For　a　time　everything　was　pleasant。　　Dreams　came　fused　with
  realities；　the　firelight　faded　from　consciousness　or　returned
  fantastic　to　our　half…awakening；　a　delicious　numbness　overspread
  our　tired　bodies。　The　shadows　leaped；　became　solid；　monstrous。
  We　fell　asleep。
  After　a　time　the　fact　obtruded　itself　dimly　through　our　stupor
  that　the　constant　pressure　of　the　hard　rock　had　impeded　our
  circulation。　　We　stirred　uneasily；　shifting　to　a　better　position。
  That　was　the　beginning　of　awakening。　　The　new　position　did　not
  suit。　　A　slight　shivering　seized　us；　which　the　drawing　closer　of
  the　blanket　failed　to　end。　　Finally　I　threw　aside　my　hat　and
  looked　out。　　Jed　Parker；　a　vivid　patch…work　comforter　wrapped
  about　his　shoulders；　stood　upright　and　silent　by　the　fire。　　I
  kept　still；　fearing　to　awaken　the　others。　　In　a　short　time　I
  became　aware　that　the　others　were　doing　identically　the　same
  thing。　　We　laughed；　threw　off　our　blankets；　stretched；　and　fed
  the　fire。
  A　thick　acrid　smoke　filled　the　air。　　The　Cattleman；　rising；　left
  a　trail　of　incandescent　footprints。　　We　investigated　hastily；　and
  discovered　that　the　supposed　earth　on　the　slant　of　the　cave　was
  nothing　more　than　bat　guano；　tons　of　it。　　The　fire；　eating　its
  way　beneath；　had　rendered　untenable　its　immediate　vicinity。　　We
  felt　as　though　we　were　living　over　a　volcano。　　How　soon　our
  ledge；　of　the　same　material；　might　be　attacked；　we　had　no　means
  of　knowing。　　Overcome　with　drowsiness；　we　again　disposed　our
  blankets；　resolved　to　get　as　many　naps　as　possible　before　even
  these　constrained　quarters　were　taken　from　us。
  This　happened　sooner　and　in　a　manner　otherwise　than　we　had
  expected。　　Windy　Bill　brought　us　to　consciousness　by　a　wild　yell。
  Consciousness　reported　to　us　a　strange；　hurried　sound　like　the
  long　roll　on　a　drum。　　Investigation　showed　us　that　this　cave；
  too；　had　sprung　a　leak；　not　with　any　premonitory　drip；　but　all　at
  once；　as　though　someone　had　turned　on　a　faucet。　　In　ten　seconds　a
  very　competent　streamlet　six　inches　wide　had　eroded　a　course　down
  through　the　guano；　past　the　fire　and　to　the　outer　slope。　　And　by
  the　irony　of　fate　that　oneand　only　oneleak　in　all　the　roof
  expanse　of　a　big　cave　was　directly　over　one　end　of　our　tiny
  ledge。　　The　Cattleman　laughed。
  〃Reminds　me　of　the　old　farmer　and　his　kind　friend；〃　said　he。
  〃Kind　friend　hunts　up　the　old　farmer　in　the　village。
  〃'John；'　says　he；　'I've　bad　news　for　you。　Your　barn　has　burned
  up。'
  〃'My　Lord！'　says　the　farmer。
  〃'But　that　ain't　the　worst。　　Your　cow　was　burned；　too。'
  〃'My　Lord！'　says　the　farmer。
  〃'But　that　ain't　the　worst。　　Your　horses　were　burned。'
  〃'My　Lord！'　says　the　farmer。
  〃'But；　that　ain't　the　worst。　　The　barn　set　fire　to　the　house；　and
  it　was　burnedtotal　loss。'
  〃'My　Lord！'　groans　the　farmer。
  〃'But　that　ain't　the　worst。　　Your　wife　and　child　were　killed；
  too。'
  〃'At　that　the　farmer　began　to　roar　with　laughter。
  〃'Good　heavens；　man！'　cries　his　friend；　astonished；　'what　in
  the　world　do　you　find　to　laugh　at　in　that？'
  〃'Don't　you　see？'　answers　the　farmer。　　'Why；　it's　so　darn
  COMPLETE！'
  〃Well；〃　finished　the　Cattleman；　〃that's　what　strikes　me　about
  our　case；　it's　so　darn　complete！〃
  〃What　time　is　it？〃　asked　Windy　Bill。
  〃Midnight；〃　I　announced。
  〃Lord！　　Six　hours　to　day！〃　groaned　Windy　Bill。　〃How'd　you　like　to
  be　doin'　a　nice　quiet　job　at　gardenin'　in　the　East　where　you
  could　belly　up　to　the　bar　reg'lar　every　evenin'；　and　drink　a
  pussy　cafe　and　smoke　tailor…made　cigareets？〃
  〃You　wouldn't　like　it　a　bit；〃　put　in　the　Cattleman　with　decision；
  whereupon　in　proof　he　told　us　the　following　story：
  Windy　has　mentioned　Gentleman　Tim；　and　that　reminded　me　of　the
  first　time　I　ever　saw　him。　　He　was　an　Irishman　all　right；　but　he
  had　been　educated　in　England；　and　except　for　his　accent　he　was
  more　an　Englishman　than　anything　else。　　A　freight　outfit　brought
  him　into　Tucson　from　Santa　Fe　and　dumped　him　down　on　the　plaza；
  where　at　once　every　idler　in　town　gathered　to　quiz　him。
  Certainly　he　was　one　of　the　greenest　specimens　I　ever　saw　in　this
  country。　　He　had　on　a　pair　of　balloon　pants　and　a　Norfolk　jacket；
  and　was　surrounded　by　a　half…dozen　baby　trunks。　　His　face　was
  red…cheeked　and　aggressively　clean；　and　his　eye　limpid　as　a
  child's。　　Most　of　those　present　thought　that　indicated
  childishness；　but　I　could　see　that　it　was　only　utter
  self…unconsciousness。
  It　seemed　that　he　was　out　for　big　game；　and　intended　to　go　after
  silver…tips　somewhere　in　these　very　mountains。　　Of　course　he　was
  offered　plenty　of　advice；　and　would　probably　have　made
  engagements　much　to　be　regretted　had　I　not　taken　a　strong　fancy
  to　him。
  〃My　friend；〃　said　I；　drawing　him　aside；　〃I　don't　want　to　be
  inquisitive；　but　what　might　you　do　when　you're　home？〃
  〃I'm　a　younger　son；〃　said　he。　I　was　green　myself　in　those　days；
  and　knew　nothing　of　primogeniture。
  〃That　is　a　very　interesting　piece　of　family　history；〃　said　I；
  〃but　it　does　not　answer　my　question。〃
  He　smiled。
  〃Well　now；　I　hadn't　thought　of　that；〃　said　he；　〃but　in　a　manner
  of　speaking；　it　does。　　I　do　nothing。〃
  〃Well；〃　said　I；　unabashed；　〃if　you　saw　me　trying　to　be　a　younger
  son　and　likely　to　forget　myself　and　do　something　without　meaning
  to；　wouldn't　you　be　apt　to　warn　me？〃
  〃Well；　'pon　honour；　you're　a　queer　chap。　　What　do　you　mean？〃
  〃I　mean　that　if　you　hire　any　of　those　men　to　guide　you　in　the
  mountains；　you'll　be　outrageously　cheated；　and　will　be　lucky　if
  you're　not　gobbled　by　Apaches。〃
  〃Do　you　do　any　guiding　yourself；　now？〃　he　asked；　most　innocent　of
  manner。
  But　I　flared　up。
  〃You　damn　ungrateful　pup；〃　I　said；　〃go　to　the　devil　in　your
  own　way；〃　and　turned　square　on　my　heel。
  But　the　young　man　was　at　my　elbow；　his　hand　on　my　shoulder。
  〃Oh；　I　say　now；　I'm　sorry。　　I　didn't　rightly　understand。　　Do
  wait　one　moment　until　I　dispose　of　these　boxes　of　mine；　and　then
  I　want　the　honour　of　your　further　acquaintance。〃
  He　got　some　Greasers　to　take　his　trunks　over　to　the　hotel；　then
  linked　his　arm　in　mine　most　engagingly。
  〃Now；　my　dear　chap；〃　said　he；　〃let's　go　somewhere　for　a　B　&　S；
  and　find　out　about　each　other。〃
  We　were　both　young　and　expansive。　　We　exchanged　views；　names；
  and　confidences；　and　before　noon　we　had　arranged　to　hunt
  together；　I　to　collect　the　outfit。
  The　upshot　of　the　matter　was　that　the　Honourable　Timothy　Clare
  and　I　had　a　most　excellent　month's　excursion；　shot　several　good
  bear；　and　returned　to　Tucson　the　best　of　friends。
  At　Tucson　was　Schiefflein　and　his　stories　of　a　big　strike　down
  in　the　Apache　country。　　Nothing　would　do　but　that　we　should　both
  go　to　see　for　ourselves。　　We　joined　the　second　expedition；　crept
  in　the　gullies；　tied　bushes　about　ourselves　when　monumenting
  corners；　and　so　helped　establish　the　town　of　Tombstone。　　We　made
  nothing；　nor　attempted　to。　　Neither　　of　us　knew　anything　of
  mining；　but　we　were　both　thirsty　for　adventure；　and　took　a
  schoolboy　delight　in　playing　the　game　of　life　or　death　with　the
  Chiricahuas。
  In　fact；　I　never　saw　anybody　take　to　the　wild　life　as　eagerly　as
  the　Honourable　Timothy　Clare。　　He　wanted　to　attempt　everything。
  With　him　it　was　no　sooner　see　than　try；　and　he　had　such　an
  abundance　of　enthusiasm　that　he　generally　succeeded。　　The　balloon
  pants　soon　went。　　In　a　month　his　outfit　was　irreproachable。　　He
  used　to　study　us　by　the　hour；　taking　in　every　detail　of　our
  equipment；　from　the　smallest　to　the　most　important。　　Then　he
  asked　questions。　　For　all　his　desire　to　be　one　of　the　country；　he
  was　never　ashamed　to　acknowledge　his　ignorance。
  〃Now；　don't　you　chaps　think　it　silly　to　wear　such　high　heels　to
  your　boots？〃　　he　would　ask。　　〃It　seems　to　me　a　very　useless　sort
  of　vanity。〃
  〃No　vanity　about　it；　Tim；〃　I　explained。　〃In　the　first　place；　it
  keeps　your　foot　from　slipping　through　the　stirrup。　　In　the　second
  place；　it　is　good　to　grip　on　the　ground　when　you're　roping
  afoot。〃
  〃By　Jove；　that's　true！〃　he　cried。
  So　he'd　get　him　a　pair　of　boots。　　For　a　while　it　was　enough　to
  wear　and　own　all　these　things。　　He　seemed　to　delight　in　his
  six…shooter　and　his　rope　just　as　ornaments　to　himself　and　horse。
  But　he　soon　got　over　that。　　Then　he　had　to　learn　to　use　them。
  For　the　time　being；　pistol　practice；　for　instance；　would　absorb
  all　his　thoughts。　　He'd　bang　away　at　intervals　all　day；　and
  figure　out　new　theories　all　night。
  〃That　bally　scheme　won't　work；〃　he　would　complain。　　〃I　believe　if
  I　extended　my　thumb　along　the　cylinder　it　would　help　that　side
  jump。〃
  He　was　always　easing　the　trigger…pull；　or　filing　the　sights。　　In
  time　he　got　to　be　a　fairly　accurate　and　very　quick　shot。
  The　same　way　with　roping　and　hog…tying　and　all　the　rest。
  〃What's　the　use？〃　I　used　to　ask　him。　　〃If　you　were　going　to　be　a
  bu