promptly examined his
bruises, and exclaimed:

"He's two or three broken ribs, that's all. It's a wonder he didn't
break every bone in his body. He'll be around all right inside of a
month."

"Gentlemen," said Whitey, "I resign. All in favor of the cap'en will
please say 'I.'"

"I," replied every one.

"I don't put the noes," continued Whitey, "because I'm a peaceable man,
and don't want to hev to kick any man mean enough to vote no. Cap'en,
you'r boss of this camp, and I'm yourn obediently."

The captain opened his eyes slowly, and replied:

"I'm much obliged, boys, but I won't give Whitey the trouble. Doctor's
mistaken--there's someting broken inside, and I haven't got many minutes
more to live."

"Do yer best, cap'en," said the barkeeper, encouragingly. "Promise me
you'll stay alive, and I'll go straight down to 'Frisco, and get you all
the champagne you can drink."

"You're very kind," replied the captain, faintly; "but I'm sent for, and
I've got to go. I've left the East to make my mark, but I didn't expect
to make it in real estate. Whitey, I was a fool for wanting to be chief
of Black Hat, and you've forgiven me like a gentleman and a Christian.
It's getting dark--I'm thirsty--I'm going--gone!"

The doctor felt the captain's wrist, and said:

"Fact, gentlemen, he's panned his last dirt."

"Do the honors, boys," said the barkeeper, placing glasses along the
bar.

Each man filled his glass, and all looked at Whitey.

"Boys," said Whitey, solemnly, "ef the cap'en hed struck a nugget, good
luck might hev spiled him; ef he'd been chief of Black Hat, or any other
place, he might hev got shot. But he's made his mark, so nobody
begrudges him, an' nobody can rub it out. So here's to 'the cap'en's
mark, a dead sure thing.' Bottoms up."

The glasses were emptied in silence, and turned bottoms uppermost on the
bar.

The boys were slowly dispersing, when one, who was strongly suspected of
having been a Church member remarked:

"He was took of a sudden, so he shouldn't be stuck up."

Whitey turned to him, and replied, with some asperity:

"Young man, you'll be lucky ef _you're_ ever stuck up as high as the
captain."

And all the boys understood what Whitey meant.

CODAGO.

Two o'clock A.M. is supposed to be a popular sleeping hour the world
over, and as Flatfoot Bar was a portion of the terrestrial sphere, it
was but natural to expect its denizens to be in bed at that hour.

Yet, on a cer