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At summer’s end, upwards of two hundred people—ranch hands and their fam

ilies—gathered at the Triple C headquarters to have a going-away party for Ty before he headed for college

There weren’t any speeches, but there was a lot of back-slapping and soirls Cold beer flowed freely fro sips from paper cups left unattended Outdoor buffet tables were covered with a variety of salads, casseroles, pies, and cakes supplied by the wives of the ranch hands

Tucker, the bald-headed ranch cook, struggled to ainst the invasion of won over the barbecue fires with a long-pronged fork and a carving knife There was a constant ebb and flow of people to and froe canvas tent with its sides rolled up to permit access from all directions Makeshift picnic tables of board planks atop sawhorses were scattered around under what shade trees were available

Those eren’t eating or drinking had gathered at the large corral by the barn Part of the afternoon-long festivities included so their skills in ranch-related events such as tea-of-war on horseback, and breakaway roping, and in gy

Ty had participated in uest of honor, his active involve a respectable showing in the events he rode in

One of the cowboys swung the gate open as Ty walked his speckle-faced sorrel out of the corral and finished coiling his rope after taking his turn in the breakaway roping co in that the coas only required to rope the calf and let the loop snug up around its neck, then throw the rope away The calf wasn’t thrown and tied

Outside the corral, he circled his horse around to the fence to watch the next contestant After he tied the coiled rope in place on his saddle, Ty hooked a leg on the saddle horn and leaned on it There was always an odd comment or two directed at him by the participants or spectators on the sidelines; most of the time, they didn’t require more than a nod or a brief smile in response

Sid Ra loose livestock back to the catch pens During a break in the action, he stopped his horse close to the corral fence where Ty sat on his horse

“So you’re pulling out for the big state of Texas, huh?” he said to Ty with the corners of his mouth pulled down

“That’s right” Ty nodded “I’ll be flying out with Dyson when he leaves the day after tomorrow”

Saddle leather creaked as the cowboy leaned to the side and spat at the ground near his horse’s feet “One thing about it,your load of work anymore You alas a sorry excuse for a cowboy”

“Hell, look what I had for teachers,” he countered with a atory co he’d be missed It was part of that peculiar code of these s were deep And the ones who gave him the hardest time were also the ones who see, Ty had discovered

Ramsey chortled, then touched a hand to his hat and spurred his horse toward the burst of action in the corral A tightness gripped Ty’s throat as he suddenly realized he was going to miss all this He peered up from his hat brihts and sounds becarunt of running ani of spurs, the rank smell of manure and the sweat of bodies There was a oneness here, a working partnership between man, animals, and the land It seemed difficult to remember that he’d known any other kind of life