.

"I had a little whirl of it once when I was a youngster," said Dan,
"except we didn't walk. It was well known that there were several bands
of wild horses ranging in the southwest corner of Tom Green County.
Those who had seen them described one band as numbering forty to fifty
head with a fine chestnut stallion as a leader. Their range was well
located when water was plentiful, but during certain months of the year
the shallow lagoons where they watered dried up, and they were compelled
to leave. It was when they were forced to go to other waters that
glimpses of them were to be had, and then only at a distance of one or
two miles. There was an outfit made up one spring to go out to their
range and walk these horses down. This season of the year was selected,
as the lagoons would be full of water and the horses would be naturally
reduced in flesh and strength after the winter, as well as weak and thin
blooded from their first taste of grass. We took along two wagons, one
loaded with grain for our mounts. These saddle horses had been eating
grain for months before we started and their flesh was firm and solid.

"We headed for the lagoons, which were known to a few of our party, and
when we came within ten miles of the water holes, we saw fresh signs of
a band--places where they had apparently grazed within a week. But it
was the second day before we caught sight of the wild horses, and too
late in the day to give them chase. They were watering at a large lake
south of our camp, and we did not disturb them. We watched them until
nightfall, and that night we planned to give them chase at daybreak.
Four of us were to do the riding by turns, and imaginary stations were
allotted to the four quarters of our camp. If they refused to leave
their range and circled, we could send them at least a hundred and fifty
miles the first day, ourselves riding possibly a hundred, and this
riding would be divided among four horses, with plenty of fresh ones at
camp for a change.

"Being the lightest rider in the party, it was decided that I was to
give them the first chase. We had a crafty plainsman for our captain,
and long before daylight he and I rode out and waited for the first peep
of day. Before the sun had risen, we sighted the wild herd within a mile
of the place where darkness had settled over them the night previous.
With a few parting instructions from our captain, I rode leisurely
between them and the lake where they had w