noon
Our horses , in fact , were in better flesh when we crossed the Missouri than they were the day we received the herd on the Rio Grande . The spectators from the fort quitted us near the middle of the forenoon , and we snailed on westward at our leisurely gait . There was a fair road up the Teton , which we followed for several days without incident , to the forks of that river , where we turned up Muddy Creek , the north fork of the Teton . That noon , while catching saddle horses , dinner not being quite ready , we noticed a flurry amongst the cattle , then almost a mile in our rear . Two men were on herd with them as usual , grazing them forward up the creek and watering as they came , when suddenly the cattle in the lead came tearing out of the creek , and on reaching open ground turned at bay . After several bunches had seemingly taken fright at the same object , we noticed Bull Durham , who was on herd , ride through the cattle to the scene of disturbance . We saw him , on nearing the spot , lie down on the neck of his horse , watch intently for several minutes , then quietly drop back to the rear , circle the herd , and ride for the wagon .