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and　allowing　blocks　of　ten　to　pass　alternately　from　the　main　into　smaller　inclosures。　But　I　was　expecting　something　like　this　from　Quince；　and　had　entirely　different　plans　of　my　own。　Forrest　and　I　were　good　friends；　but　he　was　a　foxy　rascal；　and　I　had　never　wavered　in　my　determination　to　get　the　pick　of　that　horse　herd。　Had　I　accepted　his　proposal；　the　chance　of　a　spinning　coin　might　have　given　him　a　decided　advantage；　and　I　declined　his　proposition。　I　had　a　remuda　in　sight　that　my　very　being　had　hungered　for；　and　now　I　would　take　no　chance　of　losing　it。　But　on　the　other　hand；　I　proposed　to　Forrest　that　he　might　have　the　assistance　of　two　men　in　Flood's　outfit　who　had　accompanied　the　horse　herd　home　from　Dodge。　In　the　selecting　of　Jim's　extra　twentyfive；　the　opinion　of　these　two　lads；　as　the　chosen　horses　proved；　was　a　decided　help　to　their　foreman。　But　Quince　stood　firm；　and　arguing　the　matter；　we　reached　the　corrals　and　penned　the　band。

The　two　top　bunches　were　held　separate　and　were　left　a　mile　back　on　the　prairie；　under　herd。　The　other　remudas　were　all　in　sight　of　the　ranch；　while　a　majority　of　the　men　were　eating　a　late　dinner。　Still　contending　for　his　point；　Forrest　sent　a　lad　to　the　house　to　ask　our　employer　to　come　over　to　the　corrals。　On　his　appearance；　accompanied　by　Flood；　each　of　us　stated　our　proposition。

〃Well；　the　way　I　size　this　up；〃　said　old　man　Don；　〃one　of　you　wants　to　rely　on　his　own　judgment　and　the　other　don't。　It　looks　to　me；　Quince；　you　want　a　gambler's　chance　where　you　can't　lose。　Tom's　willing　to　bank　on　his　own　judgment；　but　you　ain't。　Now；　I　like　a　man　who　does　his　own　thinking；　and　to　give　you　a　good　lesson　in　that　line；　why；　divide　them；　horse　and　horse；　turn　about。　Now；　I'll　spin　this　coin　for　first　pick；　and　while　it's　in　the　air；　Jim　will　call　the　turn。　。　。　。　Tom　wins　first　choice。〃

〃That's　all　right；　Mr。　Lovell；〃　said　Quince；　smilingly。　〃I　just　got　the　idea　that　you　wanted　the　remudas　for　the　Buford　herds　to　be　equally　good。　How　can　you　expect　it　when　Tom　knows　every　horse　and　I　never　saddled　one　of　them。　Give　me　the　same　chance；　and　I　might　know　them　as　well　as　the　little　boy　knew　his　pap。〃

〃You　had　the　same　chance；〃　I　put　in；　〃but　didn't　want　it。　You　were　offered　the　Pine　Ridge　horses　last　year　to　take　back　to　Dodge；　and　you　kicked　like　a　bay　steer。　But　I　swallowed　their　dust　to　the　Arkansaw；　and　from　there　home　we　lived　in　clouds　of　alkali。　You　went　home　drunk　and　dressed　up；　with　a　cigar　in　your　mouth　and　your　feet　through　the　car　window；　claiming　you　was　a　brother…in…law　to　Jay　Gould；　and　simply　out　on　a　tour　of　inspection。　Now　you　expect　me　to　give　you　the　benefit　of　my　experience　and　rob　myself。　Not　this　summer；　John　Quincy。〃　

But　rather　than　let　Forrest　feel　that　he　was　being　taken　advantage　of；　I　repeated　my　former　proposition。　Accepting　it　as　a　last　resort；　the　two　boys　were　sent　for　and　the　dividing　commenced。　Remounting　our　horses；　we　entered　the　large　corral；　and　as　fast　as　they　were　selected　the　different　outfits　were　either　roped　or　driven　singly　through　a　guarded　gate。　It　took　over　an　hour　of　dusty　work　to　make　the　division；　but　when　it　was　finished　I　had　a　remuda　of　a　hundred　and　fifty…two　saddle　horses　that　would　make　a　man　willing　to　work　for　his　board　and　the　privilege　of　riding　them。　Turning　out　of　the　corrals；　Priest　and　I　accompanied　the　horses　out　on　the　prairie　where　our　toppy　ones　were　being　grazed。　Paul　was　tickled　over　my　outfit　of　saddle　stock；　but　gave　me　several　hints　that　he　was　entitled　to　another　picked　mount。　I　attempted　to　explain　that　he　had　a　good　remuda；　but　he　still　insisted；　and　I　promised　him　if　he　would　be　at　my　wagon　the　next　morning　when　we　corralled；　he　should　have　a　good　one。　I　could　well　afford　to　be　generous　with　my　old　bunkie。

There　now　only　remained　the　apportionment　of　the　work…stock。　Four　mules　were　allowed　to　the　wagon；　and　in　order　to　have　them　in　good　condition　they　had　been　grain…fed　for　the　past　month。　In　their　allotment　the　Buford　herds　were　given　the　best　teams；　and　when　mine　was　pointed　out　by　my　employer；　the　outfit　assisted　the　cook　to　harness　in。　Giving　him　instructions　to　go　into　camp　on　a　creek　three　miles　south　of　headquarters；　my　wagon　was　the　second　one　to　get　away。　Some　of　the　teams　bolted　at　the　start；　and　only　for　timely　assistance　Sponsilier's　commissary　would　have　been　overturned　in　the　sand。　Two　of　the　wagons　headed　west　for　Uvalde；　while　my　brother　Bob's　started　southeast　for　Bee　County。　The　other　two　belonging　to　Flood　and　The　Rebel　would　camp　on　the　same　creek　as　mine；　their　herds　being　also　south。　Once　the　wagons　were　off；　the　saddle　stock　was　brought　in　and　corralled　for　our　first　mounts。　The　final　allotment　of　horses　to　the　men　would　not　take　place　until　the　herds　were　ready　to　be　received；　and　until　then；　they　would　be　ridden　uniformly　but　promiscuously。　With　instructions　from　our　employer　to　return　to　the　ranch　after　making　camp；　the　remudas　were　started　after　the　wagons。

On　our　return　after　darkness；　the　ranch　was　as　deserted　as　a　school…house　on　Saturday。　A　Mexican　cook　and　a　few　regular　ranch　hands　were　all　that　were　left。　Archie　Tolleston　had　secured　his　horse　and　quit　headquarters　before　any　one　had　even　returned　from　the　round…up。　When　the　last　of　the　foremen　came　in；　our　employer　delivered　his　final　messages。　〃Boys；〃　said　he；　〃I'll　only　detain　you　a　few　minutes。　I'm　going　west　in　the　morning　to　Uvalde　County；　and　will　be　present　at　the　receiving　of　Quince　and　Dave's　herds。　After　they　start；　I'll　come　back　to　the　city　and　take　stage　to　Oakville。　But　you　go　right　ahead　and　receive　your　cattle；　Bob；　for　we　don't　know　what　may　turn　up。　Flood　will　help　Tom　first；　and　then　Paul；　to　receive　their　cattle。　That　will　give　the　Buford　herds　the　first　start；　and　I'll　be　waiting　for　you　at　Abilene　when　you　reach　there。　And　above　all　else；　boys；　remember　that　I've　strained　my　credit　in　this　drive；　and　that　the　cattle　must　be　A　1；　and　that　we　must　deliver　them　on　the　spot　in　prime　condition。　Now；　that's　all；　but　you'd　better　be　riding　so　as　to　get　an　early　start　in　the　morning。〃

Our　employer　walked　with　us　to　the　outer　gate　where　our　horses　stood　at　the　hitch…rack。　That　he　was　reticent　in　his　business　matters　was　well　known　among　all　his　old　foremen；　including　Forrest　and　myself。　If　he　had　a　confidant　among　his　men；　Jim　Flood　was　the　manand　there　were　a　few　things　he　did　not　know。　As　we　mounted　our　horses　to　return　to　our　respective　camps；　old　man　Don　quietly　took　my　bridle　reins　in　hand　and　allowed　the　others　to　ride　away。　〃I　want　a　parting　word　with　you；　Tom；〃　said　he　a　moment　later。　〃Something　has　happened　to…day　which　will　　require　the　driving　of　the　Buford　herds　in　some　road　brand　other　　than　the　'Circle　Dot。'　The　first　blacksmith　shop　you　pass；　have　　your　irons　altered　into　'Open　A's；'　and　I'll　do　the　same　with　　Quince　and　Dave's　brands。　Of　the　why　or　wherefore　of　this；　　say　nothing　to　any　one；　as　no　one　but　myself　knows。　Don't　breathe　a　word　even　to　Flood；　for　he　don't　know　any　more　than　he　should。　　When　the　time　comes；　if　it　ever　does；　you'll　know　all　that　is　　necessaryor　nothing。　That's　all。〃



CHAPTER　III。　RECEIVING　AT　LOS　LOBOS

The　trip　to　Lasalle　County　was　mere　pastime。　All　three　of　the　outfits　kept　in　touch　with　each　other；　camping　far　enough　apart　to　avoid　any　conflict　in　night…herding　the　remudas。　The　only　incident　to　mar　the　pleasure　of　the　outing　was　the　discovery　of　ticks　in　many　of　our　horses'　ears。　The　pasture　in　which　they　had　wintered　was　somewhat　brushy；　and　as　there　had　been　no　frost　to　kill　insect　life；　myriads　of　seed…ticks　had　dropped　from　the　mesquite　thickets　upon　the　animals　when　rubbing　against　or　passing　underneath　them。　As　the　inner　side　of　a　horse's　ear　is　both　warm　and　tender；that　organ　was　frequently　infested　with　this　pest；　whose　ravages　often　undermined　the　supporting　cartilages　and　produced　the　drooping　or　〃gotch〃　ear。　In　my　remuda　over　one　half　the　horses　were　afflicted　with　ticks；　and　many　of　them　it　was　impossible　to　bridle；　owing　to　the　inflamed　condition　of　their　ears。　Fortunately　we　had　with　us　some　standard　preparations　for　blistering；　so；　diluting　this　in　axle…grease；　we　threw　every　animal　thus　affected　and　thoroughly　swabbed　his　ears。　On　reaching　the　Nueces　River；　near　the　western　boundary　of　Lasalle　County；　the　other　two　outfits　continued　on　down　that　stream　for　their　destination　in　the　lower　country。　Flood　remained　behind　with　me；　and　going　into　camp　on　the　river　with　my　outfit；　the　two　of　us　rode　over　to　Los　Lobos　Ranch　and　announced　ourselves　as　ready　to　receive　the　cattle。　Dr。　Beaver；　the　seller　of　the　herd；　was　expecting　us；　and　sending　word　of　our　arrival　to　neighboring　cowmen；　we　looked　over　the　corrals　before　returning　to　camp。　They　had　built　a　new　branding…chute　and　otherwise　improved　their　facilities　for　handling　cattle。　The　main　enclosure　had　been　built　of　heavy　palisades　in　an　early　day；　but　recently　several　of　smaller　sized　lumber　had　been　added；　making　the　most　complete　corrals　I　had　ever　seen。　An　abundance　of　wood　was　at　hand　for　heating　the　branding…irons；　and　every　little　detail　to　facilitate　the　work　had　been　provided　for。　Giving　notice　that　we　would　receive　every　morning　on　the　open　prairie　only；　we　declined　an　invitation　to　remain　at　the　ranch　and　returned　to　my　wagon。

In　the　valley　the　grass　was　well　forward。　We　had　traveled　only　some　twenty　miles　a　day　coming　down；　and　our　horses　had　fared　well。　But　as　soon　as　we　received　any　cattle；　night…herding　the　remuda　would　cease；　and　we　must　either　hobble　or　resort　to　other　measures。　John　Levering　was　my　horse…wrangler。　He　had　made　two　trips　over　the　trail　with　Fant's　herds　in　the　same　capacity；　was　careful；　humane；　and　an　all…round　horseman。　In　employing　a　cook；　I　had　given　the　berth　to　Neal　Parent；　an　old　boyhood　chum　of　mine。　He　never　amounted　to　much　as　a　cow…hand；　but　was　a　lighthearted；　happy　fool；　and　as　cooking　did　not　require　much　sense；　I　gave　him　the　chance　to　make　his　first　trip。　Like　a　court　jester；　he　kept　the　outfit　in　fine　spirits　and　was　the　butt　of　all　jokes。　In　entertaining　company　he　was　in　a　class　by　himself；　and　spoke　with　marked　familiarity　of　all　the　prominent　cowmen　in　southern　Texas。　To　a　stranger　the　inference　might　be　easily　drawn　that　Lovell　was　in　his　employ。