Ned looked at the young man long and sharply.
"One name, they say, is as good as another out here. But I didn't know tramps got this far west."
"Sure," answered the tramp, "It's long jumps and hard ones. It's me last excursion dis way."
"Well," said Ned slowly, "you can work for us as long as you are not too inquisitive."
"Dat's me, boss. I'm de clam till me two dollars per will git me to de next whistle."
"Then you'd better arrange to board with Buck."
"Dat's me lay, boss, already booked. Now show me some work. Me trunk was checked t'roo and I ain't nuttin' on me mind but me job."
"Well, you had better spend the rest of the afternoon in cleaning up a bit," suggested Ned. "Here's five dollars in advance. Report early in the morning."
"Tank's, boss," said Gus, the tramp. But he took the bill slowly.
"But, you can't spend it on beer and whisky and work for us," added Ned.