I ridin' or
dreamin'?"

"Mother, this is heaven for a cowboy. And think, we'll be three weeks
on the road," added Pan.

"But, son, our good things to eat won't last that long," she replied,
much gratified by his compliment.

"Aw, the good Lord shore remembered me when he throwed me in with this
outfit," declared the usually reticent Gus.

Pan observed that both Alice and his mother strictly avoided serving
him with those things that had to be carried hot from the campfire.
They let Lucy do it. Pan did not look up at her, and murmured his
thanks in monosyllables. Once her hand touched his and the contact was
like a galvanizing current. For the moment he could not go on eating.

During the sunset hour Pan helped grease the wagon wheels, something
that had been neglected, and had retarded their progress. Other tasks
used up the time until dark. Bobby got himself spanked by falling out
of the wagon after he had been put to bed.

It was after nightfall when Pan heard Blinky's call. He hurried over
to the wagon, where he found his comrade tremendously excited.

"Pard, she's waked up," he whispered.

Pan strode to the wagon. There was enough light for him to see the
girl sitting up, with hands pressed to her head.

"Hello, Louie," he said gently.

"Where the hell am I?" she replied huskily, dropping her hands to stare
at him.

"On the way to Arizona."

"Well, if it isn't handsome Panhandle ... and Blinky!"

"Howdy--Louie," said Blinky fearfully.

"I've been drunk?" she queried.

"Reckon you have--a little," replied Pan.

"And you boys have kidnapped me?" she went on.

"I'm afraid that's so, Louie."

"Get me a drink. _Not_ water! My head's bursting. And help me out of
this haymow."

She threw aside the blanket that partially covered her and got to her
knees. Pan lifted her out of the wagon. Then he ran off toward camp
to get a flask. Upon returning he found Blinky trying to put a blanket
round Louise's shoulders. She threw it off.

"Wait till I cool off," she said. "Panhandle, did you get it?--I'm
shaky, all right.... Thanks. Some day I'll take my last drink."

"Louie, I hope that will be soon," rejoined Pan.

"You know I hate whisky.... Oh, my head!--And my legs are cramped.
Let me walk a little."

Pan drew Blinky aside in the gloom. "She hasn't begun to think yet.
Reckon you'd better stay away from her. Let her come back to the
wagon."

"Pard, shore she took our kidnappin