reputation for laziness
by incessantly claiming it for himself, but who was nevertheless a hunter
and scout of extraordinary skill. Jim Hart, a man of singular height and
thinness, whom Sol disrespectfully called the "Saplin'"--that is, the
sapling, a slim young tree--was doing the cooking. The others were typical
frontiersmen--lean, big of build, and strong.

The shiftless one curled himself into an easier position against a log,
and regarded with interest a particularly juicy piece of the buffalo hump
that lay on the grass some distance from him.

"Say, Saplin'," he drawled, "I wish you'd bring me that piece o' hump. I
think it would just suit my teeth."

"Git it yourself," replied Saplin' indignantly. "Do you think I'm goin' to
cook for a lazy bag o' bones like you, an' then wait on you, too?"

"Well, I think you might," said Shif'less Sol sorrowfully. "I'm pow'ful
tired."

"If I wuz to wait on you when you wuz tired, I'd wait on you all my life."

"Which 'ud he puttin' yourself to a mighty good use," said Sol tolerantly.
"But if you won't bring it to me, I reckon I'll have to go after it."

He rose, with every appearance of reluctance, and secured the buffalo
meat. But he stood with it in his hand and regarded the forest to the
east, from which two figures were coming. Ross had already seen them, but
he had said nothing. The keen eyes of the shiftless one were not at fault
for a moment.

"Paul Cotter an' Henry Ware," he said.

"Yes," said Tom Ross.

"And Paul's just about done up."

"Yes," said Tom Ross.

"Looks like they've had a big fight or a big run, one or t'other or both."

"Yes," said Tom Ross.

Then all went forward to meet the two boys, so well known to them. Paul
was staggering a little, and there was a high color, as of fever, in his
face, but Henry showed signs of neither fatigue nor excitement.

"We're glad to find you," said Henry briefly.

"We're glad, awful glad!" began Paul, with more fervor; but he suddenly
reeled, and everything grew dim about him. Shif'less Sol caught him.

"Here, Paul," he said, "stand up. You're a heavy weight for a tired man to
hold."

His words were rough, but his tone was kindly. Paul, all his pride
aroused, made a great effort and stood straight again. Slowly the world
about him swam back, into its proper position.

"Who said I wasn't standing up?" he asked.

"Nobody," replied Shif'less Sol; "but if I'd been through what I reckon
you've been through