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ascertain the result of the manoeuvre； the horse turned and began
methodically； without undue haste； to walk toward the branding
fire。 Homer wrapped the rope twice or thrice about the horn； and
sat over in one stirrup to avoid the tightened line and to
preserve the balance。 Nobody paid any attention to the calf。
The critter had been caught by the two hind legs。 As the rope
tightened； he was suddenly upset； and before he could realise
that something disagreeable was happening； he was sliding
majestically along on his belly。 Behind him followed his anxious
mother； her head swinging from side to side。
Near the fire the horse stopped。 The two 〃bull…doggers〃
immediately pounced upon the victim。 It was promptly flopped
over on its right side。 One knelt on its head and twisted back
its foreleg in a sort of hammer…lock； the other seized one hind
foot； pressed his boot heel against the other hind leg close to
the body； and sat down behind the animal。 Thus the calf was
unable to struggle。 When once you have had the wind knocked out
of you； or a rib or two broken； you cease to think this
unnecessarily rough。 Then one or the other threw off the rope。
Homer rode away； coiling the rope as he went。
〃Hot iron！〃 yelled one of the bull…doggers。
〃Marker！〃 yelled the other。
Immediately two men ran forward。 The brander pressed the iron
smoothly against the flank。 A smoke and the smell of scorching
hair arose。 Perhaps the calf blatted a little as the heat
scorched。 In a brief moment it was over。 The brand showed
cherry； which is the proper colour to indicate due peeling and a
successful mark。
In the meantime the marker was engaged in his work。 First； with
a sharp knife he cut off slanting the upper quarter of one ear。
Then he nicked out a swallow…tail in the other。 The pieces he
thrust into his pocket in order that at the completion of the
work he could thus check the Cattleman's tally…board as to the
number of calves branded。＇3＇ The bull…dogger let go。 The calf
sprang up； was appropriated and smelled over by his worried
mother； and the two departed into the herd to talk it over。
＇3＇ For the benefit of the squeamish it might be well to note
that the fragments of the ears were cartilaginous； and therefore
not bloody。
It seems to me that a great deal of unnecessary twaddle is
abroad as to the extreme cruelty of branding。 Undoubtedly it is
to some extent painful； and could some other method of ready
identification be devised； it might be as well to adopt it in
preference。 But in the circumstance of a free range； thousands
of cattle； and hundreds of owners； any other method is out of the
question。 I remember a New England movement looking toward small
brass tags to be hung from the ear。 Inextinguishable laughter
followed the spread of this doctrine through Arizona。 Imagine a
puncher descending to examine politely the ear…tags of wild
cattle on the open range or in a round…up。
But； as I have intimated； even the inevitable branding and
ear…marking are not so painful as one might suppose。 The
scorching hardly penetrates below the outer tough skinonly
enough to kill the roots of the hairbesides which it must be
remembered that cattle are not so sensitive as the higher nervous
organisms。 A calf usually bellows when the iron bites； but as
soon as released he almost invariably goes to feeding or to
looking idly about。 Indeed； I have never seen one even take the
trouble to lick his wounds； which is certainly not true in the
case of the injuries they inflict on each other in fighting。
Besides which； it happens but once in a lifetime； and is over in
ten seconds； a comfort denied to those of us who have our teeth
filled。
In the meantime two other calves had been roped by the two other
men。 One of the little animals was but a few months old； so the
rider did not bother with its hind legs； but tossed his loop over
its neck。 Naturally； when things tightened up； Mr。 Calf entered
his objections； which took the form of most vigorous bawlings；
and the most comical bucking； pitching； cavorting； and bounding
in the air。 Mr。 Frost's bull…calf alone in pictorial history
shows the attitudes。 And then； of course； there was the gorgeous
contrast between all this frantic and uncomprehending excitement
and the absolute matter…of…fact imperturbability of horse and
rider。 Once at the fire； one of the men seized the tightened
rope in one hand； reached well over the animal's back to get a
slack of the loose hide next the belly； lifted strongly； and
tripped。 This is called 〃bull…dogging。〃 As he knew his
business； and as the calf was a small one； the little beast went
over promptly； bit the ground with a whack； and was pounced upon
and held。
Such good luck did not always follow； however。 An occasional and
exceedingly husky bull yearling declined to be upset in any such
manner。 He would catch himself on one foot； scramble vigorously；
and end by struggling back to the upright。 Then ten to one he
made a dash to get away。 In such case he was generally snubbed
up short enough at the end of the rope； but once or twice he
succeeded in running around a group absorbed in branding。 You
can imagine what happened next。 The rope； attached at one end to
a conscientious and immovable horse and at the other to a
reckless and vigorous little bull； swept its taut and destroying
way about mid…knee high across that group。 The brander and
marker； who were standing； promptly sat down hard； the
bull…doggers； who were sitting； immediately turned several most
capable somersaults； the other calf arose and inextricably
entangled his rope with that of his accomplice。 Hot irons； hot
language； and dust filled the air。
Another method； and one requiring slightly more knack； is to
grasp the animal's tail and throw it by a quick jerk across the
pressure of the rope。 This is productive of some fun if it
fails。
By now the branding was in full swing。 The three horses came and
went phlegmatically。 When the nooses fell； they turned and
walked toward the fire as a matter of course。 Rarely did the
cast fail。 Men ran to and fro busy and intent。 Sometimes three
or four calves were on the ground at once。 Cries arose in a
confusion： 〃Marker〃 〃Hot iron！〃 〃Tally one！〃 Dust eddied and
dissipated。 Behind all were clear sunlight and the organ roll of
the cattle bellowing。
Toward the middle of the morning the bull…doggers began to get a
little tired。
〃No more necked calves；〃 they announced。 〃Catch 'em by the hind
legs； or bull…dog 'em yourself。〃
And that went。 Once in a while the rider； lazy； or careless； or
bothered by the press of numbers； dragged up a victim caught by
the neck。 The bull…doggers flatly refused to have anything to do
with it。 An obvious way out would have been to flip off the loop
and try again； but of course that would have amounted to a
confession of wrong。
〃You fellows drive me plumb weary；〃 remarked the rider； slowly
dismounting。 〃A little bit of a calf like that！ What you all
need is a nigger to cut up your food for you！〃
Then he would spit on his hands and go at it alone。 If luck
attended his first effort； his sarcasm was profound。
〃There's yore little calf；〃 said he。 〃Would you like to have me
tote it to you； or do you reckon you could toddle this far with
yore little old iron？〃
But if the calf gave much trouble； then all work ceased while the
unfortunate puncher wrestled it down。
Toward noon the work slacked。 Unbranded calves were scarce。
Sometimes the men rode here and there for a minute or so before
their eyes fell on a pair of uncropped ears。 Finally Homer rode
over to the Cattleman and reported the branding finished。 The
latter counted the marks in his tally…book。
〃One hundred and seventy…six；〃 he announced。
The markers； squatted on their heels； told over the bits of ears
they had saved。 The total amounted to but an hundred and
seventy…five。 Everybody went to searching for the missing bit。
It was not forth…coming。 Finally Wooden discovered it in his hip
pocket。
〃Felt her thar all the time；〃 said he； 〃but thought it must
shorely be a chaw of tobacco。〃
This matter satisfactorily adjusted； the men all ran for their
ponies。 They had been doing a wrestler's heavy work all the
morning； but did not seem to be tired。 I saw once in some crank
physical culture periodical that a cowboy's life was physically
ill…balanced； like an oarsman's； in that it exercised only
certain muscles of the body。 The writer should be turned loose
in a branding corral。
Through the wide gates the cattle were urged out to the open
plain。 There they were held for over an hour while the cows
wandered about looking for their lost progeny。 A cow knows her
calf by