"So it's reported," said Plant comfortably. "I've sent a man over already to investigate."
"That timber adjoins ours," went on Welton. "Sending one ranger to investigate don't seem to help the old man a great deal."
"Oh, it may not amount to much," disclaimed Plant vaguely.
"But if it does amount to much, it'll be getting one devil of a start," persisted Welton. "Why don't you send over enough men to give it a fight?"
"Haven't got 'em," replied Plant briefly.
"There's three playing poker now, down in the first saloon," broke in Bob.
Plant looked at him coldly for ten seconds.
"Those men are waiting to tally Wright's cattle," he condescended, naming one of the most powerful of the valley ranch kings.
But Welton caught at Bob's statement.
"All you need is one man to count cattle," he pointed out. "Can't you do that yourself, and send over your men?"