can
follow in three weeks. The firm may be able to advise you when to ship.
It's only a fourteen-hour run to the yards, and if you work a
beef-shipping outfit that's up to date, you can pick your day to reach
the market. Get your outfit together, keep in touch with the house by
wire, and market your beef in advance of the glut from the
Platte country."

The solicitor lifted the lines over a livery team. "One moment," said
Joel. "Advise Mr. Stoddard that we rely on him to furnish us two men
during the beef-shipping season."

"Anything else?" inquired the man, a memorandum-book in hand.

"Where are the nearest ranches to ours?"

"On the Republican, both above and below the old trail crossing. There
may be extra men over on the river," said the solicitor, fully
anticipating the query.

"That's all," said Joel, extending his hand.

The stranger drove away. The brothers exchanged a puzzled glance, but
Sargent smiled. "That old boy sabes cows some little," said the latter.
"The chances are that he's forgotten more about cattle than some of
these government experts ever knew. Anyway, he reads the sign without
much effort. His survey of this range and the outlook are worth
listening to. Better look up an outfit of men."

"We'll gather the remuda to-day," announced Joel. "While I'm gone to the
Republican, you boys can trim up and gentle the horses."

The extra mounts, freed the fall before, had only been located on the
range, and must be gathered and brought in to headquarters at once. They
had ranged in scattering bunches during the winter, and a single day
would be required to gather and corral the ranch remuda. It numbered,
complete, ninety-six horses, all geldings, and the wisdom of buying the
majority a year in advance of their needs reflected the foresight of a
veteran cowman. Many of them were wild, impossible of approach, the call
of the plain and the free life of their mustang ancestors pulsing with
every heart-beat, and several days would be required to bring them under
docile subjection. There were scraggy hoofs to trim, witches' bridles to
disentangle, while long, bushy, matted tails must be thinned to a
graceful sweep.

The beginning of work acted like a tonic. The boys sallied forth,
mounted on their best horses, their spirits soaring among the clouds.
During the spring rains, several small lakes had formed in the sand
hills, at one of which a band of some thirty saddle horses was watering.
The lagoon w