“Badgers is big people an’ strong as ponies too.  An’ obdurate!  Son, a badger is that decided an’ set in his way that sech feather-blown things as hills is excitable an’ vacillatin’ by comparison.  This yere particular badger has the fam’ly weaknesses fully deeveloped, an’ the moment he cinches onto Coyote, he shore makes up his mind never to let go ag’in in this world nor the next.

“As I tells you, Coyote is little an’ weak, an’ he can no more move that hardened badger, nor yet fetch himse’f loose, than he can sprout wings an’ soar.  That badger’s got Coyote; thar he holds him prone an’ flat ag’in the ground for hours.  An’ at last Coyote swoons away.

“Which he’d shore petered right thar, a prey to badgers, if it ain’t for a cowpuncher—­he’s one of Old Man Enright’s riders—­who comes romancin’ along an’ is attracted to the spot by some cattle who’s prancin’ an’ waltzin’ about, sizin’ Coyote up as he’s layin’ thar, an’ snortin’ an’ curvin’ their tails in wonder at the spectacle.  Which the visitin’ cow sharp, seein’ how matters is headed, shoves his six-shooter in along-side of Coyote’s arm, drills this besotted badger, an’ Coyote is saved.  It’s a case of touch an’ go at that.  But to caper back to where we leaves Dan an’ Texas on the verge of them jocyoolarities.

“‘No, gentlemen,’ Coyote is sayin’, in response to some queries of Dan an’ Texas; ‘I’ve wandered hither an’ yon a heap in my time, an’ now I has my dug-out done, an’ seein’ wolves is oncommon plenty, I allows I puts in what few declinin’ days remains to me right where I be.  I must say, too, I’m pleased with Wolfville an’ regyards myse’f as fortunate an’ proud to be a neighbour to sech excellent folks as you-all.”

“‘Which I’m shore sorry a lot,’ says Dan, ’to hear you speak as you does.  Thar’s a rapacious sport about yere who the instant he finds how you makes them dug-out improvements sends on an’ wins out a gov’ment patent an’ takes title to that identical quarter-section which embraces your camp.  Now he’s allowin’ to go squanderin’ over to Tucson an’ get a docyment or two from the jedge an’ run you out.’

“Son, this pore innocent Coyote takes in Dan’s fictions like so much spring water; he believes ’em utter.  But the wonder is to see how he changes.  He don’t say nothin’, but his-eyes sort o’ sparks up an’ his face gets as gray as his ha’r.  It’s now that Doc Peets comes along.

“‘Yere is this devourin’ scoundrel now,’ says Texas Thompson, p’intin’ to Peets.  ‘You-all had better talk to him some about it.’  Then turnin’ to Peets with a wink, Texas goes on:  ‘Me an’ Mister Boggs is tellin’ our friend how you gets a title to that land he’s camped on, an’ that you allows you’ll take possession mebby next week.’

“‘Why, shore,’ says Peets, enterin’ into the sperit of the hoax, an’ deemin’ it a splendid joke; ’be you-all the maverick who’s on that quarter-section of mine?’

“‘Which I’m Colonel Coyote Clubbs,’ says Coyote, bowin’ low while his lips trembles, ‘an’ I’m at your service.’