was no trail
there; we had to make a new one.

"Now they watched us a plenty, but it seemed they couldn't make out
our game. When we pulled up even with them, half a mile apart, they
tumbled that my bluff of the day before was due to take effect without
further notice. Then they began to circle and ride around, and one
fellow went back, only hitting the high places, to their wagon and
saddle horses, and they were brought up on a trot. We were by this
time three quarters of a mile apart, when the boss of their outfit was
noticed riding out toward us. Calling one of my men, we rode out and
met him halfway. 'Young man, do you know just what you are trying to
do?' he asked.

"'I think I do. You and myself as cowmen don't pace in the same class,
as you will see, if you will only watch the smoke of our tepee. Watch
us close, and I'll pass you between here and the next water.'

"'We will see you in hell first!' he said, as he whirled his horse and
galloped back to his men. The race was on in a brisk walk. His wagon,
we noticed, cut in between the herds, until it reached the lead of his
cattle, when it halted suddenly, and we noticed that they were cutting
off a dry cowskin that swung under the wagon. At the same time two of
his men cut out a wild steer, and as he ran near their wagon one of
them roped and the other heeled him. It was neatly done. I called Big
Dick, my boss roper, and told him what I suspected,--that they were
going to try and stampede us with a dry cowskin tied to that steer's
tail they had down. As they let him up, it was clear I had called
the turn, as they headed him for our herd, the flint thumping at his
heels. Dick rode out in a lope, and I signaled for my crowd to come on
and we would back Dick's play. As we rode out together, I said to my
boys, 'The stuff's off, fellows! Shoot, and shoot to hurt!'

"It seemed their whole outfit was driving that one steer, and turning
the others loose to graze. Dick never changed the course of that
steer, but let him head for ours, and as they met and passed, he
turned his horse and rode onto him as though he was a post driven in
the ground. Whirling a loop big enough to take in a yoke of oxen, he
dropped it over his off fore shoulder, took up his slack rope, and
when that steer went to the end of the rope, he was thrown in the air
and came down on his head with a broken neck. Dick shook the rope off
the dead steer's forelegs without dismounting, and was just beginn