Sitgraves was a brave man, who had only to hear the story brought to him by the honest cowboy to understand the urgency of the case.

It was now near midnight, and the attack at the ranch was liable to be made at any moment.

The stockmen could not reach the scene of danger too soon.
Almost instantly the camp was astir.

It looked as if the men had received orders to attack a force of Indians, whose location was just made known to them, and, in point of fact, the situation was somewhat similar, for a brisk fight appeared inevitable.

Three rustlers whom the major was particularly anxious to arrest were Ira Inman, Larch Cadmus and Duke Vesey, and he especially wanted the first two.