THE JACKASS ROPERS 9

two days later dan left the house in the boulders a horse back followed by three hound colored dogs. hank hamilton had a whole pack at his ranch, ready to work he had sold dan the three that followed him on credit. they were hound and catahoula crosses. they had worked cattle just enough to be dependable. a hour into the morning dan jumped a knot of trotty cows. there was no way to get around them and they were going the wrong direction. he waved his arm in a arc and said HOLDEM UP. the three dogs left like they were shot from a canon. in no time they had the cows milling and bawling with their heads down the calves in the middle of the hold up. dan rode around the cows and sat his horse and watched the dogs baying and circling the cows. when he was sure there wasnt any cattle he wanted to market or brand he turned his horse and started to ride away, simply saying come on to the dogs. they quit barkings and turned and followed dan on up the trail.dan knew that a few applications of this and even the wildest cows would be managable. in two days dan had enough cattle in the corral to fill his trailer for a trip to the sale barn in prescott. besides being great help with the cattle dan found the three dogs to be great friends. when he left the house for any reason they always met him at the door and stayed with him until he returned. they were great at protecting the home place. dan didnt think a stranger could drive up and get out of his car and not get held up by the pack of canines. ellen and lizzy had taken a likeing to the dogs immediatly. when lizzy was out for a walk at least one of the dogs was at her heels. and ellen always saved the beef bones for them and made sure they were fed on the back porch. the second day there the dogs had stoped a rattle snake from entering the saddle room. their baying had brought dan who had to call them off before one got bit. he was starting to wonder how they had ever gotten by without the dogs. . the morning he was loading to go to the auction barn he had to keep calling the dogs back because when he wanted the cattle to load in the trailer the dogs were lying under the back of the trailer biting the cattle and turning them back. dan had finally resorted to locking the dogs in the saddle room in order to load the trailer. as he closed the tail gate ellen stepped up and handed him a slip of paper." if you have enough after you sell the cattle we could use these things please." dan nodded and folded the paper and put it in his posket," you and lizzy want go too?" ellen shook her head no" i dont think it would be to good for lizzy to take that long of a ride. maybe after you get back ill take her to town in my car. if thats ok?" "what ever you think. your entitled to some time off if you want it." dan smiled at her. " theres nothing i want or nowhere i want to go. maybe go for some woman things but other than that ime happy here." ellen looked down as she spoke. dan nodded" gimme a half hour or so then let the dogs out will you.?" ellen nodded and stood and watched dan drive off into the early morning dawn. it was three miles of dirt road to the hiway. since very few people drove that road it was in pretty good shape. dan drove it in just a few minutes. from where ellen stood she could see the dust from dans truck and trailer. when she saw no more dust she walked to the saddle room and opened the door. the three dogs rushed out and circled the yard and then returned to ellen " sorry boys, your stuck with me" she said as she rubbed their heads one at a time.