Air yuh ?" "Of course I am, Pop! I've spotted a way to make money and have fun while I do it." Bud looked at the old man, remembered Marian's declaration that Pop was not very reliable, and groped mentally for a way to hearten the old man without revealing anything better kept to himself, such as the immediate effect of a horse hair tied just above a horse's hoof, also the immediate result of removing that hair.
Wherefore, he could not think of much to say, except that he would not attempt to run a lame horse against Boise.
"All I can say is, to-morrow morning you keep your eyes open, Pop, and your tongue between your teeth.

And no matter what comes up, you use your own judgment." To-morrow morning Pop showed that he was taking Bud's advice.

When the crowd began to gather--much earlier than usual, by the way, and much larger than any crowd Bud had seen in the valley--Pop was trotting here and there, listening and pulling his whiskers and eyeing Bud sharply whenever that young man appeared in his vicinity.
Bud led Smoky up at noon--and Smoky was still lame.

Dave looked at him and at Bud, and grinned.

"I guess that forfeit money's mine," he said in his laconic way.