d to revolve on an axis,
and there was an astonishing number of revolutions to the minute.

The stirrups were down in the dark somewhere below the farthest reach
of Pink's toes--he never once located them. But Pink was not known all
over Northern Montana as a "bronco-peeler" for nothing. He surprised
Glory even more than that deceitful bit of horseflesh had surprised
Pink. While his quirt swung methodically, he looked often over his
shoulder for the posse, and wondered that it did not appear.

The posse, however, was at that moment having troubles of its own.
Happy Jack, not having a night horse saddled, had borrowed one not
remarkable for its sure-footedness. No sooner had they sighted their
quarry than Jack's horse stepped in a hole and went head-long--which
was bad enough. When he got up he planted a foot hastily on Jack's
diaphragm and then bolted straight for the peacefully slumbering
herd--which was worse.

With stirrup-straps snapping like pistol-shots, he tore down through
the dreaming cattle, with none to stop him or say him nay. The herd
did not wait for explanations; as the posse afterward said, it quit the
earth, while they gathered around the fallen Jack and tried to discover
if it was a doctor or coroner that was needed.

When Jack came up sputtering sand and profane words, there was no herd,
no horse and no Pink anywhere in that portion of Chouteau County.
Weary came back, laughing at the joke and fully expecting to see Pink a
prisoner. When he saw how things stood, he said "Mamma mine!" and
headed for camp on a run. The others deployed to search the range for
a beef-herd, strayed, and with no tag for its prompt delivery.

Weary crept into the bed-tent and got Chip by the shoulder. Chip sat
up, instantly wide-awake. "What's the matter?" he demanded sharply.

"Chip, we--we've lost Cadwolloper!" Weary's voice was tragic.

"Hell!" snapped Chip, lying down again. "Don't let that worry yuh."

"And we've lost the herd, too," added Weary mildly.

Chip got up and stayed up, and some of his remarks, Weary afterward
reported, were scandalous.

There was another scene at sunrise that the Happy Family voted
scandalous--and that was when they rode into a little coulee and came
upon the herd, quietly grazing, and Pink holding them, with each blue
eye a volcano shooting wrath.

"Yuh knock-kneed bunch uh locoed sheep-herders!" he greeted spitefully,
"if yuh think yuh can saw off on your foolery an