'round as I 'lowed he'd do. He expected me to kick an' howl; but as I
took it all so nice he didn't understand it. Nine times out of ten
the best thing to do when the other feller has robbed you is to
freeze. The hunter on the plain knows the value of that, an' that he
can freeze an' make a deer walk right up to him, to find out what he
is. Why, a rabbit will do it, if you jump him quick, an' he gets
confused an' don't know jes' what's up; an' so Jud come as I thort
he'd do. He couldn't stan' it no longer, an' he wanted to rub it in.
He brought his crowd to enjoy the fun.

"'Oh, Mr. Watts,' he said grinnin', 'how do you like a coal black
stump-sucker?'

"'Well,' I said indifferent enough--'I've knowed good judges of
hosses to make a hones' mistake now an' then, an' sell a hoss to a
customer with the heaves thinkin' he's a stump-sucker. But it 'ud
turn out to be only the heaves an' easily cured.'

"'Is that so?' said Jud, changing his tone.

"'Yes,' I said, 'an' I've knowed better judges of hosses to sell a
nervous hoss for a balker that had been balked onct by a rattle head.
But in keerful hands I've seed him git over it,' I said, indifferent
like.

"'Indeed?' said Jud.

"'Yes, Jud,' said I, 'I've knowed real hones' hoss traders to make
bad breaks of that kind, now and then--honest intentions an' all
that, but bad judgment,'--sez I--'an' I'll cut it short by sayin'
that I'll just give you two an' a half if you'll match that no-count,
wind broken black as you tho'rt, that you swapped me.'

"'Do you mean it?' said Jud, solemn-like.

"'I'll make a bond to that effect,' I said solemnly.

"Jud went off thoughtful. In a week or so he come back. He hung
aroun' a while an' said:

"'I was up in the country the other day, an' do you kno' I saw a dead
match for yo' black? Only a little slicker an' better lookin'--same
star an' white hind foot. As nigh like him as one black-eyed pea
looks like another.'

"'Jud,' I said, 'I never did see two hosses look exactly alike.
You're honestly mistaken.'

"'They ain't a hair's difference,' he said. 'He's a little slicker
than yours--that's all--better groomed than the one in yo' barn.'

"'I reckon he is,' said I, for I knew very well there wa'n't none in
my barn. 'That's strange,' I went on, 'but you kno' what I said.'

"'Do you still hold to that offer?' he axed.

"'I'll make bond with my daddy-in-law on it,' I said.

"'Nuff said,' an' Jud was gone. The next day he came