The laugh which followed this repartee showed that the men were in excellent humour, and enjoying the whole proceedings.
"Tim Slater, I spot you," continued Pritchen. "Is it a go?"
"Very well, pard, ye may bank on me," came the reply.
"Jim, how does your pulse beat?" and Pritchen threw a wink at Perdue.
"Leave me out, Bill. It's hard fer me to git away. Choose some one else."
"Ah, come off, Jim," remonstrated Mickie. "If I tie the knot you'll need to brace the poor divil up a bit with a dram or two of yer hot stuff."
"Guess he won't need the rope, then; the stuff'll fix him," came a voice from the back of the room.
Perdue craned his neck, and stood on tip-toe to see the speaker, while his flushed face told that the thrust had gone home.
"Never mind him, Jim," laughed one of the men. "It's only Joe, the kid, having a little fun."
"It's d— poor fun, then," surlily replied the saloonkeeper. "Yes, Bill, I'll jine ye, if my help'll do any good to round up the beast, and mebbe there's more'n one."