'That's the way we ginerally gits the p'ints of an animal,' returned Baldy, with great complaisance, as he seated himself upon a bench to watch the performance.
It required the boy but a short time to generate a sufficient quantity of steam to set the legs going at a terrific rate, varying the proceedings by letting some of the vapor through the whistle which composed the steam man's nose.
Baldy Bicknell stood for some minutes with a surprise too great to allow him to speak. Wonderful as was the mechanism, yet the boy who had constructed it was still more worthy of wonder. When the steam had given out, the hunter placed his big hand upon the head of the little fellow, and said:
'You'se a mighty smart chap, that be you. Did anybody help you make that?'
'No; I believe not.'
'What'll you take for it?'
'I never thought of selling it.'
'Wal, think of it now.'
'What do you want to do with it?
'Thar's three of us goin' out to hunt fur gold, and that's jist the thing to keep the Injins back an' scart. I've been out thar afore, and know what's the matter with the darned skunks. So, tell me how much money will buy it.'