t I'm cookin' for yu'," said Scipio, gruffy.

"I'm obliged to yu'," said the Southerner.

"You were speaking of a job for me," said Shorty.

"I'm right obliged. But yu' see--I ain't exackly foreman the way this
comes out, and my promises might not bind Judge Henry to pay salaries."

A push came through the train from forward. We were slowing for the
Rawhide station, and all began to be busy and to talk. "Going up to the
mines to-day?" "Oh, let's grub first." "Guess it's too late, anyway."
And so forth; while they rolled and roped their bedding, and put on
their coats with a good deal of elbow motion, and otherwise showed
off. It was wasted. The Virginian did not know what was going on in the
caboose. He was leaning and looking out ahead, and Scipio's puzzled
eye never left him. And as we halted for the water-tank, the Southerner
exclaimed, "They 'ain t got away yet!" as if it were good news to him.

He meant the delayed trains. Four stalled expresses were in front of us,
besides several freights. And two hours more at least before the bridge
would be ready.

Travellers stood and sat about forlorn, near the cars, out in the
sage-brush, anywhere. People in hats and spurs watched them, and Indian
chiefs offered them painted bows and arrows and shiny horns.

"I reckon them passengers would prefer a laig o' mutton," said the
Virginian to a man loafing near the caboose.

"Bet your life!" said the man. "First lot has been stuck here four
days."

"Plumb starved, ain't they?" inquired the Virginian.

"Bet your life! They've eat up their dining cars and they've eat up this
town."

"Well," said the Virginian, looking at the town, "I expaict the
dining-cyars contained more nourishment."

"Say, you're about right there!" said the man. He walked beside the
caboose as we puffed slowly forward from the water-tank to our siding.
"Fine business here if we'd only been ready," he continued. "And the
Crow agent has let his Indians come over from the reservation. There has
been a little beef brought in, and game, and fish. And big money in it,
bet your life! Them Eastern passengers has just been robbed. I wisht I
had somethin' to sell!"

"Anything starting for Rawhide this afternoon?" said Trampas, out of the
caboose door.

"Not until morning," said the man. "You going to the mines?" he resumed
to the Virginian.

"Why," answered the Southerner, slowly and casually, and addressing
himself strictly to the man, while Trampas,