n our
_segundo_ quietly took Fox Quarternight off to one side, and I heard
the latter agree to call him when the third guard was aroused. Having
notified Honeyman that he would stand his own watch that night,
Stallings, with the rest of the outfit, soon joined the old man in the
land of dreams. Instead of the rough shaking which was customary on
arousing a guard, when we of the third watch were called, we were
awakened in a manner so cautious as to betoken something unusual in
the air. The atmosphere of mystery soon cleared after reaching the
herd, when Bob Blades informed us that it was the intention of
Stallings and Quarternight to steal the old man's harness mare off the
picket rope, and run her against their night horses in a trial race.
Like love and war, everything is fair in horse racing, but the
audacity of this proposition almost passed belief. Both Blades and
Durham remained on guard with us, and before we had circled the herd
half a dozen times, the two conspirators came riding up to the bed
ground, leading the bay mare. There was a good moon that night;
Quarternight exchanged mounts with John Officer, as the latter had a
splendid night horse that had outstripped the outfit in every stampede
so far, and our _segundo_ and the second guard rode out of hearing of
both herd and camp to try out the horses.

After an hour, the quartette returned, and under solemn pledges of
secrecy Stallings said, "Why, that old bay harness mare can't run fast
enough to keep up with a funeral. I rode her myself, and if she's got
any run in her, rowel and quirt won't bring it out. That chestnut of
John's ran away from her as if she was hobbled and side-lined, while
this coyote of mine threw dust in her face every jump in the road from
the word 'go.' If the old man isn't bluffing and will hack his mare,
we'll get back our freeze-out money with good interest. Mind you, now,
we must keep it a dead secret from Flood--that we've tried the mare;
he might get funny and tip the old man."

We all swore great oaths that Flood should never hear a breath of it.
The conspirators and their accomplices rode into camp, and we resumed
our sentinel rounds. I had some money, and figured that betting in a
cinch like this would be like finding money in the road.

But The Rebel, when we were returning from guard, said, "Tom, you keep
out of this race the boys are trying to jump up. I've met a good many
innocent men in my life, and there's something ab