The horseman answered: "Suvy's the prettiest gaited thing you ever
saw--when he gaits."

"Holy toads!" said the older man apprehensively, "you ain't
sure-a-goin' to tackle the outlaw today?"

"I've always felt we'd come to it soon or late," was Van's reply. "And
I've got to have a horse this afternoon. We can't kill each other but
once."

"Supposen he stoves in your pilot-house," said Napoleon. "What shall
we do about the claim, and all this cargo, and everything?"

"The claim? Work it, man, work it," Van responded. "What's a mining
claim for but to furnish good hard work for a couple of old ring-tailed
galoots who've shirked it all their lives?"

"Work it, yep, but what on?" asked Gettysburg. "We're as broke as a
hatched-out egg."

"Haven't you worked on shinbones and heavenly hopes before?" inquired
the busy leader of the partnership. "And that reminds me, Algy, what
about you?" he added to the Chinese cook. "We can't afford a
tippe-bob-royal chef of your dimensions after this. I guess you'll
have to poison somebody else."

"What's mallah you, Van?" Algy demanded aggressively. "You makee me
velly sick. You get velly lich I cook your glub. You go bloke, I cook
alle same. Sominagot, I b'long go with you all time. You no got good
luck I never want the money, you savvy? You go hell--go anywhere--I go