He would have been all right with Annersley, but
you boys know what happened. This ain't no orphan asylum, but--well,
anyhow--did you size up the rig he's sportin'?"
"Some rig."
"And he says he went broke to buy her."
"Some kid."
"Goin' to string him along?" queried another cowboy.
"Nope," replied Bailey. "The pup strung him plenty. Mebby we'll give
him a whirl at a real horse after dinner. He's itchin' to climb a real
one and show us, and likewise to break in that new rig."
"Or git busted," suggested one of the men.
"By his eye, I'd say he'll stick," said Bailey. "Don't you boys go to
raggin' him too strong about ridin', for I ain't aimin' to kill the
kid. If he can stick on Blue Smoke, I've a good mind to give him a
job. I told Andy to tell him there wa'n't no chanct up here--but the
kid comes to look-see for hisself. I kind o' like that."
"You 're gettin' soft in your haid, Bud," said a cowboy affectionately.
"Mebby, but I don't have to put cotton in my ears to keep my brains
in," Bailey retorted mildly.
The cowboy who had spoken was suffering from earache and had an ear
plugged with cotton.
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