THE JACKASS ROPERS 7

mid morning the next morning dan rode away from the house on a fresh shod stocking legged horse. he had high hopes in what he would see. this was a horseback ranch. one road off the highway came to the house. that was the only one. there had been talk in the past of bringing in a bulldozer and knocking out a road to the back country. it didnt happen for what ever reason.dan was just as glad. no road, no tourists. no poachers, no maverickers. the old pack train trail to and from the ghost town signal ran through a portion of the ranch it was worn deep from the iron shod pack mules. dan followed this now. to his right was a deep, rocky canyon the ranch took its name from.. every so often there was a hand made rock water trough that caught the stream of water and then over flowed and spilled on down the canyon to the next trough. one thing he noticed was the salt blocks was all gone. he would need to pack some in to this part of the ranch. salt made for gentle cattle. as he rode along dans mind was working, trying to find a way to not return to the jackass crew. he kept finding things that required his attention but didnt bring in any cash flow, they cost money. some of the things didnt require expendeture of anything but sweat. but the days spent on those projects were days he got farther behind on his bank acount. all these things had his mind crowded in such a way he almost missed the que his horse tried to show him. the sorrel had turnned his head and pointed his ears at the far bank of the canyon. when the horse stopped he almost slammed dan to the front of the saddle. there across the canyon five head of cows with five big calves were sliding single file down a trail into the canyon. right below dan was a water trough encircled by a rock corral it waas low in places but it might hold a gentle cow.dan spured the sorrel on past the water trough and found a place to get down into the canyon. when he reached the bottom he could see all the cattle were inside the rock corral. as queitly as possible dan rode up to the gate opening and sat his horse there watching the cows drink. the cows were all branded with the ranch brand but the calves were long eared, not branded or ear marked. dan looked around for a way to close the gate opening. the remnent of a pole gate stood against the rock wall on one side. it was held together with rawhide lashings. it looked rotten. dan stepped his horse inside the corral and got down slowley and hobblws the horse so that he partially blocked the gate, the slowly he went to the pole gate. it was built from desert cedar and wasnt as rotten as dan thought. he lifted and drug it over to the gate and stood it up effectivly closeing the corral. useing piggin strings he tied it on each end so it would stand. he then started putting together enough wood for a fire. when it was burning good he layed his running iron in it to heat. the cows upon seeing him had become nervous and bunched up in area of the rock corral that was the highest . stepping back on the good sorrel horse dan built a loop in the end of his catch rope then carefull stepping up close as he dared to the cows he waited until one of the big calves came to the outside of the huddled mass. without swinging the loop he underhand pitched the loop under the big calves belly. the calf ran his toung out and bellered as he jumped forwad but dans loop caught two feet. dan spun the norse and dallyed his rope went to the fire dragging the calf on his side. when close to the fire dan stopped and spun the sorrel so he looked down the rope to the calf.with the horse holding the calf dan dismounted and began tying three legs on the calf. a little over a hour later dan untied the pole gate and slid it to one side. then mounting rode away leaving the cows and fresh branded calves still in the corral they could leave at their own pace. dans chap pocket held five ears as ways of keeping track of what he range branded. he would string them on a wire back at the house.if there were enough he wouldnt need to rope any more jack asses.