Chapter I: Preface: My Dear Lads,

There are but few words of preface needed to a story that is not historical. The principal part of the tale is laid among the cow-boys of the Western States of America, a body of men unrivalled in point of hardihood and devotion to work, as well as in reckless courage and wild daring. Texas, which twenty-five years ago was the great ranching state, is no longer the home of the typical cow-boy, but he still exists and flourishes in New Mexico and the northern States and Territories. The picture I have given of their life can be relied upon, and its adventures and dangers are in no degree coloured, as I have taken them from the lips of a near relative of my own who was for some years working as a cow-boy in New Mexico. He was an actor in many of the scenes described, and so far from my having heightened or embellished them, I may say that I have given but a small proportion of the perilous adventures through which he went, for had I given them in full it would, I am sure, have seemed to you that the story was too improbable to be true. In treating of cow-boy life, indeed, it may well be said that truth is stranger than fiction.

Yours sincerely,
G. A. HENTY.

CONTENTS.

Chap. Page

I. An Advertisement, 11

II. Terrible News, 29

III. The Wanderer's Return 50

IV. An Explosion, 67

V. Across the Sea, 83

VI. A Horse Deal, 100

VII. Among the Cow-boys, 119

VIII. A Rattlesnake Diet, 136

IX. A Round-up, 156

X. A Race, 172

XI. A Fire on the Plains, 189

XII. An Indian Raid, 206

XIII. Rescued, 224

XIV. Surrounded by Redskins, 242

XV. With the Waggon Teams, 260

XVI. A Mining Expedition, 284

XVII. Carried off, 303

XVIII. The Brigands' Haunt, 321

XIX. A Fight and a Rescue, 339

XX. The Avenger, 359

ILLUSTRATIONS.

Page

The Meeting in the Inn Garden at El Paso, _Frontis. 290_

Symonds and Bill Tunstall have a Talk, 39

Hugh practises shooting with his Revolver, 72

"Hugh, seizing a poker, sprang at his Uncle," 81

When the Cow-boy fired, Hugh dropped on one knee, 98

"The next jump threw him fairly over the horse's head," 130

Branding the Calves at the "Round-up", 167

"A couple of kicks sent out the planks, and then we bolted," 195

"All safe, Father," cried Rosie, 230

The Cow-boys charged down upon the Indians, 262

Discovering the Body of the Bloodhound, 313

Besieged by Brigands, 346

REDSKIN AND COW-BOY.