in and get the drop on the
rustlers, after which the remainder of the body would come along and take
the direction of things.

Sims was put in charge of this maneuver, and was at liberty to give the
signal whenever he thought circumstances justified it. It was a strange
procession that marched toward the ford of the Big Horn--first fifteen
hundred head of calves and young steers, guarded by unsuspecting
rustlers; then the knot of sheepmen and the dozen riders closing in on
their quarry, and, last of all three miles back, eight thousand sheep
clattering through the dust.

For what seemed almost half an hour there was silence. Then suddenly came
the far-off, long-drawn howl of a coyote, immediately followed by another.
Bud set spurs into his horse, revolver in hand, the remaining eight men at
his heels, and made directly for the cook-wagon, where he knew at least
one or two of the outfit might be sleeping.

The drumming of the horse's hoofs could now be plainly heard from all
sides, and a moment later there was a stab of light in the dark and the
first shot rang out.

After that there were many shots, for the rustlers, keyed up to great
alertness by the hazardness of their calling, had opened fire without
waiting for question or answer.

Bud, as he dashed up to the cook-wagon, saw two men crawl out and stand
for a minute looking. Then, as their hands moved to their hip-pockets like
one, he opened fire. At almost the same instant the flames leaped from
their guns, and Bud's hat was knocked awry by a bullet that went clean
through it.

Meantime the man who had been riding beside him gave a grunt and fell from
his saddle. One of the rustlers doubled up where he stood.

Larkin, to avoid crashing full into the cook-wagon, swerved his horse
aside, as did the others. The horse of the man who had been shot stood
still for a moment, and in that moment the rustler who remained standing
gave one leap and had bestridden him.

Bud saw the maneuver just in time to wheel his horse on a spot as big as a
dollar and take after the man in the darkness, yelling back, "Get the
others!" as he rode.

It was now a matter between the pursuer and the pursued. Pounding away
into the darkness, heedless of gopher-holes, sunken spots, and other
dangers, the two sped. Occasionally the man ahead would turn in his saddle
and blaze away at his pursuer, and Bud wondered that none of these hastily
fired bullets came near their mark. For his part