right　eye　in　an　early　pioneer　fracas　did　not　prevent　him　from
  looking　into　the　dim　vista　of　the　future　and　discovering　with　that
  single　unaided　optic　enough　to　fill　three　columns　of　the　〃Star。〃
  〃It　is　not　too　extravagant　to　say；〃　he　remarked　with　charming
  deprecation；　〃that　Indian　Spring；　through　its　own　perfectly
  organized　system　of　inland　transportation；　the　confluence　of　its
  North　Fork　with　the　Sacramento　River；　and　their　combined　effluence
  into　the　illimitable　Pacific；　is　thus　put　not　only　into　direct
  communication　with　far　Cathay　but　even　remoter　Antipodean　markets。
  The　citizen　of　Indian　Spring　taking　the　9　A。　M。　Pioneer　Coach　and
  arriving　at　Big　Bluff　at　2。40　is　enabled　to　connect　with　the
  through　express　to　Sacramento　the　same　evening；　reaching　San
  Francisco　per　the　Steam　Navigation　Company's　palatial　steamers　in
  time　to　take　the　Pacific　Mail　Steamer　to　Yokohama　on　the　following
  day　at　8。30　P。　M。〃　　Although　no　citizen　of　Indian　Spring　appeared
  to　avail　himself　of　this　admirable　opportunity；　nor　did　it　appear
  at　all　likely　that　any　would；　everybody　vaguely　felt　that　an
  inestimable　boon　lay　in　the　suggestion；　and　even　the　master
  professionally　intrusting　the　reading　aloud　of　the　editorial　to
  Rupert　Filgee　with　ulterior　designs　of　practice　in　the　pronunciation
  of　five…syllable　words；　was　somewhat　affected　by　it。　　Johnny　Filgee
  and　Jimmy　Snyder　accepting　it　as　a　mysterious　something　that　made
  Desert　Islands　accessible　at　a　moment's　notice　and　a　trifling
  outlay；　were　round…eyed　and　attentive。　　And　the　culminating
  information　from　the　master　that　this　event　would　be　commemorated　by
  a　half…holiday；　combined　to　make　the　occasion　as　exciting　to　the
  simple　school…house　in　the　clearing　as　it　was　to　the　gilded　saloon
  in　the　main　street。
  And　so　the　momentous　day　arrived；　with　its　two　new　coaches　from　Big
  Bluff　containing　the　specially　invited　speakersalways　specially
  invited　to　those　occasions；　and　yet　strangely　enough　never　before
  feeling　the　extreme　〃importance　and　privilege〃　of　it　as　they　did
  then。　　Then　there　were　the　firing　of　two　anvils；　the　strains　of　a
  brass　band；　the　hoisting　of　a　new　flag　on　the　liberty…pole；　and
  later　the　ceremony　of　the　Ditch　opening；　when　a　distinguished
  speaker　in　a　most　unworkman…like　tall　hat；　black　frock　coat；　and
  white　cravat；　which　gave　him　the　general　air　of　a　festive　grave…
  digger；　took　a　spade　from　the　hands　of　an　apparently　hilarious
  chief　mourner　and　threw　out　the　first　sods。　　There　were　anvils；
  brass　bands；　and　a　〃collation〃　at　the　hotel。　　But　everywhere
  overriding　the　most　extravagant　expectation　and　even　the　laughter
  it　provokedthe　spirit　of　indomitable　youth　and　resistless
  enterprise　intoxicated　the　air。　　It　was　the　spirit　that　had　made
  California　possible；　that　had　sown　a　thousand　such　ventures
  broadcast　through　its　wilderness；　that　had　enabled　the　sower　to
  stand　half…humorously　among　his　scant　or　ruined　harvests　without
  fear　and　without　repining；　and　turn　his　undaunted　and　ever　hopeful
  face　to　further　fields。　　What　mattered　it　that　Indian　Spring　had
  always　before　its　eyes　the　abandoned　trenches　and　ruined　outworks
  of　its　earlier　pioneers？　　What　mattered　it　that　the　eloquent
  eulogist　of　the　Eureka　Ditch　had　but　a　few　years　before　as
  prodigally　scattered　his　adjectives　and　his　fortune　on　the　useless
  tunnel　that　confronted　him　on　the　opposite　side　of　the　river？　　The
  sublime　forgetfulness　of　youth　ignored　its　warning　or　recognized　it
  as　a　joke。　　The　master；　fresh　from　his　little　flock　and　prematurely
  aged　by　their　contact；　felt　a　stirring　of　something　like　envy　as　he
  wandered　among　these　scarcely　older　enthusiasts。
  Especially　memorable　was　the　exciting　day　to　Johnny　Filgee；　not
  only　for　the　delightfully　bewildering　clamor　of　the　brass　band；　in
  which；　between　the　trombone　and　the　bass　drum；　he　had　got
  inextricably　mixed；　not　only　for　the　half…frightening　explosions　of
  the　anvils　and　the　maddening　smell　of　the　gunpowder　which　had
  exalted　his　infant　soul　to　sudden　and　irrelevant　whoopings；　but　for
  a　singular　occurrence　that　whetted　his　always　keen　perceptions。
  Having　been　shamelessly　abandoned　on　the　veranda　of　the　Eureka
  Hotel　while　his　brother　Rupert　paid　bashful　court　to　the　pretty
  proprietress　by　assisting　her　in　her　duties；　Johnny　gave　himself　up
  to　unlimited　observation。　　The　rosettes　of　the　six　horses；　the　new
  harness；　the　length　of　the　driver's　whiplash；　his　enormous　buckskin
  gloves　and　the　way　he　held　his　reins；　the　fascinating　odor　of
  shining　varnish　on　the　coach；　the　gold…headed　cane　of　the　Honorable
  Abner　Dean：　all　these　were　stored　away　in　the　secret　recesses　of
  Johnny's　memory；　even　as　the　unconsidered　trifles　he　had　picked　up
  en　route　were　distending　his　capacious　pockets。　　But　when　a　young
  man　had　alighted　from　the　second　or　〃Truly〃　coach　among　the　REAL
  passengers；　and　strolled　carelessly　and　easily　in　the　veranda　as　if
  the　novelty　and　the　occasion　were　nothing　to　him；　Johnny；　with　a
  gulp　of　satisfaction；　knew　that　he　had　seen　a　prince！　　Beautifully
  dressed　in　a　white　duck　suit；　with　a　diamond　ring　on　his　finger；　a
  gold　chain　swinging　from　his　fob；　and　a　Panama　hat　with　a　broad
  black　ribbon　jauntily　resting　on　his　curled　and　scented　hair；
  Johnny's　eyes　had　never　rested　on　a　more　resplendent　vision。　　He
  was　more　romantic　than　Yuba　Bill；　more　imposing　and　less　impossible
  than　the　Honorable　Abner　Dean；　more　eloquent　than　the　masterfar
  more　beautiful　than　any　colored　print　that　he　had　ever　seen。　　Had
  he　brushed　him　in　passing　Johnny　would　have　felt　a　thrill；　had　he
  spoken　to　him　he　knew　he　would　have　been　speechless　to　reply。
  Judge　then　of　his　utter　stupefaction　when　he　saw　Uncle　Ben
  actually　Uncle　Ben！approach　this　paragon　of　perfection；　albeit
  with　some　embarrassment；　and　after　a　word　or　two　of　unintelligible
  conversation　walk　away　with　him！　　Need　it　be　wondered　that　Johnny；
  forgetful　at　once　of　his　brother；　the　horses；　and　even　the
  collation　with　its　possible　〃goodies；〃　instantly　followed。
  The　two　men　turned　into　the　side　street；　which；　after　a　few　hundred
  yards；　opened　upon　the　deserted　mining　flat；　crossed　and　broken　by
  the　burrows　and　mounds　made　by　the　forgotten　engines　of　the　early
  gold…seekers。　　Johnny；　at　times　hidden　by　these　irregularities；
  kept　closely　in　their　rear；　sauntering　whenever　he　came　within　the
  range　of　their　eyes　in　that　sidelong；　spasmodic　and　generally
  diagonal　fashion　peculiar　to　small　boys；　but　ready　at　any　moment　to
  assume　utter　unconsciousness　and　the　appearance　of　going　somewhere
  else　or　of　searching　for　something　on　the　ground。　　In　this　way
  appearing；　if　noticed　at　all；　each　time　in　some　different　position
  to　the　right　or　left　of　them；　Johnny　followed　them　to　the　fringe　of
  woodland　which　enabled　him　to　draw　closer　to　their　heels。
  Utterly　oblivious　of　this　artistic　〃shadowing〃　in　the　insignificant
  person　of　the　small　boy　who　once　or　twice　even　crossed　their　path
  with　affected　timidity；　they　continued　an　apparently　confidential
  previous　interview。　　The　words　〃stocks〃　and　〃shares〃　were　alone
  intelligible。　　Johnny　had　heard　them　during　the　day；　but　he　was
  struck　by　the　fact　that　Uncle　Ben　seemed　to　be　seeking　information
  from　the　paragon　and　was　perfectly　submissive　and　humble。　　But　the
  boy　was　considerably　mystified　when　after　a　tramp　of　half　an　hour
  they　arrived　upon　the　debatable　ground　of　the　Harrison…McKinstry
  boundary。　　Having　been　especially　warned　never　to　go　there；　Johnny
  as　a　matter　of　course　was　perfectly　familiar　with　it。　　But　what　was
  the　incomprehensible　stranger　doing　there？　　Was　he　brought　by　Uncle
  Ben　with　a　view　of　paralyzing　both　of　the　combatants　with　the
  spectacle　of　his　perfections？　　Was　he　a　youthful　sheriff；　a　young
  judge；　or　maybe　the　son　of　the　Governor　of　California？　　Or　was　it
  that　Uncle　Ben　was　〃silly〃　and　didn't　know　the　locality？　　Here　was
  an　opportunity　for　him；　Johnny；　to　introduce　himself；　and　explain
  and　even　magnify　the　danger；　with　perhaps　a　slight　allusion　to　his
  own　fearless　familiarity　with　it。　　Unfortunately；　as　he　was　making
  up　his　small　mind　behind　a　tree；　the　paragon　turned　and　with　the
  easy　disdain　that　so　well　became　him；　said：
  〃Well；　I　wouldn't　offer　a　dollar　an　acre　for　the　whole　ranch。　　But
  if　YOU　choose　to　give　a　fancy　pricethat's　your　lookout。〃
  To　Johnny's　already　prejudiced　mind；　Uncle　Ben　received　this　just
  contempt　submissively；　as　he　ought；　but　nevertheless　he　muttered
  something　〃silly〃　in　reply；　which　Johnny　was　really　too　disgusted
  to　listen　to。　　Ought　he　not　to　step　forward　and　inform　the　paragon
  that　he　was　wasting　his　time　on　a　man　who　couldn't　even　spell
  〃ba…ker；〃　and　who　was　taught　his　letters　by　his；　Johnny's；　brother？
  The　paragon　continued：
  〃And　of　course　you　know　that　merely　your　buying　the　title　to　the
  land　don't　give　you　possession。　　You'll　have　to　fight　these
  squatters　and　jumpers　just　the　same。　　It'll　be　three　instead　of　two
  fightingthat's　all！〃
  Uncle