The Motor Boys on a Ranch; or, Ned, Bob and Jerry Among the Cowboys

Three young friends set out on a summer outing that begins with mechanical troubles and leads them to the western ranch life, where they become entangled in a local mystery involving cattle raids and a band of raiders. Alongside an eccentric professor who turns out to be a stowaway, they face breakdowns, wrong mounts, midnight alarms, and aerial observations that reveal suspicious activity. Clues such as queer marks and a secret passage deepen the puzzle, prompting anxious days, a large roundup, and a climactic confrontation that resolves the mystery and delivers an unexpected final surprise.