here's no wind, crowd all
canvas and ketch wot there is. W'en there _is_ wind, why then, steer
yer course; or, if ye can't, steer as near it as ye can. Anyhow, never
back yer fore-topsail without a cause--them's my sentiments."

"And very good sentiments they are, Bill," said Tom Collins, jumping up
and examining the girth of his horse; "I strongly advise you to adopt
them, Larry."

"Wot a bottle o' wisdom it is," said O'Neil, with a look of affected
contempt at his messmate. "Wos it yer grandmother, now, or yer great
wan, that edicated ye?--Arrah, there ye go! Oh, morther, ye'll break me
heart!"

The latter part of this remark was addressed to his mule, which at that
moment broke its laryat, and gambolled gaily away over the flowering
plain. Its owner followed, yelling like a madman. He might as well
have chased the wind; and it is probable that he would never have
mounted his steed again had not the vaquero come to his aid. This man,
leaping on his own horse, which was a very fine one, dashed after the
runaway, with which he came up in a few minutes; then grasping the long
coil of line that hung at his saddle-bow, he swung it round once or
twice, and threw the lasso, or noose, adroitly over the mule's head, and
brought it up.

"Yer a cliver fellow," said Larry, as he came up, panting; "sure ye did
it be chance?"

The man smiled, and without deigning a reply, rode back to the camp,
where the party were already in the saddle. In a few minutes they were
trotting rapidly over the prairie.

Before evening closed, the travellers arrived at one of the road-side
inns, or, as they were named, ranches, which were beginning at this time
to spring up in various parts of the country, for the accommodation of
gold-hunters on their way to the mines. This ranche belonged to a man
of the name of Dawson, who had made a few hundred dollars by digging,
and then set up a grog-shop and house of entertainment, being wise
enough to perceive that he could gain twice as much gold by supplying
the diggers with the necessaries of life than he could hope to procure
by digging. His ranche was a mere hovel, built of sun-dried bricks, and
he dealt more in drinks than in edibles. The accommodation and
provisions were of the poorest description, but, as there was no other
house of entertainment near, mine host charged the highest possible
prices. There was but one apartment in this establishment, and little
or no furniture. Severa