unusually active," he remarked. "I'm not an expert at
cattle-driving, but I suppose two of us ought to take them home."

The rancher laughed.

"Two's quite a good allowance for that small bunch, but if you keep
north among the scrub poplar, you won't be bothered by many fences.
It's pretty dry in summer, but you'll get good water in Baxter's well,
if you head for the big bluff you'll see tomorrow afternoon. We'll let
them out when you're ready."

As soon as the rails were flung down, the cattle rushed out
tumultuously, as if rejoicing in their restored freedom. Then, while
George and his companion mounted, they started off across the prairie
at a steady trot.

"A mettlesome lot; seem to be in good training," Edgar commented.
"Have you any idea where they're going?"

"Guess they're heading for a creek two miles back; water's scarce,"
explained the rancher. "As it's near the trail, you had better let
them go. You'll round them up quite easy when they've had a drink."

George and Edgar rode after the cattle. The sun was getting low, but
the temperature showed no signs of falling, and the men were soon
soaked in perspiration. The herd went on at a good pace, making for a
wavy line of timber, and on reaching it, plunged down the side of a
declivity among little scattered trees. A stream trickled through
willow bushes and tall grass in the bottom of the hollow, and the men.
had trouble in forcing the cattle to leave the water. Before they
accomplished it, Edgar had got very wet and had scratched himself badly
in scrambling through the brush.

"Driving stock is by no means so easy as it looks," he grumbled, when
they had climbed the opposite ascent, leading their horses. "The way
these beasts jump about among the bushes confuses you; I'd have sworn
there were forty of them in the ravine."

"I see only nine now," George said pointedly.

Edgar looked back into the hollow.

"There are three of the brutes slipping away upstream as fast as they
can go! You're smarter at the thing than I am--hadn't you better go
after them?"

"I expect I'll be needed to keep this bunch together," George rejoined.

Edgar strode away, but it was half an hour later when he came back, hot
and angry, with the cattle crashing through the brush in front of him.
Then the reunited herd set off at a smart pace across the plain.

"They seem fond of an evening gallop," Edgar remarked. "Anyhow,
they're going the right way, which strik