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182 your boat. They have nothing against you. They wanted to stop us from crossin' with these cattle, an' I guess they 've done it."

Then he turned to me. The vapourings of the ferryman were of no importance. "Quiller," he said, "we 're in the devil's own mess. What do you think about it?"

"I don't know," I answered; "what does Jud think?"

The face of the giant was covered with perspiration standing in beads. He clenched his hands and clamped his wet fists against the legs of his breeches. "God damn 'em!" he said. It was the most terrible oath that I have ever heard. Then he closed his mouth.

Ump looked at the man, then rode his horse over to me.

"Quiller," he said slowly, "we 're gone up unless we can swim the drove across, an' it 's a hell of a risky job. Do you see that big eddy?" and he pointed his finger to the middle of the Valley River where the yellow water swung around in a great circle. "If the steers bunched up in that hole, they 'd drown like rats."