'S BOY

Several days after Pete's arrival at the Concho ranch, Andy White rode
in with a companion, dusty, tired, and hungry from a sojourn over near
the Apache line. White made his report to the foreman, unsaddled, and
was washing with a great deal of splutter and elbow-motion, when some
one slapped him on the back. He turned a dripping face to behold Pete
grinning at him.

Andy's eyes lighted with pleasure. He stuck out a wet hand. "Did you
land a job?"

"With both feet."

"Good! I was so darned tired I clean forgot you was livin'. Say, I
saw ole Jose this afternoon. We was crossin' the bottom and rode into
his camp. He said you had quit him. I asked him if you come up here,
but he only shook his head and handed me the usual 'Quien sabe?' He'll
never git a sore throat from talkin' too much. Say, wait till I git
some of this here alkali out of my ears and we'll go and eat and then
have a smoke and talk it out. Gee! But I'm glad you landed! How'd
you work it?"

"Easy. I rid that there Blue Smoke hoss--give 'em an exhibition of
real ridin' and the fo'man sure fell for my style."

"Uh-huh. What kind of a fall did _you_ make?"

"Well, I wasn't in shape to know--till I come to. The fellas said I
done all right till ole Smoke done that little double twist and left me
standin' in the air--only with my feet up. I ain't jest lovin' that
hoss a whole lot."

Andy nodded sagely. "I tried him onct. So Bailey give you a job, eh?"

"Kind of a job. Mostly peelin' potatoes and helpin' round the house.
Ma Bailey says I'm worth any two of the men helpin' round the house.
And I found out one thing--what Ma Bailey says round here goes."

"You bet! She's the boss. If Ma don't like a guy, he don't work long
for the Concho. I recollect when Steve Gary quit over the T-Bar-T and
come over here lookin' for a job. Ma she sized him up, but didn't say
nothin' right away. But Gary he didn't stay long enough to git a
saddle warm. Ma didn't like him, nohow. He sure was a top-hand--but
that didn't help him none. He's over to the T-Bar-T now. Seen him the
other day. He's got some kind of a drag there, for they took him back.
Folks says--say, what's bitin' you?"

"Nothin'. You said Gary?"

"Yes. Why?"

"I was jest thinkin'."

Young Andy dried his face on the community towel, emptied the basin
with a flourish which drenched the pup and sent him yelping toward the
house, attempted to shy the basin so that