BACK TO THE BUFFALO RANGE 



"Ain't you never learnt how to keep beans 

 from stickin' to the bottom of the camp-kettle?" 



"No, except to keep stirring them," I replied. 



"Well, I didn't think you'd a-got through five 

 years of soldierin' on the plains without learnin' 

 how to keep beans from burning. Now, I'll tell 

 you of a trick that's worth a dozen of stirrin' 'em 

 when you've got somethin' else to do besides 

 standin' by the kettle an' watchin' 'em. When 

 your beans begin to git soft just drop two or three 

 metal spoons into the camp-kettle, then go on 

 about your business, an' long as they don't bile 

 dry they won't burn. You savvy the philosophy 

 of it?" 



"No, I don't." 



"Well, it's just this: the heat keeps the spoons 

 a-dancin' around in the bottom of the kettle, an' 

 that keeps the beans from settlin' an' burning. 

 Savvy? Easy as rollin' off a log when it's ex- 

 plained to you, ain't it?" 



After getting back to camp with the mules and 

 broncos newly shod, we had just taken our seats 

 around our mess-box table when who should ride 

 up but Wild Bill. He had heard from Brown of 

 our move and came out to see how we were fixed. 

 As he reined up near us Jack saluted him with: 



"Get down, Bill, an' hitch your hoss an' watch 



me eat.' 



"Not by a durned sight, Jack; I can do a heap 

 better than that," replied the scout, too familiar 



29 



