As has been said, the wire was not cut near the cabin. It could be seen, a tiny line against the clear, blue sky, stretching its slender length on top of the poles. "They were too cute to cut it near the shack. They figured we wouldn't notice it for a long time, maybe, and they'd have a chance to get up closer," said Dick. "You mean the sheep herders?" asked Bud. "Sure! Who else?" asked his cousin. "You reckon it was them that cut the wire, don't you?" "Don't know's I thought much about it, but, now that I have, why, of course, they did it," Bud agreed. "Unless it was the cattle rustlers," he added. "You mean the ones we just had a fight with?" "That's who." "No, I don't reckon they did," Dick remarked. "In the first place we licked 'em pretty badly. They scattered, I'm sure, and they didn't head in this direction. And what good would it do 'em just to cut a wire after we'd gotten the cattle away from 'em?" "Oh, general meanness, that's all," answered Bud. "They wouldn't do that out of spite and run the risk of being caught--not after what happened to 'em," declared Dick, and Bud answered: "Well, maybe you're right." Then they rode along in silence for a while, making sure, as they progressed, that they did not pass a break in the telephone line. The thin copper conductor was intact as they could see. "They must have gone about half way back--between the creek and our ranch, and snipped the wire there," said Bud, after a period of silence. "I reckon so," agreed Dick. "That would be what we'd do if we had it to do; wouldn't we?" "Why?" "Because we'd want the break to come as far away as possible from either end, to make it take longer to find and mend it." "That's right, Dick. I never thought of that. Then there isn't really much use looking along here. We might as well ride fast to a point about half way. We'll find the break there." "No, we don't want to do that, Bud. We'll just ride along as we have been going, and we'll look at every foot of wire." "But I thought you said----" "I said if we had to cut an enemy's telephone line, we'd probably do it about half way between the two main points. But we can't take any chances. These fellows may have reasoned that we'd think they cut it half way, and, just to fool us, they may have gone only a quarter way." "Oh, shucks! If you think onery sheep herders have brains to do any of that sort of reasoning, you're 'way off, Dick!" "Well, maybe I am, but we won't take any chances. We'll inspect every foot until we come to the break." And this plan was followed. It was not until after they had ridden several miles that they saw, dangling between two poles, the severed ends of the wire. "There it is!" cried Dick.