bel, down the river on a similar errand,--to
prospect for a crossing. Our party scouted for about five miles, and
the only safe footing we could find was a swift, narrow channel
between the bank and an island in the river, while beyond the island
was a much wider channel with water deep enough in several places to
swim our saddle horses. The footing seemed quite secure to our horses,
but the cattle were much heavier; and if an animal ever bogged in the
river, there was water enough to drown him before help could be
rendered. We stopped our horses a number of times, however, to try the
footing, and in none of our experiments was there any indication of
quicksand, so we counted the crossing safe. On our return we found the
herd already in motion, headed up the river where our foreman had
located a crossing. As it was then useless to make any mention of the
island crossing which we had located, at least until a trial had been
given to the upper ford, we said nothing. When we came within half a
mile of the new ford, we held up the herd and allowed them to graze,
and brought up the _remuda_ and crossed and recrossed them without
bogging a single horse. Encouraged at this, we cut off about a hundred
head of heavy lead cattle and started for the ford. We had a good push
on them when we struck the water, for there were ten riders around
them and Flood was in the lead. We called to him several times that
the cattle were bogging, but he never halted until he pulled out on
the opposite bank, leaving twelve of the heaviest steers in the
quicksand.

"Well, in all my experience in trail work," said Flood, as he gazed
back at the dozen animals struggling in the quicksand, "I never saw as
deceptive a bottom in any river. We used to fear the Cimarron and
Platte, but the old South Canadian is the girl that can lay it over
them both. Still, there ain't any use crying over spilt milk, and we
haven't got men enough to hold two herds, so surround them, boys, and
we'll recross them if we leave twenty-four more in the river. Take
them back a good quarter, fellows, and bring them up on a run, and
I'll take the lead when they strike the water; and give them no show
to halt until they get across."

As the little bunch of cattle had already grazed out nearly a quarter,
we rounded them into a compact body and started for the river to
recross them. The nearer we came to the river, the faster we went,
till we struck the water. In several places whe