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a swampy hollow。 It was choked with debris； a thin； yellow stream
that once ran through it seemed to have stopped work when they did；
and gone into greenish liquidation。
They had scarcely spoken during this brief journey； and had
received no other explanation from the Right Bower； who led them；
than that afforded by his mute example when he reached the race。
Leaping into it without a word； he at once began to clear away the
broken timbers and driftwood。 Fired by the spectacle of what
appeared to be a new and utterly frivolous game； the men gayly
leaped after him； and were soon engaged in a fascinating struggle
with the impeded race。 The Judge forgot his lameness in springing
over a broken sluice…box； Union Mills forgot his whistle in a happy
imitation of a Chinese coolie's song。 Nevertheless； after ten
minutes of this mild dissipation； the pastime flagged； Union Mills
was beginning to rub his leg when a distant rumble shook the earth。
The men looked at each other； the diversion was complete； a languid
discussion of the probabilities of its being an earthquake or a
blast followed； in the midst of which the Right Bower； who was
working a little in advance of the others； uttered a warning cry
and leaped from the race。 His companions had barely time to follow
before a sudden and inexplicable rise in the waters of the creek
sent a swift irruption of the flood through the race。 In an
instant its choked and impeded channel was cleared； the race was
free； and the scattered debris of logs and timber floated upon its
easy current。 Quick to take advantage of this labor…saving
phenomenon； the Lone Star partners sprang into the water； and by
disentangling and directing the eddying fragments completed their
work。
〃The Old Man oughter been here to see this；〃 said the Left Bower；
〃it's just one o' them climaxes of poetic justice he's always
huntin' up。 It's easy to see what's happened。 One o' them high…
toned shrimps over in the Excelsior claim has put a blast in too
near the creek。 He's tumbled the bank into the creek and sent the
back water down here just to wash out our race。 That's what I call
poetical retribution。〃
〃And who was it advised us to dam the creek below the race and make
it do the thing？〃 asked the Right Bower； moodily。
〃That was one of the Old Man's ideas； I reckon；〃 said the Left
Bower； dubiously。
〃And you remember；〃 broke in the Judge with animation； 〃I allus
said； 'Go slow； go slow。 You just hold on and suthin' will
happen。' And；〃 he added； triumphantly； 〃you see suthin' has
happened。 I don't want to take credit to myself； but I reckoned on
them Excelsior boys bein' fools； and took the chances。〃
〃And what if I happen to know that the Excelsior boys ain't
blastin' to…day？〃 said the Right Bower； sarcastically。
As the Judge had evidently based his hypothesis on the alleged fact
of a blast； he deftly evaded the point。 〃I ain't saying the Old
Man's head ain't level on some things； he wants a little more sabe
of the world。 He's improved a good deal in euchre lately； and in
pokerwell！ he's got that sorter dreamy； listenin'…to…the…angels
kind o' way that you can't exactly tell whether he's bluffin' or
has got a full hand。 Hasn't he？〃 he asked； appealing to Union
Mills。
But that gentleman； who had been watching the dark face of the
Right Bower； preferred to take what he believed to be his cue from
him。 〃That ain't the question；〃 he said virtuously； 〃we ain't
takin' this step to make a card sharp out of him。 We're not doin'
Chinamen's work in this race to…day for that。 No； sir！ We're
teachin' him to paddle his own canoe。〃 Not finding the sympathetic
response he looked for in the Right Bower's face； he turned to the
Left。
〃I reckon we were teachin' him our canoe was too full；〃 was the
Left Bower's unexpected reply。 〃That's about the size of it。〃
The Right Bower shot a rapid glance under his brows at his brother。
The latter； with his hands in his pockets； stared unconsciously at
the rushing waters； and then quietly turned away。 The Right Bower
followed him。 〃Are you goin' back on us？〃 he asked。
〃Are you？〃 responded the other。
〃No！〃
〃NO； then it is；〃 returned the Left Bower quietly。 The elder
brother hesitated in half…angry embarrassment。
〃Then what did you mean by saying we reckoned our canoe was too
full？〃
〃Wasn't that our idea？〃 returned the Left Bower； indifferently。
Confounded by this practical expression of his own unformulated
good intentions； the Right Bower was staggered。
〃Speakin' of the Old Man；〃 broke in the Judge； with characteristic
infelicity； 〃I reckon he'll sort o' miss us； times like these。 We
were allers runnin' him and bedevilin' him； after work； just to get
him excited and amusin'； and he'll kinder miss that sort o'
stimulatin'。 I reckon we'll miss it too； somewhat。 Don't you
remember； boys； the night we put up that little sell on him and
made him believe we'd struck it rich in the bank of the creek； and
got him so conceited； he wanted to go off and settle all our debts
at once？〃
〃And how I came bustin' into the cabin with a pan full of iron
pyrites and black sand；〃 chuckled Union Mills； continuing the
reminiscences； 〃and how them big gray eyes of his nearly bulged out
of his head。 Well； it's some satisfaction to know we did our duty
by the young fellow even in those little things。〃 He turned for
confirmation of their general disinterestedness to the Right Bower；
but he was already striding away； uneasily conscious of the lazy
following of the Left Bower； like a laggard conscience at his back。
This movement again threw Union Mills and the Judge into feeble
complicity in the rear； as the procession slowly straggled homeward
from the creek。
Night had fallen。 Their way lay through the shadow of Lone Star
Mountain； deepened here and there by the slight； bosky ridges that；
starting from its base； crept across the plain like vast roots of
its swelling trunk。 The shadows were growing blacker as the moon
began to assert itself over the rest of the valley； when the Right
Bower halted suddenly on one of these ridges。 The Left Bower
lounged up to him； and stopped also； while the two others came up
and completed the group。
〃There's no light in the shanty；〃 said the Right Bower in a low
voice； half to himself and； half in answer to their inquiring
attitude。 The men followed the direction of his finger。 In the
distance the black outline of the Lone Star cabin stood out
distinctly in the illumined space。 There was the blank； sightless；
external glitter of moonlight on its two windows that seemed to
reflect its dim vacancy； empty alike of light； and warmth； and
motion。
〃That's sing'lar；〃 said the Judge in an awed whisper。
The Left Bower； by simply altering the position of his hands in his
trousers' pockets； managed to suggest that he knew perfectly the
meaning of it； had a