halt was in Hood County, where we bought thirty-three hundred
two-year-old steers and three thousand and odd cows. This completed
eight herds secured--three of young steers for the agricultural
regions, and five intended for government delivery. We still lacked
one for the Indian Bureau, and as I offered to make it up from my
holdings, and on a credit, my active partner consented. I was putting
in every dollar at my command, my partners were borrowing freely at
home, and we were pulling together like a six-mule team to make
a success of the coming summer's work. It was now the middle of
February, and my active partner went to Fort Worth, where I did my
banking, to complete his financial arrangements, while I returned to
the ranch to organize the forces for the coming campaign. All the
latter were intrusted to me, and while I had my old foremen at my beck
and call, it was necessary to employ five or six new ones. With our
deliveries scattered from the Indian Territory to the upper Missouri
River, as well as our established trade at The Grove, two of us could
not cover the field, and George Edwards had been decided on as the
third and trusted man. In a practical way he was a better cowman than
I was, and with my active Yankee partner for a running mate they made
a team that would take care of themselves in any cow country.

A good foreman is a very important man in trail work. The drover or
firm may or may not be practical cowmen, but the executive in the
field must be the master of any possible situation that may arise,
combining the qualities of generalship with the caution of an
explorer. He must be a hail-fellow among his men, for he must command
by deserving obedience; he must know the inmost thoughts of his herd,
noting every sign of alarm or distress, and willingly sacrifice any
personal comfort in the interest of his cattle or outfit. I had a few
such men, boys who had grown up in my employ, several of whom I would
rather trust in a dangerous situation with a herd than take active
charge myself. No concern was given for their morals, but they must
be capable, trustworthy, and honest, as they frequently handled large
sums of money. All my old foremen swore by me, not one of them would
accept a similar situation elsewhere, and in selecting the extra trail
bosses their opinion was valued and given due consideration.

Not having driven anything from my ranch the year before, a fine herd
of twos, threes, and four-yea