on't need ary pole.'

"'What do you know 'bout an engine, you darned hill billy,' says
th' old man, kind o' short.

"'Don't know nothin' 'bout an engine, you prairie hopper,' says
Wash, 'but I know you don't need no pole t' lift that thing.'

"'How'd you lift it then?' says t'other.

"'Why I'd jest catch holt an' lift,' says Wash.

"The gang like t' bust themselves laughin'. 'Why you blame fool,'
says the boas; 'do you know what that engine'll weigh?"

"'Don't care a cuss WHAT she'll weigh,' says Wash. 'She ain't
PLANTED there, is she?' An' with that he climbs down from th'
wagon, an' dad burn me if he didn't take holt o' that hind ex an'
lift one whole side o' that there engine clean off th' ground.
Them fellers jest stood 'round an' looked at him t' beat th' stir.
'Well,' says Wash, still a keepin' his holt; slide a block under
her an' I'll mosey along!

"That boss didn't say a word 'till he'd got a bottle from a box on
th' wagon an' handed, hit t' Wash; then he says kind o' scared
like, 'Where in hell are you from, Mister?'

"'Oh, I'm jest a kid from over on Roark,' says Wash, handin' th'
bottle t' me. 'You ought t' see some o' th' MEN in my
neighborhood!' Then we went on."

When the speaker had finished, there was quiet for a little; then
the young man from the river drawled, "How much did you say that
there engine 'd weigh, Joe?"

There was a general laugh at this, which the admirer of Gibbs took
good naturedly; "Don't know what she'd weigh but she was 'bout the
size o' that one there," he answered.

With one accord everyone turned to inspect the mill engine.
"Pretty good lift, Joe. Let's you an' me take a pull at her,
Budd," remarked Lem Wheeler.

The two men lifted and strained at the wheel. Then another joined
them, and, amid the laughter and good natured raillery of the
crowd, the three tried in vain to lift one of the wheels; while
Mr. Matthews, seeing some unusual movement, came into the shed and
stood with his son, an amused witness of their efforts.

"Sure this engine ain't bigger'n t'other, Joe?" asked one of the
group.

"Don't believe she weighs a pound more," replied the mountaineer
with conviction. "I tell you, gentlemen, that man Gibbs is a
wonder, he sure is."

Old Matt and his son glanced quickly at each other, and the boy
shook his head with a smile. This little by-play was lost on the
men who were interested in the efforts of different ones, in
groups of three, to move the whe