to know who's a better friend of this
outfit than he's been for twenty years. The boys tell him if he's such
a good friend to go ahead and prove it with a little barter that would
be sure to touch my heart. And the first day Safety offers seventy-five
a head for these here jack rabbits, which they calmly ignore and go on
talking about Liberty Bonds being a good safe investment; and the second
day he just cries like a child that he'll pay eighty-five and trust to
their honour that he's to have in on this new sure-thing deal.

That seemed enough, so they all shook hands with the spendthrift and
slapped him on the back in good fellowship, and said they knew all the
time he had a heart of gold and they feel free to say now that once the
money has passed he won't be let to go off the place till he has heard
all about the new enterprise and let in on the ground floor, and they
hope he won't ever forget this moment when the money begins to roll in
fit to smother him in round numbers. So Safety says he knows they're a
good square set of boys, as clean as a hound's tooth, and he'll be over
to-morrow to take over the stock and hear the interesting details.

The boys set up late that night figuring their share of the burglary.
There was twenty-five of these ground squirrels. I was to get my fifty a
head, at least ten of which was illegitimate. Then for the thirty-five,
which was the real robbery, I was to take half, and eight of the boys the
other half. I begun to wonder that night just what could be done to us
under the criminal law. It looked like three years in some good jail
wouldn't be a bit too harsh.

Next day bright and early here comes frugal Safety, gangling along behind
his whiskers and bringing one of his ill-fed hirelings to help drive the
stuff back. Safety is rubbing his hands and acting very sprightly, with
an air of false good fellowship. It almost seems like he was afraid they
had thought better of the trade and might try to crawl out. He wants it
over quick. They all go down and help him drive his purchase out of the
lower field, where they been hiding in the tall grass, and in no time
at all have the bunch headed down the lane on to the county road, with
Safety's man keeping well up to protect 'em from the coyotes.

Next there's kind of a solemn moment when the check is being made out.
Safety performs that serious operation down at the bunk house. Making out
any check is always the great adventure with him.