presently sat up, his hair somewhat rumpled and sandy. He rubbed his
head and made sundry exclamations of surprise. "Huh!" said he. "Well,
I'm d----d! Now, how you s'pose that happened? You kain't do that
again," he said to Franklin, finally.

"Shouldn't wonder if I could," said Franklin, laughing.

"Look out fer me--I'm a-comin'!" cried Curly.

They met more fairly this time, and Franklin found that he had an
antagonist of little skill in the game of wrestling, but of a surprising
wiry, bodily strength. Time and again the cowboy writhed away from the
hold, and came back again with the light of battle in his eye. It was
only after several moments that he succumbed, this time to the insidious
"grapevine." He fell so sharply that Franklin had difficulty in breaking
free in order not to fall upon him. The cowboy lay prone for a moment,
then got up and dusted off his hat.

"Mount, friend," said he, throwing the bridle back over the horse's neck
without other word. "You done it fair!"

"I'll tell you what we'll do," said Franklin, extending his hand. "We'll
just both walk along together a way, if you don't mind. I'll get me a
horse pretty soon. You see, I'm a new man here--just got in this
morning, and I haven't had time to look around much yet. I thought I'd
go out and meet my friend, and perhaps then we could talk over such
things together."

"Shore," said Curly. "Why didn't you tell me? Say, ole Batty, he's
crazy to ketch a whole lot o' hosses out'n a band o' wild hosses down to