When it was chilly, logs would be brought from the woods, and a
bright fire would be lighted, around which the miners would sit and
talk of home and their personal adventures and experiences. One
evening Mr. Bickford and Joe were returning from a walk, when, as
they approached the camp-fire, they heard a voice that sounded
familiar, and caught these words:

"I'm from Pike County, Missouri, gentlemen. They call me the
Rip-tail Roarer. I can whip my weight in wildcats."

"By gosh!" exclaimed Joshua, "if it ain't that skunk from Pike. I
mean to tackle him."




CHAPTER XXXI

JUDGE LYNCH PRONOUNCES SENTENCE

The gentleman from Pike was sitting on a log, surrounded by miners,
to whom he was relating his marvelous exploits. The number of
Indians, grizzly bears, and enemies generally, which, according to
his account, he had overcome and made way with, was simply enormous.
Hercules was nothing to him. It can hardly be said that his
listeners credited his stories. They had seen enough of life to be
pretty good judges of human nature, and regarded them as romances
which served to while away the time.