essed a little girl, tow-headed and barelegged, in a single
cotton garment.

"I am looking for the Captain Adams wagon train. Do you know where it
is?"

She only pointed, finger of other hand in her mouth; but as she indicated
this same camp I pressed on. Mr. Jenks himself came out to meet me.

"Hooray! Here you are. I knew you'd do it. That's the ticket. Broke loose,
have you?"

"Yes, sir. I accept your offer if it's still open," I said.

We shook hands.

"Wide open. Could have filled it a dozen times. Come in, come on in and
sit. You fetched all your outfit?"

"What you see," I confessed. "I told you my condition. They stripped me
clean."

He rubbed his beard.

"Wall, all you need is a blanket. Reckon I can rustle you that. You can
pay for it out of your wages or turn it in at the end of the trip. Fust
I'd better make you acquainted to the wagon boss. There he is, yonder."

He conducted me on, along the groups and fires and bedding outside the
wagon circle, and halted where a heavy man, of face smooth-shaven except
chin, sat upon a wagon-tongue whittling a stick.

"Mornin', Cap'n. Wall, I'm filled out. I've hired this lad and can move
whenever you say the word. You----" he looked at me. "What's your name,
you say?"

"Frank Beeson," I replied.

"Didn't ketch it last night," he apologized. "Shake hands with Cap'n Hyrum
Adams, Frank. He's the boss of the train."

Captain Adams lazily arose--a large figure in his dusty boots, coarse
trousers and flannel shirt, and weather-beaten black slouch hat. The
inevitable revolver hung at his thigh. His pursed lips spurted a jet of
tobacco juice as he keenly surveyed me with small, shrewd, china-blue eyes
squinting from a broad flaccid countenance. But the countenance was
unemotional while he offered a thick hand which proved singularly soft and
flatulent under the callouses.

"Glad to meet you, stranger," he acknowledged in slow bass. "Set down, set
down."

He waved me to the wagon-tongue, and I thankfully seated myself. All of a
sudden I seemed utterly gone; possibly through lack of food. My sigh must
have been remarked.

"Breakfasted, stranger?" he queried passively.

"Not yet, sir. I was anxious to reach the train."

"Pshaw! I was about to ask you that," Mr. Jenks put in. "Come along and
I'll throw together a mess for you."

"Nobody goes hungry from the Adams wagon, stranger," Captain Adams
observed. He slightly raised his voice, peremptory. "Rachael!