After the boys left us for town, the remainder of us, belonging to the third and fourth guard, grazed the cattle forward leisurely during the afternoon.  Through cattle herds were in sight both up and down the river on either side, and on crossing the Mulberry the day before, we learned that several herds were holding out as far south as that stream, while McNulta had reported over forty herds as having already passed northward on the trail.  Dodge was the meeting point for buyers from every quarter.  Often herds would sell at Dodge whose destination for delivery was beyond the Yellowstone in Montana.  Herds frequently changed owners when the buyer never saw the cattle.  A yearling was a yearling and a two year old was a two year old, and the seller’s word, that they were “as good or better than the string I sold you last year,” was sufficient.  Cattle were classified as northern, central, and southern animals, and, except in case of severe drouth in the preceding years, were pretty nearly uniform in size throughout each section.  The prairie section of the State left its indelible imprint on the cattle bred in the open country, while the coast, as well as the piney woods and black-jack sections, did the same, thus making classification easy.

McCann overtook us early in the evening, and, being an obliging fellow, was induced by Forrest to stand the first guard with Honeyman so as to make up the proper number of watches, though with only two men on guard at a time, for it was hardly possible that any of the others would return before daybreak.  There was much to be seen in Dodge, and as losing a night’s sleep on duty was considered nothing, in hilarious recreation sleep would be entirely forgotten.  McCann had not forgotten us, but had smuggled out a quart bottle to cut the alkali in our drinking water.  But a quart amongst eight of us was not dangerous, so the night passed without incident, though we felt a growing impatience to get into town.  As we expected, about sunrise the next morning our men off on holiday rode into camp, having never closed an eye during the entire night.  They brought word from Flood that the herd would only graze over to Saw Log Creek that day, so as to let the remainder of us have a day and night in town.  Lovell would only advance half a month’s wages—­twenty-five dollars—­to the man.  It was ample for any personal needs, though we had nearly three months’ wages due, and no one protested, for the old man was generally right in his decisions.  According to their report the boys had had a hog-killing time, old man Don having been out with them all night.  It seems that McNulta stood in well with a class of practical jokers which included the officials of the town, and whenever there was anything on the tapis, he always got the word for himself and friends.  During breakfast Fox Quarternight told this incident of the evening.