"I wouldn't leave him raise a baby rattlesnake of mine," said Field,
whose watch had not been accepted by the foundling. "In fact, there
ain't but a few of us here into camp which knows the funderments of
motherhood, anyhow."

"I don't mind givin' Jim a few little pointers on the racket,"
responded Bone. "Never knew Jim yet to chuck out my advice.

"He's too lazy to chuck it," vouchsafed the teamster. "He just lets it
trickle out and drip."

"Well, we'll watch him, that's all," Field remarked, with a knowing
squint in his eyes, and employing a style he would not have dared to
parade in the hearing of Jim. "Borealis has come to her formaline
period, and she can't afford to leave this child be raised extraneous.
It's got to be done with honor and glory to the camp, even if we have
to take the kid away from Jim complete."

"He found the little skeezucks, all the same," the blacksmith reminded
them. "That counts for somethin'. He's got a right to keep him for a
while, at least, unless the mother should heave into town."

"Or the dad," added Lufkins.

"Shoot the dad!" answered Bone. "A dad which would let a little feller
small as him git lost in the brush don't deserve to git him back."

"Mysterious case, sure as lizards is insects," said an individual
heretofore silent. "I guess I'll go and tell Miss Doc Dennihan."