290 MY SPORTING HOLIDAYS 



snakelike coils of a lasso shot out into the air, and 

 the loop at the end settled fairly over the head of the 

 galloping heifer. Chico had made his throw, and 

 then quick as lightning had taken a half -hitch round 

 a corral post. The plaited raw-hide rope tightened 

 with a jerk, and brought the enraged animal up all 

 standing within a few inches of Charley's heels, just a 

 moment before he plunged head-foremost over the 

 fence, while a wild yell of cheers and laughter went 

 up from the delighted gallery. The heifer was duly 

 thrown and milked, to an accompaniment of cowboy 

 profanity, while the calf outside went supperless. 

 But the general opinion was that Charley had had a 

 close call, and that Chico had postponed a funeral. 



To return now to our council of war. * That was 

 a handy throw of yours this afternoon/ remarked 

 Frank to Chico. 



'Maybe it had been better for this outfit if I'd 

 missed that darned heifer !' retorted Chico. 



We both looked at him in some surprise. 



' See here, boss,' continued Chico, turning to me : 

 * can I fire any of the hands I want to ?' 



Frank and I assured him that he could, if the 

 reasons were good. 



In response to further inquiry, it came out that 

 Charley Smith and one Al Hurt, a Rawlins local 

 butcher, had recently registered a brand, the 'flat- 

 iron,' into which the ' Pick ' brand could with a few 

 deft touches of a hot iron be easily converted ; that 

 Charley's cows on the Pick range were increasing in 

 number with surprising rapidity ; that Charley could, 

 single-handed, rope and throw any cow or steer on 

 the range ; and that, in short, some straight cattle- 

 stealing was going on at the expense of the Pick 



