They ought to be back from the
spring by this time. Tip, Lem, and Jack, help me put our friends here in
the most-sheltered places."

In a moment the camp that had been sleepy and placid was bustling with a
silent, grim activity. From secret places men produced Winchesters,
revolvers, and knives, if they carried them. In half an hour all the food
had been brought in, and the casks of water laboriously filled at a
brackish pool five miles away.

"That flush excited yuh so you seen a mirage, Jimmie," bantered Speaker,
whose ready wit and genial manner had won their way into the sheepman's
affection.

"I hope so," was the curt response. But Welsh had seen no mirage, and he
was aware of the fact, knowing that a council of war was delaying the
action of the other party.

His chief concern was the disposal of his prisoners. Excepting for the
first line of breastworks, the only protection in the flat area of the
camp was derived from the masses of stone that had fallen into it, and
behind which one or two men could hide. At last it was decided that the
prisoners, unarmed as they were, should lie down behind the wall out of
danger's way, while the sheepmen should take their chances behind the
rocks. Another reason for this was, that it would never do to have the
prisoners behind the men who were doing the fighting, ready to attack from
the rear at first chance.

Each man had fifty rounds of ammunition, and was a fairly good shot, not,
of course, equaling the cowboys in this respect. The prisoners had hardly
been placed when, from behind a neighboring hogback, rode a man waving a
white handkerchief.

Welsh stepped out of the camp and drove him back before he could talk,
realizing the fellow's clever idea of spying on the defenders' position.

The cowboy had little to say except to demand the immediate surrender of
the cattle-owners and the delivery up to court martial of half the
sheepmen. Jimmie laughed in the messenger's face, and told him to tell
whoever was boss of that outfit to come and take anything he wanted, and
to come well heeled.

Then he went back to the rocky camp and stood his men up in a row.

"We got to keep our guests another week yet, boys," he said. "Mr. Larkin
won't be up the range till that time, and our job is to keep them cowboys
occupied so as to hold the range open for the sheep. Now anybody what
don't want to take chances with lead can go from here now and get hung by
the punchers. If there'