Day by day the herd is driven nearer the ranch, until they are either placed in corrals, which are big pens, or are counted, brands put on the new calves, and turned out again, to roam about over the immense pastures, and fatten up for the market.
Mr. Bradner was an extensive ranch owner, and had several herds of cattle. He was considered quite wealthy, but he had made his money by hard work, having very little when he first went out west with his wife and little boy. His wife had died soon after he reached Colorado, and, after his baby days, Roy had been brought up by his father.
The boy liked the life on the ranch, and was fast becoming an expert along cattle lines. He was a good judge of steers and horses, and, while he knew nothing of city ways, never since a mere infant having been in anything larger than a town, and not having traveled more than a few miles, there was nothing about life on the plains but what he was acquainted with.
After much hard riding Roy managed to get that part of the herd entrusted to the Indian, into compact form. Then he came back to his companion, who was riding along as if he had nothing more to think about than keeping his cigarette lighted.
"Hu! Heap smart boy!" grunted Low Bull. "Know how make steers travel."
"I should think you would know how to do it too," said Roy. "You've always lived on the plains."
"Too much work. Indian no like work. Like sit an' think, an' smoke. No like work."
"Everybody's got to work in this world, Low Bull."
"Rich man no work. Me like be rich man."
"But the man sure had to work hard to get rich. I s'pose rich men feel that they can take life easy after they have earned a fortune."