He was anxious to go out on the next scout with me.
By this time I had learned that my horse, Tall Bull, was a remarkably fast runner.

Therefore, when Lieutenant Mason, who owned a racer, challenged me to a race, I immediately accepted.

We were to run our horses a single dash of a half mile for five hundred dollars a side.
Several of the officers, as well as Rube Wood, the post-trader, offered to make side bets with me.

I took them up until I had my last cent on Tall Bull.
I saw from the start that it would be easy to beat the lieutenant's horse, and kept Tall Bull in check, so that no one might know how fast he really was.

I won easily, and pocketed a snug sum.