"were getting kinda noisy." Roosevelt, who had also ridden to town,
possibly to keep an eye on "the boys," heard the commotion, and,
contrary to his usual habit, which was to keep out of such centers of
trouble, entered the saloon where the revelry was in progress.

"I don't know if he took a drink or not," said "Dutch Wannigan"
afterward. "I never saw him take one. But he came in and he paid for
the drinks for the crowd. 'One more drink, boys,' he says. Then, as
soon as they had their drinks, he says, 'Come on,' and away they went.
He just took the lead and they followed him home. By gollies, I never
seen anything like it!"

The round-up now worked southward. Roosevelt's diary gives its course
from day to day.

June 24. To Gardiner Creek.

June 25. To Bullion's Creek.

June 26. Down Bullion's Creek.

June 27. To Chimney Butte.

June 28. Rode in to Medora.

From Medora he wrote his sister Corinne:

I have been off on the round-up for five weeks, taking a
holiday of a few days when we had a cold snap, during which
time I killed two elk and six antelopes, all the meat being
smoke-dried and now hanging round the trees, till the ranch
looks like an Indian encampment. Since June 24th, I have
never once had breakfast as late as 4 o'clock. I have been
in the saddle all the day and work like a beaver and am as
happy and rugged as possible.

To "Bamie" he wrote:

If I did not miss all at home so much, and also my beautiful
home, I would say that this free, open-air life, without any
worry, was perfection.

The round-up ended in Medora, where it had begun.

You would hardly know my sunburned and wind-roughened face
[Roosevelt wrote "Bamie"]. But I have really enjoyed it and
am as tough as a hickory nut.

He evidently did not think he needed any vacation after the strenuous
labors of the preceding weeks, for his diary records no interlude.

June 29. Rode back to Elkhorn Ranch with Merrifield.

June 30. Benton.

July 1. Benton; rode out with Bill Rowe to get and brand
calves.

July 2. Benton; rode out with Bill Rowe after calves; got
them into corral and branded them. Rode little black horse.

July 3. Rode up to Medora on Manitou.

Roosevelt had been invited to be the orator at Dickinson's first
celebration of Independence Day, and, on the morning of the Fourth,
accompanied b