Silently Wallie passed the end of the rope to Pinkey, who understood and took a turn around his saddle-horn.
Before he could resist Wallie gave Canby a shove and pushed him over the bank. He struck the water with a splash and went out of sight. Immediately the well-trained cow-horse felt the strain it backed up and held the rope taut.
Canby came to the surface, then dangled as the horse continued to hold off. As he strangled with the water he had taken in his lungs and struggled frantically in the air, it seemed beyond human belief that it was he, Canby--Canby the all-powerful--in such a plight!
"Pay out a little rope, Pinkey. Give the fish more line."
Once again Canby dropped back and came up gasping, coughing, fighting for his breath.
A little anxiously Pinkey asked: "Don't you bleeve he's had enough?"
"Too much scrap left in him yet," Wallie replied, unmoved.
Canby shrieked at last: "I'll pay! Let me up!"
"You mean that?"
"Good God--YES!"
Pinkey led the horse back and in no gentle fashion Canby was pulled over the edge for the second time, where he lay limp. When his breath and strength returned he struggled to his feet.
"If you go in again you won't come up." Wallie's voice was metallic and, searching his face, Canby saw that he meant exactly what he said.
His hand was shaking as he filled out the check, using the saddle for a desk.
Wallie looked at it and handed it back.
"You forgot the horses--six hundred is what they cost."
Canby started to protest, then, with a crafty look which, fleeting as it was, Wallie caught, he made out a new check for fifty-six hundred.
Turning to Pinkey, Canby said: "I'll give you a hundred and fifty for your horse."
Pinkey hesitated. It was a hundred more than it was worth.
"I guess not." Wallie's voice was curt. "I'm clairvoyant, Canby, and I've read your thought. You can't stop payment by telephone, because Pink is going to close-herd you right here until I ride to Prouty and get this cashed."
Pinkey's jaw dropped.
"By the long-horn toads of Texas! I wouldn't 'a' thought of that in a month!"
As Wallie put his foot into the stirrup for the first time his face relaxed. He looked over his shoulder and grinned: "If you listen, maybe you'll hear something making a noise like a dude ranch, Pink."