| Show STUDENT LIFE early part of the night the stillness being broken only by the occasional bowl of the coyote or the screech from a night owl Because of my not being used to that kind of night work I found it very bard to keep awake and several times caught myself dozing At last about two o’clock in the morning I could bear the bell at a distance and before I bad time to mount and make ready to meet them a hundred and fifty horses It rushed down the canyon seemed that the bell horses which were yet nearly a mile away were remaining in the rear so that the greater part of the band would go past unnoticed It was with great difficulty that I succeeded in turning the course of the hungry animals but once started I lost no time in taking them back to the head of that canyon over the divide and starting them down into the next canyon On returning to my post the and same quietness prevailed thinking that the horses werenot likely to return that night I decided to risk a short sleep on the ground After tying my horse to a small tree near the trail I removed the saddle blankets which I used for a cover and chose a place near the trail for my bed I felt sure that should the horses come their running along the trail would awaken me Nearly two hours had passed when I was aroused by the distant sound of a bell and the shouting of 007I "V several men near the field below me I started suddenly and lost no time in making ready to rescue the horses which I knew from the shouting were being placed in the corral by the men who were watching the grain As I rode along in the direction of the sound the shouting ceased and in spite of the noise made by the bells I heard one man call to the others telling them that nearly two hundred horses were in the corral the gate was fastened and all was safe I felt that it was because of my sleeping that the horses had been caught and was somewhat worried as to how I could recover them without paying for damage that they had not done I paused for fear of being seen and while thinking over the situation it dawned upon my mind that perhaps the men not knowing that anyone was near would sleep until morning I decided after allowing sufficient time for them to settle down to sleep to go quietly up and onen the corral gate I knew that if they were watching I had a good horse and therefore could escape and that if they were asleep I could drop the gate and escape unnoticed in front of the horses My plans worked very well for when I reached the corral four men were lying on the ground asleep : their horses all saddled and bridled were tied to a wagon The horses inside of the corral were crowded close together at the gate very anxious to get out of the small pen |
