Part 23 (2/2)

”Somebody has to eat the cook's share,” interrupted Larue. ”What I came over here to ask was whether you boys were intending to take your turns at herding for the next few nights?”

”Of course we are,” they answered in one voice. ”That's what we are up here for,” added Tad.

”Got any guns?”

”Rifles. Fortunately, they were not in the tent that was set afire by the bear, so they are all right,” replied Tad. ”However, I'll have to ask the Professor about taking them out. I do not think he will care to have us do so.”

”I'll give you each a revolver,” announced the foreman.

”Luke, never mind the guns. The boys will do their part by keeping guard. We don't want them to be mixed up in any trouble that may follow. If there is any shooting to be done, we can take care of that, I guess,” said Mr. Simms, with a grim smile.

”Yes, I could not think of permitting it,” said the Professor firmly; hence it was decided that the lads should go on as they had been doing, leaving the sterner work to those whose business it was to attend to it.

After the darkness had settled over the camp, the boys observed that there were more men present than had been the case when they had their supper.

Mr. Simms explained that they were some men he had sent for to help protect the herd. He had ordered them to report after dark, so that the trouble-makers might know nothing about the increased force. The rancher was determined to teach the cattle men of the free-gra.s.s range a lesson they would not soon forget.

”What do you wish us to do?” asked Walter. ”We are anxious to get busy.”

”I think two of you had better go out for the first half of the night; the other two for the latter half.”

”Do we take our ponies?” asked Tad.

”Yes. All of us will ride, excepting the few men who are regularly on guard with the sheep. But you will not move around much. Make no noise and be watchful. That is all we can do.”

It was decided that Ned and Walter should take the early trick; Tad and Stacy Brown going out after midnight.

The herders were already attending to their duties. And now Mr. Simms and the foreman having given their orders, the reserve force moved out one at a time until all had disappeared in the darkness. A signal had been agreed upon, so that they might recognize each other in the dark.

The rancher had thrown out his reserve force in the shape of a picket line, located some distance out from the herd and covering a circle something more than a mile in diameter. This was done so that in case of an attack they would have an opportunity to drive off their enemy without great danger to the herd. The battle, more than likely, would be ended before the cowmen could get near enough to the sheep to inflict any damage.

The two boys left camp rather closer together than had the others, as they were to keep in touch during their watch.

In a short time the guards were all placed and a great silence settled over the scene, broken only now and then by the bleating of a lamb that had lost its mother in the darkness.

CHAPTER XIV

BUNTED BY A MERINO RAM

The Simms outfit breathed a sigh of relief when daylight came again. There had been nothing more disturbing than Stacy Brown's yawns in the early part of the night.

So persistent had been these that the Professor and Mr. Simms found themselves yawning in sympathy. Old Hicks, who was sitting up to prepare hot coffee for any of the sheepmen who might come in, was affected in a like manner. Had it not been for the presence of the owner of the herd Hicks might have adopted heroic measures to put a stop to Stacy's yawns. As it was, he threatened all sorts of dire things. At breakfast time the cook seemed to be in a far worse humor than ever when he gave the breakfast call.

”Come and get it. And I hope it chokes you!” he bellowed, voicing his displeasure at everything and everybody in general.

<script>