"Part his coat tails and give him a good, swift kick," answered Ted. "But don't get into any fights with these town gamblers. We can't afford anything of that sort, you know."
"All righty; but I'd shore like ter git a crack at some o' them mavericks," said Bud grudgingly.
"They're all licked in their minds already," said Ted. "Of course, they're sore at losing their money, and if a dozen or more of them were to tackle you, you'd have a hard time getting away with it. When the fight comes off, if ever it does, we all want to be in on it."
They parted, and Ted and Stella rode into the town.
"Say, friend, have you seen anything of that old skin Norris?" asked Ted, meeting one of the Running Water outfit on the street.
"Yep. I wuz jest goin' ter look yer up an' post yer," was the reply.
"Which way did he go, or is he still in town?"
"Jest after yer put ther finish onto Shan—an', say, that wuz a beaut, if any one should ask you—I see Norris an' ther jock makin' fer ther gate, leadin' ther magpie bronc. I thinks they're goin' ter put him in ther corral fer yer, an' didn't pay much 'tention ter him."
"Then he's up at the corral?"
"No, he ain't. He's foggin' along to'rds ther Wichita Mountains as fast as he kin go."