their horses and did not
urge the cattle forward, but let them get used to their new
surroundings. The animals went up to the rails and smelt them,
bellowing with surprise.

"Now, slowly, boys! Slowly!"

Very gradually the horsemen moved forward. To a new chum this care
seemed very unnecessary. The gate was straight ahead. Why not force
the animals through, and get the job over? But a thousand cattle
cannot be forced by five men, as the boys were soon to see.

The leading cattle were now right up to the gate, and the others were
slowly crowding on behind, till they were jammed in the wings. If only
one or two would go through the rest would follow easily. But the
leading bullock struck a tin buried in the sand. Instantly the great
beast's head was raised and he sent out a roaring bellow. Those behind
him crowded on, but he would not pass that tin. It was lying on top of
the sand now. He tried to back away from it, and in doing so struck
his foot against it again.

Bellow followed bellow. He set his feet firmly in the sand and would
not budge. Down went his head, and he tossed clouds of sand into the
air.

"Let 'em have it. Let 'em have it," shouted the drover. "Force 'em up
there. Force 'em up." He stood in his stirrups and plied his whip,
cracking it back and front, and shouting at the top of his voice. The
blacks did the same, till it seemed as if they would force the cattle
into the yard by sheer energy.

But no. The leading bullock stood firm. Something had to give way.
No single animal could withstand the pressure of all the others from
behind. The bullock lifted his head high and shook his mighty horns,
and, with a roar which drowned all sounds of shouting, he turned along
the side of the wing and charged. Nothing could stop him. Others
followed till the cattle were going round and round like water in a
whirlpool. What cattlemen most fear had happened: a ring. Not a
single beast went through the gate. They passed it, at first slowly,
then faster and faster, till they were galloping round and round like
clumsy circus horses.

The drover tried to break the ring. He cut off a few cattle at the
back of the mob and forced them against the tide. He succeeded for a
moment, and the black stockmen cut off others and brought them in. For
a few seconds it was like two huge waves meeting. The cattle jammed in
the centre, and some were actually lifted from their feet. Then the
wave bro