"Couldn't be any sheep herders coming so soon, to turn their nibblers on our land; could it?" Dick wanted to know. He spoke of "our land," for he and his brother owned a small ranch in partnership with Bud.
"No, I don't reckon it was the sheep herders themselves," said Slim, "but it might be some of their bunch coming to size things up. The government never made a worse mistake than to throw this Indian land open to everybody. Them fellers at Washington should have barred the sheep men!"
To hear Slim talk you would have imagined that he could go to Washington and regulate matters all by himself. But if you understand the feeling of western cattle men and horse men against sheep herders it will make it easier to comprehend.
"Well, if any of 'em try to come to Happy Valley," said Bud, "they'll wish they'd stayed out."
"That's right!" chimed in Nort and Dick.
Suddenly one of the cowboys on the outer fringe of the riding posse uttered a low cry and exclaimed:
"There they are—off to the left!"
As he spoke the moon came out from behind ragged clouds and disclosed two horsemen riding at full speed across the prairie.
"After 'em, fellows!" cried Slim, and he fired some shots in the air.
The boy ranchers put spurs to their steeds—not cruelly but with a gentle touch to let the horses know a burst of speed was needed—and the race was quickly taken up.