"Come and get it!" called Cookie.
Frank and the other cowboys came up to Cookie's wagon.
The children served the hungry men and everyone sat around a big fire to eat.
"Frank says you can stay," Cookie said to Vinnie and Mandy.
"But you'd better keep out of trouble."
"We promise!" exclaimed the children.
Mandy listened to the cowboys tell stories, and said,
"I wish I had a cowboy hat and boots."
"I wish I had a gun!" Vinnie cried.
"Hey, kids," a cowboy called out.
He held up a harmonica.
"Sing something."
"I can't sing," said Vinnie shyly.
"He's right! He can't sing!" giggled Mandy.
"Come on," the cowboy said.
"Singing calms the cattle, so they can sleep."
"Like a lullaby?" asked Vinnie.
"Yep. We all sing, so don't be shy,"
said the cowboy, and he began to play.
"Oh, give me a home where the buffalo roam,"
sang Vinnie as the cattle mooed happily.
Meanwhile, Mandy was helping Cookie clean up.
"What is the Chisholm Trail?" she asked.
"Well, we take the cattle from Texas along the trail to Kansas.
The cattle end up at the market where they are sold," explained Cookie.
"How long does it take?" asked Mandy.
"Depends on the weather and the Indians," said Cookie.
"It can take from two to three months."
Later some cowboys unrolled their beds and went to sleep.
Others just leaned back, covered their eyes with their hats, and slept on the ground.
Cookie gave Mandy and Vinnie bedrolls. Vinnie yawned.
A few men were walking around, staring at the herd.
"Why aren't those men sleeping?" Vinnie asked Frank.
"They're guarding the cattle," Frank replied.
"From what?" asked Mandy.
"Wild animals, cattle thieves, and Indians," said Frank.
The children heard howling in the distance.
Mandy moved closer to her brother.
The next morning, the children woke to a sunny day.
Everyone was already up and ready to go.
The wagon was loaded, and the cattle were starting to move again.
"Good morning, kids," Cookie called.
"You missed breakfast, but I saved you some biscuits.
We have to get going."
"Where?" asked Vinnie, munching on his biscuit.
"It's time to get back on the trail,"
said Frank as he brought over Vinnie's horse from the previous day.
The horse sniffed Vinnie's biscuit.
"You come with me."
"And Mandy can ride with me," said Cookie.
He picked her up and helped her climb onto the wagon seat.
The horses followed the cattle at an easy pace.
They rode over dry, flat prairies of tall grass.
The sun was hot, and the sky was bright blue.
There was a soft wind.
Vinnie wiped his face with his sleeve and thought:
"This is the life of a cowboy!"