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This is productive of some fun if it fails。 By now the branding was in
full swing。 The three horses came and went phlegmatically。 When the
nooses fell； they turned and walked toward the fire as a matter of course。
Rarely did the cast fail。 Men ran to and fro busy and intent。 Sometimes
three or four calves were on the ground at once。 Cries arose in a
confusion： 〃Marker〃 〃Hot iron！〃 〃Tally one！〃 Dust eddied and
dissipated。 Behind all were clear sunlight and the organ roll of the cattle
bellowing。 Toward the middle of the morning the bull…doggers began
to get a little tired。 〃No more necked calves；〃 they announced。
〃Catch 'em by the hind legs； or bull…dog 'em yourself。〃 And that went。
Once in a while the rider； lazy； or careless； or bothered by the press of
numbers； dragged up a victim caught by the neck。 The bull…doggers
flatly refused to have anything to do with it。 An obvious way out would
have been to flip off the loop and try again； but of course that would have
amounted to a confession of wrong。 〃You fellows drive me plumb
weary；〃 remarked the rider； slowly dismounting。 〃A little bit of a calf
like that！ What you all need is a nigger to cut up your food for you！〃
Then he would spit on his hands and go at it alone。 If luck attended his
first effort； his sarcasm was profound。 〃There's yore little calf；〃 said
he。 〃Would you like to have me tote it to you； or do you reckon you
could toddle this far with yore little old iron？〃 But if the calf gave
much trouble； then all work ceased while the unfortunate puncher wrestled
it down。 Toward noon the work slacked。 Unbranded calves were
scarce。 Sometimes the men rode here and there for a minute or so before
their eyes fell on a pair of uncropped ears。 Finally Homer rode over to
the Cattleman and reported the branding finished。 The latter counted the
marks in his tally…book。 〃One hundred and seventy…six；〃 he
announced。 The markers； squatted on their heels； told over the bits of
ears they had saved。 The total amounted to but an hundred and seventy…
five。 Everybody went to searching for the missing bit。 It was not forth…
coming。 Finally Wooden discovered it in his hip pocket。 〃Felt her
thar all the time；〃 said he； 〃but thought it must shorely be a chaw of
tobacco。〃
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This matter satisfactorily adjusted； the men all ran for their ponies。
They had been doing a wrestler's heavy work all the morning； but did not
seem to be tired。 I saw once in some crank physical culture periodical
that a cowboy's life was physically ill…balanced； like an oarsman's； in that
it exercised only certain muscles of the body。 The writer should be
turned loose in a branding corral。 Through the wide gates the cattle
were urged out to the open plain。 There they were held for over an hour
while the cows wandered about looking for their lost progeny。 A cow
knows her calf by scent and sound； not by sight。 Therefore the noise was
deafening； and the motion incessant。 Finally the last and most foolish
cow found the last and most foolish calf。 We turned the herd loose to
hunt water and grass at its own pleasure； and went slowly back to chuck。
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CHAPTER NINE THE OLD
TIMER
About a week later； in the course of the round…up； we reached the
valley of the Box Springs； where we camped for some days at the
dilapidated and abandoned adobe structure that had once been a ranch
house of some importance。 Just at dusk one afternoon we finished
cutting the herd which our morning's drive had collected。 The stray…herd；
with its new additions from the day's work； we pushed rapidly into one big
stock corral。 The cows and unbranded calves we urged into another。
Fifty head of beef steers found asylum from dust； heat； and racing to and
fro； in the mile square wire enclosure called the pasture。 All the
remainder； for which we had no further use we drove out of the flat into
the brush and toward the distant mountains。 Then we let them go as best
pleased them。 By now the desert bad turned slate…coloured； and the
brush was olive green with evening。 The hard； uncompromising ranges；
twenty miles to eastward； had softened behind a wonderful veil of purple
and pink； vivid as the chiffon of a girl's gown。 To the south and
southwest the Chiricahuas and Dragoons were lost in thunderclouds which
flashed and rumbled。 We jogged homewards； our cutting ponies；
tired with the quick； sharp work； shuffling knee deep in a dusk that
seemed to disengage itself and rise upwards from the surface of the desert。
Everybody was hungry and tired。 At the chuck wagon we threw off our
saddles and turned the mounts into the remuda。 Some of the wisest of us；
remembering the thunderclouds； stacked our gear under the veranda roof
of the old ranch house。 Supper was ready。 We seized the tin battery；
filled the plates with the meat； bread； and canned corn； and squatted on our
heels。 The food was good； and we ate hugely in silence。 When we
could hold no more we lit pipes。 Then we had leisure to notice that the
storm cloud was mounting in a portentous silence to the zenith； quenching
the brilliant desert stars。 〃Rolls〃 were scattered everywhere。 A roll
includes a cowboy's bed and all of his personal belongings。 When the
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outfit includes a bed…wagon； the roll assumes bulky proportions。 As
soon as we had come to a definite conclusion that it was going to rain； we
deserted the camp fire and went rustling for our blankets。 At the end of
ten minutes