The Billings gazette. [volume] (Billings, Mont.) 1896-1919, 1899-10-06
The HorDet
Of the Sea.
BY HARRY e. ANDREWS.
A Thief Was Stopped In the Vic
Of Time by . Stingaree.
BY HARRY E. ANDREWS.


cts a coyote"
mo coyote made that mark-it's a
greaser!7 And. lowering his lantern,
Fritz Krantz pointed to the broad
print made by a bare foot in the sand.
II guess you're right said Will. the
younger brother, while MILDLY. the set
ter, who had been barking %furiously.
added, TIN sure Of it!' with a sniff
and a wag and an eye fash. K.
The boys had been called ont Of bed
by Middy's noisy alarm and the loud
commotion among the fowls in the cor
raj. They owned a chicken ranch in
southern California. near the bay Of
San Diego.
Their invalid father had come with
his family from the eastern states a
few years before and started this little
industry. He did not live to see 1t pay
dividends. but he told his boys that II
they would ''stay with it, 1t would
support them and their mother, and
always remember" said he, that the
Lord helps those who help them.
Selves
The young fellows mastered the hen
problem. They bred those famous
mortgage iifters," white leghorns.
The boys brokers were the first in the
market, their layers had scientific care
and did business when others didn't,
and their income from their enterprise
was growing every year.
He's got nothing" said VIII at last.
with an expression Of relief.
"Good dog, MILDLY! Good fellow" ex-
claimed Fritz fondly, patting the set
ter. 1--WE can go to bed all right with
you on guard
But before going in, they could not
help giving another look at the roost
where perched drowsily their pair Of
pet cockerels, the pride Of the coops
and the hope Of the young ranchers.
do you think they are winners,
WHIP" asked Fritz, as he cast a Ian
tern glow over the plump, contented
birds.
I'm sure Of It," said Will. There
isn't a pair in the country that can be.
gin with them. Everybody says So"
@ ZIG COully laI WhS ACul tdL AuAluS
and these young roosters were candi.
dates for the special prize of $50 Of.
fered by an enthusiastic fancier for the
best pair Of white leghorn cockerels.
"Mucho beautiful" cried old Este.
ban, the Mexican egg buyer, when he
came around a few weeks later. "'They
win sure. Az, la blancura! Only one
r0{,s mama mann fhop, Thay Nfan,,o1so
cross the bay, but not Sc white. no."
They were beauties, every m could
see that. Yes. they were rare and nj.
most perfect specimens Of their strain
and fully deserved old Esteban's eu-
logy.
One afternoon the boys had gone
back on the desert to hunt cottontail
rabbits, which their mother knew how
to fry so temptingly. and they were re.
turning with full bags. MILDLY trotting
along a few rods in advance.
AS they neared their home in the lit.
tie settlement by the sea. where only q
few cottages stood, and those far
apart, MILDLY came rushing back as
fast as he could gallop, barking like
mad and beside himself with excite
ment.
They soon ascertained what had *
cited the dog. There was a great hue
and cry in the poultry yards. and m
Of the pens had been broken.
"That thieving greaser again. and in
broad daylight this time"
They hurriedly took a census of their
stock.
"None missing here" said Fritz.
mo. they count up all right" replied
Will. land there are both the prize
cockerels over yonder."
Fritz paused a moment and turned
pale.
"But what's the matter with themT'
he exclaimed. and both boys anxiously
rushed Il the birds.
They're not u cockerels," cried
Will. "See those yellow feathers"
"And the white In their faces!" said
Fritz. II see through the trick. That
greaser has snapped with us"
Hes taken to the beach. See Mid
d.! He knows. You 20 down by the
old road and I'll take the steps. Wei
catch HIN yet"
The little colony sat on a blum RISING
almost perpsndicularly from tho beach
There were two paths to the sea-, one
BY an easily inclined road which
wound around the cliffs. and tho othe'
By q Ions, steep flight Of steps thai
scaled the face Of the blum.
Yrits and MILDLY anxiously scanned
~ heights and beat about tho llttlt