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he added with a fretful note； 〃when you've got to handle 'em
gentle。 The things I'd like to do to them Dots is all ruled outa
the game； seems like。 Honest to grandma； a little gore would look
better to me right now than a Dutch picnic before the foam's all
blowed off the refreshments。 Lemme kill off jest one herder；
Weary？〃 he pleaded。 〃The one that took a shot at me las' night。
Purty； please！〃
〃If you killed one；〃 Weary told him glumly。 〃you might as well
make a clean sweep and take in the whole bunch。〃
〃Well； I won't charge nothin' extra fer that； either；〃 Bud
assured him generously。 〃I'm willin' to throw in the other three
and the dawgs； too； by cripes！〃 He goggled the Happy Family
quizzically。 〃Nobody can't say there's anything small about me。
Why； down in the Coconino country they used to set half a dozen
greasers diggin' graves； by cripes； soon as I started in to argy
with a man。 It was a safe bet they'd need three or four； anyways；
if old Bud cut loose oncet。 Sheepherders？ Why； they jest
natcherly couldn't keep enough on hand； securely； to run their
sheep。 They used to order sheepherders like they did woolsacks；
by cripes！ You could always tell when I was in the country； by
the number uh extra herders them sheep outfits always kep' in
reserve。 Honest to grandma； I've knowed two or three outfits to
club together and ship in a carload at a time； when they heard I
was headed their way。 And so when it comes to killin' off four；
why that ain't skurcely enough to make it worth m'while to dirty
up m'gun！〃
〃Aw； I betche yuh never killed a man in your life！〃 Happy Jack
grumbled in his characteristic tone of disparagement； but such
was his respect for Big Medicine's prowess that he took care not
to speak loud enough to be overheard by that modest gentleman；
who continued with certain fearsome details of alleged murderous
exploits of his own； down in Coconino County； Arizona。
But as they passed the detested animals； thankful that the trail
permitted them to ride by at a distance sufficient to blur the
most unsavory details； even Big Medicine gave over his deliberate
boastings and relapsed into silence。
He had begun his fantastic vauntings from an instinctive impulse
to leaven with humor a situation which； at the moment； could not
be bettered。 Just as they had； when came the news of the Old
Man's dire plight； sought to push the tragedy of it into the
background and cling to their creed of optimism； they had avoided
openly facing the sheep complication squarely with mutual
admissions of all it might mean to the Flying U。
Until Weary had unburdened his heart of worry on the ride home
that day； they had not said much about it； beyond a general
vilification of the sheep industry as a whole； of Dunk as the
chief of the encroaching Dots； and of the herders personally。
But there were times when they could not well avoid thinking
rather deeply upon the subject； even if they did refuse to put
their forebodings into speech。 They were not children； neither
were they to any degree lacking in intelligence。 Swearing； about
herders and at them； was all very well； bluffing； threatening；
pummeling even with willing fists； tearing down tents and binding
men with ropes might serve to relieve the emotions upon occasion。
But there was the grim economic problem which faced squarely the
Flying U as a 〃cow outfit〃the problem of range and water； the
Happy Family did not call it by name； but they realized to the
full what it meant to the Old Man to have sheep just over his
boundary line always。 They realized； too； what it meant to have
the Old Man absent at this timeworse； to have him lying in a
hospital； likely to die at any moment； what it meant to have the
whole responsibility shifted to their shoulders； willing though
they might be to bear the burden； what it meant to have the
general of an army gone when the enemy was approaching in
overwhelming numbers。
Pink； when they were descending the first slope of the bluff
which was the southern rim of Flying U coulee； turned and glared
vindictively back at the wavering； gray blanket out there to the
west。 When he faced to the front his face had the look it wore
when he was fighting。
〃So help me； Josephine！〃 he gritted desperately； 〃we've got to
clean the range of them Dots before the Old Man comes back； or〃
He snapped his jaws shut viciously。
Weary turned haggard eyes toward him。
〃How？〃 he asked simply。 And Pink had no answer for him。
CHAPTER XII。 Two of a Kind
Patsy； staunch old partisan that he was； placed before them much
food which he had tried his best to keep hot without burning
everything to a crisp； and while they ate with ravenous haste he
told； with German epithets and a trembling lower jaw； of his
troubles that day。
〃Dem sheeps； dey coom by der leetle pasture；〃 he lamented while
he poured coffee muddy from long boiling。 〃Looks like dey know so
soon you ride away； und dey cooms cheeky as you pleece； und eats
der grass und crawls under der fence and leafs der vool sthicking
by der vires。 I goes out mit a club； py cosh； und der sheeps
chust looks und valks by some better place alreatty； und I throw
rocks and yells till mine neck iss sore。
〃Und' dose herders； dey sets dem by der rock and laugh till I
felt like I could kill der whole punch； by cosh！ Und von yells；
'Hey； dutchy； pring me some pie； alreatty！' Und he laughs some
more pecause der sheeps dey don't go avay； dey chust run around
und eat more grass and baa…aa！〃 He turned and went heavily back
to the greasy range with the depleted coffee pot； lifted the lid
of a kettle and looked in upon the contents with a purely
mechanical glance； gave a perfunctory prod or two with a long…
handled fork； and came back to stand uneasily behind Weary。
〃If you poys are goin' to shtand fer dot；〃 he began querulously；
〃Py cosh I von't！ Py myself I vill go and tell dot Dunk W'ittaker
vot lowdown skunk I t'ink he iss。 Sheep's vool shtickin' by der
fences efferwhere on der ranch； py cosh！ Dot vould sure kill der
Old Man quick if he see it。 Shtinkin' off sheeps py our noses all
der time； till I can't eat no more mit der shmell of dem。 Neffer
pefore did I see vool on der Flying U fences； py cosh； und sheeps
baa…aain' in der coulee！〃
Never had they seen Patsy take so to heart a matter of mere
business importance。 They did not say much to him； there was not
much that they could say。 They ate their fill and went out
disconsolately to discuss the thing among themselves； away from
Patsy's throaty complainings。 They hated it as badly as did he；
with Weary's urgent plea for no violence holding them in leash；
they hated it more； if that were possible。
The Native Son tilted his head unobtrusively stableward when he
caught Andy's eye； and as unobtrusively wandered away from the
group。 Andy stopped long enough to roll and light a cigarette and
then strolled after him