nce dispatched, not waiting
for the arrival of Nort.

"I'll send Nort back to you as soon as he gets here," promised Mr.
Merkel.

These matters having been disposed of, Bud and Dick had a chance to ask
what had transpired at the fort since they left.

"Jest nothin'--that's all," answered Snake.

"But I think there's goin' t' be somethin' doin' right shortly,"
observed Yellin' Kid.

"What makes you think so?" asked Bud.

In answer the cowboy pointed across the river. The cloud of dust had
settled, revealing more plainly now thousands of sheep. And as the
defenders of the fort watched they saw, separating from the sheep, a
number of men who approached the Mexican bank of the stream.

What were they going to do?

CHAPTER XVI

STRANGE ACTIONS

Until there was what in law is termed an "overt act," the boy ranchers
and their friends could do nothing against the sheep herders who were
there in plain sight, with their woolly charges on the far side of Spur
Creek. "Overt act" is a law term, and practically means an open act as
distinguished from one that is done in secret and under cover.

Thus if the sheep herders should openly attempt to cross the creek, and
drive their animals up on Mr. Merkel's land--or land which he
claimed--then Bud and his associates could proceed against them,
driving them off--"repelling boarders," as Dick expressed it, having in
mind some of his favorite pirate tales.

But until the sheep men had done something--had committed an overt
act--they could not be molested as long as they remained where they
were.

"It's like this," explained Bud, for his father had made matters plain
to him over the mended telephone line. "We got to wait until they set
foot on our land--or until some of their onery sheep begin to
nibble--and then we can start something."

"What, for instance?" asked Dick.

"Well, we can order 'em off--that is, order the Greasers off," replied
Bud. "Not much use talking to sheep, I reckon."

"Nor to a Greaser, either," murmured Snake. "One is about as bright
and smart as the other."

"Anyhow," resumed Bud, "we can't do anything until they start
something."

"Not even if we know they're going to do it?" asked another of the
cowboys who, meanwhile, had arrived from Diamond X ready for a fight.

"Not even then," answered Bud. "But once they cross the creek and land
here, then we'll begin," and he looked to his gun.

"What'll we do with the sheep?" asked t