"Oh, he ain't lazy—been up hours. An old acquaintance dropped in; he'll be down in a minute."
"'Tisn't only his bein' late. You better come on the shift."
"Don't think I could do that. What's the matter?"
"Don't say there's anything very much the matter yet. But he's sick, ain't he?"
"Sick? No, except as we all are—sick o' the eternal glare."
The Colonel was coming slowly down the hill. Of course, a man doesn't look his best if he hasn't slept. The Boy limped a little way back to meet him.
"Anything the matter with you, Colonel?"
"Well, my Bonanza headache ain't improved."
"I suppose you wouldn' like me to take over the job for two or three days?"
"You? Crippled! Look here—" The Colonel flushed suddenly. "Austin been sayin' anything?"