don't you get out of it?"

"That's what we are trying to do--hard," I said eagerly.

"Why you can't have tried much. There are plenty of ways out. Where do
you want to go?"

"To the Fraser River," I said, "and then away north to Fort Elk."

"Ah," he said, looking at us both curiously. "Fraser River, eh? That's
where I'm going."

I looked at him distrustfully, and he saw it.

"Quite true, my lad," he said, smiling good-humouredly; "and I sail by a
vessel which starts the day after to-morrow. What did those rascals
want twenty-five and then twenty dollars a-piece for your passage money?
Humph! Well, I think I can do better for you than that."

"If you would give us the name of the agent," I said.

"I'll do better--I'll take you to him, and say you are friends of mine,
if you are not ashamed of such a disreputable-looking character."

"I was not ashamed to take your help just now," I said.

"No," he replied drily; "but you had no time then to examine my
appearance. Where are you staying, my lads?"

I told him, and he uttered a long low whistle. "Of course I don't know
what your friends are, but doesn't the money run away very fast?"

"Fast?" cried Esau; "why, I could live ten times as long on the same
money in London."

"I dare say you could live twenty times as long, boy; I could. Look
here; these people are decent, clean, and honest,--do as you like,--
hadn't you better come here? They'll board you for half the money I'm
paying--that is, they would you. I don't know about him--he's such a
wolfish-looking fellow."

"Why, I don't eat any more than he does!" cried Esau.

"Don't think you do, boy, you should say. Well, what do you think of
it?"

"Dunno," said Esau, rather surlily. "Seems to me as if everybody here
wants to rob you. How do I know you don't?"

"Ah, to be sure, boy, how do you know? Perhaps I do. Going to plan to
get you somewhere all by yourselves, and then shoot you both. I am
pretty good with a revolver."

"Didn't seem like it just now."

"No, it didn't," said Gunson, coolly. "Ah, how like a boy that sounds.
Do you know what shooting a man means?"

"Killing him if you fire straight," said Esau.

"Right; and hurting him, eh?"

"Of course."

"Well, look here, my lad; the man who shoots another hurts himself far
more than he hurts his victim. You don't understand that. Wait till
you are as old as I am, and you will. I did not want to kill either of
those ruffia