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“I know” She sniffed back the tears and moved out of his ar childish She should be looking forward to their new life together, not crying about leaving ho so he couldn’t see, Lorna furtively wiped away the daet to be at the church to at ten to talk to the reverend, will you?”

“I’ll be there,” Benteen stated “I’ to let anyone throw a last- plans”

Just for a little second, Lorna wished it could be postponed for a short while—until she could get over these jitters But she didn’t mention it to Benteen Several tioing to take place sooner

It was dark when Benteen reached the caht riders on the first watch were circling the herd, riding slowly in opposite directions The cattle were lying down, chewing their cuds Benteen could see theon their horns So cry A steer blew out a soft snort, but it was a sound of contentment rather than alarm

An ease went through Benteen as he listened to one of the night riders crooning “The Texas Lullaby” to the cattle Its quaveringto the slow, steady rhyth, Benteen unsaddled his horse and tied it to the picket line where the night horses for the next three watches were staked Carrying the saddle on his hip, he walked to the flickering campfire

The chuck wagon was set up for business, the rear board lowered and supported by a pole propped in the ground It exposed the partitioned cupboard with shelves and drawers for food and utensils and provided a worktable for the cook Benteen noticed the tongue of the wagon was pointed at the Big Dipper, as it alould be for the rest of the drive Just one of the ht caon would point to the north, so no matter the weather the next day, the trail boss knew the direction to take

The Big Dipper was the cowboy’s compass and his clock As it revolved, its positions told the cohat tiht herd On cloudy nights, he had to guess at the tiht horse that had its own clock in its head and would head for camp when its tour of duty was up

Leaving his saddle in the shadows just beyond the firelight where he would bed down for the night, Benteen crossed to the chuck wagon for a tin cup to fill with coffee His seelance took note of which riders were present and which were not

“Shorty’s got first watch, does he?” he remarked to Rusty, and blew on the coffee he’d poured before he took a big sip “I thought I recognized hi to the cattle”

“Shorty and Hank,” Rusty confirht herd

“That Shorty sure as hell can sing,” a drover na of a stick to listen

“What would a sonuvabitch like you know about it?” challenged a odda”

“Oh, yeah?” Jonesy bristled at the criticis voice or lack of

one “I sure as hell hope soht you another da that same sonuvabitchin’ one all this drive like ya did the last ti no more”

“I didn’t get no damned complaint from any sonuvabitchin’ cow,” Zeke Taylor shot back