TheabsorbinganddisastrousadventureoftheFlyingScudwasnowquiteended；wehaddashedintothesedeepwatersandwehadescapedagaintostarve，wehadbeenruinedandweresaved，hadquarrelledandmadeup；thereremainednothingbuttosingTeDeum，drawaline，andbeginonafreshpageofmyunwrittendiary。IdonotpretendthatIrecoveredallIhadlostwithMamie；itwouldhavebeenmorethanIhadmerited；andI
hadcertainlybeenmoreuncommunicativethanbecameeitherthepartnerorthefriend。Butsheacceptedthepositionhandsomely；andduringtheweekthatInowpassedwiththem，bothsheandJimhadthegracetosparemequestions。ItwastoCalistogathatwewent；therewassomerumourofaNapaland-boomatthemoment，thepossibilityofstirattractedJim，andheinformedmehewouldfindacertainjoyinlookingon，muchasNapoleononSt。Helenatookapleasuretoreadmilitaryworks。Thefieldofhisambitionwasquiteclosed；hewasdonewithaction；andlookedforwardtoaranchinamountaindingle，apatchofcorn，apairofkine，aleisurelyandcontemplativeageinthegreenshadeofforests。“Justletmegetdownonmybackinahayfield。”saidhe，“andyou’llfindthere’snomoresnaptomethanthatmuchputty。”
Andfortwodaystheperfervidbeingactuallyrested。Thethird，hewasobservedinconsultationwiththelocaleditor，andownedhewasintwomindsaboutpurchasingthepressandpaper。“It’sakindofaholdforanidleman。”hesaid，pleadingly；“andifthesectionwastoopenupthewayitoughtto，theremightbedollarsinthething。”Onthefourthdayhewasgonetilldinner-timealone；onthefifthwemadealongpicnicdrivetothefreshfieldofenterprise；andthesixthwaspassedentirelyinthepreparationofprospectuses。ThepioneerofMcBrideCitywasalreadyuprightandself-reliantasofyore；
thefirerekindledinhiseye，theringrestoredtohisvoice；achargersniffingbattleandsayingha-ha，amongthespears。Ontheseventhmorningwesignedadeedofpartnership，forJimwouldnotacceptadollarofmymoneyotherwise；andhavingoncemoreengagedmyself——orthatmortalpartofme，mypurse——amongthewheelsofhismachinery，IreturnedalonetoSanFranciscoandtookquartersinthePalaceHotel。
ThesamenightIhadNarestodinner。Hissunburntface，hisqueerandpersonalstrainoftalk，recalleddaysthatwerescarceoverandthatseemedalreadydistant。Throughthemusicofthebandoutside，andthechinkandclatterofthedining-room，itseemedtomeasifIheardthefoamingofthesurfandthevoicesofthesea-birdsaboutMidwayIsland。Thebruisesonourhandswerenotyethealed；andtherewesat，waitedonbyelaboratedarkies，eatingpompanoanddrinkingicedchampagne。