I'll wind
up by getting out in the corridor some day and shooting holes in all
the steam radiators! Did you ever live with one, Ward? Nasty, sizzly
things; they drive me wild. I'd give the best cow in the bunch for
just one hour in front of our old stone fireplace and see the sparks go
up the chimney, and hear the coyotes. Honest to goodness, I'd rather
hear a coyote howl than any music on earth--unless maybe it was you
singing a ten-dollar hoss an' a forty-dollar saddle. I'd like to hear
that old trail song once more. I sure would, Ward. I'd like to hear
it, coming down old Wolverine canyon. Oh, I just can't stand it much
longer. I'm liable to wrap mommie in a blanket and crawl out the
window, some night, and hit the trail for home. I believe I could cure
her quicker right on the ranch. I wish I'd never brought her here; I
believe it's just a scheme of the doctors to get money out of us. I
know my poultices did just as much good as their old dope does.

"And this is Christmas, almost. I wonder what you'll be doing. Say,
Ward, if you want to be a perfect jewel of a man, send me some of that
jerky you've got hanging at the head of your bunk. I swiped some, that
last time I was there. It would taste mighty good to me now, after all
these hospital slops.

"And write me a nice, long letter, won't you? That's a good buckaroo.
I've got to stop--mommie is beginning to wake up, and it's time for the
doctor to come in and read the chart and look wise and say: 'Well, how
are we to-day? Pretty bright, eh?' I'd like to kick him clear across
the corridor--that is, the Billy of me would. And believe me, the
Billy of me is sure going to break out, some of these days!

"I hope you like the neckerchief. I want you to wear it; if I come
home and find it hasn't been washed a couple of times, there'll be
something doing! Don't rub soap on it, kid. Make a warm lathery suds
and wash it. And don't wave it by the corners till it dries. Hang it
up somewhere. You'll have my stitches looking worse frazzled than my
temper.

"Well, a merry Christmas, Pal-o'-mine--and here's hoping you and mommie
and I will be eating turkey together at the Wolverine when next
Christmas comes. Nummy-num! Wouldn't that taste good, though?

"Now remember and write a whole tablet full to

"WILLIAM LOUISA,
"WILHEMINA,
"BILL-LOO,
"BILL-THE-CONK,
"BILLY LOUISE,
"FLOWER OF THE RANCH-OH."

Phoebe put that letter on the ma