"Judge," he said, turning suddenly and wagging an accusing finger at his former employer, "I've heard a lot from you about this reserve, how the President was goin' to telegraph you the news the minute he signed the proclamation, and send a ranger in to protect the range, and all that, but I ain't seen you _do_ nothin'! Now if you're goin' to make good you've got jest about three days to do it in--after that the sheep will have us dished. Maybe you could use your pull to kinder hurry things up a little--do a little telegraphin', or somethin' like that." "I'll do it!" cried the judge, taking the bait like a fish, "I'll do it at once! I want your best horse, Jeff, and a guide. I'll wire the chief forester from Bender!" "Keno!" said Creede sententiously, "and give my regards to Teddy." As the old judge disappeared over the western rim the next morning the _rodeo_ boss smiled grimly behind his hand, and glanced significantly at Hardy. Then, with the outfit behind him, he rode slowly up the canyon, leaving his partner to his steady job as "family man"--entertaining the boss. For two days the sheepmen watched the river eagerly, waiting for a drop; then suddenly, as the snow water ran by and a cool day checked the distant streams, it fell, and the swift pageant of the crossing began. At sun-up a boss herder rode boldly out into the current and swam it with his horse; brawny Mexicans leapt into the thicket of _palo verdes_ that grew against the cliff and cut branches to build a chute; Jasper Swope in his high sombrero and mounted on his black mule galloped down from the hidden camp and urged his men along. Still the same ominous silence hung about the shore where Juan Alvarez lay buried beneath the cross. There was no watcher on Lookout Point, no horsemen lurking in the distance; only the lowing of the day herd, far up the canyon, and the lapping of muddy waters. Across the river the low _malpai_ cliffs rose up like ramparts against them and Black Butte frowned down upon them like a watch tower, but of the men who might be there watching there was no sign.