an indomitable spirit, two tired partners, and a brand-new claim, he
was facing his fate, as heretofore, with a wonderful boyish cheer.

Not all this knowledge was vouchsafed to Beth when she and her maid
were presently put in possession of the place. With the utmost gravity
Van introduced her by old Dave's appellation, Miss Laughing Water. The
maid he merely called Elsa. His explanation as to whence they hailed,
whither they were bound, why he had taken them in charge, and how he
had lost the pinto pony, was notable chiefly for its brevity. He and
his charges were hungry and somewhat pressed for time, he announced,
and he therefore urged Algy to haste.

Dinner had been promptly served at twelve. Algy was therefore in
despair--for Algy was proud of his art. He still had good red beans,
most excellent coffee, corn-fed bacon, the best of bread and butter, a
hunger-inspiring stew of lamb, white potatoes, fine apple sauce, and
superlative gingerbread on hand in great abundance, however, but in
spite of it all he spluttered.

"What's mallah you, Van?" he demanded several times. "Wha' for no tell
me blingee ladies? How you s'plose I gettee dinner? Sominagot, you
come like this, that velly superstich."

He would readily have laid down his very life for Van, but he laid a
good dinner instead. During its preparation Beth and her maid sat down
on a bench beside the bunk-house, in the presence of Cayuse, Napoleon,
and Gettysburg, while Van led the horses to the stable for refreshment,
and Algy talked to himself in pigeon English.

It was an odd situation for the girl from New. York, but she found
herself amused. Both Napoleon and Gettysburg had been cast for amusing
roles, which they did not always fill. Neither, as might be supposed
from his name, had ever even smelled the faintest suggestion of things
military. Napoleon had once been a sailor, or, to be more accurate, a
river boatman. He was fat, short, red-headed, red-necked, red-nosed,
and red-eyed. His hands were freckled, his arms were hairy. He turned
his head to one side like a bird--and promptly fell in love with demure
little Elsa.

Gettysburg was as thin as Napoleon was fat. He had a straggling gray
beard, a very bald pate, high cheek bones, and a glass eye. This eye
he turned towards the maid, perhaps because it was steady. He also had
a nervous way of drawing one hand down his face till he lowered his jaw
prodigiously, after which, like the