Book excerpt: "He's a fake," declared Chipper Cooper positively, backing up against the steam radiator to warm himself on the other side. "I'll bet a hundred dollars he never was west of Scranton, Pennsylvania." "A hundred dollars," drawled Sile Crane, grinning. "Why don't yeou bate something while you're abaout it? Nobody'd bother to take a measly little wager like that. Now I've kinder got an idee that the new feller really comes from Texas, jest as he says he does. I guess he ain't no fake." "Oh, is that so!" retorted Cooper, a bit warmly. "Well, I'll talk business to you, Mr. Crane; I'll really bet you fifty cents Rodney Grant never saw the State of Texas in his life. Now put up or shut up." "I don't want to bate on it," said Sile; "but I guess I've got a right to my opinion, and I cal'late Rod Grant ain't no fake Westerner."