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upset； and before he could realise that something disagreeable was
happening； he was sliding majestically along on his belly。 Behind him
followed his anxious mother； her head swinging from side to side。
Near the fire the horse stopped。 The two 〃bull…doggers〃 immediately
pounced upon the victim。 It was promptly flopped over on its right side。
One knelt on its head and twisted back its foreleg in a sort of hammer…lock；
the other seized one hind foot； pressed his boot heel against the other hind
leg close to the body； and sat down behind the animal。 Thus the calf
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was unable to struggle。 When once you have had the wind knocked out
of you； or a rib or two broken； you cease to think this unnecessarily rough。
Then one or the other threw off the rope。 Homer rode away； coiling the
rope as he went。 〃Hot iron！〃 yelled one of the bull…doggers。
〃Marker！〃 yelled the other。 Immediately two men ran forward。 The
brander pressed the iron smoothly against the flank。 A smoke and the
smell of scorching hair arose。 Perhaps the calf blatted a little as the heat
scorched。 In a brief moment it was over。 The brand showed cherry；
which is the proper colour to indicate due peeling and a successful mark。
In the meantime the marker was engaged in his work。 First； with a sharp
knife he cut off slanting the upper quarter of one ear。 Then he nicked out
a swallow…tail in the other。 The pieces he thrust into his pocket in order
that at the completion of the work he could thus check the Cattleman's
tally…board as to the number of calves branded。＇3＇ The bull…dogger let go。
The calf sprang up； was appropriated and smelled over by his worried
mother； and the two departed into the herd to talk it over。
＇3＇ For the benefit of the squeamish it might be well to note that the
fragments of the ears were cartilaginous； and therefore not bloody。
It seems to me that a great deal of unnecessary twaddle is abroad as
to the extreme cruelty of branding。 Undoubtedly it is to some extent
painful； and could some other method of ready identification be devised； it
might be as well to adopt it in preference。 But in the circumstance of a
free range； thousands of cattle； and hundreds of owners； any other method
is out of the question。 I remember a New England movement looking
toward small brass tags to be hung from the ear。 Inextinguishable
laughter followed the spread of this doctrine through Arizona。 Imagine a
puncher descending to examine politely the ear…tags of wild cattle on the
open range or in a round…up。 But； as I have intimated； even the
inevitable branding and ear…marking are not so painful as one might
suppose。 The scorching hardly penetrates below the outer tough skin
only enough to kill the roots of the hairbesides which it must be
remembered that cattle are not so sensitive as the higher nervous
organisms。 A calf usually bellows when the iron bites； but as soon as
released he almost invariably goes to feeding or to looking idly about。
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Indeed； I have never seen one even take the trouble to lick his wounds；
which is certainly not true in the case of the injuries they inflict on each
other in fighting。 Besides which； it happens but once in a lifetime； and is
over in ten seconds； a comfort denied to those of us who have our teeth
filled。 In the meantime two other calves had been roped by the two
other men。 One of the little animals was but a few months old； so the
rider did not bother with its hind legs； but tossed his loop over its neck。
Naturally； when things tightened up； Mr。 Calf entered his objections；
which took the form of most vigorous bawlings； and the most comical
bucking； pitching； cavorting； and bounding in the air。 Mr。 Frost's bull…
calf alone in pictorial history shows the attitudes。 And then； of course；
there was the gorgeous contrast between all this frantic and
uncomprehending excitement and the absolute matter…of…fact
imperturbability of horse and rider。 Once at the fire； one of the men
seized the tightened rope in one hand； reached well over the animal's back
to get a slack of the loose hide next the belly； lifted strongly； and tripped。
This is called 〃bull…dogging。〃 As he knew his business； and as the calf
was a small one； the little beast went over promptly； bit the ground with a
whack； and was pounced upon and held。 Such good luck did not
always follow； however。 An occasional and exceedingly husky bull
yearling declined to be upset in any such manner。 He would catch
himself on one foot； scramble vigorously； and end by struggling back to
the upright。 Then ten to one he made a dash to get away。 In such case
he was generally snubbed up short enough at the end of the rope； but once
or twice he succeeded in running around a group absorbed in branding。
You can imagine what happened next。 The rope； attached at one end to a
conscientious and immovable horse and at the other to a reckless and
vigorous little bull； swept its taut and destroying way about mid…knee high
across that group。 The brander and marker； who were standing； promptly
sat down hard； the bull…doggers； who were sitting； immediately turned
several most capable somersaults； the other calf arose and inextricably
entangled his rope with that of his accomplice。 Hot irons； hot language；
and dust filled the air。
Another method； and one requiring slightly more knack； is to grasp the
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animal's tail and throw it by a quick jerk across the pressure of the rope。
This is productive of some fun if it fails。 By now the bran