"Gather round, fellas," he called, "it's for all of us." He waited a while for them the get within hearing range and then he began:

"Dear Rusty, Jim and all the gang there at the ranch. Well, I finally got to San Francisco. What a trip! It's one I'm thinking will have to be a book someday. But I'm afraid some of you might be shocked by it, so I won't include much of it in this letter. My trek over the Rockies went well, except for one minor incident that almost cost me my scalp. I managed to get out with my hair, and other important parts in tact."

Everyone laughed at that point, so Rusty paused a moment to read on ahead, then continued.

"Needless to say I was more careful thereafter, especially when I wasn't sure of who was who.

"After I got to Columbia River, I just followed it to the coast ending up in Seattle. There I spent time looking around and waiting for a ship to come in that was going back to San Francisco with cargo. Seattle's an interesting place, a little rough around the edges but in all a pleasant place to visit.

"After three weeks I was getting pretty tired of waiting though, and was glad when a schooner came in that was heading back as soon as it was loaded. That took a couple of days of unloading and the loading. Long enough that I was almost inclined to help - almost". Again Rusty had to wait a moment for the giggles to die down.

"I guess I'm not cut out to be a sailor, as I was sick as hell for the first day or so. After that I was okay until we got close to San Francisco and began the journey into the bay. The swells as they call 'em were something fierce and I was sick as a dog all the way in until we docked. I could barely walk down the gangplank when it was time to get off. I was certainly glad to get off too, but for almost a day, I walked like was still on board the ship and trying to steady myself. I must have looked like a drunk. I guess that's where the expression, 'like a drunken sailor' comes from.

"Now if I thought that Seattle was a rough place, San Francisco beats it by a mile. I've never seen so many bars, saloons (which out here are two different things), restaurants, hotels, and brothels (for those of you who don't know what they are, ask a friend).

"Everything here is expensive, food, liquor, rooms, and so they tell me, are the 'ladies' too." Rusty paused to let the laughter die down again.

"After a couple days in a hotel, I found a boarding house up from the downtown area that wasn't too expensive, and I found out later had really good food too. It's just a room and a bath down the hall to share with the other men on the floor. The ladies who board there live on the main floor and have a couple of baths to share. There is I'm sad to say, no visiting allowed to rooms of the opposite sex."

Rusty almost burst into laughter when he saw the drawing of an eye in a wink on the bottom of the page. He quickly put the page behind the others and continued on.

"Although the food here is good, tell Jed that they can't hold a candle to his rustic cuisine. Too many fancy things to suit my taste. I guess I'm a meat and potatoes man." Rusty smiled, and continued.

"Well, I don't know what else to tell you about right now, except to say that I miss you all." Rusty hesitated and improvised the rest. "Take care all of you. Love Jessie."

Some could tell that it wasn't really the end of the letter, but it didn't matter. It was a good letter anyway. And they dispersed back to their respective areas.

Rusty folded it up and put it away, preferring to read the rest later. Jim knew instinctively that there was more, and he also knew that Rusty would let him read it when he was finished, so he lay back on his bunk and relaxed, having one last smoke before undressing and crawling into bed.

Rusty made a trip to the outhouse, and then came back to join Jim in a last smoke too. He smiled as he sat down on his bunk next to Jim. Calvin was still milling about near Ralph's bunk. He'd found no reason to move as there was no more privacy there then where he was. Jim returned the smile and wished that they could be alone together at times like this to share the goodness of life.

He and Rusty had been talking with Ralph about expanding the bunkhouse a little and putting in separate rooms with two bunks in them for those who wished to share, and have more privacy. An open space would still be retained for those who preferred the open space. Ralph thought it was a good idea, and agreed to take the matter up with Seth when the opportunity came up.

A week later Ralph came back with his report. Seth had told him that he'd been thinking of the very same thing, but didn't know how to propose the subject without making it too obvious as to the reasons for it.

Ralph just laughed and told him that anyone who objected could jolly well take it up with him. Seth laughed too, and understood the meaning.

So Seth agreed that the plans could go ahead when spring approached.

One afternoon Jed came hurrying back from the main house asking for Rusty. Rusty had stepped out for a walk in the warm spring like air of the late January Shanook.

Jim hurried out of the bunkhouse to find him. Jed returned to the house to see what he could do.

The others watched as they saw Jim and Rusty running to the house and up the front steps. They all knew that something serious was happening. They speculated among themselves.

Rusty and Jim hurried in the living room and then up bounded up the stairs and into Seth's bedroom. There they saw Seth in bed struggling for breath.

Rusty had seen that before when his mother died. He looked at him and went to his side.

"How are you doing?" he asked.

"Not so good," Seth answered weakly.

"What can we do for you? Shall I get a doctor?" Rusty's eyes grew grave and almost squinting.

"I don't think it will help. Just get me a bit of brandy, maybe it will relax me so I can catch my breath."

Jim hurried down to the living room. Rusty took his hand in his and felt coldness in it.

Seth's eyes closed momentarily, "Tell Jessie I love him. And the girls too." He breathed two more breaths and then closed his eyes for good.

Jim stood behind Rusty with tears in his eyes as he saw that the man was dead. Rusty put his head down on the bed and wept. Jim took the glass downed the amber liquid.

"I need another," Jim said and walked slowly down the stairs leaving Rusty alone to grieve.

Rusty wanted to wait with the burial until the girls and Jessie had returned home, but the undertaker told him that even in the cold weather they couldn't keep him that long. So with all the men gathered around and a preacher from the town saying the words Seth was lowered into the ground on a hill not far from his house next to the grave of his wife.

It was a cold and blustery day with a few snow flakes blowing in the wind, melting as they touched the faces of the men standing there saying goodbye to their boss, but more like a friend than a boss, and more like a father to some. Most had tears in their eyes, though they ignored them, letting them roll down their cheeks.

Afterward they returned to the bunkhouse to have the meal that Jed and Howie had prepared. Most just picked at it not having an appetite for it. They got up and left their meals barely touched and lay on their bunks.

Jessie arrived home first with the girls coming a day later. It was a tearful meeting between the sisters and their brother. They went to visit the grave of their parents first thing after arriving. Rusty had invited the family lawyer to come out that same afternoon.

He read the will. There were no surprises: Jessie inherited the land and the cattle, with the provision that the girls could live in the house as long as they wanted, or until they married. There was some money to be divided among the three, and a forth portion to be divided among the ranch hands.

It was a whole lot more than anyone had imagined it would be, two hundred dollars apiece for each of the hands. Some had already decided to leave and despite Jessie's pleadings, carried out their plans. This left the ranch short handed again. But they could get by until Jessie could round up some more hands. Jessie asked Rusty to retain his position as foreman. He even asked him to move into the main house with Jim too. Rusty didn't think that was a good idea, and elected to stay in the bunkhouse. The planned remodeling was completed as soon as the weather permitted. The four rooms that were constructed were taken by Rusty and Jim, Calvin and Ralph, Jed and Howie, and by Sam and Harry. There was no discussion about the arrangement. Sam and Harry were not lovers, but two of the oldest members of the crew. Rusty didn't think that there was any reason to leave the room empty. And he told them the next spring they'd finish off building more rooms so that everyone would have one. And there would be some rooms that would hold only one person so that there would be room for the new hands when they were hired.

Summer kept everyone busy with the usual tasks around the ranch. Some would be mending the fences around the place while others would be out checking on the herd, trying to keep them all in one or two areas. Still strays move off on their own, which would require a second roundup in the fall.

The second time that the men who'd visited the herd returned, Jim suggested that they have stray roundup before the main roundup so that they didn't have to worry about storms. Rusty and Ralph agreed that it was a good idea. It was suggested to Jessie, who was now running the ranch, as he should also agree, and so it went.

In the fall two weeks before the main roundup was to occur two groups of three went out to hunt up the strays. It went much easier than anyone imagined that it would. With the strays already herded into the winter grazing land, the main roundup was easier and took less time. Even so Rusty sent out Jim, Sam and Harry to look for more strays.

They returned with several hundred head of cattle to add to the swelling numbers in the main herd to more than four thousand this year, despite the fact that they'd sold off a thousand last year just before winter. More than half of those in the main herd were less than two years old and would be ready for market in another year. Even though Jessie had sent out ads to several towns in the surrounding area, only two cowhands turned up at the ranch that summer, a pair of young brothers, Jimmy and Terry. They were eighteen and seventeen respectively. Jessie was pleased with answers he received during the interview and hired them even though they didn't have references.

Jessie still felt that he could use a few more hands, and made a trip to Helena to recruit them.

He returned with three more men, two older and one younger. This brought back to the staff they had when his father had died. It would be enough for another year at least.

Rusty was pleased with Jessie's choices, especially the younger guys. Although they were younger they certainly knew the ropes when it came to cattle. And he thought ruefully, that's not all they know about. He saw how they looked at him and Howie. He guessed he'd have to talk to them about Howie.

He found his opportunity after they'd been there a couple of weeks. It was while the three of them were out on the range hunting strays.

"Hey, guys," he called out as he road into a shady spot next to a rock wall in the canyon. They turned back and rode up to him. Rusty climbed down and adjusted his cock in his jeans with one hand and pulled the course, but well-worn fabric from the crack in his behind. He was used to it and so had forgotten how it must have looked to the newcomers.

"Sorry about that," he said blushing a little, "but it gets all tangled up when I ride."

"That's okay, boss," Terry, the younger one said as he groped himself aimlessly.

"Yeah," Jimmy said and he adjusted himself too, "I'd surely like to see that when it got really hot."

Rusty wasn't sure he'd heard correctly, "How's that?"

Jimmy thinking he just made a boo-boo by saying out loud what he had been thinking, said softly, "I'd like to see the weather when it wasn't so hot."

"Oh," Rusty said, then replaying what he'd heard the first time over in his mind, grinned. "Well, he said, sometime maybe you'll get your wish."

Jimmy smiled at Rusty, and looked over at his brother and winked.

Rusty pulled the canteen down from his saddle where it hung and took at swig letting it fill his mouth and trickle down his throat on the outside. Then he rubbed the soothing liquid around the back of his neck enjoying the feeling of it running down his chest.

"What I wanted to talk to you two about is Howie." He paused to judge how they reacted. The two looked from him to each other.

"I know," he continued, "I've noticed how you look at him when you think no one's looking. It's not that I object to that in itself, but it's what it means, and what it's likely to lead to.

"Howie's just a kid, though he looks older, he's only sixteen. And if that's not enough, he and Jed are a couple. That as far as I'm concerned makes him off-limits to you two.

"I'm sure you can find something else to occupy your time, and keep yourselves from having Jed show you his wrath."

"Yes, Sir," Terry said.

"Yes, Sir. We understand." Jimmy said, and then added, "What if he comes on to us?"

Rusty pondered the question, and then smiled, "I'll leave that up to you. But don't get caught that's all I'm saying."

The two boys looked at each other and smiled.

"By the way," Rusty said, "Jed has a bigger dick than I do, and he loves to fuck tender white ass too, after he beats the hell out of them." Rusty was making it up, at least the part about beating them first, but he didn't think that either of them was willing to find out if it was true.

Rusty reached up and pulled himself back on his horse, "Let's go find us some more cattle." The boys remounted their hoses and rode on after him.

The three of them pulled up at a stream before crossing it.

"How about we make camp here?" Rusty asked.

"Looks good to me," Jimmy said. Terry nodded when Rusty looked at him.

They had brought drop cloths and ponchos so they wouldn't have to sleep on the ground. And they always took along enough food for a couple of days in their saddlebags. They climbed down from their horses and unsaddled them. Then they tethered them at the edge of the woods where they could graze and still reach the water by the stream.

Rusty built a small fire to heat water for coffee and put the pot on to heat. Then he walked over to the stream down a little ways, but still upstream from the horses. He pulled his shirt out of his jeans and unbuttoned it. Then he unbuttoned his jeans and slipped them down and sat down on the edge of the stream. He pulled his boots off and then his socks.

Jimmy and Terry watched in earnest as they saw their boss from behind, with his white ass shinning in the late afternoon sun. Rusty sat down in the water and began washing himself with a bar of brown soap that he'd taken from his pack.

"Let's wash too," Jimmy whispered. And they hurriedly took off their clothes and joined Rusty in the chilly water.

"God!" Jerry said as he tried to sit down in the water. "How can you sit there? It's freezing." He stood there with his long cock beginning to harden at the possibility of seeing Rusty's nudity.

"It's not so bad once you get used to it." Rusty looked up and smiled. He put his hand in the water scooped up a handful and threw it at him.

Jimmy seeing that he was in a good mood, splashed water on Rusty's back causing him to quickly stand up revealing himself to the boys for the first time.

Both stood there with their mouths open, their sex hardening at the sight.

"It's not so big," Rusty said, "It just looks that way." He sat back down before he got fully hard himself.

"I sure wouldn't want you to fuck me with that," Terry said.

"I would," Jimmy whispered but loud enough that he thought Rusty to hear.

Rusty smiled, but ignored the comment. He already knew that about the pair, but wasn't planning on doing anything about it just yet.

"Better get washed, guys."

Self-consciously they proceeded to sit down and begin washing. Rusty tossed Jimmy the bar of soap and he began washing his brother's back. Then turned around to let Terry wash his. Terry handed Jimmy the soap back and let him wash himself first. He watched Rusty out of the corner of his eye. He had gotten a full hard-on that stood straight up in the water, just peeking out of the surface.

Jimmy's cock was not fully hard but not far from it. He washed himself thoroughly and felt his cock rising as he washed his butt hole. He finished and tossed Terry the soap, "Wash good, kid, I don't like a dirty hole." He smiled.

"Yeah sure," Terry smiled as he splashed Jimmy with a handful of water.

Jimmy would have begun trying to dunk Terry, except for the fact that Rusty was watching and that he had a roaring hard-on, so he didn't chance it.

Terry finished with the soap and handed it back to Jimmy.

Rusty who had been watching called over to him "Jimmy," he called, "bring that soap over and wash my back. I can't reach it any better than you can yours."

Without a thought Jimmy got up and walked over to where Rusty was sitting. Rusty tried to ignore the sizeable erection as Jimmy began scrubbing his back.

Jimmy was really getting into it, and without realizing what he was doing reached around and began on Rusty's chest. He felt Rusty' nipples rise as he rubbed over them. His own cock was pressing against Rusty's back as he reached around and washed down further.

"I got that part," Rusty whispered, "but it sure feels good."

"Yeah it does," Jimmy whispered and he leaned over and kissed Rusty's shoulder and neck. He splashed water up on Rusty's back who didn't even flinch by its coldness.

"You know what you're doing?" Rusty asked softly.

"Yeah, I do."

"And you don't care that your brother sees?"

"Nope, he'll probably join in too, if you don't mind."

"Okay, then let's git out of this water." Rusty rose up out of the water and turned toward Jimmy who was still kneeling in the water.

Rusty's cock swung around and slapped Jimmy's face lightly. Jimmy quickly got up and followed Rusty up the bank to the grassy area near the fire. Rusty pulled out his blanket and spread it on the ground.

Terry stayed a moment in the water as he watched the unbelievable sight unfolding before him. He finally got up his nerve and climbed out of the water. Slowly he climbed up the bank and walked over to where Rusty and his brother were already engaged in sucking each other.

With nothing to do except watch, he absently stroked his own cock. It was already wet with precum. He smoothed it across his cock head now that it was exposed as he had pulled his foreskin back. He watched intrigued as his brother attempted to deep throat Rusty's monstrous cock. Jimmy was only able to get half of it in his throat. When Rusty pulled off Jimmy's cock as he realized that Jimmy was too close to cumming. He leaned back on his elbows. He looked over at Terry and motioned him to come over. Slowly Terry moved closeer and knelt down on the ground beside him.

Rusty reached over and began sucking Terry's mouthful of cock. Terry at first thought he was going to shoot right away, but managed to control the impulse. To take his mind off his own cock, he moved into position to take his brother's in his mouth.

He heard Jimmy moan as he put his mouth on the already wet and pulsing cock. He was used to deep throating Jimmy and now he did so with a vengeance. He could feel himself beginning to loose his control due to Rusty's ministrations. He couldn't control it any longer and thrust his hips at Rusty's mouth. Spurt after spurt of youthful cum shot from his cock into Rusty's throat. Rusty pulled him deeply into his throat. And then as Terry started to indicate that he couldn't stand the sensations any longer Rusty let him withdraw and he savored the taste on his tongue and lips. Terry lay back on his back letting Jimmy's cock fall from his mouth, something that happened often right after he climaxed. Jimmy was relieved as he was about to shoot his load, and his cock spasmed wildly at the sensation, but he held back. Rusty seeing how close he was quickly covered it with his mouth. Jimmy who was used to his brother pulling off after he came wasn't ready for Rusty's onslaught. The sensations of Rusty's wild tongue working over his cock-head pushed him over the top, and he lost his will power and thrust wildly into Rusty's face. Achieving his goal of relieving the two of their pent up energies, Rusty lay back and let Jimmy continue working on him. Terry soon recovered enough to join him and eagerly took over for Jimmy for a while.

When Jimmy thought he was ready, gently pushed Terry away and positioned him across Rusty's hips. Having applied ample saliva on his butt hole and then more on Rusty's hot cock, gently lowered himself upon it. He had been used to getting fucked, and the bigger the better, but he was not prepared for the sensation of Rusty's size. It didn't look that much bigger than some that he had taken; it was just enough bigger so that it was stretching him to his limit and beyond. He grimaced as the mammoth head began slipping inside.

Terry tried to help by licking and applying more lubricant to both the giant cock on Jimmy's expanding anal opening. With this added stimulation Jimmy was more determined than ever to accomplish his goal.

Rusty was well aware of Jimmy's intention and the struggle he was having in trying to accomplish it. He tried to help by letting his cock relax a little. It was just the incentive that Jimmy needed. The head slipped inside and he paused his descent. Rusty put out his hands to steady him. Feeling Rusty's hands on his slim waist was reassured that he was pleasing Rusty.

Biting his lips Jimmy relaxed himself and began further movement lower. Slowly the slightly deflated cock moved inside the warm inviting channel. The feeling that it created in Rusty's body was about to create a problem for Jimmy.

He gasped as he felt the cock begin to swell again. Rusty once again tried to control himself, and he once again allowed Jimmy to continue his task. The pain showed on Jimmy's young face. Terry continued his help by lubricating the shaft liberally, spitting into his hand and smoothing it around the silky smooth pole of rigid muscle. Slowly Jimmy's opening widened to allow further movement down upon it. As Jimmy reached the halfway point the pain shifted from intense toward the pleasurable side. A smile crept across his face. His own cock leapt upward pulsing wildly and precum seeped from under his foreskin and ran down the shaft. His prostrate was throbbing from the passage of the hot cock-head passed it. The pleasure of it caused Jimmy to loose control and he spewed out his second orgasm of the afternoon. The hot liquid splashed across Rusty's face, some landing fully on his open mouth. Rusty sighed and tried in vain not to let himself respond to the sensation. His cock once again swelled to its fullest girth before exploding in violent spasms sending a flooding Jimmy's inside with his boiling juices. Jimmy felt it pouring into him, and pushed himself down further on the shaft sighing as it penetrated him to the fullest. Rusty grabbed tighter about the waist as he felt his cock burying itself in Jimmy.

Terry enjoyed the climax too as he could feel the spasms in Rusty's body as he thrust upward nearly upsetting Jimmy from his perch. If it had not been for Terry's extra weight across his legs Jimmy would have fallen. Both Rusty's and Jimmy moaned loudly almost frightening Terry. Jimmy's cock continued pulsing even though it had long ago finished spurting. Rusty's cock gradually stopped its spasms and began to deflate.

Jimmy opened his eyes and looked down on Rusty's handsome face. Rusty smiled at him. He still held him by the waist. He relaxed his hold on the slender youth and then pulled him down to his chest covering him with kisses. As he did so the cock began slipping from inside Jimmy's hot hole. Terry was there to accept the pungent liquids that oozed from it. He worked frantically to wash them away with his tongue. His cock rose against his belly, as he tasted the strong flavors. He reached down and stroked himself violently. Quickly he was spurting another load across Rusty's legs. He collapsed upon them. The three men lay in reverie for what seem like hours to them.