The Ranch on the Beaver — Andy Adams

The Ranch on the Beaver continues the hide-and-hoof Horatio Alger story of Wells Brothers: The Young Cattle Kings (also available as a Bison Book). By 1887 the teenage boys, Joel and Dell, have weathered several seasons as ranchers in northwest Kansas. With help from drovers on the nearby Western Trail, they have built up a herd. Looking beyond Beaver Creek, the boys acquire grazing rights in Colorado and Texas. As others fail, they persevere, learning all aspects of a rapidly changing operation -- from maturing beef to managing, shipping, and selling it. Drawing on firsthand knowledge, the author of Log of a Cowboy offers a realistic and spirited story mixing hard work and fun.