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extreme； and his smile offensively wide。
〃Oh； you needn't look so sorry for us；〃 drawled the Native Son；
jingling over toward him until only the fence and a few feet of
space divided them。 〃Here's where you get yours； amigo。 I wish
you a pleasant dayand a long one！〃 He waved his hand in mocking
adieu； touched his horse with his silver spurs； and rode gaily
away down the coulee。
〃Here； sheepherder's your outfit。 Ma…aa…a…a！〃 jeered Big
Medicine。 〃You'll wisht； by cripes； you was a dozen men just like
yuh before you're through with the deal。 Haw…haw…haw…w！〃
There were others who； seeing Andy's grin； had something to say
upon the subject before they left。
Weary rode up； and looked undecidedly from Andy to the sheep； and
back again。
〃If you don't feel like tackling it single…handed； I'll send〃
〃What do yuh think I am； anyway ？〃 Andy interrupted crisply； 〃a
Montgomery Ward two…for…a…quarter cowpuncher？ Don't you fellows
waste any time worrying over me！〃
The herders stared at Andy curiously when he swung in behind the
tail…end of the band and kept pace with their slow moving； but
they did not speak beyond shouting an occasional command to their
dogs。 Neither did Andy have anything to say； until he saw that
they were swinging steadily to the west； instead of keeping
straight north； as they had been told to do。 Then he rode over to
the nearest herder； who happened to be the bug…killer。
〃You don't want to get turned around；〃 he hinted quietly。 〃That's
north； over there。〃
〃I'm workin' fer the man that pays my wages；〃 the fellow retorted
glumly； and waved an arm to a collie that was waiting for orders。
The dog dropped his head； and ran around the right wing of the
band； with sharp yelps and dartings here and there； turning them
still more to the west。
Andy hesitated； decided to leave the man alone for the present；
and rode around to the other herder。
〃You swing these sheep north！〃 he commanded； disdaining preface
or explanation。
〃I'm workin' for the man that pays my wages；〃 the herder made
answer stolidly； and chewed steadily upon a quid of tobacco that
had stained his lips unbecomingly。
So they had talked the thing overhad those two herdersand
were following a premeditated plan of defiance！ Andy hooked at
the man a minute。 〃You turn them sheep； damn you；〃 he commanded
again； and laid a hand upon his saddle…horn suggestively。
〃You go to the devil； damn yuh；〃 advised the herder； and cocked a
wary eye at him from under his hat…brim。 Not all herders； let it
be said in passing； take unto themselves the mental attributes of
their sheep； there are those who believe that a bold front is
better than weak compliance； and who will back that belief by a
very bold front indeed。
Andy appraised him mentally； decided that he was an able…bodied
man and therefore fightable； and threw his right leg over the
cantle with a quite surprising alacrity。
〃Are you going to turn them sheep？〃 Andy was taking off his coat
when he made that inquiry。
〃Not for your tellin'。 You keep back； young feller； or I'll sick
the dogs on yuh。〃 He turned and whistled to the nearest one； and
Andy hit him on the ear。
They clinched and pummeled when they could and where they could。
The dog came up； circled the gyrating forms twice； then sat down
upon his haunches at a safe distance； tilted his head sidewise
and lifted his ears interestedly。 He was a wise little dog； the
other dog was also wise； and remained phlegmatically at his post；
as did the bug…killer。
〃Are you going to turn them sheep？〃 Andy spoke breathlessly； but
with deadly significance。
〃N…yes。〃
Andy took his fingers from the other's Adam's apple； his knee
from the other's diaphragm； and went over to where he had thrown
down his coat； felt in a pocket for his handkerchief； and； when
he had found it； applied it to his nose； which was bleeding
profusely。
〃Fly at it； then；〃 he advised； eyeing the other sternly over the
handkerchief。 〃I'd hate to ask you a third time。〃
〃I'd hate to have yuh；〃 conceded the herder reluctantly。 〃I was
sure I c'd lick yuh； or I'd 'a' turned 'em before。〃 He sent the
dog racing down the south line of the band。
Andy got thoughtfully back upon his horse； and sat looking hard
at the herder。 〃Say； you're grade above the general run uh lamb…
hickers；〃 he observed； after a minute。 〃Who are you working for；
and what's your object in throwing sheep on Flying U land？
There's plenty of range to the north。〃
〃I'm workin'；〃 said the herder； 〃for the Dot outfit。 I thought
you could read brands。〃
〃Don't get sassyI've got a punch or two I haven't used yet。 Who
owns these woollies？〃
〃WellWhittaker and Oleson； if yuh want to know。〃
〃I do。〃 Andy was keeping pace with him around the band； which
edged off from then and the dogs。 〃And what makes you so crazy
about Flying U grass？〃 he pursued。
〃We've got to cross that coulee to git to where we're headed for；
we got a right to； and we're going to do it。〃 The herder paused
and glanced up at Andy sourly。 〃We knowed you was a mean outfit；
the boss told us so。 And he told us you was blank ca'tridges and
we needn't back up just 'cause you raised up on your hind legs
and howled a little。 I've had truck with you cowmen before。 I've
herded sheep in Wyoming。〃 He walked a few steps with his head
down； considering。
〃I better go over and talk some sense into the other fellow；〃 he
said； looking up at Andy as if all his antagonism had oozed in
the fight。 〃You ride along this edge； so they won't scatterwe
ought to be grazin' 'em along； by rights； only you seem to be in
such an all…fired rush〃
〃You go on and tell that loco son…of…a…gun over there what he's
up against；〃 Andy urged。 〃Blank cartridgesI sure do like that！
If you only knew it； high power dum…dums would be a lot closer to
our brand。 Run alongI am in a kinda hurry； this morning。〃
Andy； riding slowly upon the outskirts of the grazing； blatting
band； watched the two confer earnestly together a hundred yards
or so away。 They seemed to be having some sort of argument； the
bug…killer gesticulated with the long stick he carried； and the
sheep； while the herders talked； scattered irresponsibly。 Andy
wondered what made sheepmen so 〃ornery；〃 particularly herders。 He
wondered why the fellow he had thrashed was so insultingly
defiant at first； and； after the thrashing； so unresentful and
communicative； and so amenable to authority withal。 He felt his
nose； and decided that it was； all things considered； a cheap
victory； and yet one of which he need not be ashamed。
The herder cane back presently and helped drive the sheep over
the edge of the bluff which bordered Antelope coulee。 The
bug…killer； upon his side； also seemed imbued with the spirit of
obedience； Andy heard him curse a collie into frenzied zeal； and
smiled approvingly。
〃Now you're acting a