DELBER BRIGGS 11

THE NEXT MORNING WHEN DEL WENT TO FEED HIS SADDLE HORSES AS HE WALKED BY THE CORRAL THE CATTLE WERE IN THERE WAS A LOUD WOOF AND THE WHOLE BUNCH STAMPEDED TO THE BACK SIDE OF THE CORRAL HITTING THE FENCE AND MAKEING IT GROAN. DEL STOPPED AND LOOKED AT THE CATTLE. " MUST BE A BAD HANG OVER HUH?" the cattle were obviously nervous and uneasy. the bulls and older cows hooking the other cattle and showing fight. by the time he had finished feeding his horses the brand inspecter rolled into the yard. he was a dapper dandy, his pants and shirt ironed and a prissy hat stuck on top of his head. he marched right up to delbert. " where is the cattle you want to ship to marana sale barn. ime on a tight schedule lets get them done." " we dont have them sorted yet. theres some unbranded animals that need working andcut off. i dont think it would be smart to go in that corral right now."delbert tried to explain. " ill just walk through and count the branded cattle and write the papers for those. i need to get on down the road." the inspecter was walking to the corral as he spoke. delbert raised his arm" i dont think you better........" he didnt get to finish. the inspecter was climbing the fence into the crral. delbert trotted up behind him. just as the inspecter reached the middle of the corral a old horned cow made a rush at him. he turned to run to the fence and the old cow hit him right in the seat of thos fresh ironed and starched pants lifting him high enough to reach the top of the corral fence. his inspection book, his sun glasses and a swatch of khaki cloth lay in the path of his retreat. he sat there on the top of the fence huffig and puffing. " how do i get my book and glasses......." " hang on a minute. i tried to tell you." del worked his way along the interior fence until he reached a gate into a adjoining corra. he swung it open then stepped out to where the cattle saw him. they made a mad rush through the gate into the empty corral. delbert had simply stepped behing the gate post and when the last animal went through he shut the gate. he walked through the now empty corral and picked up the inspection book, the sun g;asses and the patch of cloth and handed them up to the inspecter. "ill come back in the morning! have those out laws sorted!" the state man said as he tromped back to his truck, his dignaty and underwear leaking out the hole in his pants. as he drove out of the yard delberts dad drove in. on his truck was three lick tubs. delbert had a sinking feeling in the pit of his stomach. "some one got to the state vet, we wont get any more of these. they put a hold on it. did the inspecter write out the paper work ?"the older briggs asked. delbert explained what had happened. and it would be the next day before the cattle were inspected. they walked over and looked at the corral full of wild eyed , slobbering cattle. "hung over big time." was all the man said. but the rough count showed there to be a total of 180 cattle. the branded cattle makeing up about half of the count. they would have to wait and let the drug wear off to sort them.