couldn't handle her in the
water."

"Dey ain' got for han'l. De riv' she han'l. W'en de boat com' on de
plac', w'at you call, de ben'--w'ere de riv' she mak' de turn, de boat
she gon git shov' on de bank. Mebbe-so dey don' gon on de bank, w'en de
daylight com' some wan see um an' com' in de boat an' tak' um off."

Bat struck off down the river with Endicott following. After an hour's
ride through the darkness they came to a ranch. Bat opened and closed
the wire gate and led the way along the winding wagon road to the house,
a log affair, nestled in a deep coulee. A dog rushed from the darkness
and set up a furious barking, dodging in and out among the legs of the
horses in a frenzy of excitement. A light appeared in the window and as
the two riders drew up before the door it opened, a man thrust his head
out and swore at the dog. When the animal subsided he peered at the
horsemen: "Whut's up?" he growled surlily.

"Have you a boat?" Endicott asked.

"A boat! What the hell am I runnin', a cow outfit or a summer resort? A
boat! Er mebbe you think I fish fer a livin'? Mebbe I'm runnin' a ferry?
Mebbe I want the hull damn country raisin' hell around here all night!
No, I hain't got no boat! An' I never had none, an' don't want none!"
The man's senseless anger seemed to increase as though the imputation
that he might have owned a boat were in some way an insult. "What the
hell would I want of a boat?" his voice rose almost to a scream, and he
shook his fist almost in Bat's face.

The old half-breed leaned slightly forward in the saddle: "W'at de hell!
W'at de hell! W'at de hell you wan' wit de ponch on de nose--but you git
wan jes' de sam'!" As he spoke, his fist shot out and landed squarely in
the man's face, and as he staggered back into the cabin, the half-breed
put spurs to his horse and the two rode swiftly into the dark. "Dat do
um good--mebbe-so nex' tam som' wan com' 'long he ain' stan' an' holler
'W'at de hell! W'at de hell!' so mooch."

A boat was procured at the fourth ranch, and turning the horses into the
corral, the two pushed out into the river. Daylight was beginning to
break and, keeping close in, they scanned the shore eagerly for sign of
Long Bill's ferry. Hour after hour they drifted, Endicott overruling
Bat's suggestion that they stop for food. It was sometime after noon
that the half-breed stood up and pointed toward the other side. "A'm
t'ink mebbe-so de boat on de odder side. 'Long tam A'm watc