Explore "Out of the Blue" by Bertrand W. Sinclair on Textopian. Read with annotations and highlights.
Under his ready laugh and effervescent smile, Charlie Shaw gave the impression of entire competence. The downright self-reliance demanded by the range of all who would pass muster in its service, was quite apparent to Rock. In a cow camp a man was judged by the way he carried himself, and what he could do, rather than his years. Charlie had been giving Nona an account of things on round-up. Apparently he had just ridden in. He nodded to Rock and went on with his talk. Rock sat down beside them to roll a cigarette.
"I know within a dozen head how many unbranded calves are scattered around here," Nona said finally. "We had an open winter. We should have at least seventy or eighty more calves than last year. Yet the tally is less."