ut as fit as he can be, anyway. I feel as though I
could start running at a minute's notice and give a good account of
myself."

They talked over matters in this fashion until they had discussed the
forthcoming event at every angle, and then separated for the night.

From that time on little else was thought or talked of about the ranch.
Even the roping and riding contests were relegated to the background.
News that the Bar Z boys had a promising candidate had been circulated
among the neighboring ranches, and there was almost as much excitement
rife on them as on Mr. Melton's. The cowboys were always questioning Dick
and Tom in regard to Bert's "past performances," and never tired of
hearing his exploits as told by his enthusiastic friends.

Never was a day so looked forward to as the Fourth of July that year, and
never did a day seem so long in coming. The last days of June were
checked off one by one on a highly colored calendar suspended against the
wall of the bunkhouse, and at last the impatient ranchers tore the June
sheet off, or, as Chip put it, "took a month off."

Saddles were gone over, oiled and polished, and when at last the
longed-for day arrived every preparation had been made to celebrate it
fittingly. Everybody on the ranch was up before the sun, and after a
hasty breakfast they sallied forth to town.

The three comrades rode with them, and the cowboys surrounded them as a
sort of bodyguard. Mr. Melton was not able to accompany them, as he had
some pressing business affairs to attend to, but he had promised to reach
town before the running race, which was not to take place until the
afternoon, was "pulled off."

It was a beautiful day and the ranchmen were in high spirits. They
laughed and shouted and indulged in rough horse-play like a crowd of
school-boys out for a lark, and the boys did their full share to add to
the general gaiety. The long miles slipped unnoticed behind them, and the
sun was not far above the eastern horizon when the party cantered into
Helena.

The town was gaily bedecked in honor of the occasion. The houses were
draped with flags and bunting, and in many cases long colored streamers
fluttered from the windows and roofs.

The cowboys set spurs to their ponies, and swept down the street like
a veritable cyclone. They met other parties who had just arrived, and
exchanged greetings with the many friends among them. There was an air
of merry-making and good-fellowship in the