"This is Spruce Creek?" enquired Shock.
"Yes, I believe that's what they call it," said the old man with slow deliberation, adding after a few moments silence "because there ain't no spruces here."
Shock gave the expected laugh with such heartiness that the old man deigned to take some little interest in him.
"Cattle?" he enquired.
"No."
"Sport?"
"Well, a little, perhaps."
"Oh! Prospectin', eh? Well, land's pretty well taken up in this vicinity, I guess."
To this old man there were no other interests in life beyond cattle, sport, and prospecting that could account for the stranger's presence in this region.
"Yes," laughed Shock, "prospecting in a ways too."