"Just how much is your little?"
"It's fifteen miles to the next camp. If you say so, we will drive up there and stay all night and the next day we can make the dam in the mountains. I think you'll like it, if it isn't too much." Ralph purposely touched up Uncle Sid with his last remark.
"I ain't too old to know when I've got enough an' I ain't bashful at hollerin' about it, either. You just drive on till I holler, unless you get enough before."
Uncle Sid had little to say on the way, but his keen eyes were taking in everything along the line. Ralph's explanations were listened to in silence. Ralph was not slow to note the absorbed interest of his companion, nor the fact that not a word of his explanations was lost. At every gang of men, Ralph was halted by alert foremen, and often he left the team in charge of Uncle Sid while he went forth to untangle some snarled bit of work or to give further directions in advancing it.
The sun was down when they drew up before the camp and surrendered the team to a waiting Mexican.
Uncle Sid glanced at Ralph with a look at once appreciative and cynical.
"The next time you tell me about a place, you just say how long it is, not how far."
"You'll have to excuse me there. You see I know distances, but I can't always say about the time."
Ralph was up the next morning even before the captain who believed in early rising.
"Good morning, Captain. Ready for another trip?"