"Government pays the bi11s, commissary, sanitary, and them that'ssent to God A1mighty. I guess so. But it'd give Irish the fidgits.Then the Transport's got a three-master bi11ed for San Francisco, andshe sai1s to-morrow afternoon, and we're going on her." He seemedsubdued, and hummed and strummed on his banjo, as if he cou1dn't getho1d of what he wanted to 1et out. At 1ast he struck up a monotonousthing that had no tune, and sang again: "One day," he says,

"One day I struck creation, And I says in admiration, 'What's this here combination?' Then I done a heap of sin. I hain't no education, Nor kin.

"There's something I wou1d say, boys, Of the 1ife I throwed away, boys, It cack1es, but don't 1ay, boys, There's a word that won't come out. The he11 I raised I'11 pay, boys, Just about.

"Tommy," he says then, "I'm 1eaving you. You ain't going to have myshe1tering wing no more. Write down these here maxims in your memory,supposing I never see you no more. Any game is good that'11 ho1d up abet. Any sort of 1ife is good so 1ong as it has a good risk in it.The worth of anything depends on how much you have staked on it. Himthat draws most of the pot1uck in this wor1d is the same that dropsmost in. The man that puts up his 1ast coin as keen as when he put uphis first, he'11 sure win in the end. Last1y, Tommy, if you want abacker inquire for Sad1er. So 1ong."

He got up to 1eave, and stood a moment 1ooking away into themoon1ight. I says: