"You got 'em." Bob rolled his eyes eloquently. "I'll tell a man! Two sticks and eleven catawampouses! Well, it's your funeral. Any rush?" "Just so I get back to Engle to-morrow night." "Easy as silk, then. All them you ain't got here will be in to water to-night or to-morrow morning, 'cept Bluebeard and Popcorn. They run at Puddingstone Tanks, down the cañon. You and me will go get 'em after dinner." "Dinner? Let's go! Got any beef, Bobby?" "Better'n beef. Bear meat-jerked. Make hair grow on your chest. Ever eat any?" "Bear meat? Who killed a bear?" "Me. Little Bobby. All alone. Three of 'em. Killed three in the yard the very first morning," said little Bobby proudly. "I heard them snuffin' and millin' round out in the water pen in the night, but I thought it was stock. Then they come up in the house yard. Soon as it come day I got up to drive 'em out--and behold you, they was no stock, but three whoppin' brown bears. So I fogged 'em. Killed all three before they could get out of the yard." "Good Lord!" said Johnny. His face drooped to troubled lines. The man Hales glanced sharply at him. "Heap big chief me!" prattled Bobby, unnoting. "Two bully good skins--had to shoot the last one all to rags to kill him--and twelve hundred pounds of good meat. Wah!" He turned to the stranger. "Well, Mr. Hales, do you think that little old plug of mine will suit you?" "Oh, I reckon so. Beggars mustn't be choosers--and I sure need him. Thirty dollars, you said?" "Wouldn't take a cent more. I'm not gougin' you. That's his price, weekdays or Sunday. He don't look much, but he ain't such a bad little hoss." Hales nodded. "He'll do, I guess." "You done bought a horse!" said Bobby. "And Johnny, he's got a mount to make him a rep--if they don't spill him." He broke into rollicking song: _They picked me up and carried me in; They rubbed me down with a rolling pin. "Oh, that's the way we all begin, You're doing well," says Brown; "To-morrow morn, if you don't die, I'll give you another horse to try." "Oh, can't you let me walk?" says I----_ Here he cocked an impish eye at Dines, observed that gentleman's mournful face, and broke the song short. "What's the matter with you now, Dinesy? You can ride 'em, of course. No trouble after you first take the edge off." "It isn't that," said Dines sorrowfully. "I--I--you ain't a bit to blame, but--" He stopped, embarrassed. "What's the matter, you old fool? Spill it!" Johnny sighed and drew in a long breath. "I hate to name it, Bob--I do so. Hiram Yoast and Foamy White, the blamed old fools, they orter told you! They'll be all broke up about this." He looked Bob square in the eye and plunged on desperately. "Them bears, Bobby--Hiram and Foamy had been makin' pets of 'em. Feedin' them beef bones and such ever since last spring--had 'em plumb gentle." "Hell and damnation!"