The idea of carrying out the traditions of the horse in Pinal County even to a wedding-journey tickled the boys immensely. Slapping one another on the back and nodding their heads in approbation, they shouted: "That's the ticket. Hooray!" "This ain't no New York idea, where the bride and groom hits the life-trail in a hired hack," cried Fresno. Allen's feelings apparently were not yet fully soothed. Turning to Sage-brush, he said: "Wheels don't go in my family. Why, her ma and me were married on hossback. The preacher had to make a hurry job of it, but it took." "Hush, now," was Parenthesis' awed comment. "For her pop was a-chasin' us, and kept it up for twenty miles after the parson said 'Amen.'" "Did he ketch you?" asked Fresno, with great seriousness. "He sure did," answered Allen, with a twinkle in his eye, "an' thanked me for takin' Josephine off his hands." The boys laughed. The joke was upon themselves, as they had expected to hear a romantic story of earlier days. When the laughter had subsided, Show Low suggested: "If we can't decorate the wagon, let's put some fixin's on the ponies." The proposal was received with more whoops, shouting, and yipping. They waltzed about the smiling rancher. "That's what!" cried Sage-brush enthusiastically. Allen grew sarcastic, remarking: "I reckon you-all must have stopped some time at the water-tank." Renewed laughter greeted this sally. "This is my first wedding," explained Sage-brush, rather apologetically. "I want to know!" exclaimed Allen, in surprise. "I'm tellin' you. I never seed a weddin' in all my life," replied Sage-brush, as seriously as if he was denying a false accusation of a serious crime. "Mother used to tell me about her'n, an' I often wisht I had been there." Fresno shouted with amusement. He had Sage-brush rattled. The coolest man on the ranch was flustered by the mere thought of attending a wedding-ceremony. "He's plum locoed over this one. Ain't you, Sage-brush?" he drawled tauntingly. Sage-brush took his jibing in the best of humor. It was a holiday, and they were with people of their own kind. Had a stranger been present the remarks would have been resented bitterly. On this point cowboys are particularly sensitive. In the presence of outsiders they are silent, answering only in monosyllables, never leading in any conversation, and if any comment is necessary they make it indirectly. "Well, I ain't no society-bud like you are," laughed Sage-brush. The others joined with him in his merriment over Fresno's discomfiture. "Weddin's ain't so frequent where I come from as they is in Californy." "It's the climate," answered Fresno, with a broad grin. "So you ain't never been at a weddin'?" asked Allen, who was looking for another opening to have more fun with Sage-brush.