'
"What's the good of a y'ear-mark when thar's a brand?" repeated the
Old Cattleman after me, for I had interrupted with the question.
"Whatever's the good of y'ear-marks? Why, when mixed cattle is in a
bunch, standin' so close you can't see no brands on their sides, an'
you-all is ridin' through the outfit cuttin' out, y'ear-marks is
what you goes by. Cattle turns to look as you comes ridin' an'
pesterin' among 'em, an' their two y'ears p'ints for'ard like fans.
You gets their y'ear-marks like printin' on the page of a book. If
you was to go over a herd by the brands, you wouldn't cut out a
steer an hour. But to trail back after Boggs.
"`It's two months later, an' I'm ridin' down a draw one day,' says
this Dan Boggs, 'cussin' the range an' the weather, when my pony
goes to havin' symptoms. This yere pony is that sagacious that while
it makes not the slightest mention of cattle when they's near, it
never comes up on deer, or people in the hills, but it takes to
givin' of manifestations. This is so I can squar myse'f for whatever
game they opens on us.
"`As I says, me an' this yere wise pony is pushin' out into the
Caliente when the pony begins to make signs.
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