“We’ll have to guard this entrance until the cattle bed down for the night,” remarked Joel, on surveying the situation.  “I wonder if we could start a fire.”

“I’ll drop back to the hackberry and see if I can rustle some wood,” said Dell, wheeling his horse and following the back trail of the cattle.  He returned with an armful of dry twigs, and a fire was soon crackling under the cliff.  A lodgment of old driftwood was found below the bend, and as darkness fell in earnest, a cosy fire threw its shadows over the nook.

A patrol was established and the night’s vigil begun.  The sentinel beat was paced in watches between the boys, the width of the gateway being about two hundred yards.  There was no abatement of the storm, and it was hours before all the cattle bedded down.  The welfare of the horses was the main concern, and the possibility of reaching home before morning was freely discussed.  The instinct of the horses could be relied on to find the way to their stable, but return would be impossible before daybreak.  The brothers were so elated over holding the cattle that any personal hardship was endurable, and after a seeming age, a lull in the elements was noticeable and a star shone forth.  Joel mounted his horse and rode out of the cove, into the open valley, and on returning announced that the storm had broken and that an attempt to reach home was safe.

Quietly as Arabs, the boys stole away, leaving the cattle to sleep out the night.  Once the hackberry was reached, the horses were given free rein, when restraint became necessary to avoid galloping home.  The snow crunched underfoot, the mounts snorted their protest at hindrance, vagrant breezes and biting cold cut the riders to the marrow, but on approaching the homestead the reins were shaken out and the horses dashed up to the stable door.

“There’s the morning star,” observed Joel, as he dismounted.

“If we’re going to be cowmen,” remarked Dell, glancing at the star as he swung out of the saddle, “hereafter we’ll eat our Christmas supper in October.”

CHAPTER X

GOOD FIGHTING

Dawn found the boys in the saddle.  A two hours’ respite had freshened horses and riders.  The morning was crimpy cold, but the horses warmed to the work, and covered the two miles to the bend before the sun even streaked the east.  Joel rode a wide circle around the entrance to the cove, in search of cattle tracks in the snow, and on finding that none had offered to leave their shelter, joined his brother at the rekindled fire under the cliff.  The cattle were resting contentedly, the fluffy snow underneath having melted from the warmth of their bodies, while the diversity of colors in the herd were blended into one in harmony with the surrounding scene.  The cattle had bedded down rather compactly, and their breathing during the night had frosted one another like window glass in a humid atmosphere.  It was a freak of the frost, sheening the furry coats with a silver nap, but otherwise inflicting no harm.