Ben shot him an impatient look and went to consult with a pair of
engineers who were studying a diagram, holding it between them with
their backs to the wind. Hearing a chuckle behind him, Tesno turned and
found himself confronting a tall, hawk-faced man leaning on a shovel.
"A gun tough who's a philosopher," the workman said. "Now that is
something."
"And a shovel bum with educated diction. That's something, too."
The man hesitated, then extended his hand. He was bone thin, a little
stooped, and his smile was sad. "Name's Dave Coons. Itinerant actor,
confidence man, peddlar, phrenologist, and what have you. Currently a
shovel bum, doing a bit of soul-saving on the side."