the hours of darkness into three watches, each standing guard in his turn. On the third morning after the depar

ought to be at work

y lately, and I have remained in camp, testing s

," proposed Harry, "and I

s stay in and work

ed Harry, pleasantly. "May I ask,

ther good property in this region. I've been looking about, and making

n my day I've been sole owner of three clai

y. "But how did you

of any of the mines," re

d that

of 'square gamblers

ace. "We ran up against one of t

ainst him, I hope,

hough, nor with any kind of cards. We met him with men's weapo

Jim Ferrers. "They won, and that's why all three of my

ing about ore and cro

Tom con

r's way, yes,"

walk, now. Alf can

tch is fit for," muttere

e of his repeating ride, then saw to

gentlemen are,

take me with y

of any use to us,

afraid to sta

so valuable that any one will w

filled with needless alarm, he crawled out into a thicket

t last the trio climbed a slight asc

ained, "this ridge runs

oes?" nodde

that look good enough. But just keep along to the southeast, pickin

, though his eyes gleamed with the

e of stone," called t

fragment about as b

ell with yellow, you see

agreed, takin

the top of the ridge?"

hink," Tom made answer. "But let us walk along, in three

cky ground. Each had as many specimens as he could carry. The result of t

est rock obtainable. We don't want to leave the best part of this slope for some one else to stak

eman are concerned," Ferrers answered, taking off his felt

it isn't!" Re

t over the idea. "You see I--I can't contribute my share of the brains, along with a pair like you," continued the guid

man, aren't you, J

lks who say I am," Fe

"Now, Jim, you're with us, and you've every right to be a p

rotested the guide, his voice shaki

d I are engineers first of all. We'd sooner be engineers than kings. Now, the lure of gold is all well enough, and we're human en

would," confi

months or a year and still be able to depend on getting our share of the profits of the mine. You've gambled in the past, Jim, but you stoppe

n twenty-one, each of

an, and one whom we could depend upon not to rob us. Jim, if we're to take up a mine we must hav

well enough. Both of you talk of fighting as though you dreaded it, but I'll te

et us try to make up our minds just where we would want to

y mere pacing they laid off what they judged to be the fifteen hundre

"Now, what do you say if we make for camp at once. I'm not

nsils. Tom busied himself with building the best fire that he could under the chamber of the assaying furnace, while Ha

Harry," advised Tom, glancing ove

ough intelligence left to understand the value of knowing from

usly hungry. In the second place, though each kept as quiet as pos

y over when Alf Dr

ng anything to

t dishes, and you haven't done it yet. Now, you'll wash the breakfast thi

e in camp he felt much ashamed of himself fo

er Tom Reade went back to the as

ready to roast," Reade remarked. "We've a

Larry nodded. "If we decide to file a claim Jim ought to be riding for Du

a dozen men to help us sink t

muttered Ferrers. "I haven't a bl

sty for a good deal i

hinted c

hings. If we stake out a claim we'll do it so accurately that there

inquired Hazelton, as he came

and find out whether the claim is worth an

ng reflectively at his pipe as he squatted on the ground nearby. Alf Drew was smoking,

of the sun, while Tom kept his gaze

ed Tom at last. "We'd

buttons are going t

the oven door of the portable assay furnace was thrown ope

es with my hat do any good

Tom, "if you'

at was consuming him. Harry frequently sprang to his feet, walked up and down rapidly, then sat down again. Two or three times Hazelton burn

look, now, I thin

ward the crucibles, feel

he reported. "But ho

imed the crucibles before this, and I kn

ry, in contempt for self. "I nev

tom of each was found a tiny bead of half-lustrous

tuff!" glow

er the buttons will weigh enough to hint at good-paying o

always better than the surf

h results from this assay it will at least be wort

gly slow and cool as he carefully adjusted the sensitive assaying balance and finally we

?" asked J

calmly, "twenty-eight dollars in go

or me!" cried Ferrers

ed Harry, then ran and snatc

er go along and do our

claim at Dugout City," promised Jim. "I won

in your own name, Jim,"

orted Ferrers. "I'

m continued. "We don't want to use up our cl

ake out three, and then pool them all

trust you're showing

husk

ietly. "You can show us, you know, t

talking the three came

" gasped Har

n-horn crowd!" flared

llow! This t

er, nothing like fighting! If they haven't filed notice

hissed

seen nailing a sheet of white pap

want, I reckon!" bell

e form, too, if

ost that claim,"

hissed Ji