Part 3, Chapter 23 Summary

Tom and Red ride to the rodeo at Aztec and enter Tom in the bronco riding event. Red orders Tom to "take the first two go-rounds," and then lose the last one.

Tom places second on his first ride on a wide-winding black that bucked in a tight circle. That evening there is a lot of talk about the new Indian kid who did not look more than twelve or thirteen, but rode like a man. Red starts his betting. Tom draws a big, violent roan on his second ride and he rides the horse hard, gouging with his spurs, punishing in every legal way he knows. The crowd roars and cheers him after his ride.

That night and the next day, Red pretends to get drunk and brags about Tom, priming the betting. Red orders Tom to lose the final...