human
Huh! if I didn't know we was a heap o' miles away from the ole Mississip I'd be 'clined to swear this must be the gen-u-ine cave Tom and Huck knocked 'raound in the time they found all that lost treasure. But I wonder--
gpt
What do you wonder, Perk?
human
Struck me that mebbe aour ole friend, that silvertip bear, might have his den somewhere 'bout in the rocks; an' where'd he run 'cross a better place to hole up fur the winter than right here! Say, mebbe I wouldn't hate to run smack on the ugly critter while we was a explorin' some o' the tunnels an' passages that lead outen this here central chamber? They kinder give these here grizzlies a reputation fur havin' long memories, jest like elephants do; an' I bet yeou a cookey he aint never agoin' to furget little Gabe Perkiser, what throwed a match into his hair, an' set him afire.
gpt
I hardly think there's any chance for such a nasty happening, buddy, he assured the other;
human
Say, I'd like that same trick, I'm atellin' yeou, Jack, boy. 'Sides, bein' partial to caves o' all kinds an' species I'm also given to explorin' queer places--got me into heaps o' trouble in my kid days, which same makes me laugh to remember. But tell me some more things yeou thunk up, or seen, while I was aout wrastlin' fur grub.
gpt
Remember my telling you about that cook chap they've got, waiting on them, and all that, Perk?
human
Sure do, him with the s'posed to be white _chef's_ cap--was he any different from the general run--cook, crook, seems to me they sorter hitch like they might be first cousins.
gpt
There was something that seemed familiar about him, but it was only later in the day I managed to glimpse a better look at the fellow, when the sun shone full on his moniker; then it flashed on me who he was.
human
Hold on there, partner, I jest hopes yeou ain't agoin' to inform me he's yet another galoot I useter know--seems like that Nat Tucker, added to aour ole friend, Slippery Slim, might be enough former 'quaintances to meet up with in sech a nest o' flim-flam artists an' crooks.
gpt
Well, I think you told me once you'd never known this party; but I had, and only a short time back I told you more or less about him. It was in Washington I used to run along with him in my work.
human
Wait up, partner--go slow 'til I ketches my breath. Yeou ain't agoin' to stagger me by sayin' that this here cook might be _him_?
gpt
Just what I mean, Perk.
human
Simeon--Simeon Balderson?
gpt
No other, brother, undoubtedly a prisoner, and being made to serve that miserable gang of hoodlums in a menial capacity, partly to humble him, and give them plenty of chances to throw mean jibes at him as the representative of the Service they hate so much. It's the irony of Fate, if ever such a thing could be.
human
Dead certain be yeou, Jack?
gpt
He must have been badly injured in the scrap before he and his companion were knocked out, for he certainly never limped like that when I knew him, only a year or so back. Possibly the second man may have been wiped out in the gun battle; though why they should spare Simeon's life is a puzzle to me; but some day we'll understand, since I wouldn't think of going away from here and leaving him in the hands of those human tigers.
human
Shake on that same, ole hoss; I'm with yeou every time, 'cause it means we're agoin' to have some mighty stiff work on aour hands 'fore we kin send a ball daown in each alley, an' make a clean sweep o' the duck-pins; an' that's the dizzy game I sure likes most.
gpt
Here we can stay, Perk, without running much risk of being discovered; for I hardly imagine any of those chaps would bother exercising themselves to try and find out what the country around their Happy Valley looks like.
human
Huh! I kinder guess not any, remarked the skeptical Perk, with a look akin to disgust on his face;
gpt
I was just thinking, continued Jack, who seemed never to lose a point worth considering,
human
Wall, I kinder guess it sure _would_, by hokey! exclaimed Perk, quickly aroused, as the danger loomed along the line of possible starvation,
gpt
Hardly be so serious as that, buddy, advised Jack, seeing how his suggestion had awakened lively fears in his companion's breast.
human
Plenty of loose stuff lying around in here, so we'll just _cache_ our food supplies, by covering the pile with a heavy weight no beast could budge.
gpt
Yeou said it, partner, an' I'll take a look 'raound till I kin pick aout the best place to build aour fort. Watch my smoke, Jack, boy.
human
There she be, Perk remarked, in a satisfied tone, as the job was finished.
gpt
If any red fox or kiote kin scratch his way under that stack o' dornicks I'll eat my hat--an' ole dungarees in th' bargain. I ain't a luggin' good eats all the way from San Diego, an' payin' aout lots o' coin fur the same, jest to make a holiday fur four-footed thieves.
human
Both of us are dead for sleep, I reckon, ventured Jack, as they lay on the rocky floor, Perk indulging in the luxury of a pipe of his favorite Turkish mixture for solace;
gpt
Shucks! I'm willin' enuff to lay off; an' mebbe naow I ain't glad I done fetched them two woolen blankets along as we had on aour cots aboard the ship. They sure helped to make up a fine load; but right naow they'll be wuth all they cost me on the hike.
human
And I'll bless your long-sightedness in thinking of our comfort, Jack hastened to assure him.
gpt
Bare rocks like these are hardly in the same class with a good spring bed, and plenty of covers. We'll skip some sore bones because of having these to tuck under us, Perk.
human
I hate to let the bully fire die down,