d dollars she'd
give him to pay off a little debt. I'd better not come to the ranch
after leading mummie's boy astray from the paths of virtue.

No, I cayn't set a saddle without giving the horse hysterics, and as for
turning cow-boy, what's the matter with my taking a job as a colonel?
I'd best climb off that mare, and hunt a job afoot. So long, Jesse.

There's the dust of Bull's horses way off along the road, and me settin'
down by the wayside. A dog sets down in his skin, tail handy for
wagging, all his possessions around him. I ain't even got no tail.

CHAPTER IV

THE ORDEAL BY TORTURE

The Labrador was good to me, the sea was better, the stock range--wall,
I'd four years punching cows, and I'm most surely grateful. Thar's
plenty trades outside my scope of life, and thar's ages and ages past
which must have been plenty enjoyable for a working-man. Thar's ages to
come I'd like to sample, too. But so far as I seen, up to whar grass
meets sky, this trade of punching cows appeals to me most plentiful. In
every other vocation the job's just work, but all a cow-boy's paid for
is forms of joy--to ride, to rope, to cut out, to shoot, to study tracks
an' sign, read brands, learn cow. A bucking horse, a range fire, a gun
fight, a stampede, is maybe acquired tastes, for I've known good men act
bashful.

There's drawbacks also--I'd never set up thirst or sand-storms as being
arranged to please, or claim to cheerfulness with a lame horse, or in a
sheep range, no. But then you don't know you're happy till you been
miserable, and you'd hate the sun himself if he never set.

I ain't proposin' to unfold a lot of adventures, the same being mostly
things I'd rather'd happened to some one else. An adventure comes along,
an' it's "How d'ye do?" It's done gone, and "_Adios!_"

I was nigh killed in all the usual ways.

The sun would find us mounted, scattering for cattle; he'd set, leaving
us in the saddle with a night herd still to ride. Hard fed, worked
plenty, all outdoors to live in, and bone-weary don't ax, "Whar's my
pillow?" No. The sun shines through us, and if it's cold we'll shiver
till we sweat. The rains, the northers--oh, it was all so natural!
Living with nature makes men natural.

We didn't speak much--pride ain't talkative. Riding or fighting we gave
the foreman every ounce we'd got, and more when needed. Persons would
come among us, mean, dirty, tough, or scared, sized-up before they
dismounted, apt to