er also had its source in
the mountains, and as now midsummer was upon us, the season of heavy
rainfall in the mountains, augmented by the melting snows, the
prospect of finding a fordable stage of water at Forty Islands was not
very encouraging.

We reached this well-known crossing late in the afternoon the third
day after leaving the Wyoming line, and found one of the Prairie
Cattle Company's herds water-bound. This herd had been wintered on one
of that company's ranges on the Arkansaw River in southern Colorado,
and their destination was in the Bad Lands near the mouth of the
Yellowstone, where the same company had a northern range. Flood knew
the foreman, Wade Scholar, who reported having been waterbound over a
week already with no prospect of crossing without swimming. Scholar
knew the country thoroughly, and had decided to lie over until the
river was fordable at Forty Islands, as it was much the easiest
crossing on the North Platte, though there was a wagon ferry at Fort
Laramie. He returned with Flood to our camp, and the two talked over
the prospect of swimming it on the morrow.

"Let's send the wagons up to the ferry in the morning," said Flood,
"and swim the herds. If you wait until this river falls, you are
liable to have an experience like we had on the South Canadian,--lost
three days and bogged over a hundred cattle. When one of these sandy
rivers has had a big freshet, look out for quicksands; but you know
that as well as I do. Why, we've swum over half a dozen rivers
already, and I'd much rather swim this one than attempt to ford it
just after it has fallen. We can double our outfits and be safely
across before noon. I've got nearly a thousand miles yet to make, and
have just _got_ to get over. Think it over to-night, and have your
wagon ready to start with ours."

Scholar rode away without giving our foreman any definite answer as to
what he would do, though earlier in the evening he had offered to
throw his herd well out of the way at the ford, and lend us any
assistance at his command. But when it came to the question of
crossing his own herd, he seemed to dread the idea of swimming the
river, and could not be induced to say what he would do, but said that
we were welcome to the lead. The next morning Flood and I accompanied
our wagon up to his camp, when it was plainly evident that he did not
intend to send his wagon with ours, and McCann started on alone,
though our foreman renewed his efforts