tails, dodging blows and kicks, and fi- 

 nally emerge driving before him a cow 

 followed by her calf. These another 

 cowboy would take charge of and drive 

 to a small bunch of cows and calves 

 which I now noticed for the first time, 

 separating them from their relations, 

 who remonstrated in loud bellowings, 

 stampings and freakish, brief, ill judged 

 attacks. And then I understood what 

 it meant to ' cut out ' cattle from ' a 

 whole lot.' 



When the calves and cows were 

 finally separated, it was necessary to 

 drive them also to the Big Flat for the 

 afternoon's work of branding those 

 that 'needed it.' Van guarded the 

 rear of the bunch and of course I rode 

 with him, that is as near as I could, 

 for he was as restless as a blue bottle fly 

 in a glass jar, dashing hither and thither, 



