A brisk rubbing with a liniment which he had brought from his kit limbered the poor, abused loins, and at last Pogosa sat up. She suddenly caught Wetherell's hand and drew it to her withered breast.
"Good white man," she cried out.
"Tell her I'll make her eyes well, too," he commanded Eugene. "The medicine will hurt a little, but it will make her eyes stronger to see the trail."
Kelley could not suppress his amusement as he watched Wetherell's operations. "You'll spoil gran'ma," he remarked. "She'll be discontented with the agency doctor. I'm not discouragin' your massage operations, mind you, but I can't help thinking that she'll want clean towels, and an osteopath to stroke her back every morning, when she goes back to her tepee."
"If she only holds out long enough to help us to find the mine she can have a trained nurse, and waiting-maid to friz her hair—if she wants it frizzed."
"You don't mean to let her in as a partner?"
"I certainly do! Isn't she enduring the agonies for us? I'm going to see that she is properly paid for it."
"A hunk of beef and plenty of blankets and flannel is all she can use; but first let's find the mine. We can quarrel over its division afterward."
"I doubt if we get her ahorse to-day. She's pretty thoroughly battered up."
"We must move, Andy. Somebody may trail us up. I want to climb into the next basin before night. Let me talk to her."