companion to Slippery, the Yegg--a criminal tramp.

[Illustration: Walking the rails]




CHAPTER VIII.

"Busting a Broncho."


For three long days after they had parted company with the others,
Kansas Shorty kept Jim aimlessly wandering with him about the country,
carefully avoiding the railroads, as he did not wish to meet other
tramps while Jim was yet "green" to the dark ways of the road, as they
by wily tricks and methods often entice new road kids from their
partners, who in the language of the road are known as "jockers".

From the moment that Kansas Shorty had Jim out of the view of Slippery
and Joe, he commenced training the lad into the infamous ways of the
road, so as to properly prepare him for his future work. The first and
most important lesson he gave the unsuspecting youngster consisted in
poisoning his faith in humanity by teaching him that henceforth he must
consider and treat every human being, except his pal, as his bitter
enemy. To prove that to be a fact he would call the lad's attention to
the suspicious looks everybody whom they passed upon the public highway
would cast at them. The second lesson was to impress upon Jim the
importance of never revealing his correct name and address to any
inquisitive questioner, but to always take refuge behind some common