ith an amused smile. The Eastern man smiled
back good-naturedly.

"What's the joke?" he asked.

[Illustration: RESTING HIS HEAD ON THE COWBOY'S KNEE.]

"Oh, nothin'," answered the Cowboy, "only I was thinkin' maybe you
didn't live out West."

"No, I am a New Yorker," answered the Eastern man.

"Well, I guess they raise pretty good men in both places," remarked the
Cowboy.

"Our late war proved that, I think."

The train had stopped, but there were no signs of a station, although
two or three rather dilapidated houses and a typical Western saloon
could be seen a short distance ahead.

"Wonder what we are stopping here for," remarked the Cowboy; "it strikes
me we've been here a pretty long time."

Just then the porter passed the door of the smoking compartment, and the
Cowboy called to him:

"Say, porter, what's the matter? Seems to me we have been stoppin' here
a whole lot. What's the name of this metropolis?"

"It's mighty lucky you've got whole necks," answered the porter. "The
eccentric, or something about the engine, is broke, and we came mighty
near having a bad accident. They've sent on for another engine."

"That's pleasant," remarked the Eastern man. "How long do you think we
shall have to stay here before the other engine arrives?"

"Give it up," said the porter. "Maybe an hour, maybe two; can't tell
exactly. The train conductor will be along pretty soon and he will know
all about it."

"Guess I'll have to appoint myself a committee of one to investigate,"
remarked the Cowboy.

He arose and went out on the platform of the car, followed by the
Eastern man. They climbed down and walked forward to where they saw a
crowd gathered about the engine. The eccentric rod had broken short
off, and had the engine not been slowing up at the time, the result
might have been serious.

The two men strolled down the track for a short distance, and the Cowboy
discovered a small colony of prairie dogs. Several of the comical little
creatures were sitting on their hind legs on the mounds beside their
holes ready to disappear at the least sign of danger. Occasionally one
would run from one hole to another a short distance away, usually diving
out of sight, to reappear again in a few moments when satisfied that
there was no immediate cause for alarm.

The Cowboy amused himself by listlessly throwing small stones at the
little animals. After a few moments of this he turned to the Eastern man
and said:

"Say, I