herd, two fragments, numbering
nearly five hundred, were purchased.

"The herd will be a trifle unwieldy," admitted Sargent, "but we're only
going to graze home. And unless we get a permit, we had better hold
over the line in Colorado until after the first frost."

"Don't worry about the permit," admonished Mr. Stoddard; "it's sure."

"We'll provision the wagon for a month," said Joel, "and that will take
us home, with or without a bill of health."

The commissary was stocked, three extra men were picked up, and the herd
started northward over the new Ogalalla trail. A week later it crossed
the Kansas Pacific Railroad, when Joel left the herd, returning to their
local station. A haying outfit was engaged, placed under the direction
of Manly, and after spending a few days at headquarters, the young
cowman returned to the railroad.

The expected permit was awaiting him. There was some slight danger in
using it, without first removing their wintered cattle; and after a
conference with Manly, it was decided to scout out the country between
their range and the Colorado line. The first herd of cattle had located
nicely, one man being sufficient to hold the dead-line; and taking a
pack horse, Joel and Manly started to explore the country between the
upper tributaries of the Beaver and the Colorado line.

A rifle was taken along to insure venison. Near the evening of the first
day, a band of wild horses was sighted, the trail of which was
back-tracked to a large lake in the sand hills. On resuming their scout
in the morning, sand dunes were scaled, admitting of an immense survey
of country, but not until evening was water in any quantity encountered.
The scouts were beginning to despair of finding water for the night,
when an immense herd of antelope was sighted, crossing the plain at an
easy gallop and disappearing among the dunes. Following up the game
trail, a perfect chain of lakes, a mile in length, was found at sunset.
A venison was shot and a fat camp for the night assured.

The glare of the plain required early observation. The white haze, heat
waves, and mirages were on every hand, blotting out distinct objects
during the day. On leaving the friendly sand hills, the horsemen bore
directly for the timber on the Republican, which was sighted the third
morning, and reached the river by noon.

No sign or trace of cattle was seen. The distance between the new and
old trail was estimated at one hundred miles, and jud