While arresting a poacher, a Wyoming game warden discovers a secret spot that will save him a lot of paperwork. Alas, its popularity among other game wardens leads to its loss.
This story has the feeling of a fairy tale, with its fantastical central event, three-part structure, and a Rumpelstiltskin-like tantrum. It also feels a bit like a shaggy dog story told in a bar, with playful names – Reverend Pecker, Orion Horncrackle, Plato Bucklew, the Pinchbutt drainage – and a long setup to a not especially witty punchline. All in all, a fun little story; I could imagine it read in a gruff Western drawl or performed as a campfire sketch.