whence in the bright air its yellow breast showed brilliantly.

As Franklin was walking on, busy with the impressions of his new world,
he became conscious of rapid hoof-beats coming up behind him, and turned
to see a horseman careering across the open in his direction, with no
apparent object in view beyond that of making all the noise possible to
be made by a freckled-faced cowboy who had been up all night, but still
had some vitality which needed vent.

"Eeeeee-yow-heeeeee!" yelled the cowboy, both spurring and reining his
supple, cringing steed. "Eeeeeee-yip-yeeeee!" Thus vociferating, he
rode straight at the footman, with apparently the deliberate wish to ride
him down. He wist not that the latter had seen cavalry in his day, and
was not easily to be disconcerted, and, finding that he failed to create
a panic, he pulled up with the pony's nose almost over Franklin's
shoulder.

"Hello, stranger," cried the rider, cheerfully; "where are you goin',
this bright an' happy mornin'?"

Franklin was none too pleased at the method of introduction selected by
this youth, but a look at his open and guileless face forbade the thought
of offence. The cowboy sat his horse as though he was cognizant of no
such creature beneath him. His hand was held high and wabbling as he bit
off a chew from a large tobacco plug the while he jogged alongside.

Franklin made no immediate reply, and the cowboy resumed.

"Have a chaw?" he said affably, and looked surprised when Franklin
thanked him but did not accept.