Finally he grins sorta sheepishlike, an' hands it back to Lawler, butt first.
"'I ain't aimin' to fight you today, Lawler,' he says, his face bloomin' like a cactus.
"Lawler laughs, an' gives Shorty his gun back.

Shorty grins like a tiger.

'Mebbe Singleton wouldn't mind acceptin' your kind offer, Boss ?' he says.
"But Singleton don't break his neck reachin' for _his_ gun, neither.

He stands there, lookin' like a calf that's lost its mother.

An' then Lawler laughs again, an' says: "'Well, boys, seein' that the reception committee has received us, an' the honors has all been done, I reckon we'd better get the hosses off the cars an' hit the breeze for home!' "An' they done so.