th questions, exclamations and the interchange of experiences since
they had separated. It did not require much time for the voluble tongue
of Elwood to rattle on his brief stay with the Indians and the
remarkable manner in which Shasta had secured his escape. Howard had but
little to tell, and that was soon given, and they were left to speculate
and conjecture on the future.

Tim's joy drowned his craving for his tobacco, and as he joined in the
glowing conversation of the boys he made no reference to it.

"I think for the prisent," he remarked, "we won't take any hunts upon
shore, especially if aich of us has to go alone. The red gintlemen, for
some raisin at all, or more likely without any raisin, have taken a
great anxiety to make our acquaintance. As fur meself, I prefers to live
upon fish to having these same fellows faading upon me."

"Yes," replied Elwood, "I have learned something during the last few
days. It is all well enough to be reckless and careless about danger
when we are at home and there is no danger, but it is another thing when
we are in these parts."

"As the Frenchman remarked, 'tiger hunting is very fine so long as we
hunt the tiger, but when he takes it into his head to hunt us the
mischief is to pay."

"If Shasta will have the onspakable kindness to tow us along in this
shtyle for a few waaks, I think we will cast anchor at the wharf in San
Francisco without any loss to passingers and freight."

"He has seen what ninnies we were," said Elwood, "and no doubt will
accompany us some distance further when he certainly ought to let us try
it alone again."

"Ah! but he's a smart young gintleman, as the acquaintances of Tim
O'Rooney used to say when they made the slightest reference to him.
Couldn't we persuade him to go on to San Francisco wid us? I think your
father would be plaised to take him in as a partner in their business
wid them."

"But _he_ would hardly fancy the change," laughed Howard.

"He might now. When we should state the sarvices he has rindered to us,
it's meself that doesn't think they'd require him to put in a very large
pile of capital."

"I am sure if he should prove as keen and sharp in business matters as
he does in the way of the woods, he would make one of the most
successful merchants in the country."

"It's a pity that he doesn't understand the illegant use of the tongue,
that we might confaar wid him. We could lay the proposition forninst
him, and he could g