e Paul Bevan came staggering into camp under a heavy load of
wood, and again it may be said that a close observer might have noticed
on the stranger's face a gleam of surprise much more intense than the
previous one when he saw Paul Bevan. But the gleam had utterly vanished
when that worthy, having thrown down his load, looked up and bade him
good evening.

The urbanity of manner and blandness of expression increased as he
returned the salutation.

"T'anks, t'anks. I vill go for hubble--vat you call--hobble me horse,"
he said, taking the animal's bridle and leading it a short distance from
the fire.

"I don't like the look of him," whispered Fred to Paul when he was out
of earshot.

"Sure, an' I howld the same opinion," said Flinders.

"Pooh! Never judge men by their looks," returned Bevan--"specially in
the diggin's. They're all blackguards or fools, more or less. This one
seems to be one o' the fools. I've seed sitch critters before. They
keep fillin' their little boxes wi' grass an' stuff; an' never makes any
use of it that I could see. But every man to his taste. I'll be bound
he's a good enough feller when ye come to know him, an' git over yer
contempt for his idle ways. Very likely he draws, too--an' plays the
flute; most o' these furriners do. Come now, Flinders, look alive wi'
the grub."

When the stranger returned to the fire he spread his huge hands over it
and rubbed them with apparent satisfaction.

"Fat a goot t'ing is supper!" he remarked, with a benignant look all
round; "the very smell of him be deliciowse!"

"An' no mistake!" added Flinders. "Sure, the half the good o' victuals
would be lost av they had no smell."

"Where have you come from, stranger?" asked Bevan, as they were about to
begin supper.

"From de Sawbuk Hills," answered the botanist, filling his mouth with an
enormous mass of dried meat.

"Ay, indeed! That's just where _we_ are goin' to," returned Bevan.

"An' vere may you be come from?" asked the stranger.

"From Simpson's Gully," said Fred.

"Ha! how cooriouse! Dat be joost vere I be go to."

The conversation flagged a little at this point as they warmed to the
work of feeding; but after a little it was resumed, and then their
visitor gradually ingratiated himself with his new friends to such an
extent that the suspicions of Fred and Flinders were somewhat, though
not altogether, allayed. At last they became sufficiently confidential
to inform the stran