In the morning, however, the forces from Diamond X ranch observed strange actions on the part of their enemies.
"What in the world are they up to?" asked Nort, as he and his brother and cousin looked across the river.
Well might he ask that.
CHAPTER XVII
"WE CROWED TOO SOON!"
Not only the boy ranchers, but their more experienced cowboy companions were puzzled by the actions of the sheep herders. It was the period after the morning meal, the smoke of which fires was still rising toward the sky. The sheep men appeared to have slept in the open, with nothing more than their blankets for a bed and their saddles for pillows. But they were accustomed to this, and so were our friends, though they were glad of the fairly comfortable bunk house, or "fort," as they dubbed it.
But all interest was centered in what the Greasers were doing. Some of them separated themselves from the sheep, which really did not require much more attention than that given them by some intelligent dogs, and a bunch of the hated and despised men were approaching the river, carrying long poles.
"What do you reckon they're going to do?" asked Dick.
"Make a raft, maybe," answered Nort. "Though how they can float a lot of sheep over on a raft made of a few bean poles is more than I can understand."