be three years old this month."

Davy was just a little skeptical about attempting his first riding of
the colt in company. He would much rather have him over on his own
range with no other company but Landy. He wondered, as they walked
along, if Potter and the boys at the stables had framed a rodeo
spectacle for themselves and were to witness some worm-fence bucking
by midget contestants. He was much relieved as Landy took charge,
transferred the saddle from lofty Frosty to the diminutive colt,
fitted the cinches and shortened the stirrup leathers to what he
thought was about the right length. Then he slipped the bit in the
colt's mouth and took up the cheek leathers of the bridle. Before Davy
realized what was going on, Landy had lifted him to the saddle,
mounted Gravy, clucked to Frosty and the procession moved out the
gate.

"I'll see you all in Adot, Saturday," called Davy without turning his
head.

"Good luck and bon voyage," called Adine.

7

On the way down to the Ranty, the colt behaved remarkably well. He
followed closely in the wake of Frosty, occasionally shaking his head
in an effort to throw the bit from his mouth. At the ford, Landy
adjusted the bridle so as to withdraw the bit and allow the colt to
drink his fill.

It was a proud moment in the varied career of David Lannarck, midget
and showman, as the little cavalcade gained the level land near
Pinnacle Point after a strenuous half-hour on the hazardous trail that
led up from Brushy Fork. He waved a cautious hand to a man and woman
standing near a car parked in front of the cabin.

Landy lifted Davy from his saddle, removed the bit from the colt's
mouth, made an improvised halter out of his bridle and tied the reins
to a sapling. The older horses were left standing with reins down.

"Well! If it ain't my ole scatter-about-friend, James Madison Stark,
in person!" cried Landy as he and Davy made their way to the car. "Now
I know that winter is not two days away. Hi, Maddy! Howdy, Mis Carter!
Must be big news in the wind, if you two hit Pinnacle Pint same time,
same day. What's up?"

"Maddy is anxious to see Mr. Welborn," Mrs. Carter replied gravely to
Landy's facetious banter, "but I don't know how to get back to where
that gas engine is chuffing. Welborn will have to come out here to
Maddy, for the hoodlums over at Grand Lake have burnt his feet and
tortured him until mind and body are a wreck."

"Tell Sam to come out here," was La