"
On the conclusion of Scales's experience, there was no lack of
volunteers to take up the thread, though an unwritten law forbade
interruptions. Our employer was among the group, and out of deference to
our guest, the boys remained silent. Uncle Lance finally regaled us
with an account of a fight between range stallions which he had once
witnessed, and on its conclusion Theodore Quayle took his turn.
"The man I was working for once moved nearly a thousand head of mixed
range stock, of which about three hundred were young mules, from the San
Saba to the Concho River. It was a dry country and we were compelled to
follow the McKavett and Fort Chadbourne trail. We had timed our drives
so that we reached creeks once a day at least, sometimes oftener. It was
the latter part of summer, and was unusually hot and drouthy. There was
one drive of twenty-five miles ahead that the owner knew of without
water, and we had planned this drive so as to reach it at noon, drive
halfway, make a dry camp over night, and reach the pools by noon the
next day. Imagine our chagrin on reaching the watering place to find the
stream dry. We lost several hours riding up and down the _arroyo_ in the
hope of finding relief for the men, if not for the stock.
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