nd the throat lozengers,
the peer declining each with thanks.

"'Peer,' said Joplin Joe, fair busting with hospitality, 'is there
anything in this Gawd's world that you do want?'

"The crockery rattled an interlood, then Joplin Joe made out:

"'Thanks, very much. I should like a ba-ath'--Clematis, you see if them
biscuits is brownin'.

"Joe he ran to the store-room, and his eye encountered a barrel of
corned-beef. He calls to a couple of cow-punchers, and the first thing you
know that late corned steer is piled onto the prairie and them
cow-punchers is hustling the empty barrel in to the peer. Next they
detaches the steps from the kitchen door, ropes 'em to the barrel and
introduces the peer to his bath. He's good people all right, and when he
sees they calls his bluff he steps in all right and lets 'em soak him a
couple of buckets. This here move restores all parties to a mutual
understanding, and the peer he bathes in the corned-beef barrel regular
durin' his stay--you see the habit had cinched him."

Ned had shot an antelope a day or two previous, and antelope steak,
broiled over a glowing bed of wood coals, with black coffee, stewed dried
apples, and soda biscuit made up what Mary found to be an unexpectedly
palatable breakfast. As camp did not include a cow, no milk or butter was
served with meals. Nevertheless, the hungry tenderfoot was quite content,
and missed none of the appurtenances she had been brought up to believe
essential to a civilized meal, not even the little silver jug that Aunt
Martha always insisted came over with William the Conqueror--Aunt Martha
scorned the _May-flower_ contingent as parvenus.

The family sat on the grass, tailor fashion, and every one helped himself
to what appetite prompted, in a fashion that suggested brilliant gymnastic
powers. To pass a dish to any one, the governess discovered, was construed
as an evidence of mental weakness and eccentricity. The family satisfied
its appetite without assistance or amenities, but with the skill of a
troupe of jugglers.

Breakfast was half over when Mrs. Yellett laid down her knife, which she
had handled throughout the meal with masterly efficiency. Mary watched her
in hopeless embarrassment, and wondered if her own timid use of a tin fork
could be construed as an unfriendly comment upon the Yelletts' more simple
and direct code of table etiquette.

"Land's sakes! I just felt, all the time we've been eating, we was
forgettin' someth