d the trail. Mr. Quince has never advised us wrong, and he'll explain
things when he comes. Once a week will be often enough to ride around
the cattle."

An air of activity was at once noticeable around headquarters. The
garden was ploughed and planting begun. The fence was repaired around
the corn-field, the beaver dams were strengthened, and sites for two
other reservoirs were selected. The flow of the creek was ample to fill
large tanks, and if the water could be conserved for use during the dry
summer months, the cattle-carrying capacity of the ranch could be
greatly enlarged. The old beaver dams around headquarters had withstood
every drouth, owing to the shade of the willows overhead, the roots of
which matted and held the banks intact. Wagon loads of willow slips were
accordingly cut for the new dams and the work begun in earnest.

"We'll take the tent and camp at the lower site," announced Joel. "It
would waste too much time to go and come. When we build the upper one,
we can work from home."

The two tanks were finished within a month. They were built several
miles apart, where there was little or no fall in the creek, merely to
hold still water in long, deep pools. The willow cuttings were planted
along the borders and around the dams, the ends of which were riprapped
with stone, and a spillway cut to accommodate any overflow
during freshets.

The dams were finished none too soon, as a dry spring followed, and the
reservoirs had barely filled when the creek ceased flowing. The unusual
winter snowfall had left a season's moisture in the ground, and the
grass came in abundance, matting slope and valley, while the garden grew
like a rank weed. The corn crop of the year before had repaid well in
forage, and was again planted. In the face of another drouthy summer,
the brothers sowed as if they fully expected to reap. "Keep busy" was
the slogan of the springtime.

The month of June arrived without a sign of life on the trail. Nearly
one hundred calves were born to the herd on the Beaver, the peltry had
commanded the highest quotation, and Wells Brothers swaggered in their
saddles. But still the herds failed to come.

"Let's put up the tent," suggested Dell, "just as if we were expecting
company. Mr. Paul or Mr. Quince will surely ride in some of these
evenings. Either one will reach here a full day in the lead of his herd.
Let's make out that we're looking for them."

Dell's suggestion was acted on. A week