From the first instant he had heard the sound of the man’s voice, Baldy had remained motionless, but intent, trying to recall their past association; then with a bark he rushed up to Moose Jones, showing every possible sign of recognition and joy.

“Well, well,” exclaimed Moose, “ef this ain’t Baldy o’ Golconda!  Why, I didn’t know him right away, he’s so sorta perky an’ high-toned; all along of gettin’ in with a speedy bunch, I expect,” and the man stroked the dog affectionately.

“Isn’t he fine?” cried Ben eagerly.  “I just wish you could ‘a’ seen him the day o’ the race; but George’ll tell you all about it—­how he wouldn’t let Spot an’ Queen bolt, an’ how willin’ he was an’ all.”

“Yes, indeed, the boys must tell you all about that famous event, Mr. Jones, while I talk to Mrs. Edwards about something else.”

Before going into the details of the race, which never palled upon Ben, they described with much gusto the defeat of Oolik Lomen in the first Great Adventure the Wonder Workers had undertaken; and Ben bitterly regretted that he could not also have been one of the brave knights who had so valorously risen in defense of the weak and distressed against the strong and unprincipled.

But Dan consoled him somewhat by the information that the incident had been almost spoiled by interference; and that the next time they performed deeds of chivalry he hoped it would be when no female was about, unless, indeed, it might be a victim to be rescued from a terrible plight.

In the brief chat the Woman had with Mrs. Edwards she learned a little of the hardships that had fallen to the lot of the boy and his mother, and realized in spite of their courage and reticence that they had endured a hard struggle for almost a mere existence.

“Don’t you think it would be easier for you outside, where there are not so many physical discomforts to be considered?”

“Perhaps.  But my husband left a little mining ground that may, in time, prove worth while if developed; and I have remained where I could look after it, and see that the assessment work was properly done.  As it is, a man named Barclay—­Black Mart Barclay, they call him—­jumped the claim next to his, and if it had not been for Mr. Jones I should have lost it.  He loaned me the money to take the matter into the courts, where I won out.”

“And the boy?”

“He is my one thought,” responded Mrs. Edwards.  “As a young child he was rather delicate, and we could not send him to school because of the distance.  Since then his association with the men at Golconda has done much to offset what I have tried to do for him.  Before my marriage I taught school in a village in New Hampshire, though you would hardly suspect it to hear Ben speak.  I wanted to get a position in the school here; but nowadays there is so much special training required that I found I was not fitted for the work; and I have just had to take what I could get from time to time.  At any rate,” with a cheerful smile, “we are still alive and have kept our property.”