about
"that young ruffian."

Out on the trail Long Bill and Jasper Kemp paused before a tree that
bore the Reverend Frederick's church notice, and read in silence while
the wide wonder of the desert spread about them.

"What d'ye make out o' them cuss words, Jap?" asked Long Bill, at
length. "D'ye figger the parson's goin' to preach on swearin' ur
gunpowder?"

"Blowed ef I know," answered Jasper, eying the sign ungraciously; "but
by the looks of him he can't say much to suit me on neither one. He
resembles a yaller cactus bloom out in a rain-storm as to head, an' his
smile is like some of them prickles on the plant. He can't be no
'sky-pilot' to me, not just yet."

"You don't allow he b'longs in any way to _her_?" asked Long Bill,
anxiously, after they had been on their way for a half-hour.

"B'long to _her_? Meanin' the schoolmarm?"

"Yes; he ain't sweet on her nor nothin'?"

"Wal, I guess not," said Jasper, contentedly. "She's got eyes sharp's a
needle. You don't size her up so small she's goin' to take to a sickly
parson with yaller hair an' sleek ways when she's seen the Kid, do you?"

"Wal, no, it don't seem noways reasonable, but you never can tell. Women
gets notions."

"She ain't that kind! You mark my words, _she ain't that kind_. I'd lay
she'd punch the breeze like a coyote ef he'd make up to her. Just you
wait till you see him. He's the most no-'count, measleyest little thing
that ever called himself a man. My word! I'd like to see him try to ride
that colt o' mine. I really would. It would be some sight for sore eyes,
it sure would."

"Mebbe he's got a intellec'," suggested Long Bill, after another mile.
"That goes a long ways with women-folks with a education."

"No chance!" said Jasper, confidently. "'Ain't got room fer one under
his yaller thatch. You wait till you set your lamps on him once before
you go to gettin' excited. Why, he ain't one-two-three with our
missionary! Gosh! I wish _he'd_ come back an' see to such goin's-on--I
certainly do."

"Was you figgerin' to go to that gatherin' Sunday?"

"I sure was," said Jasper. "I want to see the show, an', besides, we
might be needed ef things got too high-soundin'. It ain't good to have a
creature at large that thinks he knows all there is to know. I heard
him talk down to the post-office the day after that little party we had
when the Kid shot out the lights to save Bunchy from killin' Crapster,
an' it's my opinion he needs a good spanki