Browning chief. [volume] (Browning, Mont.) 1941-1953, 1945-11-30
CHAPTER Xxx

had a recurrence of his first convic-
ton. There was something fshy.
"Tell me, Ken," he said, ''is this
absolutely on the level? You really
did it? It's bona fide?"
"Sure I did it, dad" said Ken,
his jubilance fading at the realiza-
ton that a bad reputation is hard to
live down.
"When did you start working for
this phenomenal report card?"
Last fall. When school start
ed"
"And you kept it up all year?"
Ken nodded.
"Just so you might get permission
from me to stay out of school next
fall when Thunderhead goes to the
post?"
Eyes, SIR
"Put it there, son! I'm proud of
you'll"
Ken was dazed. His small bone
less hand was lost in his fathers
clasp and shaken hard. He was still
trying to explain.
1.-THE thing is, dad, of course I'll
make up all the lessons lose while
I'm out of school. But if I had
Just asked you, and told you that
I'd do that, you wouldn't have be-
ieved I could do it,"
"And you can say that again,
boy!"
before asked you"
you've proved it."
"Dadl Do you mean I CAM"
II mean just that. This brilliant
mind Of yours seems to work in re-
verse. Give you horses so that you
have no time for lessons and even
have to stay out of school and you
bust yourself wide open and carry
the rag off the bush!"
"Dad-there's something more!"
"Ah! Now it's coming!" Rob's
face took on its sardonic expression.
1.-TWO things, dad"
"Well-shoot!"
"You said last year, when Thun-
derhead didn't get gelded with the
other two-year-olds, that he could
60 till this year. DoeS-does he
have to be gelded? Wouldn't you
just-skip it-dad? Because he may
win, you see-And there's a chance
that the gelding might hurt him or
kill him and anyway if he should be
a winner on the race track we'd
want to sell his services as a stall
lion, wouldn't we? And anyway"
I'VE won't geld him. said Rob
suddenly.
This quick victory was another
shock to Ken. Rob raised the report
card. you'll find all your life long,
son, that fine performance will get
things for you that nothing else
will"
Besides, Thunderhead hasn't
really made any trouble, has he?"
It was hard for Ken to get his
mind off his horse. "He hasn't
tried to fight Banner or get any
mares, Orwell, not anything like
that"
"Thunderhead hasn't had
chance to raise hell yet. It's been
a godsend that we could leave Touch
And Go with him until early this
spring when she came in heat for
the first time. That kept him happy.
Kept him away from the other
mares and delayed the beginning of
what you might call his sex life. Be-
sides, he's been trained and worked
pretty consistently. You can train
an animal, you know, for the kind of
life he is to live. We've kept him
away from the real life of stallion.
But that won't last forever. The
time will come. One day his ears
will pop, and he'll suddenly thump
himself on the chest and exclaim,
I'm mani"
Ken laughed. II hope it won't be
on the race track"
"Sex doesn't enter much into the
life of race horses. Stations and
mares race together without any dis
turbances of that sort"
II know"
"Well now what's the other
thin thine !, Might as well get it over
Ken's face flushed a little. ERE
member what you said once, dad?
That I cost you money every time I
turn around?" :
II remember"
"Well-what about the money the
race is going to cost? The entrance
fee and all that?"
II see." Rob leaned back quietly
and became very thoughtful, rub
bling his hand through his hair.
"You're a lot richer now than you
used to be, aren't you, dad?"
"Where'd you get that idea?"
"Well-the sheep"
"The sheep have got me so deep
In debt Thunderhead will have to
win races to pull me outi"
"Oh, dad! Are you kind of count
ing on him?" Ken's face glowed
with pride.