Chapter I: Preface

"Three Young Ranchmen" relates the adventures of three brothers, Allen, Chetwood and Paul Winthrop, who are left to shift for themselves upon a lonely ranch home situated in the mountainous region of the beautiful State of Idaho, near one of the numerous branches of the Salmon River.

The lads, although sturdy and brave, have no easy time making a living, and among other troubles, they are visited by horse thieves, and also by a crafty prospector who wishes to take their claim away from them. In the meantime an uncle of the lads has gone off to visit the city, and he disappears entirely, adding to the complexity of the situation. What the boys did to straighten out the trouble is told in the chapters which follow.

In writing this story I have tried to give my boy readers a fair idea of life on a ranch of to-day, as well as of life in the wild mountains of Idaho, with some idea of the ranch hands and miners to be met with in these localities. The tale has been drawn as true to nature as possible, and I trust its reading will prove both entertaining and useful.

CAPTAIN RALPH BONEHILL.

CONTENTS

CHAPTER I. AN UNPLEASANT DISCOVERY

CHAPTER II. ALLEN ON THE TRAIL

CHAPTER III. A DANGEROUS SITUATION

CHAPTER IV. THE MAN IN THE SINK HOLE

CHAPTER V. GOOD CAUSE FOR ALARM

CHAPTER VI. FROM ONE PERIL TO ANOTHER

CHAPTER VII. THE CAVE IN THE MOUNTAIN

CHAPTER VIII. INTO A SNAKE'S NEST

CHAPTER IX. A VISITOR AT THE RANCH

CHAPTER X. THE CAPTAIN'S SETBACK

CHAPTER XI. IKE WATSON'S ARRIVAL

CHAPTER XII. THE BOYS TALK IT OVER

CHAPTER XIII. CAUGHT IN A CYCLONE

CHAPTER XIV. ANOTHER SURPRISE

CHAPTER XV. AT DOTTERY'S RANCH

CHAPTER XVI. AN ENCOUNTER IN THE DARK

CHAPTER XVII. SOMETHING ABOUT A LETTER

CHAPTER XVIII. ALLEN CHANGES HIS PLANS

CHAPTER XIX. ALONG THE WATER COURSE

CHAPTER XX. MOVING AGAINST CAPTAIN GRADY

CHAPTER XXI. SHOOTING A GRIZZLY BEAR

CHAPTER XXII. AN IMPORTANT CAPTURE

CHAPTER XXIII. NEWS OF IMPORTANCE

CHAPTER XXIV. SOMETHING ABOUT BARNABY WINTHROP

CHAPTER XXV. FIGHTING A WOLVERINE

CHAPTER XXVI. DISAPPEARANCE OF SLAVIN

CHAPTER XXVII. ALLEN SHOWS HIS BRAVERY

CHAPTER XXVIII. A BUFFALO STAMPEDE

CHAPTER XXIX. THE LONG LOST FOUND

CHAPTER XXX. TOGETHER AT LAST--CONCLUSION

ILLUSTRATIONS

HORSE AND YOUTH WENT PLUNGING HEADLONG

THE MAN CAUGHT THE END OF THE GUN

VAINLY HE PUT OUT HIS HANDS TO STAY HIS PROGRESS

HOLDING THE SNAKE, HE LEAPED OUT OF THE CIRCLE OF REPTILES

THE THREE YOUNG RANCHMEN TALKED IT OVER

THREE YOUNG RANCHMEN