Chapter XXII

Quiescence

After long jogging behind the ranch wagon
Pat found himself back in a stable. He found
himself attended once more by the round-faced and
smiling young man who had looked after him before.
This friend put salve upon his wounds, and
after that, for days and days, provided him with
food and water, sometimes talking to him hopefully,
sometimes talking with quiet distress in his
voice, sometimes attending to his wants without
talking at all. It was all a dread monotony. The
days became shorter; the nights became longer;
a chill crept into the stable. All day long he
stamped away the hours in restless discontent,
longing for a change of some sort, longing for a
sight of his young master, wanting to get out into
the open, there to race Ms legs off in thrilling
action.

Once this wish was granted. The weather was
quite cold, and his round-faced friend came to
him that morning showing every sign of haste.
Hurriedly he bridled and saddled Pat, rushed him
out of the stable, flung up across his back, and put
spur to him with such vigor that he was forced

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v?