"Haw! haw! Fine compliments you're payin' yourself."

"Listen. I'm serious. I mean I've grown to see---looking back--that a slow,
gradual change has come over Joel since he was kicked in the head by a
mustang. I'm sure no one else has noticed it."

"Goin' batty over you. That's no unusual sign round this here camp. Look at--"

"We're talking about Joel Creech. Lately he has done some queer things.
To-day, for instance. I thought I gave him the slip. But he must have been
watching. Anyway, to my surprise he showed up on Peg. He doesn't often get Peg
across the river. He said the feed was getting scarce over there. I was dying
to race Buckles against Peg, but I remembered you wouldn't like that."

"I should say not," said Bostil, darkly.

"Well, Joel caught up to me--and he wasn't nice at all. He was worse to-day.
We quarreled. I said I'd bet he'd never follow me again and he said he'd bet
he would. Then he got sulky and hung back. I rode away, glad to be rid of him,
and I climbed to a favorite place of mine. On my way home I saw Peg grazing on
the rim of the creek, near that big spring-hole where the water's so deep and
clear. And what do you think? There was Joel's head above the water. I
remembered in our quarrel I had told him to go wash his dirty face. He was
doing it. I had to laugh. When he saw me--he--then--then he--" Lucy faltered,
blushing with anger and shame.

"Well, what then?" demanded Bostil, quietly.

"He called, 'Hey, Luce--take off your clothes and come in for a swim!'"