"But say, fellers," he said, "I plumb forgot what I come over here for. They's goin' to be a dance over to town, an' I come to tell you about it. O' course you'll come." "What sort of a dance can it be, man?" said Battersleigh. "Why, a plumb dandy dance; reg'lar high-steppin' outfit; _mucha baille_; best thing ever was in this settlement." "I'm curious to know where the ladies will come from," said Franklin. "Don't you never worry," rejoined Curly. "They's plenty o' women-folks. Why, there's the section boss, his wife--you know her--she does the washin' for most everybody. There's Nora, Sam's girl, the head waiter; an' Mary, the red-headed girl; an' Kitty, the littlest waiter girl; an' the new grocery man's wife; an' Hank Peterson's wife, from down to his ranch. Oh, there'll be plenty o' ladies, don't you never doubt. Why, say, Sam, he told me, last time he went down to Plum Centre, he was goin' to ask Major Buford an' his wife, an' the gal that's stayin' with them--tall gal, fine looker--why, Sam, he said he would ast them, an' maybe they'd come up to the dance--who knows? Sam, he says that gal ain't no common sort--whole outfit's a puzzler to him, he says, Sam does." "And when does this all happen, Curly, boy?" asked Battersleigh. "Why, night after to-morrer night, to the big stone hotel. They're goin' to clean out the dinin'-room for us. Three niggers, two fiddlers, an' a 'cordion--oh, we'll have music all right! You'll be over, of course?" "That we will, me boy," responded Battersleigh. "It's mesilf will inthrojuce Captain Franklin to his first haythin ball. Our life on the claim's elevatin', for it leaves time for thought, but it is a bit slow at times. An' will we come? Man, we'll be the first." "Well, then, so long, fellers," said Curly. "I got to be movin' along a little. See you at the dance, sure." "Now, as to a ball, Battersleigh," said Franklin, argumentatively, when they were alone, "how can I go? I've not the first decent thing to wear to such a place." "Tut, tut!" said Battersleigh. "There speaks the coxcombry of youth. I make no doubt ye'd be the best-dressed man there if ye'd go as ye stand now. But what about Batty? On me honour, Ned, I've never been so low in kit as I am this season here, not since I was lance sergeant in the Tinth. You're able to pull out your blue uniform, I know, an' b'gad! the uniform of an officer is full dress the worrld over! Look at Batty, half mufti, and his allowance a bit late, me boy. But does Batty despair? By no means. 'Tis at times like this that gaynius rises to the occasion." Franklin grinned amiably. "Thank you for the suggestion about the uniform, at least," he said. "Now, if we can fix you up as well." Battersleigh came and stood before him, waving a long forefinger. "Listen to me, Ned," he began, "an' I'll lay down to ye a few of the fundamental rules of conduct and appar'l.