But it hadn't staggered the professor; it hadn't even made him
hesitate. The professor's expenses in the field were already
guaranteed, back home, by men who could afford it.

"Then it's settled," he had said.

And Blue Jeans, who forgot immediately that he had been dragged,
struggling, into this bargain and began to view it as a deal of his own
shrewd consummation, had scorned himself for two whole hours for not
having made it twice as outrageous at least.

Thus had it started.

By night he had figured out how great the sum he had mentioned would
be, multiplied by six. The professor planned to be out that long. By
morning he had spent some money, quite a little money, in anticipation
of it. But that was not cause for worry; prosperity was shining in his
eyes. He was going to be a man of substance. And he would save, for
the Dream was bright. And then the professor spoiled it all by
mistaking a mule for a horse.

The mule had not kicked him hard. If that had been the case, Blue
Jeans might have found it in his heart to be sorry for him. A less
frail man would have suffered less. As it was he spent his sympathy on
himself. And when directly the professor sent for him and intimated
that owing to the unavoidable postponement of the trip he was again out
of employment, he had not lingered to listen.

"Of course, if you care to hang about," the professor had suggested,
"until I can travel once more--"

He had not even found it in his heart to be polite.

"Hanging about is just what ails me," finished it. "The devil, he
finds mischief for my idle hands to do. You can wait till you're able,
but I'm going to travel _now_!"

And he made good his word without further loss of time, first paying
painfully the sums which he had spent in fond anticipation, and
enduring with a grin the ridicule which was double, because he had made
no trip at all.

Last of all, before departing he went around to the stable and fed the
mule some sugar.

He had found a new job hard to locate. And the Dream had lost
definition and grown dim and distant. It was late for looking around.
The outfits all were full. If he could have cooked--but he couldn't.
Not for a bunch of plain-spoken cowmen. Not without risking bodily
harm. He'd told almost the truth about that. And then he landed with
the Dee & Zee.

At any other time the Dee & Zee could not have hired him. He had heard
things. But he had lost at last his desire