THE SPIRIT OF THE HERD 133 



where they were. They would have to go with- 

 out water. 



The runaways were brought up and the herd 

 closed in till it formed a circle nearly a mile 

 around. This was as close as it could be drawn, 

 for the cattle would not bed down. They wanted 

 water more than they wanted rest. Their eyes 

 were red, their tongues raspy with thirst. The 

 situation was serious. 



But camp was made. Two of the riders were 

 sent back along the trail to bring up the "drags," 

 while Wade, with his other men, circled the un- 

 easy cattle, closing them in, quieting them, and 

 doing everything possible to induce them to bed 

 down. 



They were thirsty; and, instead of bedding, 

 the herd began to " growl " — a kind of stifled 

 mutter in the throats of the cattle, low, rumbling, 

 ominous, as when faint thunder rolls behind the 

 hills. Every plainsman fears the growl, for it usu- 

 ally is a prelude to the " milling," as it proved to 

 be now, when the whole vast herd began to stir 

 — slowly, singly at first and without direction, 

 till at length it moved together, round and round, 

 a great compact circle, the multitude of clicking 



