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clung with one arm around Curly Jim's neck； and even essayed the late
lamented Ferguson's song about the little birds。 He considered he was
quite safe in this； what of the fact that the only man in camp with artistic
feelings was even then speeding down the Yukon on the breast of a five…
mile current。
But the second half of the scheme failed to connect。 No matter how
much whisky was poured down his neck； O'Brien could not be brought to
realize that it was his bounden and friendly duty to sell his claim。 He
hesitated； it is true； and trembled now and again on the verge of giving in。
Inside his muddled head； however； he was chuckling to himself。 He was
up to Curly Jim's game； and liked the hands that were being dealt him。
The whisky was good。 It came out of one special barrel； and was about a
dozen times better than that in the other five barrels。
Siskiyou Pearly was dispensing drinks in the bar…room to the
remainder of the population of Red Cow； while O'Brien and Curly had out
their business orgy in the kitchen。 But there was nothing small about
O'Brien。 He went into the bar…room and returned with Mucluc Charley
and Percy Leclaire。
〃Business 'sociates of mine； business 'sociates；〃 he announced； with a
broad wink to them and a guileless grin to Curly。 〃Always trust their
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judgment； always trust 'em。 They're all right。 Give 'em some fire…water；
Curly； an' le's talk it over。〃
This was ringing in； but Curly Jim； making a swift revaluation of the
claim； and remembering that the last pan he washed had turned out seven
dollars； decided that it was worth the extra whisky； even if it was selling in
the other room at a dollar a drink。
〃I'm not likely to consider；〃 O'Brien was hiccoughing to his two
friends in the course of explaining to them the question at issue。 〃Who？
Me？sell for ten thousand dollars！ No indeed。 I'll dig the gold myself；
an' then I'm goin' down to God's countrySouthern Californiathat's the
place for me to end my declinin' daysan' then I'll start 。 。 。 as I said before；
then I'll start 。 。 。 what did I say I was goin' to start？〃
〃Ostrich farm；〃 Mucluc Charley volunteered。
〃Sure； just what I'm goin' to start。〃 O'Brien abruptly steadied himself
and looked with awe at Mucluc Charley。 〃How did you know？ Never
said so。 Jes' thought I said so。 You're a min' reader； Charley。 Le's
have another。〃
Curly Jim filled the glasses and had the pleasure of seeing four dollars'
worth of whisky disappear； one dollar's worth of which he punished
himselfO'Brien insisted that he should drink as frequently as his guests。
〃Better take the money now；〃 Leclaire argued。 〃Take you two years
to dig it out the hole； an' all that time you might be hatchin' teeny little
baby ostriches an' pulling feathers out the big ones。〃
O'Brien considered the proposition and nodded approval。 Curly Jim
looked gratefully at Leclaire and refilled the glasses。
〃Hold on there！〃 spluttered Mucluc Charley； whose tongue was
beginning to wag loosely and trip over itself。 〃As your father confessor
there I goas your brotherO hell！〃 He paused and collected himself for
another start。 〃As your frien'business frien'； I should say； I would
suggest； ratherI would take the liberty； as it was； to mentionI mean；
suggest； that there may be more ostriches 。 。 。 O hell！〃 He downed
another glass； and went on more carefully。 〃What I'm drivin' at is 。 。 。
what am I drivin' at？〃 He smote the side of his head sharply half a dozen
times with the heel of his palm to shake up his ideas。 〃I got it！〃 he cried
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jubilantly。 〃Supposen there's slathers more'n ten thousand dollars in that
hole！〃
O'Brien； who apparently was all ready to close the bargain； switched
about。
〃Great！〃 he cried。 〃Splen'd idea。 Never thought of it all by myself。〃
He took Mucluc Charley warmly by the hand。 〃Good frien'！ Good
's'ciate！〃 He turned belligerently on Curly Jim。 〃Maybe hundred
thousand dollars in that hole。 You wouldn't rob your old frien'； would
you； Curly？ Course you wouldn't。 I know youbetter'n yourself；
better'n yourself。 Le's have another： We're good frien's； all of us； I say；
all of us。〃
And so it went； and so went the whisky； and so went Curly Jim's hopes
up and down。 Now Leclaire argued in favour of immediate sale； and
almost won the reluctant O'Brien over； only to lose him to the more
brilliant counter…argument of Mucluc Charley。 And again； it was Mucluc
Charley who presented convincing reasons for the sale and Percy Leclaire
who held stubbornly back。 A little later it was O'Brien himself who
insisted on selling； while both friends； with tears and curses； strove to
dissuade him。 The more whiskey they downed； the more fertile of
imagination they became。 For one sober pro or con they found a score of
drunken ones； and they convinced one another so readily that they were
perpetually changing sides in the argument。
The time came when both Mucluc Charley and Leclaire were firmly
set upon the sale； and they gleefully obliterated O'Brien's objections as fast
as he entered them。 O'Brien grew desperate。 He exhausted his last
argument and sat speechless。 He looked pleadingly at the friends who
had deserted him。 He kicked Mucluc Charley's shins under the table； but
that graceless hero immediately unfolded a new and most logical reason
for the sale。 Curly Jim got pen and ink and paper and wrote out the bill
of sale。 O'Brien sat with pen poised in hand。
〃Le's have one more；〃 he pleaded。 〃One more before I sign away a
hundred thousan' dollars。〃
Curly Jim filled the glasses triumphantly。 O'Brien downed his drink
and bent forward with wobbling pen to affix his signature。 Before he had