Tad could not repress a laugh.

"I wish the boys could hear that," he said, laughing softly. "That
hits off the Professor better than a real picture could do."

"Huh! What were they doing!"

"You can search me for the answer. I haven't got it," laughed the
big fellow. "We don't need to bother about them. They're out here
with some crazy idea in their tops. They can't interfere with our
plans any."

"You'd better not be too sure about that," chuckled Tad. "Perhaps
one of them may if he has the good luck to get out of here without
being discovered."

"What's the plan, Bluff?"

"So that's his name? I'll remember that," muttered Tad.

"That's what I wanted you boys to meet me here for. I want you to
see all the ranchers before to-morrow night on both sides of the
Rosebud. Understand now, no blunt giving away of the game. You want
to start by telling them you hear Boss Simms is bringing in ten
thousand head of sheep, and that he's going to graze them up the
valley all the way over the free grass to the north. Tell them that
it'll be mighty poor picking for the cows and so on until you get
'em good and properly mad----"