slides off his bronc and nods to us. Then he sees Ajax. He peers at Ajax for a minute and then gets right back on his bronc.

“Get off and rest your feet, Dirty,” says I, but Dirty only stares at Ajax and shakes his head.

Dirty shakes his head like a bee was buzzing around his ear. He shuts his eyes, shakes his head hard, and looks again.

“My!” says he awed-like. “I’ve seen a lot of things in my life. I’ve seen a tarantaler waltzing with a angle-worm, I have. I’ve seen a little green devil riding a Gila monster in a race against a horned toad which was ridden by me, but I’ve always been able to shake ’em loose for a minute. This’n I can’t!”

“I am Professor Ajax Ulysses Green,” says Ajax stiff-like. “It is extremely embarrassing when one’s friends forget the—I—er—it places me in a position wherein I am forced to introduce myself to one whom my acquaintances greet as one of their own kind. Embarrassing, I assure you.”

“Ex-cuse me,” says Magpie. “Ajax, let me make you used to Dirty Shirt. Dirty, this here is Ajax.”

“Name’s familiar,” says Dirty, scratching his head. “Oh, yes! ‘Boiled Egg’ Benson had a jassack by that name. I wondered who he named it after and why he used to kick it in the ribs all the time. Poor mule!”

“Maybe Dirty Shirt could help you, Ajax. He’s seen about all there is in this country.”

“Possibly,” agrees Ajax. “I’d be grateful to a startling degree.”

And then he turns to Dirty.

“I am out here, sir, to study the effects of astragalas splendens on the genus Ovius.”

Dirty spits out his cigaret and clamps his jaws hard.

“Before you do anything, Dirty, appeal to your better nature,” says I.

“What do you think, Dirty?” asks Magpie.

“Think?”

Dirty swings his bronc around and talks to us over his shoulder.

 Prev. P 6/27 next