Pink, who knew quite well what was in Rowdy's mind, said nothing at all; it
is possible that he was several degrees more jealous of the dignity of
Rowdy's position than was Rowdy himself, who had no time to think of
anything but the best way of getting the herd to Canada. He would like to
have gone along, only that Rowdy did not ask him to. Pink assured himself
that it was best for Rowdy not to start playing any favorites, and curled
down in the bed-tent with the others and went to sleep.

It was late that night when Rowdy crept silently into his corner of the
tent; but Pink was awake, and whispered to know if he found water. Rowdy's
"Yes" was a mere breath, but it was enough.

At sunrise the herd trailed up the Rocking R coulee, and Pink and the Silent
One pointed them north of the old trail.



CHAPTER 12

"You Can Tell Jessie."

In the days that followed Rowdy was much alone. There was water to hunt, far
ahead of the herd, together with the most practicable way of reaching it. He
did not take the shortest way across that arid country and leave the next
day's camping-place to chance--as Wooden Shoes had done. He felt that there
was too much at stake, and the cattle were too thin for any more dry drives;
long drives there were, but such was his generalship that there was always
water at the end.

He rode miles and miles that he might have shirked, and he never slept until