"It weren't a bad haul tonight, were it, Lem?" he said almost jovially.
"And tomorry ye come up to the shanty for the dividin'. Ye know I
wouldn't cheat a hair o' yer head, don't ye, Lem?"

"Yep, ye bet I know it! And I'm that happy 'cause I'm to take yer gal a
Saturday that I could give ye the hull haul tonight, Lon."

"Ye needn't do that, Lem. I give ye Flea 'cause I want ye to have her,
and I know that you'll make her stand round and mind ye, and if she
don't--"

"Then I'll make her!" put in Lem darkly. "She'll give back no more bites
for my kisses when I get her! I had a woman a long time ago, and when
she didn't mind me I beat her, and beat her and beat her hard! That's
the way to do with women folks!"

"Ye had Scraggy, didn't ye, Lem?" asked Lon, heaping his arm with his
clothing.

Flukey stood silently by, his pale face ghastly in the thin, yellow
moonlight.

"Yep; but Scraggy wasn't no good. I didn't like her. I do like Flea,
and I'd stick to her, too. I'd marry her if ye'd say the word."

"Nope, I ain't a askin' ye to marry her. Yer jest make her stand around,
and break her spirit if ye can. Flea ain't like Flukey; she's hard to
beat a thing out of."

"I know how to handle her!" answered Lem. The silent laughter in his