Cowboy Dave

Frank Webster wrote adventure books for boys. His books include Only a Farm Boy, Tom, the Telephone Boy, The Boy from the Ranch, The Young Treasurer Hunter, Bob, the castaway, The Young Firemen of Lakeville, The Newsboy Partners, The Boy Pilot of the Lakes, and The Two Boy Gold Miners. This story begins on a cattle ranch. "What was coming seemed to be a thunderous cloud of dust, from the midst of which came strange, shrill sounds, punctuated with sharp cries, that did not appear to be altogether human. The dust-cloud grew thicker, the thunder sounded louder, and the yells were shriller. From one of a group of dull, red buildings a sun-bronzed man stepped forth. He shaded his eyes with a brown, powerful hand, gazed for an instant toward the approaching cloud of animated and vociferous dust and, turning to a smiling Chinese who stood near, with a pot in his hand, remarked in a slow, musical drawl: "Well Hop Loy, here they are, rip-roarin' an' snortin' from th' round-up!"