Part 18 (1/2)
”Yes, I reckon we'll have to fight,” conceded Bud with a half sigh. He was not afraid, but he knew in a fight some would be hurt and perhaps more than one killed. And this was not as it ought to be. Still with each side standing on what it considered its rights, what else could be expected?
”How many Greasers they got?” asked Yellin' Kid, after a pause, during which Bud took another observation through the gla.s.s.
The boy rancher looked, seemed to be counting and then, as he lowered the gla.s.s from his eye, he answered:
”There's a dozen of 'em!”
Significantly Nort silently, but obviously, counted those of his own party. There were but five, for some of the cowboys had been left at Diamond X after the defeat of the rustlers.
”We'd better let your dad know--what say?” asked Kid of Bud.
”I think so--yes. And he'd better send out a few more men. We don't want to take any chances.”
This was considered a wise move. But before going in to telephone to his father--for that was the most rapid method of letting him know the situation so he could send help--before going to the instrument Bud asked:
”Say, I'm wondering how, if those fellows intend to take this open range pasture--how are they going to get their sheep over?”
”You mean over the river?” asked Nort.
”Yes. How they going to get the animals across so they can feed on this side?”
For a moment no one answered, then Yellin' Kid replied:
”Why, they'll just naturally haze 'em over; that's all.”
”You mean drive 'em through the creek?” asked Bud.
”Sure.”
”The water's too deep.”
”Maybe there's a ford,” suggested Kid.
Bud shook his head.
”I tried to find one for my horse the other day,” he said. ”I thought I had but it was a quicksand and I was glad enough to get out without being stuck. There's no ford now for miles up and down the Creek from here--that is, none that I know of, especially not since high water.”
For the level of Spur Creek had risen in the last few days, since the professor crossed, caused, it was learned later, by the diversion into the creek of a larger stream by some irrigation plan company further north.
”Well, if they can't make the sheep wade over they can swim 'em, can't they?” asked d.i.c.k.
”'Tisn't so easy to make sheep swim,” declared Yellin' Kid with a shake of his head. ”Sheep are scary critters at best. You might get them in the water if you had a good leader, but if I was a sheep man--which I never hope to be--I'd think twice 'fore I'd float 'em across a stream, 'specially if it had quicksands in.”
”Well, this has,” affirmed Bud. ”They come and go, the quicksands.
They weren't here the other day but they're here now.”
”Maybe they're going to ferry 'em across,” suggested Nort.
”Where they going to get boats?” asked Snake, and that seemed to dispose of this question.