"No. This is my first experience."
"I never, either. But, if I was you I'd kind of have an eye on my neighbors."
"You mean—the Wattses?" asked the girl in surprise.
The brown eyes were twinkling again: "No, Watts, he's all right! Only trouble with Watts is he sets an' herds the sun all day. But, they's others besides Watts in the hills."
"Yes," answered the girl, quickly, "I know. And that is the reason I came to see you about a horse."
"What's the matter with the one you got?"
"Nothing at all. He seems to be a good horse. He's fast too, when I want to crowd him. But, I need another just as good and as fast as he is. Have you one you will sell?"
"I'll sell anything I got, if the price is right," smiled the man.
Patty regarded him thoughtfully: "I haven't very much money," she said. "How much is he worth?"
Thompson considered: "A horse ain't like a cow-brute. There ain't no regular market price. Horses is worth just as much as you can get folks to pay fer 'em. But it looks like one horse ort to be enough to prospect 'round the hills on."