e
corral. Before we knowed what he was aiming to do he climbed up and
dropped down inside, on foot, with just his rope, and faced that outlaw
battin' around trying to get outside--"

Carolyn June leaned forward on the table listening with breathless
interest. The others stopped eating and gave all their attention to the
story Bert was telling.

"Captain Jack saw him, stopped for just a second, sort of surprised,
then went right at th' Ramblin' Kid--head down, eyes blazin' like coals,
mouth wide open, ears laid back and strikin' with both front feet--"

"He was some wicked!" Charley ejaculated.

"He sure was," Bert went on. "Tony and Charley and me just set on our
horses stunned--thinkin' th' Kid had gone clean loco and was flirtin'
with certain and pronto death. As Captain Jack rushed him th' Ramblin'
Kid give a jump sideways, his rope went true, a quick run to the
snubbin' post and he throwed him dead! The broncho hit his feet, give a
squeal and come straight back! Th' Ramblin' Kid run once more, yankin'
like blazes to get the slack! That time when he went down--well, before
we realized it, th' Ramblin' Kid had him bridled and saddled and was
safe on deck--"

"I'm tellin' you too, Captain Jack went higher than a kite when he felt
the rowels in his flanks!" Charley interrupted.

"Th' Ramblin' Kid yelled for us to let him out," Bert continued.
"Charley and me flung down the bars to the corral and Captain Jack come
out sun-fishin' and hittin' the breeze like a streak of twisted
lightning! That was just before dinner in the forenoon. That afternoon
and night th' Ramblin' Kid rode the outlaw to the Hundred and
One--ninety miles away! We didn't see either of them any more for a
month and when they hit the Kiowa again Captain Jack was a regular baby
after th' Ramblin' Kid and would follow him around like a dog--"

"That's the way he's been ever since," Charley said, "them two are just
like sweethearts."

"Nobody else ever rides him--" Bert added.

"They can't," Chuck said. "He's a one-man horse and th' Ramblin' Kid is
the man. Captain Jack would die for th' Ramblin' Kid!"

"Yes, and kill any one else if he could!" Parker exclaimed.

"Has no one but--but the Ramblin' Kid"--Carolyn June hesitated queerly
over the name--"ever ridden him?"

"Never that we know of," Bert said; "several have tried it--the last
one was a fellow from down on the Chickasaw. Guess he was trying to
steal him. Anyway, we was all up at Eagl