o less s'fficiently, snags onto Sorehead. Fixin' his
ten claws in him, the Bug fo'thwith embarks upon sech feats in the
way of ground an' lofty tumblin' with that gladiator, as to make what
happens to Mike seem pooerile.

"'Don't you-all know,' shouts the Bug, as, havin' done broke a cha'r
with Sorehead, he proceeds to deevote what's left of him to smashin' a
table--'don't you-all know, you abandoned profligate, that this yere
artist you've been maltreatin' is a pers'nal friend of mine, yere
present in Red Dog to confab with me on important affairs? An' is it
for a houseless sot like you to take to minglin' with him malignant?
Yereafter don't you-all so much as presoome to breathe without first
gettin' my permission so to do in writin'!'

"As closin' the incident the Bug sends Sorehead hurtlin' through a
window, sash an' all. After which he dusts off his hands an' says:

"'Gents, let's licker.'

"The barkeep's that gratified he declar's the drinks is on the Tub.

"'Also, the glass an' sash, Bug,' he adds.

"Bein' refreshed, the Bug tenderly collects Mike, who's in a frayed
an' fragmentary condition, an' gently freights him over to us on a
buckboard. It's a week before Peets allows he's ag'in ready for the
show ring, an' he uses up enough co't plaster on him to kyarpet the
Red Light. Little Joolie? We let's on to her that Mike meets up with a
she grizzly an' her cubs, an' while he cleans up that fam'ly he
nacherally gets chewed.

"'Mike's shorely some abrated, ma'am,' explains Peets; 'but he's
mendin' fast. When I first lays eyes on him, after he encounters that
bevy of b'ars, it's a question if his skin'll hold his principles. But
don't take on, Ma'am; now I've got him headed right he'll be as good
as new in a week. Don't forget, too, that he shore does land that band
of grizzlies in the scrap-heap.'

"Mike emerges from the hands of Peets filled with a pecooliar furrin'
form of wrath, an' talkin' about his honor. It's Sorehead he's after
now. As a noble Pole, he says, he has been most contoomeliously used,
an' insists upon a dooel. Not with the Bug, who's withdrew them
orig'nal jedgments concernin' old Monte's portrait, an' substitooted
tharfor the view that said picture's bound to become the artistic
pride an' joy of Arizona. Mike wants to fight the onreegen'rate
Sorehead.

"In the flush of their new friendship Mike asks the Bug to heel an'
handle him. Also, it's warmin' to your better nacher to note the
en