Weimer removed his goggles, and pressed his hands over his eyes. "Yah, dot I has, a touch und more dan a touch. Ross here, he ain't leavin' us to go mit you." Still Ross stood silent. The stranger made no response to Weimer's protestations, but, bending forward, regarded him closely. "What?" he burst out. "Are you Dutch Weimer?" "Dot ist vat dey call me," assented Weimer, turning his bloodshot eyes on the stranger. The latter persisted in an incredulous voice, "The Dutch Weimer who used to run a miners' supply store down in Butte?" "Dot same," assented Weimer. "Und who might you pe?" The stranger grinned, a one-sided grin which sent his right cheek up under the smoked goggles. "Well, Uncle Jake, do you remember a little black-headed rascal that uster hang his chin on the edge of yer counter about once a day and get a nickel's worth of candy?" Weimer wrinkled his brow in perplexity. "Dere vas so many plack-heads," he muttered, scratching his head. The stranger grinned delightedly, and again his right cheek was pushed up under the goggles. "Of course there was. I wa'n't the only calf running around loose, I know. Well, do you remember Marvin Miller?" "Hein!" cried Weimer. He held out his hand impulsively. "Und are you Marvin Miller's poy?" "The same," declared the stranger, grasping the hand. "And didn't you have a younger pard by the name of Grant?" "Yah!" Weimer fairly shouted. "Dot I did, and he's my pard yet." "Uster git his eyes about shut, and tighten his lips, when things didn't go to suit 'im," grinned Marvin Miller's son. "That's my father all right!" cried Ross. The stranger drew back and whistled. "Your dad!" he exclaimed. "Sho, now; that's not so?" "It ist so," Weimer broke in. "His fader sends him to help me mit der vork in dese claims, und den dis consarned gang of McKenzies go and pack off der sticks----" and Weimer was launched on an account of their troubles, feeling perfectly at home with the man who as a boy had hung over his counter in the old days when he was merchant and not prospector. Ross, too, felt his heart warm toward the man who had known his father; and for an instant the present faded, and he was back East again among the old familiar surroundings. He was being looked over by the father who "got his eyes about shut" when the son did not please him; he was being affectionately scolded by Aunt Anne and advised by Dr. Grant--but the thought of the doctor brought Ross up sharply against the purpose of the stranger's visit.