chest, though in height he did not equal many of the men around him. As
one became acquainted with the man, however, his massive proportions had
not so powerful an effect on the mind of an observer as the quiet
simplicity of his expression and manner. Good-nature seemed to lurk in
the lines about his eyes and the corners of his mouth, which latter had
the peculiarity of turning down instead of up when he smiled; yet withal
there was a stern gravity about him that forbade familiarity.

The name of the man was Hunky Ben, and the strangest thing about him--
that which puzzled these wild men most--was that he neither drank nor
smoked nor gambled! He made no pretence of abstaining on principle.
One of the younger men, who was blowing a stiff cloud, ventured to ask
him whether he really thought these things wrong.

"Well, now," he replied quietly, with a twinkle in his eye, "I'm no
parson, boys, that I should set up to diskiver what's right an' what's
wrong. I've got my own notions on them points, you bet, but I'm not
goin' to preach 'em. As to smokin', I won't make a smoked herrin' o' my
tongue to please anybody. Besides, I don't want to smoke, an' why
should I do a thing I don't want to just because other people does it?
Why should I make a new want when I've got no end o' wants a'ready
that's hard enough to purvide for? Drinkin's all very well if a man
wants Dutch courage, but I don't want it--no, nor French courage, nor
German, nor Chinee, havin' got enough o' the article home-growed to
sarve my purpus. When that's used up I may take to drinkin'--who knows?
Same wi' gamblin'. I've no desire to bust up any man, an' I don't want
to be busted up myself, you bet. No doubt drinkin', smokin', an'
gamblin' makes men jolly--them at least that's tough an' that wins!--but
I'm jolly without 'em, boys,--jolly as a cottontail rabbit just come of
age."

"An' ye look it, old man," returned the young fellow, puffing cloudlets
with the utmost vigour; "but come, Ben, won't ye spin us a yarn about
your frontier life?"

"Yes, do, Hunky," cried another in an entreating voice, for it was well
known all over that region that the bold hunter was a good story-teller,
and as he had served a good deal on the frontier as guide to the United
States troops, it was understood that he had much to tell of a thrilling
and adventurous kind; but although the men about him ceased to talk and
looked at him with expectancy, he shook his head, and