"A prophet," exclaimed the Woman. "You see we are the forerunners. But
who is Black Mart?"

"Oh, he's a miner that's workin' the claim next ter Golconda. He's a
friend o' the cook there, an' comes over ter eat pretty often. Him and
Moose had some trouble once over some minin' ground, an' Mart kinda
takes it out on all Moose's friends, even if they's only boys an' dogs,
don't he, Baldy?" And Baldy wagged that he certainly did. "Now the cook
says they've got work dogs enough belongin' ter the claim ter feed,
without supportin' my mangy cur in idleness. Mr. Allan," earnestly, "he
ain't mangy, an' he's the most willin' dog I ever seen fer any one that
loves him. But he ain't sociable with every one, an' he don't like bein'
handled rough."

"Scotty" looked at Baldy with a practiced and critical eye. "Those are
all points in his favor," he remarked. "You can't do much with a dog
that gives his affection and obedience indiscriminately."

"Besides, he ain't no cur--he's one o' them Bowen-Dalzene pups, an' you
know there ain't a poor dog in the lot. They give him to me 'cause he
wasn't like any o' the others in the litter, an' would 'a' spoiled the
looks o' the team when they was old enough ter be hitched up," continued
Ben breathlessly. "He was sort o' wild, too, an' he wouldn't pay
attention t' any of 'em when I was round, an' they said I might as well
take him fer keeps as t' have him runnin' away t' git t' me all the
time."

"And your mother does not like him, and thinks it would be best not to
keep him now?"