The Pony Rider Boys in Texas by Frank Gee Patchin

camp that night, and when finally Tad was
awakened to take his watch, it seemed as if he had been asleep only a few
minutes. However, he sprang up wide awake and ready for the work ahead of him.
As usual, he went out with Big-foot. A warm friendship had sprung up between the
big cowboy and Tad Butler. They were together much of the time when their duties
permitted.
    "Is there any truth in that spook story?" asked Tad, as the two rode slowly
out to where the herd was bedded down.
    Big-foot hesitated.
    "You can call it whatever you want to. I only know that things happen to most
every outfit that gets within a hundred miles of the place. Why, out at the Ox
Bow ranch, they have the worst luck of any cattle place in the state. If it
wasn't for the fact that they keep their cows fenced in with wire fences, they
wouldn't have a critter on the place."
    "But, I don't understand," protested Tad. "I don't seem to get it through my
head what it is that causes all the trouble you tell me about."
    "No more does anybody else. They just know that hard luck is lying around
waiting for them when they get near and that's all they know about it."
    "When shall we be near there?" asked Tad Butler.
    "We are near enough now. Our troubles have begun already. Herd stampeded.
Ponies broke their legs and had to be shot. Nobody knows what else will break
loose before we get a hundred miles further on."
    "I am anxious to see the place," commented Tad.
    "You won't be after you've been there. I worked on a cow herd near the place
two years ago."
    "Yes?"
    "Well, I got out after I'd been pitched off my pony and got a broken leg.
That was only one of the things that happened to me, but it was enough. I got
out. And here I am running my head right into trouble again. Say, kid!"
    "Yes."
    "You'd better ask the Herr Professor to let you carry a gun. You'll need
it."
    "What forto lay ghosts with?" laughed the boy.
    "Well, mebby something of that sort."
    "Don't need it. I guess my fists will lay out any kind of a ghost that I run
against. If they won't, no gun will do any good. I don't believe in a boy's
carrying a pistol in his pocket. It will get him into more trouble than it will
get him out of."
    "Well, that's some horseback sense," grunted Big-foot. "I never built up
against that idee before, but I reckon it's right. We don't need 'em much
either, except to frighten the cows with when they start on a stampede,
and"
    "It doesn't seem to stop them," retorted Tad, with a little malicious smile.
"It strikes me that a boy without a gun can stop a runaway herd about as quickly
as can a cowboy with one."
    "Right again, my little pardner. Scored a bull's-eye that time. I guess
Big-foot Sanders hasn't any call to be arguing with you."
    "We were talking about spooks," the boy reminded him. "I am anxious to see
that church. I've wanted to see one all my life"
    "What? A church?"
    "No; a spook."
    "Oh! Can't promise to show you nothing of the sort. But I'll agree to stack
you up against a run of hard luck that will make you wobbly on your legs."
    "That will be nothing new, Big-foot. I've had that already."
    "Sure thing. That's the beginning of the trouble. As I was saying before, we
don't need the guns for any other reason unless it's against cattle rustlers.
Sometimes they steal cattle these days, but not so much as they did in the early
days of the cattle business."
    "Think we will meet any rustlers?" asked Tad, with sudden interest.
    "Nary a rustler will tackle this herd. First place, we are not yet in the
country where they can work profitably"
    "Where's that?"
    "Oh, anywhere where there's mountains for them to hide in. I'll show you
where the rustlers used to work, when we get further along on the trail. But, as
I was saying, there are no rustlers hereabouts."
    "Oh," answered Tad Butler, somewhat regretfully.
    "You never mind about hunting trouble. Trouble is coming to this outfit good
and plenty, and I reckon a kid like you will be