reek. "Thar's Steelheads en Rainbows up in
them pools," said the leader. "These streams have been stocked en
hit's good fishin', if ye know how."

They followed down the stream bed for a distance and then Landy turned
up a draw on the left bank, that finally led out to level land. At
first it was a narrow way between the stream and foothill, but
presently the landscape broadened to a meadow similar to that on the
right bank of the creek. At one place, where the way was narrow, there
was the crumbling remnant of rough walls of rock.

"That's a relic of them ole wars in here, but I never could git the
hang of the tale. Ole Jim Lough knows all about it but he's too
shut-mouthed and contrary to tell the tale.

"Ye see, I'm not a native son," explained Landy, as they rode abreast
on the widened road. "I got started in the cattle game over to the
north on Crazy Woman Creek en the range betwixt that en Sun Dance on
the Belle Fourche. I was romancin' round when Teddy Roosevelt made
camp up thar. Teddy liked to listen in on some of them Paul Bunyans of
the cattle game, en they shore told some tall ones. I think he
encouraged 'em in their romancin' jist to git a line on their
capacity. Ye see, we were located jist betwixt ole Fort Fetterman and
the Little Big Horn, sorta betwixt Red Cloud en Sittin' Bull, en one
massacre en another. Ours was a period jist follerin' these
history-makin' times en every man had a right to tell hit his way as
they were all unhampered by airy lick of facts.

"Therefore, I didn't git up here in the headwaters of the Platte until
years after, but from what I ketch they had some right stirrin' time
in here, 'twixt cattle rustlin' and sheep crowdin'. Ole Jim knows the
whole story, but he don't broadcast none." Topping a swell of the
meadow lands another stream basin was encountered. "Hit's a little
Ranty," explained Landy. "That's a dam downstream aways en the B-line
waters a couple o' hundred acres." In these meadows there were
cattle--cows and calves and some scrub yearlings. Crossing the Ranty,
the horsemen mounted to the levels again. Here, there were fences.
Farther on, stables, sheds, and a cluster of houses. The B-line ranch.

Landy maneuvered the horses through the gates without dismounting and
rode up to the central stable. "Whar's yer reception committee eround
here?" he yelled. "Call out the guard en parade them colors," he
commanded as he dismounted and assisted Davy down. He threw the re