"What do you mean?" countered Bud.
"I mean there may have been a fight," Dick went on. "Maybe the rustlers have surprised our camp, put Yellin' Kid and the rest of our bunch out of business and are signalling to the main crowd to come up and drive off the cattle. I might as well say that as think it," he added. "And that's what I've been thinking the last few minutes."
This dire suggestion struck Bud and Nort silent for a moment. And then, more because he did not want to believe it, than because he did not believe it possible, Bud exclaimed: "I don't believe any such thing!"
"I don't want to believe it!" said Nort. "But of course there may have been a fight."
"If there was, there's a lot of dead Greasers and rustlers scattered around, you can depend on that!" declared Bud, grimly.
"Yes, I reckon Old Billee, Snake and the rest would give a good account of themselves," asserted Dick.
"And they wouldn't be taken by surprise, either," added Nort.
"Not likely," affirmed his cousin.
Again they directed their gaze toward the flashing signal on the tower. Once more they saw it slowly raised and lowered, and then swept from side to side.
"Are they spelling out a message in Morse or Continental code?" asked Bud.