face on it, and said:

"That's a bucker for fair."

"No," responded Bob-Cat, "that isn't bucking," and he swung himself into
the saddle.

The sorrel commenced plunging and rearing again, this time with greater
vigor. But Bob-Cat, taking a little bag of tobacco and some cigarette
papers out of his pocket, quietly poured out some of the tobacco on the
paper, rolled it carefully, and then lighted it, keeping his seat on the
bucking broncho quite easily the while. This done, he dismounted,
turning to the boy as he did so.

"She's easy enough. There's lots o' the boys, like Bluey, fer example,
who really can ride," he continued, "that 'd just split with laughin'
at the idee o' me showin' off in the saddle. I c'n rope with the best o'
them, but I'm no buster. And some o' these here critters you've got to
ride. See that big roan in there?"

Wilbur followed the direction of his finger and nodded.

"They call her 'Squealin' Bess,' an' you couldn't pay me to get on her
back. Bluey c'n ride her; he's done it twice; but you c'n bet your last
blue chip that he doesn't do it fer fun."

Wilbur turned to the old Ranger who had been standing silently by
through the performance.

"I'm much obliged, Rifle-Eye," he said, "but I'd like to buy that sorrel
just the same and learn to ride him."

For the first time the old Ranger smiled.

"You're somethin' like a crab, Wilbur," he said, "that grabs a stick
viciously with his claw an' won't let go even when he's hauled up out o'
the water. You c'n buy the sorrel if you want to, but he won't be any
use to you up in the forest. Broncho-bustin' is an amusement you c'n
keep for your leisure hours. But I'm thinkin', son, from what I know of
the work you'll have to do, that you'll mostly be tired enough after a
day's work to want to rest a while. But if you're sot, I s'pose you're
sot. An' I'm old enough to know that it's no use hammerin' a mule when
he's got his forelegs spread. Get whatever horses you like, I've got a
saddle for you up at the bunk-house, an' you c'n meet me beyond the
corral sunup to-morrow mornin'."

He nodded to the boys and turned on his heel, walking off in the
direction of the river. Seeing that the fun was over the boys scattered,
and Wilbur, finding that his friend Bob-Cat was going to stay at the
ranch over-night, attached himself to him. But as soon as supper was
over, the lad, finding himself stiffer than he had expected from his
battle with the sorrel, partl