On the arrival of the freight outfit, short shift was made in
transferring a portion of the cargo to the waiting chuck-wagons.
As we expected to reach Abilene, a railroad point, within a week,
we took on only a small stock of staple supplies. Having helped
ourselves, the only delay was in getting a clerk to look over our
appropriation, make out an itemized bill, and receive a draft on
my employer. When finally the merchant in person climbed into our
wagon and took a list of the articles, Parent started back to
overtake the herd. I remained behind several hours, chatting with
the other foremen.

None of the other trail bosses had seen anything of Lovell's
other herds, though they all knew him personally or by
reputation, and inquired if he was driving again in the same road
brand. By general agreement, in case of trouble, we would pick up
each other's cattle; and from half a cent to a cent a head was
considered ample remuneration in buying water in Texas. Owing to
the fact that many drovers had shipped to Red River, it was
generally believed that there would be no congestion of cattle
south of that point. All herds were then keeping well to the
westward, some even declaring their intention to go through the
Panhandle until the Canadian was reached.

Two days later we came into the main trail at the crossing of the
Colorado River. Before we reached it, several ominous dust-clouds
hung on our right for hours, while beyond the river were others,
indicating the presence of herds. Summer weather had already set
in, and during the middle of the day the glare of heat-waves and
mirages obstructed our view of other wayfarers like ourselves,
but morning and evening we were never out of sight of their