One day Mark took the mule and rode off to a fair-sized settlement known as Bender's because the chief storekeeper was Captain Samuel Bender. This place was twelve miles from where the camp of our friends was located, and it took the youth and the animal three hours to cover the distance over the uneven hilly trail.
Mark spent two hours in doing some trading and in seeing the sights. At one spot was an amusement hall, and he stopped for a few minutes to listen to some music on a banjo and watch a colored man dance a breakdown. Near at hand was an open bar at which several men were drinking.
As was natural, the men at the bar presently caught the youth's eye and he looked them over, wondering if he had seen any of them before. One looked strangely familiar and Mark cudgeled his brain to place the individual.
"I know I've seen him somewhere," thought the boy. "The question is where? Did I meet him on the trail, or elsewhere? I am sure he isn't a miner."
Presently the man turned away from the bar, and walked past Mark. He gave the youth a sharp look, and then both started.
"Hullo!" cried Mark, involuntarily.
"Hullo yourself," said the man, gruffly. "Where—er—where have I met you before?"
"In Philadelphia," answered Mark, quickly.
"Is that so?"
"Yes, you got into my step-father's office by mistake one day."