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to be absorbed in the pattern of Uncle Ben's new trousers。
〃That's fixed；〃 he said with a meaning smile。 〃There's a sort o'
bonus we pays down； you knowfor a Chinyman to do the odd jobs。〃
〃And teacherMr。 Forddid ye tell him？〃 said Rupert brightening。
Uncle Ben coughed slightly。 〃He's agreeable； too； I reckon。 That
is；〃 he wiped his mouth meditatively； 〃he ez good ez allowed it in
gin'ral conversation a week ago； Roop。〃
A swift shadow of suspicion darkened the boy's brown eyes。 〃Is
anybody else goin' with us？〃 he said quickly。
〃Not this yer trip；〃 replied Uncle Ben complacently。 〃Ye see；
Roop；〃 he continued； drawing him aside with an air of comfortable
mystery； 〃this yer biz'ness b'longs to the private and confidential
branch of the office。 From informashun we've received〃
〃WE？〃 interrupted Rupert。
〃'We；' that's the OFFICE； you know；〃 continued Uncle Ben with a
heavy assumption of business formality； 〃wot we've received per
several hands and consigneewethat's YOU and ME； Roopwe goes
down to Sacramento to inquire into the standin' of a certing party；
as per invoice； and ter seeter seeter negotiate you know； ter
find out if she's married or di…vorced；〃 he concluded quickly； as
if abandoning for the moment his business manner in consideration
of Rupert's inexperience。 〃We're to find out her standin'； Roop；〃
he began again with a more judicious blending of ease and
technicality； 〃and her contracts； if any； and where she lives and
her way o' life； and examine her books and papers ez to marriages
and sich； and arbitrate with her gin'rally in conversationyou
inside the house and me out on the pavement； ready to be called in
if an interview with business principals is desired。〃
Observing Rupert somewhat perplexed and confused with these
technicalities； he tactfully abandoned them for the present； and
consulting a pocket…book said； 〃I've made a memorandum of some
pints that we'll talk over on the journey；〃 again charged Rupert
to be punctually at the stage office with his carpetbag； and
cheerfully departed。
When he had disappeared Johnny Filgee； without a single word of
explanation； fell upon his brother； and at once began a violent
attack of kicks and blows upon his legs and other easily accessible
parts of his person； accompanying his assault with unintelligible
gasps and actions； finally culminating in a flood of tears and the
casting of himself on his back in the dust with the copper…fastened
toes of his small boots turning imaginary wheels in the air。
Rupert received these characteristic marks of despairing and
outraged affection with great forbearance； only saying； 〃There；
now； Johnny； quit that；〃 and eventually bearing him still
struggling into the house。 Here Johnny； declaring that he would
kill any 〃Chinyman〃 that offered to dress him； and burn down the
house after his brother's infamous desertion of it； Rupert was
constrained to mingle a few nervous； excited tears with his
brother's outbreak。 Whereat Johnny； admitting the alleviation of
an orange； a four…bladed knife； and the reversionary interest in
much of Rupert's personal property； became more subdued。 Sitting
there with their arms entwined about each other； the sunlight
searching the shiftless desolation of their motherless home； the
few cheap playthings they had known lying around them； they
beguiled themselves with those charming illusions of their future
intentions common to their yearsillusions they only half believed
themselves and half accepted of each other。 Rupert was quite
certain that he would return in a few days with a gold watch and a
present for Johnny； and Johnny； with a baleful vision of never
seeing him again； and a catching breath； magnificently undertook to
bring in the wood and build the fire and wash the dishes 〃all of
himself。〃 And then there were a few childish confidences regarding
their absent fatherthen ingenuously playing poker in the Magnolia
Saloonthat might have made that public…spirited； genial companion
somewhat uncomfortable； and more tears that were half smiling and
some brave silences that were wholly pathetic； and then the hour
for Rupert's departure all too suddenly arrived。 They separated
with ostentatious whooping； and then Johnny； suddenly overcome with
the dreadfulness of all earthly things； and the hollowness of life
generally； instantly resolved to run away！
To do this he prepared himself with a purposeless hatchet； an
inconsistent but long…treasured lump of putty and all the sugar
that was left in the cracked sugar…bowl。 Thus accoutred he sallied
forth； first to remove all traces of his hated existence that might
be left in his desk at school。 If the master were there he would
say Rupert had sent him； if he wasn't； he would climb in at the
window。 The sun was already sinking when he reached the clearing
and found a cavalcade of armed men around the building。
Johnny's first conviction was that the master had killed Uncle Ben
or Masters； and that the men； taking advantage of the absence of
hisJohnny'sbig brother； were about to summarily execute him。
Observing no struggle from within； his second belief was that the
master had been suddenly elected Governor of California and was
about to start with a state escort from the school…house； and that
he； Johnny； was in time to see the procession。 But when the master
appeared with McKinstry； followed by part of the crowd afoot； this
quick…witted child of the frontier； from his secure outlook in the
〃brush；〃 gathered enough from their fragmentary speech to guess the
serious purport of their errand； and thrill with anticipation and
slightly creepy excitement。
A duel！ A thing hitherto witnessed only by grown…up men；
afterwards swaggering with importance and strange technical
bloodthirsty words； and now for the first time reserved for a BOY
and that boy him； Johnny！to behold in all its fearful
completeness！ A duel！ of which； he； Johnny； meanly abandoned by
his brother； was now exalted perhaps to be the only survivor！ He
could scarcely credit his senses。 It was too much！
To creep through the brush while the preliminaries were being
settled； reach a certain silver fir on the appointed ground； and
with the aid of his now lucky hatchet； climb unseen to its upper
boughs； was an exciting and difficult task； but one eventually
overcome by his short but energetic legs。 Here he could not only
see all that occurred； but by a fortunate chance the large pine
next to him had been selected as the limit of the ground。 The
sharp eyes of the boy had long since penetrated the disguises of
the remaining masked men； and when the long； lank figure of the
master's self…appointed second took up its position beneath the
pines in full view of him； although hidden from the spectators；
Johnny instantly recognized it to be none other than Seth Davis。
The manifest inconsistency of his appearance as Mr。 Ford's second
with what