No tellin' what them nesters'll build up next." So the Old Man slipped back into the old channels of worry and thought, just as life itself slips back after a stressful period.

The little Doctor sighed again and sat down to write the letter and to discuss with the Old Man what she should say.
There was a good deal to say.

For one thing, more contests had been filed and more shacks built upon claims belonging to the Happy Family.
She must tell Blake that.

Also, Blake must help make some arrangement whereby the Happy Family could hire an outfit to gather their stock and the alien stock which they meant to drive back out of the Badlands.

And there was Irish, who had quietly taken to the hills again as soon as the Kid returned.