n of a gun is after here." But he spoke
genially, even with respect.

"Who's Butts?"

"Butts? Ah--well--a--Butts is the smartest fellow with his fingers in
all 'laska"; and McGinty showed his big yellow teeth in an appreciative
smile.

"Smart at washin' gold out?"

"Smarter at pickin' it out." The bartender joined in Si's laugh as that
gentleman repeated, "Yes, sir! handiest feller with his fingers I ever
seen."

"What does he do with his fingers?" asked the Boy, with impatient
suspicion.

"Well, he don't dare do much with 'em up here. 'Tain't popular."

"What ain't?"

"Butts's little game. But Lord! he is good at it." Butts had been
introduced as a stalking-horse, but there was no doubt about Si's
admiration of his "handiness." "Butts is wasted up here," he sighed.
"There's some chance for a murderer in Alaska, but a thief's a goner."

"Oh, well; you were sayin' that gold o' yours came from--"

"Poor old Butts! Bright feller, too."

"How far off is your--"

"I tell you, sir, Butts is brains to his boots. Course you know Jack
McQuestion?"

"No, but I'd like to hear a little about your--"

"Y' don' know Jack McQuestion? Well, sir, Jack's the biggest man in the
Yukon. Why, he built Fort Reliance six miles below the mouth of the
Klondyke in '73; he discovered gold on the Stewart in '85, and
established a post there. _Everybody_ knows Jack McQuestion;
an"--quickly, as he saw he was about to be interrupted--"you heard
about that swell watch we all clubbed together and give him? No? Well,
sir, there ain't an eleganter watch in the world. Is there?"

"Guess not," said the bartender.

"Repeater, you know. Got twenty-seven di'mon's in the case. One of
'em's this size." He presented the end of a gnarled and muscular thumb.
"And inside, the case is all wrote in--a lot of soft sawder; but Jack
ain't got _any_thing he cares for so much. You can see he's always
tickled to death when anybody asks him the time. But do you think he
ever lets that watch out'n his own hands? Not _much_. Let's anybody
_look_ at it, and keeps a holt o' the stem-winder. Well, sir, we was
all in a saloon up at Circle, and that feller over there--Butts--he bet
me fifty dollars that he'd git McQuestion's watch away from him before
he left the saloon. An' it was late. McQuestion was thinkin' a'ready
about goin' home to that squaw wife that keeps him so straight. Well,
sir, Butts went over and began to gas about outfittin', and McQuestion
a