d
put to some use, instead of causing damage to the range, as at present.

[Illustration: A Close Place in Old Mexico--Knocking a Man Over With
Every Bullet from My Colt's I Cut for the Open Country]

CHAPTER XII.

THE BIG WILD MUSTANG HUNT. WE TIRE THEM OUT. THE INDIANS CAPTURE OUR
MESS WAGON AND COOK. OUR BILL OF FARE BUFFALO MEAT WITHOUT SALT.

It was a bright clear morning in September as we were all gathered at
the old home ranch, prepared to start on the great mustang hunt. There
was one of the best men from each of the big cattle ranges in the
panhandle and Arizona country, making twenty of the best range riders
ever assembled together for a single purpose, while we were mounted on
the best and fastest horses the Texas and Arizona cattle country could
produce, while a horse rustler had left four days before with twenty
more equally as good horses, giving each of us two horses apiece. We
carried with us four days' rations, consisting of dried beef, crackers,
potatoes, coffee--we had no sugar. The mess wagon well stocked with
provisions for a two months' trip had also left four days before for a
place in the wild horse district, where we knew the mustangs were to be
found.

Many of the cattle men of Texas and Arizona were present to see us off,
and the boss gave us a little talk on what was expected of us, and said,
among other things, we were twenty of the best and gamest cow boys who
ever roamed the western plains, and that he knew we would make good on
hearing these words--we one and all resolved to do our best.

And swinging into the saddle we emptied our guns as a parting salutation
and started on a dead run across the plains towards the scene of our
duty. After a hard ride of ten days we sighted a band of about
seventy-five mustangs. We at once proceeded to run them down. It was
decided that twenty of us should surround the herd in a large circle,
ten or fifteen miles across, which would leave a space of several miles
between each rider, but not of a greater distance than he could easily
cover when he saw the band coming his way or heard our signals.

The horse rustler was to keep the extra horses at a place where they
would be safe and at the same time handy to the riders. Our plans
completed, each rider made preparations to start for his station. But
here another difficulty arose. We had not yet seen anything of our cook
and mess wagon. It had not arrived at the place agreed upon, although it