Page:Edison Marshall--Shepherds of the wild.djvu/56

48 animals that habitually; preyed on the sheep.

"In other words—if we hadn't discovered this murder, the flock would be practically wiped out by the time the camp-tender got here?"

"Maybe all gone."

"Even if they send up a man right away there will be some losses."

"We start to-morrow," Pete explained laboriously. "To-morrow sunset before we reach tel—tel—talk-over-wire? Another sunset, maybe another sunrise, before herder can come all long way. Plenty likely can't get no one. Cattle-men rich—mighty—many. Maybe no one want the job."

"And we can't start to-night?"

"Trail too dark. Maybe couldn't catch the horse. Run fast in the dark."

Hugh turned quickly. "What horse do you mean?"

Pete smiled again, very dimly. "Eyes maybe half blind. Horse grazing just inside the forest, just outside meadow. Herders always have one horse, maybe two."

Hugh had not noticed: his eyes were not trained to penetrate the thickets as those of the Indian. And at once he made up his mind as to the morning's work. After all, it was only decent to get word to the owner of the flock as soon as possible. He would not permit his own hunting trip to stand in the way. It was true that he