in a hotel somewhere and direct the management of a herd. I don't look
for no soldiers to furnish an escort; it would take the government six
months to get a move on her, even in an emergency. I left Billy Mann
in a quandary; he doesn't know what to do. That big auger at Dodge is
troubling him, for if he don't act on his advice, and loses cattle as
the result--well, he'll never boss any more herds for King and
Kennedy. So, boys, if we're ever to see the Blackfoot Agency, there's
but one course for us to take, and that's straight ahead. As old
Oliver Loving, the first Texas cowman that ever drove a herd, used to
say, 'Never borrow trouble, or cross a river before you reach it.' So
when the cattle are through grazing, let them hit the trail north.
It's entirely too late for us to veer away from any Indians."

We were following the regular trail, which had been slightly used for
a year or two, though none of our outfit had ever been over it, when
late on the third afternoon, about forty miles out from Doan's, about
a hundred mounted bucks and squaws sighted our herd and crossed the
North Fork from their encampment. They did not ride direct to the
herd, but came into the trail nearly a mile above the cattle, so it
was some little time from our first sighting them before we met. We
did not check the herd or turn out of the trail, but when the lead
came within a few hundred yards of the Indians, one buck, evidently
the chief of the band, rode forward a few rods and held up one hand,
as if commanding a halt. At the sight of this gaudily bedecked
apparition, the cattle turned out of the trail, and Flood and I rode
up to the chief, extending our hands in friendly greeting. The chief
could not speak a word of English, but made signs with his hands; when
I turned loose on him in Spanish, however, he instantly turned his
horse and signed back to his band. Two young bucks rode forward and
greeted Flood and myself in good Spanish.