TALKING IT OVER. 105 



did not stand me very high, I said, just as a feeler like, 

 T will take twenty-five.' 'Give you twenty,' says he, 

 as quick as a flash, and as I lifted one leg over the 

 other I remarked, 'Neighbor, you have traded.' 



"That was all there was to it. He handed me the 

 money, and after the horses were shifted in the stalls 

 and blankets changed we walked into the house, had a 

 drink and went to bed. George, pointing to the pro- 

 prietor of the house, was in the bar at the time. For 

 some reason or other I could not sleep. Thoughts of 

 that natty looking bay bothered me. I just itched to 

 have a drive behind him, and as I could see the moon 

 shining outside I made up my mind to do it, even if it 

 did look a little looney. 



"By that time it was near midnight, and when I 

 came down stairs the man was getting ready to close 

 the house. I told him that I had made up my mind 

 to drive over home and come back in the morning. 

 He stirred up the stableman, and in a few minutes I 

 was on the road. When I spoke to the bay horse I 

 saw he acted rather dull, but that did not surprise me. 

 As soon as I cleared the town I gave him a cut with 

 the whip and started on a five-mile drive at a rate that 

 would soon take me over the road. After passing 

 what I called the half-way house the new horse began 

 to lag. I gave him a cut with the whip, but it did not 

 seem to do him any good. The horse that he was 

 hooked with was a regular steam engine when it came 

 to roading, and he soon had the collar slipping up on 

 his neck. As soon as he did not offer to balk I had a 

 half idea that it was a case of staggers, and the clip 

 which I had driven him with a full stomach had a ten- 

 dency to bring it on. Pulling the team to a walk, I let 



