ted and grazing. My name is Ross.
I'm the owner of about a fourth of the cattle in the big herd."

"I hope you don't feel angry with us for doing the best we could
to save our camp," Dick went on.

"You saved myself and the other owners a greater loss," replied
Mr. Ross, "so I thank you."

"You're quite welcome, Mr. Ross," smiled Tom Reade. "But what
was the shooting about?"

"I shot some of the cattle that appeared to be still alive, to
put an end to their suffering. You boys haven't any ice here,
have you?"

"No, sir," Dick replied.

"Too bad," said Mr. Ross. "If you had ice I could offer you a
prime lot of beef that it will hardly pay me to move, as I can't
get the animals cut up quickly enough and on ice, after the long
haul I would have to make."

"Are you going to leave the cattle on the clearing?" Dick asked
in sudden concern.

"We'll bury the carcasses," smiled Mr. Ross. "If we didn't the
smell would soon force you boys to move your camp a mile or two.
But see here! Ever have a barbecue?"

"No, sir," Dick made answer, his voice betraying sudden interest.

"Would you like one?" went on the owner. "A barbecue, real western
style, with a whole cow on the fire?"

"It would be great!" answered nearly all of Dick & Co. in concert.

"Then we'll have one, as soon as I can call my men in," replied
Mr. Ross cheerfully. "I'm bound to get some good out of the dead
cattle."

"We'll want a lot of firewood for that, won't we?" asked Dick,
his eyes gleaming.

"More than a little," nodded Mr. Ross. "And big wood, at that."

"Dave, you and Tom had better take the axes and get some real
wood," Prescott called. "Harry and Dan will help you and bring
it in. Where shall we put the wood, Mr. Ross?"

"In the middle of the burnt clearing will be better," replied
the cattle owner. "Then the fire won't have a chance to spread
in any direction. Besides, you won't want the heat of a great
fire too close to your camp. After the meat is cooked we can
bring it over here. Have you boys plenty of canned vegetables
and the like?"

"Plenty, sir," Dick answered cheerily, though his heart sank a
trifle as he thought of how the cattle owner and his helpers might
clean out their stock.

Dick and Greg busied themselves with carrying over to the clearing
such things as Mr. Ross said that they would need. Then it was
decided that the vegetables should be cooked at the camp.

"Let me see your stock of provisions