re at the foot of the stairs for a
long time, in order to give adequate study to every one of the shaggy
men. But One-Eye suddenly grasped him by the hand again and led him
away--down a long, curving alley that took them past a score of horses.
Each horse was in a stall of its own, and under each was straw as
yellow as Johnnie's own hair. Electric bulbs lit the whole place
grandly, disclosing saddles and straps and other horse gear, hung at
intervals along the alley.

In one of his swift visions, he now saw himself as a member of this
fascinating crew, wearing, like them, long, hairy breeches, a wide hat,
spurs, and a neckerchief, and setting gaily forth in a cavalcade to be
admired by a marveling city!

Far along, where the alley swerved sharply, One-Eye halted him. Here was
a vacant stall, except that it was half-filled with straw. A coat hung
in it, and in the iron feed box in one corner nested a pair of boots.
Plainly this was a camping place, and Johnnie thrilled as they turned
into it, and he stood almost waist deep in clean bedding.

"Have a chair," insisted One-Eye, with a gentle shoulder pat.

Johnnie sat. Even as he went down he felt that he really was coming to
understand this new friend better. Of course there was no chair. It was
just the other's way of saying things--an odd, funny way. His back
braced against a stall side, he grinned across at One-Eye, now squatted
opposite him, and smoking, this in splendid disregard of a sign which
read plainly: _No Smoking_.

Johnnie did not speak. His experience with Big Tom had taught him at
least one valuable lesson: to be sparing with his tongue. So he waited
the pleasure of his companion, sunk in a trough of the straw, ringed
round with books, his thumbs in his palms and his fingers shut tight
upon the thumbs through sheer emotion, which also showed in two red
spots on his cheeks.

"Reckon y' don't want t' go out no more t'night," observed One-Eye,
after a moment.

"No." Johnnie held his breath, hoping for an invitation.

It came. "Thought y' wouldn't. So camp right here, and to-morra we'll
powwow."

"All right." Johnnie's voice shook with relief and delight; with pride,
too, at being thus honored. He rolled up the coat for a pillow when
One-Eye rose and threw it down to him; and being offered a horse
blanket, pulled it up to his brows and lay back obediently, to the peril
of the orange, which was under him, and so to his own discomfort.

"So long, son