ranch　hands　were　all　that　were　left。　Archie　Tolleston　had　secured　his　horse　and　quit　headquarters　before　any　one　had　even　returned　from　the　round…up。　When　the　last　of　the　foremen　came　in；　our　employer　delivered　his　final　messages。　〃Boys；〃　said　he；　〃I'll　only　detain　you　a　few　minutes。　I'm　going　west　in　the　morning　to　Uvalde　County；　and　will　be　present　at　the　receiving　of　Quince　and　Dave's　herds。　After　they　start；　I'll　come　back　to　the　city　and　take　stage　to　Oakville。　But　you　go　right　ahead　and　receive　your　cattle；　Bob；　for　we　don't　know　what　may　turn　up。　Flood　will　help　Tom　first；　and　then　Paul；　to　receive　their　cattle。　That　will　give　the　Buford　herds　the　first　start；　and　I'll　be　waiting　for　you　at　Abilene　when　you　reach　there。　And　above　all　else；　boys；　remember　that　I've　strained　my　credit　in　this　drive；　and　that　the　cattle　must　be　A　1；　and　that　we　must　deliver　them　on　the　spot　in　prime　condition。　Now；　that's　all；　but　you'd　better　be　riding　so　as　to　get　an　early　start　in　the　morning。〃
  Our　employer　walked　with　us　to　the　outer　gate　where　our　horses　stood　at　the　hitch…rack。　That　he　was　reticent　in　his　business　matters　was　well　known　among　all　his　old　foremen；　including　Forrest　and　myself。　If　he　had　a　confidant　among　his　men；　Jim　Flood　was　the　manand　there　were　a　few　things　he　did　not　know。　As　we　mounted　our　horses　to　return　to　our　respective　camps；　old　man　Don　quietly　took　my　bridle　reins　in　hand　and　allowed　the　others　to　ride　away。　〃I　want　a　parting　word　with　you；　Tom；〃　said　he　a　moment　later。　〃Something　has　happened　to…day　which　will　　require　the　driving　of　the　Buford　herds　in　some　road　brand　other　　than　the　'Circle　Dot。'　The　first　blacksmith　shop　you　pass；　have　　your　irons　altered　into　'Open　A's；'　and　I'll　do　the　same　with　　Quince　and　Dave's　brands。　Of　the　why　or　wherefore　of　this；　　say　nothing　to　any　one；　as　no　one　but　myself　knows。　Don't　breathe　a　word　even　to　Flood；　for　he　don't　know　any　more　than　he　should。　　When　the　time　comes；　if　it　ever　does；　you'll　know　all　that　is　　necessaryor　nothing。　That's　all。〃
  CHAPTER　III。　RECEIVING　AT　LOS　LOBOS
  The　trip　to　Lasalle　County　was　mere　pastime。　All　three　of　the　outfits　kept　in　touch　with　each　other；　camping　far　enough　apart　to　avoid　any　conflict　in　night…herding　the　remudas。　The　only　incident　to　mar　the　pleasure　of　the　outing　was　the　discovery　of　ticks　in　many　of　our　horses'　ears。　The　pasture　in　which　they　had　wintered　was　somewhat　brushy；　and　as　there　had　been　no　frost　to　kill　insect　life；　myriads　of　seed…ticks　had　dropped　from　the　mesquite　thickets　upon　the　animals　when　rubbing　against　or　passing　underneath　them。　As　the　inner　side　of　a　horse's　ear　is　both　warm　and　tender；that　organ　was　frequently　infested　with　this　pest；　whose　ravages　often　undermined　the　supporting　cartilages　and　produced　the　drooping　or　〃gotch〃　ear。　In　my　remuda　over　one　half　the　horses　were　afflicted　with　ticks；　and　many　of　them　it　was　impossible　to　bridle；　owing　to　the　inflamed　condition　of　their　ears。　Fortunately　we　had　with　us　some　standard　preparations　for　blistering；　so；　diluting　this　in　axle…grease；　we　threw　every　animal　thus　affected　and　thoroughly　swabbed　his　ears。　On　reaching　the　Nueces　River；　near　the　western　boundary　of　Lasalle　County；　the　other　two　outfits　continued　on　down　that　stream　for　their　destination　in　the　lower　country。　Flood　remained　behind　with　me；　and　going　into　camp　on　the　river　with　my　outfit；　the　two　of　us　rode　over　to　Los　Lobos　Ranch　and　announced　ourselves　as　ready　to　receive　the　cattle。　Dr。　Beaver；　the　seller　of　the　herd；　was　expecting　us；　and　sending　word　of　our　arrival　to　neighboring　cowmen；　we　looked　over　the　corrals　before　returning　to　camp。　They　had　built　a　new　branding…chute　and　otherwise　improved　their　facilities　for　handling　cattle。　The　main　enclosure　had　been　built　of　heavy　palisades　in　an　early　day；　but　recently　several　of　smaller　sized　lumber　had　been　added；　making　the　most　complete　corrals　I　had　ever　seen。　An　abundance　of　wood　was　at　hand　for　heating　the　branding…irons；　and　every　little　detail　to　facilitate　the　work　had　been　provided　for。　Giving　notice　that　we　would　receive　every　morning　on　the　open　prairie　only；　we　declined　an　invitation　to　remain　at　the　ranch　and　returned　to　my　wagon。
  In　the　valley　the　grass　was　well　forward。　We　had　traveled　only　some　twenty　miles　a　day　coming　down；　and　our　horses　had　fared　well。　But　as　soon　as　we　received　any　cattle；　night…herding　the　remuda　would　cease；　and　we　must　either　hobble　or　resort　to　other　measures。　John　Levering　was　my　horse…wrangler。　He　had　made　two　trips　over　the　trail　with　Fant's　herds　in　the　same　capacity；　was　careful；　humane；　and　an　all…round　horseman。　In　employing　a　cook；　I　had　given　the　berth　to　Neal　Parent；　an　old　boyhood　chum　of　mine。　He　never　amounted　to　much　as　a　cow…hand；　but　was　a　lighthearted；　happy　fool；　and　as　cooking　did　not　require　much　sense；　I　gave　him　the　chance　to　make　his　first　trip。　Like　a　court　jester；　he　kept　the　outfit　in　fine　spirits　and　was　the　butt　of　all　jokes。　In　entertaining　company　he　was　in　a　class　by　himself；　and　spoke　with　marked　familiarity　of　all　the　prominent　cowmen　in　southern　Texas。　To　a　stranger　the　inference　might　be　easily　drawn　that　Lovell　was　in　his　employ。
  As　we　were　expecting　to　receive　cattle　on　the　third　day；　the　next　morning　the　allotment　of　horses　was　made。　The　usual　custom　of　giving　the　foreman　first　choice　was　claimed；　and　I　cut　twelve　of　solid　colors　but　not　the　largest　ones。　Taking　turns；　the　outfit　roped　out　horse　after　horse　until　only　the　ten　extra　ones　were　left。　In　order　that　these　should　bear　a　fair　share　in　the　work；　I　took　one　of　them　for　a　night…horse　and　allotted　the　others　to　the　second；　third；　and　last　guard　in　a　similar　capacity。　This　gave　the　last　three　watches　two　horses　apiece　for　night　work；　but　with　the　distinct　understanding　that　in　case　of　accident　or　injury　to　any　horse　in　the　remuda；　they　could　be　recalled。　There　was　little　doubt　that　before　the　summer　ended；　they　would　be　claimed　to　fill　vacancies　in　the　regular　mounts。　Flood　had　kept　behind　only　two　horses　with　which　to　overtake　the　other　outfits；　and　during　his　stay　with　us　would　ride　these　extras　and　loans　from　my　mount。
  The　entire　morning　was　spent　working　with　the　remuda。　Once　a　man　knew　his　mount；　extra　attention　was　shown　each　horse。　There　were　witches'　bridles　to　be　removed　from　their　manes；　extra　long　tails　were　thinned　out　to　the　proper　length；　and　all　hoofs　trimmed　short。　The　horses　were　fast　shedding　their　winter　coats；　matting　the　saddle　blankets　with　falling　hair；　and　unless　carefully　watched；　galled　backs　would　result。　The　branding…irons　had　been　altered　en　route；　and　about　noon　a　vaquero　came　down　the　river　and　reported　that　the　second　round…up　of　the　day　would　meet　just　over　the　county　line　in　Dimmit。　He　belonged　at　Los　Lobos；　and　reported　the　morning　rodeo　as　containing　over　five　hundred　beeves；　which　would　be　ready　for　delivery　at　our　pleasure。　We　made　him　remain　for　dinner；　after　which　Flood　and　I　saddled　up　and　returned　with　him。　We　reached　the　round…up　just　as　the　cutting…out　finished。　They　were　a　fine　lot　of　big　rangy　beeves；　and　Jim　suggested　that　we　pass　upon　them　at　once。　The　seller　agreed　to　hold　them　overnight；　and　Flood　and　I　culled　back　about　one　hundred　and　twenty　which　were　under　age　or　too　light。　The　round…up　outfit　strung　the　cattle　out　and　counted　them；　reporting　a　few　over　seven　hundred　head。　This　count　was　merely　informal　and　for　the　information　of　the　seller；　but　in　the　morning　the　final　one　would　be　made；　in　which　we　could　take　a　hand。
  After　the　cut　had　started　in　for　the　ranch；　we　loitered　along；　looking　them　over；　and　I　noticed　several　that　might　have　been　thrown　out。　〃Well；　now；　said　Flood；　〃if　you　are　going　to　be　so　very　choice　as　all　that；　I　might　as　well　ride　on。　You　can't　use　me　if　that　bunch　needs　any　more　trimming。　I　call　them　a　fine　lot　of　beeves。　It's　all　right　for　Don　to　rib　the　boys　up　and　make　them　think　that　the　cattle　have　to　be　top…notchers。　I've　watched　him　receive　too　often；　he's　about　the　easiest　man　I　know　to　ring　in　short　ages　on。　Just　so　a　steer　looks　nice；　it's　hard　for　the　old　man　to　turn　one　back。　I've　seen　him　receiving　three…year…olds；　when　one　fourth　of　the　cattle　passed　on　were　short　twos。　And　if　you　call　his　attention　to　one；　he'll　just　smile　that　little　smile　of　his；　and　say；　'yes；　he　may　be　shy　a　few　months；　but　he'll　grow。'　But　then　that's　just　old　man　Don's　weakness　for　cattle；　he　can't　look　a　steer　in　the　face　without　falling　in　love　with　him。　Now；　I've　received　before　when　by　throwing　out　one　half　the　stock　offered；　you　couldn't　get　as　uniform　a　bunch　of　beeves　as　those　are。　But　you　go　right　ahead；　Tom；　and　be　sure　that　every　hoof　you　accept　will　dress　five　hundred　pounds　at　Fort　Buford。　I'll　simply　sit　around　and　clerk　and　help　you　count　and　give　you　a　good　chance　to　make　a　reputation。〃
  Los　Lobos　was　still　an　open　range。　They　claimed　to　have　over　ten　thousand　mixed　cattle　in　the　straight　ranch　brand。　There　had　been　no　demand　for　matured　beeves　for　several　years；　and　now　on　effecting　this　sale　they　were　anxious　to　deliver　all　their　grown　steers。　Dr。　Beaver　informed　us　that；　previous　to　our　arrival；　his　foreman　had　been　throwing　everything　in　on　the　home　range；　and　that　he　hoped　to　deliver　to　us　over　two　th