In that Edith Nelson undertook to cook for the outfit, a man's share was to be her portion.
Now that the mining had ceased, Edith Nelson turned over the fire-building and the dish-washing to the men, while she darned their socks and mended their clothes.
Hans Nelson was stolid and easy- going, while Edith had long before won his unbounded admiration by her capacity for getting on with people.
Hans Nelson looked at the empty chair, shook his head slowly, and, with a ponderous attempt at humor, said: "Always is he first at the grub.
He was thrusting the shells into the gun when Edith Nelson was aroused to action.
So Hans became another factor in the problem the unexpected had given Edith Nelson to solve.
So we continued to talk at the bar, and to drink beer ordered and paid for by Nelson. I think, now, when I look back upon it, that Nelson was curious.
I said good-bye to Nelson, and went on down the wharf.
Why, Nelson had just spent sixty cents on beer for the two of us.
I retraced my steps up the wharf to the Last Chance, where Nelson still stood outside.
"I had to go aboard to get some money," I remarked casually, as we drank, in the hope Nelson would take it as an explanation of why I had let him treat six consecutive times.
"How much you got down against me?" Nelson queried.
Johnny pulled out the book he kept behind the bar, found Nelson's page, and added up the account of several dollars.
After a couple more drinks, for which I insisted on paying, Nelson decided to go.
