"Why, man, we've been prayin' for trouble with that blamed Tailholt Mountain outfit.

You're a plumb wonder, young man.

But what in thunder was you aimin' to do with that ornery Yavapai Joe, if he'd a' took you up on your fool proposition ?" "Really, to tell the truth," murmured Patches, "I don't exactly know.

I fancied the experiment would be interesting; and I was so sorry for the poor chap that I--" he stopped, shamefaced, to join in the laugh.
But, later, the Dean and Phil talked together privately, with the result that during the days that followed, as Patches and his teacher rode the range together, the pupil found revolver practice added to his studies.
The art of drawing and shooting a "six-gun" with quickness and certainty was often a useful part of the cowboy's training, Phil explained cheerfully.

"In the case, for instance, of a mixup with a bad steer, when your horse falls, or something like that, you know." [Illustration: Saddles] CHAPTER X.
THE RODEO.
As the remaining weeks of the summer passed, Patches spent the days riding the range with Phil, and, under the careful eye of that experienced teacher, made rapid progress in the work he had chosen to master.