A lone rider was seen to separate himself from the hated band on the Mexican side of the creek, and he slowly approached the ford. "Watch him!" cried Billee, who had picked up his hat with a hole in the brim. "He's up to some trick!" declared Bud. "Shouldn't wonder, son," agreed Billee. A moment later they saw what the "trick" was, if such it could be called. From under his coat the man produced a white flag and waved it vigorously toward the boy ranchers and their friends. "A truce!" cried Bud. "Guess they've had enough!" CHAPTER XXI A LEGAL CONTEST Holding the flag of truce above his head with both hands, the better to indicate that he was unarmed, the man, a bearded Mexican to all appearances, rode his horse half way across the stream. He was then within easy talking distance of the cowboys and Old Billee called: "That's far enough, Greaser! Stay right where you are and speak your little piece. Keep him covered, boys," he went on in a low voice to those around him. "Oh, he's covered all right," replied Bud. And, indeed, half a dozen guns were trained, more or less conspicuously, on the bearer of the flag of truce. "Well, say what you've got to say," ordered Billee grimly. "_Senors_, we have had enough of fight--for the time," came from the herald. And at the sound of his voice the boy ranchers, with one accord, exclaimed: "Del Pinzo!" "At your service, _senors_," came the mocking retort, and Del Pinzo, for he it was, smiled, showing his white teeth through his black, curling beard. It was the beard which had prevented his recognition up to now. Though there was something vaguely familiar about the actions of the leader of the sheep men. And he who bore the flag of truce--Del Pinzo no less--had been the leader in the attempts to cross the creek. "Well, what do you want?" demanded Billee. "We might have known it was some of your dirty work, though I must say you've got a pretty good false face on with all them whiskers. What do you want?" "To cross the creek, of course, _Senor_ Billee, and pasture our sheep on that land which belongs to us." "Belongs to you! How do you make that out?" demanded Bud, unable to keep still longer. "Ah, the young _senor_ speaks," mocked Del Pinzo, smilingly. "Then he should know that this land has been thrown open to all who may wish to graze sheep on it." "This land was never intended for sheep, Del Pinzo, and you know it!" cried Billee. "Even if it was, it belongs to Mr. Merkel, though you'll never see the day he raises sheep--the stinking critters!" "You say the land belongs to _Senor_ Merkel?" asked Del Pinzo, lowering his hands and the flag of truce, perhaps unconsciously. "Keep 'em up!" snarled Snake Purdee, and the flag went up again in a trice. "You know this land belongs to Mr. Merkel," went on Billee. "Doubtless, then, he can prove it in a court of law," mocked the half-breed Greaser.