Wells Brothers: The Young Cattle Kings Page 20

  CHAPTER XX

  HARVEST ON THE RANGE

  Joel set out for the Republican the next morning and was gone four days.The beef ranches along the river had no men to spare, but constantinquiry was rewarded by locating an outfit whose holdings consisted ofstock cattle. Three men were secured, their services not being urgentlyrequired on the home ranch until the fall branding, leaving only a cookand horse wrangler to be secured. Inquiry at Culbertson located ahomesteader and his boy, anxious for work, and the two were engaged.

  "They're to report here on the 15th," said Joel, on his return. "Itgives us six men in the saddle, and we can get out the first shipmentwith that number. The cook and wrangler may be a little green at first,but they're willing, and that masters any task. We'll have to be patientwith them--we were all beginners once. Any man who ever wrestled with ahomestead ought to be able to cook."

  "Yes, indeed," admitted Sargent. "There's nothing develops a man likesettling up a new country. It brings out every latent quality. In theWest you can almost tell a man's native heath by his ability to usebaling wire, hickory withes, or rawhide."

  The instinct of cattle is reliable in selecting their own range. Withina week, depending on the degree of maturity, the herd, with unerringnutrient results, turns from one species of grass to another. Thedouble-wintered cattle naturally returned to their former range; but inorder to quicken the work, any beeves of that class found below weredrifted above headquarters. It was a distinct advantage to leave theherd undisturbed, and with the first shipment drifted to one end of therange, a small round-up or two would catch all marketable beeves.

  The engaged men arrived on the appointed date. The cook and wranglerwere initiated into their respective duties at once. The wagon wasequipped for the trail, vicious horses were gentled, and an ample mountallotted to the extra men. The latter were delighted over the saddlestock, and mounted to satisfy every desire, no task daunted theirnumbers. Sargent was recognized as foreman; but as the work was fullyunderstood, the concerted efforts of all relieved him of any concern,except in arranging the details. The ranch had fallen heir to acomplete camp kit, with the new wagon, and with a single day'spreparations, the shipping outfit stood ready to move on anhour's notice.

  It was no random statement, on the part of the solicitor, that WellsBrothers could choose the day on which to market their beef. Sargent hadfigured out the time, either forced or leisurely, to execute a shipment,and was rather impatient to try out the outfit in actual field work.

  "Suppose we break in the outfit," he suggested, "by taking a littleswing around the range. It will gentle the horses, instruct the cook andwrangler, and give us all a touch of the real thing."

  Joel consulted a calendar. "We have four days before beginning to gatherbeeves," he announced. "Let's go somewhere and camp."

  "We'll move to the old trail crossing at sun-up," announced Sargent."Roll your blankets in the morning, boys."

  A lusty shout greeted the declaration. It was the opening of thebeef-shipping season, the harvest time of the year, and the boys wereimpatient to begin the work. But the best-laid plans are ofteninterrupted. That evening a courier reached headquarters, bearing amessage from the commission firm which read, "Have your double-winteredbeeves on Saturday's market."

  "That's better," said Sargent, glancing over the telegram. "The wagonand remuda will start for Hackberry Grove at sun-up. Have the messengerorder ten cars for Friday morning. The shipment will be onSaturday's market."

  Dawn found the outfit at attention. Every movement was made withalacrity. Two men assisted a husky boy to corral the remuda, othersharnessed in a span of mules, and before the sun peeped over thehorizon, the cavalcade moved out up the valley, the courier returning tothe station. The drag-net from below would be thrown out from the oldwinter corral; but as an hour's sun on the cattle rendered them lazy,half the horsemen halted until the other sighted the grove above. Asearly as advisable, the gradual circle was begun, turning the cattleinto the valley, concentrating, and by slowly edging in, the firstround-up of the day was thrown together, numbering, range run, fully sixhundred head. Two men were detailed to hold the round-up compactly, Dellvolunteered to watch the cut (the beeves selected), leaving the otherthree to cut out the marketable cattle which would make up the shipment.A short hour's work followed, resulting in eighty-odd beeves beingselected. Flesh, age, and the brand governed each selection, and whencut into a class by themselves, the mettle of the pasture was reflectedin every beef.

  The cut was grazed up to the second round-up, which contributed nearlydouble the former number. On finishing the work, a count of the beeveswas made, which overran in numbers the necessary shipment. They wereextremely heavy cattle, twenty head to the car was the limit, and itbecame necessary to trim or cull back to the desired number. Sargent andJoel passed on every rejected beef, uniform weight being desirable,until the shipment stood acceptable, in numbers, form, and finish.

  The beeves were watered and grazed out on their course without delay.Three days and a half were allowed to reach the railroad, and a grazingpace would land the herd in the shipping pens in good season. The day'swork consisted in merely pointing and drifting the cattle forward,requiring only a few men, leaving abundant help to initiate the cook andwrangler in their field duties. Joel had been a close observer of theapparent ease with which a cook discharged his duty, frequently haltinghis wagon on a moment's notice, and easily preparing a meal for anoutfit of trail men within an hour. The main secret lay in theforesight, in keeping his work in advance, and Joel lent everyassistance in coaching his cook to meet the emergency of any demand.

  Sargent took the wrangler in hand. The different bunches of horses hadseen service on the trail, were gentle to handle, and attention wascalled to observing each individual horse and the remuda as a whole. Forinstance, in summer, a horse grazes against the breeze, and if theremuda was freed intelligently, at darkness, the wind holding from thesame quarter during the night, a practical wrangler would know where tofind his horses at dawn. The quarter of the breeze was therefore alwaysnoted, any variation after darkness, as if subject to the whim of thewind, turning the course of the grazing remuda. As among men, there wereleaders among horses, and by noting these and applying hobbles, anyinclination to wander was restrained. Fortunately, the husky boy had nofear of a horse, his approach being as masterly as his leave-taking wasgentle and kindly--a rare gift when unhobbling alone in the open.

  "I'll make a horse wrangler out of this boy," said Sargent to thefather, in the presence of Dell and Joel. "Before the summer ends, he'llknow every crook and turn in the remuda. There's nothing like knowingyour horses. Learn to trail down the lost; know their spirit, know themin health, lame and wounded. If a horse neighs at night, know why; ifone's missing in the morning, name him like you would an absent boyat school."

  The trip down to the railroad was largely a matter of patience. Thebeeves were given every advantage, and except the loss of sleep innight-herding, the work approached loafing against time. Three guardsstood watch during the short summer nights, pushing the herd off its bedat dawn, grazing early and late, and resting through the noon hours.

  An agreeable surprise awaited the original trio. The evening beforeloading out, the beeves must be penned, and Joel rode into the stationin advance, to see that cars were in waiting and get the shippingdetails. As if sent on the same errand, Manly met him, having beenordered on from Trail City.

  "I've been burning the wires all morning," said he to Joel, "for aspecial train for this shipment. The agent wanted us to take a localfreight from here, but I showed him there were other train shipments tofollow. A telegram to the commission firm and another one to my old mandone the work. Those old boys know how to pull the strings. A specialtrain has been ordered, and you can name your own hour for leaving inthe morning. I have a man with me; send us in horses and we'll help youcorral your beeves."

  Joel remained only long enough to confirm Manly's foresight. Two horseswere sent in by Dell, and the
welcome addition of two extra men joinedthe herd, which was easily corralled at dusk of evening. An early hourwas agreed upon to load out, the empty train came in promptly, and thefirst shipment of the year was cut into car lots and loaded out during amorning hour.

  Before the departure of the train, an air of activity was noticeablearound the bleak station. The train crew was insisting for a passengerschedule, there was billing to be done and contracts to execute,telegrams of notification to be sent the commission firm, and generalinstructions to the beef outfit. Joel and Sargent were to accompany theshipment, and on starting, while the engineer and conductor werecomparing their running orders, Sargent called out from the rear of thecaboose:--

  "The best of friends must part," said he, pretending to weep. "Here'stwo bits; buy yourself some cheese and crackers, and take some candyhome to the children. Manly, if I never come back, you can have mylittle red wagon. Dell, my dear old bunkie--well, you can have all myother playthings."

  The cattle train faded from sight and the outfit turned homeward.Horses were left at the station for Joel and Sargent, and the remainderof the outfit reached headquarters the following day. Manly had beenaway from the ranch nearly six months, and he and Dell rode the range,pending the return of the absent. Under ideal range conditions, thecattle of marketable age proved a revelation, having rounded into formbeyond belief.

  "That's why I love cattle," said Manly to Dell, while riding the range;"they never disappoint. Cattle endure time and season, with a hardinessthat no other animal possesses. Given a chance, they repay every debt.Why, one shipment from these Stoddard cattle will almost wipe the slate.Uncle Dudley thought this was a fool deal, but Mr. Lovell seemed so benton making it that my old man simply gave in. And now you're going tomake a fortune out of these Lazy H's. No wonder us fool Texans lovea cow."

  The absent ones returned promptly. "The Beaver valley not only toppedthe market for range cattle," loftily said Sargent, "but topped it inprice and weight. The beeves barely netted fifty-two dollars a head!"

  Early shipments were urged from every quarter. "Hereafter," said Joel,"the commission firm will order the trains and send us a practicalshipper. There may rise a situation that we may have to rush ourshipments, and we can't spare men to go to market. It pays to be ontime. Those commission men are wide awake. Look at these railroadpasses, good for the year, that they secured for us boys. If any one hasto go to market, we can take a passenger train, and leave the cattleto follow."

  The addition of two men to the shipping outfit was a welcome asset. Thefirst consignment from the ranch gave the men a field-trial, and nowthat the actual shipping season was at hand, an allotment of horses wasmade. The numbers of the remuda admitted of mounting every man to thelimit, and with their first shipment a success, the men restedimpatiently awaiting orders.

  The commission firm, with its wide knowledge of range and marketconditions, was constantly alert. The second order, of ten days' laterdate, was a duplicate of the first, with one less for fulfillment. Theoutfit dropped down to the old trail crossing the evening before, and bynoon two round-ups had yielded twenty car-loads of straight Lazy Hbeeves. When trimmed to their required numbers, twenty-two to the car,they reflected credit to breeder and present owner.

  In grazing down to the railroad, every hour counted. There was noapparent rush, but an hour saved at noon, an equal economy at eveningand morning, brought the herd within summons of the shipping yards ontime. That the beeves might be favored, they were held outside for thenight, three miles from the corral, but an early sun found them safelyinside the shipping pens. Two hours later, the full train was en routeto market, in care of a practical shipper.

  On yarding the beeves the customary telegram had been sent to thecommission firm. No reply was expected, but within half an hour afterthe train left, a message, asking Joel to accompany the shipment, wasreceived from Mr. Stoddard.

  "You must go," said Manly, scanning the telegram. "It isn't the lastcattle that he sold you that's worrying my boss. He has two herds on themarket this year, one at Trail City and the other at Ogalalla, and hemay have his eye on you as a possible buyer. You have a pass; you cancatch the eastern mail at noon, and overtake the cattle train in time tosee the beeves unloaded."

  "Which herd did you come up with?" inquired Joel, fumbling through hispockets for the forgotten pass.

  "With the one at Ogalalla. It's full thirty-one hundred steers, singleranch brand, and will run about equally twos and threes. Same range,same stock, as your Lazy H's, and you are perfectly safe in buying themunseen. Just the same cattle that you bought last year, with theadvantage of a better season on the trail. All you need to do is toagree on the prices and terms; the cattle are as honest as gold andtwice as good."

  "Leave me a horse and take the outfit home," said Joel with decision."If an order comes for more beeves, cut the next train from the LazyH's. I'll be back in a day or two."

  Joel Wells was rapidly taking his degrees in the range school. At duskhe overtook the cattle train, which reached the market yards on scheduletime. The shipper's duty ceased with the unloading of the cattle, whichwas easily completed before midnight, when he and his employerseparated. The market would not open until a late morning hour,affording ample time to rest and refresh the beeves, and to look upacquaintances in the office.

  Joel had almost learned to dispense with sleep. With the first stir ofthe morning, he was up and about. Before the clerks even arrived, hewas hanging around the office of the commission firm. The expectedshipment brought the salesmen and members of the firm much earlier thanusual, and Joel was saved all further impatience. Mr. Stoddard wassummoned, and the last barrier was lifted in the hearty greeting betweenthe manly boy and a veteran of their mutual occupation.

  The shipment sold early in the day. An hour before noon, an interestedparty left the commission office and sauntered forth to watch the beevescross the scale. It was the parting look of breeder, owner, and factor,and when the average weight was announced, Mr. Stoddard turned tothe others.

  "Look here, Mr. Joel," said he, "are these the cattle I sold you lastsummer?"

  "They carry your brand," modestly admitted Joel.

  "So I notice," assentingly said the old cowman. "And still I canscarcely believe my eyes. Of course I'm proud of having bred thesebeeves, even if the lion's share of their value to-day goes to the boyswho matured them. I must be an old fogy."

  "You are," smilingly said the senior member of the commission house."Every up-to-date Texas cowman has a northern beef ranch. To be sure,as long as you can raise a steer as cheap as another man can raise afrying chicken, you'll prosper in a way. Wells Brothers aren't afraid ofa little cold, and you are. In that way only, the lion's share fallsto them."

  "One man to his own farm, another to his merchandise," genially quotedthe old cowman, "and us poor Texans don't take very friendly to yournorthern winters. It's the making of cattle, but excuse your UncleDudley. Give me my own vine and fig tree."

  "Then wish the boys who brave the storm success," urged the old factor.

  "I do," snorted the grizzled ranchman. "These beeves are a story that istold. I'm here to sell young Wells another herd of cattle. He's mycustomer as much as yours. That's the reason I urged hispresence to-day."

  The atmosphere cleared. On the market and under the weight, each beefwas paying the cost of three the year before; but it was the letter ofthe bond, and each party to the contract respected his obligation.

  After returning to the office, on a petty pretext, Mr. Stoddard and Joelwandered away. They returned early in the afternoon, to find allaccounts made up, and ready for their personal approval. The secondshipment easily enabled Joel to take up his contract, and when thecanceled document was handed him, Mr. Stoddard turned to the seniormember of the firm.

  "I've offered to duplicate that contract," said he, "on the same priceand terms, and for double the number of cattle. This quarantine raiseshavoc with delivery."

  "A liberal interpretation of the new
law is in effect," remarked thesenior member. "There's too many interests involved to insist on a rigidenforcement. The ban is already raised on any Panhandle cattle, and anynorth of certain latitudes can get a clean bill of health. If that's allthat stands in the way of a trade, our firm will use its good offices."

  "In that case," said Joel, nodding to Mr. Stoddard, "we'll take yourherd at Ogalalla. Move it down to the old trail crossing on theRepublican, just over the state line and north of our range. This firmis perfectly acceptable again as middlemen or factors," he concluded,turning to the member present.

  "Thank you," said the old factor. "We'll try and merit any confidencereposed. This other matter will be taken up with the quarantineauthorities at once. Show me your exact range," he requested, turning toa map and indicating the shipping station.

  Wells Brothers' range lay in the northwest corner of the state. TheRepublican River, in Nebraska, ran well over the line to the north, withunknown neighbors on the west in Colorado.

  "It's a clear field," observed the old factor. "Your own are the onlycattle endangered, and since you are the applicant for the bill ofhealth, you absolve the authorities from all concern. Hurry in yourother shipments, and the railroad can use its influence--it'll wantcattle to ship next year. The ranges must be restocked."

  There was sound logic in the latter statement. A telegram was sent toOgalalla, to start the through herd, and another to the beef outfit, tohurry forward the next shipment. Joel left for home that night, and thenext evening met his outfit, ten miles out from the Beaver, with aperfect duplicate of the former consignment. It was early harvest on thecattle ranges, and those who were favored with marketable beef wereeager to avoid the heavy rush of fall shipments.

  The beef herd camped for the night on the divide. Joel's report provokedargument, and a buzz of friendly contention, as the men lounged aroundthe tiny camp-fire, ran through the outfit.

  "It may be the custom among you Texans," protested one of the lads fromthe Republican, "but I wouldn't buy a herd of cattle without seeingthem. Buy three thousand head of cattle unseen? Not this one of old manVivian's boys! Oh, no!"

  "Link, that kind of talk shows your raising," replied Sargent. "Yourview is narrow and illiberal. You haven't traveled far. Your ticketscost somewhere between four and six bits."

  Manly lifted his head from a saddle, and turning on his side, gazed atthe dying fire. "Vivian," said he, "it all depends on how your folksbring you up. Down home we buy and sell by ages. A cow is a cow, a steeris a steer, according to his age, and so on down to the end of thealphabet. The cattle never misrepresent and there's no occasion forseeing them. If you are laboring under the idea that my old man woulduse any deception to sell a herd, you have another guess coming. He'drather lose his right hand than to misrepresent the color of a cow. He'sas jealous of his cattle as a miller is of his flour. These boys are hiscustomers, last fall, this summer, and possibly for years to come. If hewanted them, Joel did perfectly right to buy the cattle unseen."

  The second train of Lazy H beeves reached the railroad on scheduletime. The shipper was in waiting, cattle cars filled the side track, andan engine and crew could be summoned on a few hours' notice. Ifcorralled the night before, passing trains were liable to excite thebeeves, and thereafter it became the usual custom to hold outside andsafely distant.

  The importance of restocking the range hurried the shipping operations.Instead of allowing the wagon to reach the station, at sunrise on themorning of shipping, it and the remuda were started homeward.

  "We'll gather beeves on the lower end of our range to-morrow," said Joelto the cook and wrangler, "and there's no need to touch at headquarters.Follow the trail to the old crossing, and make camp at the lowertank--same camp-ground as the first shipment of Lazy H's. The rest ofthe outfit will follow, once these cattle are loaded out. You might havea late supper awaiting us--about ten o'clock to-night."

  The gates closed on the beeves without mishap. They were cut into carlots, from horseback, and on the arrival of the crew, the loading began.A short hour's work saw the cattle aboard, when the dusty horsemenmounted and clattered into the straggling hamlet.

  The homeward trip was like a picnic. The outfit halted on the firstrunning water, and saddle pockets disgorged a bountiful lunch. Thehorses rolled, grazed the noon hours through, and again took up theirformer road gait. An evening halt was made on the Prairie Dog, where anhour's grazing was again allowed, the time being wholly devoted tolooking into the future.

  "If we stock the range fully this fall," said Joel, in outlining hisplans, "it is my intention to build an emergency camp on this creek, incase of winter drifts. Build a dug-out in some sheltered nook, cache alittle provision and a few sacks of corn, and if the cattle break theline, we can ride out of snug quarters any morning and check them. Itbeats waiting for a wagon and giving the drift a twenty-mile start. Wecould lash our blankets on a pack horse and ride it night or day."

  "What a long head!" approvingly said Sargent. "Joel, you could almosteat out of a churn. An emergency camp on the Prairie Dog is surely ameaty idea. But that's for next winter, and beef shipping's on in fullblast right now. Let's ride; supper's waiting on the Beaver."