"Who'd be preacher?" said he.

They were stumped for a moment.

"Why--you," said Keno. "Didn't you find little Skeezucks?"

"Kerrect," said Bone. "Jim kin talk like a steam fire-engine squirtin'
languages."

"If only I had the application," said Jim, modestly, "I might git up
somethin' passable. Where could we have it?"

This was a stumper again. No building in the camp had ever been
consecrated to the uses of religious worship.

Bone came to the rescue without delay.

"You kin have my saloon, and not a cent of cost," said he.

"Bully fer Bone!" said several of the men.

"Y-e-s, but would it be just the tip-toppest, tippe-bob-royal of a
place?" inquired Field, a little cautiously.

"What's the matter with it?" said Bone. "When it's church it's church,
and I guess it would know the way to behave! If there's anything
better, trot it out."

"You can come to the shop if it suits any better," said the blacksmith.