hink the boys would be down from the north by this time.

Now, Simmy, keep everything under your hat and work quietly. Let the
sheep pile up if you have to. Things aren't ripe here yet to move 'em
north.

I'll be looking for you any day.

Bud.

When Sims had read the entire note twice, a puzzled silence ensued. Men
lifted their hats and scratched their heads meditatively. Here among fifty
men there was plenty of energy for action once the action was suggested,
but very little initiative.

"I allow we'll shore have to get 'im out o' there," seemed to be the
consensus of opinion.

"Shore, boys, shore," said Sims impatiently; "but how? That's the
question. There's about a dozen real smart shooters on that ranch, and I'm
plenty sure they don't all sleep to once. Besides, the worst part of it'll
be gettin' near the dum place. If a hoss squeals or whinnies the rescuin'
party might as well pick out their graves, 'cause yuh see only two or
three can make the trip."

"Mebbe they can an' mebbe they can't," broke in Jimmie Welsh, his little,
bright eyes twinkling with suppressed merriment. "I should think the hull
outfit, cook-wagons, an' all, could make the visit to the Bar T."

"Yeah?" remarked Sims politely scornful but inquisitive. "Tell us about
it."

And Welsh did.

CHAPTER XIV

SENTENCED

Everybody at the Bar T ranch house was laboring under suppressed
excitement. It was now the middle of June when the yearly round-up should
be under way, yet, owing to the invasion of the sheep and the recent
rustler troubles, the cowboys had not been free to undertake this task.

On other ranches this spring work was well advanced, and the fact that the
Bar T had not yet begun was a source of constant worry to Bissell and
Stelton. The former, when he had sent out his call for other cowmen of the
region, had encountered great difficulty in getting his neighbors to give
up their time to the disposal of Bud Larkin's case.

At last, however, ten owners, impatient at the summons and anxious to
return as quickly as possible to their work, had ridden in, some of them
alone and others with a cowboy taken from the round-up.

Since the Bar T ranch house was incapable of accommodating them all, the
punchers had been ousted from their bunk-house and the structure given
over to the visitors.

The sudden disappearance of the Chinese cook had added to Bisse