delivered up to their lawful owners, Mr. Wentworth would have very
little stock left.

Bob and his troopers enjoyed this "picnic" by being lazy. They had
nothing to do worth speaking of but to follow along in the rear of the
herd and talk to the boys, the most of the work being performed by
George and Mr. Wentworth, who during the first part of the journey
managed the cattle both day and night. They offered to assist in any way
they could, but the practised herders did not need them, and besides,
they were afraid to trust them.

"I don't want to lose these steers and horses again, after all the
trouble I have had to get them," Mr. Wentworth always replied. "I know
you are good soldiers, or else you couldn't have got my boys back for
me; but you can't herd cattle. The least awkward movement on your part
would send them galloping back toward the Staked Plains again. Wait
until they get over their fright, and then you can try your hands at
guarding them during the night."

On the afternoon of the fifth day Bob noticed that George's field-glass
was often brought into requisition both by himself and Mr. Wentworth,
and on riding forward to inquire the cause of it, he was informed that
they were looking for Mr. Taylor's ranche.

"And who is Mr. Taylor?" was Bob's next question.

"He is one of Mr. Wentworth's neighbors who was raided by the Indians.
We know it, for we have some of his cattle with us; but whether or not
they did him any damage beyond stealing his stock, we don't know; and we
can't tell, either, until we find his house if it is still standing, or
the ruins of it if it has been destroyed."

"Then we must be getting pretty near our journey's end," said Bob, whose
arms and shoulders began to ache when he thought of the tedious routine
of drill and guard-duty upon which he must enter as soon as he returned
to the fort.

"I don't know what you mean by _near_," replied George. "The fort is all
of a hundred and fifty miles from here, and we are not going toward it.
We are going toward Holmes's ranche; and even if we have the best of
luck, it will take us two weeks to get there."

"That sounds better," said Bob, who was greatly relieved. "When you
spoke of Mr. Wentworth's neighbors, I was afraid that our
pleasure-excursion was about to be brought to an end, for he doesn't
live so _very_ far from the fort, you know."

"It's just over there," shouted Mr. Wentworth at this moment. "I see
cattle, and that proves t