e something to eat."

"I'll make coffee and sizzle some bacon," offered Bud, for he realized
that he and his cousins had had some rest during the fore part of the
night, while the cowboys were riding herd before the disturbance
happened.

"And can't we circle around the cattle?" asked Nort.

"We could keep 'em quiet while you ate," suggested Dick.

"They seem to be fairly quiet now," remarked Dirk, "but it wouldn't do
any harm to circle around 'em. If you have trouble, though," he added
quickly, "fire your guns."

"We will!" exclaimed Nort, as he and Dick sprang for their horses. The
boy ranchers were eager thus to take their first tour of duty alone,
and they were much disappointed when nothing happened. The steers were
quiet, after their tiresome racing around in a circle. But that was
better than having them stampede, with the possible killing of many.

Slowly the light grew in the east, turning from pale gray to rose
tints, and then the sun came up, making the dew-laden grass sparkle
brightly. The cattle, many of which had been lying down, got up, rear
ends first, which is what always distinguishes the manner of a "cow
critter" arising from that of a horse.

Across the range blew wisps of smoke from the greasewood camp fire, and
then came the smell of bacon and coffee, than which there is no aroma
more to be desired in the world.

"Um!" murmured Nort, sniffing the air.

"Isn't that great?" cried his brother.

"It will be, if we can get some," said Nort, chuckling.

But he need not have worried, for, a few minutes later, there floated
to the ears of the boy ranchers the call of Bud:

"Come an' get it!"

The cattle, around which they had been slowly riding, needed no
attention now, and in a short time the five cowboys--for Nort and Dick
could truly be called by this name now--were eating an early breakfast.

"One good thing came out of this fracas, anyhow," observed Chot, as he
passed his plate for more flapjacks and bacon, and replenished his tin
cup with coffee.

"What's that?" asked Dick, feeling his neck where the rough rope had
broken the skin slightly.

"Well, we'll get an early start," answered the cowboy, "and that's a
lot when you're hazing steers to the railroad. Every pound counts for
the boss, and you can easily run off a thousand dollars by driving 'em
along during the heat of the day. We can let 'em rest at noon if we
start now."

"That's the idea," said Bud.

A little late