y this company that keeps even two of us on the pay-roll."

While the foreman was looking up accounts and making out the time of
each, Baugh asked him, "When is the wagon going in after the winter's
supplies?"

"In a day or two," answered the foreman. "Why?"

"Why, Stubby, Arab, and myself want to leave our saddles and private
horses here with you until spring. We're going up in the State for the
winter, and will wait and go in with the wagon."

"That will be all right," said the foreman. "You'll find things right
side up when you come after them, and a job if I can give it to you."

"Don't you think it's poor policy," asked Stubb of the foreman, as
the latter handed him his time, "to refuse the men a roof and the bite
they eat in winter?"

"You may ask that question at headquarters, when you get your time
cheque cashed. I've learned not to think contrary to my employers; not
in the mouth of winter, anyhow."

"Oh, we don't care," said Baugh; "we're going to take in the State for
a change of scenery. We'll have a good time and plenty of fun on the
side."

The first snow-squall of the season came that night, and the wagon
could not go in for several days. When the weather moderated the three
bade the foreman a hearty good-by and boarded the wagon for town,
forty miles away. This little village was a supply point for the range
country to the south, and lacked that diversity of entertainment that
the trio desired. So to a larger town westward, a county seat, they
hastened by rail. This hamlet they took in by sections. There were
the games running to suit their tastes, the variety theatre with its
painted girls, and handbills announced that on the 24th of December
and Christmas Day there would be horse races. To do justice to all
this melted their money fast.

Their gay round of pleasure had no check until the last day of the
races. Heretofore they had held their own in the games, and the first
day of the races they had even picked several winners. But grief was
in store for Baugh the leader, Baugh the brains of the trio. He had
named the winners so easily the day before, that now his confidence
knew no bounds. His opinion was supreme on a running horse, though
he cautioned the others not to risk their judgment--in fact, they had
better follow him. "I'm going to back that sorrel gelding, that won
yesterday in the free-for-all to-day," said he to Stubb and Arab, "and
if you boys go in with me, we'll make a killing.