During the week spent in gathering, I got the full benefit of every
possible hour in the saddle. We reached the Ganso about an hour before
sundown. The weather had settled; water was plentiful, and every one
realized that the work in hand would require wider riding than under dry
conditions. By the time we had caught up fresh horses, the sun had gone
down. "Boys," said Uncle Lance, "we want to make a big rodeo on the head
of this creek in the morning. Tom, you take two vaqueros and lay off to
the southwest about ten miles, and make a dry camp to-night. Glenn may
have the same help to the southeast; and every rascal of you be in your
saddles by daybreak. There are a lot of big _ladino_ beeves in those
brushy hills to the south and west. Be sure and be in your saddles early
enough to catch _all_ wild cattle out on the prairies. If you want to,
you can take a lunch in your pocket for breakfast. No; you need no
blankets--you'll get up earlier if you sleep cold."
Taking Jose Pena and Pasquale Arispe with me, I struck off on our course
in the gathering twilight. The first twitter of a bird in the morning
brought me to my feet; I roused the others, and we saddled and were
riding with the first sign of dawn in the east.
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