"I tell you, Lin," said Bill, "your hoss Nagger's as good as when we started."

"Aw, he's better," vouchsafed the other rider. "Nagger needed to lose some
weight. Lin, have you got an extra set of shoes for him?"

"No full set. Only three left," replied Lin, soberly.

"Wal, thet's enough. You can keep Nagger shod. An' MEBBE thet red stallion
will get sore feet an' go lame. Then you'd stand a chance."

"But Wildfire keeps travelin' the valleys--the soft ground," said Slone.

"No matter. He's leavin' the country, an' he's bound to strike sandstone
sooner or later. Then, by gosh! mebbe he'll wear off them hoofs."

"Say, can't he ring bells offen the rocks?" exclaimed Bill. "Oh, Lordy! what a
hoss!"

"Boys, do you think he's leavin' the country?" inquired Slone, anxiously.

"Sure he is," replied Bill. "He ain't the first stallion I've chased off the
Sevier range. An' I know. It's a stallion thet makes for new country, when you
push him hard."

"Yep, Lin, he's sure leavin'," added the other comrade. "Why, he's traveled a
bee-line for days! I'll bet he's seen us many a time. Wildfire's about as
smart as any man. He was born wild, an' his dam was born wild, an' there you
have it. The wildest of all wild creatures--a wild stallion, with the
intelligence of a man! A grand hoss, Lin, but one thet'll be hell, if you ever