s wrong," he called afterwards through the
open door to the Little Doctor, who was examining a jar of germ
cultures in her "office." "Chances is he's fallen off the stable or
something--though he sounds more mad than hurt. If it wasn't for my
doggoned back--"

The Little Doctor passed him hurriedly. When her man-child wept, it
Needed no suggestion from J. G. or anyone else to send her flying to the
rescue. So presently she arrived breathless at the blacksmith shop' and
found Chip within, looking in urgent Need of reinforcements, and the Kid
yelling ragefully beside the door and kicking the log wall with vicious
boot-tees.

"Shut up now or I'll spank you!" Chip was saying desperately when his
wife appeared. "I wish you'd take that Kid and tie him up, Dell," he
added snappishly. "Here he's been riding all the horses in the little
pasture--and taking a chance on breaking his neck! And he ain't
satisfied with Stubby--he thinks he's entitled to Silver!"

"Well, why not? There, there, honey--men don't cry when things go
wrong--"

"No--because they can take it out in cussing!" wailed the Kid. "I
wouldn't cry either, if you'd let me swear all I want to!"

Chip turned his back precipitately and his shoulders were seen to shake.
The Little Doctor looked shocked.

"I want Silver for my string!" cried the Kid, artfully transferring his
appeal to the higher court. "I can ride him--'cause I have rode him, in
the pasture; and he never bucked once or kicked or anything. Doggone it,
he likes to have me ride him! He comes a-runnin' up to me when I go down
there, and I give him sugar. And then he waits till I climb on his back,
and then we chase the other horses and play ride circle. He wants to
be my string!" Something in the feel of his mother's arm around his
shoulder whispered hope to the Kid. He looked up at her with his most
endearing smile. "You come down there and I'll show you," he wheedled.
"We're pals. And I guess YOU wouldn't like to have the boys call you Tom
Thumb, a-ridin' Stubby. He's nothing but a five-cent sample of a horse.
Big Medicine says so. I--I'd rather walk than ride Stubby. And I'm
going on roundup. The boys said I could go when I get a real horse under
me--and I want Silver. Daddy Chip said 'yes' I could have him. And now
he's Injun-giver. Can't I have him, Doctor Dell?"

The gray-blue eyes clashed with the brown. "It wouldn't hurt anything
to let the poor little tad show us what he can do," said the gr