BATTLE AX REMNENT 9

while eating supper mickey and barry explained what they saw during their ride that day. barry had dropped the salt at the two places rick wanted . in the course of the ride had seen a little over 300 head of cattle mixed steers cows and calves and a few young bulls. what he didnt see was a source of feed or pasture. johnny long canyon was bare, except for the well there was nothing to keep a group of catttle there. he rode on around the back side of bronco mesa and the tracks were deep and thick. just before reaching the head of the canyon he found a wide, steep and rough trail climbing bronco mesa. he didnt go up it but the tracks went up it stirring the rocks and loose dirt. mickey had followed instructions and rode the base of bronco mesaon the east side. he had found the going slow. the rocks and boulders were thick with not much room for a trail.he didnt see any cattle but had heard some bawling up above. through all of that connie sat and listened. her plate of food growing cold in her lap. rick was makeing mental notes. he remembered enough about bronco mesa to know it wasnt a sunday cake walk. rick explained they needed another day of clearing the trail through the cholla forest. and remarked that connie had worked her self to a frazzel in stacking the cut up cholla. "the quicker we get that trail opened up the qicker we get to tormenting those cattle. you two hang here tomorrow and help us finish it."rick explained to barry and mickey. connie looked to jake" can i help in any way?" " we will find something for you to do. i got a notion when rick kicks the lid off this slop bucket we wont have time to spit, so we better get ahead a little." jake looked at rick then connie. rick smiled" lets get er done!"the next morning everyone turned out early and with breakfast done the three men headed to the cholla thicket. connie and jake settled in to the kitchen pots to wash and food to prepare. jake was impressed with connie. he didnt expect her to be much around a camp kitchen but she fell into every chore like she had been doing them for years. at the wall of cholla rick attatcked it with a vengence. he was cutting it down so fast that barry couldnt keep up with the stacking. mickey had found a forked stick and was getting loose balls of cholla into a pile then scooting them over to the pile along the side. " once this crap dies we can torch it. it will burn like its full of gasoline." barry observed. " no fire , we all know that would be the best thing for this sticker bush but the state wont go it. the cholla thicket is on the deeded land but it wouldnt take much for it to get away. no fire, everything we make would end up going to pay for the firefighters." rick explained between cutting another clump. the end of the thicket was in sight when barry tapped rick on the shoulder. he held his finger across his lips as he pointed ahead. rick slowly stood and over the cholla could see a hand full of sters gathered around the salt block. but in the middle of that bunch was the biggest cross bred bull that rick could ever reemember seeing , the bulls ears were full. they couldnt see if the bull was branded but being long eared it was even odds he wasnt. the bulls hornes were lyre shaped raising to the heavens and needle sharp points. "damn, you wanna drop your twine on them horns?"rick whispered to his cowboys. " i would have to think twice on it i think.:"mickey whispered. then the breeze changed blowing toward the cattle from the cowboys. the bull whoofed and spun and broke into a run headed down river. the steers watched him go then turned and trotted after him. "well boys you see what we are up against." rick said. "lets knock this out, i see daylite ahead."