per was over and the messenger ready.

"One more shipment will clean up our beeves," said Joel to his brother,
"and those through cattle can come in the day we gather our last train.
We'll give them a clear field. If the herd hasn't reached the
Republican, push ahead until you meet it."

A hundred-mile ride lay before Dell Wells. "You mean for the herd to
follow the old trail," he inquired, "and turn off opposite our
middle tank?"

"That's it; and hold the cattle under herd until we can count and
receive them."

Dell led out his horse and mounted. "Dog-toe will take me safely home
to-night," said he, "and we'll reach the Republican by noon to-morrow.
If the herd's there, you haven't an hour to waste. We'll drop down on
you in a day and a half."

The night received courier and horse. A clatter of caution and advice
followed the retreating figure out of hearing, when the others threw
themselves down around the camp-fire. Early morning found the outfit
astir, and as on the previous occasion, the wagon and remuda were
started home at daybreak. The loading and shipping instructions were
merely a repetition of previous consignments, and the train had barely
left the station when the cavalcade rode to overtake the commissary.

The wagon was found encamped on the Prairie Dog. An hour's rest was
allowed, fresh horses were saddled, when Joel turned to the cook and
wrangler: "Make camp to-night on the middle tank, below headquarters.
We'll ride on ahead and drift all the cattle up the creek. Our only
round-up to-morrow will be well above the old winter corral. It's our
last gathering of beef, and we want to make a general round-up of the
range. We'll drift cattle until dark, so that it'll be late when we
reach camp."

The outfit of horsemen followed the old trail, and only sighted the
Beaver late in the afternoon. The last new tank, built that spring, was
less than a mile below the old crossing; and veering off there, the
drag-net was thrown across the valley below it, and a general drift
begun. An immense half-circle, covering the limits of the range, pointed
the cattle into the valley, and by moving forward and converging as the
evening advanced, a general drift was maintained. The pace was barely
that of grazing, and as darkness approached, all cattle on the lower end
of the range were grazed safely above the night camp and left adrift.

The wagon had arrived, and the men reached camp by twos and threes.
There was lit