ling in a moment of the
wildest panic. The drivers were glad to escape with their lives and were
left at the rear. A cloud of dust merely marked the direction which the
oxen had taken. The teams, six to eight yoke each, wrenched their
chains, broke the bows, and joined in the onrush. Many of the oxen,
still under yoke, were found the next day fifteen miles distant from the
scene of the incident, and unapproachable except on horseback. For a
month previous to this demonstration of the latent power of cattle, the
humane drivers of the wagon train were constantly lamenting that the
spirit of their teams was killed.

When within a mile of the Beaver, the herd was turned westward and given
its freedom. While drifting down the slope, Rowdy gradually crept far to
the lead, and as the brothers left the cattle and bore off homeward, the
horse took up a gentle trot, maintaining his lead until the stable
was reached.

"Look at the dear old rascal," said Joel, beaming with pride. "That
horse knows more than some folks."

"Yes, and if Dog-toe could talk," admitted Dell, stroking his horse's
neck, "he could tell a good joke on me. I may tell it myself some
day--some time when I want to feel perfectly ashamed of myself."

CHAPTER XIII

A WELCOME GUEST

The heralds of spring bespoke its early approach. April was ushered in
to the songs of birds, the greening valley, and the pollen on the
willow. The frost arose, the earth mellowed underfoot, and the creek
purled and sang as it hastened along. The cattle played, calves were
born, while the horses, in shedding their winter coats, matted the
saddle blankets and threw off great tufts of hair where they rolled on
the ground.

The marketing of the peltry fell to Joel. Dell met the wagon returning
far out on the trail. "The fur market's booming," shouted Joel, on
coming within speaking distance. "We'll not know the price for a few
weeks. The station agent was only willing to ship them. The storekeeper
was anxious to do the same, and advanced me a hundred dollars on the
shipment. Wolf skins, prime, are quoted from two to two dollars and a
half. And I have a letter from Forrest. The long winter's over! You can
shout! G'long, mules!"

During the evening, Dell read Forrest's letter again and again. "Keep
busy until the herds arrive," it read. "Enlarge your water supply and
plan to acquire more cattle."

"That's our programme," said Joel. "We'll put in two dams between here
an