ndred
dollars to show for a short summer's work, there reigned the well-fed,
contented spirit of prosperity.

And then the unexpected happened. They had just sat down to the
breakfast table. Though it was already eight o'clock (late breakfasts
had followed naturally upon cessation of the steady work at mining) a
candle in the neck of a bottle lighted the meal. Edith and Hans sat at
each end of the table. On one side, with their backs to the door, sat
Harkey and Dutchy. The place on the other side was vacant. Dennin had
not yet come in.

Hans Nelson looked at the empty chair, shook his head slowly, and, with a
ponderous attempt at humor, said: "Always is he first at the grub. It
is very strange. Maybe he is sick."

"Where is Michael?" Edith asked.

"Got up a little ahead of us and went outside," Harkey answered.

Dutchy's face beamed mischievously. He pretended knowledge of Dennin's
absence, and affected a mysterious air, while they clamored for
information. Edith, after a peep into the men's bunk-room, returned to
the table. Hans looked at her, and she shook her head.

"He was never late at meal-time before," she remarked.

"I cannot understand," said Hans. "Always has he the great appetite like
the horse."

"It is too bad," Dutchy said, with a sad shake of his head.

They were beginning to make merry over their comrade's absence.

"It is a great pity!" Dutchy volunteered.

"What?" they demanded in chorus.

"Poor Michael," was the mournful reply.

"Well, what's wrong with Michael?" Harkey asked.

"He is not hungry no more," wailed Dutchy. "He has lost der appetite. He
do not like der grub."

"Not from the way he pitches into it up to his ears," remarked Harkey.

"He does dot shust to be politeful to Mrs. Nelson," was Dutchy's quick
retort. "I know, I know, and it is too pad. Why is he not here? Pecause
he haf gone out. Why haf he gone out? For der defelopment of der
appetite. How does he defelop der appetite? He walks barefoots in der
snow. Ach! don't I know? It is der way der rich peoples chases after
der appetite when it is no more and is running away. Michael haf sixteen
hundred dollars. He is rich peoples. He haf no appetite. Derefore,
pecause, he is chasing der appetite. Shust you open der door und you
will see his barefoots in der snow. No, you will not see der appetite.
Dot is shust his trouble. When he sees der appetite he will catch it und
come to preak-fast."