These three represented the social column of Sleeping Creek. Their cabins were situated within a radius of two miles, and in order to keep up the social life of the district they had instituted a private pitch club—two bits a corner and ten cents set back. The three were to alternate as hosts.
At this, their first session, there was a fourth party present. It seemed very much interested in the hands held by Bantie, much to Bantie’s embarrassment and to the huge delight of the others. Bantie played the jack of diamonds and snorted loudly as Magpie took it with the queen and a chuckle.
“Magpie, yuh got to put that bear outside!” he shrilled. “He gits his danged nose in m’ ear and I don’t know whether I’m playin’ th’ jack or th’ ace! I got th’ ace—see? By golly! That sets me back three and costs me ten cents! I ain’t goin’ to riffle another card until yuh puts that emblem uh California out in th’ shed, sabe?”
“Haw! Haw!” roared Tellurium. “Be uh man, Bantie. That pore li’l grizzly won’t hurt yuh. Look at him! He’s plumb heart-broke over them words, Bantie. While yore uh fair—jist fair—pitch player, Bantie, yuh lacks something. If yuh was simply sloppy with th’ milk uh human kindness like me and Magpie you’d git uh pet.”
“That ultimatum,” replied Bantie, “covers that wolf uh yours under th’ bunk, Tellurium. Every time I turns to spit I got to look into his shinin’ eyes. Don’t th’ loafer never sleep?”
“Well,” grinned Tellurium, “he ain’t no regular Rip Van Winkle, but he’s tame—tame enough fer uh man. I believes in uh man-sized pet and fer that reason I cottons to th’ wolf. Uh course he’s only good fer uh grown man.”
Bantie grunted and put on his coat.
“My re-marks goes as she lays,” he stated. “I don’t play with no danged menagerie. It’s bad enough to be whipsawed by uh pair uh snake-hunters like you and Magpie but I draws th’ line at havin’ uh wolf under m’ feet and uh grizzly workin’ down wind behind m’ ear. Why I——”
“Say, Tellurium, did yuh ever see my bear dance?” interrupted Magpie.
“He’s there four ways from th’ jack. Watch him now.”