At length, about half-past eight of our last evening, with the
waggon ready harnessed to convey us up the grade, the washerman,
with a somewhat sneering air, produced the boy. He was a handsome,
gentlemanly lad, attired in rich dark blue, and shod with snowy
white; but, alas! he had heard rumours of Silverado. He know it
for a lone place on the mountain-side, with no friendly wash-house
near by, where he might smoke a pipe of opium o' nights with other
China-boys, and lose his little earnings at the game of tan; and he
first backed out for more money; and then, when that demand was
satisfied, refused to come point-blank. He was wedded to his wash-
houses; he had no taste for the rural life; and we must go to our
mountain servantless. It must have been near half an hour before
we reached that conclusion, standing in the midst of Calistoga high
street under the stars, and the China-boy and Kong Sam Kee singing
their pigeon English in the sweetest voices and with the most
musical inflections.
We were not, however, to return alone; for we brought with us Joe
Strong, the painter, a most good-natured comrade and a capital hand
at an omelette. I do not know in which capacity he was most
valued--as a cook or a companion; and he did excellently well in
both.
The Kong Sam Kee negotiation had delayed us unduly; it must have
been half-past nine before we left Calistoga, and night came fully
ere we struck the bottom of the grade.
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