The weather cleared toward morning, and the sun rose without a cloud obscuring its face. The halt had been made along a small of the Wichita, whose upper waters flow through the country of the Kiowas, Comanches, and Apaches, that of the Cheyennes and Arapahoes lying further north.  
The scene was inspiriting. The cowboys gathered around the for breakfast, the cook having been thoughtful enough to protect the wood against the rain. The animals were busy cropping the grass, which was rich and succulent on all sides of the Trail, the hands for the time being only general attention on them, but everyone was ready to leap into the saddle and dash off at a instant’s call.
 
Captain Shirril discovered that a bunch of thirty cattle were missing, and believed they had joined his friend’s a mile to the southward, from which it would be necessary to separate or cut them out.
 
Antonio Nunez, the Mexican, and Shackaye, the Comanche (the latter of whom showed no evidence of having been engaged in business during the preceding night), were similarly , though it would be supposed that the full-blooded Indian would have dressed in accordance with the fashion of his people. He claimed, however, to have been engaged in the cattle business before, and, when he first presented himself in camp on his wiry , he wore the broad-brimmed sombrero, leather breeches, and red sash around his waist, which were the most noticeable features of the Mexican’s make-up.
 
The Comanche, however, used no spurs, his feet being shod with moccasins, and, instead of the revolver worn by the Mexicans, he carried a knife thrust in at his girdle and a breech-loading rifle, which was not repeating.
 
The cowboys sported the same broad-brimmed hats, which in some instances cost more than all the rest of their suits, the leggings, overshirts, and handkerchiefs tied loosely around their necks.
 
All, as a matter of course, were expert horsemen, and were furnished with two or three excellent animals apiece, for their business is as trying upon them as upon the men.
 
The meal was quickly finished, and Captain Shirril, with two of his hands, set out for the camp to the rear, where he hoped to find the missing cattle. Since there was a possibility that they had strayed in other directions, three more men were despatched to make search.
 
It was rather curious that the captain selected as his assistants his nephew Avon and the young Comanche Shackaye. When they were riding off, Gleeson, the Texan, looked at the youth and , but said nothing.
 
Half-way to the camp, the three over a or in the prairie, when to their surprise they came upon the missing animals just beyond.
 
 
“That’s lucky!” said the captain; “the job is going to be easier than I supposed. Avon, you and Shackaye ride to the left, while I will turn to the right. Look out for that ugly ; we have had trouble with him before, and I believe he is in a bad mood now.”
 
The Indian grinned on hearing these words and said:
 
“Me no ’fraid; me rope him if he fight.”
 
And to show his contempt for the huge , he drove his mustang straight for him as he was grazing on the further side of the group. The steer raised his head, with the grass hanging from his , and looked quietly at the approaching Indian. He seemed to be in doubt as to his purpose, until Shackaye, when almost upon him, swung his arm above his head and uttered a shout, as if he wished to the beast.
 
If such was his purpose he succeeded, for with a muttered , the steer dropped his head and charged fiercely at the pony, which, to save himself, was obliged to wheel with such suddenness that the young Comanche, despite his superb horsemanship, was thrown violently to the ground directly in front of the animal.
 
Occasionally a cowboy is caught in the situation of the young Comanche. His horse may stumble, his lasso (always called a “rope” except in California) become , or he may be thrown to the ground in the path of the charging steer or bull, which is sure to be upon him before he can his feet and steed.
 
In such emergencies there is but the single thing to do: that is, to shoot the animal, and to hesitate to do so means certain death to the endangered cattleman.
 
Two causes prevented Shackaye from appealing to this last and only recourse. His fall was so violent that he was slightly dazed, though he did not lose sight of his , but he made the mistake of attempting to climb to his feet and aside, when the time at command was to take him beyond reach of the steer.
 
His rifle remained in place on the front of his saddle, so that it was beyond his reach, while, as I have stated elsewhere, he carried no pistol. He was, therefore, without firearms.
 
Captain Shirril was two hundred yards away, but he saw the of the danger, and, bringing his gun to a level, fired at the steer, calling at the same moment ............