ories of privation, loss of sanity and
sudden death, and everything else of a deterring nature and brought them
home to me to serve as warnings. I can do anything I want with him
except keep him from gambling, and when he really understood that
nothing could stop me, he gave in and I soon had him so busy explaining
away the woeful tales he had brought me, and hunting up new ones of a
bright and cheerful aspect that he half believed them himself. I learned
that all the Indians were pets, that there were miles of flowers all the
way, that people near death from all kinds of causes miraculously
recovered their health by the end of the first two days, and that the
caravan had to watch closely to keep its members from leaving it and
settling all along the trail."

They burst out laughing together. He could easily picture her uncle
frantically reversing himself. He had taken a great liking to Joseph
Cooper, who was a humorous, warm-hearted old fox among his friends,
delighting in their pleasures and sunning himself complacently in their
approbation. No trouble was too great for him to go through if it would
bring happiness to those he cared for.

They laughed and chatted and enjoyed themselves greatly, and were very
much surprised when his lean figure appeared beside the pilot house and
they saw him wave his hat and motion toward his mouth with animation and
great exaggeration.

"Good heavens! Is it dinner time already?" exclaimed Tom, sliding from
the log, and becoming aware for the first time that the log had been far
from as dry as he thought.

Laughing and scampering, they hurried back toward the landing, racing
down the hill that led to the little opening in the grove not far from
the water's edge. As they started down it Tom caught sight of several
figures sprawled on the sand, which had dried quickly under the combined
attacks of sun and wind. Among them he saw the lank form of Ephriam
Schoolcraft slowly arising to one elbow as the horse-dealer turned and
watched them come down the incline.

Patience stumbled, her heavy boots bothering her, and her companion
checked himself and caught her as she pitched forward. Swinging her
through the air, he put her down again on the other side of him and
laughingly offered his arm.

"Thar ain't nothin' like 'lasses fer to draw flies," came the drawling,
unpleasant voice of the sneering figure on the ground. "Blow flies air
included. Wrap it in skirts an' young fellers make p