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The busy lanterns wagged among the switches； the steady lights of the
saloons shone along the town's wooden facade。 From the bluffs that wall
Green River the sweet； clean sage…brush wind blew down in currents
freshly through the coal…smoke。 A wrench passed through the train from
locomotive to caboose； each fettered car in turn strained into motion and
slowly rolled over the bridge and into silence from the steam and the bells
of the railroad yard。 Through the open windows of the caboose great dull…
red cinders rattled in； and the whistles of distant Union Pacific
locomotives sounded over the open plains ominous and long； like ships at
sea。
Honey and Lin sat for a while； making few observations and far
between； as their way is between whom flows a stream of old…time
understanding。 Mutual whiskey and silence can express much friendship；
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and eloquently。
〃What are yu' doing at present？〃 Lin inquired。
〃Prospectin'。〃
Now prospecting means hunting gold； except to such spirits as the boy
Lin。 To these it means finding gold。 So Lin McLean listened to the talk of
his friend Honey Wiggin as the caboose trundled through the night。 He
saw himself in a vision of the near future enter a bank and thump down a
bag of gold…dust。 Then he saw the new； clean money the man would hand
him in exchange； bills with round zeroes half covered by being folded
over； and heavy； satisfactory gold pieces。 And then he saw the blue water
that twinkles beneath Boston。 His fingers came again on his trunk check。
He had his ticket； too。 And as dawn now revealed the gray country to him；
his eye fell casually upon a mile…post： 〃Omaha； 876。〃 He began to watch
for them：877； 878。 But the trunk would really get to Omaha。
〃What are yu' laughin' about？〃 asked Honey。
〃Oh； the wheels。〃
〃Wheels？〃
〃Don't yu' hear 'em？〃 said Lin。 〃'Variety；' they keep a…sayin'。 'Variety；
variety。' 〃
〃Huh！〃 said Honey； with scorn。 〃'Ker…chunka…chunk' 's all I make it。〃
〃You're no poet；〃 observed Mr。 McLean。
As the train moved into Evanston in the sunlight； a gleam of dismay
shot over Lin's face； and he ducked his head out of sight of the window；
but immediately raised it again。 Then he leaned out； waving his arm with a
certain defiant vigor。 But the bishop on the platform failed to notice this
performance； though it was done for his sole benefit； nor would Lin
explain to the inquisitive Wiggin what the matter was。 Therefore； very
naturally； Honey drew a conclusion for himself； looked quickly out of the
window； and； being disappointed in what he expected to see remarked；
sulkily； 〃Do yu' figure I care what sort of a lookin' girl is stuck on yu' in
Evanston？〃 And upon this young Lin laughed so loudly that his friend told
him he had never seen a man get so foolish in three years。
By…and…by they were in Utah； and； in the company of Ogden friends；
forgot prospecting。 Later they resumed freight trains and journeyed north
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In Idaho they said good…bye to the train hands in the caboose； and came to
Little Camas； and so among the mountains near Feather Creek。 Here the
berries were of several sorts； and growing riper each day； and the bears in
the timber above knew this； and came down punctually with the season；
making variety in the otherwise even life of the prospectors。 It was now
August； and Lin sat on a wet hill making mud…pies for sixty days。 But the
philosopher's stone was not in the wash at that placer； nor did Lin gather
gold…dust sufficient to cover the nail of his thumb。 Then they heard of an
excitement at Obo； Nevada； and； hurrying to Obo； they made some more
mud…pies。
Now and then； eating their fat bacon at noon； Honey would say； 〃Lin；
wher're yu' goin'？〃
And Lin always replied； 〃East。〃 This became a signal for drinks。
For beauty and promise； Nevada is a name among names。 Nevada！
Pronounce the word aloud。 Does it not evoke mountains and clear air；
heights of untrodden snow and valleys aromatic with the pine and musical
with falling waters？ Nevada！ But the name is all。 Abomination of
desolation presides over nine…tenths of the place。 The sun beats down as
on a roof of zinc； fierce and dull。 Not a drop of water to a mile of sand。
The mean ash…dump landscape stretches on from nowhere to nowhere； a
spot of mange。 No portion of the earth is more lacquered with paltry；
unimportant ugliness。
There is gold in Nevada； but Lin and Honey did not find it。
Prospecting of the sort they did； besides proving unfruitful； is not
comfortable。 Now and again； losing patience； Lin would leave his work
and stalk about and gaze down at the scattered men who stooped or knelt
in the water。 Passing each busy prospector； Lin would read on every broad；
upturned pair of overalls the same label； 〃Levi Strauss； No。 2；〃 with a
picture of two lusty horses hitched to one of these garments and vainly
struggling to split them asunder。 Lin remembered he was wearing a label
just like that too； and when he considered all things he laughed to himself。
Then； having stretched the ache out of his long legs； he would return to his
ditch。 As autumn wore on； his feet grew cold in the mushy gravel they
were sunk in。 He beat off the sand that had stiffened on his boots； and
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hated Obo； Nevada。 But he held himself ready to say 〃East〃 whenever he
saw Honey coming along with the bottle。 The cold weather put an end to
this adventure。 The ditches froze and filled with snow； through which the
sordid gravel heaps showed in a dreary fashion； so the two friends drifted
southward。
Near the small new town of Mesa； Arizona； they sat down again in the
dirt。 It was milder here； and； when the sun shone； never quite froze。 But
this part of Arizona is scarcely more grateful to the eye than Nevada。
Moreover； Lin and Honey found no gold at all。 Some men near them
found a little。 Then in January； even though the sun shone； it quite froze
one day。
〃We're seein' the country； anyway；〃 said Honey。
〃