The earlier cattlemen in the North—those who ranged their stock on the Platte and the various forks of the Loup River—made great profits. Yet as time went on they saw competition constantly growing sharper and ranges being overstocked. As the news of their profits drifted eastward many young men, allured by the romance of the cowboy's life, and ignorant of its actual conditions, came into the cattle country. These believed that success with cattle was to be attained by riding about and watching the cattle increase and grow, and shipping them to market when they had grown. They were glad to be interested in a business at once so agreeable and so profitable; and many a one exchanged his money for a herd, a brand and some log buildings, and rode over the range awaiting the advent of his riches. Many of the early cattlemen sold their herds to the newcomers, who, somewhat later, discovered that with the cattle they had bought also much experience.

These changes were in operation when Jack entered on his cowboy life.

[CONTENTS]

CHAPTERPAGE
I[The Tragedy at Powell's]1
II[A Robber Turned Loose]13
III[To the Round-up Camp]24
IV[Old Friends]34
V[Cutting and Branding]42
VI[Riding Circle]55
VII[A Bull Fight]66
VIII[A Buffalo Story]78
IX[Vicente, Cowhand]88
X[The Fenceless Land]98
XI[Tanning a Buckskin]110
XII[Indian Stories]120
XIII[Big Wolves]133
XIV[A Bad Man]144
XV[An Englishman in Camp]155
XVI[A Lesson in Roping]165
XVII[Drifting]176
XVIII[A Stampede]187
XIX[Cow Horses and Their Work]200
XX[Roping a Bear]211
XXI[A California Bear Hunt]221
XXII[Hunting with a Six-Shooter]230
XXIII[A Load of Meat]240
XXIV[Flagging an Antelope]252
XXV[The Dance at the Schoolhouse]266

[ILLUSTRATIONS]

[Cowboy starting for the round-up camp]Frontispiece
FACING PAGE
["The cow started straight off over the prairie"]48
[Branding in the corral]170
[Gentling a wild one]250