" And he took up the gasping little chap, whose doll
was, as ever, clasped fondly to his heart.
"How'd you make it?" inquired Keno. "Has she gone for good?"
"No, she's gone for water," answered the miner, ruefully. "She's set
on cleanin' up the cabin. I'll bet when she's finished we'll have to
pan the gravel mighty careful to find even a color of our once happy
home."
"Well, you got away, anyhow," said Keno, consolingly. "You can't have
your cake and eat it too."
"No, that's the one nasty thing about cake," said Jim. He sat on a
rock and addressed the wondering little pilgrim, who was watching his
face with baby gravity. "Did she scare the boy?" he asked. "Is he
gittin' hungry? Does pardner want some breakfast?"
The little fellow nodded.
"What would little Skeezucks like old brother Jim to make for
breakfast?"
The quaint bit of a man drew a trifle closer to the rough old coat and
timidly answered:
"Bwead--an'--milk."
The two men started mildly.
"By jinks!" said the awe-smitten Keno. "By jinks!--talkin'!"
"I told you so," said Jim, suppressing his excitement. "Bread and
milk?" he repeated. "Just bread and milk. You poor little shaver!
Wal, that's as easy as oyster stew or apple-dumplin'.
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