In Slim's Good-bye, Slim decides to seek work in Alpine because the cattle market isn't doing well and he doesn't want to be a burden to the Lopers. Hank assumes that Slim is just going into town, so he and Drover leap into the back of Slim's rattletrap pickup.

They get as far as Canadian, Texas, before a policeman stops Slim for several legal problems with his truck. Naturally, Hank first assumes they're in Canada and succeeds in thoroughly confusing Drover before he realizes his mistake (not that he wants to admit to making a mistake).

Slim finds some temporary work for a local man. It's hardly a dream job, and the place where he'll be staying is much smaller than the hired hand house he lived in on the Loper ranch. On the bright side, it's cleaner. I enjoyed the method the dogs used to keep from being forced to sleep outside. It is snowing, after all.

Hank has an encounter with a horse named Bill that reinforces his dislike of horses. (Guess who was at fault...) Still, the earlier chapter called 'I Play Mind Games With the Cat' was more fun. Pete and Hank have more history.

Enjoy the scenario Hank comes up with when Slim uses that old phrase about visiting Mrs. Murphy. I sure did.

Slim doesn't know how he'll get those hitchhiking dogs back to Loper, but Mr. Erickson does.

Notes:

The first song, 'We're Freezing Our Tails,' is in chapter nine, which is also where we learn that Slim reads Ben K. Greene books.

The second song, 'Song of the Road,' is in chapter twelve.

Chapter twelve is also where you'll find an illustration of Slim and dogs in the truck as they pass a road sign stating, 'Wolf Creek 37' and 'Adobe Walls 58'.

There are no reader activity pages at the end, just an excerpt from The Case of the Saddle House Robbery. ( )

great book! it's funny but sad. ( )