"What's that?" asked the lad, with an instinctive glance at the black pipe, whence the water spouted. His first thought was of that.
"There's five of your steers dead, over near the last water trough!" was the answer.
"Steers dead!" gasped Bud. "Rustlers?" he asked, quickly.
"Don't 'pear to be," Billee answered. "There isn't a mark on 'em. Maybe it's glanders. Better get Doc. Tunison right over."
Which Bud did, by telephone.
The veterinarian, who looked after the health of cattle in that vicinity, appeared in due season. Bud, with his cousins and Old Billee went out to where the dead cattle lay, now stiff and stark. Some buzzards flopped heavily off as the party approached.
"Hum!" mused Dr. Tunison as he began his examination. It did not take him long to complete it. "I thought so," he remarked, as he looked at Bud.
"What is it?"
"Germs!" was the answer. "The epidemic's struck you, Bud!"