Having satisfied themselves that they were safe from detection, three or four Indians would entertain themselves for an hour or two in shooting down cattle in pure wantonness, and then making off before they were seen.
True, this brought the dusky scamps no gain, but it served as a partial outlet for their enmity of the white man, and that sufficed.
That this peculiar feature of ranch life sometimes assumed grave phases was proved by several narrations made by the cowmen to the boys on their first night at the ranch.

Less than a year previous, Kansas Jim shot from his horse an Indian whom he caught killing his cattle; and, not many months previous, the five cowmen, under the leadership of Hank Hazletine, had a running fight for half an afternoon with a dozen Bannocks, engaged in the same sport.

At that time Barton Coinjock and Kansas Jim were severely wounded, but three of the marauders were slain, and the mischief nearly ended for a time.
But Jack and Fred were tired, and, though interested in the reminiscences of the cowboys, they longed for rest.

The house consisted of four rooms, one being generally reserved for visitors or to serve as a spare apartment.

This contained a wooden bedstead and some simple furniture, for luxuries are not popular on cattle-ranches.