It was as though the men within were sitting tense and watchful, like cougars crouched for a spring, with claws unsheathed and muscles quivering.
"You better come out," called Andy sharply, after they had waited a decent interval.

"We didn't come here hunting trouble; we want to know where you're headed for with these sheep.

The fellow that cut loose with the gun--" "Aw, don't talk so purty! I'm gitting almighty tired, just setting here lettin' m' legs hang down.

Git your ropes, boys!" With one sweeping gesture of his arm Big Medicine made plain his meaning as he rode a few paces away, his fingers fumbling with the string that held his rope.
"I'm goin' to have a look at 'em, anyway," he grinned.

"I sure do hate to see men act so bashful." With his rope free and ready for action, Big Medicine shook the loop out, glanced around, and saw that Andy, Pink and Cal Emmett were also ready, and, with a dexterous flip, settled the noose neatly over the iron pin that thrust up through the end of the ridge-pole in front.
Andy's loop sank neatly over it a second later, and the two wheeled and dashed away together, with Pink and Irish duplicating their performance at the other end of the tent.