t of all
jokes. In entertaining company he was in a class by himself, and spoke
with marked familiarity of all the prominent cowmen in southern Texas.
To a stranger the inference might be easily drawn that Lovell was in his
employ.

As we were expecting to receive cattle on the third day, the next
morning the allotment of horses was made. The usual custom of giving the
foreman first choice was claimed, and I cut twelve of solid colors but
not the largest ones. Taking turns, the outfit roped out horse after
horse until only the ten extra ones were left. In order that these
should bear a fair share in the work, I took one of them for a
night-horse and allotted the others to the second, third, and last
guard in a similar capacity. This gave the last three watches two horses
apiece for night work, but with the distinct understanding that in
case of accident or injury to any horse in the remuda, they could be
recalled. There was little doubt that before the summer ended, they
would be claimed to fill vacancies in the regular mounts. Flood had kept
behind only two horses with which to overtake the other outfits, and
during his stay with us would ride these extras and loans from my mount.

The entire morning was spent working with the remuda. Once a man knew
his mount, extra attention was shown each horse. There were witches'
bridles to be removed from their manes, extra long tails were thinned
out to the proper length, and all hoofs trimmed short. The horses were
fast shedding their winter coats, matting the saddle blankets with
falling hair, and unless carefully watched, galled backs would result.
The branding-irons had been altered en route, and about noon a vaquero
came down the river and reported that the second round-up of the day
would meet just over the county line in Dimmit. He belonged at Los
Lobos, and reported the morning rodeo as containing over five hundred
beeves, which would be ready for delivery at our pleasure. We made him
remain for dinner, after which Flood and I saddled up and returned with
him. We reached the round-up just as the cutting-out finished. They were
a fine lot of big rangy beeves, and Jim suggested that we pass upon
them at once. The seller agreed to hold them overnight, and Flood and
I culled back about one hundred and twenty which were under age or
too light. The round-up outfit strung the cattle out and counted them,
reporting a few over seven hundred head. This count was merely informal