The Morning Joy
“What a night that was!”
Teddy, turning on his pillow, observed his brother. The early afternoon sun was streaming through the windows of their bedroom at the ranch house of the X Bar X. From the yard came sounds of a missing motor, interrupted by:
“Now yore hittin’ along, you ole puddle jumper. Hear that engine, Nick? Sweet, ain’t she, since I put that new carburetor on? Baby, this here lead mule—Stall on me, will yuh! Consarn yore brake-bands, I’ll blow yore piston rings clear to—”
“Bug Eye,” Teddy said, grinning. “He’s got his flivver out there. Reckon some one drove it over for him.” The boy yawned, and stretched high.
Roy observed the ceiling complacently. He seemed perfectly content to lie there, and think—think of the many things that had happened not twenty hours ago. Last night they were in Thunder Canyon, at Sholo Caves. Now they were at home, in their own room, listening to Bug Eye’s “Address to a Flivver.”
Lazily, Roy recalled that ride out of the canyon with the three girls and the two prisoners on horses they had found picketed near the cave. Clovita had gone with them, and it was lucky she had, for she showed them a short cut to the other side of the canyon, where they had met Mr. Manley and his party. His joy at having Belle back safe and sound was tremendous, as well it might be, and on that long ride home his corncob pipe was never unlit for a second. His humor kept the party in constant gales of laughter, not even excepting the two captured rustlers, who seemed a bit relieved that the whole business was over. Nick promised to visit them in jail and try to win some of his money back.
They had found Reltsur where they had left him, leaning against a tree, muttering to himself. The wound Teddy had inflicted was severe, but not fatal, and Mr. Manley, at all times considerate, even to an enemy, insisted that he take his bronco, while he rode double with Teddy. Gus shook his head at this display of “misplaced sympathy,” but, nevertheless, his admiration for his boss increased tenfold. In his own words, as he later described it to Rad Snell, “Mr. Manley is sure one white guy.”
On their way out of the canyon they had passed the hut of the old woman, Clovita’s sister. Here Clovita left them, Mr. Manley feeling that it would do no good to detain her. After all, she was but a tool in the hands of the outlaws. The last the boys saw of her she was beating on the door of the cabin with her bare fist, while within all was dark. Roy wondered vaguely if her sister had finally admitted her or whether she had to climb in a window.
The homecoming of the girls had been momentous. Mrs. Manley was waiting up, and with tears of joy in her eyes she embraced her daughter, and also Nell and Ethel.
“I knew you’d come to-night!” she exclaimed. “I just knew it! Belle, I prayed so hard for you all that you couldn’t help being safe! And now I have a suggestion. Mrs. Moore and Norine want to make some tea and toast. What about it?”
The yell that had gone up was answer enough. And after the rustlers had been put in the bunk-house, with Sing Lung guarding them with a huge knife and a ferocious frown on his face that would have deceived any one who did not know him, the rescue party sat down to a late midnight supper.
Mr. Manley had bound Reltsur’s arm up and quartered him with his companions, with Sing Lung as guard. As Roy, in bed, thought about this man a puzzled look came over his face.
“Say, Teddy,” he remarked, sitting up and gazing out the window at Bug Eye and his precious flivver, “that’s a funny name for any one to have.”
“What?” Teddy opened his eyes stupidly. “You talkin’ to me?”
“I say Reltsur is a mighty queer name.”
“Yea?”
Silence, unbroken save for the slow breathing of the boys. Then,
“I got it!” Teddy yelled suddenly.
“You got what?”
“I know what Reltsur means! Jimminy, I just thought of it! Came to me like a flash. I was always quick like that. Fast on my feet, too. I remember one time—”
“Well, for the love of Pete, spill it! What does Reltsur mean?”
Teddy gazed at his brother, a grin on his face.
“Spell it backwards!”
“Spell it—” Roy stopped and looked thoughtful. “Let’s see. R-u-s-t-l-e-r. Rustler! By jinks, Teddy, you’re right! Rustler! Who’d have thought it? The crazy guy. Using a thing like that for a name! Golly, he must be cookoo. Must think he’s a villain out of the middle ages. In those days a man would take for his name anything that—”
“You don’t say!” Teddy interrupted, laughing. “Well, that’s what Reltsur means, all right. Let’s get up and tell dad. Baby, that was some sleep! We got in about twelve, didn’t we? From twelve until—let’s see, one-thirty. Wow! I’m hungry! Let’s go down and see Ethel and Nell, and then we eat.”
As the boys descended the stairs, Teddy thought with a smile that but a few hours ago they weren’t sure whether they would ever see the old ranch again. They had expected a fierce fight, and were ready for it. They knew those rustlers could shoot, and Teddy and Roy had resigned themselves to whatever might occur. Yet they had met no one but an old woman and two punchers who played cards with Nick Looker! Teddy laughed aloud as he recalled Nick’s plaintive cry from the trail of Thunder Canyon:
“Hey, Roy, these two geezers won all my money playin’ seven-up!”
Outside, in the yard, Bug Eye was surrounded by a crowd to whom he was explaining the mysteries of his new carburetor. Belle and Ethel were standing arm in arm, and Mr. Manley was chuckling gleefully at Bug Eye’s attempt to show that a four-cylinder motor ran better when two of the cylinders refused to fire.
“She’s supposed to do that!” he was insisting. “That’s what this here doohickey is for—to con-serve gas! You see, yay, look who comes! Boys, you’re just in time! Make way! Make way, you vassels—or something like that. What’s the good word, boys?”
“Listen, and I’ll give you the low-down,” Roy laughed. “Dad, Teddy made a discovery—a stu-pen-dous discovery. He found out what Reltsur means!”
“He did, son? What is it?”
“Spell it backwards and you’ll soon see!”
For a moment there was silence. Nick’s head bobbed up and down, his tongue on his lower lip as he figured it to himself. Gus and Bug Eye struggled manfully, but had to wait until Mr. Manley shouted:
“Rustler! That’s it, sure as shootin’! Teddy, you’re a genius! It’s rustler turned around!”
“I always thought that bozo was a little balmy,” Pop Burns declared, when the matter was explained to him. “Now I know it! Snakes, it’s a wonder he doesn’t walk backwards! Huh! Rustler, hey? Guess he’s had enough action for a while, anyhow. He can think up new names fer himself while he’s sittin’ in jail—an’ if you take my advice, that won’t be at Hawley, boss!”
With a laugh, Mr. Manley agreed. Then he glanced fondly at his two sons, who had, together with their friends, brought this Reltsur to justice and had rescued Belle and the others from his clutches.
But the ranch boys were to have other happenings, and the further adventures of Roy and Teddy will be told in the next volume, to be called: “The X Bar X Boys on Whirlpool River.”
Teddy, leaning forward, whispered to Ethel. She nudged Belle and Nell, and, casually, the three girls walked away from the little group surrounding Bug Eye, who had continued his demonstration.
In a few moments the boys followed and met the girls near the corral. It was the work of but a few moments to saddle Flash and Star and three other ponies.
Softly they rode out of the yard. If any one saw them, they gave no sign. Once behind the corral Teddy leaped Flash forward.
“Let’s go!” he yelled. “To that stump out there! See it? Come on!”
Over the prairie the riders swept. And as they left the ranch houses, there came to them a faint, far-off voice:
“Now this carburetor, she works on a funny system. First the gas condenses in here, ya see, an’ the air is let in by this here doofunny——”
THE END
WESTERN STORIES FOR BOYS
By JAMES CODY FERRIS
Each Volume Complete in Itself.
Thrilling tales of the great west, told primarily for boys but which will be read by all who love mystery, rapid action, and adventures in the great open spaces.
The Manley boys, Roy and Teddy, are the sons of an old ranchman, the owner of many thousands of heads of cattle. The lads know how to ride, how to shoot, and how to take care of themselves under any and all circumstances.
The cowboys of the X Bar X Ranch are real cowboys, on the job when required, but full of fun and daring—a bunch any reader will be delighted to know.
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
THE X BAR X BOYS AT NUGGET CAMP
THE X BAR X BOYS AT RUSTLER’S GAP
THE X BAR X BOYS AT GRIZZLY PASS
THE X BAR X BOYS LOST IN THE ROCKIES
THE X BAR X BOYS RIDING FOR LIFE
THE X BAR X BOYS IN SMOKY VALLEY
GROSSET & DUNLAP, Publishers, NEW YORK
THE HARDY BOYS SERIES
By FRANKLIN W. DIXON
Illustrated. Every Volume Complete in Itself
The Hardy Boys are sons of a celebrated American detective, and during vacations and their off time from school they help their father by hunting down clues themselves.
THE TOWER TREASURE—A dying criminal confessed that his loot had been secreted “in the tower.” It remained for the Hardy Boys to clear up the mystery.
THE HOUSE ON THE CLIFF—Mr. Hardy started to investigate—and disappeared! An odd tale, with plenty of excitement.
THE SECRET OF THE OLD MILL—Counterfeit money was in circulation, and the limit was reached when Mrs. Hardy took some from a stranger. A tale full of thrills.
THE MISSING CHUMS—Two of the Hardy Boys’ chums disappear and are almost rescued by their friends when all are captured. A thrilling story of adventure.
HUNTING FOR HIDDEN GOLD—In tracing some stolen gold the trail leads the boys to an abandoned mine, and there things start to happen.
THE SHORE ROAD MYSTERY—Automobiles were disappearing most mysteriously from the Shore Road. It remained for the Hardy Boys to solve the mystery.
THE SECRET OF THE CAVES—when the boys reached the caves they came unexpectedly upon a queer old hermit.
THE MYSTERY OF CABIN ISLAND—A story of queer adventures on a rockbound island.
THE GREAT AIRPORT MYSTERY—The Hardy Boys solve the mystery of the disappearance of some valuable mail.
WHAT HAPPENED AT MIDNIGHT—The boys follow a trail that ends in a strange and exciting situation.
WHILE THE CLOCK TICKED—The Hardy Boys aid in vindicating a man who has been wrongly accused of a crime.
FOOTPRINTS UNDER THE WINDOW—The Smuggling of Chinese into this country is the basis of this story in which the boys find thrills and excitement aplenty.
GROSSET & DUNLAP, Publishers, NEW YORK
TED SCOTT FLYING STORIES
By FRANKLIN W. DIXON
Illustrated. Each Volume Complete in Itself.
No subject has so thoroughly caught the imagination of young America as aviation. This series has been inspired by recent daring feats of the air, and is dedicated to Lindbergh, Byrd, Chamberlin and other heroes of the skies.
OVER THE OCEAN TO PARIS;
or, Ted Scott’s Daring Long Distance Flight.
RESCUED IN THE CLOUDS;
or, Ted Scott, Hero of the Air.
OVER THE ROCKIES WITH THE AIR MAIL;
or, Ted Scott Lost in the Wilderness.
FIRST STOP HONOLULU;
or, Ted Scott Over the Pacific.
THE SEARCH FOR THE LOST FLYERS;
or, Ted Scott Over the West Indies.
SOUTH OF THE RIO GRANDE;
or, Ted Scott On a Secret Mission.
ACROSS THE PACIFIC;
or, Ted Scott’s Hop to Australia.
THE LONE EAGLE OF THE BORDER;
or, Ted Scott and the Diamond Smugglers.
FLYING AGAINST TIME;
or, Breaking the Ocean to Ocean Record.
OVER THE JUNGLE TRAILS;
or, Ted Scott and the Missing Explorers.
LOST AT THE SOUTH POLE;
or, Ted Scott in Blizzard Land.
THROUGH THE AIR TO ALASKA;
or, Ted Scott’s Search in Nugget Valley.
FLYING TO THE RESCUE;
or, Ted Scott and the Big Dirigible.
DANGER TRAILS OF THE SKY;
or, Ted Scott’s Great Mountain Climb.
FOLLOWING THE SUN SHADOW;
or, Ted Scott and the Great Eclipse.
BATTLING THE WIND;
or, Ted Scott Flying Around Cape Horn.
GROSSET & DUNLAP, Publishers, NEW YORK
HAL KEEN MYSTERY STORIES
By HUGH LLOYD
Boys! Meet Hal Keen, that lanky, nonchalant, red-headed youth whose guiding star is the star that points to adventure, excitement and mystery. Follow him in his hunts for clues and criminals. There are plenty of thrills and shivers in these stories to keep you on your toes.
THE SMUGGLER’S SECRET
Hal Keen sets out to get to the bottom of a mystery that threatens the safety of a whole community.
THE MYSTERIOUS ARAB
Mystery, excitement, murder in a scientist’s camp in the jungles of Africa, where hate, revenge, and suspicion lead to tragedy.
THE HERMIT OF GORDON’S CREEK
The disappearance of two airmail pilots leads to a mystery that centers about an abandoned mine and a strange old man.
KIDNAPPED IN THE JUNGLE
A hint of buried treasure in the ruins of an old French mission leads Hal deep into the Central American jungle.
THE COPPERHEAD TRAIL MYSTERY
Baffling and blood-curdling events center about the ranch where Hal Keen and his friends had gone in search of gold.
THE LONESOME SWAMP MYSTERY
The lonely and mysterious swamp gave up its secret only after a series of terrifying events taxed Hal’s courage and ability.
THE CLUE AT SKELETON ROCKS
In this new thriller Hal Keen finds mystery and adventure in and about a lonely lighthouse on Skeleton Rocks, off the Maine coast.
THE DOOM OF STARK HOUSE
Mystery and terror in an old house in the wilderness above Quebec where Hal Keen is the guest of a strange family.
GROSSET & DUNLAP, Publishers, NEW YORK