Catching his mane, Mose swung to the saddle, Kintuck nipped the laden cayuse, and they were off while the next best man was still worrying over the hitch.
"Nine dollars to the good on that transaction," muttered Mose, as the marshal handed him a ten dollar gold piece.
"The next exercise on the programme," announced Haney, "will be the roping contest.

The crowd will please be as quiet as possible while this is going on.

Bring on your cows." Down the track in a cloud of dust came a bunch of cattle of all shapes and sizes.

They came snuffing and bawling, urged on by a band of cowboys, while a cordon of older men down the track stopped and held them before the judge's stand.
"First exercise--'rope and hold,'" called the marshal.

"Denver Dan comes first." Dan spurred into the arena, his rope swinging gracefully in his supple up-raised wrist.
"Which one you want ?" he asked.
"The line-back yearling," called Haney.
With careless cast Dan picked up both hind feet of the calf--his horse set his hoofs and held the bawling brute.
"All right," called the judge.