ame up to me and,
laughing, again said: 'But yo' licked the coon!'

"I said, 'Yes, but that was not much to brag about.'

"'Yo' licked the coon, but was afeerd to meet the governor, eh?' he said.

"I answered, 'That is about the size of it.'

"'And yo' did not go home?' he said.

"'No,' I replied.

"'Did not send for any money?'

"'No.'

"'How much did yo' have?'

"'Four dollars, and a watch which I sold for fourteen dollars.'

"'How much have yo' left?'

"'I believe, $1.50.'

"'What are yo' going to do?'

"'Going to work.'

"'Wat at?'

"'Anything I can get to do.'

"'Will yo' work for me?'

"'Yes.'

"'Know anything about herding and driving cattle?'

"'No, but I can learn it.'

"'All right, what about wages?'

"'Anything you like.'

"'All right,' said Jordan, 'I will have the boys fix yo' up a gentle
mustang and give yo' a show.'

"I had overheard the cowboys the previous evening telling about a 'gentle
broncho' that they had given a 'tenderfoot,' and how the tenderfoot was
'jolted.' I reflected that I was in Texas and might just as well
establish myself at once. When a boy, I could ride anything on the farm
or in the township. So I said:

"'Mr. Jordan, let me try the buckskin.'

"'What!' said Jordan, 'would yo' mount that wild beast? He's a devil. My
best riders cannot sit him. Indeed, he has tossed half the cowboys in
Texas.'

"'Let me try him,' said I.

"'_All right_,' said Jordan, 'come on.'

"We climbed into the big corral. One of the boys threw a rope upon the
horse, drew him up to the center post, blinded him, and said to me:

"'Young feller! If you ride him, you'll be a good one, shore 'nough.'

"I took off my coat, vest and suspenders, tied a heavy handkerchief
around my stomach, fixed the saddle, sprang upon the horse, and the blind
was drawn off at the same moment. Then for ten minutes I had a game as
lively as I had experienced with the coon. How he did jolt me! But I sat
him. Then, when all his other tricks had failed, he started in a run for
the center post of the corral, with the intention of raking me off. But
it was his side that struck the post; my knee was on top of the saddle,
and when the rebound knocked him away from the post it was not a second
until I was back in the saddle; and then I assumed the offensive and
drove the rowels into him. Between the shock of the blow and the surprise
of the rowels, he gave up, made a feeble jump or two, stopped and stood