“I told him what I had found out—did not mention you—and he recommended a recount. He said Dawson was on his way home, but he would take it up with him as soon as he had had time to get there.
“In the morning I called Dawson. He told me what he had heard and told me to order a recount Monday morning if I was sure of my estimates, but to be careful or I would get stung.”
“I told you Dawson would be all right,” Baxter interrupted.
“Yes,” Scott admitted, “he was pretty good about it. Well, I took some satisfaction in ordering a recount and thought while I was down that way I would have a look at those cañons. Not a sheep had been up them, and what’s more, no sheep ever can get up them. There is a clear drop of three hundred feet at the bottom of each one.”
“That’s what I thought,” commented Baxter, “but if they did not come up there where did they come from?”
“That’s what I wanted to know. So I started out right there at the valley cliffs and rode clear around my district looking for sheep tracks. Not a single sheep has come into that district except at the chute.”
Baxter gave a long whistle, “What does Heth say to that?”
“He has not been at the cabin since the count. At least I have not see him.”
“Looks as though he might be able to explain it,” Baxter drawled. “I want to see that man. If he is a sheep man I must have seen him somewhere, but I can’t recall the name at all. What is your plan now? Where do I come in?”
“Well, you see I have it figured out this way. I have ordered them up for a recount Monday and they can’t get away from that. Probably their next move will be to try to prove that the estimates were wrong and that they did not have any extra sheep.”