Order a Drink for Myself and Horse]

Each trip gave us new experiences, and traveling so much as we were,
there were few outfits in the cattle country that knew the trails and
the country as we did. And we were continually adding to this knowledge
and experience. After returning from old man Keith's in Nebraska we had
to take the trail again with a herd of cattle for the Spencer brothers,
whose ranch was located just north of the Red Light about sixty-five
miles north of the bad lands in South Dakota. This was one of the
largest cattle ranches in the West.

Their brand was known as the R Box Circle Brand. There we remained for
some time, adding to our knowledge of the cattle business such things as
can only be learned at a large cattle ranch. On our way home we passed
through Laramie, Wyoming. As fate would have it, we arrived at Laramie
City on July 4, 1875, just as the notorious Jack Watkins escaped from
the Albany county jail, and the excitement in the town was at fever
heat. Jack Watkins, who was probably the most desperate criminal that
was ever placed behind prison bars, had been arrested and placed in
close confinement, as the officers of the western states had long tried
to effect his capture. And they did not want to take any chances of
losing him, now they had him, but for all their caution he had escaped,
shooting Deputy Sheriff Lawrence in the leg, crippling him for life.

Ex-Conductor Brophy was at that time sheriff. The officers noting our
arrival at such time, at once ordered us out of the city, as they
suspected we knew something about the outbreak. We protested our
innocence of any knowledge of the trouble. But appearances were against
us, so we had to leave, going direct to Cheyenne, Wyoming. Here we
disposed of a small band of horses our boss had along, and which we did
not wish to take back home with us. They were sold to the Swarn Brothers
at a good price.

We remained in Cheyenne until the 18th of July, when we left for Texas,
arriving at the old Pali Dora range ranch on the 10th of August. We had
no more than got rested up before we were again called out on active
duty. The many large cattle owners of the panhandle country had got
together and come to the conclusion that the wild mustang horses,
large bands of which were running wild over the Arizona and Texas
plains, would make good cattle horses, and to that end a plan of
campaign was arranged, whereby they could be captured, and broken in an