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understood better than did their master that these men were not
to be quite overlooked。
〃I meant to…day；〃 Weary hinted； with the manner of one who
deliberately holds his voice quiet。
〃I never asked yuh what yuh meant；〃 the herder mumbled； scowling。
〃We got to keep 'em on water another hour； yet。〃 He went back to
turning over the small rocks and to pursuing with his stick the
bugs； as if the whole subject were squeezed dry of interest。
For a minute Weary stared unwinkingly down at him； uncertain
whether to resent this as pure insolence； or to condone it as
imbecility。 〃Mamma！〃 he breathed eloquently； and grinned at Andy
and Pink。 〃This is a real talkative cuss； and obliging； too。 Come
on； boys； he's too busy to bother with a little thing like
sheep。〃
He led the way around to the far side of the band； the nearest
sheep scuttling away from then as they passed。 〃I don't suppose
we could work the combination on those dogswhat？〃 he considered
aloud； glancing back at them where they still sat upon their
haunches and watched the strange riders。 〃Say； Cadwalloper； you
took a few lessons in sheepherding； a couple of years ago； when
you was stuck on that girlremember？ Whistle 'em up here and set
'en to work。〃
〃You go to the devil；〃 Pink's curved hips replied amiably to his
boss。 〃I've got loss…uh…memory on the sheep business。〃
Whereat Weary grinned and said no more about it。
On the opposite side of the coulee； the boys seemed to be
laboring quite as fruitlessly with the other herder。 They heard
Big Medicine's truculent bellow； as he leaned from the saddle and
waved a fist close to the face of the herder； but； though they
rode with their eyes fixed upon the group； they failed to see any
resultant movement of dogs； sheep or man。
There is； at times； a certain safety in being the hopeless
minority。 Though seven indignant cowpunchers surrounded him； that
herder was secure from any personal molestationand he knew it。
They were seven against one； therefore； after making some caustic
remarks； which produced as little effect as had Weary's command
upon the first man； the seven were constrained to ride here and
there along the wavering； gray line； and； with shouts and
swinging ropes； themselves drive the sheep from the coulee。
There was much clamor and dust and riding to and fro。 There was
language which would have made the mothers of then weep； and
there were faces grown crimson from wrath。 Eventually； however；
the Happy Family faced the north fence of the Flying U boundary；
and saw the last woolly back scrape under the lower wire； leaving
a toll of greasy wool hanging from the barbs。
The herders had drawn together； and were looking on from a
distance； and the four dogs were yelping uneasily over their
enforced inaction。 The Happy Family went back and rounded up the
herders； and by sheer weight of numbers forced them to the fence
without laying so much as a finger upon then。 The one who had
been killing black bugs gave then an ugly look as he crawled
through； but even he did not say anything。
〃Snap them wires down where they belong；〃 Weary commanded
tersely。
The man hesitated a minute； then sullenly unhooked the barbs of
the two lower strands； so that the wires； which had thus been
lifted to permit the passing of the sheep； twanged apart and once
more stretched straight from post to post。
〃Now； just keep in mind the fact that fences are built for use。
This is a private ranch； and sheep are just about as welcome as
smallpox。 Haze them stinking things as far north as they'll
travel before dark； and at daylight start 'em going again。
Where's your camp； anyhow？〃
〃None of your business；〃 mumbled the bugkiller sourly。
Weary scanned the undulating slope beyond the fence； saw no sign
of a camp； and glanced uncertainly at his fellows。 〃Well； it
don't matter much where it is； you see to it you don't sleep
within five miles of here； or you're liable to have bad dreams。
Hit the trail； now！〃
They waited inside the fence until the retreating sheep lost
their individuality as blatting animals； ambling erratically here
and there； while they moved toward the brow of the hill； and
merged into a great； gray blotch against the faint green of the
new grassa blotch from which rose again that vibrant； sing…song
humming of many voices mingled。 Then they rode back down the
coulee to their own work； taking it for granted that the
trespassing was an incident which would not be repeatedby those
particular sheep； at any rate。
It was； therefore； with something of a shock that the Happy
Family awoke the next morning to hear Pink's melodious treble
shouting in the bunk…house at sunrise next morning：
〃'G'wa…a…y round' 'em； Shep！ Seven black ones in the coulee！〃 Men
who know well the West are familiar with that facetious call。
〃Ah； what's the matter with yuh？〃 Irish raised a rumpled； brown
head from his pillow； and blinked sleepily at him。 〃I've been
dreaming I was a sheepherder； all night。〃
〃Well； you've got the swellest chance in the world to 'make every
dream cone true； dearie；'〃 Pink retorted。 〃The whole blamed
coulee's full uh sheep。 I woke up a while ago and thought I just
imagined I heard 'en again； so I went out to take a lookor a
smell； it wasand they're sure enough there！〃
Weary swung one long leg out from under his blankets and reached
for his clothes。 He did not say anything； but his face portended
trouble for the invaders。
〃Say！〃 cried Big Medicine； coming out of his bunk as if it were
afire； 〃I tell yuh right now then blattin' human apes wouldn't
git gay around here if I was runnin' this outfit。 The way I'd
have of puttin' them sheep on the run wouldn't be slow； by
cripes！ I'll guarantee〃
By then the bunk…house was buzzing with voices； and there was
none to give heed to Big Medicine s blatant boasting。 Others
there were who seemed rather inclined to give Weary good advice
while they pulled on their boots and sought for their gloves and
rolled early…morning cigarettes； and otherwise prepared
themselves for what Fate might have waiting for then outside the
door。
〃Are you sure they're in the coulee； Cadwalloper？〃 Weary asked；
during a brief lull。 〃They could be up on the hill〃
〃Hell； yes！〃 was Pink's forceful answer。 〃They could be on the
hill； but they ain't。 Why； darn it； they're straggling into the
little pasture！ I could see 'em from the stable。 They〃
〃Come and eat your breakfast first； boys； anyway。〃 Weary had his
hand upon the door…knob。 〃A few minutes more won't make any
difference； one way or the other。〃 He went out and over to the
mess…house to see if Patsy had the coffee ready； for this was a
good three…quarters of an hour earlier than the Flying U outfit
usually bestirred themselves on these days of preparation for
roundup and waiting for good grass。
〃I'll be darned if I'd be as calm as he is；〃 Cal Emmett m