The Pensacola journal. (Pensacola, Fla.) 1898-1985, 1910-04-17

fastest, which it amt" he finished sarcasti-
cally.
well, mebby what you said is"
"Mebby nothin'. If he wanted to mix th'
tracks would he hoped like that so we'd
know which was hissn?, He knowed we'd
pick his trail quick an he knowed every min
ute counted. That's why he hopped-yore
roam was goin' like h-l-look at them toe
prints!"
HIM! But l heard him say somethin'
bout Winchester, anyhow" replied "Old''
John, glad to change the subject. "Bet
that's where he's goin', too. He won't
get through that town on no critter wearin'
my brand. Everybody knows that roam
AMI"
"Quit guessin'!" snapped Charley, begin
ming to lose some of his respect for old age.
"Well foller tn trail an don't care where it
goes"
"Grub pile!" shouted Stevenson, and the
argument was tabled while the three gulped
down a cold and uninviting breakfast. In
ten minutes they had separated to find
horses, in fifteen more they had them and
were riding along the trail at top speed, with
three other men at their side. Three hun
dred yards from the corral they pounded out
of an arroyo and Charley, who was leading,
stood up in his stirrups, looking keenly ahead
Another trail joined the one they were follow
ing and ran with and on top of it. This, he
reasoned. had been made by one of the strays
and would turn away soon. He kept his eyes
looking well ahead and soon saw that he was
right, and without checking the speed of his
horse in the slightest degree he went ahead on
the trail of the smaller footprints. Steven
son was gaining on him and finally ranged
alongside.
Mr. Hopalong Cassidy muttered and
stirred and slowly opened his eyes to gaze
blankly into those of one of the men who were
Juggling at his hands and as he stared his stu
pefed brain started sluggishly to work in an
endeavor to explain the unusual experience.
There were five men around him and the two
who hauled at his hands stepped back and
kicked him. A look of panied indignation
slowly spread over his countenance as he
realized that they really were kicking him,
and with sturdy vigor. He considered a
moment and decided that such treatment
was quite outrageous and, furthermore, that
he must chastise the perpetrators.
"Hey!" he snorted: "What'n hi do
you reckon yore doin', anyhow? Kick each
other an I'll help you, but I'll lick tn bunch
if you don't stop maulin' me! Amt you got
no manners? Come round wakin' a teller
up am"
"Get up!" snapped Stevenson.
"Why, amt 1 seen you before2 Some
where? Sometime ?" queried Hopalong, his
brow wrinkling from intense concentration of
thought: GIVE seen one-eyed coyote
som'ers, lately"
"Get up!" ordered Charley, shortly.
"You've seen me, all right" retorted Ste
venson. Get up, d-n you'll"
"Why, can't-my hams are tiedl" ex-
claimed Hopalong, in great wonder, pausing
in his exertions to cogitate upon this remark
able phenomena.
"Use yore feet, you thief" rejoined Ste
venson angrily, stepping forward and deliver
ing another kick.
"Thief! Me thief Shore I'll use my
feet, you waller dogl" yelled the PROSTATE
man, and his boot heel sank into the stomach
of the offending Mr.. Stevenson with sicken-
ing force and laudable precision. "Call me a
thief, heyl Come pokin' round kickin'
honest punchers an calm nanesl Anybody
want tn other boot?"
Stevenson sat down forcibly and rocked
to and fro doubled up and gasping for
breath and Hopalong squinted at him and
grinned happily. Hear him sing! Reg
lar OF Bob White. Sounds like a COW
pullin' its hoofs outen tn mud. Called me
a thief, he did, JUS now. l won't let no
body"
Two men grabbed him and raised him up,
holding him tightly, and they were not careful
to handle him gently. Charley stepped in
front of him to go to Stevenson and caught the
other boot in his groin, dropping as if he had
been shot. The man on the prisoners left
emitted yell and loosed his hold to sympa-
thize with a bruised shinbone, and his com
panion promptly knocked the bound and still
intoxicated man down. Bill Thomas swore
and eyed the PROSTATE figure. Hate to hit a
man who can fight ike that when he's loaded.
But I'm glad he amt sober"
"You amt goia' to hit him again!"
snapped Jed White, angrily. "Im ready to
hang him, cause that's why we're here. but 1
won't stand for no maulin'. l don't blame
him for fightin' an they didn't have no right
to kick him in tn beginnin'"
Didn't kick him in tn beginnin', -
grinned Bill. "Kicked him in tn endin'.
Anyhow" he added, seriously: II didn't hit
him hard-didn't have to. Just let go an
showed quick"
I'm naturally goin' to clean house." NUT
tered the prisoner, sitting up and looking
fierce. "Untie my hans an gimme gun or
a club, or anythin', an watch Yourselves get