r-old steers could easily be made up. It
was possible that a tenth and individual herd might be sent up the
country, but no movement to that effect was decided on, and my regular
ranch hands had orders only to throw in on the home range and gather
outside steer cattle and dry cows. I had wintered all my saddle horses
on the Clear Fork, and once the foremen were decided on, they repaired
to the ranch and began outfitting for the start. The Coryell herds
were to be received one week later than the beef cattle, and the
outfits would necessarily have to start in ample time to meet us
on our return from the upper Nueces River country. The two foremen
allotted to Hood County would start a week later still, so that we
would really move north with the advance of the season in receiving
the cattle under contract. Only a few days were required in securing
the necessary foremen, a remuda was apportioned to each, and credit
for the commissary supplies arranged for, the employment of the men
being left entirely to the trail bosses. Taking two of my older
foremen with me, I started for Fort Worth, where an agreeable surprise
awaited me. We had been underbidden at the War Department on both our
proposals for northern wintered beeves. The fortunate bidder on one
contract was refused the award,--for some duplicity in a former
transaction, I learned later,--and the Secretary of War had approached
our silent partner to fill the deficiency. Six weeks had elapsed,
there was no obligation outstanding, and rather than advertise and
relet the contract, the head of the War Department had concluded to
allot the deficiency by private award. Major Hunter had been burning
the wires between Fort Worth and Washington, in order to hold the
matter open until I came in for a consultation. The department had
offered half a cent a pound over and above our previous bid, and we
bribed an operator to reopen his office that night and send a message
of acceptance. We had ten thousand cattle wintering on the Medicine
River, and it would just trim them up nicely to pick out all the
heavy, rough beeves for filling an army contract.

When we had got a confirmation of our message, we proceeded on south,
accompanied by the two foremen, and reached Uvalde County within a
week of the time set for receiving. Edwards had two good remudas in
pastures, wagons and teams secured, and cooks and wranglers on hand,
and it only remained to pick the men to complete the outfits.