We were all alone up there, just him and me, and while I was getting my wind, and we were sizing each other up, and I was feeling that way, I got to thinking what it all meant to him--to be broken and educated--and--well--civilized, you know; and I thought what a horse he would be if he was left alone to live as God made him, and so--well--" He paused again with an embarrassed laugh.
"You let him go ?" cried Patches.
"It's God's truth, Patches.

I couldn't do anything else--I just couldn't.

One of the boys came up just in time to catch me turning him loose, and, of course, the whole outfit just naturally raised hell about it.

You see, in a chase like that, we always bunch all we get and sell them off to the highest bidder, and every man in the outfit shares alike.

The boys figured that the black was worth more than any five others that were caught, and so you couldn't blame them for feeling sore.