It was an hour after sun-up.  We had just come out of the foothills, where the Brazos has its source, and before us lay the plains, dusty and arid.  This grove of green timber held out a hope that within it might be found what we wanted.  Eyesight is as variable as men, but Ramrod’s was known to be reliable for five miles with the naked eye, and ten with the aid of a good glass.  He dismounted at the sergeant’s request, and focused the glass on this oasis, and after sweeping the field for a minute or so, remarked languidly, “There must be water there.  I can see a band of antelope grazing out from the grove.  Hold your mules!  Something is raising a dust over to the south.  Good!  It’s cattle coming to the water.”

While he was covering the field with his glass, two of the boys were threatening with eternal punishment the pack mules, which showed an energetic determination to lie down and dislodge their packs by rolling.

“Cut your observations short as possible there, Ramrod, or there will be re-packing to do.  Mula, you hybrid son of your father, don’t you dare to lie down!”

But Ramrod’s observations were cut short at sight of the cattle, and we pushed out for the grove, about seven miles distant.  As we rode this short hour’s ride, numerous small bands of antelope were startled, and in turn stood and gazed at us in bewilderment.

“I’m not tasty,” said Sergeant Smoky, “but I would give the preference this morning to a breakfast of a well-roasted side of ribs of a nice yearling venison over the salt hoss that the Lone Star State furnishes this service.  Have we no hunters with us?”

“Let me try,” begged a little man we called “Cushion-foot.”  What his real name was none of us knew.  The books, of course, would show some name, and then you were entitled to a guess.  He was as quiet as a mouse, as reliable as he was quiet, and as noiseless in his movements as a snake.  One of the boys went with him, making quite a detour from our course, but always remaining in sight.  About two miles out from the grove, we sighted a small band of five or six antelope, who soon took fright and ran to the nearest elevation.  Here they made a stand about half a mile distant.  We signaled to our hunters, who soon spotted them and dismounted.  We could see Cushion sneaking through the short grass like a coyote, “Conajo” leading the horses, well hidden between them.  We held the antelopes’ attention by riding around in a circle, flagging them.  Several times Cushion lay flat, and we thought he was going to risk a long shot.  Then he would crawl forward like a cat, but finally came to his knee.  We saw the little puff, the band squatted, jumping to one side far enough to show one of their number down and struggling in the throes of death.

“Good long shot, little man,” said the sergeant, “and you may have the choice of cuts, just so I get a rib.”