nning a racing stable for a man named Hopwood."

"Running a stable! What does Calamity know about training horses?"

"A heap more than Hopwood, I reckon, and, anyway, he'll only have one
hoss to experiment on. Hopwood was over here this morning, visiting
around and getting acquainted, he said. Awful gabby old coot. He's
got a grocery store up in Butte, and used to go out to the race
track once in a while. Some of those burglars got hold of him and
sold him something with four legs and a tail. They told him it was a
sure enough race hoss, and now he's down here to make his fortune.
Gillis saw him first, I reckon. Hopwood has hired him by the
month--and a percentage of what he wins."

At this the Bald-faced Kid laughed long and loud.

"There's one of 'em born every minute," said he, "but I didn't think
the supply was big enough to reach as far as Calamity. Didn't you
tell this poor nut what he was up against, trying to horn his way
into the Jungle Circuit with one lonely lizard and a human jinx to
handle him?"

"No-o," said Old Man Curry, "I didn't. What would be the use! You
know what Solomon says about that sort of thing, don't you?"

"I do not," answered the Kid promptly, "but I'll be the goat as
usual. What does he say?"

"'Answer not a fool according to his folly, lest thou also be like
unto him,'" quoted Old Man Curry, "and that's sound advice, my son.
When a fool gets an idea crossways in his head, nothing but a cold
chisel will get it out again, and, anyway, people don't thank you for
pointing out their mistakes. It's human nature to get mad at a man
that can prove he knows more than you do. This Hopwood has got it all
whittled down to a fine point how he's going to do right well at the
racing game, and the best way is to let him try it a while. It'll
cost him money to find out that a grocery store is a safer place for
him than a race track. 'A whip for the horse, a bridle for the ass,
and a rod for the fool's back.' That's Solomon again. Hopwood has got
the gad coming to him for sure."

"Ain't that the truth!" exclaimed the Kid. "By the way, did he
mention the name of the beetle that's going to do all this heavy
work?"

"That's the best joke of all," said Old Man Curry. "Hopwood stables
down at the end of the line, where Gilfeather used to be. Go take a
look at what they sold him for five hundred dollars."

"I'll do that little thing," said the Kid, rising. "If he's got any
dough left, I may want to