"Wall, Steve," he exclaimed, shifting his quid of tobacco in a leisurelymanner from one side of his mouth to the other, "you have got a soft thingagain. You're a damned lucky fellow, Steve; dunno whether you know it ornot."

"No, I don't know it," said in reply Steve, curtly; "and what's more, I don'tbelieve in luck."

"Don't yer?" exclaimed George, reflectively. "Wall, I do; an' Lord knows 'tain't because I've seen so much of it. Say, Steve," he added, "how'd yecome to take on such a lot o' women folks, this trip?"

"Lot o' women folks! what d' ye mean?" shouted Steve. "There's nowomenkind going except one,--Mr. Cravath's wife; and I wish to thunderhe'd left her close behind."

"0h, is that all?" exclaimed George, half innocently, half mischievously,--hewas not very sure of his ground; "be the rest on 'em goin' to stayhere? There's three women in the party. Mr. Randall he's got his wife,and there's a widder along, too; mighty fine-lookin' she is; aren'tnothin' very very aged about her, I can tell yer!"