A RANCHMAN'S RECOLLECTIONS 



through, his blouse and knickers ragged from contact 

 with catsclay bushes, his stockings hanging down, 

 showing angry scratches on his little legs. Beside 

 him, alert, head up, his muzzle to the wind, still 

 sounding his answering note, stood Old Jack. 



With a bound "Molly" O'Hare was by their side. 

 One quick caress for Jack, and Curley was in his 

 arms; then, with characteristic cowboy nonchalance, 

 he turned to the bunch of riders, leaning forward on 

 their horses' necks in a circle about him, silent and 

 indifferent as though nothing had happened, and said, 

 "Oh, hell ! I knowed he was all right all the time." 

 Whereupon, Curley, half aroused for a moment and 

 from long force of habit, repeated, "Oh, hell, I 

 knowed he was all right all the time," and fell into 

 another sound sleep. 



The boys with great glee told his mother of Cur- 

 ley's repeating "Molly's" exclamation, but holding 

 him close to her breast, tears stealing down her 

 cheeks, and dropping on Curley's torn raiment, she 

 said, "Poor tired baby, he was too sleepy to know 

 what he said ; I guess we won't wash his mouth out 

 with soap this time." 



[213] 



