ho wins out. If I git pitched, I lose.
And I'm taking all the chances."

"Throw a saddle on him and give the kid a chanct," suggested a cowboy.

Bailey turned and looked at Pete, whose eyes were alight with the hope
of winning out--not for the sake of any brief glory, Pete's compressed
lips denied that, but for the sake of demonstrating his ability to hold
down a job on the ranch.

"Rope him, Monte," said Bailey. "Take the sorrel. I'll throw the
kid's saddle on him."

"Do I git the job if I stick?" queried Pete nervously.

"Mebby," said Bailey.

Now Pete's watch was a long-suffering dollar watch that went when it
wanted to and ceased to go when it felt like resting. At present the
watch was on furlough and had been for several days. A good shake
would start it going--and once started it seemed anxious to make up for
lost time by racing at a delirious pace that ignored the sun, the
stars, and all that makes the deliberate progress of the hours. If
Pete could arrange it so that his riding could be timed by his own
watch, he thought he could win, with something to spare. After a wild
battle with the punchers, Blue Smoke was saddled with Pete's saddle.
He still fought the men. There was no time for discussion if Pete
intended to ride.

"Go to 'im!" cried Bailey.

Pete hitched up his chaps and crawled over the bars. "Jest time him
for me," said Pete, turning to the cowboy who held his watch.

The cowboy glanced at the watch, put it to his ear, then glanced at it
again. "The durn thing's stopped!" he asserted.

"Shake her," said Pete.

Pete slipped into the saddle. "Turn 'im loose!" he cried.

The men jumped back. Blue Smoke lunged and went at it. Pete gritted
his teeth and hung to the rope. The corral revolved and the buildings
teetered drunkenly. Blue Smoke was not a running bucker, but did his
pitching in a small area--and viciously. Pete's head snapped back and
forth. He lost all sense of time, direction, and place. He was jolted
and jarred by a grunting cyclone that flung him up and sideways, met
him coming down and racked every muscle in his body. Pete dully hoped
that it would soon be over. He was bleeding at the nose. His neck
felt as though it had been broken. He wanted to let go and fall.
Anything was better than this terrible punishment.

He heard shouting, and then a woman's shrill voice. Blue Smoke gave a
quick pitch and twist. Pete felt something crash up against him.
Sud