Scorpion, a Good Bad Horse — Will James

A scorpion grabs you with its claws, but its poison comes from where you'd least expect it--the tip of its tail. A fine-looking chestnut bronc receives the name Scorpion when he explodes unexpectedly after several days of unusually good behavior. "That horse," a bronco-busting cowboy says, "is going to be either mighty good or mighty bad."



One day Tim, an outlaw on the run, trades his tired horse for Scorpion, and the two forge a relationship of destiny. Though never a well-broke horse, Scorpion acts truly wicked only when Tim makes poor decisions--thus keeping Tim out of trouble. With a little unsolicited help from Scorpion, Tim finds romance and a reason to clear his name.



First published in 1936, Scorpion, A Good Bad Horse is the fifteenth title in the Tumbleweed Series of Will James reprints. James illustrated this tale with 45 pen-and-ink drawings.