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stretched out； his ears slanted； his eyes snapping with joy of
the chase； flew fairly 〃belly to earth。〃 The rider sat slightly
forward； with the cowboy's loose seat。 A whirl of dust；
strangely insignificant against the immensity of a desert
morning； rose from the flying group。 Now they disappeared in a
ravine； only to scramble out again the next instant； pace
undiminished。 The rider merely rose slightly and threw up his
elbows to relieve the jar of the rough gully。 At first the
cattle seemed to hold their； own； but soon the horse began to
gain。 In a short time he had come abreast of the leading animal。
The latter stopped short with a snort； dodged back； and set out
at right angles to his former course。 From a dead run the pony
came to a stand in two fierce plunges； doubled like a shot； and
was off on the other tack。 An unaccustomed rider would here have
lost his seat。 The second dash was short。 With a final shake of
the head； the steers turned to the proper course in the direction
of the ranch。 The pony dropped unconcernedly to the shuffling
jog of habitual progression。
Far away stretched the arc of our cordon。 The most distant
rider was a speck； and the cattle ahead of him were like maggots
endowed with a smooth； swift onward motion。 As yet the herd had
not taken form； it was still too widely scattered。 Its units； in
the shape of small bunches； momently grew in numbers。 The
distant plains were crawling and alive with minute creatures
making toward a common tiny centre。
Immediately in our front the cattle at first behaved very well。
Then far down the long gentle slope I saw a break for the upper
valley。 The manikin that represented Homer at once became even
smaller as it departed in pursuit。 The Cattleman moved down to
cover Homer's territory until he should returnand I in turn
edged farther to the right。 Then another break from another
bunch。 The Cattleman rode at top speed to head it。 Before long
he disappeared in the distant mesquite。 I found myself in sole
charge of a front three miles long。
The nearest cattle were some distance ahead； and trotting along
at a good gait。 As they had not yet discovered the chance left
open by unforeseen circumstance； I descended and took in on my
cinch while yet there was time。 Even as I mounted； an impatient
movement on the part of experienced Brown Jug told me that the
cattle had seen their opportunity。
I gathered the reins and spoke to the horse。 He needed no
further direction； but set off at a wide angle； nicely
calculated； to intercept the truants。 Brown Jug was a powerful
beast。 The spring of his leap was as whalebone。 The yellow
earth began to stream past like water。 Always the pace increased
with a growing thunder of hoofs。 It seemed that nothing could
turn us from the straight line； nothing check the headlong
momentum of our rush。 My eyes filled with tears from the wind of
our going。 Saddle strings streamed behind。 Brown Jug's mane
whipped my bridle band。 Dimly I was conscious of soapweed；
sacatone； mesquite； as we passed them。 They were abreast and
gone before I could think of them or how they were to be dodged。
Two antelope bounded away to the left； birds rose hastily from
the grasses。 A sudden chirk； chirk； chirk； rose all about me。
We were in the very centre of a prairie…dog town； but before I
could formulate in my mind the probabilities of holes and broken
legs； the chirk； chirk； chirking had fallen astern。 Brown Jug
had skipped and dodged successfully。
We were approaching the cattle。 They ran stubbornly and well；
evidently unwilling to be turned until the latest possible
moment。 A great rage at their obstinacy took possession of us
both。 A broad shallow wash crossed our way； but we plunged
through its rocks and boulders recklessly； angered at even the
slight delay they necessitated。 The hardland on the other side
we greeted with joy。 Brown Jug extended himself with a snort。
Suddenly a jar seemed to shake my very head loose。 I found
myself staring over the horse's head directly down into a
deep and precipitous gully； the edge of which was so cunningly
concealed by the grasses as to have remained invisible to my
blurred vision。 Brown Jug； however； had caught sight of it at
the last instant； and had executed one of the wonderful stops
possible only to a cow…pony。
But already the cattle had discovered a passage above； and were
scrambling down and across。 Brown Jug and I； at more sober pace；
slid off the almost perpendicular bank； and out the other side。
A moment later we had headed them。 They whirled； and without the
necessity of any suggestion on my part Brown Jug turned after
them； and so quickly that my stirrup actually brushed the ground。
After that we were masters。 We chased the cattle far enough to
start them well in the proper direction； and then pulled down to
a walk in order to get a breath of air。
But now we noticed another band； back on the ground over which we
had just come； doubling through in the direction of Mount
Graham。 A hard run set them to rights。 We turned。 More had
poured out from the hills。 Bands were crossing everywhere；
ahead and behind。 Brown Jug and I went to work。
Being an indivisible unit； we could chase only one bunch at a
time； and； while we were after one； a half dozen others would be
taking advantage of our preoccupation。 We could not hold our
own。 Each run after an escaping bunch had to be on a longer
diagonal。 Gradually we were forced back； and back； and back； but
still we managed to hold the line unbroken。 Never shall I forget
the dash and clatter of that morning。 Neither Brown Jug nor I
thought for a moment of sparing horseflesh； nor of picking a
route。 We made the shortest line； and paid little attention to
anything that stood in the way。 A very fever of resistance
possessed us。 It was like beating against a head wind； or
fighting fire； or combating in any other of the great forces of
nature。 We were quite alone。 The Cattleman and Homer had
vanished。 To our left the men were fully occupied in marshalling
the compact brown herds that had gradually massedfor these
antagonists of mine were merely outlying remnants。
I suppose Brown Jug must have run nearly twenty miles with only
one check。 Then we chased a cow some distance and into the dry
bed of a stream； where she whirled on us savagely。 By luck her
horn hit only the leather of my saddle skirts； so we left her；
for when a cow has sense enough to 〃get on the peck；〃 there is no
driving her farther。 We gained nothing； and had to give ground；
but we succeeded in holding a semblance of order； so that the
cattle did not break and scatter far and wide。 The sun had by
now well risen； and was beginning to shine hot。 Brown Jug still
ran gamely and displayed as much interest as ever； but he was
evidently tiring。 We were both glad to see Homer's grey showing
in the fringe of mesquite。
Together we soon succeeded in throwing the cows into the main
herd。 And； strangely enough； as soon as they had joined a
compact band of their fellows； their wildness left them and；
convoyed by outsiders； they set themselves to plodding
energetically toward the home ranch。
As my horse was somewhat winded； I joined the 〃drag〃 at the rear。
Here by course of natural sifting soon accumulated all the lazy；
gentle； and sickly cows； and the small calves。 The difficulty
now was to prevent them from lagging and dropping out。 To that
end we indulged in a great variety of the picturesque cow…calls
peculiar to the cowboy。 One found an old tin can which by the
aid of a few pebbles he converted into a very effective rattle。
The dust rose in clouds and eddied in the sun。 We slouched
easily in our saddles。 The cowboys compared notes as to the
brands they had seen。 Our ponies shuffled along； resting； but
always ready for a dash in chase of an occasional bull calf or
yearling with independent ideas of its own。
Thus we passed over the country； down the long gentle slope to
the 〃sink〃 of the valley； whence another long gentle slope ran to
the base of the other ranges。 At greater or lesser distances we
caught the dust； and made out dimly the masses of the other herds
collected by our companions； and by the party under Jed Parker。
They went forward toward the common centre； with a slow
ruminative movement； and the dust they raised went with them。
Little by little they grew plainer to us； and the home ranch；
hitherto merely a brown shimmer in the distance； began to take on
definition as the group of buildings； windmills；and corrals we
knew。 Miniature horsemen could be seen galloping forward to the
open white plain where the herd would be held。 Then the mesquite
enveloped us； and we knew little more； save the anxiety lest we
overlook lagg