The old Cowboys: We Go North

The Old Cowboys Try To Take A Herd Of Cattle North To The Rail Head. As usual they meet some interesting characters along the way. Some yodel-some have flash backs. And of course some rustlers try their luck.-----------------I looked right at Big Jim and said,"I couldn't find a bill of sale. And anyway you know that was a fake I.O.U, Jim. You get no horses here, but we got plenty of lead if you want some".He sat there on his horse, for a few moments; I knew he was figuring the odds on what to do. The five men, he had with him had been easing their horses into position; It was very plain what they had in mind. Jim finally got the action started."Well ok sonny, we will just be going", said big Jim.But he didn't go.------------------This was part of the Texas hill country, plenty of places for wild stock to hide. And these were wild cattle we went after, they were mean too. After scores of years, the descendants of the Spanish cattle were numbered in the millions. And they were plenty spooky; they could hear you coming for two miles. Some of the things they did to hide, was almost human, in its planning. The sly and cunning, hiding tricks made it look, as if they had been schooled. The wild Cattle executed the hide and seek tactics with military smoothness. And they would hide in places that a rabbit couldn't fit in. How, they did that is a mystery. But it did them no good to hide, we needed them. We were going north, and they were going north too. There was one old trick we used a lot; fence off some waterholes, and don't let them drink. After a few days, there were, quite a few, waiting in line for water. It was necessary, in part, to let them get used to seeing us. So we kept them from water until their tongue was hanging out, then we let them drink. While they were getting a drink we closed the pole and brush fence around them. Now, a few more days of seeing us ride around them, and it was, much easier to herd them. After this treatment we corralled them in a central location. Adding more each week or so. They had plenty of water and feed where we held them, and would stay put better. --------------- "What is that guy trying to do"? Frank asked I said "I didn't know, why don't we stop and ask him, we might learn something".He was just sitting on the log, mumbling and cussing. It looked like he was trying to lift his leg. He did that over and over. "Hell he is just drunk cookie said". He had stopped the chuck wagon and was watching the man too. Slim cut out from the herd and started to watch. Then Asa decided he needed to be in on it. This was getting to be a problem."Why don't you boys go back to work, and watch the cows, and don't let them, come over here, and watch him too". It didn't really prove to be that interesting though. Cookie was right he was just drunk, or had been the night before, therein laid the problem. I asked him if he needed help getting up. He replied "I am not trying to stand up; I just want to lift my leg up some, I need to do something." "Well you look like you need help to stand, I said".He assured me again, he didn't want to stand up."Well what the hell, are you, trying to do"? I asked him.Then he finally came out with it. "All I want to do is lift my leg so I can kick myself in the head. I got drunk last night and fired all my cowboys. Now I got 500 head of cows and no help to do the job, of trail driving". "Well-well" we said, imagine thet"