that had more than once stopped to look up at
him foolishly and blat, and the buck charged ahead in a panic at the
noise and the spat of the bullet behind him.

"Hit him agin in the same place!" yelled Big Medicine, and drew his own
gun. The Happy Family, at that high tension where they were ready for
anything, caught the infection and began shooting and yelling like crazy
men.

The effect was not at all what they expected. Instead of adding impetus
to the band, as would have been the case if they had been driving
cattle, the result was exactly the opposite. The sheep ran--but they
ran to a common center. As the shooting went on they bunched tighter and
tighter, until it seemed as though those in the center must surely be
crushed flat. From an ambling, feeding company of animals, they become
a lumpy gray blanket, with here and there a long, vacuous face showing
idiotically upon the surface.

The herders grinned and drew together as against a common enemy--or
as with a new joke to be discussed among themselves. The dogs wandered
helplessly about, yelped half-heartedly at the woolly mass, then sat
down upon their haunches and lolled red tongues far out over their
pointed little teeth, and tilted knowing heads at the Happy Family.

"Look at the darned things!" wailed Pink, riding twice around the
huddle, almost ready to shed tears of pure rage and helplessness.
"Git outa that! Hi! Woopp-ee!" He fired again and again, and gave the
range-old cattle-yell; the yell which had sent many a tired herd over
many a weary mile; the yell before which had fled fat steers into the
stockyards at shipping time, and up the chutes into the cars; the yell
that had hoarsened many a cowpuncher's voice and left him with a mere
croak to curse his fate with; a yell to bring results--but it did not
start those sheep.

The Happy Family, riding furiously round and round, fired every
cartridge they had upon their persons; they said every improper thing
they could remember or invent; they yelled until their eyes were
starting from their sockets; they glued that band of sheep so tight
together that dynamite could scarcely have pried them apart.

And the herders, sitting apart with grimy hands clasped loosely over
hunched-up knees, looked on, and talked together in low tones, and
grinned.

Irish glanced that way and caught them grinning; caught them pointing
derisively, with heaving shoulders. He swore a great oath and made for
them, calling a