Hollister stared. His face broke slowly to a grin. “I got to give it to you, Blister. I’ll bet there ain’t any more like you at home. Let him lick me, eh? So’s to give him confidence. Wallop me good an’ plenty, you said, didn’t you? By gum, you sure enough take the cake.”
“Won’t hurt you any. You’ve give an’ took plenty of ’em. Think of him.”
“Think of me, come to that.”
“L-listen, Dud. That boy’s what they call c-c-constitutionally timid. There’s folks that way, born so a shadow scares ’em. But he’s s-s-sensitive as a g-girl. Don’t you make any mistake, son. He’s been eatin’ his h-heart out ever since he crawled before Houck. I like that boy. There’s good s-stuff in him. At least I’m makin’ a bet there is. Question is, will it ever get a chance to show? Inside of three months he’ll either win out or he’ll be headed for hell, an’ he won’t be travelin’ at no drift-herd gait neither.”
“Every man’s got to stand on his own hind laigs, ain’t he?” Hollister grunted. He was weakening, and he knew it.
“He needs a friend, worst way,” Blister wheezed. “’Course, if you’d rather not—”
“Doggone yore hide, you’re always stickin’ me somehow,” stormed the cowboy. “Trouble with me is I’m so soft I’m always gettin’ imposed on. I done told you I didn’t like this guy a-tall. That don’t make no more impression on you than a cold runnin’-iron would on a cow.”
“M-much obliged, Dud. I knew you’d do it.”
“I ain’t said I’d do it.”
“S-some of the boys are liable to get on the prod with him. He’ll have to play his own hand. Tha’s reasonable. But kinda back him up when you get a chance. That notion of lettin’ him lick you is a humdinger. Glad you thought of it.”