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ck's coat； for he loved a little dog。 Ennis picked out a big chestnut called Cigar Butt to ride； Jack a bay mare who turned out to have a low startle point。 The string of spare horses included a mouse…colored grullo whose looks Ennis liked。 Ennis and Jack； the dogs； horses and mules； a thousand ewes and their lambs flowed up the trail like dirty water through the timber and out above the tree line into the great flowery Meadows and the coursing； endless wind。
They got the big tent up on the Forest Service's platform； the kitchen and grub boxes secured。 Both slept in camp that first night； Jack already *****ing about Joe Aguirre's sleep…with…the…sheep…and…no…fire order； though he saddled the bay mare in the dark morning without saying much。 Dawn came glassy orange； stained from below by a gelatinous band of pale green。 The sooty bulk of the mountain paled slowly until it was the same color as the smoke from Ennis's breakfast fire。 The cold air sweetened； banded pebbles and crumbs of soil cast sudden pencil…long shadows and the rearing lodgepole pines below them massed in slabs of somber malachite。
During the day Ennis looked across a great gulf and sometimes saw Jack； a small dot moving across a high meadow as an insect moves across a tablecloth； Jack； in his dark camp； saw Ennis as night fire； a red spark on the huge black mass of mountain。
Jack came lagging in late one afternoon； drank his two bottles of beer cooled in a wet sack on the shady side of the tent； ate two bowls of stew； four of Ennis's stone biscuits； a can of peaches； rolled a smoke； watched the sun drop。
〃I'm mutin four hours a day；〃 he said morosely。 〃e in for breakfast； go back to the sheep； evenin get em bedded down； e in for supper； go back to the sheep； spend half the night jumpin up and checkin for coyotes。 By rights I should be spendin the night here。 Aguirre got no right a make me do this。〃〃You want a switch？〃 said Ennis。 〃I wouldn't mind herdin。 I wouldn't mind sleepin out there。〃〃That ain't the point。 Point is； we both should be in this camp。 And that goddamn pup tent smells like cat piss or worse。〃〃Wouldn't mind bein out there。〃
〃Tell you what； you got a get up a dozen times in the night out there over them coyotes。 Happy to switch but give you warnin I can't cook worth a ****。 Pretty good with a can opener。〃〃Can't be no worse than me； then。 Sure； I wouldn't mind a do it。〃They fended off the night for an hour with the yellow kerosene lamp and around ten Ennis rode Cigar Butt； a good night horse； through the glimmering frost back to the sheep； carrying leftover biscuits； a jar of jam and a jar of coffee with him for the next day saying he'd save a trip； stay out until supper。
〃Shot a coyote just first light；〃 he told Jack the next evening； sloshing his face with hot water； lathering up soap and hoping his razor had some cut left in it； while Jack peeled potatoes。 〃Big son of a *****。 Balls on him size a apples。 I bet he'd took a few lambs。 Looked like he could a eat a camel。 You want some a this hot water？ There's plenty。〃〃It's all yours。〃
〃Well； I'm goin a warsh everthing I can reach；〃 he said； pulling off his boots and jeans （no drawers； no socks； Jack noticed）； slopping the green washcloth around until the fire spat。
They had a high…time supper by the fire； a can of beans each； fried potatoes and a quart of whiskey on shares； sat with their backs against a log； boot soles and copper jeans rivets hot； swapping the bottle while the lavender sky emptied of color and the chill air drained down； drinking； smoking cigarettes； getting up every now and then to piss； firelight throwing a sparkle in the arched stream； tossing sticks on the fire to keep the talk going； talking horses and rodeo； roughstock events； wrecks and injuries sustained； the submarine Thresher lost two months earlier with all hands and how it must have been in the last doomed minutes； dogs each had owned and known； the draft； Jack's home ranch where his father and mother held on； Ennis's family place folded years ago after his folks died； the older brother in Signal and a married sister in Casper。 Jack said his father had been a pretty well known bullrider years back but kept his secrets to himself； never gave Jack a word of advice； never came once to see Jack ride； though he had put him on the woolies when he was a little kid。 Ennis said the kind of riding that interested him lasted longer than eight seconds and had some point to it。 Money's a good point； said Jack； and Ennis had to agree。 They were respectful of each other's opinions； each glad to have a panion where none had been expected。 Ennis； riding against the wind back to the sheep in the treacherous； drunken light； thought he'd never had such a good time； felt he could paw the white out of the moon。
The summer went on and they moved the herd to new pasture； shifted the camp； the distance between the sheep and the new camp was greater and the night ride longer。 Ennis rode easy； sleeping with his eyes open； but the hours he was away from the sheep stretched out and out。 Jack pulled a squalling burr out of the harmonica； flattened a little from a fall off the skittish bay mare； and Ennis had a good raspy voice； a few nights they mangled their way through some songs。 Ennis knew the salty words to 〃Strawberry Roan。〃 Jack tried a Carl Perkins song； bawling 〃what I say…ay…ay；〃 but he favored a sad hymn； 〃Water…Walking Jesus；〃 learned from his mother who believed in the Pentecost； that he sang at dirge slowness； setting off distant coyote yips。
〃Too late to go out to them damn sheep；〃 said Ennis； dizzy drunk on all fours one cold hour when the moon had notched past two。 The meadow stones glowed white…green and a flinty wind worked over the meadow； scraped the fire low； then ruffled it into yellow silk sashes。 〃Got you a extra blanket I'll roll up out here and grab forty winks； ride out at first light。〃〃Freeze your ass off when that fire dies down。 Better off sleepin in the tent。〃〃Doubt I'll feel nothin。〃 But he staggered under canvas； pulled his boots off； snored on the ground cloth for a while； woke Jack with the clacking of his jaw。
〃Jesus Christ； quit hamm