Toward the center of this circle the sage-brush grew smaller and farther apart He was about to sheer off to the right, where thickets and jumbles of fallen rock would afford him cover, when he ran right upon a broad cattle trail.

Like a road it was, more than a trail, and the cattle tracks were fresh.

What surprised him more, they were wet! He pondered over this feature.

It had not rained.

The only solution to this puzzle was that the cattle had been driven through water, and water deep enough to wet their legs.
Suddenly Ring growled low.