One of Uncle Sam's Cannon--Fort Dodge, Kan.]

We at once began preparing for the coming big round up. As usual this
kept us very busy during the months of July and August, and as we
received no more orders for cattle this season, we did not have to take
the trail again, but after the round up was over, we were kept busy in
range riding, and the general all around work of the big cattle ranch.
We had at this time on the ranch upwards of 30,000 head of cattle, our
own cattle, not to mention the cattle belonging to the many other
interests without the Pan Handle country, and as all these immense herds
used the range of the country, in common as there was no fences to
divide the ranches, consequently the cattle belonging to the different
herds often got mixed up and large numbers of them strayed.

At the round ups it was our duty to cut out and brand the young calves,
take a census of our stock, and then after the round up was over we
would start out to look for possible strays. Over the range we would
ride through canyons and gorges, and every place where it was possible
for cattle to stray, as it was important to get them with the main herd
before winter set in, as if left out in small bunches there was danger
of them perishing in the frequent hard storms of the winter. While range
riding or hunting for strays, we always carried with us on our saddle
the branding irons of our respective ranches, and whenever we ran across
a calf that had not been branded we had to rope the calf, tie it, then a
fire was made of buffalo chips, the only fuel besides grass to be found
on the prairie.

[Illustration: I am Captured by the Soldiers]

The irons were heated and the calf was branded with the brand of the
finder, no matter who it personally belonged to. It now became the
property of the finder. The lost cattle were then driven to the main
herd. After they were once gotten together it was our duty to keep them
together during the winter and early spring. It was while out hunting
strays that I got lost, the first and only time I was ever lost in my
life, and for four days I had an experience that few men ever went
through and lived, as it was a close pull for me.

I had been out for several days looking for lost cattle and becoming
separated from the other boys and being in a part of the country
unfamiliar to me. It was stormy when I started out from the home ranch
and when I had ridden about a hundred miles from home it began to