“That fool look,” scoffed Hugh Manners.

“You think so?  I tell you, Manners, he’s just waking up, and when he’s clear waked up he’ll be a world-beater!  You saw that doorknob?”

“Smashed?  Yep.  What of it?”

“He done it with a gun, standing clean across the room, with a flash draw, shooting from the hip—­and he made a clean center hit of it.”

Pete brought out these facts jerkily, one by one, piling one extraordinary thing upon the other; and when he had finished, Hugh Manners gasped.

“I’m mighty glad,” he said, “that you told me that, I—­I might of made some mistake.”

“You’d sure’ve made an awful mistake if you tangle with him, Manners.  Don’t forget it.”

“Your work, I guess.”

“Partly,” said Pete modestly.  “I speeded his draw up a bit, but he had the straight eye and the steady hand when I started with him.  He didn’t need much target practice—­just the draw.”

“And he’s really fast?”

“He’s got my draw.”

That told volumes to Manners.

“And why not take him in with us?” he asked, after a reverent pause.

“Not that!” exclaimed Pete.  “Besides, he couldn’t ride and keep up with us.  He’d wear out three hosses a day with his weight.”

“Maybe we could find an extra-strong hoss.  He ain’t so big as to kill a good strong hoss, Pete.  I’ve seen a hoss that carried—­”

“No good,” said Pete with decision.  “I wouldn’t even talk to him about our business.  He don’t guess it.  He thinks that I’m—­well, he don’t have any idea about how I make a living, that’s all!”

“But how will you make a living if you stick with him?”

“I dunno,” Pete sighed.  “But I’m not going to turn him down.”

“But ain’t you about used up your money?”

“It’s pretty low.”

“And you’re supporting him?”

“Sure.  He ain’t got a cent.”

Bull started.  He had not thought of that matter at all, but it stood to reason that Pete had expended a large sum on him.

“Sponging?” said Manners cynically.

“Don’t talk about it that way,” said Pete uneasily.  “He’s like a big kid.  He don’t think about those things.  If I was broke, he’d give me his last cent.”

“That’s what you think.”

“Shut up, Manners.  Bull is like—­a cross between a son and a brother.”

“Pretty big of bone for your son, Pete.  You’ll have a hard time supporting him,” and Manners chuckled.  Then, more seriously, “You’re making a fool of yourself, pardner.  Throw this big hulk over and come back—­with me!  They’s loads of money staked out waiting for us!”

“Listen,” said Pete solemnly.  “I’m going to tell you why I’ll never turn Bull Hunter down if I live to be a hundred!  When I was a kid a dirty trick was done me by old Bill Campbell.  I waited all these years till a little while ago to get back at him.  Then I found him and fought him.  I didn’t kill him, but I ruined him and sent him back to his home tied on his hoss with a busted shoulder that he’ll never be able to use again.  His right shoulder, at that.”