One day in October, Uncle Jake, our head vaquero, reported the colts to be missing out of our back pasture.

"It's no wagon," said Ajax idly, "and a vaquero would never ride in the dust.

Our head vaquero, Uncle Jake, gaunt as a coyote at Christmas, and quite as hungry, had fallen a victim to Gloriana's flesh-pots.

He was a cowboy (vaquero was the name they used in those pleasant valleys) and so was his friend.

"Don Andres Picardo's head vaquero.

The señor was pleased to jest with a poor vaquero, but the señor would doubtless explain.

"If you're going to bully me into turning vaquero again, I'm going to have the fun of riding in style, anyway.

"I like that vaquero," he stated emphatically.

José's head vaquero was in town when the Vigilantes returned with their Captain and those others, and there were many rumors.

I said he was to get the best he could find" "And so no vaquero in the valley will be so gorgeous"

"The señor can return it to the Mission and get the three, or he can exchange it with any vaquero in the valley for one which has four strands.

"He is hot-tempered, that vaquero," he said regretfully, his mind upon Manuel.

Just now" He waved his cigarette towards the darkening hills; and in the little silence that followed they heard the sweet, high tenor of a vaquero somewhere, singing plaintively a Spanish love-song.

Valencia looked up and flashed him a smile as he came near; and Pancho, the lean vaquero with the high beak and the tender heart, turned to see what Valencia was smiling at and gave instant glimpse of his own white teeth when he saw Dade behind him.

Then a question was called to whoever might be within hearing: "Who's the best vaquero in California?" "Jack Allen, the gringo!" shouted a dozen voices, so that every camp must hear.

"If the Señor Allen thinks himself the best, surely it is I, who hold the medalla that calls me el vaquero supremo, who have the right to question his boast; not you, amigos!" "Who's the best vaquero, the bravest and the best in California?" queried a voicethe voice of the singer, who had come up with others to see what was going on here.

"If the Señor Allen thinks himself the best, surely it is I, who hold the medalla that calls me el vaquero supremo, who have the right to question his boast; not you, amigos!" "Who's the best vaquero, the bravest and the best in California?" queried a voicethe voice of the singer, who had come up with others to see what was going on here.

It is to be feared that Valencia did not share in Dade's determination to keep the peace; for, before he slept, he promised himself that he would yet tell that pig-faced vaquero from Las Uvas what he thought of him.

He whistled while he rode along the creek bank looking for a comfortable camp site; and when Valencia loped up to him, as he was hesitating over a broad, shaded strip under a clump of willows, he turned and smiled upon his head vaquero.

A vaquero started after him; but Reinaldo, anxious to display his skill in horsemanship, and being still mounted, called to the vaquero to stop, dashed after the animal, caught it by its tail, spurred his horse ahead, let go the tail at the right moment, and, amidst shouts of "Coliar!"

A vaquero started after him; but Reinaldo, anxious to display his skill in horsemanship, and being still mounted, called to the vaquero to stop, dashed after the animal, caught it by its tail, spurred his horse ahead, let go the tail at the right moment, and, amidst shouts of "Coliar!"

Your vaquero arrived yesterday, and I instructed him to put your baggage in the custom-house.

He sent a vaquero ahead with his evening clothes, and an hour or two later started for Fort Ross, spurring his horse with a lighter heart over the cliffs.

" A strong flavor of leather, onions, and stable preceded the entrance of a short, stout vaquero from the little patio.

The vaquero crossed himself in stupefied alarm.