A RANCHMAN'S RECOLLECTIONS 



country one morning, with an especially crazy rider, 

 I decided to stay at the chuck wagon, instead of 

 going on the afternoon round. 



That evening after supper, around the campfire, 

 the chuck wagon "josh" commenced. There is noth- 

 ing funnier or sharper. I came in for the brunt of 

 it. Finally I said: "Boys, I told you I had lots to 

 learn about this riding game, but there are some 

 things I learned before I came down here. I am a 

 trained athlete (those who know my stature will be 

 amused). I will wrestle any one of you, catch-as- 

 catch-can, for $50. Now that does not mean to stand 

 up and take hold, but run in, catch by the head, or 

 leg, or any way. It is all sleight or trick work, and 

 that is where the little man may put it over the big 

 one — the comparatively weak man over the strong 

 one, just as the 'Japs,' trained in jiu-jutsu, can handle 

 several men not trained in strangle holds, arm twists 

 and stomach jams. So in catch-as-catch-can the man 

 with the sleight may hurt someone who does not 

 know it, and I want that understood." 



I had been taught a few tricks, and, reaching over, 

 caught a big fellow quickly by the back of his neck, 

 jerking it down, and almost unbalancing him, while 

 the others laughed. The "bluff" went; they had 

 never heard of catch-as-catch-can, and were all skilled 

 in the sleight of throwing a calf well enough to know 

 that some of the smaller men could beat the big ones. 

 They looked foolish ; then one said, "You try him." 



[120 J 



