Mark breathed a sigh of relief as he saw that he had won. He dismounted, led his horse over to the side of the road, and sat down. Texas followed him, though his unwillingness was written on his face.
"Now see here, old man," Mark began, having gotten him quiet, as he thought. "I want to talk to you some."
"Pshaw!" growled Texas. "I don't want to talk. I want to git up an' git, an' have some fun."
"Well, now, see here, Texas," Mark continued. "Don't you know if you are seen carrying on this way you'll get into trouble? How about drill in a few minutes?"
"Ain't goin' to drill!" cried the other, wriggling nervously in his seat, and twitching his fingers with excitement. "Tired o' drillin'! I'm a-goin' to have some fun!"
"But don't you know, man, that you'll be expelled?" Mark pleaded.
"Expelled! Wow!"
That was the spark that started the conflagration again. Texas leaped to his feet with fury.
"Expelled!" he roared. "Who'll expel me? Whoop! I'd like to see anybody in this place try it naow, by thunder! I'll show 'em! I'll hold up the hull place! Watch me scare 'em! Whoop!"
And almost before Mark could move or say anything, the wild lad sprang forward at a bound and landed upon his horse's back. A moment later he was off like a shot, leaving only a cloud of dust and an echo of yells behind him.