extra long time, but when he raised his head his face had changed
complete.

"March!" says he very brisk.

We all went back to the shack. From the corral Tim took Texas
Pete's best team and hitched her to the old schooner.

"There," says he to the man. "Now you'd better hit the trail.
Take that whisky keg there for water. Good-bye."

We sat there without sayin' a word for some time after the
schooner had pulled out. Then Tim says, very abrupt:

"I've changed my mind."

He got up.

"Come on, Billy," says he to me. "We'll just leave our friend
tied up. I'll be back to-morrow to turn you loose. In the
meantime it won't hurt you a bit to be a little uncomfortable,
and hungry--and thirsty."

We rode off just about sundown, leavin' Texas Pete lashed tight.

Now all this knocked me hell-west and crooked, and I said so, but
I couldn't get a word out of Gentleman Tim. All the answer I
could get was just little laughs.

We drawed into the ranch near midnight, but next mornin' Tim had