me things which they
positively cannot get along without."

"As, for instance, what?"

"Well, tooth-brushes, soap, combs, courtplaster, handkerchiefs,
buttons, thread, quinine, and pain-killer."

"Is that all?" asked Jeff so quizzically that both ladies laughed.

"You have forgotten," added Mrs. Mansley, "the shirts, underclothing,
socks, and shoes."

"They are here," replied Mrs. Palmer, stepping briskly into the next
room and returning with her arms full.

"I've got to lay down the law," observed Jeff, just as Mr. Palmer and
the two boys came in, glowing with excitement. "Here are the young men,
and they look as if they had bought out half the town. Dump everything
on the floor, and let's sort 'em out."

When the pile was complete the miner gravely remarked:

"Nothing less than a freight-car will answer for all that stuff, and I
don't b'lieve we can charter one through to Dawson. In the first place,
I s'pose the tooth-brushes will have to go, though I never found any
use for such things, and I can crack a bull hickory-nut with my teeth.
The same may be obsarved of the soap and combs, while a roll of court
plaster don't take up much room. We'll be likely to need thread,
buttons, and some patches for our clothes, though I've got a supply in
my carpetbag. The quinine and pain-killer they may take if you can find
a corner to squeeze 'em in. As to the underclothing, extra shirts, it
depends whether there is room for 'em; but the boys mustn't think of
taking their dress suits along, 'cause _I'm_ not going to. There ain't
any room for violins, pianos, or music-boxes, and the only clothing and
shoes that can go with this party is what we wear on our bodies and
feet."

"Suppose the shoes wear out?" asked Mrs. Mansley in dismay.

"Then we'll go barefoot. Now, see here, we shan't be away more than
three months. A pair of well-made shoes will last longer than that, and
the same is true about our clothes, though we have the means of mending
them, if modesty calls for it, which ain't likely to be the case in the
diggings. Caps, coats, vests, trousers, and shoes are to sarve from the
day we start till we come back. If one of the boys casts a shoe and
loses it, we'll find some way of getting him another. What's this?"
suddenly asked Jeff, picking up a small volume from the floor and
opening it.

He looked at the fly-leaf, on which was written: "To my dear boy
Roswell, from his affectionate mother. Read a portion every d