hant. When at last I dropped from sheer exhaustion
and could summon courage to look behind me, I could see nothing. It was
then I realized I was not so game as I thought I was and the knowledge
was not pleasant by any means. Not far from our house there was a horse
ranch, owned by a Mr. Williams. He had two sons about my own age and I
would often go and see them on Sundays. As I was very fond of riding
horses most of the horses on the ranch were very wild. So one day the
oldest boy and I made a plan to break the young colts. The only chance
we had of doing so was on Sunday, when the family went to church, as we
did not think Mr. Williams would approve of our plan. Mr. Williams' boy
said he would give me ten cents for every colt I broke. That was
perfectly satisfactory to me. The money was made of shin plaster those
days (paper). The next Sunday I started to break horses. We did not dare
to put the bridle on them as we were afraid the boss might surprise us
and we would not be quick enough to get it off. Our mode of procedure
was to drive one at a time in the barn, get it in a stall, then after
much difficulty I would manage to get on its back. Then the door was
opened and the pole removed and the horse liberated with me on its back,
then the fun would commence. The colt would run, jump, kick and pitch
around the barn yard in his efforts to throw me off. But he might as
well tried to jump out of his skin because I held on to his mane and
stuck to him like a leech. The colt would usually keep up his bucking
until he could buck no more, and then I would get my ten cents. Ten
cents is a small amount of money these days, but in those days that
amount was worth more to me than ten dollars now.

[Illustration: A Case of Breaking the Horse or Breaking My Neck]

Well, we went on Sunday after Sunday and I broke about a dozen colts in
this way, and also managed to do it without the boss discovering the
favor I was undoubtedly doing him, in breaking all his wild horses. Only
his boys were aware of the doings and they paid me. So I had no scruples
about what I was doing, especially as it afforded me great fun. Finally
the boys wanted me to break a big handsome black horse called Black
Highwayman. Knowing the horse's uncertain temper and wild disposition
and taking into consideration its size, I refused to break him for ten
cents, as the fact was I was rather scared of him. After considerable
bargaining, in which I held out for fifty