. "Any aged steers
left are clean thrifty cattle, and will pay their way to hold another
year. Turn the round-up adrift."

After blowing their horses, a detail of men drifted the general herd up
the creek. Others lent their assistance to the wrangler in corralling
his remuda, and after relieving the cutting horses, the beeves were
grazed down the valley. The outfit had not spent a night at headquarters
in some time, the wagon serving as a substitute, and orders for evening
freed all hands except two men on herd with the beeves.

The hurry of the day was over. On securing fresh horses, Joel and
Sargent turned to the assistance of the detail, then drifting the main
herd westward. The men were excused, to change mounts, and relieved from
further duty until the guards, holding the beeves, were arranged for the
night. The remnant of the herd was pushed up the creek and freed near
Hackberry Grove, and on returning to overtake the beeves, the two
horsemen crossed a spur of the tableland, jutting into the valley,
affording a perfect view of the surrounding country.

With the first sweep of the horizon, their horses were reined to a halt.
Fully fifteen miles to the northeast, and in a dip of the plain, hung an
ominous dust cloud. Both horsemen read the sign at a glance.

Sargent was the first to speak. "Dell met the herd on the Republican,"
said he with decision. "It's the Stoddard cattle from Ogalalla. The
pitch of their dust shows they're trailing south."

The sign in the sky was read correctly. The smoke from a running train
and the dust from a trailing herd, when viewed from a distance, pitches
upward from a horizon line, and the moving direction of train or herd is
easily read by an observant plainsman. Sargent's summary was confirmed
on reaching headquarters, where Dell and the trail foreman were found,
the latter regaling Manly and others with the chronicle of the
new trail.

The same foreman as the year before was in charge of the herd. He
protested against any step tending to delivery for that day, even to
looking the cattle over. "Uncle Dud wouldn't come," said he, "and it's
up to me to make the delivery. I've been pioneering around all summer
with this herd, and now that I'm my own boss, I'll take orders from no
one. We made rather a forced drive from the Republican, and I want a
good night's rest for both the herd and myself. Ten o'clock in the
morning will be early enough to tender the cattle for delivery. In