ece, ate a platter of fried fish,
and took plenty of time over the bones, got into an argument over who was
Lazarus with the fellow at the end of the table, and were too engrossed to
eat a mouthful while it lasted. We had the bad manners to pick our teeth
thoroughly with the wooden toothpicks, and Frosty showed me how to balance
a knife and fork on a toothpick--or, perhaps, it was two--on the edge of
his cup. I tried it several times, but couldn't make it work.

The others had finished long ago and were sitting around next the wall
watching us while they smoked. About that time King put his head in at the
door, and looked at us.

"Just a minute," I cheered him. Frosty began cracking his prune-pits and
eating the meats, and I went at it, too. I don't like prune-pits a little
bit.

The pits finished, Frosty looked anxiously around the table. There was
nothing more except some butter that we hadn't the nerve to tackle
single-handed, and some salt and a bottle of ketchup and the toothpicks.
We went at the toothpicks again; until Frosty got a splinter stuck
between his teeth, and had a deuce of a time getting it out.

"I've heard," he sighed, when the splinter lay in his palm, "that some
state dinners last three or four hours; blamed if I see how they work it.
I'm through. I lay down my hand right here--unless you're willing to
tackle the ketchup. If you are, I stay with you, and I'll eat half." He
sighed again when he promised.

For answer I pushed back my chair. Frosty smiled and followed me out. For
the satisfaction of the righteous I will say that we both suffered from
indigestion that night, which I suppose was just and right.

CHAPTER XI.

A Cable Snaps.

Our lazy land smiling and dreaming to itself had disappeared; in its
stead, the wind howled down the river from the west and lashed the water
into what would have looked respectable waves to one who had not been on
the ocean and seen the real thing. The new grass lay flat upon the
prairies, and chunks of dirt rattled down from the roof of Pochette's
primitive abiding-place. It is true the sun shone, but I really wouldn't
have been at all surprised if the wind had blown it out, 'most any time.

Pochette himself looked worried when we trooped in to breakfast. (By the
way, old King never showed up till we were through; then he limped in and
sat down to the table without a glance our way.) While we were smoking,
over by the fireplace, Pochette came sidli