Rube," said Abe, and to the boy he added: "This is the Right
Hon'rable the Earl of St. Olave--better known along this yer trail as
Kiddie--Kiddie of Birkenshaw's--Kiddie of the Camp."

Rube drew back in astonishment.

"_Kiddie?_" he cried. "Oh, that's diff'rent; that's a whole lot
diff'rent. Why didn't yer put me wise at first? I know th' name of
Kiddie. Ought to. I've heard it often 'nough. Real proud ter see
you, sir," he added, taking Kiddie's outstretched hand.

"What d'you know 'bout him, boy?" inquired Isa Blagg.

"Heaps, sheriff," returned Rube. "Best horseman on all the Salt Lake
Trail, best rifle shot, best swimmer an' trapper--best all round scout
this side the Rocky Mountains; never told a lie, never said a bad word,
never done anythin' he was ashamed of."

Kiddie laughed outright.

"Who's been feeding you up with all that silly rot, Rube?" he asked.
"If that's the reputation you judge me by I shall have a jolly hard
task to live up to it."

"'Tain't a whole lot wide o' the truth, for all that, Kiddie,"
interposed the Boss. "But never heed it fer the present. Come right
in an' have suthin' ter eat. We're all hungry."

Kiddie walked with young Rube, with a hand on the boy's shoulder.

"No, you mustn't think I'm all that, Rube," he said. "I've made many a
false step, fallen into many a mistake I ought to have avoided. Only
this morning, you know, I made the mistake of shoving Broken Feather
into the lean-to without looking if there was a loophole for his
escape."

"My fault as much as yours, sir," said Rube. "I oughter ha' fastened
the trap-door."

"Well, anyhow," resumed Kiddie, "you and I are going to be good
friends. You see, we have a good deal in common. You've spent your
boyhood in this camp, so did I mine. Your father was an English
gentleman, so was mine. Your mother is a Pawnee Indian, so was mine."

"It's a proud day fer me, sir, your comin' back here, an' me walkin'
alongside o' you," faltered Rube. "An' if you're shapin' ter stay here
for a while, I shall learn a lot. You c'n teach me heaps about
trappin' the wild critters, an' livin' in the woods, an' scoutin';
about horses, too, an' buffaloes an' Injuns."

He paused, surprised at the length of his speech.

"Yes," nodded Kiddie. "We'll go on the trail together. We'll go
trapping and fishing and shooting. You shall be my boy scout."

"But thar's one thing as I'm hankerin' to learn more'n all else, sir,"
Rube