Because he had heard from his nephew Billy Blue Cannon that strangers had been signaled on their spread Buck Cannon had gone to a spot where he could easily and unseen observe the strangers. Buck laid quite a while between the rocks when he recognized the visitors.
“I don’t believe my eyes. That are Jesse and Dylan Smith. What are they doing here?”, Buck wondered himself.
He blinked for a moment with his eyes to see if it was real what he saw or dream. But it really wasn’t a dream. The rancher drew his revolver just in case the brothers saw him.
“Do you know for sure that this piece of land of no one?”, Dylan asked for the security.
“One hundred percent sure. Indians or other scum aren’t here”, answered Jesse.
They dismounted and sat down.
“Here we can butcher and eat our nicked cows. Have you seen those fat cows. That’s a feast for us”, laughed Dylan.
Buck knew enough. His revolver went back into the holster. The rancher looked up his horse Rebel. The animal stood waiting at a safe sport for his owner.
Buck reed in hurry-scurry to the High Chaparral to tell his brother Big John what he had seen and heard.
“Jesse and Dylan Smith? Those 2 brothers who rather steal than work?”, John asked amazed.
“Yes. They haven’t seen me”, answered Buck.
“Well, get the others together and then we deal with them”, John said finally.
Soon the Cannons were with Manolito Montoya, foreman Sam Butler and his brother Joe and hand Pedro at the spot where the Smith brothers were. They were surrounded and on the sign of John Buck approached the two brothers.
“What are you doing here?”, Buck asked cheerful.
“If that ain’t Buck Cannon! What are you doing here?”, Jesse asked laughing.
“I asked it first and when Buck Cannon asks something he wants to get an answer too”, said Buck.
“We are camping here”, answered Jesse.
“And to eat we butcher a few of those fat cows”, said Dylan.
“Nitwit! You mustn’t blab because you know what Cannon is like”, said Jesse and he gave his brother a smack.
“That was your idea, idiot”, groaned Dylan.
They began to fight with each other whereby the brothers both got killed not much later without that the Cannons wouldn’t have to waste their valuable bullets.
On the way home Buck asked, “John, do you know what the pity thing is that they have beaten each other to death?”
“Well?”, John asked curious.
“That we couldn’t shoot or join in their fight”, answered his brother.
“That is so but now we have gotten rid of them for good. And that is the most important thing”, said John.
Buck couldn’t agree with him more.