outfits; and I'll send Jim and Bob in, and by midnight we'll have
a report of what's been done. If any one but an officer takes
possession of those two herds, it'll put us to the trouble of
retaking them. And I think I've got men enough here to do it."


CHAPTER XIII. JUSTICE IN THE SADDLE

It was an hour after the usual time when we bedded down the
cattle. The wagon had overtaken us about sunset, and the cook's
fire piloted us into a camp fully two miles to the right of the
trail. A change of horses was awaiting us, and after a hasty
supper Tupps detailed two young fellows to visit Ogalalla. It
required no urging; I outlined clearly what was expected of their
mission, requesting them to return by the way of Flood's wagon,
and to receive any orders which my employer might see fit to
send. The horse-wrangler was pressed in to stand the guard of one
of the absent lads on the second watch, and I agreed to take the
other, which fell in the third. The boys had not yet returned
when our guard was called, but did so shortly afterward, one of
them hunting me up on night-herd.

"Well," said he, turning his horse and circling with me, "we
caught onto everything that was adrift. The Rebel and Sponsilier
were both in town, in charge of two deputies. Flood and your
brother went in with us, and with the lads from the other
outfits, including those across the river, there must have been
twenty-five of Lovell's men in town. I noticed that Dave and The
Rebel were still wearing their six-shooters, while among the boys
the arrests were looked upon as quite a joke. The two deputies