“I’ve got a couple of mitts, too. See there.”

He doubled his enormous hands and showed Cal two fists of almost incredible size.

“Say!” ejaculated Cal, with shining eyes. Then an idea flashed like lightning through his mind, and he liked it. The instant it clarified and caught his fancy it grew and grew until it was positively thrilling. “See here, Tuck, you said you wanted a job?”

“I’ll say I said so,” returned Merry, rousing to interest.

“Are you well? I mean are you strong?” queried Cal, hesitatingly. “You look like you’d fall in two pieces.”

“I’m a deceiving cuss. Pretty much tuckered out now. But I was husky when I started West. A little rest and a mess table like this would soon put me in as good shape as when I was one of Dempsey’s sparring pardners.”

“What?” cried Cal, breathlessly.

“See here, matey. I was raised on the waterfront in New York. Do you get that? Was in the navy for years. Finally was boxing instructor. Then after the war I knocked around in sparring bouts. Last job I had was with Dempsey.”

“Whoop-ee!” ejaculated Cal, under his breath. He slammed the table with his fist. The idea had assumed bewildering and exhilarating proportions. “Say, Tuck, I’ve taken a liking to you.”

“I’ll say that’s the first good luck I’ve had for many a day,” returned Merry, feelingly.

“I’ll get you a job—two dollars a day an’ board—all the good grub you can eat,” blurted out Cal, breathlessly and low. “Up on my father’s ranch. It’s Tonto country, an’ once you live there you will never leave it. You can save your money—homestead your hundred an’ sixty acres—an’ some day be a rancher.”

“Cal, I ain’t as strong as I thought,” replied Tuck, weakly. “Don’t promise so much at once. Just find me work an’ a meal ticket.”

“My father runs a sawmill,” went on Cal. “He always needs a man. An’ all us riders hate sawin’ wood. That job would give you time off now an’ then, to ride with us an’ go huntin’. I’ll give you a horse. We’ve got over a hundred horses out home. . . .