ling in the sun--a garish figure
stoically watching the inroads of civilisation. The town itself was
squat but amiable: small houses and large huts; the only place of note
and dignity, the new town hall, which was greatly overshadowed by the
big mill, and even by the two smaller ones flanking it north and south.

But Viking was full of men who had breathed the strong life of the
hills, had stolen from Nature some of her brawny strength, and set
themselves up before her as though a man were as great as a mountain
and as good a thing to see. It was of such a man that Galt Roscoe was to
tell us. His own words I will not give, but will speak of Phil Boldrick
as I remember him and as Roscoe described him to us.

Of all the men in the valley, none was so striking as Phil Boldrick.
Of all faces his was the most singular; of all characters his the most
unique; of all men he was the most unlucky, save in one thing--the
regard of his fellows. Others might lay up treasures, not he; others
lose money at gambling, not he--he never had much to lose. But yet he
did all things magniloquently. The wave of his hand was expansive, his
stride was swaying and decisive, his over-ruling, fraternal faculty was
always in full swing. Viking was his adopted child; so much so that a
gentleman river-driver called it Philippi; and by that name it sometimes
went, and continues still so among those who knew it in the old days.

Others might have doubts as to the proper course to pursue under certain
circumstances; it was not so with Phil. They might argue a thing out
orally, he did so mentally, and gave judgment on it orally. He was
final, not oracular. One of his eyes was of glass, and blue; the other
had an eccentricity, and was of a deep and meditative grey. It was a
wise and knowing eye. It was trained to many things--like one servant in
a large family. One side of his face was solemn, because of the gay but
unchanging blue eye, the other was gravely humourous, shrewdly playful.
His fellow citizens respected him; so much so, that they intended to
give him an office in the new-formed corporation; which means that
he had courage and downrightness, and that the rough, straightforward
gospel of the West was properly interpreted by him.

If a stranger came to the place, Phil was sent first to reconnoitre; if
any function was desirable, Phil was requested to arrange it; if justice
was to be meted out, Phil's opinion had considerable weight--for he had