“‘You’re just like the rest of them!’ roared the boss.  ’Want to act contrary!  Now let me say to you that you’ll help me to count these cattle or I’ll discharge, unhorse, and leave you afoot here in this country!  I’ll make an example of you as a warning to others.’

“’It’s strange that I should be signaled out as an object of your wrath and displeasure,’ said Californy.  ’Besides, if I were you, I wouldn’t make any examples as you were thinking of doing.  When you talk of making an example of me as a warning to others,’ said the pox-marked lad, as he reached over, taking the reins of the foreman’s horse firmly in his hand, ’you’re a simpering idiot for entertaining the idea, and a cowardly bluffer for mentioning it.  When you talk of unhorsing and leaving me here afoot in a country a thousand miles from nowhere, you don’t know what that means, but there’s no danger of your doing it.  I feel easy on that point.  But I’m sorry to see you make such a fool of yourself.  Now, you may think for a moment that I’m afraid of that ivory-handled gun you wear, but I’m not.  Men wear them on the range, not so much to emphasize their demands with, as you might think.  If it were me, I’d throw it in the wagon; it may get you into trouble.  One thing certain, if you ever so much as lay your hand on it, when you are making threats as you have done to-day, I’ll build a fire in your face that you can read the San Francisco “Examiner” by at midnight.  You’ll have to revise your ideas a trifle; in fact, change your tactics.  You’re off your reservation bigger than a wolf, when you try to run things by force.  There’s lots better ways.  Don’t try and make talk stick for actions, nor use any prelude to the real play you wish to make.  Unroll your little game with the real thing.  You can’t throw alkaline dust in my eyes and tell me it’s snowing.  I’m sorry to have to tell you all this, though I have noticed that you needed it for a long time.’

“As he released his grip on the bridle reins, he continued, ’Now ride back to the wagon, throw off that gun, tell some of the boys to take a man and count these cattle, and it will be done better than if you helped.’

“‘Must I continue to listen to these insults on every hand?’ hissed the medicine man, livid with rage.

“’First remove the cause before you apply the remedy; that’s in your line,’ answered Californy.  ’Besides, what are you going to do about it?  You don’t seem to be gifted with enough cow-sense to even use a modified amount of policy in your every-day affairs,’ said he, as he rode away to avoid hearing his answer.

“Several of us, who were near enough to hear this dressing-down of the boss at Californy’s hands, rode up to offer our congratulations, when we noticed that old Bad Medicine had gotten a stand on one of the boys called ‘Pink.’  After leaving him, he continued his ride towards the wagon.  Pink soon joined us, a broad smile playing over his homely florid countenance.