"but--I wish he hadn't let me find him first. You fellows are sure you
ain't a-foolin'?"

"We couldn't have done it--not on Sunday--after church," said Lufkins.
"No, Jim, we wouldn't fool that way."

"You don't s'pose that Parky might have took him, out of spite?" said
Jim, eager for hope in any direction whatsoever.

"No! He hates kids worse than pizen," said the barkeep, decisively.
"He's been a-gamblin' since four this afternoon, dealin' faro-bank."

"We could go and search every shack in camp," suggested a listener.

"What would be the good of that?" inquired Field. "If the father came
and took the little shaver, do you think he'd hide him 'round here in
somebody's cabin?"

The blacksmith said: "It don't seem as if you could have looked all
over the house. He's such a little bit of a skeezucks."

Keno told him how they had searched in every bunk, and how the milk was
waiting on the table, and how the pup had escaped when some one opened
the door.

The men all volunteered to go up on the hill with torches and lanterns,
to see if the trail of the some one who had done this deed might not be
discovered. Accordingly, the lights were secured and the party climbed
the slope. All of them entered the cabin and heard the explanation of
exactly how old Jim had found that the little chap was gone.