Mr. Sheedy's books showed that he had thirty-five thousand cattle, but the Ogallala boys had been over the range and had found large quantities of dead cattle of that brand. 'Gene Hall estimated the survivors at not to exceed one-half of the book number. Paxton made two offers on this basis : one at twenty-eight dollars per

HISTORY OF WESTERN NEBRASKA

head on actual count, or about half that amount if accepted on book account.

Jerry Drummer had been foreman of the Seven-U for about twelve years, and he advised Sheedy to take the offer of twenty-eight dollars per head. Hall, with ten expert cowmen, besides the wagon men, was detailed to receive, and to prevent any possible errors in count, each animal received, was to be branded "S". Paxton evidently believed that an effort would be made to swamp the receiving outfit, and confuse the count ; perhaps expecting that a number would get away, and be rushed through the counting chutes the second time. To prevent any such complication, he sent two other outfits of equal dimension, under Radcliffe and Bean, to assist.

On the first day of August, 1884, six thousand cattle were rounded up out of Nine Mile canyon, now in Scotts Bluff county, and delivered at the Seven-U ranch. The thirty men had them about half branded with the receiving brand, when four thousand more were delivered from the Winter creek round-up, which was a few miles farther up the rive. The cattle were mostly of the long-horn Mexican type.