If the loop failed--which it rarely did--he discovered that he was to note at which particular steer it had been hurled, and was to follow that steer's progress, no matter where it went, until the rope went true.

He discovered that it was imperative for him to stand without moving when his master trailed the reins over his head; he early learned that the bit was a terrible instrument of torture, and that it were better to answer to the pressure of Calumet's knee than to be subjected to the pain it caused him.
He was taught these things, and many more, while the work of rebranding the Diamond K cattle went forward.
This work was no sinecure.

Dade and Malcolm, and even Bob, assisted in it--Malcolm and Bob attending to the heating of the branding irons while Calumet roped the steers and dragged them to the fire where Dade pressed the white-hot irons to their hips.

But the work was done finally, and the cattle turned out into the valley.
On the night that saw the finish of the branding, Calumet, Dade, and Malcolm retired early.

Betty and Bob remained in the kitchen for some time, but finally they, too, went to bed.
At one second before midnight Calumet was sleeping soundly--as soundly as it is possible for a man to sleep who has been working out of doors and is physically tired.