C H A P T E R Three Stoney had a toothache as he sat in a rocker on the front porch of the only hotel in Mariposa, California. "Yer face is swoll up like a tick," Gus exclaimed. "Yeu thank Ah don't know that? Owwwwwww." "Listen, yeu gotta get that tooth outta thar. Let me in thar, an tie this string on it." Gus reached down, touched Stoney's chin, tried to get him to open his mouth and Stoney shoved him away. "Get the hell away from me " Gus, frustrated, turned around to Jack, handed him the string and demanded, "YEU make him open up " With a furrowed brow, Jack looked at Gus. "Why me?" But he sighed, stepped closer and dutifully tried to assess Stoney's situation as the Wrangler rocked back and forth. Jack couldn't imagine tooth pain. "It must be horrible, cuz Stoney is the toughest cowboy Ah have ever known," he thought. He bent down and took a closer look. Stoney's eyes were watering. Bewildered, Jack announced to Gus and Everett, "He's cryin " "AH am NOT cryin It jes hurts so bad the water's runnin outta ma eyes Ma ears are rumblin, too " "Look Stone, it's been gettin worse every day. This, don't look like it's goin away. Why don't yeu jes let us help you pull it out?" "Whut if yeu cain't pull it out all the way? It'll hurt worse than it does raught now. Owwwww." "Gus thanks if we tie this string to yer tooth," as he looked down at it flowing from his hand to the boardwalk, "we can give it a good yank and yer problem will be solved. Now, personally, Ah ain't never seen it done, but Ah thank he's got a good idea." Jack waited a few seconds hoping he had persuaded his friend using rational argument. Stoney did not respond. "Yer gonna have to man up cowboy." "Shiiiitttt Okay . . . but make it quick " "Jes work with me Stone," as he tied a loop in the string. "Okay, open up, so's Ah can get it on thar." Stoney pointed his face up toward Jack and lifted his top lip. Jack slid the loop on Stoney's front tooth. "Oh ma God it hurts Hurry up " "Ah am, Ah am, hold still." "Okay, take a deep breath and on the count of three, Ah'll yank it." Stoney was panting like he had been running. "Ready?" Ah guess.... "But give it a good hard yank," as he braced himself with his arms on the rocker. "One..... two.....