"I'm on there," drawled the Kid; "I mind that bridge gang in the
reader. Me, I go instructed for the other chap--Spurious Somebody
[51]--the one that fought and pulled his freight, to fight 'em on some
other day."

[FOOTNOTE 51: Spurius Lartius was one of Horatius' two companions
defending the Sublician Bridge. O. Henry exaggerates
the time devoted to study of the classics in the
curriculum for Ranger training.]

"Anyway," summed up Broncho, "Bob's about the gamest man I ever see
along the Rio Bravo [52]. Great Sam Houston! If she gets any hotter
she'll sizzle!" Broncho whacked at a scorpion with his four-pound
Stetson felt, and the three watchers relapsed into comfortless silence.

[FOOTNOTE 52: Rio Bravo--Rio Grande. In Mexico the Rio Grande is
often called the Rio Bravo or the Rio Bravo del
Norte.]

How well Bob Buckley had kept his secret, since these men, for two
years his side comrades in countless border raids and dangers, thus
spake of him, not knowing that he was the most arrant physical coward
in all that Rio Bravo country! Neither his friends nor his enemies had
suspected him of aught else than the finest courage. It was purely a
physical cowardice, and only by an extreme, grim effort of will had
he forced his craven body to do the bravest deeds. Scourging himself
always, as a monk whips his besetting sin, Buckley threw himself with
apparent recklessness into every danger, with the hope of some day
ridding himself of the despised affliction. But each successive
test brought no relief, and the ranger's face, by nature adapted