I kept and used these same bulls six or seven seasons; every year got the highest calf-brand or crop amongst all my neighbours; and soon, with prudent culling of the cows, my small herd (some 2000) was the best in the country; and my young steers topped the market, beating even the crack herds that had been established for twenty years and had great reputations.
To give an instance: my principle was to work with little or no borrowed money.

Thus my position was such that I did not always _have_ to market my steers to pay running expenses; and as I hate trading and dickering, as it is called, my independence gave me a strong position.

Well, once when travelling to the ranch I met on the train two "feeders" from the north, who told me they wanted to buy two or three hundred choice two-year-old, high-bred, even, well-coloured and well-shaped steers.
Having by chance some photos in my pocket of my steers (as yearlings taken the year before) I produced them.

They seemed pleased with them and asked the price, which I told them; but they said no ranch cattle were worth that money and ridiculed the idea of my asking it.

"Oh," I said, "it is nothing to me; that is the price of the cattle," but I carefully also told them how to get to my place and invited them to come and see me.