partner. A partner shares the expenses of a trip and bears the
hardships without letting out a roar every half mile. A partner
_sticks,_ Boston. He shares his grub and his money and his last
drop of water, and when that's gone he'll die with you like a
gentleman. That's what a partner does, but you wouldn't do it."

"Well, I'm entitled to a half interest and I'll see that I get it,"
shrilled the other furiously. "I'll sue you--"

"How about the Indian?"

"Why, he--he's--"

"Only an Indian, eh? Well, you're entitled to your point of view. Only
that mozo and I have slept under the same blanket so often--"

"You can't stop me from staking this claim, too" shouted the Boston
man, and shook his skinny little fist under the Desert Rat's nose. The
latter slapped him across the wrist.

"Pesky fly" he said.

"You can't stop me, I tell you."

"I can. But I won't. I'm not a bully."

"You think you can beat me out of my rights, do you? I'll show you.
I'll beat you out of your half before I'm through with you."

"On whose water!"