After the cut had started in for the ranch, we loitered along, looking them over, and I noticed several that might have been thrown out."Well, now, said Flood, "if you are going to be so very choice as all that, I might as well ride on.You can't use me if that bunch needs any more trimming.I call them a fine lot of beeves.It's all right for Don to rib the boys up and make them think that the cattle have to be top-notchers.I've watched him receive too often; he's about the easiest man I know to ring in short ages on.Just so a steer looks nice, it's hard for the old man to turn one back.I've seen him receiving three-year-olds, when one fourth of the cattle passed on were short twos.And if you call his attention to one, he'll just smile that little smile of his, and say, 'yes, he may be shy a few months, but he'll grow.' But then that's just old man Don's weakness for cattle; he can't look a steer in the face without falling in love with him.Now, I've received before when by throwing out one half the stock offered, you couldn't get as uniform a bunch of beeves as those are.But you go right ahead, Tom, and be sure that every hoof you accept will dress five hundred pounds at Fort Buford.I'll simply sit around and clerk and help you count and give you a good chance to make a reputation."Los Lobos was still an open range.They claimed to have over ten thousand mixed cattle in the straight ranch brand.There had been no demand for matured beeves for several years, and now on effecting this sale they were anxious to deliver all their grown steers.Dr.Beaver informed us that, previous to our arrival, his foreman had been throwing everything in on the home range, and that he hoped to deliver to us over two thousand head from his own personal holdings.But he was liberal with his neighbors, for in the contingent just passed upon, there must have been over a hundred head in various ranch brands.Assuring him that we would be on hand in the morning to take possession of the cattle, and requesting him to have a fire burning, we on coming opposite the camp, we turned off and rode for our wagon.It meant a big day's work to road-brand this first contingent, and with the first sign of dawn, my outfit were riding for Los Lobos.We were encamped about three miles from the corrals, and leaving orders for the cook to follow up, the camp was abandoned with the exception of the remuda.It was barely sun-up when we counted and took possession of the beeves.On being relieved, the foreman of Los Lobos took the ranch outfit and started off to renew the gathering.We penned the cattle without any trouble, and as soon as the irons were ready, a chuteful were run in and the branding commenced.This branding-chute was long enough to chamber eight beeves.It was built about a foot wide at the bottom and flared upward just enough to prevent an animal from turning round.
A heavy gate closed the exit, while bull-bars at the rear prevented the occupant from backing out.A high platform ran along either side of the branding-chute, on which the men stood while handling the irons.
Two men did the branding."Runt" Pickett attended the fire, passing up the heated irons, and dodging the cold branding-steel.
A single iron was often good for several animals, and sometimes a chuteful was branded with two irons.It was necessary that the work should be well done; not that a five months' trip required it, but the unforeseen must be guarded against.Many trail herds had met disaster and been scattered to the four winds with nothing but a road brand to identify them afterward.The cattle were changing owners, and custom decreed that an abstract of title should be indelibly seared on their sides.The first guard, Jake Blair, Morg Tussler, and Clay Zilligan, were detailed to cut and drive the squads into the chute.These three were the only mounted men, the others being placed so as to facilitate the work.Cattle are as innocent as they are strong, and in this necessary work everything was done quietly, care being taken to prevent them from becoming excited.As fast as they were released from the chute, Dr.Beaver took a list of the ranch brands, in order to bill of sale them to Lovell and settle with his neighbors.
The work moved with alacrity.As one chuteful was being freed the next one was entering.Gates closed in their faces and the bull-bars at the rear locked them as in a vice.We were averaging a hundred an hour, but the smoke from the burning hair was offensive to the lungs.During the forenoon Burl Van Vedder and Vick Wolf "spelled" Flood and myself for half an hour at a time, or until we could recover from the nauseous fumes.When the cook called us to dinner, we had turned out nearly five hundred branded cattle.No sooner was the midday meal bolted than the cook was ordered back to camp with his wagon, the branded contingent of cattle following in charge of the first guard.Less than half an hour was lost in refreshing the inner man, and ordering "G--G" Cederdall, Tim Stanley, and Jack Splann of the second guard into their saddles to take the place of the relieved men, we resumed our task.The dust of the corrals settled on us unheeded, the smoke of the fire mingled with that of the singeing hair and its offensive odors, bringing tears to our eyes, but the work never abated until the last steer had passed the chute and bore the "Open A."The work over, a pretense was made at washing the dust and grime from our faces.It was still early in the day, and starting the cattle for camp, I instructed the boys to water and graze them as long as they would stand up.The men all knew their places on guard, this having been previously arranged; and joining Dr.
