like a stranded pirate over the predicament in which he found
himself. He had left Santo Gertrudo Ranch over a month before
with a herd of three thousand straight two-year-old steers. But
in the shipment of some thirty-three thousand cattle from the two
ranches to Wichita Falls, six trains had been wrecked, two of
which were his own. Instead of being hundreds of miles ahead in
the lead of the year's drive, as he expected, he now found
himself in charge of a camp of cripples. What few trains
belonging to his herd had escaped the ditch were used in filling
up other unfortunate ones, the injured cattle from the other
wrecks forming his present holdings.

"Our people were anxious to get their cattle on to the market
early this year," said he, "and put their foot into it up to the
knee. Shipping to Red River was an experiment with them, and I
hope they've got their belly full. We've got dead and dying
cattle in every pasture from the falls to the river, while these
in sight aren't able to keep out of the stench of those that
croaked between here and the ford. Oh, this shipping is a fine
thing--for the railroads. Here I've got to rot all summer with
these cattle, just because two of my trains went into the ditch
while no other foreman had over one wrecked. And mind you, they
paid the freight in advance, and now King and Kennedy have
brought suit for damages amounting to double the shipping
expense. They'll get it all right--in pork. I'd rather have a
claim against a nigger than a railroad company. Look at your
beeves, slick as weasels, and from the Nueces River. Have to hold
them in, I reckon, to keep from making twenty miles a day. And
here I am--Oh, hell, I'd rather be on a rock-pile with a ball and
chain to my foot! Do you see those objects across yonder about