good-will on our part; for, though he was ever
ready to help others, it seemed never to have occurred to him that
others might like sometimes to help him.

This little bit of business being settled, we all pitched in to assist
in getting supper ready, and presently we were seated round Tom's table
testing the result of our cookery. As we sat there, Joe, pointing to a
window-sash and some planed and fitted lumber which stood leaning
against the wall, asked:

"What are you going to do with that, Tom? Put in a second window?"

"Yes," replied our host. "And I was intending to do it this evening. You
can help me now you're here. The stuff is all ready; all we have to do
is to cut the hole in the wall and slap it in. It's just one sash, not
intended to open and shut, so it's a simple job enough."

"Where does it go?" asked Joe.

"There, on the right-hand side of the door. Old man Snyder, in the next
house west, put one in some time ago, and it's such an improvement that
I decided to do the same. We'll step out presently and look at Snyder's,
and then you'll see. Hallo! Come in!"

This shout was occasioned by a tapping at the door, and in response to
Tom's call there stepped in a tall miner, whom I recognized as George
Simpson, one of the Pelican men.

"Come in, George," cried our host. "Come in and have some supper. What's
new?"

"No, I won't take any supper, thank ye," replied the miner. "I must get
along home. I just dropped in to speak to you. You know Arty
Burns?--works on the night shift? Well, Arty's sick. When he came up to
the mine to-night he was too sick to stand, so I packed him off home
again and told him to go to bed where he belonged and I'd see to it that
somebody went on in his place, so that he shouldn't lose his job. I'm
proposing to work half his shift for him myself, and I want to find
somebody----"

"All right, George," Connor cut in. "I'll take the other half. Which do
you want? First or second?"

"Second, if it's all the same to you, Tom. If I don't get home first my
old woman will think there's something the matter. So, if you don't
mind, you can go on first and I'll relieve you at half-time."

"All right, George, then I'll get out at once. You boys can wash up, if
you will; and you'll find a mattress and plenty of blankets in the back
room. I'll be back soon after eleven."

With that, carrying a lantern in his hand, for it was getting dark, away
he went; while the miner hurried off acr