ve been entirely forgotten, and his thin hair was in color somewhere
between sand and mud.

As he leaned against the tree he afforded a fine opportunity for the
study of acute and obtuse angles. His neck, shoulders, elbows, wrists,
back, knees and feet all described angles, and even the toes of his
shocking boots deflected from the horizontal in a most decided manner.

"Somebody ort to go say somethin' to him," said the colonel, who was
recognized as leader by the miners.

"Fact, colonel," replied one of the men; "but what's a feller to say to
sich a meanderin' bone-yard ez that? Might ask him, fur perliteness
sake, to take fust pick uv lots in a new buryin' ground; but then
Perkins died last week, yur know."

"Say _somethin'_, somebody," commanded the colonel, and as he spoke his
eyes alighted on Slim Sam, who obediently stepped out to greet the
newcomer.

"Mister," said Sam, producing a plug of tobacco, "hev a chaw?"

"I don't use tobacco," languidly replied the man, and his answer was so
unexpected that Sam precipitately retired.

Then Black Tom advanced, and pleasantly asked:

"What's yer fav'rit game, stranger?"

"Blind man's buff," replied the stranger.

"What's that?" inquired Tom, blushing with shame at being compelled to
display ignorance about games; "anything like going it blind at poker?"

"Poker?--I don't know what that is," replied the youth.

"He's from the country," said the colonel, compassionately, "an' hesn't
hed the right schoolin'. P'r'aps," continued the colonel, "he'd enjoy
the cockfight at the saloon to-night--these country boys are pretty well
up on roosters. Ask him, Tom."

Tom put the question, and the party, in deep disgust, heard the man
reply:

"No, thank you; I think it's cruel to make the poor birds hurt each
other."

"Look here," said the good-natured Bozen, "the poor lubber's all gone in
amidships--see how flat his breadbasket is. I say, messmate," continued
Bozen, with a roar, and a jerk of his thumb over his shoulder, "come and
splice the main-brace."

"No, thank you," answered the unreasonable stranger; "I don't drink."

The boys looked incredulously at each other, while the colonel arose and
paced the front of the saloon two or three times, looking greatly
puzzled. He finally stopped and said:

"The mizzable rat isn't fit to be out uv doors, an' needs takin' keer
ov. Come here, feller," called the colonel; "be kinder sociable--don't
stand there a gawpin' at us