"Well, if he's half as good as his daddy he's some hoss at that," the tall man stated, as he started up the track, watch in hand. Blister followed the colt with his eyes. "Ever hear of Salvation?" he finally asked. "Oh, yes," I replied. "Well, I brings out Salvation as a three-year-old, 'n' what happens is quite a bunch of chatter--want to hear it?" "You know it," I said, dropping into Blister's vernacular. "That's pretty good for you," he said, grinning at my slang. "Well, to begin with, I'm in Loueyville. It's in the fall, 'n' I'm just back from Sheepshead. One way 'n' another I've had a good year. I'm down on two or three live ones when the odds are right, 'n' I've grabbed off a bundle I ain't ashamed to flash in any kind of company. "My string's been shipped South, 'n' I thinks I'll knock around Kentucky fur a couple of weeks, 'n' see if I can't pick up some hosses to train. "One mawnin' I'm in the Gait House, lookin' fur a hossman that's stoppin' there, 'n' I see Peewee Simpson settin' in the lobby like he'd just bought the hotel. "'Who left the door open?' I says to him. "'It's still open, I see,' says Peewee, lookin' at me. "We exchanges a few more remarks, 'n' then Peewee tells me he's come to Loueyville to buy some yearlin's fur ole man Harris. "'There's a dispersal sale to-morrow at the Goodloe farm,' says Peewee. ''N' I hear there's some real nice stuff going under the hammer. General Goodloe croaked this spring. They cleaned him in a cotton deal last year 'n' now their goin' to sell the whole works--studs, brood mares, colts--everything; plows, too--you want a plow? All you need is a plow 'n' a mule to put you where you belong.' "'Where's this farm at?' I says. "'Over in Franklin County,' says Peewee. 'I'm goin' over--want to go 'long?' "'You're on,' I says. 'I'm not particular who travels with me any more.' "We gets off the train next mawnin' at a little burg called Goodloe, 'n' there's three or four niggers with three or four ratty-lookin' ole rigs to drive hossmen out to the sale. It's a fierce drive, 'n' the springs is busted on our rig. I thinks we'll never get there, 'n' I begins to cuss Peewee fur bringin' me. "'What you got to kick at?' says Peewee. 'Ain't you gettin' a free ride? Cheer up--think of all the nice plows you're goin' to see.' "'You take them plows to hell 'n' make furrows in the cinders with 'em,' I says, wonderin' if I can get a train back to Loueyville anyways soon. "But when we gets to the farm I'm glad I come. Man, that was some farm! Miles of level blue-grass pasture, with white fences cuttin' it up into squares, barns 'n' paddocks 'n' sheds, all painted white, just scattered around by the dozen. There's a track to work hosses on, too, but it's pretty much growed up with weeds. The main house is back in some big trees. It's brick 'n' has two porches, one on top of the other, all the way around it.