kill the
buffalo which had got him free."

"What chance would he have had against an angered buffalo alone and on
foot?" said Merritt. "He couldn't very well get off and make a bow to
the beast and have the buffalo drop a curtsey?"

"I hadn't thought of that," said the boy, laughing.

"I was afraid I might have to try that dodge, but when I saw the crack
in the rock I knew it was all right."

"Well," said Wilbur as they turned off the road to where the pack-horse
had been picketed, "I think we're both pretty lucky to have come off so
easily."

Merritt looked at the lad. He was dusty and grimy to a degree, his
clothes were torn in a dozen places where he had gone rolling down the
hill, a handkerchief was roughly knotted around his head, and there were
streaks of dried blood in his hair.

"You look a little the worse for wear," he said; "maybe you'd better go
home, and I'll go on alone."

"I won't," said Wilbur.

"You what?" came the curt rebuke. "You mean that you would rather not."

"Yes, sir," said the boy. "I mean that I don't feel too used up."

The Supervisor nodded and rode on ahead. For a couple of miles or so,
they rode single file, and in spite of the boy's bold announcement that
he was not too badly shaken up, by the time he had ridden nearly an hour
more in the hot sun his head was aching furiously and he was beginning
to stiffen up. Accordingly he was glad when a cabin hove in sight, and
he cantered up to ask if they might call for a drink of water.

"We stop here," was the laconic reply.

As they rode up a big man came out of the house, which was quite a
fair-sized place, to meet them.

"Well, Merritt," he said, "what have you got for me this time?"
motioning to the boy.

"No patient for you, Doc," said Merritt; "one for your wife."

The mountain doctor laughed, a great big hearty laugh.

"Violet," he called, "you're taking my practice away from me. Here's a
patient that says he won't have me, but wants you."

Immediately at his call, a small, slender woman came to the porch of the
house, and seeing the doctor helping Wilbur down from the saddle,
stepped forward.

"I can walk all right," said Wilbur when the doctor put out a hand to
steady him. "I just wanted a drink of water."

"Right you are," said the doctor, "we'll give you all the water you
want, just in a minute. Now," he continued as he led the boy into the
house, "let's have a look at the trouble."

But Wilbur interposed.