uble on the way up, and we reached our destination and
delivered them without incident worthy of note, returning by way of
Wyoming, Colorado and New Mexico. On starting out on the return journey
we came down Pold creek and stopped at the old log saloon to get a
drink, that being the first place where we could get any whiskey. Here
in moving around among the large number of cow boys and tough
characters, generally, another fuss was started between our men and some
cattle rustlers resulting in some shooting, but fortunately without
serious consequences. As we were not looking for trouble, and not
wishing to kill any one we left at once for home. It was our policy to
always avoid trouble if possible while on these trips, but to always
defend ourselves and our rights against all comers, be they white men or
Indians and then it would look bad for us to have to report the loss of
a man or so in a saloon fight when we were sent out to attend to
business, for that reason we did not stop to give an exhibition of our
fighting qualities, although we were very anxious to have matters out
with them. We arrived home safely with all well and in time to assist in
the round ups and the other ranch work in which we were needed.

[Illustration: A Little Scrap--Hole-in-the-Wall Country]

CHAPTER XI.

A BUFFALO HUNT. I LOSE MY LARIAT AND SADDLE. I ORDER A DRINK FOR MYSELF
AND MY HORSE. A CLOSE PLACE IN OLD MEXICO.

When there was not much doing around the ranch, we boys would get up a
buffalo hunt. Buffaloes were plentiful in those days and one did not
have to ride far before striking a herd. Going out on the open plain we
were not long in sighting a herd, peacefully grazing on the luxuriant
grass, and it would have been an easy task to shoot them but that was
not our idea of sport. In the first place it was too easy. Then to shoot
them would rob the hunt of all element of danger and excitement, for
that reason we prepared to rope them and then dispatch them with the
knife or revolver. As soon as the herd caught sight of us they promptly
proceeded to stampede and were off like the wind. We all had pretty good
mounts and we started in pursuit. It is a grand sight to see a large
herd of several thousand buffalo on a stampede, all running with their
heads down and their tongues hanging out like a yard of red flannel,
snorting and bellowing they crowd along, shaking the ground for yards
around. We soon reached the rear of the herd an