“That outbids my pile!” the range-rider exclaimed. “Which I’ve always been able to hand out a pony’s age by lookin’ at his teeth, but when it comes to followin’ a trail a million years old, why, I can’t sit in for that game. But as long as you like to talk I’ll keep my ears right up, listenin’!” Antoine looked at his watch. “If we’re going to get to Blue Goose Gully,” he said, “I think we’ll have to start. I’ve made notes of my bearings.” “C’n you find the place again?” queried the cowboy. “Yes, yes, easily,” the young paleontologist answered. “It is east-south-east of that peak, north and a half west of that butte, and due east of that rocky spur. I can ride straight to it to-morrow.” “Smooth as a card-sharp with a stacked deck,” declared the range-rider. “Which if you’re ridin’ back, gents, that’s my trail, too,” and without further word, he wheeled his pony and started up the gully. “Say, Dick,” said Perry, half an hour later, as the station came in sight in the distance, “it was bully of you to come out here and show us that Hyrachyus.” The cowboy waved his thanks away with a gesture, but the lad continued: “I’ve been wondering, since you’ve got so interested in that tooth idea, if you wouldn’t like one. If you want to spin a yarn you ought to have something to show!” He put his hand to his tie and drew from it a small scarfpin made from a Zeuglodon tooth; one of those he had picked up in Zeuglodon Valley two years before. “Here’s one,” he said, “of a whale that lived about three million years ago. Use it for a stick-pin!” “But, pard—” the cowboy began. “Never mind about that, go ahead,” urged the boy. “If you don’t want to take it any other way, take it just to remember this ride by. Honestly, I’ve got lots of them, and you mightn’t happen to see one again.” The lad’s new friend protested vigorously, but it was clear that the gift appealed to him, and, just before they reached the station, Perry overcame the last of his objections. The range-rider took the stick-pin and thrust it into the band of his sombrero, taking particular delight in the little patent fastener that Perry also gave him, to prevent the pin from flying out. He flourished the sombrero with a “whoop!” and started his pony on a series of antics that would have done credit to a trick mule. When Antoine and Perry lost sight of him, the broncho was headed across the plains like a dustwhirl, while the cowboy’s cheery “Adios!” rang in their ears. CHAPTER XI UNDER THE CLAWS OF A DINOSAUR “It seems as though my coming had brought good luck,” said Perry, joyously, when, all the baggage question settled, he started with Antoine on the trail that led to the camp at Blue Goose Gully.