be made by a freckled-faced cowboy who had been up all night, but still
had some vitality which needed vent.

"Eeeeee-yow-heeeeee!" yelled the cowboy, both spurring and reining his
supple, cringing steed. "Eeeeeee-yip-yeeeee!" Thus vociferating, he
rode straight at the footman, with apparently the deliberate wish to ride
him down. He wist not that the latter had seen cavalry in his day, and
was not easily to be disconcerted, and, finding that he failed to create
a panic, he pulled up with the pony's nose almost over Franklin's
shoulder.

"Hello, stranger," cried the rider, cheerfully; "where are you goin',
this bright an' happy mornin'?"

Franklin was none too pleased at the method of introduction selected by
this youth, but a look at his open and guileless face forbade the thought
of offence. The cowboy sat his horse as though he was cognizant of no
such creature beneath him. His hand was held high and wabbling as he bit
off a chew from a large tobacco plug the while he jogged alongside.

Franklin made no immediate reply, and the cowboy resumed.

"Have a chaw?" he said affably, and looked surprised when Franklin
thanked him but did not accept.

"Where's yore hoss, man?" asked the new-comer with concern. "Where you
goin', headin' plum south, an' 'thout no hoss?"

"Oh," said Franklin, smiling, "I'm not going far; only over south a mile
or so. I want to find a friend. Colonel Battersleigh. I think his
place is only a mile or so from here."

"Sure," said the cowboy. "Old Batty--I know him. He taken up a quarter
below here. Ain't got his shack up yet. But say, that's a full mile
from yer. You ain't goin' to walk a mile, are you?"

"I've walked a good many thousand miles," said Franklin, "and I shouldn't
wonder if I could get over this one."

"They's all kind of fools in the world," said the rider sagely, and with
such calm conviction in his tone that again Franklin could not take
offence. They progressed a time in silence.

"Say," said the cowboy, after a time--"say, I reckon I kin lick you."

"Do you think so?" said Franklin calmly, pulling up his shoulders and
feeling no alarm.

"Shorely I do," said the other; "I reckon I kin lick you, er beat you
shootin', er throw you down."

"Friend," said Franklin judicially, "I have a good many doubts about your
being able to do all that. But before we take it up any further I would
like to ask you something."

"Well, whut?"

"I'd just like to ask