for dinner; but we were not like guests
who had to hurry home--we would be right there when supper was ready.

The loss of a night's sleep on my outfit was a good excuse for an
after-dinner siesta. Untying our slickers, we strolled out of hearing
of the camp, and for several hours obliterated time. About three o'clock
Bob Quirk aroused and informed us that he had ordered our horses, and
that the signal of Sponsilier's cattle had been seen south on the trail.
Dave was impatient to intercept his herd and camp them well down the
creek, at least below the regular crossing. This would throw Bob's and
my cattle still farther down the stream; and we were all determined
to honor Forrest with our presence for supper and the evening hours.
Quince's wrangler rustled in the horses, and as we rejoined the camp the
quarters of a beef hung low on a cottonwood, while a smudge beneath them
warned away all insect life. Leaving word that we would return during
the evening, the eleventh-hour guests rode away in the rough, uneven
order in which we had arrived. Sponsilier and his men veered off to
the south, Bob Quirk and his lads soon following, while the rest of us
continued on down the creek. My cattle were watering when we overtook
them, occupying fully a mile of the stream, and nearly an hour's ride
below the trail crossing. It takes a long time to water a big herd
thoroughly, and we repeatedly turned them back and forth across the
creek, but finally allowed them to graze away with a broad, fan-like
front. As ours left the stream, Bob's cattle were coming in over a mile
above, and in anticipation of a dry camp that night, Parent had been
advised to fill his kegs and supply himself with wood.

Detailing the third and fourth guard to wrangle the remuda, I sent
Levering up the creek with my brother's horses and to recover our loaned
saddle stock; even Bob Quirk was just thoughtless enough to construe a
neighborly act into a horse trade. About two miles out from the creek
and an equal distance from the trail, I found the best bed-ground of the
trip. It sloped to the northwest, was covered with old dry grass, and
would catch any vagrant breeze except an eastern one. The wagon was
ordered into camp, and the first and second guards were relieved just
long enough to secure their night-horses. Nearly all of these two
watches had been with me during the day, and on the return of Levering
with the horses, we borrowed a number of empty flour-sacks