men we had bought out had sold to us
for the simple reason that they could not properly handle them. The
four-legged beasties had got beyond their control, and many of them had
almost become wild animals. These cattle, too, had very little of the
"improved" character in them. Well-bred bulls had never been introduced.

Some of the bulls we found had almost reached their allotted
span--crusty old fellows indeed and scarred in many a battle;
"moss-heads" we called them, and the term was well applied, for their
hoary old heads gave the idea of their being covered with moss.

Most of the cattle had never been in a corral in their lives, and some
of the older steers were absolute "outlaws," magnificent creatures, ten
to twelve years of age, with immense spreading horns, sleek and glossy
sides, and quite unmanageable. They could not be got into a herd, or if
got in, would very soon walk out again. Eventually some had to be shot
on the range like any wild animal, simply to get rid of them; but they
at least afforded us many a long and wild gallop.

There was one great steer in particular, reckoned to be ten or twelve
years old, quite a celebrity in fact on account of his unmanageableness,
his independence and boldness, which we had frequently seen and tried
to secure, but hitherto without success. He had a chum, another outlaw,
and they grazed in a particular part of the range far from the haunts of
their kin and of man. Three of us undertook to make one more effort to
secure him. At the headquarters ranch we had gathered a herd of cattle
and we proposed to try and run the steer in that direction, where the
other boys would be on the lookout and would head him into the round-up.
Two of us were to go out and find the steer and start him homewards; I
myself undertook to wait about half-way, and when they came in sight to
take up the running and relieve them. They found him all right about
twenty miles out, turned him and started him. No difficulty so far. He
ran with the ease of a horse, and he was still going as he willed,
without having the idea of being coerced. Meantime I had been taking it
easy, lolling on the ground, my horse beside me with bridle down.
Suddenly the sound of hoof-beats and a succession of yells warned me to
"prepare to receive cavalry." Through a cleft in a hill I could see the
quarry coming at a mad gallop directly for me, the two men pounding
along behind. I had just time and no more to tighten girth an