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Ourlittlefirewasbuiltbesidethecaboose，sothecookingthingsmightbeeasilyreachedandputback。Youwouldscarcelythinksuchoperationsheldanyinterest，evenforthehungry，whenthereseemedtobenothingtocook。Afewsticksblazingtamelyinthedust，afrying-pan，halfatinbucketoflard，somewater，andbarrenplatesandknivesandforks，andthreesilentmenattendingtothem——thatwasall。Butthetravellerscametosee。Thesewaifsdrewnearus，andstood，asad，lore，shiftingfringeofaudience；fourtobeginwith；andthentwowanderedaway；andpresentlyoneofthesecameback，findingitworseelsewhere。“Supper，boys？“saidhe。“Breakfast，“saidScipio，crossly。Andnomoreofthemaddressedus。IheardthemjoylesslymentionWallStreettoeachother，andSaratoga；IevenheardthenameBrynMawr，whichisnearPhiladelphia。ButthesefragmentsofhomedroppedinthewildernesshereinMontanabesideafreightcaboosewereofnointeresttomenow。
“Lookslikefrogsdownthere，too，“saidScipio。“Seethemmarshyslogsfullofweeds？“WetookalittleturnandhadasightoftheVirginianquiteactiveamongtheponds。“Hush！I’mgettingsomethoughts，“continuedScipio。“Hewasn’tsorryenough。Don’tinterruptme。“
“I’mnot，“saidI。
“No。ButI’d’mostcaughta-hold。“AndScipiomutteredtohimselfagain，“Hewasn’tsorryenough。“Presentlyhesworeloudandbrilliantly。“Tellyu’！“hecried。“WhatdidhesaytoTrampasafterthatplaytheyexchangedoverrailroadimprovementsandTrampasputthejoshonhim？Didn’thesay，’Trampas，Ithoughtyou’dbeafraidtodoit？’Well，sir，Trampashadbetterhavebeenafraid。Andthat’swhathemeant。There’swherehewasbringin’ittoTrampasmadeanawfulbadplaythen。Youwait。
Glory，buthe’saknowin’man！Coursehewasn’tsorry。Iguesshehadthehardestkindofworktolookassorryashedid。Youwait。“
“Wait？Whatfor？Goon，man！Whatfor？“
“Idon’tknow！Idon’tknow！Whateverhandhe’sbeenholdin’up，thisistheshow-down。He’splayedforashow-downherebeforethecaboosegetsoffthebridge。Comebacktothefire，orShorty’llbeleavin’itgoout。Growhappysome，Shorty！“hecriedonarriving，andhishandcrackedonShorty’sshoulder。
“Supper’sinsight，Shorty。Foodforreflection。“
“Noneforthestomach？“askedthepassengerwhohadspokenoncebefore。
“We’refiguringonthattoo，“saidScipio。Hiscrossnesshadmeltedentirelyaway。
“Why，they’recow-boys！“exclaimedanotherpassenger；andhemovednearer。
FromthestationTrampasnowcameback，hisherdfollowinghimlesscompactly。Theyhadfoundfamine，andnohopeofsuppliesuntilthenexttrainfromtheEast。ThiswasnofaultofTrampas’s；buttheywerefollowinghimlesscompactly。Theycarriedonepieceofcheese，thesizeofafist，theweightofabrick，thehueofacorpse。Andthepassengers，seeingit，exclaimed，“There’sOldFaithfulagain！“andtookofftheirhats。
“Yougentlemenmetthatcheesebefore，then？“saidScipio，delighted。
“It’sbeenofferedmethreetimesadayforfourdays，“saidthepassenger。“Didhewantadollaroradollarandahalf？“
“Twodollars！“blurtedouttheenthusiast。AndallofussaveTrampasfellintofitsofimbecilelaughter。
“Herecomesourgrub，anyway，“saidScipio，lookingofftowardthemarshes。Andhishilaritysoberedawayinamoment。
“Well，thetrainwillbeinsoon，“statedTrampas。“Iguesswe’llgetadecentsupperwithoutfrogs。“
AllinterestsettlednowupontheVirginian。Hewascomingwithhismanandhisgunnysack，andthegunnysackhungfromhisshoulderheavily，asafullsackshould。Hetooknonoticeofthegathering，butsatdownandpartlyemptiedthesack。“There，“
saidhe，verybusinesslike，tohisassistant，“that’sallwe’llwant。Ithinkyou’llfindareadymarketforthebalance。“
“Well，mygracious！“saidtheenthusiast。“Whatfooleatsafrog？“
“Oh，I’mfoolenoughforatadpole！“criedthepassenger。Andtheybegantotakeouttheirpocket-books。
“Youcancookyoursrighthyeh，gentlemen，“saidtheVirginian，withhisslowSoutherncourtesy。“Thedining-cyarsdon’tlookliketheywerefiredup。“
“H
