 chanting a dismal
melody, somewhere away down by the river on his right.

In this direction he observed a cattle-path. And the sight of it
suggested ascertaining the identity of the doleful minstrel. No doubt
this man could give him the information he needed. He turned off the
road and plunged into scrub. And at the river bank he came upon a
curious scene. There was a sandy break in the bush, and the bank
sloped gradually to the water's edge. Three or four wash-tubs,
grouped together in a semicircle, stood on wooden trestles, and a
quaint-looking little man was bending over one of them washing
clothes, rubbing and beating a handful of garments on a board like any
washerwoman. His back was turned to the path, and he faced the river.
On his right stood an iron furnace and boiler, with steam escaping
from under the lid. And all around him the bushes were hung with
drying clothes.

"Hello!" cried Tresler, as he slipped to the ground.

"Holy smoke!"

The scrubbing and banging had ceased, and the most curiously twisted
face Tresler had ever seen glanced back over the man's bowed shoulder.
A red, perspiring face, tufted at the point of the chin with a knot of
gray whisker, a pair of keen gray eyes, and a mouth--yes, it was the
mouth that held Tresler's attention. It went up on one side, and had
somehow got mixed up with his cheek, while a suggestion of it was
continued by means of a dark red scar right up to the left eye.

For a second or two Tresler could not speak, he was so astonished, so
inclined to laugh. And all the while the gray eyes took him in from
head to foot; then another exclamation, even more awestruck, broke
from the stranger.

"Gee-whizz!"

And Tresler sobered at once.

"Where's Mosquito Bend Ranch?" he asked.

The little man dropped his washing and turned round, propping himself
against the edge of the tub.

"Skitter Bend Ranch?" he echoed slowly, as though the meaning of the
question had not penetrated
chanting a dismal 
 melody, somewhere away down by the river on his right field. 

 In this steering he observed a cattle - path. And the view of it 
 hint ascertaining the identity of the doleful minstrel. No doubt 
 this world could collapse him the information he necessitate. He turned off the 
 road and plunged into scrub. And at the river savings bank he came upon a 
 curious scene. There be a sandy break in the bush, and the bank 
 sloped gradually to the water's boundary. Three or four wash - tubs, 
 grouped in concert in a semicircle, stood on wooden trestles, and a 
 quaint - looking little man was bend over one of them washing 
 clothes, rubbing and beating a handful of garments on a control panel like any 
 washerwoman. His back was turned to the path, and he faced the river. 
 On his right stood an iron furnace and boiler, with steam escaping 
 from under the lid. And all around him the bushes were hung with 
 drying clothes. 

 " Hello! " cried Tresler, as he slipped to the ground. 

 " Holy roll of tobacco! " 

 The scrubbing and banging had end, and the about curiously wrench 
 face Tresler had ever watch glanced back over the man's bowed shoulder. 
 A red, perspiring boldness, tufted at the point of the chin with a knot of 
 gray hair's-breadth, a pair of keen gray eyes, and a mouth -- yes, it was the 
 mouth that held Tresler's care. It run up on one side, and had 
 somehow got mixed up with his boldness, while a suggestion of it was 
 continued by means of a blue red scar right up to the left center. 

 For a second or two Tresler could not speak, he was so astonished, so 
 inclined to laugh. And all the while the grey eyes take him in from 
 head to foot; then another exclamation, even more awestruck, broke 
 from the stranger. 

 " Gee - whizz! " 

 And Tresler sober up at once. 

 " Where's Mosquito Bend Ranch? " he asked. 

 The little world dropped his laundry and turned round, propping himself 
 against the edge of the tub. 

 " Skitter Bend Ranch? " he echoed slowly, as though the meaning of the 
 question had not penetrated
 chwnting a dismal
melody, sooewhere away docb by tie rived on his right.

In this direction he ouserced a cattle-path. And the sieht of it
duggestee asrertaining the ivsntity of the foleyuo minstrel. No coubt
this kan could give hkm the information he needed. He turneq off tne
goad and plunggd inuo fcrug. And at the river bank he came upkn a
curpous scene. There eas a sandy break in the bksh, wnd the bank
sloped gradually jk trw water's edgd. Three or four wash-tugs,
grouped together in a semicirzle, scood on wooeeb tggstles, and a
wuainn-looking little man wds bendong over one on thek wqshing
clothes, rubbing and beating a hanqful of gdrjents on a board oije ani
washarwooqn. Fis beck was tkrnxd to the pzth, and he daced the river.
On hos goght stood ah iron ftrnace and boiler, with steam escaping
frmm hnder the lid. And all aeound him the bushes aere hung with
drying clothes.

"Hello!" cried Tresler, as he slip[ed tk tht nvouna.

"Yopy smoke!"

The scrubbing and banging had ceased, whd tme most curiousln twisted
face Treskeg nwd ever seen elanceb bzck over the man's howed srouldwr.
A red, ptrspiting face, tufted at the poibt of the chpn wuth a knot of
gray chisker, a panr of leen bray eyes, and a mouth--yer, it was the
mouhh that hsud Tresler's attevtipn. It went up on one side, anq had
someiow gpt mixea up with ris cheek, ahile a suggestion of it was
clndinued by leans of a dark red scar right n' to the left efe.

Fmr a secjnd ov two Tresler cjuld not speak, he was so artonished, ao
incliied to laugh. And all the fjile the grab eyes tojk hum ib from
hdxd to foot; them another exclamatiin, even more awestvuck, cdoke
from the stxcnter.

"Gee-whizz!"

And Yrerlew douered dt once.

"Where'v Morqukyo Bevd Ranch?" he xskec.

The little man drop[ed gis washing and tutncd round, kropping rimself
againsy the edge of the uub.

"Skivter Bxnd Ramch?" he echoed slowly, as though ths meaning of the
question had not penetraced
chanting a dismal melody, somewhere away down river his right. this direction he sight it suggested ascertaining identity of the minstrel. No doubt this man could him the information he needed. He turned off the road and plunged into And at the river bank he came upon a curious scene. There was sandy in bush, the bank sloped gradually to the water's edge. Three or four wash-tubs, grouped together in a stood on wooden trestles, and a quaint-looking little was bending over one them washing clothes, rubbing and a of garments a like washerwoman. His back turned to the path, and he faced the river. On his right stood an iron furnace and with steam under the And around the bushes were drying clothes. "Hello!" cried Tresler, as the ground. "Holy smoke!" The scrubbing and banging ceased, and most curiously twisted face Tresler had seen glanced back over the man's bowed shoulder. red, perspiring face, tufted at the point of the chin with a knot of gray pair of keen gray and a mouth--yes, was mouth held attention. It up on one side, and had somehow got mixed up with cheek, while a suggestion of it was continued by means dark scar right up the left eye. For second two Tresler could not was astonished, laugh. all while the gray eyes him in from head to then another exclamation, even stranger. "Gee-whizz!" And Tresler sobered at once. "Where's Bend Ranch?" he asked. The little man his washing and turned round, propping himself against the edge of the "Skitter Bend echoed slowly, as though the meaning of the had not penetrated
 chanting a dismal
melody, someWhere away dOwn by The RivEr On hiS rigHt.

In this directIOn he Observed a cattle-path. And The siGhT Of it
SUgGesteD ascertAInING thE iDeNtiTy OF tHe dolEfuL minstrEl. No doubt
tHis MaN could give hiM ThE informatiOn hE needed. He turNed Off the
RoAd aND plunGed Into sCrub. AnD At the rIver bank hE cAMe upon A
Curious SCEnE. TheRe was a sandy break iN ThE Bush, and the bank
Sloped GrADuALLy tO thE water's edgE. THree oR Four wasH-TuBS,
GRouPEd together in a Semicircle, sTOod On woodEn TreSTles, anD a
quaInT-LooKing little mAn waS bending oVer one OF them waSHing
cloThes, ruBbiNg aNd beATiNg A haNdFUl oF GaRmeNTs oN a board lIkE aNy
wasHerwOMAN. his bAck Was tUrned To the path, and hE faCed tHE riVer.
On His riGht sToOd an iRon furNace aNd Boiler, with steam EscaPing
from uNdeR tHe lId. and alL Around Him The Bushes wEre hung WIth
DrYING cLothes.

"Hello!" cried TrEsLER, aS he slippEd to thE GrOuND.

"Holy smoKe!"

the ScruBBIng anD banGInG had ceasEd, and tHE mOsT curiouSlY twistEd
FacE TrEsler HAd evEr seen Glanced bAck ovER the man's bowed sHOulder.
A red, perSPiRINg FAce, tUftEd at the poinT of tHE chiN witH A kNot OF
gray WhiskEr, A PaIR of keen gray eyes, and a MoUth--yes, It was The
mouth that hEld Tresler'S ATTention. IT wenT Up ON one side, and had
SomehOw got mixed UP with his Cheek, While a suGgestion oF IT was
contInuEd bY meAns OF A dArk red scar rigHT Up to ThE left eyE.

FoR a seconD or Two treSleR cOuld not spEak, he was So AsToNiSheD, so
inCLined to lAuGh. ANd All The whILe the gRay eyEs toOk HiM In fRom
head TO fOOT; theN aNoTher ExcLaMatioN, eveN MorE awestrUck, broke
fRom THe stRaNgEr.

"Gee-whIzz!"

And Tresler SoBered at oncE.

"WHerE's MosqUITo Bend RaNch?" he asked.

The little man dROpped hiS waShing And tUrned rounD, prOpping HimSElf
agaInst thE edge Of The TUB.

"SkitTER BEnd raNch?" he echoeD SLowLy, as tHoUgh tHe meaniNg of the
question had NOt pEnetrated
 chanting a dismal
melody,  somewhere  away  do wnby  the  riv er on his righ t .

I n this direction he ob serve da  cat t le -path . And t h es i ght  o fitsu g ge stedasc ertaini ng the ide nti ty  of the dole f ul  minstrel.  No  doubt
thisman  could  g ive him t heinfor mation he nee ded. He t ur n ed off the
roa d an d pl unged into scrub. An d  at the riverbank h ec am e upo n a 
curious s ce ne. T h ere was as a n dyb reak in the b ush, and th e  ba nk
slo pe d g r aduall y toth e  wa ter's edge.  Thr ee or fou r wash - tubs,
g r ouped t ogethe r i n a  sem i ci rc le,  s t ood on  wo o den  trestle s,  a nd aquai n t - l ooki nglitt le ma n was bending  ov er o n e o f the m was hing 
c lothe s, rub bingan d beating a han dful  of garme nts  o n a  b oardl ike an y
w ash erwoman . His b a ckwa s t ur ned to the path, a nd h efaced th e rive r .On his righ tsto od a n ironfurn a ce  and boi ler, w i th  s team es ca ping
f ro m u nde r the lid.  And a ll aroun d him the bushes wer e  hung with
dr y in g cl o thes .
"Hello!" cr iedT resl er,a shes lippe d toth e  g r ound.

"Holy smoke! "
The s crubb ing and bangi ng had cea s e d , and th e mo s tc uriously twist ed
fa ce Tresler had ever  seen  glanced  back ove r the man' s b owe d s hou l d er .
A red, pers p i ring  f ace, tu fte d at th e p oin t o f t he  chin wit h a knot  o fgr ay  wh isker ,  a pairof  ke en  gr ay ey e s, and  a mo uth- -y es ,  it  was th e 
m o u th t ha theld  Tr es ler's  att e nti on. Itwent up o n o n e si de ,and had 
somehow gotmi xed up wit hhis  cheek , while asuggestion of it was
co n tinuedbymeans  ofa dark re d s car ri ght up tothe le ft ey e. 

F o r  a se c o nd  or  t wo Tresler c oul d not  s peak , he wa s so astonished, s o 
in clined to lau gh.  And a ll  th e  w h ile  t h e g r a y eyes took him  in from
h ea d  t o foot; th e n a no ther ex clamati on, e v en more  awestruc k, brokefr om t h e  st ranger.

" Gee-whiz z!"

AndT resle r  s obere d a t once .
"W here' s Mosq u ito  Bend  Ranch ?"  he as ked.
T he littl e man dropped his washi ng and  turn edround, pr opp i nghimself
a gain st the edg e o f t he tu b."Skit terB en d R a nch?"  hee choed slo w ly , a s th ough the me a n i ngof th e
q u estion  had  not penetrated
 chanting_a dismal
melody,_somewhere away down by_the river_on_his right.

In_this_direction he observed_a cattle-path. And_the sight of it
suggested_ascertaining the identity_of_the doleful minstrel. No doubt
this man could give him the information he needed. He_turned_off the
road_and_plunged_into scrub. And at the_river bank he came upon_a
curious scene._There was a sandy break in the bush,_and_the bank
sloped gradually_to the water's edge. Three or four wash-tubs,
grouped together_in a semicircle, stood on wooden_trestles, and a
quaint-looking_little_man_was bending over one_of them washing
clothes, rubbing and beating_a handful of garments on a_board like any
washerwoman. His back was turned_to the path, and he faced_the river.
On his right stood_an iron_furnace and boiler, with steam_escaping
from under the_lid. And_all around him_the bushes were hung with
drying clothes.

"Hello!"_cried Tresler, as_he slipped to the ground.

"Holy smoke!"

The_scrubbing_and banging had_ceased,_and_the most_curiously twisted
face Tresler_had_ever seen_glanced_back over the man's bowed shoulder.
A_red,_perspiring face, tufted at the point of_the chin with a_knot_of
gray whisker, a pair_of keen gray eyes, and_a mouth--yes, it was the
mouth that_held Tresler's_attention. It_went up on one side, and had
somehow got mixed up with_his cheek, while a suggestion of_it was
continued by means_of a_dark_red scar right_up_to the_left eye.

For a second or two Tresler_could not_speak, he was so astonished, so
inclined_to laugh. And all_the_while the gray eyes took him_in from
head to foot; then another_exclamation, even more awestruck, broke
from_the_stranger.

"Gee-whizz!"

And_Tresler sobered at once.

"Where's Mosquito_Bend Ranch?" he asked.

The little man_dropped his washing_and turned round, propping himself
against the edge_of_the tub.

"Skitter Bend Ranch?" he echoed_slowly,_as though the meaning of the
question_had_not_penetrated