n' wish-bone didn't get to ramblin' in his sleep
last night and come out and take a _bath_ in the _drinkin_'-trough!
He's got on them clothes I give him, this mornin'. Can you copper
that?"

"Bad dream, Bud."

"You wait!" said the grinning foreman. "You watch him. Don't pay no
'tention to me."

Corliss smiled. Shoop's many and devious methods of estimating
character had their humorous angles. The rancher appreciated a joke
quite as much as did any of his employees, but usually as a spectator
and not a participant. Bud Shoop had served him well and faithfully,
tiding over many a threatened quarrel among the men by a humorous
suggestion or a seemingly impersonal anecdote anent disputes in
general. So Corliss waited, meanwhile inspecting the ponies in the
corral. He noticed a pinto with a saddle-gall and told Shoop to turn
the horse out on the range.

"It's one of Fadeaway's string," said Shoop.

"I know it. Catch him up."

Shoop, who felt that his opportunity to confirm his dream-like
statement about Sundown's bathing, was slipping away, suddenly evolved
a plan. He knew that the horses had all been watered. "Hey!" he
called to Sundown, who stood gravely inspecting his own mount. "Come
over here and make this cayuse drink. He won't for me."

Shoop roped the horse and handed the rope to Sundown, who marched to
the water-trough. The pony sniffed at the water and threw up his head.
"I reckoned that was it!" said Shoop.

"What?" queried Corliss, meanwhile watching Sundown's face.

"Oh, some dam' coyote's been paddlin' in that trough again. No wonder
the hosses won't drink this mornin'. I don't blame 'em."

Sundown rolled a frightened eye and tried to look at everything but his
companions. Corliss and Shoop exploded simultaneously. Slowly the
light of understanding dawned, rose, and radiated in the dull red of
the new cook's face. He was hurt and a bit angry. The anticipating
and performing of his midnight ablutions had cost Slim a mighty
struggle, mentally and otherwise.

"If you think it's any early mornin' joke to take a wash-up in that
there Chinese coffin--why, try her yourself, about midnight." Then he
addressed Shoop singly. "If I was _you_, and you got kind of
absent-minded and done likewise, and I seen _you_, do you think I'd go
snitch to the boss? Nix, for it might set him to worryin'."

Shoop accepted the compliment good-naturedly, for he knew he had earned
it. He swaggered up