summer, John Quincy."

But rather than let Forrest feel that he was being taken advantage of,
I repeated my former proposition. Accepting it as a last resort, the two
boys were sent for and the dividing commenced. Remounting our horses,
we entered the large corral, and as fast as they were selected the
different outfits were either roped or driven singly through a guarded
gate. It took over an hour of dusty work to make the division, but when
it was finished I had a remuda of a hundred and fifty-two saddle horses
that would make a man willing to work for his board and the privilege
of riding them. Turning out of the corrals, Priest and I accompanied the
horses out on the prairie where our toppy ones were being grazed. Paul
was tickled over my outfit of saddle stock, but gave me several hints
that he was entitled to another picked mount. I attempted to explain
that he had a good remuda, but he still insisted, and I promised him if
he would be at my wagon the next morning when we corralled, he should
have a good one. I could well afford to be generous with my old bunkie.

There now only remained the apportionment of the work-stock. Four mules
were allowed to the wagon, and in order to have them in good condition
they had been grain-fed for the past month. In their allotment the
Buford herds were given the best teams, and when mine was pointed out
by my employer, the outfit assisted the cook to harness in. Giving
him instructions to go into camp on a creek three miles south of
headquarters, my wagon was the second one to get away. Some of the
teams bolted at the start, and only for timely assistance Sponsilier's
commissary would have been overturned in the sand. Two of the wagons
headed west for Uvalde, while my brother Bob's started southeast for Bee
County. The other two belonging to Flood and The Rebel would camp on the
same creek as mine, their herds being also south. Once the wagons were
off, the saddle stock was brought in and corralled for our first mounts.
The final allotment of horses to the men would not take place until the
herds were ready to be received, and until then, they would be ridden
uniformly but promiscuously. With instructions from our employer to
return to the ranch after making camp, the remudas were started after
the wagons.

On our return after darkness, the ranch was as deserted as a
school-house on Saturday. A Mexican cook and a few regular ranch hands
were all that were left. Archie Tollesto