When the laugh had subsided, Brewster said: "Miller estimated that our provisions would not cost to exceed $15.00 per month apiece. I tried to be reasonable and bought about enough for two months, but here we have a ship load. Why did you buy out a store, Miller?" "I had to make a bill and I did not want the grocery man to think we were paupers," retorted Miller. "How much were the repairs on the house, Miller?" asked Carlin. "There's the beggar's bill. It's a dead swindle, and I told him so. He ought to have been a plumber. He had by the Eternal. He has no more conscience than a police judge. Here's the scoundrel's bill," said Miller, excitedly, as he proceeded to read the following: "'To repairing roof, $17.50; twenty battens, $4.00; to putting on battens, $3.00; hanging one door, $3.50; six lights glass, $3.00; setting same, $3.00; lumber, $4.80; putting up bunks, $27.50; total, $66.30.' "The man is no better than a thief; if he is, I'm a sinner." "You bought some dishes, did you not, Miller?" inquired Ashley. "How much did they amount to?" "There's another scalper," answered Miller, warmly. "I told him we wanted a few dishes, knives, forks, etc.--just enough for seven men to cabin with--and here is the bill. It foots up $63.37. A bill for wood also amounts to $15.00; two extra chairs, $6.00." Brewster, who had been making a memorandum, spoke up and said: "If I have made no error the account stands as follows: Provisions $357 56 Crockery, knives, forks, etc. 53 37 Wood 19 00 Repairs 66 50 One month's rent 50 00 One month's water 7 00 Chairs 6 00 ------- Making a total of $559 43 Or, in round numbers, eighty dollars per capita for us all. I settled my account at the store, amounting to $32.60, which leaves $47.40 as my proportion of the balance. Here is the money." This was like Brewster. Some of the others settled and a part begged-off until next pay-day. The next question was about the cooking. After a brief debate it was determined that all would join in getting up the first supper. So one rushed to a convenient butcher shop and soon returned with a basket full of porter house steaks, sweetbreads and lamb chops; another prepared the potatoes and put them in the oven; another attended to the fire; another to setting the table. Brewster was delegated to make the coffee. To Corrigan was ascribed the task of cooking the meats, while Miller volunteered to make some biscuits that would "touch their hearts."