said Hector. "As we go along I'll
tell you what you'll have to do, for there's nothing like beginning at
once."

We were in the saddle before daylight, having first breakfasted, when we
found a mob of sixty or eighty tame cattle, a short distance from the
station.

"What are they for?" I asked.

"They are coaches!" answered Hector. "We use them to entice the wild
ones, who take shelter among them, and then the whole are more easily
driven into the stock yards."

The animals quietly pursued their way, going wherever their drivers
chose to direct them. We mustered a dozen horsemen. On arriving close
to the run where the wild cattle were known to be, three of the men
remained with the coaches, and the rest of us rode forward, dividing
into two parties, the one going to the right, the other to the left, so
as to encircle the whole camp,--the name given to the spot where the
wild cattle congregate. The country had a very wild appearance, there
were rocks and hills and fallen trees in all directions, and I guessed
that we should have a pretty rough ride. Our object was to drive the
cattle towards the coaches and to prevent any of them turning back and
breaking through the line we formed in their rear. We were accompanied,
I should have said, by a pack of dogs, of a somewhat mongrel appearance,
of all sizes and shapes. On arriving at the camp one of the best
mounted stockmen went ahead to lead the cattle, which curiously enough
always follow where they see another animal going, and now the work
began.

Cracking our whips and shouting at the top of our voices, off we started
over the rough ground, now dashing up a hill, now descending the steep
side of another, our animals springing and dodging about to avoid rocks
and other obstructions. Now we leaped over trees, twisting and turning
in every direction to avoid the standing stumps and jumping over
scattered logs; now we had to force our way through a thick patch of
saplings which caught us as in a net. Not occasionally but _every_
moment some of the cattle would turn and attempt to break through, some
of our party having immediately to wheel round, with loud cracks of
their whips, and make the beasts head the other way. None of us seemed
to think of the danger we were running. Though Guy and I were good
horsemen it was pretty hard work for us, and our whips were but of
little use as we could not make them crack like the rest of the party.
The cows gave us m