Our visitor met Joe’s bantering in a timid manner.  Before turning in, however, he informed us that he appreciated our hospitality, but that he expected to make an early drive in the morning to the Republican, where he might camp several days.  With this the old man and the boy unrolled their blankets, and both were soon sound asleep.  Then our segundo quietly took Fox Quarternight off to one side, and I heard the latter agree to call him when the third guard was aroused.  Having notified Honeyman that he would stand his own watch that night, Stallings, with the rest of the outfit, soon joined the old man in the land of dreams.  Instead of the rough shaking which was customary on arousing a guard, when we of the third watch were called, we were awakened in a manner so cautious as to betoken something unusual in the air.  The atmosphere of mystery soon cleared after reaching the herd, when Bob Blades informed us that it was the intention of Stallings and Quarternight to steal the old man’s harness mare off the picket rope, and run her against their night horses in a trial race.  Like love and war, everything is fair in horse racing, but the audacity of this proposition almost passed belief.  Both Blades and Durham remained on guard with us, and before we had circled the herd half a dozen times, the two conspirators came riding up to the bed ground, leading the bay mare.  There was a good moon that night; Quarternight exchanged mounts with John Officer, as the latter had a splendid night horse that had outstripped the outfit in every stampede so far, and our segundo and the second guard rode out of hearing of both herd and camp to try out the horses.

After an hour, the quartette returned, and under solemn pledges of secrecy Stallings said, “Why, that old bay harness mare can’t run fast enough to keep up with a funeral.  I rode her myself, and if she’s got any run in her, rowel and quirt won’t bring it out.  That chestnut of John’s ran away from her as if she was hobbled and side-lined, while this coyote of mine threw dust in her face every jump in the road from the word ‘go.’  If the old man isn’t bluffing and will hack his mare, we’ll get back our freeze-out money with good interest.  Mind you, now, we must keep it a dead secret from Flood—­that we’ve tried the mare; he might get funny and tip the old man.”

We all swore great oaths that Flood should never hear a breath of it.  The conspirators and their accomplices rode into camp, and we resumed our sentinel rounds.  I had some money, and figured that betting in a cinch like this would be like finding money in the road.

But The Rebel, when we were returning from guard, said, “Tom, you keep out of this race the boys are trying to jump up.  I’ve met a good many innocent men in my life, and there’s something about this old man that reminds me of people who have an axe to grind.  Let the other fellows run on the rope if they want to, but you keep your money in your pocket.  Take an older man’s advice this once.  And I’m going to round up John in the morning, and try and beat a little sense into his head, for he thinks it’s a dead immortal cinch.”