"Well, then! And I've apologized for bein' one a few minutes ago, ain't
I."

"Yes, you have. No grudge on my part, I assure you. Let's forget it and
talk of something else."

They did, but the dialogue was rather jerky. Brown was thinking, and
Atkins seemed moody and disinclined to talk. After a time he announced
that it was getting late and he cal'lated he would go up to the light
room. "You'd better turn in," he added, rising.

"Just a minute," said the young man. "Wait just a minute. Atkins,
suppose I asked you another question--would you become violent at once?
or merely by degrees?"

Seth frowned. The suspicious look returned to his face.

"Humph!" he grunted. "Depended on what you asked me, maybe."

"Yes. Well, this one is harmless--at least, I hope it is. I thought the
other was, also, but I . . . There! there! be calm. Sit down again and
listen. This question is nothing like that. It's about that assistant of
yours, the chap who left a day or two before I drifted in. What were his
duties? What did he have to do when he was here?"

"Wa-al," drawled Seth with sarcasm, resuming his seat on the bench; "he
was SUPPOSED to do consider'ble many things. Stand watch and watch
with me, and scrub brass and clean up around, and sweep and wash dishes
and--and--well, make himself gen'rally useful. Them was the duties he