us
the limit; but you're up against it, and we'll stand back of you. If we
agreed to give you that grazing, by God, _you'll get it_, as long as
that land is ours."

He nodded and drove on, while Lejeune, the true sheepman's delight in
dodging the officers burning strong within his breast, turned his mule's
head to the lower country.

VI

The full situation, as far as the wires could tell it, was laid before
Jack Orde in Washington. A detailed letter followed. Toward evening of
that day the mill crews began to come in with the four and six-horse
teams provided for their transportation. They were a dusty but hilarious
lot. The teams drew up underneath the solitary sycamore tree that gave
the place its name, and at once went into camp. Bob strolled down to
look them over.

They proved to be fresh-faced, strong farm boys, for the most part, with
a fair sprinkling of older mountaineers, and quite a contingent of half
and quarter-bred Indians. All these people worked on ranches or in the
towns during the off season when the Sierras were buried under winter
snows. Their skill at woodsmanship might be undoubted, but the
intermittent character of their work precluded any development of
individual type, like the rivermen and shanty boys of the vanished
North. For a moment Bob experienced a twinge of regret that the old,
hard, picturesque days of his Northern logging were indeed gone. Then
the interest of this great new country with its surging life and its new
problems gripped him hard. He left these decent, hard-working,
self-respecting ranch boys, these quiet mountaineers, these stolid,
inscrutable breeds to their flickering camp fire. Next morning the
many-seated vehicles filled early and started up the road. But within a
mile Welton and Bob in their buckboard came upon old California John
square in the middle of the way. Star stood like a magnificent statue
except that slowly over and over, with relish, he turned the wheel of
the silver-mounted spade-bit under his tongue. As the ranger showed no
indication of getting out of the way, Welton perforce came to a halt.

"Road closed to trespass by the Wolverine Company," the ranger stated
impassively.

Welton whistled.

"That mean I can't get to my own property?" he asked.

"My orders are to close this road to the Wolverine Company."

"Well, you've obeyed orders. Now get out the way. Tell your chief he can
go ahead on a trespass suit."

But the old man shook