tell the officers to let me know any time
they could use half a beef. On reaching our wagon, the boys were just
corralling the saddle stock for their night-horses, when Sanders begged
me to sell him two which had caught his fancy. I dared not offer them;
but remembering the fellow's faithful service in our behalf, and that
my employer expected to remember him, I ordered him to pick, with Don
Lovell's compliments, any horse in the remuda as a present.

The proposition stunned Sanders, but I insisted that if old man Don was
there, he would make him take something. He picked a good horse out of
my mount and stayed until morning, when he was compelled to return, as
the probabilities were that they would receive the other cattle some
time during the day. After breakfast, and as he was starting to return,
he said, "Well, boys, tell the old man that I don't expect ever to be
able to return his kindness, though I'd ride a thousand miles for the
chance. One thing sure, there isn't a man in Dakota who has money enough
to tempt me to part with my pelon. If you locate down on the Little
Missouri, drop me a line where you are at, and if Lovell wants four good
men, I can let him have them about the first of December. You through
lads are liable to be scared over the coming winter, and a few
acclimated ones will put backbone in his outfit. And tell the old man
that if I can ever do him a good turn just to snap his fingers and I'll
quit the government--he's a few shades whiter than it, anyhow."

The herd had already left the bed-ground, headed south. About five miles
above O'Brien's, we recrossed to the eastern side of the Yellowstone,
and for the next three days moved short distances, the military
always camped well in our rear. The fourth morning I killed a beef, a
forage-wagon came forward and took half of it back to the cavalry camp
with our greetings and farewell, and we parted company. Don Lovell met
us about noon, elated as a boy over his purchase of the hay ranch. My
brother had gone on to the railroad and thence by train to Miles City
to meet his remuda and outfit. "Boys, I have bought you a new home," was
the greeting of old man Don, as he dismounted at our noon camp. "There's
a comfortable dugout, stabling for about ten horses, and seventy-five
tons of good hay in the stack. The owner was homesick to get back to
God's country, and he'll give us possession in ten days. Bob will be in
Little Missouri to-day and order us a car