216 MONEY WELL LAID OUT. 



can't keep any of my fixings, no how, while such like as 

 you, emigrants and what not, keep a-going along these 

 tracks, and I've been no end o' times a looking out to 

 catch you." 



On this my men joined in rather rudely ridiculing 

 the alleged value of the rail, and inclined to give the 

 two frontier men the rough side of their tongues. I 

 bade them be silent, and, getting off my ambulance seat, 

 looked at the wood they had, and saw that there was a 

 possibility of calling it a rail. On this I asked its value, 

 a mere trifle, and at once paid the sum demanded, giv 

 ing my men a caution, that if they took anything from 

 any one for the future, I should stop the value of it from 

 their wages. Altercation, numbers against one, again 

 arose, but was as speedily repressed by me, and, on the 

 recipient of the money thanking me, and taking his de 

 parture, I told him that if ever anything was improperly 

 done by men in the service of an English gentleman, I 

 begged him to recollect, and to tell all his countrymen 

 so, that we held it in the old country to be our duty, 

 under all circumstances, to afford redress, and to be an 

 swerable for the conduct of any men in our employ. 

 The owner of the rail alone rode away, his friend and 

 companion, with an increased friendliness of manner, 

 accompanied me to my ambulance, and remained for 

 some time in conversation. He seemed much pleased 

 with what he had observed, and greatly taken up with 

 the distance I had come, and the complete fixings and 

 arms in my belt and within my waggon, as well as with 

 my dogs. In going away he most heartily wished me 

 success, and added, "Your track, yes, sir, passes just 

 afore my house, and if you'll let one of the boys come 

 to my door I shall be very pleased to place some nice 



