In a few moments Barney had a cracking fire started. Frank produced a little silver tea-pot and hung it upon a wire frame which sat airily above the flames of the little fire, and in less than five minutes a good cup of tea was produced by the young genius.
“I merely do this to try how my frame works,” said Frank to Dwight, who was watching him with interest. “My furnace would serve me for all cooking purposes, but this seems the nicer way, and it don’t seem natural to do your cooking in the breast of a horse, even if the animal be made of metal.”
“Science is a wonderful thing,” said Jared, looking attentively at the horse.
“You bet it is,” said Frank, warmly. “Just by scientific trickery, nothing else, I was able to get the best of one of the smartest Indian jugglers in the West, and now I’m equal to a dozen of them.”
While talking they kept their jaws very busy as well as their tongues, and in the course of half an hour Frank and Barney declared themselves as feeling better.
Frank replaced his articles in the wagon, had a look at the axles of his wheels, and found that all the parts were as cold as could be, and then, after a peep at his furnace, and a squirt of steam through the nostrils of the horse, declared everything in proper traveling order.
“Of course, you’ll go with us,” he said to the avenger.
“If you will take me I should be pleased to go,” said Dwight. “I know that you are in the midst of wild adventures day after day, and that will afford me chance for the revenge I seek. I am a homeless wanderer now, and all spots are alike to me, so that they do not take me too far away from the wretches I have sworn to track down to the bitter end; but—hark!”
He ceased speaking, and held up his hand in a listening attitude.
Frank and Barney bent forward in eager attention.