"Didn't you know any better than to go in there on foot ?" "But you said you wanted him," returned the chagrined Patches.
"What I wanted," chuckled the Dean, "was to see if you had nerve enough to tackle him." "To tell the truth," returned Patches, with a happy laugh, "that's exactly what interested me." But, while the work assigned to Patches during those first days of his stay on the Cross-Triangle was chiefly those odd jobs which called for little or no experience, his higher education was by no means neglected.
A wise and gentle old cow-horse was assigned to him, and the Dean taught him the various parts of his equipment, their proper use, and how to care for them.

And every day, sometimes in the morning, sometimes late in the afternoon, the master found some errand or business that would necessitate his pupil riding with him.

When Phil or Mrs.Baldwin would inquire about the Dean's kindergarten, as they called it, the Dean would laugh with them, but always he would say stoutly, "Just you wait.

He'll be as near ready for the rodeo this fall as them pupils in that kindergarten of Phil's.

He takes to ridin' like the good Lord had made him specially for that particular job.