The X Bar X Boys on the Ranch

The X Bar X Boys #1

by James Cody Ferris, Walter S. Rogers (Illustrator)

The X Bar X boys ride into Eagles to meet their father, who is arriving by train after a week in "the city." They are bringing his horse, General. When they greet their father at the station, he introduces them to Nell and Ethel, whom he has met on the train and who are coming from New York to visit the neighboring 8 X 8 ranch. While they are talking, the boys' horses Flash and Star, along with General, are stolen. Gilly Froud, a former ranch hand on the X Bar X who had been fired for mistreating Flash, is suspected of the theft, along with a band of ne'er-do-wells he has gathered around him. When local ranches begin to lose cattle in large numbers, it is time for the X Bar X-ers to put an end to it.

Hardcover

First published January 1, 1926

About the author

James Cody Ferris is one of the Stratemeyer Syndicate pseudonyms. Includes authors: Edward Stratemeyer, Howard Roger Garis, Edna Camilla Stratemeyer Squier, Harriet Stratemeyer Adams, Roger Carroll Garis, Frank Dorrance Hopley, Walter Karig, Grace May North, John W. Duffield, Dr. John Conyers Button, Jr and Leslie McFarlane.

Series:
* The X-Bar-X Boys

Reviews

[Roberta · Rating 3 out of 5]

Roy and Teddy Manley ride into Eagles to meet their father's train and, while they are there, their horses are stolen by the cattle rustlers who have been raiding surrounding ranches. Roy, Teddy, their father, and the ranch hands from both the X Bar X ranch and the neighboring 8 X 8 ranch set out to track down the outlaws.

This book was written in 1926 by Howard R. Garis (author of the The Uncle Wiggly stories), so it is neither a 19th nor a 21st century version of the "old west" but readers who are used to kids books written in the 1920's may find it more modern than they expect. The Manley's neighbors have more than one car and the Manley ranch has both electricity and indoor plumbing. The family is considerate of their domestic animals, not approving of the use of whips and spurs.

Women are all motherly but not smothering, girls are all sweet and practical. No saloon floozies in this wild west. All males carry a gun but they will only shoot to kill a rattlesnake, mountain lion, cattle rustler, or New Yorker wearing dress shoes. The Chinese and Irish are servants.

The action is non-stop with the two boys playing an active part, often alone in the wilderness. Not any less realistic than most books of the Hardy Boys genre.

There is no swearing in the book but the boys' constantly using the exclamation "Well, I'll tell a maverick!" continues all too frequently through the series and will become mighty annoying.

Page 63 error: Regardless of your feelings about snakes, rattlesnakes are not "slimy."

[Kevin · Rating 2 out of 5]

This genre of series fiction isn't for me. I'm sure there are others who found this series exciting, but based on this volume I'm not looking to read more.