So this fine morning every cowboy employed on the ranch, as well as some borrowed from friendly neighbors, such as the Arrowhead over on the creek, were hard at work, bringing in cattle to be looked over, the brands renewed in cases where they had become unsightly; and the youngsters that had grown to a considerable size taken in hand for the first time, and marked with the big circle.
Since a full day had elapsed after their arrival in safety at the ranch, the two saddle boys had fully recovered from their fatigue. A couple of good nights’ sleep had also done much toward making them feel as “chipper as ever,” as Bob expressed it.
“Will they get it all through with in one day?” asked the Kentucky boy, laughing at the antics of some of the wild riders who were rushing back
and forth on all sides of the herd, and showing their wonderful skill in the saddle.
There were riders in the Circle outfit who had few equals, when it came to carrying out the many difficult feats whereby cowboys delight to prove their claim to being better riders than even the famous Russian Cossacks. They could do the most astonishing tricks while galloping at full speed over the plain. And Bob, though brought up in an atmosphere where fine horses were bred, the Blue Grass region of Kentucky, despaired of ever equalling the records of some of these expert and reckless punchers.
“Dad says it will take all of two, and maybe more,” replied Frank. “You see, some of the herds are a long ways off. And then you’d never imagine the trouble an old steer gives, once in a while, when it’s necessary to renew his brand. I’ve seen half a dozen boys at their wits’ ends to down a tough old chap; though they always get him, sooner or later. But it takes time.”
“Old Baldy is with that lot, Frank; I’m sure I can tell him from here, leading them all, like a proud general.”
“Yes, that’s Baldy, sure. And no need of him worrying about his feed after this. Every cowboy on the range is proud of the way that old rascal found his way out of the Lost Valley. Why, just think how much we owe him. Only for
his leaving a marked trail up to the second gateway we’d still have part of our herd cooped up there, and a big job to dig a passage through those tumble-down rocks to get ’em out.”
“Say, Frank, what do you think? I dreamed last night that I found it!”