hat the raiders didn't scoop Taylor as they did
me. Now look sharp; we've got rounding out enough to do already."

"What does he mean by that?" asked Bob.

"He means that we mustn't allow our cattle to mix in with Mr. Taylor's,
for if we do we shall have to round them all out again. By 'rounding
out' we mean separating the different herds from each other; and that is
something that none but good herdsmen can do. It requires skill and a
big stock of patience, I tell you. Just let a few green hands try it,
and see how much they would make at it. Why, they would scare the cattle
so that they would run clear out of the State."

Although Mr. Wentworth had declared that Mr. Taylor's ranche was "just
over there," our friends did not reach it that day, nor until late in
the afternoon of the next. Before they got there they knew just what Mr.
Taylor's experience with the Kiowa raiders had been, for they had passed
two or three of his herds, whose keepers had told them all about it. The
Indians had suddenly made their appearance, coming from the south, and
driving before them a large number of cattle; and although they had not
come within five miles of Mr. Taylor's ranche, they had picked up one of
his small herds which happened to be in their path.

Our friends camped that night close by Mr. Taylor's ranche, which proved
to be a perfect little fort. It was built of heavy stone, was well
supplied with provisions, and defended by five stalwart fellows who were
armed with Winchester rifles. The raiders would have had a nice time of
it if they had come there. The owner listened in great surprise to Mr.
Wentworth's story, made much of his boys, and would not let him and
George "round out" the stock that bore his brand.

"You're welcome to the steers, neighbor," said he. "I've got more left
than I can take care of if the Kiowas bounce me as earnestly as they did
you, and you will need them to help you start a new herd."

This same thing was repeated by every one of the half a dozen other
ranchemen to whom Mr. Wentworth offered to surrender their stock. They
all sympathized with him, and wanted to aid him by every means in their
power. The result was, that our friends arrived within one day's march
of their journey's end with just as many cattle as they had when they
left the Staked Plains. Although Mr. Wentworth had been "completely
cleaned out," he was still worth something like twenty thousand dollars.

George and his party ma