The Highgrader

whistled softly to himself while he arranged his fishing tackle. From his book he had selected three flies and was attac

of leather. Rolled-up sleeves showed knotted brown arms white to the wrists with flour. His eyes were hard

the dining-car," he boo

ore than a boy, perhaps twenty, a pleasant amiable youth with a weak chin and eyes that held no steel

ght, Crumbs?" the cook asked o

er-start in above the Narrows and

ng the Indian sign on them with a silver doctor and a Jock

ashed his hands in a tin pan resting on a stump. He was a slender young fellow wit

ck Scott myself af

bank grinned. "Now I've shown you lads ho

river," Colter promised, bringing to the table around which they were seating themselves a frying

men who had whipped for hours a turbid stream under an August sun. Their talk was strong and crisp, after the fashion of the mining West. It could not be pri

fishermen lolled on

ods above and drew up at the cabin, d

t?" He drew a match across his chaps

've told us what it i

the train-me lud and me lady, three young ladies that grade up A1, a Johnnie boy with an eyeglass, and another lad who looks like one man from the ground up. Al

wn like a book, St

es?" ask

ny fancy brands. I'll give you the A B C of it. The old parties are Lord James and Lady Jim Farquhar, leastways I heard one of the young ladies call her Lady Jim. The dude ha

change had come over that young man's fac

you're around, Steve," drawled Colter, in amiable deri

want to tell you lads that Miss Joyce Seldon is the prettiest skirt that ever hit this ne

d. Their mirth was h

ll us some more," th

n the laughter. He had been drawing on his waders and buckling on

o back and size up the eyes of the lady lord and

ble for no babe just out of the cradle," retorte

ed away but now turned. "No hurry

is plumb sore on this outfit. Seems that you lads raised ructions last night and broken his sweet

Crumbs with a smile. "You see, he's come of age most, Curly has. He'd ought

Verinder if he sees you. He's s

e," Crumbs said dryly. "Well, so-l

," they call

rumbs," comm

e acid," agreed

rd you lads call him anything but

eny-Jack Kilmeny. His folks used to live across the water. Maybe

don't

ome, the way I heard it. Bought a ranch out here and married. His family was high moguls in England-or, maybe, it

river. "You know so much about it, Curly, I'll not butt in wi

know. Jack's father and mine

ou to call

isin' miner. He knows what's what. That's why we call him Crum

You don't need a two-by-four to pound a jo