back of it the faces
of Harshaw, Hawks, and Big Bill.

"You got me out," he murmured.

"Sure did, Bob. You're some drookit, but I reckon we can dry you like we
did the grub," his riding mate said.

"Who got me?"

"Blame the boss."

"We all took a hand, boy," Harshaw explained. "It was quite some job. You
were headed for Utah right swift. The boys rode in and claimed ownership.
How you feelin'?"

"Fine," Bob answered, and he tried to demonstrate by rising.

"Hold on. What's yore rush?" Harshaw interrupted. "You're right dizzy, I
expect. A fellow can't swallow the Blanco and feel like kickin' a hole in
the sky right away. Take yore time, boy."

Bob remembered his mount. "Powder River got away from me--in the water."
He said it apologetically.

"I'm not blamin' you for that," the boss said, and laid a kindly hand on
Dillon's shoulder.

"Was it drowned?"

"I reckon we'll find that out later. Lucky you wasn't. That's a heap more
important."

Bob was riding behind Dud fifteen minutes later in the wake of the herd.
Hawks had gone back to learn what had become of Powder River.

Supper was ready when Buck reached camp. He was just in time to hear the
cook's "Come an' get it." He reported to Harshaw.

"Horse got outa the river about a mile below the island. I scouted around
some for it, but couldn't trail in the dark."

"All right, Buck. To-morrow Dud and Bob can ride back and get the bronc.
We'll loaf along the trail and make a short day of it."

He sat down on his heels, reached for a tin plate and cup, and began one
of the important duties of the day.

CHAPTER XXVI

CUTTING SIGN

Dud's observation, when he and Bob took the back trail along the river to
find the missing bronco, confirmed that of Buck Hawks. He found the place
where a horse had clawed its way out of the stream to the clay bank. From
here it had wandered into the sage and turned toward the home ranch. The
tracks showed that Powder River was moving slowly, grazing as it went.

"I reckon by noon we can say 'Hello!' to yore bronc," Dud prophesied. "No
need to trail it. All we got to do is follow the river."

An hour later he drew up and swung from the saddle. "Now I wonder who
we've had with us this glad mawnin'."

Dud stooped and examined carefully tracks in the mud. Bob joined him.

"Powder River ain't so lonesome now. Met up with friends, looks like.
Takin' a li'l' journey north." The cowpuncher's blue eyes sparkled. The
pr