"Well, maybe, but I thought it must be the
hoss-thieves."
"Why would horse-thieves want to hurt our horses?"
"They wouldn't want to do that, but they might be thinking our horses
would fall and throw us. But I see that reasoning is weak. Maybe it was
young Merwell--and Hank Snogger. If it was, they ought to be punished
good an' proper, hear me!" went on the cowboy, with emphasis.
"I am going to look around the bushes," went on Dave, determinedly.
"Look out that you don't get into trouble, son. Anybody who would do
this would do worse."
Dave had seen a heavy stick lying beside the road, and arming himself
with this, he walked to the bushes and around them. In the soft soil he
made out a number of hoof-prints, and he called Todd's attention to
these.
"On hossback, both of 'em," said the cowboy, after an examination.
"Dave, you was right," he announced, a little later. "It must have been
Merwell and Snogger, fer see, they have taken the old trail along the
river. That leads to another trail that runs to the Merwell ranch."
"Well, they are gone, that's certain," answered the youth, after another
look around. "We may as well be on our way. But we ought to mend the
bridge."
"We'll do that,--an' post a warning, too," said the cowboy.
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