“Every tenderfoot,” replied Boast, “needs a certain amount of experience in order to acclimate him to this western country. Your experience is just now beginning. After a little Colonel Bonifield will strike it rich on Gray Rocks, Waterville will also come out of the kinks, and there you are, a rich man. By the way, the Colonel must be pretty well along toward the 400 foot level, Waterville will also come out of the kinks, and there you are, a rich man. By the way, the Colonel must be pretty well along toward the 400 foot level, is he not:”
“I believe he is making very satisfactory progress,” replied Vance.
“If the old man should strike it rich,” said Boast, “I would not mind connecting myself with his family. Of course, I am not so hard to please as you New York fellows.” He looked archly at Vance and smiled wickedly as he made this remark.
Vance was indignant at the cold-blooded insinuation of Boast, and replied: "While you may have no objections, I don’t doubt you will meet some pretty knotty ones before you succeed in winning Miss Bonifield.”
“Possibly,” replied Boast, coolly. “Nevertheless, if the old Colonel strikes it in Gray Rocks, it’s worth a trial, anyway; but come, there’s no use in quarreling over something that hasn’t happened, or being down-hearted about a busted boom, so long as a fellow has a bottle of red liquor.”
Vance did not wait for him to go through the ordeal of condemning himself as a drunken profligate, but let him to finish tying up his papers and drink the contents of his bottle alone.