“They’re in th’ Straight Flush!” he asserted positively.

This was astounding.  How should Old Mizzou know that?

“I don’t exactly know,” the old man explained this discrepancy, “but they generally is!”

“Don’t they ever work?”

“Work’s purty slack,” crawfished Davidson.  “But I tells you I don’t know.  We has to find out,” and he shuffled away toward the saloon.

Anybody but Bennington would have suspected something.  There was the delayed letter, the supernatural knowledge of Old Mizzou, the absence of Fay.  Even the Easterner might have been puzzled to account for the crowded condition of the Straight Flush at ten in the morning, if his attention had not been quite fully occupied in posing before himself as the man of business.

When Mizzou and his companion entered the room, the hum of talk died, and every one turned expectantly in the direction of the newcomers.

“Gents,” said Old Mizzou, “this is Mr. de Laney, th’ new sup’rintendent of th’ Holy Smoke.  Mr. de Laney, gents!”

There was a nodding of heads.

Every one looked eagerly expectant.  The man behind the bar turned back his cuffs.  De Laney, feeling himself the centre of observation, grew nervous.  He drew from his pocket Bishop’s letter, and read out the five names.  “I’d like to see those men,” he said.

The men designated came forward.  After a moment’s conversation, the six adjourned to the hotel, where paper and ink could be procured.

After their exit a silence fell, and the miners looked at each other with ludicrous faces.

“An’ he never asked us to take a drink!” exclaimed one sorrowfully.  “That settles it.  It may not be fer th’ good of th’ camp, Jim Fay, but I reckons it ain’t much fer th’ harm of it.  I goes you.”

“Me to,” “and me,” “and me,” shouted other voices.

Fay leaped on the bar and spread his arms abroad.

“Speech!  Speech!” they cried.

“Gentlemen of the great and glorious West!” he began.  “It rejoices me to observe this spirit animating your bosoms.  Trampling down the finer feelings that you all possess to such an unlimited degree, putting aside all thought of merely material prosperity, you are now prepared, at whatever cost, to ally yourselves with that higher poetic justice which is above barter, above mere expediency, above even the ordinary this-for-that fairness which often passes as justice among the effete and unenlightened savages of the East.  Gentlemen of the great and glorious West, I congratulate you!”

The miners stood close around the bar.  Every man’s face bore a broad grin.  At this point they interrupted with howls and cat-calls of applause.  “Ain’t he a peach!” said one to another, and composed himself again to listen.  At the conclusion of a long harangue they yelled enthusiastically, and immediately began the more informal discussion of what was evidently a popular proposition.  When the five who had been paid off returned, everybody had a drink, while the newcomers were made acquainted with the subject.  Old Mizzou, who had listened silently but with a twinkle in his eye, went to hunt up Bennington.