we caught the
dust, and made out dimly the masses of the other herds collected by our
companions, and by the party under Jed Parker. They went forward
toward the common centre, with a slow ruminative movement, and the dust
they raised went with them.

Little by little they grew plainer to us, and the home ranch, hitherto
merely a brown shimmer in the distance, began to take on definition as
the group of buildings, windmills, and corrals we knew. Miniature
horsemen could be seen galloping forward to the open white plain where
the herd would be held. Then the mesquite enveloped us; and we knew
little more, save the anxiety lest we overlook laggards in the brush,
until we came out on the edge of that same white plain.

Here were more cattle, thousands of them, and billows of dust, and a
great bellowing, and slim, mounted figures riding and shouting ahead of
the herd. Soon they succeeded in turning the leaders back. These
threw into confusion those that followed. In a few moments the cattle
had stopped. A cordon of horsemen sat at equal distances holding them
in.

"Pretty good haul," said the man next to me; "a good five thousand
head."

CHAPTER SIX

CUTTING OUT

It was somewhere near noon by the time we had bunched and held the herd
of some four or five thousand head in the smooth, wide flat, free from
bushes and dog holes. Each sat at ease on his horse facing the cattle,
watching lazily the clouds of dust and the shifting beasts, but ready
at any instant to turn back the restless or independent individuals
that might break for liberty.

Out of the haze came Homer, the round-up captain, on an easy lope. As
he passed successively the sentries he delivered to each a low command,
but without slacking pace. Some of those spoken to wheeled their
horses and rode away. The others settled themselves in their saddles
and began to roll cigarettes.

"Change horses; get something to eat," said he to me; so I swung after
the file traveling at a canter over the low swells beyond the plain.

The remuda had been driven by its leaders to a corner of the pasture's
wire fence, and there held. As each man arrived he dismounted, threw
off his saddle, and turned his animal loose. Then he flipped a loop in
his rope and disappeared in the eddying herd. The discarded horse,
with many grunts, indulged in a satisfying roll, shook himself
vigorously, and walked slowly away. His labour was over for the day,
and he kn