"That's all," chimed in his brother.
With Buck Tooth trailing behind, the three boys took the mountain trail and reached their camp near the reservoir that evening. They found Old Billee and Yellin' Kid waiting for them, these two cowboys having been assigned by Mr. Merkel to help his son in the lad's new venture.
"Well, yo' got back, I see," remarked Old Billee as he greeted the lads, the Indian going off by himself, for he was rather taciturn in his manner.
"Yes, we're here," admitted Bud. "But I can't understand that water coming back so unexpectedly."
"Are you sure it stopped running?" asked Yellin' Kid in his usual loud voice.
"Sure!" declared Bud. "Didn't Buck see it—or, rather, he didn't see it, for there wasn't any water to see coming through the pipe—only a few drops."
"I wouldn't take his word," declared Old Billee. "Not that Buck would actually lie, but those Indians are queer."
"Oh, we all saw that the water wasn't running," declared Nort.
"Well, it was when I got here," stated the old cowboy. "And there wasn't a sign of anything wrong. But if there had been I'd expected it, 'count of——"
"That black rabbit, I reckon!" broke in Bud.