Chuck comes back in about ten minutes, leading that long, hungry-looking mule. We helps Wick into the saddle, wishes him a pleasant journey, and then Chuck hits Solomon across the rump with a strap. Solomon bucks stiff-legged down to the gate, and then we hear him pounding off down the hard road.
Chuck stands there looking at what he’s got in his hand, and then:
“Gee gosh! When I took the rope off that mule, I took the bridle, too. Poor Wickie ain’t got no rudder for his old white ship.”
“Cancel any help from Smiths,” says Telescope. “Solomon, with all his wives, never was half as crazy as that namesake of his. Let us all have another inoculation of paralysis microbes and start out being merciful. We’ve got to find that lady.”
Then four fools started out in the dark. We sang a song at the gate and then piked off down the road, arm in arm. As usual Muley gets so sentimental that he has to compose a little; so we has to stop while he recites:
“An angel came to cow-land and stole my heart away.
She was a shrinking flower that came to me today.
My heart is like a sinker, ’cause I love her well,
But I’m ——”
Muley breaks down and begins to sob:
“I can’t finish it! My rimer gets drownded in tears.”
“Let me assist you,” begs Chuck. “How’s thish?
“My heart is like a sinker, ’cause I love her well,
But I’m ’fraid thish lovely angel has got busted all to ——!