"I haven't," said Joshua. "I couldn't have got to the mines if youhadn't lent me a few dollars."
"You have your animal. You can sell him for something."
"If he agrees to carry me so far," said Mr. Bickford, gazingdoubtfully at the mustang, who was evidently enjoying his eveningrepast.
"Oh, a hearty meal will make him good-natured. That is the way itacts with boys and men, and animals are not so very different."
"I guess you're right," said Joshua. "When I wanted to get a favorout of dad, I always used to wait till the old man had got his bellyfull. That made him kinder good-natured."
"I see you understand human nature, Mr. Bickford," said Joe.
"I guess I do," said Joshua complacently. "Great Jehoshaphat, who'sthat?"
Joe raised his head and saw riding toward them a man who might havesat for the photograph of a bandit without any alteration in hiscountenance or apparel. He wore a red flannel shirt, pants of roughcloth, a Mexican sombrero, had a bowie-knife stuck in his girdle, anddisplayed a revolver rather ostentatiously. His hair, which he worelong, was coarse and black, and he had a fierce mustache.
"Is he a robber?" asked Joshua uneasily.
"Even if he is," said Joe, "we are two to one. I dare say he's allright, but keep your weapon ready."
Though Joe was but a boy and Bickford a full-grown man, from theoutset he had assumed the command of the party, and issued directionswhich his older companion followed implicitly. The explanation isthat Joe had a mind of his own, and decided promptly what was best tobe done, while his long-limbed associate was duller witted andundecided.
Joe and Joshua maintained their sitting position till the strangerwas within a rod or two, when he hailed them.
"How are ye, strangers?" he said.
"Pretty comfortable," said Joshua, reassured by his words. "How fareyou?"
"You're a Yank, ain't you?" said the newcomer, disregarding Joshua'squestion.
"I reckon so. Where might you hail from?"
"I'm from Pike County, Missouri," was the answer. "You've heard ofPike, hain't you?"
"I don't know as I have," said Mr. Bickford.
The stranger frowned.
"You must have been born in the woods not to have heard of PikeCounty," he said. "The smartest fighters come from Pike. I kin whipmy weight in wildcats, am a match for a dozen Indians to onst, andcan tackle a lion without flinchin'."
"Sho!" said Joshua, considerably impressed.
"Won't you stop and rest with us?" said Joe politely.
"I reckon I will," said the Pike man, getting off his beast. "Youdon't happen to have a bottle of whisky with you, strangers?"
"No," said Joe.
The newcomer looked disappointed.
"I wish you had," said he. "I feel as dry as a tinder-box. Wheremight you be travelin'?"
"We are bound for the mines on the Yuba River."
"That's a long way off."
"Yes, it's four or five days' ride."
"I've been there, and I don't like it. It's too hard work for agentleman."
This was uttered in such a magnificent tone of disdain that Joe wasrather amused at the fellow. In his red shirt and coarse breeches,and brown, not overclean skin, he certainly didn't look much like agentleman in the conventional sense of that term.
"It's all well enough to be a gentleman if you've got money to fallback on," remarked Joshua sensibly.
"Is that personal?" demanded the Pike County man, frowning and halfrising.
"It's personal to me," said Joshua quietly.
"I accept the apology," said the newcomer, sinking back upon the turf.
"I hain't apologized, as I'm aware," said Joshua, who was no craven.
"You'd better not rile me, stranger," said the Pike man fiercely."You don't know me, you don't. I'm a rip-tail roarer, I am. Ialways kill a man who insults me."
"So do we," said Joe quietly.
The Pike County man looked at Joe in some surprise. He had expectedto frighten the boy with his bluster, but it didn't seem to producethe effect intended.
CHAPTER XXVI
A DESPERADO
Mr. Bickford also seemed a little surprised at Joe's coolness.Though not a coward in the face of danger, he had been somewhatimpressed by the fierce aspect of the man from Pike County, andreally looked upon him as a reckless daredevil who was afraid ofnothing. Joe judged him more truly. He decided that a man whoboasted so loudly was a sham. If he had talked less, he would havefeared him more.
After his last bloodthirsty declaration the man from Pike Countytemporarily subsided.
He drew out from his pocket a greasy pack of cards, and afterskilfully shuffling them inquired:
"What do you say, strangers, to a little game to pass away the time?"
"I never played keards in my life," said Joshua Bickford.
"Where was you raised?" demanded the Pike man contemptuously.
"Pumpkin Hollow, State o' Maine," said Joshua. "Dad's an orthodoxdeacon. He never let any of us play keards. I don't know one fromt'other."
"I'll learn you," said the Pike man condescendingly. "Suppose wehave a game of poker?"
"Ain't that a gambling' game?" inquired Joshua.
"We always play for something," said the Pike man. "It's dernfoolishness playin' for nothing. Shall we have a game?"
He looked at Joe as he spoke.
"I don't care to play," said our hero. "I don't know much aboutcards, and I don't want to play for money."
"That's dern foolishness," said the stranger, whose object it was toclean out his new friends, being an expert gambler.
"Perhaps it is," said Joe, "but I only speak for myself. Mr.Bickford may feel differently."
"Will you take a hand, Bickford?" asked the Pike man, thinking itpossible that Joshua might have some money of which he could relievehim.
"You kin show me how to play if you want to," said Joshua, "but Iwon't gamble any."
The Pike man put up his pack of cards in disgust.
"Derned if I ever met sich fellers!" he said. "You're Methodists,ain't you?"
"We generally decline doing what we don't want to do," said Joe.
"Look here, boy," blustered the Pike man, "I reckon you don't knowme. I'm from Pike County, Missouri, I am. I'm a rip-tail roarer, Iam. I kin whip my weight in wildcats."
"You told us that afore," said Joshua placidly.
"Derned if I don't mean it, too!" exclaimed the Pike County man, witha fierce frown. "Do you know how I served a man last week?"
"No. Tell us, won't you?" said Joshua.
"We was ridin' together over in Alameda County. We'd metpermiscuous, like we've met to-day. I was tellin' him how four b'arsattacked me once, and I fit 'em all single-handed, when he laughed,and said he reckoned I'd been drinkin' and saw double. If he'dknowed me better, he wouldn't have done it."
"What did you do?" asked Joshua, interested.
Joe, who was satisfied that the fellow was romancing, did not exhibitany interest.
"What did I do?" echoed the Pike County man fiercely. "I told him hedidn't know the man he insulted. I told him I was from Pike County,Missouri, and that I was a rip-tail roarer."
"And could whip your weight in wildcats," suggested Joe.
The Pike man appeared irritated.
"Don't interrupt me, boy," he said. "It ain't healthy."
"After you'd made them remarks what did you do?" inquired Joshua.
"I told him he'd insulted me and must fight. I always do that."
"Did he fight?"
"He had to."
"How did it come out?"
"I shot him through the heart," said the man from Pike Countyfiercely. "His bones are bleaching in the valley where he fell."
"Sho!" said Joshua.
The Pike County man looked from one to the other to see what effecthad been produced by his blood-curdling narration. Joshua lookedrather perplexed, as if he didn't quite know what to think, but Joese
emed tranquil.
"I think you said it happened last week," said Joe.
"If I said so, it is so," said the Pike man, who in truth did notremember what time he had mentioned.
"I don't question that. I was only wondering how his bones couldbegin to bleach so soon after he was killed."
"Just so," said Joshua, to whom this difficulty had not presenteditself before.
"Do you doubt my word, stranger?" exclaimed the Pike man, putting hishand to his side and fingering his knife.
"Not at all," said Joe. "But I wanted to understand how it was."
"I don't give no explanations," said the Pike man haughtily, "and Iallow no man to doubt my word."
"Look here, my friend," said Joshua, "ain't you rather cantankerous?"
"What's that?" demanded the other suspiciously.
"No offense," said Joshua, "but you take a feller up so we don't knowexactly how to talk to you."
"I take no insults," said the Pike man. "Insults must be washed outin blood."
"Soap-suds is better than blood for washin' purposes," said Joshuapractically. "Seems to me you're spoilin' for a fight all the time."
"I allow I am," said the Pike man, who regarded this as a compliment."I was brought up on fightin'. When I was a boy I could whip any boyin school."
"That's why they called you a rip-tail roarer, I guess," said Joshua.
"You're right, stranger," said the Pike man complacently.
"What did you do when the teacher give you a lickin'?" asked Mr.Bickford.
"What did I do?" yelled the Pike County man, with a demoniac frown.
"Exactly so."
"I shot him!" said the Pike man briefly.
"Sho! How many teachers did you shoot when you was a boy?"
"Only one. The rest heard of it and never dared touch me."
"So you could play hookey and cut up all you wanted to?"
"You're right, stranger."
"They didn't manage that way at Pumpkin Hollow," said Mr. Bickford."Boys ain't quite so handy with shootin'-irons. When the masterflogged us we had to stand it."
"Were you afraid of him?" asked the Pike man disdainfully.
"Well, I was," Joshua admitted. "He was a big man with arms justlike flails, and the way he used to pound us was a caution."
"I'd have shot him in his tracks," said the Pike man fiercely.
"You'd have got a wallopin' fust, I reckon," said Joshua.
"Do you mean to insult me?" demanded the Pike man.
"Oh, lay down, and don't be so cantankerous," said Joshua. "You'reallus thinkin' of bein' insulted."
"We may as well be going," said Joe, who was thoroughly disgustedwith their new companion.
"Just as you say, Joe," said Joshua. "Here, you pesky critter, comeand let me mount you."
The mustang realized Joe's prediction. After his hearty supper heseemed to be quite tractable and permitted Mr. Bickford to mount himwithout opposition.
Joe also mounted his horse.
"I'll ride along with you if you've no objections," said the Pikeman. "We kin camp together to-night."
So saying, he too mounted the sorry-looking steed which he hadrecently dismounted.
Joe was not hypocrite enough to say that he was welcome. He thoughtit best to be candid.
"If you are quite convinced that neither of us wishes to insult you,"he said quietly, "you can join us. If you are bent on quarreling,you had better ride on by yourself."
The Pike man frowned fiercely.
"Boy," he said, "I have shot a man for less than that."
"I carry a revolver," said Joe quietly, "but I shan't use it unlessit is necessary. If you are so easily offended, you'd better ride onalone."
This the Pike man did not care to do.
"You're a strange boy," he said, "but I reckon you're on the square.I'll go along with you."
"I would rather you'd leave us," thought Joe, but he merely said:"Very well."
CHAPTER XXVII
TWO TRAGIC STORIES
They rode on for about an hour and a half. Joshua's steed, placatedby his good supper, behaved very well. Their ride was still throughthe canon. Presently it became too dark for them to proceed.
"Ain't we gone about fur enough for to-night?" asked Joshua.
"Perhaps we have," answered Joe.
"Here's a good place to camp," suggested the man from Pike County,pointing to a small grove of trees to the right.
"Very well; let us dismount," said Joe. "I think we can pass thenight comfortably."
They dismounted, and tied their beasts together under one of thetrees. They then threw themselves down on a patch of greenswardnear-by.
"I'm gettin' hungry," said Joshua. "Ain't you, Joe?"
"Yes, Mr. Bickford. We may as well take supper."
Mr. Bickford produced a supper of cold, meat and bread, and placed itbetween Joe and himself.
"Won't you share our supper?" said Joe to their companion.
"Thank ye, stranger, I don't mind if I do," answered the Pike man,with considerable alacrity. "My fodder give out this mornin', and Ihain't found any place to stock up."
He displayed such an appetite that Mr. Bickford regarded him withanxiety. They had no more than sufficient for themselves, and theprospect of such a boarder was truly alarming.
"You have a healthy appetite, my friend," he said.
"I generally have," said the Pike man. "You'd orter have somewhisky, strangers, to wash it down with."
"I'd rather have a good cup of coffee sweetened with 'lasses, sech asmarm makes to hum," remarked Mr. Bickford.
"Coffee is for children, whisky for strong men," said the Roarer.
"I prefer the coffee," said Joe.
"Are you temperance fellers?" inquired the Pike man contemptuously.
"I am," said Joe.
"And I, too," said Joshua.
"Bah!" said the other disdainfully; "I'd as soon drink skim-milk.Good whisky or brandy for me."
"I wish we was to your restaurant, Joe," said Joshua. "I kinderhanker after some good baked beans. Baked beans and brown bread arescrumptious. Ever eat 'em, stranger?"
"No," said the Pike man; "none of your Yankee truck for me."
"I guess you don't know what's good," said Mr. Bickford. "What'syour favorite vittles?"
"Bacon and hominy, hoe-cakes and whisky."
"Well," said Joshua, "it depends on the way a feller is brung up. Igo for baked beans and brown bread, and punkin pie--that'sgoloptious. Ever eat punkin pie, stranger?"
"Yes."
"Like it?"
"I don't lay much on it."
Supper was over and other subjects succeeded. The Pike County manbecame social.
"Strangers," said he, "did you ever hear of the affair I had withJack Scott?"
"No," said Joshua. "Spin it off, will you?"
"Jack and me used to be a heap together. We went huntin' together,camped out for weeks together, and was like two brothers. One day wewas ridin' out, when a deer started up fifty rods ahead. We bothraised our guns and shot at him. There was only one bullet into him,and I knowed that was mine."
"How did you know it?" inquired Joshua.
"Don't you get curious, stranger. I knowed it, and that was enough.But Jack said it was his. 'It's my deer,' he said, 'for you missedyour shot.' 'Look here, Jack,' said I, 'you're mistaken. You missedit. Don't you think I know my own bullet?' 'No, I don't,' said he.'Jack,' said I calmly, 'don't talk that way. It's dangerous.' 'Doyou think I'm afraid of you?' he said, turning on me. 'Jack,' saidI, 'don't provoke me. I can whip my weight in wildcats.' 'You can'twhip me,' said he. That was too much for me to stand. I'm theRip-tail Roarer from Pike County, Missouri, and no man can insult meand live. 'Jack,' said I, 'we've been friends, but you've insultedme, and it must be washed out in blood.' Then I up with my we'pon andshot him through the head."
"Sho!" said Joshua.
"I was sorry to do it, for he was my friend," sai
d the Pike Countyman, "but he disputed my word, and the man that does that may as wellmake his will if he's got any property to leave."
Here the speaker looked to see what effect was produced upon hislisteners. Joe seemed indifferent. He saw through the fellow, anddid not credit a word he said. Joshua had been more credulous atfirst, but he, too, began to understand the man from Pike County.The idea occurred to him to pay him back in his own coin.
"Didn't the relatives make any fuss about it?" he inquired. "Didn'tthey arrest you for murder?"
"They didn't dare to," said the Pike man proudly. "They knew me.They knew I could whip my weight in wildcats and wouldn't let no maninsult me."
"Did you leave the corpse lyin' out under the trees?" asked Joshua.
"I rode over to Jack's brother and told him what I had done, andwhere he'd find the body. He went and buried it."
"What about the deer?"
"What deer?"
"The deer you killed and your friend claimed?"
"Oh," said the Pike man, with sudden recollection, "I told Jack'sbrother he might have it."
"Now, that was kinder handsome, considerin' you'd killed your friendon account of it."
"There ain't nothin' mean about me," said the man from Pike County.
"I see there ain't," said Mr. Bickford dryly. "It reminds me of alittle incident in my own life. I'll tell you about it, if youhain't any objection."