Meantime the milk supply grew less, and Mrs. Darby was compelled to
substitute water for milk in the gravy. This sop was not satisfactory
to Danny. One evening at meal time he was overheard by some of our
boys, saying, "I want milk in my gravy." Though reminded there was
only enough milk for the baby, he of the phenomenal appetite
reiterated, "I don't care, I want milk in my gravy." Thereafter
"Gravy" was the name by which he was known, so long as he traveled
with us.

This narrative would not do justice to the variety of individuals and
events without mention of another singular personage, a young fellow
who was "working his passage"; a sort of disconnected unit, whose
place became everywhere in the train, and who belonged to nobody. How
he got smuggled into the company no one has since been able to
recall. He was a sort of desert stowaway; tolerated because, though
eccentric and quite alarming in appearance, he was always in good
humor, and often useful, having a willingness to do as many of the
chores as others would trust him to perform. He was notable as a
physical curiosity, though not actually deformed. Low of stature, he
came to be known as "Shorty," the only name we ever had for him. As he
stood, his abnormally long arms enabled him to take his hat from the
ground without stooping. His legs were not mates in length, causing
him as he moved, with a quick, rocking gait, to create the impression
that he might topple backward; but somehow the longer leg always got
underneath at the critical instant, and restored the balance. His head
was large, and perfectly round; hair porcupinesque, each bristle
standing nearly perpendicular to the plane on which it grew. He had
no neck. Mouth small, and so round that it opened not unlike a bored
hole in a flesh-colored pumpkin.

"Shorty" asserted that he was a singer. He and "Jack" never sang
together, however--that is, they never did so any more, after trying
it once. "Shorty" and "Gravy" Worley became chums inseparable, except
on one occasion, when their friendship was temporarily ruptured by a
dispute over the ownership of a fishing hook. Anger grew hot, but when
they were about to come to blows, "Shorty" suddenly dropped on
"all-fours" and essayed to butt his adversary with his head, which
surprising mode of combat so disconcerted "Gravy" that he ran for his
quarters, wildly yelling, "Take him off, take him off."

For a time during the early part of the journey the horse