SCOTT ESTIMATES SOME SHEEP AND FIGHTS A NEW FRIEND
The next morning Scott determined to see something of the sheep he had missed the day before. He hurried through his breakfast and left the cabin as early as possible. He did not want to be caught by any false fire report or any other restraining orders. He knew that the grazing was the most important work on his district and he knew that he would be held directly responsible for what happened within its boundaries. He therefore determined to find something about it first hand and not have to depend entirely on a subordinate whom he could not trust.
It was a beautiful spring day and to Scott, breathing the clear mountain air and looking out across the glorious sun-bathed valleys, the world seemed a good place to live in. Already he was becoming accustomed to the comparative barrenness of the country and was enjoying the rich coloring of rock and hill which were lacking in his own country. Jed was still a little nervous in the timber but did not show any tendency to bolt as he had the night before.
Scott had studied carefully on his map the ranges allotted to the different herds and knew just how many sheep there should be on each range. He knew that he could locate those ranges and he wanted to check up on the number of sheep, for the supervisor had warned him particularly of the attempt that the stockmen would probably make to run in extras. He had, however, forgotten that it would require four or five days for some of the bands to reach their allotted areas, and he did not realize that it was impossible to count a large number of sheep in the open, or even to estimate them at all accurately without wide experience.
He brought Jed to a sudden stand on the crest of a little knoll and looked with wonder at what appeared to him like a river of sheep on the slope below him. There were not supposed to be any sheep down there. He pulled out his map to make sure and his face fell. A posted driveway crossed the slope at that point and these sheep were on their proper way to their allotted range. He felt not a little disappointed, for he was very anxious to have an opportunity to prove an Eastern man’s value and efficiency in enforcing the grazing rules. He knew from experience that he would have to have proof, for there was a tremendous prejudice against him.
He would at least find out whose sheep these were, count them up, and get acquainted with the herder; they might as well know that he was keeping tab on them. He rode down to a knoll which almost overhung the little draw which they would have to take and waited. This would be an ideal place to count them and size them up.
They moved much more slowly than he supposed, but the leaders finally straggled into sight and he began to count. It was easy enough at first. Then a great wave of sheep, the whole width of the draw, hove into sight at once and surged solidly forward. He missed a hundred or so in trying to count the width of the column, and no sooner had he decided that there were about forty sheep abreast than the column suddenly dwindled to about half its former width. He gave up all idea of counting and tried to estimate, but it was no use. Sometimes one side of the column was moving rapidly and the other side standing still. Then all would move uniformly for a second until for some unknown reason the center would shoot suddenly ahead while both sides seemed to be backing up.
“Pshaw,” Scott exclaimed in disgust, “you might as well try to count the drops in a whirlpool.”
“Jest about,” said an amused voice and Scott was startled to find the herder standing beside him.
“Hello,” Scott greeted him. “I did not hear you come up.”