gation in their underclothes of grey and white and washed out
pinks and blues. Within five minutes after the defeat of Big Bill
every man of them was either making or smoking a cigarette with all
thought of their tumbled bunks forgotten. There were many demands for
first hand information concerning wild niggers and pyramids and the
ways of the jungle; there were many exclamations testifying in mild
profanity to startled wonderment. At last Garth, turning away, called
out,

"I say, Wayne, you mustn't forget it's getting late. There's a big
day's work for the boys to-morrow."

"This is my home coming celebration, Garth," Wayne laughed back at him.
"Hang the work, man. We'll have a half holiday to-morrow if the whole
outfit goes to pot."

Anything further Garth had to remark he said angrily to himself as he
strode away to the range house. And Wayne, with no further
interruption, explained how the games ran at Monte Carlo. Finally,
since there was nothing in the world he had learned to love as he loved
horses, he came to speak of the Derby.

"The greatest race in the world," he cried, slapping his thigh
enthusiastically. "Just because it's the straightest and the stakes
are right and the horses are as beautiful as women and as swift as
lightning!"

One o'clock came and they were talking horses and racing, the men now
upon common ground, their eyes bright with the tale retold of the
Kings' race. And before it was two Red Reckless was standing erect
upon his two feet, his eyes brighter than the rest, his voice leaping
out eagerly as he cried:

CHAPTER VI

THE PROMISE OF LITTLE SAXON

Rose-bud, the unlovely Chinese cook, made the dawn hideous in the range
house with his pots and pans and rattling stove lids. To him appeared
Red Reckless, touseled and sleepy eyed looking to the astonished
oriental's vision like an avenging demon, threatening to choke him to
death with his own pigtail and to roast him crisp and brown him in his
own oven if he didn't conduct himself with less noise in his pastime of
breakfast getting.

"Gollee!" Rose-bud found his tongue as Wayne disappeared into his
bedroom. "Led, him come back some more. Led, him boss now!" He stood
grinning in slant eyed cunning at the closed door. "Garth him all same
go bye-bye now, maybeso?" He pondered the question, with his evil
featured head cocked to one side. Then his grin became more profoundly
Chinese, more radiantly joyful. "All s