Well, pa was the foolishest man in the lot, 'cause he had tied the
lariat rope that he held his elk by, around his belt, and when the elk
went over the hill pa was only hitting the high places, and he was
yelling for me to head off his elk. But I was busy trying to keep up
with my antelope, which was scared worse than any animal in the race.
When the antelope and I overtook the boss canvasman, who was digging his
heels into the ground trying to hold his zebra, I thought it was a good
time to say something pleasant, so I said: "This is a lovely country we
are passing through," but I never heard his reply, 'cause just then the
zebra jumped over a big cactus and the boss canvasman went into it, and
stayed there, yelling for a piece of ice, while the zebras that were
dragging the treasurer and the ticket taker passed us. I yelled to the
treasurer and told him I should have to have my salary raised if I was
expected to keep up with my antelope, but he told me where to go to get
an increase of salary, some place in Arkansas--maybe Hot Springs.
[Illustration: Dad Was Only Hitting the High Places.]
[Illustration: The Boss Canvasman Went Into a Cactus.]
Then my antelope heard the Indians and cowboys coming behind, and he got
his second wind, and I never did touch the ground no more, and I must
have looked like a buzzard sailing through the air.
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