theyrealized that one of two things must have happened. A horse cannot runfar with the bridle reins dangling in front of him. He is very likelyto step on them and trip himself up. But nothing like this happenedwith Star, which was the name of Bud's pony. He ran on easily.
"Have to rope him, I guess!" cried Nort, who was a little in advance ofhis brother.
"Go to it! We got to find out what's wrong!"
There was an exciting race for a few minutes but in the end Nort andhis trusty lariat won. The coils settled over the head of the runawayand he was gently brought to a halt. Once caught he was tractableenough. It was as though he had wanted to show off.
"Bridle's gone; eh?" remarked Dick as he cantered up alongside hisbrother and the captured horse. "That looks bad."
"Unless Bud took it off himself, to let his pony graze in more comfort."
"He wouldn't do that without hobbling him, and look--there's his rope."Dick pointed to the coils on the saddle horn.
"Then what happened? Is there any----"
Nort did not like to use the word "blood," but that is what he implied.And his brother knew the thought--that Bud might have been shot by somerustlers or roving desperados and so had been dropped from the saddle.But there were no evidences of foul play, and no signs of a struggle.No marks showed on the pony, either.
"Well, this sure is a mystery!" exclaimed Nort when the casualexamination, was over. "What has become of Bud?"
"That's what I'd like to know," echoed Dick. "What's the next move?"
"Better go back and tell some of the boys. We'll have to organize asearch."
"Guess that's the only thing to do," admitted Dick. "Gosh! The jinxwas only on a vacation. Now it's back in full force."
"Oh, I wouldn't go thinking the worst--not yet a while," urged Nort asthey started back for the ranch, leading Bud's mount by a rope aroundhis neck. "Something might have given Bud a fall and his pony mighthave run away. Then Bud may have met some cowboys who loaned him amount to get back on. He may be back at the ranch when we get there."
But Dick shook his head over this theory.
"If Bud had ridden back on a borrowed horse we'd have seen him, sure!"he declared. "We came the same trail he'd have used."
Truth to tell Nort did not think much of his own reasoning, but he putit forward as the best under the circumstances. There was clearly onlyone thing to do, and that was to acquaint the cowboys with the mysteryof Bud's disappearance as soon as possible, and get a search under way.
There was plenty of excitement at Dot and Dash when, in the shadows ofthe coming night, Nort and Dick galloped into the yard and shouted thenews. They knew, without asking, that Bud had not returned in theirabsence, so Yellin' Kid did not have to shout:
"He isn't here!"
"Then we've got to find him!" was Billee's conclusion after hearing thebrothers' story. "Come on, boys! We've got to search for Bud!"