Alton nodded, and glanced at the speaker questioningly.

"No. If it would fit in," he said.

"I'm Hallam," said the other man. "Hallam and Vose, of the Tyee
mineral claim. They've been fooling things up yonder, big pump's given
out, and I've a few hundred pounds of engine fixings back at the
railroad I want brought in by to-morrow."

Alton glanced at the pack-beasts waiting unloaded outside the store,
and shook his head. "I'm sorry I can't trade with you," he said. "You
see, I've promised another man to pack up some stores for him."

Hallam made a gesture of impatience. "Then you can let him wait," he
said. "This deal will pay you better. You can put your own price on
it."

Alton's eyelids came down a little, and the stranger seemed to find his
glance disconcerting. "You don't seem to understand. I promised the
other man to bring up his things," he said.

"Well," said Hallam, "come along into the shanty yonder, and have a
drink with me. We may fix up some way of getting over the difficulty."

"Sorry!" said Alton with a suspicious quietness. "I don't drink much,
anyway, and then only with the boys who know me."

"Hey!" said Hallam. "You are talking like a condemned Englishman."