"Yes, sir!" Justus nodded, grateful for the advice, and pleased that the food wasn't just edible, but was actually good and filling.
Quickly sopping up the last bit of gravy with a biscuit, Justus shoved it into his mouth, chewing as he went over to finish tacking Mule, then grabbing a bandanna from his pack that he tied around his neck, then stuffing a hide cord into his pocket in case he needed it for his hat.
Riding up beside Lorado, he smiled. "Reckon we're ready fer this. Those're some fine lookin' horses." He nodded to the Morgans. "Not part'a th' regular remuda, are they?" They certainly seemed like might fine-bread animals to be cow ponies.
Mornin', an' nope, them 'er for the Misses of the man what hired us to drive 'em up there with the cattle." Lorado said with his usual smile. "You done much'a this sortta thing? Drivin' stock?" He asked.
"So we drew drag fer taday, be a diff'ernt job come tomarra, Frank he likes movin' us around, nobody staying in one place more'n a day, He's fair like thet, course now was anybody to give him any guff, he'd be back here a spell. Like I said, Frank Teal's fair an' square, you ain't gonna find a better man ta work for."
"Hey now! Wait on me!" Ames shouted as he rode up. "Gonna be a hot one, I reckon."
Justus grinned as another man rode up. "Don't worry, I don't reckon you'll fall behind. Me an' Lorado wouldn't let that happen!"
Chuckling, Justus then answered Loredo's question. "First drive, but I've done a bit of time on ranches, brandin', dockin', helped with round-ups, none'a which I'm thinkin'll be of much help here." Well, maybe the rounding, but there weren't nearly so many beeves, and the area was confined.
"I can rope decent, but Mule here ain't no cow pony." He'd seen the horses that had been trained and had worked around cows, and even had a chance to ride one, and it was uncanny, how the horse could predict what the calf was going to do, and just keep it cornered without any help from the rider. Mule had an uncanny knack for ambling!
"Come the nooning we'll get you on a proper cow pony." Ames offered, " That mule ain't gonna do you no favors herdin' this beef, I got nothin' agin mules, nothing a tall. Most times they're as good as any horse, 'cept out here pushin' horns."
"He's right ya know." Lorado added. ""If he ain't got the know how what a cattle horse has, well, you could be in a sight a trouble was anything to happen other than moseyin' along, an' believe me, Wheeler, trouble happens."
Between the two of them, they were trying to help out the young man, yet they knew from their own experience that he would o what he wanted. Maybe he would take them up, maybe he wouldn't. Either way he would learn, and that was what most young men experienced on their first drive. By the end of the drive he would be a seasoned cowboy, with lessons learned.
"Mule here's a good saddle mount." Justus leaned to pat his horse's neck. "He does all right with ropin' an' heelin', but he just don't have the experience with cuttin'. 'Course, from what I heard, ridin' drag is more dodgin' th' dust an' chasin' after stragglers."
He had no idea, though, that 'stragglers' could or would wander a far way off from camp, but he was sure he was going to find out! At least he had a full belly, and so far so good...
"Just let me know whacha want me ta do..." Justus grinned, "'sides starin' at th' outbound end'a cows!"
"Now it's clear that your horse is a good 'un, even if ya call 'em Mule. But you'll find he ain't no cow pony. All I was sayin' was thet's there's what a body needs on a trail drive, A cayuse with cow smarts." Ames said.
"Yeah, nothing agin yer horse, nothin' a tall. Nope, jest you need ta not find yerself aboard an animal whot don't have cattle smarts. Thet remuda is chock fulla the best cattle horse Teal could find. He's good that way." Lorado added, then, Then neckershiefs? They silk 'er cotton? Silks best, dust jest slide off, don't get through. Cotton now, thet's a different story. Let's the dust through." he hoisted he neckerchief up over his nose and mouth. "Cookies go spare of most ever'thing. You might wanna silk rag as we move along."
Justus nodded...all he had was a cotton bandanna, and he'd never considered that it might not filter out dust very well, he'd never had cause to wonder what would filter dust, never having followed thousands of cow hooves turning up dirt all day.
"I'll catch up." Turning Mule's head, he nudged him into a trot, headed to grab a proper bandanna from Cookie, contemplating switching horses. Of course, he pretty much had no choice, refusing advice would be a bad way to start. He was just worried about his addle-headed horse, not sure how Mule would take to being part of a herd.
Oh, well, he'd trust the men here, they knew what they were doing.
A few yards back from the chuck wagon, he stopped and hopped to the ground, leaving Mule behind as he approached the camp. "Sir, Loredo an' Ames told me ta ask fer a silk bandanna." He grinned. "Ridin' drag, an' I'd rather eat yer fine grub than a gut-full'a dust!"
"Sure thing!" Cookie Nate Ambrose said. Danny! Get the man a kerchief! Them cotton ones, they just don't do the job very well, specially ridin' drag."
Danny raced up to Wheeler, "Here ya go, hope reds okay." he said, then added, "Maybe we could have a chat this evenin', if you ain't out with the herd after supper." He smiled, "You're the closest to may age on this drive. Be a pleasure to have someone sides Cookie to talk to."
Nate gave hims a perplexed look. "Get yerself back to it, boy!" Then he grinned. "Be good was you williin'. He's a hard worker, wants to be out there ridin' with the men, but Frank won't hear of it just yet."
"Thanks, red's fine." Justus chuckled. "So long as they're not pink!" He tied one around his neck and shoved the other in his pocket, then nodded. "Sure, I don't mind talkin'....that is, if I survive th' day ridin' drag!"
Laughing, he headed back to grab Mule, then over to the remuda. "I been told ta trade this lunkhead fer a real cow pony." He patted the paint's neck then started to undo the cinch. It would only take a couple of minutes to switch the tack. "Take good care'a him, please. I know he don't look like much, but he's all I got."
"I'll tend to him, he'll be taggin' behind the chuck wagon , an tied to the picket line otherwise. He'll be just fine, don't you worry." Danny said with a grin, "An' hell, you'll do jest fine Justus!"
"That'd be what I'm countin' on." The voice belonged to ramrod Frank Teal. "I got this sorrel, knows her way around and ain't too rank. May give ya a buck 'er two, but you hold on and show her who's boss an' she'll settle right down for ya. I'll get her for ya, but you'll need ta cut out your own mount from here on." With that he rode toward the remuda, letting out his rope.
"Frank there musta takin' a liken' to ya. Ain't never seen him fetch a horse for no one." Cookie stated.