d, and "stands" two to four hours.
The horse herd is also guarded by "reliefs." In fine weather it is no
great hardship to be called out at any hour of the night, but if it
should be late in autumn and snow falling, or, what is worse still, if
there be a cold rain and a bitter wind it is very trying to be compelled
to leave your warm bed at twelve or three in the morning, get on to your
poor shivering horse and stand guard for three hours.

It should be explained that "standing" means not absolute inaction but
slowly riding round and round the herd. Yes, it is trying, especially in
bad weather and after working hard all day long from before sun-up. How
well one gets to know the stars and their positions! The poor
night-herders know that a certain star will set or be in such and such a
position at the time for the next relief. Often when dead tired, sleepy
and cold, how eagerly have I watched my own star's apparently very slow
movement. The standard watch is at the wagon, and must not be "monkeyed"
with, a trick sometimes played on tenderfeet. Immediately time for
relief is up the next is called, and woe betide them if they delay
complying with the summons. Of course the owner or manager does not
have to take part in night-herding, but the boys think more of him if he
does, and certainly the man he relieves appreciates it.

In continued wet and cold weather such as we were liable to have late in
October or November, when it might rain and drizzle for a week or two at
a time, our beds would get very wet and there would be no sun to dry
them.

Consequently we practically slept in wet, not damp, blankets for days at
a time; and to return from your guard about two in the morning and get
into such an uninviting couch was trying to one's temper, of course.
Even one's "goose haar piller," as the boys called their feather pillow,
might be sodden. To make your bed in snow or be snowed over is not
nearly so bad.

No tents were ever seen on the round-up. Everyone slept on the open bare
ground. But for use during my long drives across country I got to using
a small Sibley tent, nine feet by nine feet, which had a canvas floor
attached to the walls, and could be closed up at night so as to
effectually prevent the entrance of skunks and other vermin. This tent
had no centre pole whatever. You simply drove in the four corner
stake-pins, raised the two light rods over it triangularwise, and by a
pulley and rope hoist up the peak. Th