“He kept on looking at me all the time, and grinning
like a monkey,” grumbled Billie, who was still caressing his broncho; and somehow Jupiter seemed to understand it was all a mistake that he received that whipping, for he whinnied, and rubbed his nose against his master’s cheek.
“Yes,” continued Donald, “somehow the silly thought it’d be a fine sight to see how a fellow built like Billie here is, would carry on when a horse got skittish; and like as not he couldn’t think up any other way than this. I once knew a mean greaser to fasten some of these sand spurs under a horse’s tail, and the game worked so that the rider was thrown; with a broken arm to show for it.”
“What happened to the Mexican?” demanded Billie, eagerly.
“I never just knew,” replied Donald, seriously; “but the boys took after him, and from that day to this I’ve never set eyes on his yellow face again. I sometimes think they must have lynched the scoundrel, though nobody would ever let on.”
“Well, he sure deserved it,” muttered Billie; “but say, I hope now we ain’t going any further this same day. I’d like Jupiter to have some rest; and besides, I want to rub his poor blistered back here with some witch hazel, and put some salve on. When I ride tomorrow I’ll see there’s a good pad under my saddle, you hear me.”
That was just like generous, good-hearted Billie. He would never harm any sort of domestic animal,
which accounted for his anger toward the thoughtless hostler who in order to have a little fun, and see the fat boy throw his arms around the neck of his mount, as he imagined would come to pass, had taken advantage of his opportunity to play such a wicked trick.
“Oh! we’d already decided that!” declared Adrian.
“And we stop somewhere close by, do we?” asked Billie, anxiously; “because, like as not this terrible work will give me something of an appetite, and I’ll be wanting to start supper a little earlier than usual tonight—now, don’t laugh, boys; I know it’s hard on the rest of you that nature made me so big I have to eat for two; but I just can’t help it. And that work used up all my dinner, you see.”