er. We had been
lounging about for an hour while the cattle were resting, when our
attention was attracted by our saddle horses in the bottom. They were
looking at the ford, to which we supposed their attention had been
attracted by the swimming of the outfit, but instead only two of the
boys showed up, and on sighting us nearly a mile away, they rode
forward very leisurely. Before their arrival we recognized them by
their horses as Ash Borrowstone and Rod Wheat, and on their riding up
the latter said as he dismounted,--

"Well, they're going to cross the other herd, and they want you to
come back and point the cattle with that famous swimming horse of
yours. You'll learn after a while not to blow so much about your
mount, and your cutting horses, and your night horses, and your
swimming horses. I wish every horse of mine had a nigger brand on him,
and I had to ride in the wagon, when it comes to swimming these
rivers. And I'm not the only one that has a distaste for a wet
proposition, for I wouldn't have to guess twice as to what's the
matter with Scholar. But Flood has pounded him on the back ever since
he met him yesterday evening to swim his cattle, until it's either
swim or say he's afraid to,--it's 'Shoot, Luke, or give up the gun'
with him. Scholar's a nice fellow, but I'll bet my interest in goose
heaven that I know what's the matter with him. And I'm not blaming
him, either; but I can't understand why our boss should take such an
interest in having him swim. It's none of his business if he swims
now, or fords a month hence, or waits until the river freezes over in
the winter and crosses on the ice. But let the big augers wrangle it
out; you noticed, Ash, that riot one of Scholar's outfit ever said a
word one way or the other, but Flood poured it into him until he
consented to swim. So fork that swimming horse of yours and wet your
big toe again in the North Platte."

As the orders had come from the foreman, there was nothing to do but
obey. Honeyman rode as far as the river with me, where after shedding
my boots and surplus clothing and secreting them, I rode up above the
island and plunged in. I was riding the gray which I had tried in the
Rio Grande the day we received the herd, and now that I understood
handling him better, I preferred him to Nigger Boy, my night horse. We
took the first and second islands with but a blowing spell between,
and when I reached the farther shore, I turned in my saddle and saw