s, I _smelled_ sheep very strongly, though I saw none," he said. "I
distinctly remember the smell of sheep, for it brought back to my mind
my youthful days when I used to go to the county fair. I _smelled_
sheep all right."

"That's more like it!" cried Yellin' Kid.

"Where were they?" asked Billee eagerly.

"That is more than I can say," answered the professor. "We were in a
hilly section, when those gentlemen overtook me and kindly offered to
escort me here, and it was when the wind blew that I smelled sheep most
strongly."

"In what direction was the wind?" asked Nort, for he thought he might
get a clue in this way, as he realized the scientist was likely to have
noticed natural effects like wind or rain.

"The wind--ah, yes--the wind was blowing from the south," said
Professor Wright, after thinking it over for a moment.

"Well, that's where I'd expect 'em to be," declared Old Billee.
"They're probably working their way up slowly. Did you see anything
else suspicious, Professor--or smell anything?"

"Suspicious!" exclaimed the college man. "What do you mean? Is there
anything suspicious in the smell of sheep--or the sight of them, for
that matter?"

"I guess you don't understand," spoke Bud. "You have probably been so
busy with your research work that you haven't had a chance to hear the
news about the opening of the new range land, and the danger of sheep
coming in."

"I heard something of this--and the theft of your father's papers--the
night I arrived, and caused you so much trouble," the professor
admitted. "But, truth to tell, it slipped my mind, and I gave no
further thought to it. So you fear the advent of sheep; do you? Are
they likely to spread some disease among your cattle?"

"Disease? They'll drive the cattle away!" cried Old Billee, and then
it was briefly explained to the professor what a menace the sheep were,
though very necessary in their own station of life.

"I'm sorry I didn't observe more closely," said Professor Wright. "As
I told you, my mind was filled with thoughts of new fossil deposits I
might discover, and I wandered too far. Then these gentlemen found me
and showed me the way back."

"They were glad enough of the excuse," murmured Nort.

"Excuse for what?" the scientist wanted to know.

"Excuse for getting back here to have a peep at us," answered Bud.
"They wanted to see if we were still on guard," and he explained about
the "fort."

"Well, they found us