plentiful, and not over a mile farther from the branding-pens.

The next morning found us in our saddles at the usual early hour.
We were anxious to receive and brand every animal possible that
day, so that with a few hours' work the next forenoon the herd
would be ready to start. After we had passed on the first
contingent of the outside cattle, and as we were nearing the
corrals, Dr. Beaver overtook us. Calling me aside, he said:
"Quirk, if you play your cards right, you'll get a certificate of
inspection for nothing and a chromo as a pelon. I've bolstered up
the Lasalle man that he's better entitled to the work than the
Dimmit inspector, and he'll wait until the herd is ready to
start. Now, you handle the one, and I'll keep the other as my
guest. We must keep them apart and let them buck each other to
their hearts' content. Every hoof in your herd will be in a ranch
brand of record; but still the law demands inspection and you
must comply with it. I'll give you a duplicate list of the
brands, so that neither inspector need see the herd, and if we
don't save your employer a hundred dollars, then we are
amateurs."

Everything was pointing to an auspicious start. The last cattle
on the delivery were equal to the first, if not better. The sky
clouded over, and before noon a light shower fell, settling the
dust in the corrals. Help increased as the various bunches were
accepted, and at the end of the day only a few over two hundred
remained to complete our numbers. The last contingent were fully
up to the standard; and rather than disappoint the sellers, I
accepted fifty head extra, making my herd at starting thirty-four
hundred and fifty. When the last beef had passed the