"I am going to get one; and then I'll ride the Gold Dust maverick!"

"I wouldn't hardly say that," Bert Lilly remarked, holding his cup for Sing Pete to fill with coffee; "he brought in the Gold Dust maverick.

At the time the Association was formed the rustlers were few in number, and confined their acts to branding the mavericks or unbranded yearlings with their own brands.

After breakfast the Ramblin' Kid saddled the Gold Dust maverick, turned Captain Jack with the cavallard, and with Parker and the other Quarter Circle KT cowboys rode away to help gather the beef cattle from the west half of the Cimarron range.

SCOTT, EVELYN D. Billy the maverick.

By his side he led the Gold Dust maverick.

The Ramblin' Kid left the Gold Dust maverick in the circular corral and rode Captain Jack to Eagle Butte.

When the Germans take a town they mark it with their own mark, as cattlemen in Texas used to mark a captured maverick; after which to all intents it becomes German.

"Th' Ramblin' Kid's gone somewhere again," Bert observed as he noticed the Gold Dust maverick alone in the circular corral.

Before he got the outlaw filly to the stables a half dozen cowboys had recognized the Cimarron maverick.

Dorsey, who was standing with Mike Sabota, in a box-seat just below the judges' stand, shouted as he saw the Ramblin' Kid, even in his half-conscious condition, reining the Gold Dust maverick with consummate skill into position, "her rider's drunk!" The Ramblin' Kid heard the voice andby some miracle of the mindrecognized it, although his eyes, set and glassy, could not see the speaker.

To rope the mavericks and place upon them the McIntyre brand is then quite easy.

Old Heck was sore and he was ready to go the limit in backing the Gold Dust maverick.

For half an hour the Ramblin' Kid studied the Gold Dust maverick.

"No," she replied, "I feed it to bronchoto Gold Dust maverick.

A couple of times, glancing out of the window, Carolyn June saw him at the circular corral petting and caressing Captain Jack or the Gold Dust maverick.

You'd better catch up another horse," he continued, speaking to the Ramblin' Kid, "Captain Jack is probably worn out from chasing that Gold Dust maverick last night, and if you ain't too tired yourself, go with us"

CHAPTER V A DUEL OF ENDURANCE When the storm broke over the Quarter Circle KT the Ramblin' Kid was twenty miles away following the Gold Dust maverick.