His job, he thought, was easier than that of the side-riders. The cows at the back of the herd seemed more willing to follow the mass of their brethren than to break free from the group. He still had work to do—many of the cattle still needed to be turned in the right direction, or goaded to pick up their pace by a nudge from his horse—but Ned was largely unworried, and quickly became comfortable in his role. He was able to watch this northwest world in the way he’d hoped. To touch its contours, move through its colours.

Soon he began to think of his little orchard, and the scions of golden delicious he’d recently grafted onto the young trees. Hoped the grafts would take. He thought of his wife, his daughter. Felt the buzz of love that comes with a little distance. Let the sea cool his booted feet.

When those cooling waves reached his shins, he was washed back to reality. The cattle had entered the river’s centre and begun to swim. The horse could still reach the bottom, but couldn’t gallop or even trot at this depth. Up ahead, Ned saw the massed cattle paddling forward, watched by the riders. The cows closest to him followed with increased urgency. Now that they couldn’t turn on their hooves, they seemed resigned to following the course set by their herd mates and less likely to break free or try to turn back. Ned relaxed into his saddle and pulled on the reins, giving his horse a rest.

He loosed his mind onto his family again, his hopes for their orchard and future. He didn’t notice when a cow turned east and kicked out at a ninety-degree angle, away from the others, until it was a good ten yards off course. When he did, he swore and kicked his mount forward, but by the time he’d come around the back of the other cattle the escapee was well out on its own. Ned surged on. He saw what had caught the cow’s eye: a small hump of sand out in the strait, deposited by the tide. The animal had mistaken it for dry land. He plunged his horse into the river, forcing it to swim as well. They managed to circle the cow. Ned kicked out at it. Whistled. Yelled. It seemed to turn around. Ned let out a gasp of relief, steered his horse back to where it could stand. Then the cow doubled back, past Ned, and clambered onto the sandbar.