everyone expressed himself as satisfied. The largely
diminished main herd was now started forward by means of shrill cowboy
cries and beating of quirts. The cattle were only too eager to go.
From my position on a little rise above the stray-herd I could see the
leaders breaking into a run, their heads thrown forward as they snuffed
their freedom. On the mesa side the sentinel riders quietly withdrew.
From the rear and flanks the horsemen closed in. The cattle poured out
in a steady stream through the opening thus left on the mesa side. The
fringe of cowboys followed, urging them on. Abruptly the cavalcade
turned and came loping back. The cattle continued ahead on a trot,
gradually spreading abroad over the landscape, losing their integrity
as a herd. Some of the slower or hungrier dropped out and began to
graze. Certain of the more wary disappeared to right or left.

Now, after the day's work was practically over, we had our first
accident. The horse ridden by a young fellow from Dos Cabesas slipped,
fell, and rolled quite over his rider. At once the animal lunged to
his feet, only to be immediately seized by the nearest rider. But the
Dos Cabesas man lay still, his arms and legs spread abroad, his head
doubled sideways in a horribly suggestive manner. We hopped off. Two
men straightened him out, while two more looked carefully over the
indications on the ground.

"All right," sang out one of them, "the horn didn't catch him."

He pointed to the indentation left by the pommel. Indeed five minutes
brought the man to his senses. He complained of a very twisted back.
Homer set one of the men in after the bed-wagon, by means of which the
sufferer was shortly transported to camp. By the end of the week he
was again in the saddle. How men escape from this common accident with
injuries so slight has always puzzled me. The horse rolls completely
over his rider, and yet it seems to be the rarest thing in the world
for the latter to be either killed or permanently injured.

Now each man had the privilege of looking through the J H cuts to see
if by chance steers of his own had been included in them. When all had
expressed themselves as satisfied, the various bands were started to
the corrals.

From a slight eminence where I had paused to enjoy the evening I looked
down on the scene. The three herds, separated by generous distance one
from the other, crawled leisurely along; the riders, their hats thrust