Short Answer 
The riddle involves a cowboy who arrives in town on a Friday and leaves three days later. The key focus is that he leaves on a different Friday, illustrating how the wording can create a clever puzzle that requires careful attention to detail.
Step 1: Understand the Riddle
The riddle presents a scenario where a cowboy arrives and leaves town on a Friday. It’s crucial to focus on the wording and the time spent in town. The cowboy rides out three days after he arrives, but the riddle does not clarify that both events occur on the same Friday.
Step 2: Analyze the Timeline
To solve the riddle, consider the timeline of events. The cowboy arrives on one Friday and spends three days in town. This means the timeline could look like this:
- Day 1: Arrives on Friday
- Day 2: Saturday
- Day 3: Sunday
- Day 4: Monday (the following Friday)
Thus, when the cowboy leaves three days later, it could technically be a different Friday.
Step 3: Conclude with the Answer
The final conclusion drawn from the riddle is that the cowboy rides out on a different Friday than the one he arrived on. This clever play on time creates an engaging puzzle that highlights the importance of careful reading and understanding of the details in the riddle.