“Hippy, you’ve done me a big service. I don’t know what to say,” resumed the rancher.
“Don’t say anything. I had to fight to save my own skin,” answered Hippy.
“A good many folks would have hid in the cellar,” chuckled Bindloss. “Catching those two rough-necks was the cleverest thing that’s been done in Coso Valley, and I reckon the record will stand for some time. Feel all right?”
“Sore, but happy, Mr. Bindloss. Tell me what happened below. The girls said there was trouble with the Number Six herd and that Pop had been wounded.”
Bindloss’s face contracted.
“The miserable coyotes! I mean that mountain gang. Yes, they stampeded the herd and run them into the foothills. They got some of the stock, too, but I don’t know how many head. The whole bunch got away before we got down there, though they left several snipers as a sort of rear guard, and they took pot shots at us when the boys tried to get on the trail of the stolen stock. We got the stock rounded up, what was left of it, and drove it in with another herd. The boys are finishing rounding up on that section today. I reckon they can get along without me. Pete and the bunch are going back later. We’ve got two of the thieves here, anyway, and they are going to jail when we get ready to turn them over. I reckon they are going to talk some first, though.”
“Can’t your men trail the rustlers?” asked Miss Briggs.
“Not far. You don’t know these mountains. They could hide up a bunch of cattle for months and no one could find them unless he just happened to stumble onto the hiding place. The best we can do is to find out who the boss of that thieving outfit is and shoot him up. I reckon that’s what’s going to be did, too. By the way, where’s your fat friend, Stacy? It’s a wonder he isn’t around with some suggestions to offer.”
The Overlanders looked at each other with growing concern in their faces.
“St—acy!” exclaimed Nora.