and for the information of the seller; but in the morning the final one
would be made, in which we could take a hand.

After the cut had started in for the ranch, we loitered along, looking
them over, and I noticed several that might have been thrown out. "Well,
now," said Flood, "if you are going to be so very choice as all that,
I might as well ride on. You can't use me if that bunch needs any more
trimming. I call them a fine lot of beeves. It's all right for Don
to rib the boys up and make them think that the cattle have to be
top-notchers. I've watched him receive too often; he's about the easiest
man I know to ring in short ages on. Just so a steer looks nice,
it's hard for the old man to turn one back. I've seen him receiving
three-year-olds, when one fourth of the cattle passed on were short
twos. And if you call his attention to one, he'll just smile that little
smile of his, and say, 'yes, he may be shy a few months, but he'll
grow.' But then that's just old man Don's weakness for cattle; he can't
look a steer in the face without falling in love with him. Now, I've
received before when by throwing out one half the stock offered, you
couldn't get as uniform a bunch of beeves as those are. But you go
right ahead, Tom, and be sure that every hoof you accept will dress five
hundred pounds at Fort Buford. I'll simply sit around and clerk and help
you count and give you a good chance to make a reputation."

Los Lobos was still an open range. They claimed to have over ten
thousand mixed cattle in the straight ranch brand. There had been no
demand for matured beeves for several years, and now on effecting this
sale they were anxious to deliver all their grown steers. Dr. Beaver
informed us that, previous to our arrival, his foreman had been throwing
everything in on the home range, and that he hoped to deliver to us over
two thousand head from his own personal holdings. But he was liberal
with his neighbors, for in the contingent just passed upon, there must
have been over a hundred head in various ranch brands. Assuring him that
we would be on hand in the morning to take possession of the cattle, and
requesting him to have a fire burning, on coming opposite the camp,
we turned off and rode for our wagon. It meant a big day's work to
road-brand this first contingent, and with the first sign of dawn, my
outfit were riding for Los Lobos. We were encamped about three miles
from the corrals, and leaving orders for the coo