Once they “threw a leg over a saddle” they seemed to revive wonderfully. After that the tired herd would have to hasten to keep up, for the horses were fresh.
But Colonel Haywood knew they could not expect to make any great distance before camping. He saw that some of the cattle were footsore, and liable to drop if pushed too far.
“There’s only one thing we’ve got to look out for,” remarked Bart, as they considered the advisability of stopping for the night.
“What’s that?” asked Bob, who chanced to be alongside the foreman at the time.
“We don’t have any way of knowing what them rustlers might feel like doing, once they git out of that bunk-house,” Bart continued.
“Do you mean they may take a notion to follow us, and fight for the possession of the herd?” asked the boy, thrilled by the possibility of further adventure on this trip.
“Well, as a rule, the fellers that foller that line of business are a lot of cowardly coyotes; and on bein’ found out will run to beat the band,” Bart went on. “But this here Mendoza, he’s hard to place. Course he’s just boilin’ over mad because his fine hiding place is discovered, and he’ll never be able to use the same again. Question is, will he make a break for the border, thinking the ranchers are hot on his trail; or foller after us, just for spite, to stampede the herd, and make trouble?”
“Then we’ll have to keep a pretty good watch, I should think,” Bob observed.
“That goes without sayin’, younker,” replied the boss puncher. “And as some of the stock just look all in, we’ll have to call a halt here and now. It’s as good a place as we can find, I opine.”
“Just what I was going to say, Bart,” laughed Frank, coming up at that moment; “for the grass is good, considering the season; and here’s all the water wanted, fresh from the mountains.”