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"I s'pose," said Joe Graddy, with a sarcastic laugh, "that you'll be goin' to set up your carriage an' four, an' make me your coachman, mayhap?" "I think I may promise that with safety," replied Frank. "Indeed you may," said Jeffson, "for Bradling has been one of the most successful diggers in Bigbear Gully since you left it, and has made his fortune twice over.
"It may look a little up-stage for a girl who hasn't got a line to read in the piece, but these days one must get the spot-light, or be a dead one. It reminds me of a little run-in I had with Graddy he's our stage-director, you know." She paused, awaiting the invitation to proceed, and, having received it, went gaily forward.
The Indian caught it eagerly, and began to devour it as though he had eaten nothing. "He's tightening up like a drum," observed Jeffson, handing him a greasy wedge off a raw flitch of bacon. "Him vill boost," said Meyer, staring at the Indian and smoking slowly, owing to the strength of his amazement. "Jack the Giant Killer was a joke to him," muttered Graddy.
"God help the poor wretches," murmured Joe Graddy to Frank as they staggered along side by side. "Is our supply nearly out could we not give them a drop?" Frank stopped suddenly, and, with desperate energy, seized the keg which hung over his shoulder, and shook it close to the ear of his companion. "Listen," he said, "can we afford to spare any with forty miles of the desert before us?
It is our life! we must guard it." Graddy shook his head, and, admitting that the thing was out of the question, went silently forward. It was all that Frank himself could do to refrain from drinking the little that remained, for his very vitals seemed on fire.
"Of coorse, in a country o' this kind," replied Graddy, "it's difficult, I might a'most say unpossible, to be a man's sarvant without bein' his companion likewise." "But here is a great difficulty at the outset, Joe. I have not yet made up my mind what course to pursue."
Of course he felt much gratified by the fact that a man so grave and sensible as Joe Graddy should come and deferentially offer to become his servant at a time when he possessed nothing but the remnant of a month's salary; and when he considered his own youth, he felt amazed that one so old and manly should volunteer to place himself under his orders.
"Ay, she's gone," observed Gaff with a sigh; "and now we'll have to pull for it, night an' day, as we are able." He began slowly to get out one of the oars as he spoke. "It would have been better if they had cut our throats," growled Captain Graddy with a fierce oath.
This was speedily done, and then they all rushed men and mules together deep into the stream and luxuriated in the cool water! When they had slaked their thirst to the uttermost, Graddy proposed that a party should be sent back to the relief of those left behind, and offered to join it. Frank seconded this proposal, and the Yankee, Jeffson, volunteered to join it.
Instantly, with the leap of a panther, Graddy was upon him with both hands grasping tightly at his throat. Down, down, he pressed him, until Gaff lay on his back with his head over the gunwale. His strength now availed him nothing, for unnatural energy nerved the madman's arm. Billy sprang up and tried to disengage him from his grasp. As well might the rabbit try to unlock the boa's deadly coil.
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