CHAPTER XXII
NORT'S PLAN
Silently the cowboys from Diamond X ranch watched the sheep herders andtheir innocent, though undesirable, charges fade away to the south.The Greasers took their wounded with them, and several spare horsesthey had brought along made up for those that regretfully were shot bythe cowboys.
"I hope we've seen the last of that bunch," remarked Dick, tenderlyfeeling of his wounded hand.
"No such good luck," declared Nort. "Do you really think they mean totry and get pasturage here, Billee?" he asked.
"I sure do," replied the veteran. "They can't feed their sheep muchlonger on the other side of the creek--they'll have to come here--ifthey can."
"But we stopped 'em," said Snake.
"Only for a time," said Billee. "As Del Pinzo boasts, now they'll trythe courts."
"But that Greaser won't have a standing in any decent court," exclaimedBud. "He's a jail bird--he isn't even a citizen!"
"How does it come he is working for the interests of these Greasers,some of whom may be citizens?" asked Nort.
"Del Pinzo will do anything by which he can get a dollar or have alittle power," was Billee's opinion. "How he got out of jail I don'tknow. Maybe it's by some power over a government official, and maybehe hopes, by that same hold, to influence the courts against us.Anyhow, he's out of jail and he's cast his lot in with the sheep menfor his own advantage, you can gamble on that--not theirs. He hasstirred them up to demand certain things which they regard as theirrights under the new law.
"Well, maybe they are their rights, on land that hasn't already beenclaimed, but that doesn't apply here. Your dad owns this land, Bud,and we're going to see he doesn't lose it by any tricks of Del Pinzo."
"He seems to have given up his tricks for a time," remarked Bud.
"But only for a time," added Billee. "He'll have us in court next.Not that there's an awful lot of law out this section," he said with agrim smile, "but what there is can be mighty troublesome when you rubit the wrong way."
There was nothing more to be done now as long as the sheep men haddeparted. Though at that, Billee and his cowboys were not going to becaught unawares. With all Del Pinzo's talk of applying to the law, hemight be "bluffing." He might seek to draw the defenders away and thenrush back, getting the sheep across the stream. Once on the Diamond Xrange it would be hard to dislodge them.
"And it only takes a few hours of sheep on a pasture to spoil it forhorses," remarked Bud.
So, fearing treachery, a guard was left at the point where the battleof the crossing had been fought. The remainder of the cowboys returnedto the "fort," and from there word was sent to Mr. Merkel of what hadoccurred.
"So Del Pinzo will have me in court, will he?" remarked the owner ofDiamond X ranch. "Well, I reckon I won't worry until I see sheep on myland."
But for all that, Mr. Merkel could not help wishing his papers had notbeen stolen. For though he might, eventually, prove his claim withoutthem, it meant a delay. And during this delay the other side--thesheep men--might obtain some legal advantage that would enable them totake at least temporary possession of the land in dispute.
And, as Bud had truthfully remarked, only a short occupancy of pastureby the odorous sheep would spoil the grazing and water for sensitivecattle and horses.
For several days after the fight nothing happened. Dick and thewounded cowboys received medical treatment, and all except one weresoon on the road to recovery. Poor Lanky had received a grievous woundwhich eventually caused his death, and he was sincerely mourned.
Meanwhile Mr. Merkel kept on with his ranch work, and the boys,visiting Happy Valley, found matters there going well. They were farenough away not to need to worry about sheep for a time. Then, too,their papers were safe and in case dispute arose as to ownership thematter could easily be settled.
During this comparatively quiet spell, part of which time was utilizedby Mr. Merkel in a vain attempt to discover the missing deeds and otherdocuments, the boy ranchers paid several visits to the camp ofProfessor Wright. That eager scientist was delving away after fossilbones as enthusiastically as if he had never discovered any.
"What are you on the track of now?" asked Nort.
"A Brontotherium," answered the professor.
"What did he say--a bronco?" asked Bud. "We've got some over at ourplace you can have for nothing," he added with a laugh. "They're notdead yet, though some of the boys who tried to ride 'em wish they were."
"A Brontotherium," explained Professor Wright, "is an extinct animal,something like the rhinoceros, but much larger--more than the size ofan elephant, I hope to prove. There are indications that I may findthe bones here."
"I hope you do," remarked Dick.
The boys wandered around the camp, and were about to leave the scene ofthe digging and excavating when Nort uttered an exclamation.
"What's the matter?" asked his brother.
"Look! There's Del Pinzo!" exclaimed Nort, and, surely enough, thefigure of the wily Greaser or half-breed was seen moving among the menengaged by the professor to help him and his assistant in digging upfossil bones.
"You have that rascal again, I see, Professor," said Bud rather coldly.
"Well, he certainly is a great help," was the answer. "He has greatinfluence over the Mexican laborers."
"Too much," grimly remarked Bud. They went away, paying no furtherattention to Del Pinzo though he smiled at them in what he doubtlessintended for a genial manner.
"What do you make of it, Bud?" asked Nort.
"Of what?"
"Professor Wright having that rascal with him?"
"Well," remarked Bud, with as judicial an air as he could assume onshort notice, "you can look at it in two ways."
"For instance?" suggested Dick, teasingly. "We're in for somethinggood, now," he whispered to his brother, though not so low but that Budcould not hear.
"Well, either Professor Wright knows Del Pinzo is a rascal, and takesto him in spite of that, or he doesn't know it--though how he can beignorant I can't understand," declared Bud. "If he doesn't--he's theonly one who knows the game who thinks Del is any better than a common,onery horse thief!"
"Maybe something will happen, soon, to open his eyes," suggested Nort,as they rode on.
When they reached the headquarters at Diamond X they found Sheriff HankFowler in earnest conversation with Mr. Merkel.
"Anything doing, Dad?" asked Bud.
"Yes. I'm summoned to court to prove my title to the Spur Creek land,"was the answer. "Hank has just served me with the papers."
"I'm tellin' him he don't need to worry none," said Mr. Fowler, with agenial grin. "He can easy prove his title."
"Perhaps not so easy as you think," remarked Mr. Merkel, "since mypapers are missing. If I could only get them back!"
"And I think I have a plan that will get them back!" suddenly exclaimedNort.
Boy Ranchers at Spur Creek; Or, Fighting the Sheep Herders Page 23