Arizona -- Fiction; Grand Canyon (Ariz.) -- Fiction; Western stories
Exactly ten days after Nucky's first trip down Bright Angel trail, John
Seaton descended somewhat wearily from the Pullman that had landed him
once more at the Canyon's rim. He had telegraphed the time of his
arrival and Nucky ran up to meet him.
"Hello, Mr. Seaton!" he said.
Seaton's jaw dropped. "What on earth--?" Then he grinned.
Nucky was wearing high laced boots, a blue flannel shirt, gauntlet
gloves and a huge sombrero.
"Some outfit, Enoch! Been down Bright Angel yet?"
"Three times," replied the boy, with elaborate carelessness. "Say, Mr.
Seaton, can't we stay one more day and you take the trip with us?"
"I think I can arrange it." Seaton was trying not to look at the boy
too sharply. "I'll be as sore as a dog, for I haven't been in a saddle
since I was out here before. But Bright Angel's worth it."
"Sore!" Nucky laughed. "Say, Mr. Seaton, I just don't try to sit down
any more!"
They had reached the hotel desk now and as Seaton signed the register
the clerk said, with a wink:
"If you'll leave young Huntingdon behind, we'll take him on as a guide,
Mr. Seaton."
Nucky tossed his head. "Huh! and you might get a worse guide than me,
too. Frank says I got the real makings in me and I'll bet Frank knows
more about guiding than any white in these parts. Navaho Mike told me
so. And Navaho Mike says he knows I could make money out here even at
fourteen."
"How, Enoch?" asked Seaton, as they followed the bell boy upstairs. He
was not looking at Nucky, for fear he would show surprise. "How? at
cards?"
"Aw, no! Placer mining! It don't cost much to outfit and there's
millions going to waste in the Colorado! Millions! Frank and Mike say
so. You skip, Billy,"--this to the bell boy,--"I'm Mr. Seaton's bell
hop."
The boy pocketed the tip Nucky handed him, and closed the door after
himself. Nucky opened Seaton's suitcase.
"Shall I unpack for you?" he asked.
"No, thanks, I shan't need anything but my toilet case, for I'm going
to get into an outfit like yours, barring the hat and gloves."
"Ain't it a pippin!" giving the hat an admiring glance. "Frank gave it
to me. He has two, and I rented the things for you, Mr. Seaton. Here
they are," opening the closet door. "Shall I help you with 'em? Will
you take a ride along the rim now? Shall I get the horses? Now? I'll
be waiting for you at the main entrance with the best pony in the
bunch."
He slammed out of the room. John Seaton scratched his head after he
had shaken it several times, and made himself ready for his ride.
Frank rapped on the door before he had finished and came in, smiling.
"Well, I understand you're to be taken riding!" he said.
"For the love of heaven, Frank, what have you done to the boy?"
"Me? Nothing! It was the Canyon. Let me tell you about that first
trip." And he told rapidly but in detail, the story of Nucky's first
two days in the Canyon.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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