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diff --git a/.gitattributes b/.gitattributes new file mode 100644 index 0000000..6833f05 --- /dev/null +++ b/.gitattributes @@ -0,0 +1,3 @@ +* text=auto +*.txt text +*.md text diff --git a/20126-8.txt b/20126-8.txt new file mode 100644 index 0000000..f909e9f --- /dev/null +++ b/20126-8.txt @@ -0,0 +1,10087 @@ +The Project Gutenberg eBook, The Cave of Gold, by Everett McNeil + + +This eBook is for the use of anyone anywhere at no cost and with +almost no restrictions whatsoever. You may copy it, give it away or +re-use it under the terms of the Project Gutenberg License included +with this eBook or online at www.gutenberg.org + + + + + +Title: The Cave of Gold + A Tale of California in '49 + + +Author: Everett McNeil + + + +Release Date: December 17, 2006 [eBook #20126] + +Language: English + +Character set encoding: ISO-8859-1 + + +***START OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK THE CAVE OF GOLD*** + + +E-text prepared by the Project Gutenberg Online Distributed Proofreading +Team (https://www.pgdp.net/) from material generously made available by +Internet Archive/American Libraries +(http://www.archive.org/details/americana) + + + +Note: Project Gutenberg also has an HTML version of this + file which includes the original illustrations. + See 20126-h.htm or 20126-h.zip: + (https://www.gutenberg.org/dirs/2/0/1/2/20126/20126-h/20126-h.htm) + or + (https://www.gutenberg.org/dirs/2/0/1/2/20126/20126-h.zip) + + + The source of this e-book and images of the original pages are + available through Internet Archive/American Libraries. See + http://www.archive.org/details/caveofgold00mcnerich + + + + + +THE CAVE OF GOLD + +A Tale of California in '49 + +by + +EVERETT McNEIL + +Author of "Fighting with Fremont," "In Texas with Davy Crockett," "With +Kit Carson in the Rockies," Etc. + + + + + + + +New York +E. P. Dutton & Company +681 Fifth Ave. + +First Printing, January, 1911 +Second Printing, August. 1919 +Third Printing, June, 1926 +Printed in the U.S.A. + + + + +TO THE DESCENDANTS YOUNG OR OLD OF THE HARDY FORTY-NINERS THIS STORY OF +THE EXCITING DAYS OF THE DISCOVERY OF GOLD IN CALIFORNIA IS HOPEFULLY +DEDICATED + + + + +[Illustration: "YOU LIE!" AND THE HARD FIST LANDED SQUARELY ON THE MAN'S +CHIN.] + + + + +FOREWORD + + +On a cold January morning of 1848, James Wilson Marshall picked up two +yellow bits of metal, about the size and the shape of split peas, from +the tail-race of the sawmill he was building on the South Fork of the +American River, some forty-five miles northeast of Sutter's Fort, now +Sacramento City. These two yellow pellets proved to be gold; and soon it +was discovered that all the region thereabouts was thickly sown with +shining particles of the same precious yellow metal. A few months later +and all the world was pouring its most adventurous spirits into the +wilderness of California. + +This discovery of gold in California and the remarkable inpouring of men +that followed, meant very much to the United States. In a few months it +cleared a wilderness and built up a great state. In one step it advanced +the interests and the importance of the United States half a century in +the policies and the commerce of the Pacific. It threw wide open the +great doors of the West and invited the world to enter. It poured into +the pockets of the people and into the treasury of the United States a +vast amount of gold--alas! soon to be sorely needed to defray the +expenses of the most costly war of the ages. Indeed, when the length and +the breadth of its influence is considered, this discovery of gold in +California becomes one of the most important factors in the developing +of our nation, the great corner-stone in the upbuilding of the West; +and, as such, it deserves a much more important place in the history of +the United States than any historian has yet given to it. + +In the present story an attempt has been made, not only to tell an +interesting tale, but to interest the younger generation in this +remarkable and dramatic phase of our national development, possibly the +most picturesque and dramatic period in the history of the nation: to +picture to them how these knights of the pick and the shovel lived and +worked, how they found and wrested the gold from the hard hand of +nature, and to give to them something of an idea of the hardships and +the perils they were obliged to endure while doing it. + +The period was a dramatic period, crowded with unusual and startling +happenings, as far removed as possible from the quiet commonplaceness +and routine life of the average boy and girl of to-day; and the reader +is cautioned to remember this--if disposed at any time to think the +incidents narrated in the present tale too improbable or too startling +to have ever happened--that they could not happen to-day, even in +California; but they might have all happened then and there in +California. + +The author is one of those who believe that the boys and the girls of +to-day should know something of the foundation stones on which the +superstructure of our national greatness rests, and how and with what +toils and perils they were laid; and, it is in the hope that the reading +of this story will interest them in this, the laying of the great +corner-stone in the upbuilding of the West, that this tale of the +Discovery of Gold in California has been written. + +No nation can afford to forget its builders. + + + + +CONTENTS + + CHAPTER + + I. El Feroz + + II. Death of the Miner + + III. The Skin Map + + IV. At the Conroyal Rancho + + V. Off for the Gold-Mines + + VI. The Sign of the Two Red Thumbs + + VII. Caught in the Flood + + VIII. Accused of Murder + + IX. The Testimony of Bill Ugger + + X. The Missing Button + + XI. An Unexpected Witness + + XII. Hammer Jones + + XIII. Explanations + + XIV. The Luck of Dickson + + XV. Around the Supper Table + + XVI. Unexpected Company + + XVII. Pockface Again + + XVIII. Story of the Great Discovery + + XIX. Some Exciting Moments + + XX. Robbed + + XXI. Pedro + + XXII. The Mystery of the Tent + + XXIII. On the Shore of Goose Neck Lake + + XXIV. In Lot's Canyon + + XXV. The Cave of Gold + + XXVI. The Catastrophe + + XXVII. Home + + + + +ILLUSTRATIONS + + "You lie!" and the hard fist landed squarely on the man's chin + + The skin map + + "You can turn your horses around and ride back the way you + came" + + "Is there any! just look there! and there! and there!" + + Bud bent and stretched his free hand down to Marshall + + "It is gold! it is gold! and enough of it to make us all + rich beyond our fondest dreams" + + + + +The Cave of Gold + + + + +CHAPTER I + +EL FEROZ + + +"Whoa!"--"whoa!" With quick jerks on their bridle reins Thure Conroyal +and Bud Randolph pulled up their horses and listened shiveringly. + +Again that same shrill whistling scream of dreadful agony and fear, that +had caused them to rein up their horses so suddenly a moment before, +came from the valley beyond the brow of the little hill up which they +had been slowly riding, and chilled the very marrow in their bones with +the terrible intensity of its fear and anguish. Then all was still. + +"What--what was it?" and Thure turned a startled face to Bud. "It didn't +sound human and I never heard an animal scream like that before. What +can it be?" + +"I don't know," Bud answered, his face whitening a little; "but I am +going to find out. Come on," and, swinging his rifle into position where +it would be ready for instant use, he started up the hill, his eyes +fixed in the direction whence had come those fearful screams. + +"We'd better go a little slow, until we find out what it is," cautioned +Thure, as he quickly fell in by the side of Bud, his own rifle held +ready for instant use. "It might be Indian devilment of some kind. You +know dad's last letter from the mines said that the Indians were getting +ugly; and if it is hostile Indians, we want to see them first." + +"You bet we do," was Bud's emphatic rejoinder, as he again pulled up his +horse. "Now, just hold Gray Cloud and I'll scout on ahead and see what's +going on down there in the valley before we show ourselves," and, +sliding swiftly from Gray Cloud's back, he tossed his bridle rein to +Thure, and, rifle in hand, started swiftly and as silently as an Indian +toward a thick clump of bushes that grew directly on the top of the +little hill. + +Thure deftly caught the bridle rein; and then sat silent and motionless +on the back of his horse, his eyes on his comrade, waiting in tense +expectancy for the moment when he would reach the clump of bushes and +look down into the valley beyond and see the cause of those strange and +terrible cries that had so suddenly and so fearfully startled them. + +Bud, carrying his cocked rifle at trail, his form bent so that the least +possible part of his body showed above the grass of the hillside, ran +swiftly until he had almost reached the brow of the hill and the clump +of bushes. Then, crouching closer to the ground, he crept cautiously and +slowly to the bushes and, gently working himself into their midst, +carefully parted the branches in front of his face until he had a clear +view of the little valley below. At the first sight he uttered an +exclamation of surprise and wrath and threw his rifle to his shoulder; +but, with a regretful shake of his head, he almost instantly lowered the +gun, and, turning quickly about, motioned excitedly for Thure to advance +with the horses and started on the run to meet him. + +"Indians! Is it Indians?" Thure cried anxiously, the moment Bud was at +his side. + +"No," panted the boy, as he leaped into his saddle. "It's _El Feroz_; +and if I've got anything to say about it, he has made his last kill. +Come on," and his eyes glinted with wrath and excitement, as he dug his +spurs into the flanks of Gray Cloud and galloped furiously up the hill. + +"_El Feroz!_ Bully!" and Thure, with an exultant yell, struck the spurs +into his horse and galloped along by his side. + +At the top of the hill both boys pulled up their horses and looked down +into the valley. The valley was small, not more than half a mile across, +and through its center ran a little stream of water, fringed with bushes +and small trees. On the near side of this fringe of trees and bushes and +only a short distance from where our two young friends sat on the backs +of their horses, crouched a huge grizzly bear over the body of a horse +that was still quivering in the death agony. + +"The brute!" exclaimed Thure angrily, the moment his eyes had taken in +this scene of violence. "So that was the death scream of a horse we +heard! Well, I never want to hear another! But, we've got you now, you +old villain!" and his eyes swept over the little valley, free, except +for the fringe of trees and bushes, of all obstructions, exultingly. "If +we let you get away from this, we'll both deserve to be shot. Now," and +he turned to Bud, "you ride to the right and I'll go to the left and we +will have the brute between us, so that if he charges either of us, the +other can take after him and shoot or rope him." + +"Good!" agreed Bud. "But, say, let's rope him first. Just shooting is +too good for _El Feroz_. Remember Manuel and Old Pedro, whom he killed, +and Jim Bevins, whom he tore nearly to pieces and crippled for life, to +say nothing of the cattle and the horses he has killed. And now that we +have him where he can't get away, I am for showing him that man is his +master, strong and ferocious as he is, before killing him. We could not +have picked out a better place for roping him, if we had been doing the +picking," and his eyes glanced over the smooth level of the little +valley. "We'll let him chase us until we get him away from the trees and +bushes along the creek, and then we'll have some fun with the big brute +with our ropes, before sending him to Kingdom Come with our bullets. +What do you say, Thure?" + +"Well," grinned Thure reminiscently, "if it don't turn out better than +did our attempt to rope a grizzly when I was with Fremont, I say shoot +the grizzly first and rope him afterward. Now, it won't be no joke +roping _El Feroz_, even if everything is in our favor," and his face +sobered. "Still, I reckon, our horses can keep us at a safe distance +from his ugly claws and teeth; and it will be all right to have a try +with the ropes before we use bullets, but we've got to be careful. _El +Feroz_ is the largest and ugliest grizzly ever seen anywhere around +here, and could kill one of our horses with one blow of his huge paw. +Mexican Juan says that an Indian devil has taken possession of the big +brute and that only a silver bullet blessed by a priest can kill him; +and, in proof of his belief, he told me that he himself had shot five +lead bullets at _El Feroz_ and that he had heard the devil laugh when +the bullets struck and fell hot and flattened to the ground. Now he +always carries a silver bullet with him that he had a priest bless when +he was down to San Francisco last fall; and the next time he meets _El +Feroz_ he expects to kill him with the holy bullet. He showed me the +silver bullet," and Thure laughed. "But I'm willing to put my trust in +lead, if it hits the right spot, Indian devil or no devil. Now, look at +_El Feroz_. He doesn't seem to be worrying none over our presence. +Appears to think the filling of his greedy belly too important an +operation to be interrupted by us," and Thure's eyes turned to where the +huge grizzly was tearing with teeth and claws the carcass of the horse, +his wicked little eyes turned in their direction, but otherwise giving +them not the slightest attention. Evidently _El Feroz_ had only contempt +for the puny prowess of man. + +"Well, we'll soon teach him better manners, the ugly brute! Come on," +and Bud Randolph and Thure Conroyal both started slowly toward the +grizzly, loosening the strong ropes that hung from the pommels of their +saddles as they rode. + +There was no need of haste. _El Feroz_ would not run away--not from a +good dinner like that he was now eating--for all the men in California. +For four years he had terrorized this part of California, had never once +turned his back to a man, but had seen the backs of many men turned to +him; and now the killing of the horse had aroused all the ferocity of +his savage nature, and he was ready to fight anything and everything +that threatened to rob him of his prey. + +Thure Conroyal and Bud Randolph did not for a moment expect _El Feroz_ +to run, when they rode toward him. They knew grizzly nature, especially +the ferocious nature of _El Feroz_, too well to dream of such a thing. +They knew he would fight; and, if they had been afoot, they would not +have dared to attack the evil monster, armed though they were with +rifles and so skilful in their use that they could cut the head off a +wild goose at a hundred yards. But, seated on the backs of their fleet +and well-trained horses and on a smooth and open field like the one +before them, they did not fear even _El Feroz_ himself. If their ropes +did not hold or their bullets kill at once, the swift legs of their +horses could be counted on to keep them out of danger, unless some +unforeseen mischance happened. + +The lassoing or roping of grizzly bears was a sport often indulged in by +the native Californians, who were among the most skilful horsemen in the +world and marvelously expert with their lassos or reatas, as they called +the long rope, usually made of hide or woven horsehair, which they used +to catch their horses and cattle; and Thure Conroyal and Bud Randolph +had become as expert as any native with their reatas, and, consequently, +felt equal to the roping of even as ferocious and as huge a beast as _El +Feroz_ himself, the most dreaded grizzly in the California mountains. + +Thure and Bud rode slowly toward the grizzly, one turning a little to +the left and the other to the right as he advanced, so that when they +drew near to _El Feroz_ there were some five rods of space between them. +They had fastened their rifles to the saddles in front of them, to hold +them safe and yet have them where they could be quickly seized in case +of sudden need and to give them free use of both of their hands in +throwing their ropes and in managing their horses; and now, as they +advanced toward the bear, they uncoiled their reatas and began slowly +swinging the loops around their heads in readiness for the throw, while +every faculty of their minds quickened and every muscle of their young +bodies tightened in expectation of the coming battle that might mean +death to one or both, if either blundered. + +The grizzly glared furiously, first at one horseman then at the other, +and tore more savagely than ever at the flesh of the horse, until both +boys were almost upon him. Then, with a roar so savage and fearful that +both horses, well-trained as they were, jumped violently, he reared up +suddenly on his hind legs, the blood of the horse dripping from his +reddened teeth, and, growling ferociously and swaying his huge head from +side to side, he stood, for a moment, apparently trying to decide which +one of those two venturesome humans he should tear to pieces first. + +"Quick! Rope him around the neck before he charges!" yelled Thure. "I'll +try to get one of his hind legs." + +As Thure spoke Bud's lasso shot through the air; and the loop glided +swiftly over the great head and tightened suddenly around the hairy +neck, just at the moment the bear came to the decision to charge Thure +and sprang toward him, with the result that the sudden unexpectedness of +the jerk of Bud's rope yanked him off his feet and hurled him on his +back. + +Thure instantly saw his opportunity and before the huge beast could +right himself, he had swiftly cast the loop of his rope around one of +the sprawling hind legs and drawn it tight. + +"Hurrah! We've got him!" yelled Bud triumphantly, as Gray Cloud whirled +about and stood facing the grizzly, his strong body braced backward so +that he held the rope taut, as all well-broken California horses were +trained to do the moment the thrown rope caught its victim. + +"Got him! You bet we've got him!" echoed Thure, as his own horse whirled +into position, with both front legs strongly braced, and drew the lasso +tight about bruin's hind leg, thus stretching him out between the ends +of the two reatas. + +But they had not "got him"--not yet; for, just at that moment, all the +ferocious bulk of raging bone and muscle that had given _El Feroz_ his +name of terror, gave a tremendous heave, whirled over on its feet; and, +before either boy knew what was happening, Bud's lasso broke and about a +ton of angry bear was hurling itself toward Thure. + +The unforeseen mischance had happened with a vengeance! + +Bud uttered a yell of warning and horror and caught at his rifle; but, +almost before his hands could touch the gun, _El Feroz_ was upon Thure +and only a tremendous jump sideways of his brave little horse saved him +from the sweep of one of those saber-armed paws. + +The grizzly bear, for an animal of his huge bulk, is astonishingly agile +and speedy, when once his fighting blood is aroused; and, if ever a +grizzly was fighting mad, that grizzly was now _El Feroz_. The instant +he saw that he had missed the horse and man, he whirled about and was +after them again; and, so swift was his turn and so sudden his charge, +that, once again, only the superior horsemanship of Thure and the +agility of the horse saved them from a sweeping blow of one of the great +paws that came so close that Thure could feel the rush of its wind +against his face. + +"Out run him! Out run him!" yelled Bud excitedly. "Try to throw him with +your rope; and I'll see if I can get a bullet in him," and he suddenly +jerked up Gray Cloud, so that he could make his aim more sure, threw his +rifle to his shoulder, and fired. + +The ball struck the grizzly, but did not disable him. Indeed, the wound +seemed rather to increase the terrible energy and rage with which he was +striving to reach Thure and his horse with one of those powerful paws; +and, for a dreadful moment, it appeared to Bud as if the huge beast +might even overtake the speedy horse. Then he saw that Thure was slowly +gaining, that the rope, which still clutched the hind leg of the +grizzly, was slowly tightening; and, with breathless haste, he began +reloading his rifle. He had had all the roping of _El Feroz_ he wanted; +and now his only desire was to get a bullet into the huge body, where it +would kill quickly, as speedily as possible. Suddenly, just as he was +driving the bullet down into the barrel of his rifle, he heard a wild +yell of exultation from Thure, and looked up just in time to see the +hind part of the grizzly shoot upward into the air; and the next moment +his astonished eyes saw the huge body dangling from a strong limb of an +old oak tree, that thrust itself out from the sturdy trunk some fifteen +feet above the ground, and held there by the grip of Thure's rope around +one of the hind legs. + +It needed but a glance for Bud to understand how this seemingly +marvelous feat had been accomplished. The quick eyes of Thure had seen +the tree, with its sturdy limb thrust out some fifteen feet above the +ground, almost directly in the line of his flight; and, swerving a +little to one side, so as to pass close to it, and slowing up his horse +a bit, he had gathered up the slack of the rope in his hand, and, as he +passed the tree, he had thrown it so that the middle of the rope had +fallen over the top of the limb not far from the trunk; and then, of +course, the rope had jerked the bear up into the air, and Thure had +whirled his horse about, and now the well-trained animal stood, his fore +legs braced, holding the struggling grizzly up to the limb. + +"Shoot, shoot him quick, before the limb or the rope breaks!" yelled +Bud, the moment his eyes had taken in the situation, and, ramming the +bullet swiftly home, he spurred Gray Cloud toward the dangling bear. + +Thure at once seized his rifle; but so furious were the struggles of the +grizzly--he hung just so that his fore paws touched the ground--as he +twisted and turned and frantically pawed up the dirt, insane with rage, +that it was impossible to get accurate aim from where he sat on his +horse; and Thure jumped from his saddle and ran quickly close up to the +swinging grizzly, now struggling more furiously than ever at the near +approach of his hated enemy. + +"Don't! Look out! Can't you see how the limb is bending and shaking?" +yelled Bud excitedly. "The limb or the rope might break at any moment!" +and Bud shuddered at the horror of the thought of what then might happen +and urged his horse more desperately than ever toward the scene. + +And, indeed, the huge body of the grizzly, twisting and swinging at the +end of the rope, the blood flowing from the wound made by Bud's bullet, +his little red eyes glowing like coals of fire, his strong jaws snapping +and growling, and his huge paws striking furiously in the direction of +Thure, did make a sight to chill the marrow in the bones of any man. + +Thure, now that he was so close to the bear that he could have touched +him with the muzzle of his rifle, realized that, in his haste, he had +done a fool-hardy thing; but he was not the kind of a lad to back down +from a position once taken, not until he had to do so, and, quickly +bringing his rifle to his shoulder, he waited until the swaying body +presented a fatal spot to his aim, pulled the trigger, and leaped +backward from the bear. + +It was fortunate for Thure that he made that backward jump; for, at the +crack of his rifle, _El Feroz_ made such a tremendous lunge toward him, +that the creaking limb bent nearly double, and, with a sound like the +report of a gun, broke off close to the trunk and crashed to the ground +on top of the grizzly. + +For a moment _El Feroz_ lay stunned by his wounds and fall and the crash +of the heavy limb; and then, with a roar, he struggled to his feet, just +as Bud jerked Gray Cloud to a halt not a rod away, and, instantly +throwing his rifle to his shoulder, fired. Even then the ferocious beast +plunged desperately toward his new enemy, staggering blindly, and fell +dead on the exact spot where Thure had stood. + +"Jumping buffaloes, but that was a narrow escape for you, Thure!" and, +throwing himself out of his saddle, Bud rushed up to where Thure stood, +white and trembling, now that the danger was over, not ten feet from +where the bear lay dead. + +"But, we've got him! Got _El Feroz_ himself!" and the blood surged back +to Thure's face. "The biggest grizzly in all California! Say, but won't +the Mexicans and the Indians think we are great hunters now? And won't +Ruth and Iola stare, when we throw down the hide of _El Feroz_ in front +of them to-night?" + +No wonder Thure felt a little vainglorious over their achievement; for +there was not a hunter in all that country who would not have considered +the killing of _El Feroz_ the crowning exploit of his life, so great had +become the monster grizzly's reputation for savage ferocity and +fearlessness of man. + +"Well, I reckon we won't do any more hunting to-day," Bud declared, as +he began swiftly reloading his rifle. In that country at that time no +experienced hunter ever allowed his rifle to remain unloaded a moment +longer than was necessary. "When we get the hide off that monster, it +will be time to be starting for home," and his eyes turned to the dead +grizzly. "Whew, but isn't he a whopper! I'll bet that he will weigh +nearly a ton! You are right, the girls will be surprised some, when we +throw down that hide in front of them," and his face flushed a little at +the thought of the glory that would soon be theirs. "But, come, now that +our guns are loaded, let's get busy with our knives and get this big +hide off," and, pulling out his hunting-knife from its sheath, he bent +over the huge carcass of _El Feroz_. + +"I'll be with you as soon as I free Buck," and Thure, slipping the noose +of his reata off the hind leg of the dead grizzly and coiling it around +his arm, hastened to where his gallant little horse still stood; and, +after fastening the rope in its place on the pommel of the saddle, he +hurried back to where Bud was bending over the grizzly. + +There was no need of tying their horses. All the rope required to hold +them fast was the rope of love they bore their young masters, and so the +two animals were left free, while the two boys busied themselves getting +the pelt off the bear. + +The skinning of a grizzly bear, especially when the bear is as huge and +as tough as was _El Feroz_, is no light undertaking; but Thure and Bud +were no novices at this kind of labor, and, after half an hour's hard +work, the great pelt was off and stretched out on the ground, skin side +up. + +"There, I am glad that job is done!" Thure exclaimed, with satisfaction, +as he wiped his bloody knife on the grass. "Say, but he sure was a +whopper!" and his eyes glanced exultantly over the great hide, now +looking larger than ever as it lay spread out on the grass. "Great +Moses, look at all those old bullet marks!--Fifteen of them! No wonder +that Mexican Juan thought _El Feroz_ was protected by the devil!--Hello, +what is the matter now?" and Thure jumped up quickly from the hide, over +which he had been bending counting _El Feroz's_ old bullet wounds, at a +sudden exclamation of alarm from Bud. + +"There! There! Look there!" Bud was pointing excitedly up the valley. + +"Mother of men, they are murdering him!" "Come on!" and Thure, grabbing +up his rifle, made a jump for his horse, followed by Bud. + +Three-quarters of a mile up the valley from where our young friends had +slain the big grizzly, a spur of rocks projected down into the valley, +reaching like a long finger almost to the fringe of trees along the +creek; and around this spur of rocks three men had slowly ridden, and, +just as they had come in sight from where the boys stood, Bud, whose +eyes had happened to be turned in that direction, had seen two of the +men suddenly and apparently without warning set upon the third man and, +after a short struggle, knock him off his horse. It was this sight that +had caused his sudden cry of alarm, followed by Thure's exclamation of +horror, "They are murdering him!" and the quick jump of both boys for +their horses. + +It took Thure and Bud less than a minute to reach their horses and to +spring up into their saddles; but, in that brief time, the unequal +struggle up the valley was over, and the two men were bending over the +prostrate body of their victim, apparently searching for valuables, when +the two boys, with loud yells, spurred their horses at full speed toward +them. + +At the sound of their voices, the two men looked suddenly up, saw them +coming, hastily grabbed up a few things from the ground, evidently taken +from the man they were robbing, jumped to their feet, sprang on the +backs of their horses, and, before either boy was near enough to shoot, +both had disappeared around the spur of rocks, lashing and spurring +their horses frantically. + +Thure and Bud jerked up their horses by the side of the fallen man and, +jumping from their saddles, bent quickly over him. + +"They've murdered him!" cried Bud, the moment his horrified eyes saw the +white face and the bloodstained breast of the stricken man. "They have +stabbed him! The cowardly curs!" + +"No, he is not dead! I can feel his heart beat. The stab was too low to +reach his heart. Quick, we must do something to stop this flow of blood, +or he soon will be dead," and Thure tore open the bosom of the rough +flannel shirt, exposing the red mouth of a knife wound from which the +blood was flowing freely. + +Thure and Bud were both familiar with the rough surgery of the plains +and the mountains; and soon their deft hands had swiftly untied the silk +scarfs from around their necks, plugged the wound with one of them and +used the other to tightly bind and hold it in place. + +"There, I think that will stop the blood! Now, let's see what other +hurts he has," and Thure passed his hands gently over the man's head. +"Two bumps--whoppers! Either enough to knock the senses out of an ox; +but, I reckon, they've done no mortal damage. It's the stab wound that I +am most afraid of. What do you make out of it all anyway?" and Thure +turned to Bud. + +"Plain robbery and attempted murder," Bud answered gravely. "The man is +evidently a miner," and his eyes rested on the long unkempt hair and +beard, the weather-bronzed skin, and the rough worn clothing of the +wounded man; "and was, probably, on his way from the mines to San +Francisco with his gold-dust, when those two cowardly curs met him and, +finding out that he was from the mines, attempted to murder him for his +gold." + +"Reckon you're right," agreed Thure. "Leastwise there's no use of +speculating over it longer now. The thing to do is to get him home as +soon as we can. Mother is powerful good doctoring hurts. Just see if you +can get him up on the saddle in front of me. I reckon that'll be the +safest way to carry him," and Thure mounted his horse, while Bud thrust +his sturdy young arms under the body of the insensible man and, as +gently as possible, lifted him to the saddle, where the strong arms of +Thure held him as comfortably as possible. + +"Now, I'll strike out straight for home," Thure said, as he started Buck +off on a walk with his double burden; "and you can ride back and get the +hide of _El Feroz_, and soon catch up with me." + +"All right. I'll be with you again as soon as I can," and Bud sprang on +the back of Gray Cloud and started off on a gallop for the scene of the +contest with the grizzly. + +How wonderful it is that the tenor of our whole after lives may be, nay, +frequently is, completely changed by some seemingly unimportant +circumstance or unexpected happening. If Thure Conroyal and Bud Randolph +had not heard the death-cry of that horse and had not turned aside to +see what had caused those agonizing sounds, they would not have been +delayed, by their contest with the grizzly, until the coming of the +three men, nor have witnessed the attack on the miner; and, if they had +not seen this attack on the miner and hurried to his rescue, they never +would have heard the miner's marvelous tale, nor have secured the skin +map; and, if they had not heard the miner's tale and secured the skin +map--But, I must let the story itself tell you all that resulted from +these unexpected and seemingly unimportant happenings. + + + + +CHAPTER II + +DEATH OF THE MINER + + +California and 1849! Magical combination of Place and Date! The Land of +Gold and the Time of Gold! The Date and the Place of the opening of +Nature's richest treasure-house! Gold--free for all who would stoop and +pick or dig it out of the rocks and the dirt! The beginning of the most +wonderful exodus of gold-mad men in the history of the world! "Gold! +Gold!! GOLD!!! CALIFORNIA GOLD!" The nations of the world heard the cry; +and the most enterprising and daring and venturesome--the wicked as well +as the good--of the nations of the world started straightway for +California. Towns and cities sprang up, like mushrooms, in a night, +where the day before the grizzly bear had hunted. In a year a wilderness +became a populous state. A marvelous work to accomplish, even for an +Anglo-Saxon-American nation; but, get down your histories of California, +boys, and you will learn that we did accomplish that very thing--built a +great state out of a wilderness in some twelve months of time! + +Of course, Thure and Bud (Bud with the grizzly's hide had soon overtaken +Thure), as they rode along over the soft grass of the Sacramento Valley, +on this clear July afternoon of the eventful year of 1849, did not +realize that all these wonderful things were happening or were about to +happen in their loved California. They knew that a great gold discovery +had been made in the region of the American River some forty miles +northeast of Sutter's Fort. Indeed, for the last year, all California +had gone gold-mad over this same discovery; and now every able-bodied +man in the country, who could possibly get there, was at the mines. +Stores, ranches, ships, pulpits, all businesses and all professions had +been deserted for the alluring smiles of the yellow god, gold, until it +might be truthfully said, that in all California there was but one +business and that one business was gold-digging. + +The devastating gold-fever had swept over the Conroyal and the Randolph +ranchos; and had left, of all the grown-up males, only Thure and Bud, +who, not yet being of age, had been compelled to stay, much against +their wills, to care for the women folks and the ranchos, while their +fathers and brothers and all the able-bodied help had rushed off, like +madmen, to the mines; and only their loyalty to their loved mothers and +fathers had kept them from following. Now, the one great hope of their +lives was to win permission to go to the mines, where men were winning +fortunes in a day, and try their luck at gold-digging. + +The Conroyal rancho, the Randolph and the Conroyal families had united, +when the men went to the mines, and both families were now living at the +Conroyal rancho, was some five miles from the scene of the robbery and +attempted murder of the miner; and, for the first two miles of the +homeward ride, the wounded man lay unconscious and motionless in Thure's +arms. Then he began to move restlessly and to mutter unintelligible +things. + +"He sure isn't dead," Thure declared, as the struggles of the man nearly +pitched both of them out of the saddle. "Just give me a hand, Bud; for, +I reckon, we'll have to lower him to the ground until he gets his right +senses back or quits this twitching and jerking. I am afraid he will +start the wound to bleeding again." + +Bud quickly sprang off the back of his horse; and together and as gently +as possible the two boys lowered the wounded miner from the saddle and +laid him down on a little mound of grass. A few rods away a small stream +of water wound its way, half-hidden by tall grass and bushes and low +trees, through the little valley where they had stopped. + +"Get your hat full of water," Thure said, as he bent down to see if the +bandage over the wound was still in its place. "Seems to me he ought to +be getting his senses back by this time." + +Bud at once started off on the run for the water and soon was back with +his broad-brimmed felt hat full of the cooling fluid; and, kneeling down +by the side of the wounded man, who now lay quiet, with eyes closed, +although he was still muttering incoherently, he bathed the hot forehead +and the swollen lumps on the back of his head. + +Suddenly the miner's eyes opened and stared wonderingly around him and +up into the faces of the two boys. For a minute he did not seem to be +able to comprehend what had happened. Then the blank wondering look +suddenly left his eyes. + +"Did they get the gold?" and his hand went quickly to his waist. There +was no belt there. "Gone! A good twenty pounds of as fine gold as was +ever dug from the earth, gone!--Gods, if they had but given me any kind +of a show, they would not have got it so easily!" and his eyes flamed +and he attempted to sit up, but fell back with a groan and a whitening +face. + +For a minute or two he lay with eyes closed, breathing heavily. +Evidently he was trying to collect his thoughts, to realize his +situation. When he opened his eyes again there was a solemn, an awed +look in them that had not been there before, and the anger had gone. + +"I have been stabbed," he said slowly, "and I am dying." + +"No, no. The knife did not go near your heart. It struck too low. You +will soon be all right again. Wait until we get you home and mother will +soon make a whole man of you. Mother is about the best nurse in all +California," and Thure gripped one of the hard toil-worn hands and +smiled encouragingly. + +"No." As the man spoke his eyes never once left Thure's face. "No, I am +dying. I know. I was once a surgeon, an army surgeon." For a moment his +eyes darkened, as if with bitter recollections. "But, what matters the +past now? Let it bury its dead," and he smiled grimly. "This is death. +I know. I have seen many die just this way. Internal hemorrhage, we +doctors called it. The blood from the wound is flowing into my body. +I can feel it. I have half an hour, possibly an hour to live; and +then--" The awed look in the eyes deepened, and, for a couple of minutes, +he did not speak, but lay staring straight up into the blue skies. +Suddenly his white lips tightened and he turned to Thure. + +"How far is it to your home and to your mother?" he asked abruptly. + +"About three miles; but I can carry you so easily that I am sure--" + +"Too far," the wounded man broke in impatiently. "I might die before I +got there. No, this shall be my deathbed--the soft green grass, canopied +by the blue skies--a fitting end, a fitting end," he added gloomily. + +"Come, come," and Thure tried to make his voice sound cheery and full of +hope. "Never say die, until you are dead. Just wait until we get home +and mother will put new life into you. Now, I'll get on my horse, and +Bud will lift you up into my arms, and we'll be home before you know +it," and Thure jumped to his feet and started toward his horse. + +"No, come back," and the miner impatiently lifted himself up on one +elbow. "Come back. I have no time to waste riding three miles for a +deathbed. I--" Again the keen eyes searched the faces of the two boys. +"I have much to say and little time in which to say it. Get that +bearskin off your horse and make me as comfortable as possible on it. +And be quick about it; for I am going fast, and, before I go, I want to +make you two boys my heirs for saving me from those two villains. The +cowardly curs! They hit me from behind!" and again the eyes flamed with +anger. "They got the gold I had with me and they got me; but they did +not get the secret of Crooked Arm Gulch, nor learn how to find its +Golden Elbow. Curse them! If I could but live, I'd--But, what's the +use?" and he sank back white-lipped on the grass. "That knife stab in +the breast has done for me. And just when the golden key that unlocks +all the doors of pleasure and power was tight-gripped in my very +fingers! Just my luck! But," and the look of somber resignation came +back into the pain-racked eyes, "I'll not die like a snarling, whining +coyote. I'll meet death, as I have met life--face to face, with both +eyes wide open. Now," and he turned to Bud, who had hurried to his horse +and, unloosening the bear-skin, had hastened back with it and spread it +out on the grass, soft hair up, by the side of the wounded man, "lay me +on the skin and stuff something under my head and shoulders, so as to +keep the blood from flooding my lungs and heart as long as possible; for +I have that to tell that must not wait, even for death," and the white +lips tightened firmly. + +Thure and Bud, anxious to do everything possible to ease the last +moments of the dying man, now carefully lifted him and laid him down on +the skin of the grizzly bear as gently as possible. Then, taking off one +of the saddles and their own coats, they placed the saddle, softened by +the folded coats and the bearskin, under the head and the shoulders of +the miner; and only the white tight-drawn lips and the burning eyes told +of the intense pain that he must have suffered while the change was +being made. + +For a couple of minutes the wounded man lay silent on the bearskin, with +closed eyes, breathing heavily. Then he suddenly opened his eyes and +turned them resolutely on the two boys, who stood, one on each side, +bending anxiously over him. + +"There, that is better," he said. "That is all you can do for me. Now, +sit down close to my head, so that you can hear every word that I say; +for never did dying lips have a more important message to utter, never +did mortal leave a richer inheritance to mortal than I am about to leave +to you. Gold--a cave paved with gold! Gold--a cave walled with seams of +gold! Gold--bushels, barrels of gold nuggets, to be picked up, as you +pick up pebbles from the stony bed of a river! Gods, if I could but +live!" Again the blood flushed back into the white cheeks and the eyes +glowed with feverish excitement. + +"There! There!" and Thure laid a cool hand on the hot forehead. "Never +mind the gold now. When you have rested a bit and have recovered some of +your strength, Bud and I will rig up a stretcher out of the bearskin and +carry you home between us; and then, when you are comfortably fixed in a +soft bed, you can tell us all about this wonderful cave of gold." + +No wonder Thure thought all this wild talk about the marvelous cave of +gold but the delirium of a dying man and tried to quiet the sufferer; +but the miner would not be quieted, and, roughly brushing the hand from +his forehead, he turned his glowing eyes full on Thure's face. + +"You think I am raving," he said, "that this cave of gold exists only in +the disordered fancy of a dying man. Well, I will show you. Thrust your +hand under my shirt, beneath my right shoulder, and pull out the small +bag you will find there. Quick!" he cried impatiently, as Thure +hesitated. "You forget that I am a dying man and have not a minute of +time to waste." + +Thus admonished, Thure hastily thrust his right hand under the miner's +shirt, as directed, and pulled out a small buckskin bag, fastened by a +buckskin thong about the miner's shoulder. The weight of the bag, for it +was only some seven inches long by three inches wide, surprised him. + +"Cut the strings and open the bag," commanded the miner. + +Thure quickly did as bidden. + +"Now, see what is inside of the bag." + +Thure thrust his hand into the bag and drew out a long, tightly rolled +piece of white parchment-like skin. + +"That is the skin map. Never mind that now. Turn the bag bottom side up +and shake it." + +Thure caught hold of the bottom of the bag with his fingers, turned it +over and gave it a vigorous shake; and then sat staring wildly at the +object that had fallen, with a thud, on the bearskin by his side. He was +looking at a solid nugget of gold nearly as large as, and shaped very +much like his fist! + +"Pick it up! Lift it!" urged the miner, his eyes shining with +excitement. "It is gold, pure, virgin gold, just as God made it! I +picked it up off the bottom of the cave, where there are thousands of +other smaller nuggets. In the light of my torch they sparkled and shone +until the floor of the cave seemed flooded with golden light. In the two +hours I was there I gathered up the Five Thousand Dollars' worth of gold +nuggets the robbers stole from me and that nugget, all that I dared take +with me; for the way out of Crooked Arm Gulch is not a road over which a +man more heavily burdened would care to venture. I had no food with me, +no horses; and I must hurry back, where food, on which to live, and +horses, on which to carry my supplies to the cave and the gold away from +it, could be bought. I--" + +"And you found this hunk of gold on the floor of that cave?" Thure who +had been lifting and examining the nugget with widening eyes, could +control his excitement no longer. "And you say that there are thousands +of other nuggets where this came from?" + +"Yes, yes! I have been telling you God's truth," and the face grew white +and drawn with pain again. "But, don't interrupt me. I--I have only a +few minutes left. The nugget, the gold, all is yours. I--I bequeath it +to you with my dying breath. The map--the skin map--will tell you where +to find it--North--northeast from Hangtown--a good five days' tramp--No +miners there yet--Deep--steep canyon--Lot's Canyon--Tall white pillar of +rock standing near Crooked Arm Gulch--Must look--sharp--to find gulch +opening--Blocked by great--rocks--Big tree--Climb to third limb. +Remember--climb to third limb--third limb--third--My God!--My God!" and +both hands clutched madly at his throat. + +His breath was now coming in quick heaving gasps; and only by a supreme +effort of will was he able longer to command his wavering reason. + +"Quick--quick," he gasped, his voice coming in a hoarse whisper. "Bend +your heads close. Beware of the two men who robbed and murdered me--I--I +told--them of the cave of gold; but I did--did not tell them where it +is; and--and they--can--cannot find it without the skin map--They--they +murdered me for--for that map; but they did not get it--It--it was not +in--in my money-belt, as they thought. Guard that map--They--they would +kill--kill you to get it. One is a huge red-haired man with a broken +nose--The other is--is small, with pock-marked face--Beware--beware +pock--pock-marked face and--and broken nose--I--God--I--" + +Again he clutched violently at his throat; and then a great wondering +look of awe came into his eyes, now staring straight up into the blue +skies, and his form stiffened suddenly. + +Thure and Bud could endure the dreadful sight no longer and turned their +horrified eyes away; and, when, a couple of minutes later, they again +looked on the face of the miner, he was dead, with a smile on his grim +lips and a look of peace on his face, as if the coming of Death, at the +very last, had been a most pleasant and joyous event. + + + + +CHAPTER III + +THE SKIN MAP + + +No mortal can look on death unmoved. Savage or civilized, Christian or +pagan, a great awe, a questioning wonder thrills the spirits of all who +stand in the presence of the dread, unsolvable mystery, death. The soul +asks questions that cannot be answered, that the ages have left +unanswered. And, as Thure and Bud now stood, with uncovered heads, +looking down on the quiet, peaceful face and the motionless, rigid form +of the dead miner, the world-old awe and wondering concerning death +thrilled their hearts. For a couple of minutes neither spoke, neither +moved. Then Thure's eyes sought the face of Bud. + +"He is dead," he said solemnly. + +"He is dead," answered Bud, not moving his awed eyes from the still +face. + +"Dead!" and Thure bent and reverently straightened out the bent legs and +arms and smoothed back the matted hair from the forehead. "Dead, yes, as +dead as a stone; and yet a few minutes ago he was breathing and talking! +What a queer thing life is anyhow! Well, it won't do neither him nor us +any good to stand here thinking and talking about it. Now we must get +the body to the house and give it as decent a burial as possible. I'll +carry the body across the saddle in front of me. Come, let's hurry. I am +getting anxious to have it over." + +For the moment, so great had been the shock of the miner's sudden death, +Thure and Bud had forgotten all about the dead man's marvelous tale of +the Cave of Gold; but now, as Bud stooped to help lift the body from the +bearskin, his eyes caught the yellow glow of the gold nugget, which lay +on the skin by the side of its unfortunate finder, and the sight +recalled the wondrous tale. + +"What do you think of his story about finding that nugget in a cave +where the floor is covered with gold nuggets as thickly as pebbles on +the bed of a stony river? Do you suppose it is true or, just one of the +queer notions that sometimes come to the dying?" and Bud looked +wonderingly from the nugget to Thure's face. + +"Great Moses, I forgot all about the gold!" and Thure's face flushed +with excitement. "Quick, let's get the body on the grass and then we'll +have another look at the nugget. That was a powerful queer story he +told; but it might be true. And if it is true," and his eyes sparkled, +"then we've just got to go to the mines and hunt up our dads and the +others and get them to help us find that cave." + +In a moment more they had lifted the body off the bearskin and had laid +it down on the grass; and the gold nugget was in their hands. + +"Glory! But isn't it heavy?" and Bud balanced the nugget in one hand. +"And it looks and feels and weighs like gold! It must be gold." + +"It sure does look like gold," agreed Thure. "It looks and feels just +like the nuggets dad sent home, only larger. Oh, if we only could find +the cave where it came from! Let me see, he said that it was in the +Golden Elbow of Crooked Arm Gulch, in Lot's Canyon, near a white pillar +of rock and a big tree that we must climb to the third limb--a mighty +queer place I call that to find a cave! I reckon he must have been +lunaticy," and Thure turned a disappointed face to Bud. + +"Well, he certainly found gold, and this proves it," and Bud tossed the +big nugget up in the air and caught it as it came down, "to say nothing +of the five thousand dollars' worth of gold nuggets that he claims his +murderers stole from him. But, didn't he say something about a map, a +skin map, that would tell us how to find the cave?" and his face +lighted. + +"Yes, yes, that was the little roll of white skin I pulled first out of +the bag," and Thure's eyes searched eagerly the ground. "Here it is!" +and, stooping quickly, he picked up the little roll of white +parchment-like skin that he had pulled out of the little bag and dropped +on the ground, and began unrolling it with fingers that trembled with +excitement, while Bud crowded close to his side, his eyes on the +unrolling piece of tanned skin. + +The skin was some ten inches long by seven inches wide, of a somewhat +stiff texture, and tanned so that it was nearly white. On the inner side +an unskilled hand had rudely drawn a map; and beneath the map was +written the words: + + Map, showing the location of the Cave of Gold in the Golden Elbow + of Crooked Arm Gulch, which opens into Lot's Canyon near the white + pillar of rock and the big tree, made by John Stackpole, the + discoverer of the Cave of Gold.--1849. + +In the lower left-hand corner of the map was a rudely drawn tree, with +three huge limbs, and, from near the end of the upper and third limb, an +arrow pointed slantingly downward, away from the trunk of the tree. In +the lower right-hand corner was a hand holding a flaming torch. Between +the tree and the torch was a cross, marked with the four main points of +the compass. In the lower left-hand corner of the map itself was a small +circle, marked "Hangtown"; and from there a crooked line trailed in a +northeasterly direction to the upper right-hand quarter of the skin, +where a map of Lot's Canyon and Crooked Arm Gulch was drawn with +considerable detail. + +[Illustration: THE SKIN MAP.] + +For a couple of minutes the two boys studied this map in silence, while +the conviction that the Cave of Gold was no deathbed hallucination, but +a wonderful reality, grew upon them; or else, how came the skin map, +which evidently had been made many days ago? + +"Hangtown!" and Thure pointed excitedly to the name on the map. "That's +the name of the mining camp where dad was when he wrote last. And here," +and his finger followed up the trail marked on the map, "is Lot's +Canyon! and the Big Tree! and Crooked Arm Gulch! and the Golden Elbow! +and--and this black spot, marked 'cave,' right at the point of the +Golden Elbow, must be the Cave of Gold! Great Moses, but I believe the +miner did actually find that Cave of Gold, just as he said he did!" and +Thure's eyes and face glowed with excitement. + +"So do I," Bud agreed emphatically. "The skin map, the gold nugget--why, +even his murder! all go to prove the truth of his tale. The robbers +killed him to get this map. They could have got the gold without killing +and got away all right; but they knew of the Cave of Gold and the +map--the miner said he told them--and, expecting to get the map along +with the gold, they killed him to get him out of the way, so that they +could have all the gold in the cave to themselves. Say, but let's hurry +home and tell our mothers. They can't refuse to let us go to the mines +now! And we must start just as soon as possible. Come," and, for the +moment, in his excitement, forgetting the dead body of the miner, he +started to mount his horse. + +"But, we can't leave him there!" and Thure pointed to the body. "Just +help me to get him up on the horse in front of me and then we'll get +home as soon as possible," and, picking up the little buckskin bag, he +slipped the nugget and the map back into it, thrust it into his pocket, +and soon, with the help of Bud, was on his horse, with the body of the +dead miner in front of him. + +Bud now quickly threw the grizzly bearskin back on his horse, jumped +into his saddle, and the homeward journey was resumed. + + + + +CHAPTER IV + +AT THE CONROYAL RANCHO + + +When Thure, bearing in his arms the dead body of a man, and Bud, with +the huge skin of a grizzly bear hanging across the back of his horse +behind the saddle, rode into the open court in front of the Conroyal +rancho, there was great excitement; and, even before they could +dismount, they were surrounded by a crowd of gesticulating, +question-shouting women and children and old decrepit men, all wild with +curiosity to know what had happened. In the midst of all this +excitement, the door of the house was flung open and two young ladies +catapulted themselves through the crowd to where Thure and Bud sat on +their horses. + +"Mercy! What has happened?" and Iola Conroyal, her horrified eyes fixed +on the face of the dead miner, came to a sudden halt by the side of +Thure, with Ruth Randolph, round-eyed and white-faced, clinging to one +of her arms. "Is--is he dead?" + +"Yes, he is dead," Thure answered gravely. "Murdered for his gold." +Then, seeing how white the faces of the two girls had suddenly grown, he +added quickly: "You girls hurry right back into the house and tell your +mothers that we found a miner, who had been robbed and stabbed, and +started to bring him home with us, but that he died before we got here; +and ask them to have some blankets laid on the floor of the sala for the +body to lie on and a sheet to cover it. Now, hurry. We'll tell you how +it all happened later," and not until the two girls were back in the +house did Thure make a move to get rid of his ghastly burden. Then, +reverently the body of the dead miner was lowered from the horse, and +borne into the large hall-like room of the house known as the sala, and +laid down on the blankets there prepared for it, and covered over with a +sheet. + +In the meantime Bud had thrown the great hide of the grizzly to the +ground with the information that it was the skin of _El Feroz_ himself. + +"How did you kill him?" "Who shot him?" and, with shouts of wonder and +delight, all the men and the boys, who had not gone into the sala with +the body of the dead miner, crowded around the skin of the fallen +monarch. + +"Thure and I found the old villain just after he had killed a horse, and +shot him," Bud answered hastily, anxious to get to his mother with the +wonderful news of the Cave of Gold as quickly as possible. "Here, +Angelo!" and he turned to a young Mexican boy standing near, "Take my +horse and see that he is properly cared for. And you, Juan, take the +hide of _El Feroz_ and let us see how fine a robe you can make out of +it." + +"Si, si, señor," answered the old Mexican exultingly. "He, the ugly +brute, kill my wife's brother, Pedro, whom I, like my own brother, +loved, and 'twill give my soul peace one fine robe to make out of his +big skin. A great glory, the killing of _El Feroz_, señor," and his old +eyes kindled. "Your fame like a swift horse will travel." + +"Shucks! Any hunter could have got him the same as we did," and Bud +hurried into the house, all care for the glory of killing _El Feroz_ +having been driven out of his head by the dying miner's remarkable +revelations. + +At the door of the house Bud was met by his mother and Mrs. Conroyal, +with Ruth and Iola close behind them. The bringing of the dead body of +the murdered miner into the house had greatly excited both women. + +"My son," Mrs. Randolph cried the moment she caught sight of Bud, "what +means this tale of murder and robbery and the bringing of the dead body +of a strange man into the house?" + +"Oh, mother, mother," and Bud excitedly caught hold of his mother's +hand, "the most wonderful, the most marvelous thing has happened!" + +"What?" and the astonished and horrified woman caught hold of both of +his shoulders and shook him. "Have you gone clean crazy, Bud Randolph, +to speak of murder and robbery like that?" + +"I--I," stammered Bud, "I forgot the dead miner. We were too late to +save him; but he lived long enough to tell us--" He stopped abruptly and +glanced swiftly around the room. The secret of the Cave of Gold must not +be proclaimed from the housetops! There was no one in the room with +himself, but the two women and the two girls. "Mother, Mrs. Conroyal," +he continued, lowering his voice, "the old miner before he died told +Thure and me of a wonderful Cave of Gold that he had discovered in a +gulch somewhere in the mountains; and he made Thure and me his heirs, +and gave us a map, showing the way to the cave, and a huge gold nugget, +which the robbers did not get, that he said he had found in the cave, +and he--But here is Thure! He has the--" + +"Hush! Not so loud!" and Thure, who at that moment stepped into the room +from the sala, where the body of the dead miner lay, lifted a warning +hand. "There are many ears in there," and he pointed to the door he had +just closed behind him, "that must not hear what we have to tell. Come, +let us go to your room, mother, where there won't be any danger of what +we have to tell you being overheard," and he started for Mrs. Conroyal's +private room, followed by Bud and the two wondering women and the girls. + +"I--I," and Thure stopped at the door of his mother's room and looked +hesitatingly at Iola and Ruth, "I--I reckon it is too great a secret to +tell you two girls just now. You had better wait--" + +"No!"--"No!" broke in both girls indignantly, while Ruth, looking as if +she would like to box Thure's ears, declared: + +"We girls can keep a secret just as well as you boys can, and you know +it; for, haven't we saved you from many a licking by not telling your +dads what you had been up to? But if this is the way you are going to +treat us, we'll fix you next time," and she shook her head +threateningly. + +"Besides," supplemented Iola triumphantly, "we know most of the secret +already. It's about a Cave of Gold and a map and--" + +"Oh, Christmas! You couldn't keep nothing from the girls!" and the face +Thure turned to Bud showed his disgust. + +"Well, I reckon the secret is just as safe with them as it is with us," +protested Bud stoutly, flushing a little, "especially when they know how +important it is to keep it secret. You will never tell a word of it to +anybody, will you girls? It--it might mean murder, if you did." + +"No, no," affirmed Iola emphatically. "We'll not breathe a word of it to +a living human being. We'll die first. We'll not disappoint your trust +in us, Bud," and she glanced a bit scornfully from Bud to her brother. +"Will we, Ruth?" + +"Never," and Ruth's red lips closed tightly over her pearly teeth. "Do +you suppose we'd betray those we love?" and her eyes flashed +indignantly. + +"All right. See that you don't, then," and Thure's face cleared. To tell +the truth he was just a little ashamed of the lack of confidence he had +shown in his sister and Ruth. "Anyhow, you know so much now that you +might as well be told the rest, so come on," and he opened the door and +carefully closed and locked it, when all had entered the room. + +It did not take many minutes for the two eager boys to tell the story of +the day's remarkable experiences, from the killing of the great grizzly +to the death of the old miner; for the narrative, under the lash of +their active tongues, proceeded in running jumps, from the beginning to +the end and was never allowed to lag an instant. + +"And now," concluded Thure excitedly, when the last of the wonderful +tale had been told, "Bud and I must both start for the mines just as +soon as we can get ready; and get father and Rex and Dill and Uncle +Frank and Hammer Jones to help us find this Cave of Gold; and when we +have found it--" + +"But," broke in Mrs. Conroyal, smiling at Thure's enthusiasm, although +her own face was flushed and her eyes were sparkling with excitement, +"where is this wonderful gold nugget and skin map, that you tell us the +miner gave you in proof of his remarkable story? You seem to forget that +you have not yet shown us your proof." + +"Here, here it is!" and the excited boy thrust one hand into his pocket +and triumphantly pulled out the small buckskin bag; and, swiftly turning +the bag bottom side up, dumped its contents into his mother's lap; and +the next moment, the two women and the two girls were as excitedly +examining the big nugget and the rude skin map as ever they had been +examined by the two boys. + +"And the miner told you that the bottom of the cave was covered with +gold nuggets like this?" queried Mrs. Randolph, her eyes shining, as she +held up the nugget. + +"Yes, yes," answered Bud. "Thousands of them, only smaller. Of course he +picked up the biggest that he could see. We can go to the mines now, +can't we, mother?" + +"And this queer skin map tells you how to find this wonderful Cave of +Gold?" and Mrs. Conroyal spread out the map on her lap and stared +wonderingly at it. "I can't see how all this jumble of crooked lines and +letters can tell you anything." + +"Why, it's easy, mother," and Thure bent eagerly over the map. "You see +you start from Hangtown and go in a northeasterly direction to Humbug +Canyon and Three Tree Mountain and Goose Neck Lake and the Devil's Slide +to Lot's Canyon; and then up Lot's Canyon until you come to Crooked Arm +Gulch, and then up Crooked Arm Gulch until you come to the Golden Elbow; +and the cave, you see, is right in the point of the elbow," and Thure's +finger rested excitedly on the black spot on the map marked "cave." "The +cave is about five days from Hangtown, the miner said. We can go to the +mines now, can't we, mother?" + +"Hangtown! What a horrid name!" and Mrs. Conroyal shuddered. "But," and +she started to her feet excitedly, "wasn't your father's last letter +sent from Hangtown? I am sure it was," and she hurried to her writing +desk, picked up a letter and glanced eagerly at its heading. "See! It +was! Here is the name," and she pointed triumphantly to the letter. + +"You see, it won't be difficult to find the Cave of Gold from the map, +mother, not with dad's help. And, mother, we must start for the mines +just as soon as we can get ready to go. You surely will let us go now!" +and Thure caught hold of his mother's hand. "Say, yes, mother, now; +because Bud and I want to start to-morrow morning, and there is much to +be done before we go." + +"My boy," and Mrs. Conroyal's face sobered, "you are all the man that +the mines have left me. Husband, son, servants, all have gone to the +mines, until now you and Bud are the only able-bodied men left on the +rancho--and now the mines are calling you!" + +"But, mother, think of what the finding of such a mine means to us all! +And father and Mr. Randolph, if they knew about the Cave of Gold and the +skin map, I am sure would want us to come; and Old Juan and Manuel and +the boys can take care of the rancho; and, you know, if we find the Cave +of Gold and get the gold, then all of us, father and the rest, will be +back soon; and we will be rich; and dad can build you the new house that +you want and furnish it the way that you want it furnished; and Bud and +I can go East and get the education that we need to fit us to do a man's +work in the great new State of California that is bound to be made out +of this country, now that it has become a part of the United States. It +is yes, isn't it, mother? And we can start, can't we, to-morrow +morning?" and Thure's arm went round his mother and he drew her +appealingly to him. + +For a minute or two Mrs. Conroyal did not answer. She was battling with +her mother-love. She knew what this quest of the Cave of Gold might +mean--hardships, dangers, even death for those she loved. But she was of +pioneer stock, had often seen her dearest go forth to face the dangers +of the unknown wilderness; and, at last, with something of Spartan-like +fortitude, she turned to Thure. + +"Yes, my son, you may go," she said. "You may go to your father and tell +him all; and he will decide about the search for the Cave of Gold." + +"Hurrah! We can go! Mother says I can go!" and Thure swung his free hand +around his head. + +"And mother says I can go! Hurrah for the gold-mines!" and Bud clapped +his sister on the back, by way of letting off some of the surplus steam +of his enthusiasm. "It will be great! And I'll bring you back a necklace +of gold nuggets, sister mine. Now, we must be getting ready." + +"But, first we all have a solemn duty to perform," Mrs. Conroyal said +gravely. "We must give the dead miner decent burial, as we would wish +our own dear ones buried, should they die amongst strangers. See that +the grave is dug, my son; and notify all that the funeral will be held +in the house-sala at the going down of the sun. Come, we will make ready +the house for the funeral," and, followed by Mrs. Randolph and the two +girls, she hurried from the room. + +A half an hour later, all who were left on the rancho gathered in the +sala to pay the last respects of the living, who soon must die, to the +dead, who but a short time before lived. There was no minister, no +priest to be had. Mrs. Conroyal read the church service for the dead +over the body of the unfortunate miner; and then six of the oldest and +strongest boys gently lifted the boards on which the corpse lay to their +shoulders and, just as the rays of the setting sun redden the tops of +the western mountains, bore the body slowly to its last resting place, +beneath the outstretched arms of a sturdy oak, on the top of a little +hillock, near the murmuring waters of a small stream that flowed close +by the house. + +That night was a busy night at the Conroyal rancho. Everything must be +got ready for the going of Thure and Bud in the morning; and it was +surprising how many things there were that needed doing. But, at length, +long after midnight, everything was in readiness and the two boys +entered their sleeping room for their last night's rest, for they knew +not how long, in the dear old home-house. + +"I can hardly realize that we are to start for the mines in the +morning," Thure said, as he quickly undressed and jumped into bed. "All +that has happened to-day seems more like a dream than the reality; and I +am almost afraid that I will wake up in the morning and find that I have +been only dreaming." + +"Well," declared Bud, "if it's only dreaming, I'm going to get into bed +and dream some more as quick as I can; so, not meaning to be impolite, +shut up and good night," and he settled himself down comfortably in the +bed and closed his eyes. And, in five minutes, in spite of the feverish +excitements of the day, the two tired boys were sound asleep. + + + + +CHAPTER V + +OFF FOR THE GOLD-MINES + + +The next morning when the sun rose, in all the golden glory of dawning +day in beautiful California, above the tops of the eastern mountains and +shone down into the Valley of the Sacramento, its rays fell on an +interesting scene in front of the Conroyal house, where nearly all the +men, women and children of the place had gathered about two heavily +laden pack-horses, four saddled horses, and two boys, and two girls. The +two boys were Thure and Bud, ready to start for the mines, the two girls +were Iola and Ruth, who were to ride with the boys for an hour or so on +their way, the four saddled horses were their riding horses, and the two +pack-horses bore the outfits of the young miners, as well as sundry +tokens of love and affection sent to the dear ones at the mines. The +boys stood at their horses' heads, ready to mount. The very moment of +departure had come. + +"Well, I reckon we must be going now. Good-by, mother," and Thure turned +for a last embrace in those dear arms, and then swung himself up into +his saddle. + +"God bless you, and protect you, and bring you safe home, my son," and +Mrs. Conroyal, trying in vain to keep back the tears from her eyes and +the sobs from her voice, embraced and kissed Thure farewell and bravely +saw him mount. + +Bud tried very hard to control his feelings, but his voice choked a +little and there were tears in his eyes, as he kissed his mother good-by +and jumped into his saddle; and then, just to break the gloom that +seemed to be gathering too thickly about the parting, he jerked off his +hat, and, swinging it around his head, shouted: "Hurrah, for the +gold-mines! Hurrah, we're off for the mines!" + +And everybody shouted with him; and, in the midst of the shouting, the +two boys, leading their pack-horses and with Iola and Ruth on their +horses by their sides, rode out of the house-court and started across +the valley toward the distant eastern mountains. + +The search for the dead miner's Cave of Gold had begun. + +Iola Conroyal and Ruth Randolph were two very lively and high-spirited +girls, just old enough to see all the romance and little of the rough +reality and danger of such a quest as their two brothers had begun. The +wonderful tale of the dying miner, with its Cave of Gold, its +rough-drawn map and its big gold nugget, had appealed very strongly to +their vivid and romantic imaginations; and the starting of Thure and Bud +in search of this marvelous cave had surrounded them, in their eyes, +with something of the glamour that gilds the heroes of romance. They +envied them their quest; they would have gone joyfully with them, if +they could; and now, as they rode along by their sides in the cool +morning air, they could think or talk of little else than this wonderful +quest and of what would happen, if the boys should really and truly find +that marvelous Cave of Gold. + +"Will you--will you promise to give me the first gold nugget you pick up +in this wonderful cave?" Ruth said, after they had been riding and +talking for some little while, glancing up a bit shyly into Thure's +face. "I will have a breastpin made out of it and always wear it in +remembrance of that great event--and--and of you," she added in a lower +voice, her face flushing a little. + +"Sure I will! I--that is exactly what I had planned to do anyhow," Thure +declared. "And I'll see that it is a big one, Ruth, the biggest that I +can find. And the next nugget I pick up you shall have for a ring; and +then I'll pick up a lot of little nuggets and make you a gold necklace +out of them." + +"That will be glorious," and Ruth's eyes shone. "And--and I shall prize +them all very much. Oh, dear, I don't see why we girls were just born +girls and not boys! I never wanted to do anything as much as I want to +go with you and Bud, and help hunt for this Cave of Gold. I'd go anyway, +if mother would let me." + +"So would I," Iola declared, her dark eyes and cheeks glowing at the +thought. "It is terrible to be just a girl, when there is anything like +this to be done. We, at least Ruth and I, do not want to be put in a +cage and fed, like canary birds. We want to do things, too; and we could +do things, too, if folks would only let us." + +"Hoity-toity!" laughed Thure. "I reckon God knew what He was about when +He made you 'just girls'--just sisters, sweethearts, wives, mothers, the +dearest words spoken in every language the world over; and, for one, I +am powerful glad that He did make you 'just girls.'" + +"So am I," Bud agreed, so emphatically that all laughed. + +"But, it really does seem too bad that Iola and I have got to stay at +home with our mothers, where nothing exciting ever happens," persisted +Ruth, "while you two, just because you are boys, can go hunting caves of +gold and have all sorts of wonderful adventures--not that I really and +truly would like to be a boy," she added hastily and a little +contradictorily. "Boys are so awkward and have such big feet and hands, +and--and--" + +"And are such good fellows to wait on girls," grinned Bud provokingly. + +"Which shows girls' real superiority," smiled back Ruth. + +"Well, if you are satisfied, what are you kicking for? You haven't heard +Thure and me wishing that we were girls, have you?" queried Bud +triumphantly. + +"Well, I should say not, not when you are off on a hunt like this +anyhow!" Ruth rejoined. "Oh, but I do hope you will find that Cave of +Gold! And come back covered with gold nuggets and glory!" + +By this time our young friends had reached the foot of the ridge, on +whose top it had been agreed they were to say farewell to one another; +and the thought of the nearness of the parting was suddenly pressed home +to each heart, and they rode to the top of the ridge without speaking a +word. Here they pulled up their horses; and, for a moment, their eyes +looked wistfully into one another's faces, while they sat silent in +their saddles. + +"Oh, come, let's have the agony over!" and Bud tried to make his voice +sound cheery and unconcerned. "Good-by, Ruth," and, urging his horse up +close to the side of his sister's horse, he leaned over, threw his arms +around her neck and kissed her. Then he turned and quickly served Iola +in the same way; and, striking spurs into his horse, started off, his +pack-horse tugging at the rope behind him. + +Thure hesitated a moment; and then, following Bud's example, quickly +kissed Iola and Ruth good-by, and started after Bud. + +"Don't forget that you have promised me the first gold nugget that you +pick up in the cave!" called Ruth. + +"Nor the gold necklace!" warned Iola. + +Thure and Bud waved their hands and shouted in reply; but rode steadily +on. + +The two girls sat on their horses and watched them, until, with final +shouts and the waving of their hats, they passed over the top of a +distant ridge and vanished from sight. Then Iola and Ruth turned their +horses homeward and rode silently down the other side of the ridge. They +did not care to talk, even about the wonderful Cave of Gold, just then. + +They had ridden something like a couple of miles on their way homeward +and their tongues were just beginning to wag, girl-like, again, when +both were considerably startled by a loud hallo, coming from behind. +They turned quickly and saw two horsemen, who had just ridden out from +behind a small grove of trees, some twenty rods back and to the right, +and who were now riding toward them. + +"I wonder who they can be!" exclaimed Ruth. "I am sure that I never saw +them before; but I suppose we had better wait and find out what they +want. They might be lost. They look like strangers to this part of the +country," and she pulled up her horse. + +"Yes," agreed Iola, halting her horse by the side of Ruth. "They are +probably foreigners on their way to the mines; and we had better wait to +see if we can be of any help to them." + +In the holster that hung from the pommel of the saddle of each girl +there was a double-barreled pistol, loaded and ready for instant use; +and it was not there for ornament. Both girls had been trained to use +the rifle and the pistol; and never, since Iola's frightful experience +with the Mexican desperado, Padilla, some three years before,[1] had +either girl been permitted to ride, even a short distance from the +house, without having one or both of these weapons with her. +Consequently, trained and armed as they were, they saw nothing to fear +in meeting the two strange horsemen, although they were alone in a +little valley and out of sight and hearing of every other human being, +so far as they knew. + +[Footnote 1: For an account of this adventure, see _Fighting With +Fremont_, the preceding book of this series.] + +The two horsemen came up on a slow gallop; and pulled up their horses a +dozen feet from the girls. + +"We asks your pardon, ladies," said the larger of the two men--a big +red-headed man with a broken nose--as he awkwardly doffed his hat. "But, +seein' you ridin' by, an' thinkin' you might be able tew give us sum +information, we bein' strangers in this part of Californy, we made bold +tew hallo tew you," and he paused, his bold eyes staring admiringly into +the dark face of Iola. + +"We will be very glad to help you, if we can," answered Iola, a bit +shortly, for she did not like the looks of the big man with the broken +nose. "What is it you would like to know?" + +"Wal," answered the man, glancing toward his companion, "me an' my +pardner was tew meet a man over yonder by that big rock that sticks +itself out of th' ground, like a nose on a man's face," and he pointed +to a huge rock a mile or more away that shot up out of the level of the +valley, not unlike the nose on a man's face. "He was tew git thar 'bout +noon yisterday; an' we haven't seen hide nor ha'r of him yit; an', +gittin' powerful tired of waitin' an' thinkin' you ladies might have +seen him, we stops you tew ask." + +"An' bein' a leetle afeared he might have come tew harm," the other +horseman, a small man with a pock-marked face, here broke in, "seein' +that he was a comin' from th' diggin's an' was supposed tew have +considerable gold-dust with him, we makes bold tew stop you ladies tew +ask about him, jest as my pardner says, thinkin' you might have seen +him." + +"What--what did he look like?" Iola asked anxiously, the moment the man +paused; for her thoughts had gone instantly to the dead man they had +buried last night, when he had spoken of the man they were looking for +as being on his way back from the diggings. + +"Wal, he won't exactly what you ladies would call a beauty," answered +the big man, grinning, "seein' that he'd let his whiskers an' ha'r grow +long an' scraggly all over his face an' head; but you'd a-knowed him, if +you'd a-seen him, by a peecoolyer scar over his left eye, shaped +sumthin' like a hoss-shoe, with th' ends of th' shoe pointin' t'ord th' +corners of th' eye." + +"Why," and Iola's face whitened, "he must have been the man our +brothers, Thure and Bud, brought home with them yesterday afternoon! He +had a scar on his forehead like that. Didn't you notice it?" and she +turned to Ruth. + +"Yes," Ruth answered, "and he was from the mines." + +"Wal, now, that's good news," declared the big man, glancing out of the +corners of his eyes at his companion. "We was afeared sum harm had come +tew him. An' so he's restin' safe an' easy at your home. Now, whar might +that be, if I may be so bold as tew ask?" + +"But, he'd been robbed--murdered!" exclaimed Iola. "And it was his dead +body that had been brought to our house. We buried him last night." + +"Robbed! Murdered!" almost yelled the big man. "Do you hear that, +Spike?" and he turned excitedly to his companion. "Sumone got him for +his gold, jest as he was afeared they would. An' you say 'twas your +brothers who found him, an' took th' body home with them, an' gave it +decent burial. Now I call that decent, don't you, Spike?" and he glanced +sharply at his companion. + +"White an' decent," agreed Spike. "But," and his small snake-like eyes +shifted swiftly from face to face of the two girls, as he spoke, "did +he--did he leave any message for his friends; or, was he dead when your +brothers found him?" + +"He lived only a little while," answered Iola. "He had been stabbed by +one of the cowards, and he died before they could get him to the house. +I don't think he left any message. I don't remember of hearing our +brothers say anything about a message, do you?" and she turned to Ruth. + +"No," replied Ruth. "He--he left no word for any friend. He only--" she +stopped abruptly, and just in time; for, unthinkingly, she had been +about to speak of the skin map and the Cave of Gold. + +Both men started slightly at her words and abrupt stop and flashed swift +glances into each other's eyes. + +"Now, that's tew bad," declared the big man. "We sure thought he would +leave a message for us, seein' that he knowed we was here a-waitin' for +him. But, I reckon, we'd better ride on tew th' house with you ladies +an' see them brothers of your'n personal. You see we wants tew make +sart'in 'twas our friend that was robbed and murdered, besides he might +have left sum word for Spike an' me, an' your brothers not have +mentioned it, bein' naturally excited-like over th' robbery an' murder." + +"But, you can't see them now!" exclaimed Iola, impulsively. "They left +for the mines this very morning. Why, we parted from them not more than +an hour ago." + +Both men started violently at this news, and again the swift suspicious +glances flashed from eyes to eyes, and an ugly threatening look came +into their faces. + +"Gone tew th' mines! An' started sudden, this very mornin'!" exclaimed +Spike excitedly. "Did--Did th' old miner say an'thing 'bout whar he +found his gold afore he died?" and his beady black eyes glowed angrily +into the faces of the two girls. "We're his friends, an' have a right +tew know, an' we want tew know, an' we're goin' tew know," and he urged +his horse nearer to the girls. + +Both girls were badly frightened by this sudden and unexpected change in +the two men; for there was no mistaking the ugly and dangerous look on +their faces; but neither girl lost her head. + +"You will not come a step closer than you now are," and the white hand +of Iola flashed to the pistol in her holster; and Spike, to his evident +horror, suddenly found himself looking straight down into two little +round holes that seemed to his startled eyes as big as the mouths of +cannons. + +"And you, too, stay right where you are," and Ruth's pistol suddenly +turned the big man with a broken nose into a wildly staring equestrian +statue. "We two girls are not going to take any chances with you two +men; and--and now that we have given you all the information that we +have for you, you can turn your horses around and ride back the way you +came." + +[Illustration: "YOU CAN TURN YOUR HORSES AROUND AND RIDE BACK THE WAY +YOU CAME."] + +The faces of both girls had suddenly grown as white as milk; for, almost +at the same moment, each had remembered that the dying miner had +described his two murderers as a big red-headed man with a broken nose +and a small man with a pock-marked face--and they were now looking +straight into the faces of two such men. But the hands that held the +pistols did not tremble; and there was no mistaking the look in the +shining eyes back of the little round holes. They would shoot; and, if +they shot, they would not miss; and it did not take the two men two +seconds to discover these facts. + +"Oh, come, this ain't no hold up game, is it, ladies?" and the big man +tried to look as if he considered the whole affair a huge joke; but he +was very careful not to make a threatening move; and he kept his eyes +fixed on the two little round holes of Ruth's pistol, in a horrible +staring way that Ruth never forgot. + +"No," Ruth answered shortly. "It is not a hold up; and there is going to +be no hold up in this case," she added significantly; "so just turn your +horses around and gallop back the way you came; and be very careful not +to let your hands go near your belts or to look back while doing it," +she warned. + +"Oh, say, now," began the small man. "This ain't hospital-like. We ain't +meanin' you ladies no harm. We--" + +"Drop the talk and turn your horses around and get," Iola commanded so +imperatively, so threateningly that both men, in a sudden panic of +fear--like nearly all rascals they were cowards and those two pistols in +those two girlish hands might go off at any instant--whirled their +horses around and galloped off, while a bullet from one of the barrels +of Iola's pistol, whistling between their heads, added to their panic +and speed. + +"Do you," and Ruth turned her white face to Iola, the moment the two men +were at a safe distance, "do you really think they were the two men who +murdered the miner?" + +"Yes," answered Iola, as she began reloading her pistol, with hands that +trembled now so that she could hardly pour the powder into the barrel. +"I am sure they were. Ugh! But what a dreadful fright they gave me! I +felt certain they were going to murder us, when they started toward us." + +"And--and do you suppose they were trying to find out about that skin +map and the Cave of Gold?" and Ruth's face again began whitening. + +"Yes, that is it!" and Iola started. "That was what made them so angry +and ugly, when we told them that Thure and Bud had already started for +the mines. They at once suspicioned that the boys had the map and that +they had started out to find the Cave of Gold. Oh, Ruth," and a look of +horror came into Iola's face, "do you suppose they will start on the +trail of Thure and Bud and try to get the map from them? Why, they might +murder them!" + +"That is exactly what I am afraid they will do," declared Ruth, her own +face reflecting the horror in Iola's face. "But you may be sure that two +cowards like them will never get the best of our brothers, unless they +do it in some sneaking underhanded way; and the boys have been warned to +look out for them. It won't take Thure and Bud as long to discover who +they are, as it did us. The instant they see that broken nose and +pock-marked face, they will be on their guard. But I do wish we had said +nothing about the boys starting for the mines. Anyhow that is about all +the information they did get from us that will do them any good, thank +goodness! And they will have a mighty hard time finding and following +their trail, unless they are old hunters and trappers; and they did not +look as if they were. Anyhow it can't be helped now; and the best thing +that we can do is to get back home as quickly as we can." + +"I don't think we had better say anything to our mothers about meeting +the two men," Iola said, as with a final look in the direction of the +two horsemen, who were still galloping up the valley, they turned their +horses homeward. "It wouldn't do any good to tell them and they'd worry +a lot." + +"You're right. Mum's the word," agreed Ruth; and then both girls struck +their horses sharply and started on a swift gallop for the Conroyal +rancho, where we must leave them for the present and return to Thure and +Bud. + + + + +CHAPTER VI + +THE SIGN OF THE TWO RED THUMBS + + +At the date of the happenings here recorded, 1849, the greater part of +California was still an unbroken wilderness, inhabited only by scattered +tribes of Indians and the wild beasts. For some three hundred years the +Spaniards and the Mexicans had occupied a few choice spots along the +coast, with now and then an isolated ranchero in the great interior +valleys of the Sacramento and the San Joaquin Rivers. Then, in 1846, had +come the War with Mexico and the Conquest of California by the +Americans, swiftly followed by the discovery of gold in 1848 and the +great inflow of gold-seekers from all parts of the world of 1849 and +later, who, of course, all rushed pell-mell to the gold regions, leaving +the rest of California more thinly populated than ever. Indeed, in 1849, +all California, except the gold regions, was practically deserted; and, +since the gold regions were located in what had been, a few weeks +before, a mountainous wilderness, nearly everybody in California was +living in the wilderness, and, necessarily, living under primitive +wilderness conditions--a wild, free, independent sort of a life that +quickly brought to the surface the real character of each individual. + +Such, then, was the California of 1849, the California of Thure and Bud; +and such were the conditions of the life, the wild romantic life of the +wilderness mining camps, toward which we left our young friends +hastening, their unwilling pack-horses pulling and tugging on the ropes +which were dragging them away from the home-pastures, when we rode a +little way on the homeward journey with Iola and Ruth. + +Now, to return to Thure and Bud. + +The Conroyal rancho was situated in the Lower Sacramento Valley, some +two-days' journey from Sutter's Fort, near which the City of Sacramento +on the Sacramento River had sprung into a sudden and marvelous +existence; and, as Sacramento City was then the final rendezvous of all +those bound for the mines, some forty miles in the wilderness of +mountains to the east, Thure and Bud, naturally, had headed straight for +this town, intending, when there, to find someone going to Hangtown, +with whom they might journey to this mining camp, where they hoped to +find their fathers and their friends. Both boys were well acquainted +with the trail to Sutter's Fort, having been there frequently with their +fathers; and, since Sacramento City was only a couple of miles or so +from Sutter's Fort, they would have no difficulty in finding their way +thither. The trail, for the greater part of the distance, ran through +beautiful valleys and over low-lying hills, where nature still reigned +unfretted by man and where a human being was seldom seen, consequently +Thure and Bud expected to have a lonely ride to Sacramento City. + +For some little while after the departure of the two girls neither boy +spoke. Somehow they did not feel like talking, not even about the +wonderful Cave of Gold, nor the skin map, nor the death of the old +miner. They were thinking of home and the dear ones from whom they had +parted for they knew not how long; and, when boys are thinking deeply of +such things, they do not like talking. But, gloom and sadness cannot +long conquer the spirits of any normal boy; and, at the end of an hour's +riding they were their own lively and talkative selves again. + +"I wonder if we can make our old camping-ground to-night?" Thure +questioned doubtfully, as they came to a halt, a little before noon, on +the top of a steep ridge to give their horses a short rest. "If I +remember right, this ridge is not nearly half-way to the place where dad +and I always camped when we went to Sutter's Fort; and it must be nearly +noon now," and he glanced upward at the sun, which was fast nearing the +zenith. "Say, but these old pack-horses are as slow as oxen. I wonder if +we can't do something to hurry them up?" + +"We've got to make the old camping-ground tonight, if it takes us till +midnight," Bud answered emphatically. "That is, we've got to, if we +expect to get to Sacramento City to-morrow; and that's where I, for one, +expect to be sometime to-morrow night. I reckon, we'll have to drive +them pack-horses in front of us and use the whip a little." + +"A bully idea," Thure agreed. "I wonder why we did not think of it +before. Here, you old slowpoke, get up!" and, whirling his horse around, +he suddenly rode up behind his pack-horse and gave that animal a quick +blow with his whip. + +The scheme worked splendidly; and the two boys were soon on their way +again and moving at a considerably increased speed. But, notwithstanding +their accelerated motion, it was not until some three hours after sunset +that the two tired boys and the four tired horses reached the old +camping-grounds, where there was an abundance of water for themselves +and horses and fuel for the camp-fire. + +"Well, I swun I am tired!" Thure exclaimed, as he threw himself down +with a sigh of satisfaction on his blanket before the camp-fire, when, +at last, the horses had been unsaddled and unbridled and unpacked and +picketed where they could feed on the rich grass, and the two boys had +eaten their rude meal of broiled venison--they had shot a young deer on +their way--and homemade bread, washed down by a huge tin cup full of +coffee of their own brewing. + +"I reckon you are not the only tired boy in this camp to-night," and Bud +spread out his blanket on the ground by the side of Thure's and +stretched himself out on it. "Every bone and muscle in my body has been +just a-teasing me for the last two hours to let up and give them a rest. +Well, we got here anyhow; and I guess we can now make Sacramento City +all right to-morrow night. Say," and he sat up on his blanket with a +jerk at the thought that had suddenly come to him, "do you suppose those +two villains, who robbed and killed the old miner, have found out that +we have the skin map that they committed murder in vain to get? If they +have, I reckon we'll have to be on the lookout for them good and sharp. +Why, they might be on our trail even now!" + +"You are right," and Thure sat up quickly. "But I can't see just how +they could know that we have the map. They certainly didn't wait for +introductions when we charged down upon them; and I don't believe they +followed us home--they were too scart, the cowards! But, as Kit Carson +says: 'The time to be cautious is before the Indians get your scalp--not +afterwards.' I reckon that means that we've got to keep guard to-night; +and I don't believe I ever felt more sleepy," and Thure sighed. "But, if +Brokennose and Pockface should happen to be on our trail, they couldn't +ask for anything better than to get us two here alone and asleep +to-night. They sure would have the skin map in the morning, and, +probably, our horses and supplies, and, possibly, our lives. Say, but I +just would like to meet them two cowards when I am awake!" and Thure's +eyes glinted wrathfully. + +"Well, I should not be surprised if we had that pleasure before long," +and Bud's face hardened. "If the old miner told them of the Cave of Gold +and the skin map, and he said he did, they sure will be on the lookout +for the party with the map; and it wouldn't take much inquiring for them +to find out that it was us that brought the dead miner home; and then, I +reckon, it won't take them two minutes to guess what started us so +sudden-like for the mines. I sure hope they won't find us until we get +to our dads and Rex and Dill and Hammer Jones. I'd feel safe enough +then. You see, we are guarding not only our lives, but also the Cave of +Gold; and the finding of that cave means a lot to all of us." + +"It sure does," Thure agreed. "Luck has been against both of our dads +lately; and, well, we've just got to find that Cave of Gold; and we are +going to find it, in spite of all the broken noses and pockmarked faces +in the world. But, it won't do to sit here talking all night. We must +get all the sleep we can. Who will stand guard first?" + +"I will," Bud answered, picking up his rifle and rising; "so get into +your blanket and asleep as quick as you can. It must be almost midnight +now." + +"All right," and Thure began rolling himself up in his blanket. "Wake me +in about two hours, and I'll stand guard the rest of the night. We want +to be on our way as soon as it is light enough to see. Good night," and +in five minutes Thure was as dead to his surroundings as the log near +which he lay. + +Bud picked up his blanket and moved off into the dark shadows of the +low-hanging branches of an evergreen oak and out of the light of the +camp-fire, where he could watch, seeing but unseen. + +The night had grown dark and cool--all California nights are chilly; and +Bud wrapped his blanket around him and, leaning up against the trunk of +the tree, looked out into the darkness surrounding the lone camp-fire. +In the distance a coyote was making the night hideous with his +demoniacal howlings. From a near tree came the lonesome hoot of an owl. +All else was still, save from all around came the mysterious sounds of +the wilderness at night, suggestive of the low whisperings and talking +of uneasy spirits. + +But all this was commonplace to Bud. He had often spent the night out in +the open, had often stood guard by a lonely camp-fire, when darkness was +all around and only the weird voices of the night were heard; and he +gave little thought to these things. He was very tired and very sleepy +and it took about all the thought power he had to compel himself to stay +awake. + +An hour past. There had not been a suspicious sound nor movement; and +Bud began to feel more secure, began to relax some of his vigilance, +began to close his eyes now and then for a brief moment, began to lean +more comfortably against the trunk of the tree--then, suddenly, he +straightened himself up with a jerk, his eyes wide open, his cocked +rifle held ready for instant use. Sure he had heard a sound, a sound +that did not belong to the night, a thud like the fall of some heavy +body on soft ground, and coming from the direction of the camp-fire! For +a moment he stared, tense with excitement, toward the camp-fire, now +glowing dully; but he saw nothing unusual, heard nothing unusual. Thure +still lay by the side of the log, his form showing faintly in the dull +light. The horses were grazing quietly--he could just distinguish their +forms through the darkness. They showed no alarm. + +"Queer! I certainly heard something fall; and right near! Well, I reckon +I had better make sure that everything is all right with Thure," and Bud +very cautiously stepped out from the shadows of the tree and, moving +softly, crept up to where Thure lay. His deep regular breathing told him +that he was sound asleep and that all was well with him. + +"Must have been dreaming," he muttered in disgust, and returned to his +station under the tree; but he did not close his eyes again. + +There were no other suspicious sounds during the remainder of his watch, +nor during the watch of Thure; and the dawning of morning found both +boys and all their belongings safe and sound. + +"Did you see or hear anything suspicious during your watch?" was Bud's +first query, when Thure awoke him the next morning. + +"No. Why?" answered Thure. "Did you?" + +"Well, I--I don't know," and Bud jumped to his feet and began looking +sharply around over the ground near the camp-fire. + +Suddenly he uttered an exclamation and, bending quickly down, picked up +a large flat stone that was lying between the log, near which Thure had +slept, and the camp-fire. + +"I--I don't remember of seeing this stone here last night," and he +turned it over curiously; and then uttered another exclamation that +brought Thure to his side on the jump. + +The stone was flat, some three inches thick, nearly round, and, +possibly, a foot in diameter. One side was nearly white and smooth; and +the astonished eyes of the boys read, rudely written on this side, +evidently with a piece of charred coal, these ominous words: + + LEVE THE MAP TO THE MINERS CAVE UNDER THIS STON NEAR YOUR CAMP FIRE + WHEN YOU BRAKE CAMP IN THE MORNING AND NEVER TELL NOBODY WHAT THE + MINER TOLD YOU ABOUT THE CAVE--OR WELL GIT YOU THE SAME AS WE GOT + THE MINER--LIFE IS WURTH MOREN GOLD AND YOULL NEVER LIVE TO GIT THE + GOLD. + +Under these words were the red prints of two thumbs--one the mark of a +huge thumb and the other the mark of a much smaller thumb--as if their +owners had covered their thumbs with blood and then pressed them against +the stone, in lieu of signatures. + +For a full two minutes the two boys stood staring at these words, their +faces whitening and their eyes widening. + +"How--how did this get here?" Thure was the first to speak. + +For answer Bud leaped to the log, by the side of which Thure had slept, +and, bending over it, looked closely at the ground on the other side. + +"Right from behind this log!" he exclaimed, after a moment's scrutiny of +the ground. "The fellow that threw that stone crept up behind this log +and then got up on his knees and tossed the rock to where we found it. +You can still see the prints of his knees and toes in the ground. I +thought I heard a sound like the fall of something heavy during my +watch; but I was half asleep when I heard it," and Bud's face flushed a +little; "and when I couldn't see anything suspicious or find anything +suspicious or hear any more suspicious sounds, I concluded I had only +fancied I had heard the sound. But that is sure no fancy," and his eyes +glared at the stone, which Thure still held. + +"And I was sound asleep right on the other side of that log at that very +moment!" and Thure's weather-bronzed face whitened a little. "No more +logs for bedfellows for me!" + +"Yes, and he must have been lying right on the other side of that log, +when I bent over you to see if you were all right," added Bud. "If I'd +been only smart enough to look, it might have saved us from a lot of +trouble," and Bud's lips tightened grimly. + +"Better as it is," Thure declared. "Now, we've had our warning and +nobody hurt; but, if you had discovered the fellow behind the log, +they'd have got you, sure, and, probably, me, too. Both were doubtless +on hand; and would have shot you before you could have done anything, if +you had discovered one of them. Now, I reckon, if they had found the +camp unguarded, they were intending to have a try for the map then and +there--and they would have got it! Well, what do you think about doing +as they ask, and leaving the map under the stone? It seems from what +that stone says--" + +"What!" and Bud turned in astonishment to Thure. "Give up that map to a +couple of the biggest cowards and cut-throats in California? I'd sooner +give them every drop of blood in my body. I--" + +"Well, you need not get so rambunctuous over it," laughed Thure. "But," +and his face sobered, "I reckon that that there is no idle threat," and +he pointed to the flat stone, which now lay on the ground at his feet; +"and I fancy the sooner we get to our dads the better it will be for us. +Not that I'd be afraid of those two skunks," he added hastily, "if +they'd come out in the open, where one could see them; but I do not care +for any more creeping upon a fellow in the dark, when he's asleep," and +he glanced shudderingly toward the log. "But, there is no use of talking +any more about it. Let's get busy. We must make Sacramento City to-night +sure." + +In a very short time breakfast was eaten, the horses saddled and bridled +and packed, and the two boys ready to mount and to start on their way +again. + +"Now, for our answer to that there message," and Thure picked up the +flat stone and dropped it into the camp-fire. "I reckon that will tell +them what we think of their threat; and that we're too old to be scart +like little school boys," and he sprang on the back of his horse. "Now +for Sacramento City!" and the two boys, with watchful eyes glancing all +around them, resumed their lonely journey toward the new city on the +Sacramento. + + + + +CHAPTER VII + +CAUGHT IN THE FLOOD + + +In July, 1849, the tide of gold-seekers had not yet set in at its +greatest flow. It was too early in the year for the thousands of +emigrants coming across the plains and the mountains to the east or for +those journeying by ship from the more distant parts of the world to +have reached the Eldorado of their golden hopes; but from every +inhabited part of California and the region to the north, from Mexico +and the Pacific coast southward and from the nearer islands of the +Pacific a constant stream of gold-seekers had been flowing into the gold +regions for nearly a year. Those coming by ship landed at San Francisco; +and from there reëmbarked in smaller boats and were carried up the +Sacramento River to Sacramento City, the nearest point to the mines +reached by boat, or made the journey overland on horseback, or with +mule- or horse- or oxen-drawn wagons, or even on foot. Many of the +Mexicans and a few of the South Americans came overland, while nearly +all of those coming from Oregon territory, whither many emigrants had +gone from the States during the past few years, made the journey +southward to Sacramento City the same way they had crossed the great +plains and the mountains, when they had sought new homes in the Great +Northwest a few years before--that is, by way of the prairie-schooner, +afoot and on horseback, traveling in small companies for mutual +protection. + +All of these different streams of inflowing gold-seekers were too far +south for Thure and Bud to strike until they were nearly to Sacramento +City, except that from Oregon, flowing from the north; and they hardly +expected to find this stream still flowing, since those regions were +supposed to have been already drained of all their gold-seeking +inhabitants. But, hardly had they ridden an hour on their way that +morning, when, on coming to the top of a low ridge of hills and looking +down into the valley beyond, they saw half a dozen white-topped wagons, +accompanied by a number of men, some on horseback and some afoot, a +couple of miles ahead of them and about to pass over another ridge of +hills. + +"Hurrah!" yelled Thure, at sight of the wagons and the men. "I'll bet a +coon skin that they are bound for Sacramento City and the gold-diggings, +too. Come, let's hurry up our horses and see if we can't overtake them. +I'll feel a lot safer when we're in with that crowd," and his keen eyes +glanced swiftly over the valley in front of them. "There are too many +places along this trail, where them skunks could hide and shoot us +without our getting a shot back at them, to suit me. But they will +hardly venture to take a shot at us, while we are with a crowd of armed +men like that. Hurrah! Come on!" and, striking his pack-horse with his +whip, Thure hurried on down the hill. + +A couple of hours later the two boys overtook the slower-moving train of +wagons; and were given a hearty welcome by the gaunt, roughly dressed +and rougher-looking men, who, as they had surmised, were bound for the +gold-mines. + +Thure, as they joined the little company of prospective miners, turned +and looked backward, just in time to see two horsemen appear on the brow +of a distant hill, halt their horses and sit staring in their direction +for a couple of minutes; and then, wheeling their horses about disappear +down the other side of the hill. + +"Queer!" thought Thure. "I should think they'd be only too glad to join +us, unless," and his heart gave a jump at the thought, "unless they were +Brokennose and Pockface following on our trail! I wonder--" + +But here the men of the wagon-train, gathering excitedly about him and +all eagerly asking questions, drove all further thoughts of the two +solitary horsemen out of his head. + +There were fifteen men, two women, and three children--a girl of +fourteen and two boys thirteen years old--in the company; and all had +come from the great wilderness to the north, whither they had gone from +the States some three years before. They had been traveling for many +days southward, through a wilderness inhabited only by wild beasts and +Indians, without seeing a human being, except a few Indians, although +they had passed a number of deserted ranchos on their way down the +Sacramento Valley, until Thure and Bud rode into their midst. All the +men were armed with long-barreled rifles, huge knives, and some of them, +in addition, carried a pistol or a revolver. They were dressed for the +most part in deerskins and their hair and beards had grown so long, that +only their bright eyes and bronzed noses and gleaming white teeth, when +they smiled or opened their mouths, were visible. All the other features +of their faces were hidden behind matted locks of hair. The faces of the +women and the children had been browned by the sun, until they were +nearly of the color of Indians, and their clothing was soiled and worn; +but all were clear-eyed and looked as if they did not know what a bodily +ache or pain was. + +Thure and Bud were too familiar with this type of wilderness manhood to +be worried in the least over their rough looks and dress. They knew +something of the real men that usually dwelt within these rough +exteriors--the men who hewed the way for civilization through the +wilderness, the men of the rifle, the trap, and the ax, strong and +sturdy and as gnarled and knotted as the oaks of their own forests, yet +as true to a friend or to the right as they saw it, as the balls in +their rifles were to their sights--and neither boy hesitated an instant +to accept their invitation to "jog along" with them to Sacramento City. + +For a few minutes the whole company halted and crowded excitedly around +Thure and Bud. They had heard no news of the world outside of their +little company for many days; and they were especially anxious to hear +the latest news from the diggings. + +"Sure th' gold ain't petered out yit?" queried one of the men anxiously. + +"No," answered Thure, smiling. "According to dad's last letter they were +discovering new diggings almost every day and all the old diggings were +still panning out well. Why, he wrote that the fellow who had the claim +right next to his claim had found a pocket the day before, out of which +he had taken in one day one thousand dollars' worth of gold nuggets!" + +"Say, young man," and a great, huge-boned, lank man crowded eagerly up +to Thure's side, "jest say them words over ag'in; an' say 'em loud, so +that Sal can hear. She's bin callin' me a fool regular 'bout every hour +since we started for th' diggings. Says she'll eat all th' gold I find +an' won't have no stumick-ake neither. Now, listen, Sal," and he turned +excitedly to one of the two women, who stood together on the outskirts +of the little crowd of men around Thure and Bud. "Jest listen tew what +this boy's own dad rit home," and again he turned his eager eyes on +Thure's face. + +Thure laughed and repeated, in a louder voice, the story of the miner's +good luck. + +"Did you hear that, Sal?" and again the big man turned excitedly to the +woman. "One Thousand Dollars' wurth of gold nuggets picked right up out +of a hole in th' ground in one day! Gosh, that's more gold than we ever +seed in our lives! An' he found it all in one day! Good lord! in ten +days he'd have Ten Thousand Dollars! An' in one hundred days he'd have +One Hundred Thousand Dollars!" he almost shouted. + +"Well, what if he did have one hundred thousand dollars! What good would +that do you? That's what I'd like tew know, Tim Perkins? He'd have th' +gold, not you, wouldn't he?" and the woman turned a thin care-worn face +to her big husband. + +"But," and the big fellow's eyes fairly shone with enthusiasm, "can't +you see, Sal, that that proves that th' gold is thar; an', th' gold +bein' thar, I stand as good a chance as anybody else of runnin' ontew a +pocket like that. Good lord, a Thousand Dollars in One Day! Think of +what that would mean tew us, Sal! Edication for th' boy an' gal, a +comfortable home for us as long as we live! If we could only have sech +luck! An' I've bin dreamin' of findin' gold almost every night since we +hooked up an' started for th' diggin's!" + +"An' your dreamin' always comes true!" replied Mrs. Perkins scornfully. +"Well, I've only got this tew say, an', if I've sed it onct, I've sed it +a hundred times, this is our last wild-goose chasin' trip. You'll settle +down for keeps, th' next time you settle down, Tim Perkins, gold or no +gold; or you'll do your chasin' alone," and she turned and climbed back +into one of the wagons, not at all moved by her big husband's +enthusiasm. + +"Sal's some downhearted," the big fellow explained to Thure, "'cause +things ain't turned out for us like we expected since comin' tew Oregon. +But," and his face lighted up again, "jest wait till I make my strike in +th' diggings an' nuthin' 'll be tew good for her an' th' yunks." + +"Do you reckon we can make Sacramento City tew-night?" here broke in one +of the men anxiously. "We was a calculatin' that we might." + +"Yes," answered Thure, "if you are willing to travel late; but you'll +have to hustle to do it." + +"Then we'll hustle," declared the man, who appeared to be the captain of +the little company. "Everybody who wants tew git to Sacramento City +tew-night git a-goin'," he shouted. "Th' gold stories'll keep till we +git thar," and he hurried away to his own wagon, which was in the van; +and soon, with much loud shouting and the cracking of the long lashes of +whips, the little train of wagons was again in motion. + +Thure and Bud fell in at once by the side of the leader, who, learning +that they were familiar with the trail to Sacramento City, had asked +them to act as guides. + +All the wagons were drawn by big raw-boned and long-legged mules; and +the two boys soon found that they had to use their whips freely on their +sturdy little pack-horses in order to hold their places in the train. + +All day long they pressed steadily forward, as fast as mule legs could +drag the heavy wagons; and, a little before night, they struck the +northern trail from San Francisco to Sacramento City, now a +well-traveled road. Here, for the first time, Thure and Bud began to get +something of an idea of what the rush to the gold-mines was like. There +were some twenty-five wagons, a hundred or more horsemen, and many men +on foot in sight of their eyes, when their wagons swung around a small +hill and on to the trail, now hardened into a road by the thousands of +wheels and hoofs that had recently passed over it; and all were hurrying +forward, as if they were fearful they would be too late to reap any of +the golden harvest. + +"Great buffaloes!" and Tim Perkins turned anxiously to Thure, by whose +side he was riding, "dew you reckon all them folks are bound for the +diggin's?" + +"Yes," answered Thure. "Can't you see that everyone is armed with a pick +and shovel and gold-pan? Why, even the men on foot are lugging picks and +shovels and gold-pans on their backs!" + +"An'," continued Tim, the anxious look on his face deepening, "dew you +reckon they've bin a-tearin' over th' trail tew th' diggin's like this +for long; or is this jest a stampede we have struck?" + +"A ship has probably landed at San Francisco lately," Thure replied; +"and these are some of the gold-seekers who came in it. But I don't +think from what I have heard that what we are seeing is an unusual sight +along this trail. They've been rushing to the mines like a herd of +stampeding cattle for months." + +"Gosh! I'm afeard they'll find all th' gold afore we git thar! If +'twon't for Sal an' th yunks I'd hurry on ahead. Dang it, if I was only +thar right now I might be discoverin' a pocket full of gold, like that +miner aside your dad did, at this identical moment! Hi, thar, Jud," and +he turned his eyes glowing with excitement to the face of the +train-captain, "let's see if we can't git ahead of some of this tarnel +crowd; or they'll be a-landin' on all the good spots afore we git thar." + +"Now, jest keep a tight rein on your hosses, Perkins," grinned Jud +Smith, the leader of the little company of Oregon gold-seekers; "an' +rekerleck th' old sayin' 'th' more haste th' less speed,' But," and an +uneasy look came into his own eyes, "it sure does look like all creation +had started for th' diggin's. See, they're still a-comin' as far back as +th' eyes can reach! I reckon we had better try an' hit up a leetle +livelier gait. G'lang, thar, you long-eared repteels!" and the long lash +of his whip hissed through the air and cracked, like the report of a +pistol, over the heads of his leading mules. + +Indeed, it seemed to be impossible for even the sanest of men to mingle +long with a crowd of hurrying gold-seekers and think of what they were +hurrying for, and not catch the fever of unreasoning haste. The thought +that they might be too late, that each moment they might be missing a +golden opportunity by not being on the spot, seemed to obsess all minds; +and the nearer they got to the gold-fields the greater became this +excitement and hurry, until it degenerated into little more than a wild +stampede of gold-mad men. + +And no wonder! for the nearer they got to the mines the bigger the +stories seemed to grow of the wonderful gold finds that were being made. +Nay, more than this! They now sometimes actually saw the gold and +actually met the men who had found it, as they were returning to the +comforts and pleasures of civilization, actually burdened down with the +weight of the precious metal they were carrying! And, what if all this +gold should all be dug up before they got to the mines! The thought was +enough to put the fever of haste into the blood of any man. + +The knowledge of having the skin map and the thought of the Cave of Gold +to which it pointed the way, did not keep Thure and Bud from feeling +this excitement, this wild desire to hurry, as their little company +swung into line on the trail and rushed madly on with the rest. True the +skin map and the gold nugget, still in the miner's buckskin bag, hung, +safely hidden, under the armpit of Thure's left shoulder; but the old +miner himself had found the Cave of Gold, and, if he had found it, why +might not some other man find it? That was the disturbing thought that +had troubled the two boys all along; and now, when they began to realize +how great was the flood of gold-seekers constantly pouring into the +mining regions and how their keen eyes would be searching everywhere, +their anxiety to get to their fathers as quickly as possible grew apace, +until they were almost as eager to reach the mines as was Tim Perkins +himself; and, by a constant urging of their pack-horses, managed to keep +their places with Jud Smith and his company. + +However, in spite of all their hurrying, it was after nine o'clock at +night and dark before they reached the west bank of the Sacramento River +opposite Sacramento City. Here they found a hundred wagons and many +animals and men ahead of them, waiting to be ferried across the river; +and, to their very great disappointment, they were obliged to wait until +the next morning before crossing over to Sacramento City. + +"Well, we are within sight of Sacramento City anyhow," declared Thure, +when Jud Smith returned from the ferry with the news that they would be +obliged to camp on that side of the river for the night; "and, I reckon, +it is just as well that we don't cross over to-night. I'll feel just a +little better entering a town like that in the clear light of day," and +his eyes looked in astonishment and wonder across the dark waters of the +river to where the myriad lights of Sacramento City shone along the +opposite bank. + +The last time Thure had stood where he was now standing, only a little +over a year ago, and looked across the Sacramento River, not a sign of a +human habitation was in sight where now shone the thousands of lights of +a busy city! + +"Isn't it a wonderful sight!" exclaimed Bud, as the two boys stood a +little later on the river bank, staring, with fascinated eyes, across +the water. "Looks more like a dream-city, or a scene in fairyland, than +it does like a real town inhabited by real people." + +And Bud was right. It was a marvelous sight that the two boys were +looking at, a sight the like of which, probably, no human eye will ever +look upon again. + +Along the river bank for a mile or more and stretching back from the +water's edge up the slope of the low-lying hills, glowed and sparkled a +city of tents, pitched in the midst of a virgin forest of huge oak and +sycamore trees. It is impossible for words to convey to the mind the +mystic charm of this wonderful city of light, when seen by night across +the dark waters of the river. Nearly all the houses were but rude frames +walled with canvas, or merely tents; and, in the darkness, the lights +within transformed these into dwellings of solid light, that glowed in +rows along the river front, their lights reflected in the water, and +straggled in glowing rows of light up the hillsides and underneath the +dark overhanging branches of great trees, while here and there through +the general glow shone out brilliant points of light, the decoy-lamps of +the gambling-houses and the saloons. And, for a background to all this, +the shadowy darkness of the surrounding night! + +Thure and Bud were very tired; but they stood for many minutes looking +on this wondrous and fairylike scene, half expecting to see it all +vanish instantly at the wave of some magician's wand, before they turned +to prepare for the night. On their way back to camp and just as they +were passing a large camp-fire, they met two horsemen riding down toward +the ferry. + +"No crossing to-night!" called out Thure. + +The two horsemen turned their faces in their direction; and both boys +started, for, by the light of the camp-fire, they saw that one of the +men was large and the other was small and that the nose of the large man +had been broken, and then the darkness hid their faces from their sight, +as the two horsemen hurried on without uttering a word in reply. + + + + +CHAPTER VIII + +ACCUSED OF MURDER + + +There were no laggards in the camp on the west side of the Sacramento +River the next morning. Long before sun-up a line of wagons and animals +and men stood waiting at the ferry, ready to be carried across the +river; and among the first of these were our anxious young friends, +Thure and Bud. They had pushed on ahead of their fellow travelers of the +day before, the little company of Oregon gold-seekers, who had been +delayed in getting into the line on account of their wagons, and were +fortunate enough to get near the ferry; and, just as the first rays of +the morning's sun looked down on the novel and interesting scene, they +led their animals on board the ferry-boat. + +The boat was jammed with men and wagons and horses and mules and oxen. +The men were all talking excitedly of the mines, the animals were +frightened and restless--indeed, all living beings seemed to breathe in +excitement and restlessness and anxiety out of the very air, with every +breath they drew into their bodies. + +"Glory be!" commented Bud, as his eyes looked over the motley gathering +of men that crowded every available spot on the boat, "but this is a +queer-looking lot of men to see in the wilds of California! Looks like +every nation in the world was represented right here in this one boat +load and sounds like the confusion of tongues at the tower of Babel. +There sure has got to be a lot of gold, if everybody gets a share!" and +his face clouded. "Say, but this boat is slow!" and he turned his +impatient eyes toward the shore, where, in the garish light of day, the +city of canvas seemed real enough, but not a whit less wonderful, only +in an entirely different way, than had the magic city of light the night +before. + +A forest of masts grew from a multitude of boats strung along the river +front, and stood out in striking contrast against the leaved branches of +the trees on the shore. The boats were moored to strong trunks and huge +sinewy roots; and the larger number of them turned out "to grass," that +is, leased as shops and dwelling houses. Signboards and figure-heads +from the boats were set up along the shore, facing the levee; and back +of them, up the gentle slopes of the hills lying between the Sacramento +and the American Rivers, for the town was built at the junction of these +two rivers, ran the streets of this novel city, lined with their +odd-looking canvas houses and tents. Great forest-trees, some of them +six feet in diameter, towered here and there above the houses and the +streets, their huge column-like trunks and outspreading boughs, clothed +with green leaves, adding the needed touch of romanticism to complete +the unique picturesqueness of the scene. Everywhere was bustle and +excitement. Men were hurrying in and out of the doors of the shops and +of the saloons and up and down the streets. Drivers were shouting and +cursing at their horses, mules, or oxen; whips were cracking; and wheels +were rumbling and creaking. Parties of miners here and there, with loud +shouts of farewell, were starting off for the mines, loaded down with +pickaxes and shovels, with gold-pans and frying-pans, and other +equipments of the rude camp-life they were preparing to live. Sun-up, +everybody up, seemed to be the motto of all Sacramento City. + +Into the midst of this wild hurly-burly Thure and Bud plunged directly +from the ferry-boat. At first they hardly knew what to do with +themselves and horses. Never had they been in a scene of such excitement +and confusion before. It fairly made their heads whirl; but, boy-like, +they enjoyed every bit of it, as, with their keen young eyes glancing in +every direction, they rode, holding their frightened pack-horses close +to their sides, slowly up what seemed to be the main street of the city. + +"Say," and Bud pointed to a large sign on the front of one of the few +frame buildings, which read "City Hotel," "that looks like a place to +eat. Let's tie our horses outside and go in and get our breakfast. I'm +as hungry as a bear; and--and--well we can talk over what we had better +do next while we are eating. Glory be, I did not suppose Sacramento City +was like this!" and he grinned. + +The boys had been in too much of a hurry to get across the river to stop +to prepare their own breakfast that morning, consequently Thure at once +welcomed Bud's suggestion; and, jumping off their horses, the two lads +tied their animals to near-by trees and walked into the City Hotel, +bravely trying to look and act as if they were accustomed to living at +hotels all their lives, although, to tell the truth, neither boy had +even seen a hotel before for ten years. + +They found the dining-room and seats at one of the tables without much +difficulty; and after some little study of the bill-of-fare, during +which they forgot to look at the prices, they gave their order to the +waiter--God save the mark! no, to the steward; for there the word +"waiter," was never used, it not being considered a sufficiently +respectable calling for a man who a few months before might have been a +lawyer, a doctor, a merchant, or even a minister. The food was soon set +before them; and, as they ate, they talked over the situation. + +"The first thing for us to do," declared Thure, "is to find some miners +bound for Hangtown, and then make arrangements to go with them; and the +only way to do this is to start out and ask everyone who looks as if he +was going to the diggings, if he is going to Hangtown, or knows of +anyone who is. I reckon it won't take us long to find someone; and, if +possible, we want to get on our way to-day." + +Bud promptly sanctioned this plan; and, accordingly, it was agreed that, +as soon as they finished their breakfast, they would start out to find +someone bound for Hangtown. + +"I'll pay the bill," magnanimously announced Thure, when the last morsel +of food and the last swallow of coffee had vanished down their throats, +and he turned to the smiling steward. + +The steward wrote for a minute or so on a little pad of paper; and then, +tearing off a sheet, handed it to Thure. It was the bill for their +breakfast and read: + + 4 fried eggs $6.00 + 1 leg of mutton (with potatoes) 2.25 + 1 leg of veal (with potatoes) 2.25 + 2 cups of coffee (with milk) 1.50 + Bread (with butter) for two 2.00 + 2 pieces of pie 1.50 + ------ + Total $15.50 + +"Great Moses!" and Thure stared in the utmost astonishment at the piece +of paper he held in his hand, "does this mean that we are to pay Fifteen +Dollars and a Half for what we have just eaten?" + +"Yes," smiled the steward, who had evidently been a lawyer before he +became a steward, "fifteen dollars and fifty cents is all. Eggs and +butter came down a little to-day; and we always give our patrons the +benefit of a fall in prices at once. You will see that your bill is +correct by glancing at the prices on the bill-of-fare." + +Thure transferred his stare, for a moment, to the face of the smiling +steward; and then, picking up the bill-of-fare, he saw that the prices +were correct, and paid the bill. + +"I see that you have already found your goldmine," he remarked, as he +handed the cashier the money. + +"And without digging in mud and gravel for the gold," the cashier +replied, with a grin and a wink. "But, there is not as much gold in it +as you might think. Now, how much do you suppose those eggs cost me a +dozen?" and he pointed to the egg item on the bill-of-fare. + +"Never sold any," smiled back Thure. "We always gave them away." + +"Huh! I'll take a car load at that price. Now, them identical eggs that +you ate this morning cost me at the rate of Thirteen Dollars and +Seventy-five cents a dozen, wholesale! I reckon you are new to the +diggings, or you would know that prices on everything have gone soaring +up like skyrockets," and the cashier, who happened also to be the +proprietor, threw up both hands despairingly toward the ceiling. "Say, +what do you suppose I have to pay the fellow who washes the dishes? +Seventy-five Dollars a week and keep! And the cook, Mother of men! he +gets One Hundred and Eighty-five Dollars a week! Got to pay it, or +they'll go to the diggings." + +"Excuse me," broke in Bud, who at this moment suddenly thought that no +one would be apt to know more about the goings and the comings of the +miners, than the hotelkeeper, himself. "But, do you happen to know of +any miners in town who are going to Hangtown? We expect to find our dads +there; and want to get away from here as soon as we can." + +"Now," and the broad forehead wrinkled, "let me think. Sure!" and the +wrinkles vanished. "Yankee Tom and his company were to start for +Hangtown this morning; and, I reckon, if you hustle, you can yet get to +them before they start. You see--" + +"Where'll we find them?" broke in Thure eagerly. He was too anxious to +be off to care to listen longer to the talkative landlord. + +"See that big sycamore over yonder?" and the landlord pointed through +the open door to where a giant tree lifted its head far above its +surroundings. + +"Yes." + +"Well, Yankee Tom's camp is under that tree. Just head for that tree, +and you will sure hit his camp, if he is still there; but you'd better +hustle," and the landlord turned to attend to other guests. + +Thure and Bud at once hurried out to where they had left their horses; +and were soon mounted and hastening toward the big tree. Their route, +for a short distance, lay through a very busy street, with shops of all +kinds and innumerable gambling--and drinking-hells on both sides. Great +crowds of men were hurrying in and out of these places; and the street +was so jammed with wagons and horses and mules and oxen and men that +Thure and Bud found considerable difficulty in making their way through +it. + +"No more hotel eating for me," declared Thure, with a grimace, as they +made their way as speedily as possible through this crowded street. "A +Dollar and a Half for an Egg! But won't mother's eyes open when she +hears that?" + +"Well, eggs are not the only things that are high. Just look at that +sign there," and Bud pointed to a large sign in front of one of the +stores, on which the storekeeper had recorded the day's bargains. The +sign read: + + THE BEST AND THE CHEAPEST PLACE + + TO BUY YOUR OUTFITS A FEW OF TO-DAY'S SPECIAL BARGAINS THAT CANT BE + BEAT ANYWHERE IN THE CITY + + Best flour ten pounds for only $15.00 + Rice, five pounds for only 5.00 + Potatoes, a heaped-up bushel, only 35.00 + Good butter only 2.00 per pound + Barley only 1.00 per quart + Best white beans only 6.50 + Candles only 1.00 each. + Best Salaratus only 14.50 per pound + Hip boots, warranted waterproof 100.00 + Pair of pantaloons, good quality 36.00 + Sugar--good--only 2.00 per pound + Coffee, five pounds for 9.00 + Good picks, shovels, tin-pans at only 57.00 each. + +"Whew!" and Thure drew in a long breath, when he had finished reading +the sign. "It's lucky we brought our outfits along with us, or we'd be +bankrupt before we could get out of Sacramento City. Well, those prices +certainly prove that the gold is here. Nobody could live if it wasn't. +And, when you stop to think that most of the stuff has to be brought +thousands of miles and then packed for some two hundred miles more into +a roadless wilderness, the prices don't look so high--Well, what's the +rumpus now?" and Thure whirled partly around on his horse to look back +to where a huge red-headed man had suddenly jumped up on top of a barrel +in front of one of the stores, and was yelling something, just what he +could not understand, and pointing excitedly in his direction. + +A sound, like a growl from the throats of a hundred angry wolves, went +up from the surrounding crowd, and a great wave, headed by the +red-headed man, rolled threateningly toward the two wondering boys. + +"What--what can be the trouble?" and Bud turned an anxious face to +Thure. "They look mad; and they are coming straight toward us! What can +have happened? Who are they after?" and he looked confusedly around. + +"Pull them off their horses!" + +"Hang them!" + +"The murderers!" + +The air was now filled with these and similar dreadful cries and men +came running toward them from all directions; and, before the two boys +could fairly realize what was happening, they found themselves the +center of a seething crowd of excited and angry men, while a hundred +armed hands were lifted threateningly toward them. + +"God in heaven, they are after us!" and Thure, too utterly astounded for +the moment to realize the terrible nature of their situation, stared +wildly into the surrounding angry faces. "What--what--" + +But, before he could put his stammering dumbfounded query, strong hands +seized and jerked him roughly from his horse, while other hands at the +same moment jerked Bud off his horse. One of the men who seized and +pulled Thure from his horse was the big red-headed man, who had jumped +up on top of the barrel and who had led the rush against the two boys. +The moment Thure looked into his face he started back in horror. The man +had a broken nose! + +At this moment and before either boy had collected his startled wits +sufficiently to even offer a protest or to demand what this rough laying +on of hands meant, a big man drove, like a sharpened wedge, through the +crowd, and halted, with a hand tightly gripping the coat collar of each +terrified lad. + +"What is the trouble?" he demanded authoritatively. "What have the young +men done?" + +"The sheriff!" yelled someone in the crowd. "It's Turner, the sheriff!" + +"Yes, it's Turner, the sheriff," and the man tightened his grips on +Thure's and Bud's collars. "Hands off. They are my prisoners now," and +he turned a bit impatiently to the men, whose hands still had hold of +the boys. "Well, what have they done?" + +"Murder!" "Murder!" yelled a dozen voices from the crowd. + +"Why, they are little more than boys!" and the sheriff turned his eyes +in astonished horror on Thure and Bud. "Who accuses them?" + +"Me an' my pard do," and the big red-headed man with a broken nose, who +had let go of Thure the moment the sheriff had him safely by the collar, +stepped up in front of Turner. "We accuses them of murderin' an' robbin' +John Stackpole, an old miner, who was on his way tew San Francisco from +th' diggin's; an' what's more, we saw 'em do it with our own eyes; an' +are ready tew swear tew th' same afore any judge an' jury. Ain't we +Spike?" and he turned to a small man, with a pockmarked face, who was +standing close to Bud. + +"True as preachin'," declared the small man. "With my own eyes I saw 'em +knock th' miner off his hoss with their guns, an' then jump on him, an' +run a knife through his heart, an' jerk off his gold-belt, an'--" + +"You lie!" and the hard fist of Bud's sturdy right arm landed squarely +on the chin of the man, with such force that he was knocked backward, +senseless, into the arms of a man standing behind him. "You and +Brokennose killed him yourselves. We--" + +"Shut up!" and the sheriff whirled Bud violently around in front of him. +"Now, young man, another move like that and I will put you in irons. +Here, Dave," and he turned to a roughly dressed miner standing near, +"just pull their teeth, while I hold them. They're beginning to look +some rambunctuous." + +And, indeed, Thure and Bud did look "rambunctuous"; for by now both boys +were beginning to get an inkling of the game that was being played on +them by the two scoundrels. But, what could they do? Everything had +happened so suddenly and unexpectedly, that they were in the hands of +the sheriff before either of them had recovered his wits sufficiently to +even open his mouth in protest or defense. + +"Quiet, quiet," cautioned the roughly dressed miner, whom the sheriff +had summoned to his aid, in a low voice, as he swiftly pulled the boys' +knives and pistols from their belts. "Don't let your tempers git tew +buckin'. You're a sight better off in th' hands of th' sheriff, who will +see that you git a fair trial, than you would be in the hands of the +mob, who sometimes string a feller up first an' try him afterwards." + +Thure and Bud promptly saw the wisdom of this counsel and allowed the +miner to disarm them without protest. + +"Now, Dave, I'll make you my deputy until this little matter is settled. +Bring along the animals and I'll see that these two young--" The sheriff +paused and looked curiously into the faces of Thure and Bud. "I'll be +hanged, if you look much like murderers!" he declared frankly. +"Howsomever, I am not the judge; and you can't always tell whether or +not a dog has got fleas by his looks." + +"We are innocent, absolutely innocent," began Thure excitedly. "We did +not kill the old miner. We--" + +"Save your talk," broke in the sheriff good-naturedly, glancing sharply +into the boy's face, "for the trial. I'll see that you get a fair trial; +and that's all that I can do. Now, you two men that make this accusation +of murder against the prisoners, come along," and he glanced keenly at +the two men. + +Brokennose still stood near Thure; and the one called Spike had +recovered sufficiently from his contact with Bud's fist to stand glaring +at Bud, with an ugly scowl on his pock-marked face. + +"Where are you goin' tew take 'em?" he demanded. "This ain't no jail +case. We wants them tried immejiate. Thar ain't no need of lawyers an' +jedges tew mix things up. We seed 'em kill th' miner, an' are willin' +tew swear tew it, an' that otter be enough tew have 'em danglin' by +their necks inside of half an hour." + +"They'll dangle, when they've been proven guilty, according to the laws +of this city; and not before," answered the sheriff dryly. "We'd give a +dog a fair trial in this town before we'd hang him. Come, you can tell +your stories to the alcalde," and, still keeping a tight grip on the +collars of Thure and Bud, he started down the street toward the office +of the alcalde, before whom all criminal cases were tried, followed by +Dave, the miner, with the horses of the boys, their two accusers, and +the crowd, which had made no move to dispute the authority of the +sheriff, although a little growling had been done. They knew that they +would not have long to wait. California justice in those days in the +mining towns and camps was sudden. + + + + +CHAPTER IX + +THE TESTIMONY OF BILL UGGER + + +Sacramento City at that date had a rude but effective government of its +own. An alcalde and other city officers had been elected; and certain +unwritten laws, for the protection of life and property, had been +promulgated and were strictly enforced. Lynching, in the sense that we +know it to-day, was almost unknown. There were no disorderly mobs, who, +under the spurs of their own brutal passions, strung up their victims +unheard and without even the semblance of a fair trial. Justice, if +sudden, was usually careful to see that it was justice and not brutality +that rendered the verdict. And yet, many of these early trials had the +outward semblance of lynching-bees in the swift severity of their +punishments. A murderer would be arrested, tried, convicted, and +decently hanged, all before sundown of the same day. The mob spirit was +there, but usually held in check by the sturdy manhood of the American +miners, who had nearly all come from law abiding and law respecting +communities. + +This swift severity of Justice was, in a sense, compelled by the +unusual, the almost unprecedented conditions surrounding life in a city +born suddenly in a wilderness. There were few locks and bars and bolts, +or, even, doors, in Sacramento City at that time; and large sums in gold +and great values in goods were often left exposed and almost +unprotected. The thief, under such circumstances, had to be dealt with +severely and promptly; or the property of no one would be safe. There +were no regularly established courts in the city to try criminals, no +written code of laws to dictate methods of procedure, no court officials +to enforce mandates, and no safe jails in which to confine prisoners. +Under such circumstances the people had to form their own courts, make +their own laws, and see that they were enforced; or have no laws; and +the criminal had to be dealt with summarily. The thief was sometimes +whipped, or, even, cropped, that is his ears were cut off, and he was +always driven from the city, and warned not to come back under penalty +of death. The murderer, when proven guilty to the satisfaction of the +people, was always hanged. No prisoners were held. They were proven +guilty and sentence pronounced and executed at once; or they were set +free. + +Such was Sacramento City in 1849, the Sacramento City in which Thure and +Bud now found themselves under arrest for the horrible crime of murder, +the most serious crime that can be charged against a human being +anywhere, but rendered especially serious in the present case by the +peculiar surrounding circumstances. In all the city, so far as either +boy knew, they did not have a friend, or even an acquaintance, who could +vouch for them--and yet, before the sun set that night, they must prove +themselves innocent of the crime charged, or, in all human probability, +be hanged! + +The alcalde's office was small, only a few of the great crowd of men who +had followed the sheriff and his prisoners could get inside of it; and, +when the alcalde saw the size of the gathering outside of his office and +learned the serious nature of the charge against the two boys, he at +once ordered the "court" to be held under the big oak in the +horse-market, where there would be room for all to see and hear how +justice was dispensed. Accordingly all started at once for the +horse-market, situated near the bottom of K Street, where an immense +evergreen oak stood in the middle of the street, furnishing an agreeable +shade for many feet around and a fittingly picturesque scene for the +holding of such a trial as was about to take place. + +The method of procedure, on arriving at the horse-market, was simple but +effective. The alcalde took his station near the trunk of the great oak, +and summoned the prisoners and their accusers before him, while the +crowd gathered in a grim and stern-faced circle around this improvised +courtroom. + +"What is the crime the prisoners are charged with?" and the alcalde +turned to the sheriff. + +"Murder!" answered the sheriff briefly. + +"Who makes the accusation?" + +"Those two men standing there," and the sheriff indicated the big +red-headed man with the broken nose and the small man with the +pock-marked face, who now stood just behind the sheriff and his two +prisoners. + +"Stand forth by the side of the prisoners," commanded the alcalde. + +The two men shuffled awkwardly forward and stood uneasily by the side of +Thure and Bud, their eyes shifting restlessly from the face of the +alcalde to the faces of the surrounding crowd. + +For a couple or more minutes the alcalde studied the faces of the two +boys and the faces of their two accusers in silence. Evidently he was +endeavoring to form an opinion of the characters of the prisoners and +their accusers; but, what that opinion was, his face did not betray. + +"Why do you accuse these two young men of murder?" and the alcalde +suddenly fixed his eyes upon the face of the man with a broken nose. + +"Because I seen 'em do it," answered the man. "Me an' my pard, Spike, +seen 'em do it. Ask him," and he turned to the small man, who stood +close by his side. + +"And you are both willing to make oath that you saw these two young men, +who are little more than boys, commit the awful crime of murder?" the +alcalde continued. + +"Yes," promptly responded both men. + +"Then, may God have mercy on your souls, if the accusations are false! +What have you to say to the accusation? Guilty; or, not guilty?" and the +alcalde turned abruptly to Thure and Bud. + +"Not guilty," answered Thure, his face very white. "We--" + +"That will do for the present," interrupted the alcalde. "Gentlemen, how +shall the case be tried?" and he turned to the surrounding crowd of +stern-faced men. + +"Give 'em a jury, an' git a-goin'," called a rough voice impatiently. + +"Do you wish a trial by jury?" and again the alcalde turned to Thure and +Bud. + +"Yes," answered both boys. + +"The trial will be by jury," announced the alcalde. "I summon to act as +this jury," and his eyes searched the circle of surrounding faces, as he +slowly called out the names of twelve men, who, as their names were +called, stepped forth and took their stations by the side of the alcalde +and in front of the prisoners and their accusers. + +When the twelve jurymen had been selected, all were solemnly sworn by +the alcalde to render a true and just verdict, according to the evidence +presented; and the trial of Thure and Bud for the murder of John +Stackpole, the miner, was ready to begin. + +During all this time Thure and Bud had been doing some very serious and +some very rapid thinking. At first the suddenness and the unexpectedness +of the rush of men upon them in the busy street, followed so swiftly by +their arrest and the dreadful accusations of the two men, whom they had +every reason to believe had committed the crime themselves, had almost +completely benumbed their faculties; but this condition of mind had +lasted only a short time, and long before they reached the place of +trial their minds were busy with the dreadful problem of how to prove +themselves innocent of the crime charged, when two men were ready to +swear that they saw them commit the crime, and when they did not have, +could not have, a single witness who could swear to the truthfulness of +their statements concerning the miner's death. No one but themselves had +seen him die; and, so far as they knew, no one but themselves and their +accusers knew the cause of his death. If they only had time to send +home--But, even if they had witnesses from home, what could they prove? +Only that the two boys had brought the dead miner home and had buried +him; and that would be no proof that they had not killed him and +invented the story of the two robbers. + +True, on their side, they could accuse the two men of committing the +murder themselves; but they had no positive proofs that they were guilty +of the crime, only the description of his assailants given them by the +dying miner. There might be other men with broken noses and pock-marked +faces. All that they could swear to of their own knowledge was that one +of the men they had seen murdering the old miner was larger than the +other. They had not got near enough to the murderers to be able to +recognize them again, even if they should see them, except by the +description given by the murdered man. And for them to accuse the two +men, who had caused their arrest, of the murder, in itself would look +suspicious to those who did not know the real facts and would have a +tendency to make them doubt their whole story of the death of the miner. + +Then there was another matter that troubled the two boys greatly. Why +had the two men accused them thus publicly of the murder of the miner? +Why had they run this risk of turning suspicion against themselves? They +must feel very certain that the "evidence" they would produce would +convict; or, they never would have dared to have chanced accusing them +of the crime; for their acquittal would be almost sure to turn suspicion +in their own direction. True, there was the skin map, and, possibly, the +accusation was some scheme to get the map into their possession; but, +how could their hanging bring this about? If they were hanged, the map +and its meaning would be almost sure to be made public; and then every +man in Sacramento City would have as good a chance of finding the Cave +of Gold as would the two scoundrels themselves, a condition of things +that both boys felt quite sure the two men were exceedingly anxious to +avoid, and the map itself would be almost certain to be kept from them. + +Then, again, the possession of the skin map itself was the cause of the +gravest anxiety and dread. If they confessed to its possession it would +reveal to all the secret of the Cave of Gold, something that they were +almost ready to give their lives to prevent, and would not help their +case in the least. Indeed, under the circumstances it would, probably, +be considered the strongest possible circumstantial evidence of their +guilt. + +But, what if the alcalde should order them searched and the map be +found? Or, what if the two men, becoming desperate, should ask that they +be searched, to see if anything that belonged to the miner could be +found in their possession, and the buckskin bag and the gold nugget and +the skin map should all be discovered in their place of concealment +under Thure's left shoulder? + +When the two horns of a dilemma are both equally long and sharp, how, +then, can the peril be avoided? + +Indeed, the longer and the closer Thure and Bud looked at their +situation, the more dreadful and impossible of remedy it appeared. How +could they prove their innocence, when they did not have a single +witness to appear in their defense? How could their youth and +inexperience, friendless and alone, hope to combat successfully with the +cunning and the experience of these two unprincipled men, who would stop +at nothing to accomplish their ends? But, they were not the kind of boys +to give up a fight for life, as long as they could strike back; and the +more difficult their situation appeared, the more grimly determined they +became to win out somehow, or, at least, to die fighting. + +"Not a word of the skin map and the Cave of Gold," hastily warned Thure +in a whisper to Bud, as the alcalde, having completed the tale of the +jury, again turned to them. "Tell everything just as it happened, but +that. The telling of that would not help us a bit; and, if it were known +that we had a map and a gold nugget that had belonged to the miner, it +would look suspicious and might hurt us a lot; and we don't want to give +away the Cave of Gold, not if we can help it." + +"Right," whispered back Bud. "It's got to be our word against the word +of those two cowardly villains, I reckon," and he glared furiously in +the direction of the two men. "We've just got to beat them some way," +and his young face grew grim and stern. + +By this time the jurymen had all seated themselves comfortably on the +ground on both sides of the alcalde, and were ready to hear the +testimony. + +"You may step forward and be sworn," and the alcalde's eyes signaled out +the big man with a broken nose. + +The man stepped up in front of the alcalde, who sat on a stump, with a +barrel standing on end in front of him and an old worn Bible lying on +top of the barrel. + +"Hold up your right hand," commanded the alcalde, his keen eyes fixing +themselves sternly on the red, brutal face; "and repeat the oath after +me." + +The man's right hand went up with a sort of spasmodic jerk. + +"I do solemnly swear," began the alcalde slowly, "that the testimony I +am about to give in the case now before the court, shall be the truth, +the whole truth, and nothing but the truth; and may God eternally damn +my soul, if I knowingly utter a false word." + +Hesitatingly and with a whitening face, the man slowly repeated this +oath. + +"Kiss the Bible," commanded the alcalde; "and may God blister the lips +that have touched His holy book, if they suffer a false word to pass +between them." + +The man hesitated a moment: and then, at a muttered objurgation from his +companion, he bent and hastily pressed his lips against the cover of the +holy book. + +"What is your name and business?" In this rude and informal court the +alcalde not only acted as judge, but also examined all witnesses. + +"William Ugger, Bill Ugger, for short," answered the man, his eyes +shifting restlessly from face to face as he spoke. "Me an' my pard are +bound for th' diggin's." + +"Now, remembering that you have sworn to speak nothing but the truth and +that your lips have just kissed the holiest of books, you may tell the +jury and the people here assembled what you know of this alleged murder +of the miner, John Stackpole. Be as brief as possible, please," and the +alcalde's eyes, as well as the eyes of every man gathered there, +fastened themselves on the face of Bill Ugger. + +"Wal," and the shifting eyes fixed themselves for a few brief moments on +the ground in front of the big feet, "it happened like this. Me an' my +pard, Spike, thar," and he nodded toward his companion, "was on our way +from San Francisco tew Sacramento City an' th' diggin's a-hossback. +Somehow we happened tew git off th' reg'lar trail, me an' Spike did; an' +'long 'bout noon, three days ago, we comed tew a leetle valley, with a +leetle stream of water a-runnin' through it, an' a string of trees an' +brush a-growin' 'longside th' water. Both on us bein' tired, we'd ben +a-goin' since sun-up, we found a nice shady spot 'longside th' water, +an', tyin' our hosses tew th' trees, both on us laid down for a short +snooze. Course I don't know how long we'd ben a-snoozin', but, I reckon, +'twas 'bout a couple of hours, when we was both jerked out of a sound +sleep by a yell of agony that sounded as if it comed from a man what had +ben struck a mortal blow. Nat'rally that yell startled me an' Spike sum, +bein' that we both had been sound asleep; an', maybe, for a minute we +sot a-lookin' intew each other's eyes, doin' nuthin'. Then Spike says: +'Sounded human, Bill. Like sumone had got his,' an' I seed that he was +a-shiverin'; for 'tain't none pleasant tew be waked out of a sound sleep +by th' death-cry of a human. 'An' it sounded as if it comed from right +ayond that leetle clump of bushes,' an' he pointed a shakin' finger +toward a leetle clump of bushes, 'bout a rod away, that shut out our +view of th' valley. 'I reckon we'd better investergate,' an' we both +began a-crawlin' toward that clump of bushes, not havin' heard no more +sounds. + +"Wal," and the shifty eyes shot swift glances from the face of the +alcalde to the faces of the jury and the surrounding crowd, to note the +effect of his words, "when we got tew them bushes an' looked through +'em--" He paused and laid a hand solemnly on the Bible lying on top of +the barrel in front of the alcalde--"so help me God! this is what we +saw. Th' valley in front of th' bushes was level an' open, so that we +could see clear 'cross it; an', 'bout twenty rods from whar we was, we +saw a man strugglin' violently on th' ground with two other men atop of +him, while three hosses stood a leetle ways off a lookin' at 'em; an', +even as we looked, we saw one of th' men flash a knife above his head +an' plunge it down, an' th' man on th' ground stopped strugglin'. + +"This was a leetle more'n Spike an' I was a-willin' tew stand for, an' +we both jumps up out of th' bushes, an', drawin' our pistols, we had no +rifles, we yells an' starts for them two men. Both on 'em jumps tew +their feet, an' grabs up their rifles, an', afore you could say Jack, +they had th' both on us covered, we not bein' near enough tew use +our pistols. But we was close enough tew see 'em plain; an', afore +God!--" The man stopped abruptly and, whirling suddenly about, pointed +a finger dramatically directly into the face of Thure--"it was that young +villain a-standin' thar what had his gun a-pointin' straight at me!" + +Thure, in utter astonishment, took a quick step backward; and then, +suddenly realizing what that pointing finger meant, backed by those +startling words, he lost all control of himself for the moment and +leaped straight toward Bill Ugger. + +"It's a lie! A lie!" he yelled, as with all his young strength he +struggled furiously with the great bulk of his antagonist. But, before +either could do the other any harm, the strong hands of the sheriff +seized Thure by the shoulders. + +"Here, you young catamount!" and he jerked Thure violently backward, and +lifted the butt of his heavy revolver threateningly, while his face +hardened. "Quit it, or--" and the heavy butt descended lightly on +Thure's head by way of warning. + +"But he lied! Every word that he uttered was a lie!" and tears of rage +gathered in Thure's eyes. + +"Young man," the alcalde was now standing on his feet, all the sympathy +gone from his face, "you will give me your word of honor not in any way +again to do violence to the decorum of this court during this trial, or +I shall order the sheriff to bind you hand and foot. Do I have your +promise?" and he fixed his eyes sternly on the white face of Thure. + +For a moment Thure stood silent. Then his young face hardened and his +lips tightened into two thin straight lines. Reason again had firm hold +of the helm. + +"I promise," he answered quietly; "and I ask the court's pardon for my +violent action. But the damnable lies told by that--" + +"That will do," interrupted the alcalde. "Sheriff, if either of the +prisoners forgets himself or our presence again, bind him hand and foot. +Now," and he turned to Bill Ugger, who, as soon as Thure had been torn +from him, had again returned quietly to his place before the official +barrel, his red face flushed and his little eyes shining with triumph, +"you may go on with your testimony, William Ugger. You were saying that +you recognized one of the prisoners as one of the murderers and that he +had you covered with his rifle. Remembering your oath and comprehending +fully what your dreadful accusation means to a fellow human being, you +still swear that the man who sprang up from the prostrate body and +leveled his rifle at you was this prisoner?" and the alcalde's lifted +hand indicated Thure. + +The interest of the crowd surrounding the court had by this time become +intense. Men were breathing heavily and their faces had hardened and an +ugly look had come into their eyes. All now stretched their heads +forward, as they listened almost breathlessly for the reply of Bill +Ugger. + +"I do," answered the man grimly. "I saw his face plain, a-lookin' at me +above th' top of his rifle." + +A deep growl went up from the surrounding crowd, a sound more like the +throat mutterings of a monstrous tiger than anything human. The sheriff +started and his keen eyes swiftly searched the circle of faces. + +"I reckon thar ain't no need of waitin' for more testimony," cried a +hoarse voice. "They was seen killin' th' man; an' that's all we wants +tew know. Let jedgement be pronounced, an' we'll 'tend tew th' ex'cutin' +of it." + +"Right!" yelled another. "There's no need of wasting more--" + +"Silence!" thundered the alcalde, leaping to his feet. "This court, a +court elected by your own authority, is trying the prisoners; and, by +the Eternal Andrew Jackson! they shall not be declared guilty until they +have been heard in their own defense, until they have been proven guilty +in full accordance with the laws of this city. William Ugger, you may go +on with your testimony. There will be no further interruptions," and the +alcalde quietly laid a couple of big revolvers down on top of the +barrel, one on each side of the Bible. + +At this moment and when all eyes were bent on the alcalde, Thure felt a +slight jerk on his coat sleeve, and, glancing down, saw that the smaller +of their accusers, the pock-marked man, had moved up close to his side +and that it had been his hand that had jerked his sleeve. + +"Read at once," and the man swiftly slipped a piece of paper into his +hand. "It is your only hope," and he moved away, not having once even +glanced toward Thure. + +Thure, stepping a little behind Bud and holding the paper so that no +eyes but his own could see it, cautiously opened the note and slowly +read these words: + + If you wil give us the miners map and promice tu say nuthin bout + the gold kave Bill and me wil sudenly diskuver that we is mistakin + in thinkin that you was the ones tu kil old Stakpole and you wil go + free. If you dont you wil both hang afore sun down tu nite and al + the gold in Caleforny aint wurth as much tu you as is yur lives. If + you agrees tu this nod yur hed 2 times. If you dont git redy tu + hang. + +The note was unsigned; and no signature was necessary. Its meaning was +plain. The two boys were to surrender the skin map to the two scoundrels +and say nothing about the Cave of Gold; or, the dreadful plot, in whose +meshes they found themselves so tightly ensnared, was to be followed out +to its horrible conclusion. The motive back of the two men's action now +stood revealed. They expected to frighten the two boys into giving up +the skin map and into keeping secret their knowledge of the Cave of +Gold. But, what a fiendish plot! And with what diabolical cunning it had +all been worked out and was being executed! + +Thure read the note through slowly; and, in a flash, he had comprehended +the whole atrocious, scheme and with what devilish cunning circumstances +had been manipulated to bring about their present terrible situation; +but, only the furious look in his eyes showed how the note had affected +him. + +"From Pockface," he whispered, as he quietly slipped the paper into +Bud's hand. "Read it on the sly; and then give me your answer." + +Bud cautiously took the note and opened it, wondering greatly at its +coming from Pockface. He read it through slowly, comprehendingly; and +then he turned and glanced into Thure's face. One look was sufficient. + +During all this time Pockface's eyes had been covertly watching the +boys. + +Bud now waited until he saw that the man's eyes were upon him, then he +deliberately raised the piece of paper to his mouth, spit on it, and, +bending down, placed it under the heel of his boot, ground it to pieces +in the ground, and, defiantly turning his back on the man, gave his +attention to the doings of the alcalde. + +The two scoundrels had misjudged the courage and the pluck of two +American boys like Thure Conroyal and Bud Randolph; and, judging from +the scowls that disfigured their faces and the ugly light that flashed +into their eyes, at the sight of Bud's actions, in their disappointment, +they would show them no mercy. They would get the map, or they would +hang the boys. Indeed, this action on their part now became almost +necessary; for, if they did not succeed in hanging the boys, the boys, +in all probability, would succeed in hanging them. + +This dramatic byplay had taken but a short time in the enacting and had +passed unnoticed in the excitement occasioned by the threats from the +surrounding crowd and the placing of the alcalde's two big revolvers by +the side of the Bible on top of the barrel standing in front of him. +When it was over and Thure and Bud again gave their attention to the +court, Bill Ugger was about to continue with his testimony, the majority +of the crowd having shown themselves so plainly in sympathy with the +actions of the alcalde that the rougher ones evidently thought it wise +to keep quiet. + +"As I was a-sayin'," continued Bill Ugger, when everything had quieted +down again, "afore we could git near enough tew th' murderers tew use +our pistols, they held us up with their rifles, an' ordered us tew git +an' git lively; an', by way of makin' plain their meaning that skunk," +and he glared at Thure, "sent a bullet a-whistlin' so close tew my ears +that it made this hole through th' brim of my hat," and the man held up +his wide-brimmed hat and pointed with his finger to a little round hole +in the brim close to the crown. "Three inches more tew one side an' he'd +a-got me, tew. + +"Wal, me an' Spike didn't stop tew argy none after that; but got back +ahind them bushes an' trees as sudden as our legs would take us. But," +and Ugger paused and glared at Thure and Bud, "if I knowed I was on my +deathbed an' a-goin' tew die in five minits, I'd be willin' tew swear +that th' tew murderers was them tew boys a-standin' thar. We saw their +faces plain an' thar ain't no mistake," and his eyes flashed an ugly +look in the direction of Thure and Bud. + +"Of course," continued Bill Ugger, "they didn't dare follow us, 'cause, +if they did, they knowed we could hide ahind a tree an' pot 'em, which +we'd ben sum glad tew do," and his eyes glowed vindictively. "Wal, we +waited, hid ahind th' bushes an' trees, not darin' tew show ourselves +an' bein' tew far off tew do any pistol shooting a-hopin' that they'd +ride off an' leave th' body of th' man they'd robbed an' probably +killed, but they was tew cunnin' tew do that; for, in a leetle while, +they throwed th' body, like it was a bag of grain, across th' back of +one of th' hosses an' tied it thar; an' then they rode off, a-leadin' +th' hoss with th' body on it ahind 'em. Me an' Spike waited 'til they'd +gone out of sight over th' top of a distant hill an' then we made for +th' spot of th' killin'. Th' grass was sum tread up an' bloody; an' +lyin' in th' blood an' partly tread intew th' ground, we found this," +and Ugger thrust his hand into one of his pockets and pulled out a small +daguerreotype-case, perhaps a couple of inches square, on which could be +plainly seen ominous stains of red. + +"This," and he held up the small case where all could see, "has inside +of it th' picter of as handsum a lady as I ever seed; an' under th' +picter is writ, in a woman's writin,' these words: Tew my beloved +husband, John Stackpole'; an' we reckoned, me an' Spike did, as how th' +murdered man's name must a-ben John Stackpole. See for yourselves," and +he handed the case to the alcalde, who, after opening it and looking at +the picture inside and the blood stains on the outside, passed it on to +the jury, who examined it carefully. + +"Of course," continued Ugger, after he had watched the effect of the +daguerreotype on the alcalde and the jury for a minute, "bein' bound for +th' diggin's an' knowin' 'twould be almost useless tew try an' trail th' +murderers, me an' Spike at once started on our way ag'in for Sacermento +City, not expectin' tew see them murderers ag'in, leastwise not so soon. +We got intew th' city this mornin'; an' was a-standin' on th' street +a-lookin' at th' humans a-passin' by, when who should come a-ridin' +along right afore our eyes, but them tew identickle young fellers what +we had seen kill that man; an', of course, bein' honest an' law-abidin' +men, me an' Spike seen tew it that they didn't git away a second time. +Now, I reckon, that's all I've got tew tell, only," and again his eyes +turned vindictively to Thure and Bud, "thar ain't ben no mistake made +an' you've got th' right men; an' if they don't hang afore night, then +thar ain't no justice in Sacermento City. I'm done." + +The alcalde sat for a moment looking straight in front of him. Evidently +he was swiftly reviewing the man's testimony to see if there were any +points that needed clearing up; but everything had been told, +apparently, in such a clear, straightforward manner that there seemed to +be nothing that needed explaining, and, with a sigh as he thought of the +youthfulness of the prisoners, the alcalde turned to the jury. + +"Would you like to ask the witness any questions?" he inquired. + +"No. Everything seems to have been told as clear and as straight as a +string," one of them replied, and all the others nodded their assent to +this, statement. + +"Have the prisoners any questions they wish to ask the witness?" and the +alcalde turned to Thure and Bud. + +For a moment the two boys consulted together. Then Thure said quietly: +"No, there is nothing that either of us would care to ask that man." + +"The prisoner is dismissed for the present," and the alcalde motioned +Bill Ugger to step back from in front of the barrel. + + + + +CHAPTER X + +THE MISSING BUTTON + + +"You may step forward and be sworn," and the alcalde turned his shrewd +eyes on the pockmarked face of the small man. + +The man stepped quickly forward; but, just before he reached the barrel, +a sudden gleam shot into his eyes, which at that moment happened to be +bent on the ground and looking at the spot where Thure and Ugger had had +their brief but vigorous struggle. The next instant his foot apparently +caught in a root that protruded above the ground; and he stumbled and +fell violently downward, both outstretched hands clutching at the +ground. As he jumped hastily to his feet, his face very red and his +mouth flowing with apologies to the alcalde for his clumsiness, he +glanced downward swiftly into one of his hands, and then, with another +quick gleam of cunning triumph in his eyes, he quickly slipped the hand +into one of his pockets, and, taking his place in front of the barrel, +faced the alcalde. + +"What is your name and present business?" the alcalde asked, when he had +sworn the witness, in the same manner Ugger had been sworn, to tell the +truth, the whole truth, and nothing but the truth. + +"Spikenard Quinley," the man answered, shifting his eyes quickly from +the face of the alcalde to the two big revolvers on top of the barrel; +"but most of my friends jest call me Spike, for short. I'm bound for th' +diggin's, 'long with my pard, Bill Ugger, him who jest testified." + +"Tell the jury all that you know about the case now before it; and make +your testimony as brief as possible, please," and the alcalde settled +back on his rude seat and fixed his eyes on the face of the witness. + +Quinley did not prove to be as dramatic a witness as Ugger had been; but +he told a seemingly straightforward and honest story of how he and his +partner had witnessed the killing of the man supposed to be John +Stackpole, that differed only in the manner of its telling from the one +already told by Ugger, and, consequently, need not be repeated here. He, +also, was very positive that the two men, who had jumped up from the +prostrate body of the man and had held them up with their rifles, were +the two prisoners; and right here he introduced a bit of new +corroborative evidence in a most effective and dramatic manner. + +He had completed his testimony and had been dismissed by the alcalde and +had started away from the court-barrel, when he suddenly stopped, as if +he had unexpectedly remembered something that might have a bearing on +the case, and turned to the alcalde. + +"Excuse me, y'ur honor," he said, as he thrust a hand into one of his +pockets, the same pocket into which he had thrust the same hand a moment +after his tumble over the root, "but I've jest reckerlected that I've +sumthin' right here in my pocket that might help tew identify the +prisoners as the murderers, an' ag'in it might not--not that me and Bill +needs any more identifin', but, naterly, you, not seem' 'em kill th' +man, ain't so sart'in an' wants all th' proof that you can git tew show +that you shore have got the right party; an' so, if y'ur honor don't +object, I've got a leetle sumthin' more that I'd like tew introduce as +testimony, that might, an' ag'in it might not, help tew make th' +identity of th' prisoners more shore," and he paused, still keeping his +hand in his pocket. + +"This court is always ready to hear any testimony that has any bearing +on the case before it," the alcalde said. "Take your place again on the +witness stand," and he nodded toward the barrel. + +Quinley at once returned to his place in front of the barrel. + +"Now, remembering that you are still under oath to tell God's truth, you +may introduce your evidence," and the alcalde half-arose from his seat +in his anxiety to see what this new evidence might be. + +"Of course, I'm none shore that it belongs tew either of th' prisoners," +Quinley began. "It might have come from th' clothes of th' murdered man, +an' ag'in it might have come from th' clothes of th' prisoners, an' +ag'in th' prisoners might not have on th' same clothes tew-day that they +did when they killed th' man, an' so it might prove nuthin'; but, right +whar th' grass was tread up th' worst on th' spot whar we saw th' man +killed, I found this--" and the hand came out of the pocket and was +extended toward the alcalde, holding on its palm a button. "Now I'd +plumb forgot all about th' findin' of this button, not settin' any store +on it, when, jest as I was a-leavin' th' witness stand, th' thought +popped intew my head, that, if th' prisoners happened tew have on th' +same clothes they had on when they murdered the man an' th' button came +from their clothes, then I had in my pocket important evidence, 'cause +th' button is a peekuler lookin' button, an', I reckon, thar must be +more buttons like it on th' clothes whar it come from. I asks that th' +clothes of th' prisoners be examined tew see if either on 'em has +buttons on like this," and he handed the button to the alcalde. + +The alcalde took the button and sat for a moment staring at it as it lay +on the palm of his hand--a small thing, but it might help to weave the +rope that would hang two human beings! + +"Git a-goin'," shouted someone impatiently from the surrounding crowd, +"an' see if either of th' prisoners has got any buttons on his clothes +like that you're a-holdin' in y'ur hand. If he has, I reckon, thar won't +be any need of takin' any more testimonies." + +A dozen voices shouted their approval of this statement. Evidently the +sympathies of the crowd were being fast turned from Thure and Bud. + +The alcalde arose slowly to his feet. + +"This court," he said sternly, "is here to see that the prisoners are +given a fair trial, guilty or not guilty; and judgment shall not be +pronounced until the case has been fairly tried and their innocence or +their guilt fully established. This cannot be done until the prisoners +themselves have been heard in their own defense. Let us hear no more +talk of mob judgment and mob execution. The court will pronounce +judgment, and the court will see that its judgment is promptly executed, +to the full satisfaction of every honest law-abiding man in the city." +He paused for a moment, while his keen eyes sternly searched the faces +of the surrounding crowd. There was no response to his words and +challenging glance. + +"This button," he continued quietly, holding up the button that Quinley +had handed him where all could see it, "the witness swears was picked up +by himself from the ground, where the struggle between the murdered man +and his murderers took place, and is presumed to have come either from +the clothing of the murdered man or from the clothing of his murderers; +and the witness asks that the clothing of the two prisoners be examined +to see if like buttons can be found on their clothing. The contentions +of the witness, regarding the value of this button as evidence in the +case before us, are just. Therefore his request is granted and the +prisoners are ordered to be examined. Young man," and he turned to Bud, +"you will please come forward; and allow the gentlemen of the jury to +compare this button with the buttons on your clothing," and he handed +the button he held in his hand to the foreman of the jury. + +The production of this button by Quinley was a surprise to Thure and +Bud. If it should prove to have come from the clothing of one of them, +it certainly would look suspicious; but, how could it have come from +their clothes, at least from the clothes they now had on, since neither +of them were now wearing the same garments that they had worn on the day +of the hunt, when they had found the murdered miner? Consequently the +introducing of the button as evidence by Quinley had caused both of them +more surprise than it had uneasiness, surprise that Quinley should care +to introduce such meaningless evidence as he must know the button to be, +since the examination of their clothing could only prove that the button +belonged to neither of them. The episode of Quinley's stumble, in the +excitement of the trial, had passed from both of their minds, as, +doubtless, it had from the minds of all the others; but, even if they +had remembered it, they would not have thought of connecting it in any +way with the finding of the button. Hence Bud, at the summons of the +alcalde, had stepped forward promptly and confidently. + +"We find two buttons missing from the prisoner's coat," announced the +foreman of the jury, when the examination of Bud had been completed. +"But, since the button offered in evidence bears no resemblance in +design or size to the buttons remaining on the coat, we declare that so +far as this prisoner is concerned the button in question proves +nothing." + +"You may return to your place by the side of the sheriff," and the +alcalde gave an almost audible sigh of relief, while something very near +like a cheer came from the crowd. It was hard to look into those two +young clear-eyed faces and believe that they masked the hearts of +murderers. + +Bud hurried back to his place by the side of the sheriff, with the first +smile on his lips that had so far brightened his face during the trial. + +"Now," and the alcalde turned to Thure, "let the jury compare the button +with the buttons on your clothing," and the anxious look came back on +his face. + +Thure, with the same promptness and confidence that Bud had displayed, +advanced and submitted to the examination; but, hardly had he reached +the foreman of the jury, when the excited actions of the jurymen told +all that an important discovery of some kind had been made; and their +report was awaited with almost breathless interest. + +"We find," began the foreman, speaking slowly, after every man on the +jury had carefully compared the button Quinley had handed to the alcalde +with the buttons on Thure's coat, "one button missing from the +prisoner's coat." He paused a moment, and then continued, raising his +voice a little: "We also find that the button handed to the alcalde by +the witness, Spikenard Quinley, and said to have been found by him on +the spot of ground where the struggle took place between the murdered +man and his murderers, to be exactly similar in design, size, and shape +to the remaining buttons on the prisoner's coat, and that it appears to +be the missing button." + +"But--but," stammered Thure, his face white and tense with excitement, +"that button, if it came from my clothes, could not have been found on +the ground where the miner was murdered. Why, I did not even have on the +same clothes that day that I have on now--" + +"What!" and the alcalde jumped to his feet, his face white and stern, +while again that deep-throated growl went up from the crowd, "What do +you mean by 'that day?' Do you realize that your expression amounts +almost to a confession of guilt?" + +"No," and Thure turned firmly to the alcalde. By a desperate effort he +had recovered his self-control. "It means, if that button was found on +the spot where the miner was murdered, that it did not come from my +clothes; for I did not have on the same clothes on the day we found the +wounded miner that I have on now. The button, if it came from my +clothes, and I confess that it looks as if it did, must have been got by +that man in some other way," and Thure's eyes flashed wrathfully in the +direction of Quinley, who grinned and touched his neck suggestively. + +A hoarse laugh, that had no sound of mirth in it, came from the +surrounding crowd, at this improbable explanation of Thure, an +explanation that strengthened rather than weakened their belief in the +testimony of Quinley; but a look of relief, as well as of surprise, came +on the face of the alcalde. + +"Ah, I forgot. We have not yet heard your story. You say that you found +the miner, John Stackpole, found him wounded?" he asked eagerly. "Then +he is still alive?" + +"Yes, we found him," Thure answered slowly, "found him in the hands of +his murderers, but not in time to save him. He died before we could get +him home." + +"Died! And in your hands!" and again the alcalde's face grew stern, and +again that hoarse unbelieving laugh came from the crowd. "Young man, do +you realize that you are telling a very improbable-sounding story? But," +and the alcalde resumed his judicial gravity of countenance, "I am +forgetting that you are not on the witness stand. The button, it appears +then, came from the prisoner's coat," and he turned to the foreman of +the jury. + +"It does," answered the foreman gravely. + +"The prisoner may return to his place by the side of the sheriff. Now," +and the alcalde's eyes searched the surrounding faces, "is there anyone +else present who has any testimony to give against the prisoners now on +trial before this court for the murder of John Stackpole?" and he +paused, to give anyone who wished to do so time to come forward. + +"I reckon the testimony is plenty sufficient as it now stands," and a +huge brutal-looking man pushed his way through the crowd and faced the +alcalde. "Haven't two reputable witnesses sworn that they saw the +prisoners kill the man? Didn't one of them find a buttom that has been +proven to belong to the coat of one of the prisoners on the very spot +where the man was killed? And what can be offered in disproof of all +this? Nothing but the word of the prisoners themselves, who certainly +would lie to save their necks, if they would kill a man to get his gold. +I move," and he whirled about and faced the crowd, now muttering and +growling like a huge beast, "that the jury be instructed to render their +verdict now, so that we can hang them two young devils and get about our +business. All in favor--" + +"Wait!" The alcalde's voice rang out clear and imperative; and, as he +spoke, he stepped out in front of the barrel, one of the big revolvers +held in each hand. "Before you put your motion I have a few words to +say; and, after I have said my few words, you can put your motion; and +we will see whether the men of Sacramento City stand for law and justice +or for mob brutality." + +"Hear! Hear!" shouted a number of voices. "The alcalde shall be heard!" + +"Men," continued the alcalde, his voice ringing with intense +earnestness, "I stand not here to plead for mercy in behalf of these two +young men, although their youth might almost justify such a plea. I am +here to demand justice. If this court, after fair trial shall find them +guilty of the brutal murder charged against them, then, in the name of +the same justice that I now invoke to protect them, they must hang; for, +in a community situated as we are, self-protection compels us to deal +with murderers with stern and relentless hands. But--Hear my words!--the +prisoners have not yet been proven guilty before this court. They have +not yet had fair trial. They have not yet even been heard in their own +defense. When I took my oath of office to serve you as alcalde, that +oath, the oath you yourselves compelled me to swear, bound me to see +that every prisoner brought before me had fair and speedy trial. I meant +to keep that oath then; and, by the Eternal Andrew Jackson! I mean to +keep it now, if need be with my life. Now, you can put your motion," +and, with a couple of quick strides, the alcalde placed himself by the +side of the sheriff, near the two prisoners, the two big revolvers held +ready for instant use. He knew that the only way to check mob violence +was to stop it before it gathered momentum. + +"Give the prisoners justice!" "They shall have justice!" "Hurrah, for +the alcalde!" shouted a hundred voices; and stern-faced men pushed +themselves through the crowd from every direction and formed a cordon +around the prisoners and the court. + +"Go on with the trial. We will see that the court is sustained," and a +man stepped out from the surrounding cordon and bowed to the alcalde. + +The mutterings and growlings suddenly ceased. The huge brutal-looking +man slunk back into the crowd, his motion unput. + +In the midst of these exciting moments, when the attention of all was +concentrated on the alcalde, Bud suddenly felt a hand thrust something +into his hand from behind. He turned quickly. Bill Ugger stood not four +feet behind him. + +"Read," and Ugger moved a couple of steps back and to one side. + +Bud glanced down at his hand and saw that he held a bit of folded paper. +Hastily, yet cautiously, he unfolded it and read these words scrawled on +it with a lead pencil: + + Me and Spike kan yit save you. Give up the miners map and promis to + tell nobudy of the kave of gold and we wil git you free. Refuse and + we wil let you hang and then git the map off yur ded bodies we wil + git the map anyway so whats the use of given up yur lives. Weve got + things fixed so that you kant eskape the rope unles we save you so + you've got to give us the map or hang. Make yur own choice taint + our funrel. + + If you agrees nod yur hed 2 times to Spike and you wil be free in + less than 10 minits. + + +Bud read these words through slowly; and then, moving up close to Thure, +he passed the paper to him. + +"Read it," he said, fixing his eyes anxiously on his comrade's face. + +By this time both boys saw plainly how strong was the web of evidence +that the two villains had so cunningly succeeded in throwing around +them; and how completely they appeared to have them in their power. And +what could they do or say to disprove their testimony? Their own tale, +looked at in the light of the evidence of the two men, would seem +improbable, would sound like a tale made up to fit the occasion. And +they could not bring forward a single witness to prove its truthfulness! +No wonder the unfortunate boys were tempted to give up the skin map; for +what is gold, when weighed in the balance against life? + +Thure read the note; and then turned to Bud, his face white and his +heart throbbing with anxiety. + +"What shall our answer be?" he asked in a whisper. "I hate like sin to +give up the skin map to them two scoundrels; but, I reckon, our fathers +and mothers would rather have our lives than the gold. But," and his +face brightened a little, "we have not yet given our testimony. I reckon +we had better wait until we see how the alcalde and the jury take our +stories before giving up the map." + +"Yes," agreed Bud, his own face brightening at the thought of putting +off the surrender a little longer, "we will wait and see what effect our +testimony has. But, I guess you are right, if it comes to hanging," and +he shuddered, "or giving up the map, we'll have to give up the map. But +we won't give up until we've got to," and his face hardened. "Who'd a +thought them two scoundrels could get us in such a terrible fix!" and he +glared wrathfully in the direction of the two men, who now stood close +together regarding Thure and Bud with furtive but anxious eyes. + +"Now to give them two skunks their answer," and Thure, holding the paper +out where the two men could see it, deliberately tore it to pieces and, +turning his back scornfully to them, gave his attention to the doings of +the court. + + + + +CHAPTER XI + +AN UNEXPECTED WITNESS + + +The alcalde, the moment he saw that the mob spirit had been subdued, had +returned quietly to his place behind the barrel; and, when the two boys +again gave their attention to him, he had just reached his rude seat of +judgment, and was about to speak. + +"I knew," he said, as his keen eyes searched the faces of the men, who +had so opportunely formed the cordon of safety around him and his court, +"that I could depend on the good sense and fair-mindedness of the people +of Sacramento City. We will now proceed with the trial," and he quietly +slipped back both of his revolvers into his coat pockets. + +"Once more," and the alcalde raised his voice so that all could hear, +"the court asks, is there any other witness to bear testimony against +the two prisoners, if so, let him now step forward." + +For a minute or two the alcalde waited. There was no movement, no word +from the surrounding crowd. + +"We will now proceed with the examination of the prisoners. Young man, +take your place on the witness stand," and the alcalde turned to Thure. + +"Don't get excited. Keep cool," cautioned Bud, as Thure hastened to take +his place in front of the barrel. + +A hush came over the great encircling crowd, as Thure stood before +the alcalde and was solemnly sworn to tell the truth, the whole truth, +and nothing but the truth. Many of those rough bearded men had sons +of their own back at home, hardly younger than was the prisoner, who +now stood before the bar of justice, with a rope dangling threateningly +above his head; and these men found it hard to believe that that +wholesome-looking, clear-eyed youth could be guilty of the atrocious +crime charged against him. But, there was the evidence; and the laws of +the city must be enforced; and their faces grew stern and sad. + +Thure told his story in a clear straightforward way; told how he and Bud +had gone out for a hunt on that day, how they had heard the death-cry of +the unfortunate horse and had slain the huge grizzly, how, just after +they had completed the skinning of the grizzly, they had seen the +struggle of the old miner with his two assailants and had rushed to his +rescue, how the robbers had fled, leaving the miner robbed and mortally +stabbed, how they had endeavored to get him to their home before he +died, but had failed, and, finally, how the miner had died and they had +borne his dead body home and had buried it. + +There was hardly a loud sound made while Thure was telling his story. +One could almost have heard the great crowd breathing. When he had +spoken of witnessing the struggle between the miner and his murderers +and of rushing to his rescue, there had been a great stir in the crowd, +but it had quickly subsided, so eager were all to hear every word that +he uttered. His manner and his story made a deep impression; but, alas, +it was soon seen that his evidence had introduced nothing to disprove +the testimony of his two accusers that had any stronger proof back of it +than his own word and the word of his fellow prisoner, while he had +admitted bringing the dead body of the murdered miner home and burying +it, admitted having the dead body of the miner in his possession. This, +at least, was in direct proof of what his accusers had testified; for +they had sworn that they had seen the two boys bear the dead body off +with them. It looked as if they had made their story up to fit in with +the accounts of the previous witnesses and yet disprove the story of +their accusers. + +Thure, so far in his testimony, had said nothing of the description the +old miner had given of his murderers. He was saving that for the last, +to be brought out by the questions of the alcalde, if possible. He +wished to make it as emphatic and striking as possible, and yet he did +not wish to appear to give it voluntarily; for he was wise enough to see +that for him and Bud to accuse their accusers might re-act back on +themselves. Fortunately the questions of the alcalde led directly to it. + +"You testify," began the alcalde, the moment Thure had apparently +completed his testimony, "that you drove the murderers away from the +body of the miner. Did you get near enough to them to recognize them +again, should you see them?" + +"No," Thure answered. "I could only swear that one was a large man and +that the other was small." + +"Did you discover anything that would lead you to surmise who committed +the crime?" again asked the alcalde. + +"No, not directly," answered Thure hesitatingly. "But the old miner, +just before he died, gave us a description of his two murderers," and he +stopped. + +"How did he describe them? Why do you hesitate?" asked the alcalde +sharply. + +"Because," answered Thure boldly, "the description the dying miner gave +of his two murderers appears to make us accuse our accusers, as if we +were trying to get back at them, when it is God's truth that we are +uttering." + +"Give us the description. We are the ones to judge of its merits," +commanded the alcalde, his face flushing with interest, while the +surrounding crowd became breathless. + +Bud was looking at the two men; and he saw both of them start at the +words of Thure and glance apprehensively into each other's eyes. + +"The miner said," and Thure turned his eyes full upon Bill Ugger, "that +one of his murderers was a large, red-headed man with a broken nose; and +that the other," and his eyes turned to the face of Spike Quinley, "was +a small man, with a pock-marked face." + +For a moment no one spoke. All eyes were bent on the faces of the two +men. There was no mistaking to whom the description applied. Then a +harsh laugh broke from Bill Ugger. + +"Tryin' to turn th' tables on us, be you?" and again he laughed. "Wal, I +reckon, ever'one here believes that yarn. It fits tew pat, not tew be +true. So me an' Spike are th' true murderers, be we? Wal, this is sum +unexpected an' s'prisin', ain't it Spike?" and he turned to his comrade, +grinning and glaring like a huge buffoon; but a close observer might +have noticed that his skin had whitened beneath its red beard. + +Quinley had started perceptibly at Thure's description of the miner's +murderers, but he had quickly controlled himself, and a deadly gleam had +come into his wicked little eyes and his thin lips had tightened, as, +unperceived by all eyes, except the eyes the movement was intended for, +he had turned and given a man standing in the edge of the circle a +signal. The man at once had slipped back in the crowd and vanished. + +"Powerful s'prisin'," and Quinley turned and grinned back into the face +of Ugger. "I reckon you can already feel th' rope a-tightenin' 'round +y'ur neck, can't you, Bill? That description sart'in fits us as pat as +an old shoe. But th' s'prisin'est thing 'bout it all is, that I don't +'pear tew have any rekerlections of a-committin' that murder. Must have +ben dreamin', when I done it." + +The eyes of the alcalde, during this brief byplay, had been closely +watching the faces of the two men. He now turned to Thure again. + +"Have you any witnesses, other than your fellow prisoner, to testify to +the truth of your statements?" he asked. + +"No," answered Thure; "except that our mothers and our sisters and the +folks at the rancho can testify to our bringing home the body of the +dead miner and that we told them that we had found him just as I have +said that we did." + +"That would prove nothing as to who committed the murder. Is there +anyone in Sacramento City that knows either of you two boys?" + +"No," again answered Thure. "Not that I know of, unless," and his face +brightened, "Captain Sutler is here. He knows both of us well. We are +expecting to find our dads at Hangtown." + +"Captain Sutter is not here," answered the alcalde, "as anyone in the +city might have told you; and it is impossible to send to Hangtown after +your fathers." + +"But, are we to be proven guilty on the evidence of those two men alone, +whom I am almost certain committed the crime themselves?" and Thure's +face flushed indignantly. "Is not our word, at least, as good as +theirs?" + +"Young man," replied the alcalde sternly, "that is for the jury to +decide. Have you any further evidence to give? If not, and the jury do +not wish to ask you any questions," he paused and glanced toward the +foreman, who shook his head, "you are dismissed, and the other prisoner +can take his place on the witness stand." + +For a moment Thure hesitated. He wanted to say something, to do +something to further disprove this horrible accusation--but, what could +he say or do that he had not already said or done? He had told his +story. There was nothing more for him to tell, nothing more for him to +do; and, with tightly compressed lips, he turned and walked from the +witness stand back to his place by the side of the sheriff, while Bud +took his place in front of the barrel. + +There was nothing new in Bud's testimony. He could only repeat, in +different words, what Thure had already told. + +While Bud was giving his testimony, Spike Quinley worked his way up +close to Thure; and again a piece of paper was slipped furtively into +his hand. + +Thure glanced down at the paper. At least here was a chance to escape +the worst. If Bud did not make a better impression than he apparently +had, then there would be nothing left but to surrender the map, that or +hanging. And it must be done soon now, or it would be too late. Thure +shuddered at the thought of the hanging; and, with fingers that trembled +a little, cautiously opened the paper and read these dreadful words: + + You have gone and done it now you infernal idjit by testifin' agin + us it is now yur necks or ourn al hel kant save you now you kan + keep the map and we wil git it off yur ded bodies and you kan have + the satisfackshun of noin that you might have ben alive and wel + when yur danglin ded at the end of a rope. + +The vindictive scrawl closed with a rude attempt to draw a rope, hanging +from a tree, with a man dangling from one end. + +Thure stared blankly at the paper for a moment after he had read the +words that appeared to close their last avenue of escape. He saw clearly +the force of their meaning. It had, indeed, now become a battle for life +between him and Bud and their two accusers. Their testimony, once they +were free, would turn suspicion directly upon Quinley and Ugger. It +would be suicidal for the two men now to attempt to do anything to free +them. Thure raised his eyes and looked wildly around, at the face of the +alcalde, the faces of the jury, and the faces of the surrounding crowd. +On all was a look of ominous sadness and sternness that made his heart +sink. Evidently the words and the actions of the cunning Ugger and the +crafty Quinley had again completely turned the tide against them. But +the worst blow was yet to come. + +Bud completed his testimony and, in an ominous silence, was dismissed. +The alcalde arose from his judgment-stump and turned to address a few +final words to the jury; but, as the first word left his mouth, a +commotion occurred in the crowd directly in front of him. + +"More testimony! Important testimony!" shouted a voice; and a man, with +his right arm done up in a sling, pushed his way through the encircling +crowd. + +The man hastily and keenly scrutinized the faces of the two prisoners. + +"Yes, them's sart'inly th' fellers," he said aloud; and turned his eyes +on the faces of their accusers. + +"Them's shore th' same two men I seed. Thar's no mistaking them faces," +he declared, with conviction. "Now," and he turned to the alcalde, "I +asks y'ur pardon, y'ur honor; but, bein' sum crippled with a broken arm, +as you can see, an', on that account, keepin' sum close in my tent, I +heared nuthin' of this trial 'til jest a few minits ago; but, when I did +hear of it, I felt mortally sart'in that it had tew do with th' same +murder that I witness in th' Sacermento Valley three days ago; an', +wantin' tew see that justice made no mistake, I got here as quick as I +could, tew give in my testimony. Hope I'm not tew late," and he fixed +his eyes anxiously on the face of the alcalde. + +"No; you are not too late," the alcalde answered, looking at the man +keenly, "if your evidence is of real importance." + +"I reckon it is of real importance," answered the man, "seein' that I +saw th' killin' done with my own two eyes; an' was close enough tew +reckernize th' killers plain." + +This statement caused a big sensation in the surrounding crowd. All +pressed nearer, and stretched their heads eagerly forward to get a sight +of this new witness, while, "Hush!" "Quiet!" "Shut your mouth!" and like +expressions, came from all around the crowding circle of men. + +Thure and Bud had both started with pleased surprise at the words of +this unexpected witness, and their faces lighted up with hope. Here, at +last, was a witness who would tell the truth, who would free them from +this horrible accusation of murder; for, evidently by his actions, he +was as much of a stranger to Ugger and Quinley as he was to themselves, +and, consequently, he could not be in league with their two cunning and +mendacious accusers. They glanced at the two men. Their surprise +appeared to be real; and the two boys thought they detected a look of +fearful consternation on each face. + +"Step forward and be sworn," commanded the alcalde, the moment the buzz +of the excitement caused by the words of the man with the broken arm had +ceased. + +The man stepped quickly in front of the barrel; and was sworn, in the +same manner the other witnesses had been sworn, to tell the truth. + +"What is your name and business?" demanded the alcalde. + +"John Skoonly," replied the man; "an' I'm bound for th' diggin's. Jest +got in from San Francisco this mornin'." + +"Now, John Skoonly," and the alcalde's eyes rested steadily on the +witness's face as he settled back on his stump, "kindly tell the jury +and the people gathered here, what you know of the case now being tried +before them." + +"I was on my way from San Francisco tew here," began the witness, "when +three days ago I wandered off th' main trail tew do a little huntin' an' +was throwed by my hoss an' broke my right arm. That took all th' hunt +out of me; an' I laid down under sum trees that growed 'long side a crik +tew try an' do sumthin' tew ease up th' pain an' tew git a little rest +afore I started back for th' trail. + +"Wal, I reckon I hadn't ben thar more'n half an hour, when I heared a +screech that fairly lifted my hat off my head, a-comin' from th' open +valley, jest beyont th' trees whar I was a-lyin' in th' shade, an' +a-soundin' like sum feller was gittin' hurt mortal bad. I jumps up quick +an' runs tew sum bushes that growed a-treen me an' th' sound, an' looks +through 'em, a little cautious-like on account of my broken arm, an' +seed three men a-strugglin' on th' ground not more'n forty rods from +whar I was; an' th' next I knowed I heared a lot of yellin', an' seen +tew men jump out of th' bushes sum twenty rods below me, an' start +runnin' for them fightin' men. But, afore they'd made a dozen jumps, tew +of them men springs up from th' ground, th' other man didn't 'pear tew +have any spring left in him, but lay still, grabs up their rifles an' +hollers tew them runnin' men tew stop sudden, or they'd shoot; an' th' +men stops sudden, they havin' only pistols. Then th' tew men with rifles +yells for them tew git an' git quick, an' one on 'em fires his rifle; +an', I reckon, th' bullet must have come close, for th' tew men whirled +'bout like they was sum scart an' started back for th' bushes. + +"Th' tew men now picks up th' body of th' third man, which hangs limp +like he was dead, an' flings it across th' back of one of their hosses +an' ties it thar. Then they mounts th' other tew hosses an' goes +a-ridin' off a-leadin' the hoss with th' dead body across its back ahind +'em; an' in ridin' off, they comes within a dozen rods of whar I was +a-hidin', an' I sees 'em plain, an' I was s'prised tew see that they +didn't look tew be much more'n boys; an' yit they 'peared tew have +killed a man! + +"Y'ur honor," and the man paused and whirled partly around, and when he +continued again his voice was very solemn, "as shore as thar is a God in +heaven, th' tew men that I saw a-ridin' by me, with that dead body on +th' hoss ahind them, are a-standin' right thar!" and he pointed straight +toward Thure and Bud. + +A sound of horror and of rage went up from the surrounding crowd, a +sound that had the promise of dreadful things to come in it. + +The alcalde leaped to his feet, his face looking white and drawn; for he +knew that now the two boys were doomed, and, somehow, in spite of all +the terrible evidence, he could not look into their clear-eyed faces and +believe them guilty of such a horrible crime. + +"Silence! Silence, men!" he commanded, stretching out both of his hands +imperatively. "Silence! I have questions, important questions to ask the +witness." + +Almost instantly the great crowd became still, so anxious were all now +to hear every word. + +"John Skoonly," and the alcalde turned to the witness, "you swear that +you saw two men start to the rescue of the murdered man. Did you see +these two men plainly enough to recognize them should you see them +again?" + +"Sart'in'," replied the man promptly, and, whirling about, he pointed to +Quinley and Ugger, "Thar they stand. I'd know them mugs ag'in anywhar," +and he grinned. + +"Why," continued the alcalde, "did you not make your presence known to +these two men, at least after the murderers had ridden off? There would +not have been any danger then," and he smiled scornfully; "and they +might have been of help to you in your crippled condition." + +"Wal," answered the man frankly, turning and looking squarely into the +faces of Ugger and Quinley, "tew be honest, I didn't like th' looks of +them tew faces none tew much; an', as I had consider'ble of money 'long +with me, I reckoned 'twould be safer for me tew travel alone jest then, +so I jest sneaked out 'tother side of th' trees an' rode back tew th' +trail alone." + +Quinley and Ugger scowled at this frank reference to their looks; and a +few in the encircling crowd laughed grimly. Plainly there could be no +collusion between this witness and Ugger and Quinley; and this apparent +fact gave almost the positiveness of proven truth to his testimony, in +the eyes of the crowd. + +"Then," and the alcalde looked sharply into the face of the witness, +"you never saw either William Ugger or Spikenard Quinley, until you saw +them, as described in your testimony, on the day of the murder?" + +"If y'ur meanin' that little pock-marked runt an' that big red-readed +feller with a smashed nose, a-standin' thar, I sart'inly never did see +them afore that identickle moment. Why, I didn't even know their names +'til you spoke 'em out." + +Again some of the crowd laughed in a grim sort of a way; and again Ugger +and Quinley scowled and glared wrathfully at the frank-spoken witness. + +"I am done," the alcalde said quietly, turning to the jury. "Do you, +gentlemen of the jury, wish to ask the witness any questions?" + +"No," replied the foreman, after a glance into the faces of his fellow +jurymen. "Your questions have brought out the only points we wished to +inquire about." + +"Do the prisoners wish to ask the witness any questions?" and the +alcalde turned to Thure and Bud. + +For a moment neither boy spoke, neither boy moved. The testimony of this +witness, so different from what they had expected, had dumfounded them. +They felt that he had knocked the last prop out from under their safety; +and all the horrors of their situation had dropped down on their spirits +with crushing, numbing force. Their minds, their nerves, their very +muscles were paralyzed, for the moment, by the sudden and awful +realization that now they must hang, must hang for a crime committed by +others! + +But a boy at eighteen can never be long absolutely without hope. Surely, +surely the jury, the alcalde must see that this witness had lied, that +all the witnesses against them had lied! They could not, they could not +bring in a verdict of guilty! They could not sentence them, Thure +Conroyal and Bud Randolph, to be hanged! Hanged! The thought stung them +into life; and Thure turned wildly to the alcalde. + +"It's a lie! a lie!" he cried. "It is all a lie! They know it is a lie! +You surely must believe us! We did not kill the miner! We tried to save +him! In spite of all their lies, you must believe us! We are only two +boys, two boys without a friend to help us! We can not fight against +their cunning! It is our word against their word! Look at us! Look into +our faces! Do we look like boys who would kill a man? Look into the +faces of our accusers! Think, we have fathers, mothers, brothers, +sisters! Oh, you can not hang us, you can not hang us! You must believe +us!" + +"My boy," there was a solemn sternness in the voice of the alcalde as he +spoke, "if you are guiltless of the crime charged against you, then, may +God have mercy on us and on you! But I, the jury, the men gathered here +can only judge of your guilt or innocence by the evidence presented +before us; and, according to that evidence, and not according to the +dictates of hearts that may be touched by your youth and seeming +innocence, must the verdict be rendered. Gentlemen of the jury," and he +turned to the jury, "the evidence has now all been laid before you; and +it now becomes your duty to determine the guilt or the innocence of the +prisoners. May the great God of justice and mercy direct your judgment +aright; and cause you to bring in a verdict in accordance with the real +truth!" + + + + +CHAPTER XII + +HAMMER JONES + + +The jurymen at once gathered about the foreman; but the consultation was +brief. In less than ten minutes the foreman signified that the verdict +was ready. + +"Sheriff," the alcalde's lips were tight-drawn and his face whitened as +he spoke, "bring the prisoners forward to hear the verdict of the jury." + +The jury now stood together in line, on the right of the alcalde. The +foreman stood a pace in front of this line. + +The sheriff led Thure and Bud directly up in front of the line and +within a couple of paces of the foreman; and there he halted the +prisoners to await the giving of the verdict. + +For a minute there was absolute silence, as the prisoners stood thus +before the jury. The surrounding crowd forgot to breathe. It seemed, for +a moment, as if the alcalde could not ask the fateful questions; but, at +last, his tight-drawn lips parted. + +"Gentlemen of the jury, are you ready to render your verdict?" he asked. + +"We are ready," answered the foreman. + +"Gentlemen of the jury, you may state your verdict." + +The foreman's eyes faltered and turned from the faces of the prisoners. + +"Guilty of the crime as charged," he said, and closed his lips tightly, +and turned his head away. + +The great crowd breathed again; and an ominous, deep-toned, shuddering +murmur arose from its depths, as all eyes turned toward the alcalde. It +now became his duty to sentence the prisoners; and, in accordance with +the verdict just rendered, he could pronounce but one sentence--hanging. + +For a full minute the alcalde stood straight and silent. He realized to +its full the awful irrevocableness of the sentence he was about to +pronounce, and a shuddering horror shook his soul. Never before had he +felt like this when pronouncing a similar sentence. The sight of those +two, white, staring, boyish faces had unmanned him--yet he must do his +duty. + +"Thure Conroyal, Bud Randolph--" His voice was clear and firm and the +eyes he turned on the prisoners stern and steady--"a just and impartial +jury have found you guilty of the horrible crime of murder; and it now +becomes my awful duty to pronounce your sentence. Stand forth and +receive your sentence." + +As Thure and Bud turned their white faces toward the alcalde and stepped +forth to receive their sentence, a man, almost a giant in size, who had +just pushed himself through the crowd to the inner edge of the circle, +uttered an exclamation of surprise and horror; and, the next instant, he +had flung the men still standing between him and the open space around +the alcalde and the prisoners violently to one side, and, almost in a +bound, had reached the side of the alcalde. + +"Great God in heaven, alcalde!" he roared. "What does this mean?" and he +stared from the face of the alcalde to the faces of the two boys, into +whose dulled eyes had suddenly leaped a great light at the sight of the +big man. + +"Murder and hanging," answered the alcalde sternly. "The prisoners have +had a fair trial; the jury have pronounced them guilty; and I am about +to sentence them to be hanged." + +"Murder! Hanged!" and the utter, unbelieving astonishment on the face of +the big man was good to see. + +"It's a lie, a lie! We never killed the man! Oh, Ham, we never killed +the man! You, surely, will believe us!" and Thure and Bud both, with +faces white with excitement and hope, sprang eagerly to the side of the +big fellow. + +"Shut up! Stand back!" and he pushed the boys away. "See here," and he +swung around in front of the alcalde, "you know me; an' you know I'd +never try tew save th' neck of no criminal. But I know them boys, know +their dads an' mas; an' I know they never committed no murder. Who seen +'em dew it? Whar are th' witnesses?" and his eyes glared around the +circle of tense faces. + +"There they stand, Ham," and the alcalde pointed to the three witnesses, +who at the sudden appearance of Hammer Jones, the big friend of the two +boys, had involuntarily come together, as if for mutual defense; "and +each one of the three swore positively that he saw the boys kill the +man." + +"Huh!" and, almost in a stride, Hammer Jones stood directly in front of +Bill Ugger; and, the instant his eyes looked closely into the face of +the man, his own face went white with wrath. + +"Hello, Greaser Smith!" and the great hand fell on the shrinking +shoulder and gripped the coat collar tightly. "So you're one of th' +skunks that's a-tryin' tew git them tew boys hanged, be you? Rekerlect +that time down in Sante Fé, when you was a-goin' tew skin a nigger +alive, an' wanted tew kill tew boys for interferin'? Still up tew yur +boyish tricks, I see. Wal, I've still got th' same big foot that kicked +you intew th' mudpuddle; an' th' same big fist that smashed that nose of +yourn when you was a-tryin' tew kiss a Mexican gal against her will. An' +now you're a-tryin' tew have tew innocent boys hanged for a murder that +you probably did yurself," and Ham's eyes flamed. "You cowardly skunk!" +and, suddenly letting go of the coat collar, he took a quick step +backward, and swung up his great fist with all the strength of his +powerful right arm, striking the man squarely under the chin. The force +of the blow lifted Ugger, alias Greaser Smith, off his feet and hurled +him to the ground as senseless as a log. + +"Now, we'll have a look at th' other witnesses," and Ham turned to the +cringing Quinley. + +"Never seed you afore," he declared, as he looked into the pock-marked +face of the trembling man, whose terrified eyes were fixed on the huge +fist that had so summarily dealt with his big partner. "Wal, you are a +likely lookin' cuss tew be th' side partner of Greaser Smith. I reckon +you tew pull tewgether like tew mules. I'll have sumthin' special tew +say tew you 'bout this case, when I see who t'other witness is," and he +turned to the man with the broken arm, who had been looking excitedly +around, as if he were searching for an opening in the crowd through +which to escape and who now stood with his back toward Hammer Jones. + +"Here, you," and Ham caught him by the shoulder and whirled him around, +"jest give me a sight of yur mug--wal, I'll be durned, if 'tain't +Skoonly!" and Ham's eyes widened with surprise and the angry glint in +them deepened, while the man under the grip of his big hand shook as if +he had an ague fit. "Here's matter for the alcalde. Come," and he +started toward the alcalde, dragging the man along with him. + +So sudden had been Ham's appearance and so swift and unexpected were his +actions, that, at first, the great surrounding crowd had stood and +stared at him in astonishment, making no move; but, by now, they were +beginning to wake up to the fact that here was a man evidently bent on +defeating the ends of justice; and an angry growl, the growl of a mob, a +sound once heard that is never forgotten, rolled out from its midst. But +there were many men in that crowd who knew Hammer Jones, who had hunted +and trapped and fought Indians with him, who had seen him risk his life +fearlessly to save a comrade's life, and who never yet had known him to +do a dishonorable deed; and these men knew, that, if Hammer Jones said +that the prisoners were innocent, he had good reasons for saying it, and +they were ready to see that he had a chance to prove his statement; and +cries of: "Hurrah for Ham Jones!" "Give him a chance to prove what he +says!" "Hear! Hear! Hear! Ham Jones!" "He shall be heard!" mingled with +yells of: "String him up along with the boys!" "Bust his head!" "He's +trying to rescue the murderers!" and like cries of rage at this +unexpected interference. + +But, before these two opposing forces could come to a clash, a tall +spare man, whose deep-set eyes, keen and piercing as a hawk's, shone out +of a weather-bronzed face, pushed himself hurriedly through the crowd +that was beginning to seethe around the open court-room beneath the +great evergreen oak, and hastened to the side of the alcalde. + +"What is the trouble?" he demanded in a quiet authoritative tone of +voice. + +The alcalde welcomed him with a glad smile of recognition; and, as +briefly as possible, told him what had occurred. + +The man turned quickly and the keen eyes glanced, with a violent start +of recognition, for a moment into the faces of the two boys. + +"My God, alcalde!" and he whirled about in front of the surprised +alcalde, "you were about to make a terrible mistake! I know these boys +well; and I know they never murdered a man. + +"Men! Men! Hear me!" and he leaped lightly up on top of the barrel that +stood in front of the alcalde, his singularly clear and penetrating +voice reaching every ear in the crowd. "Men! Men! Hear me! A terrible +mistake has--" + +"It's Fremont!" shouted someone. "Hurrah for Colonel Fremont! The man +who licked the Mexicans! The man who won California for us! Hurrah for +Colonel Fremont!" + +The name acted like magic in quieting the fast-growing turbulence of the +crowd. There was not a man present who had not heard of the dauntless +young explorer, the bold soldier, the recent conqueror of California, to +whom more than to any other one man they owed the fact that the +gold-diggings were in the territory of the United States; and all wished +to see this remarkable man, all were ready to hear what he had to say. +As suddenly as it had begun, the violence of the crowd ceased and all +eyes were turned toward Fremont. + +"Go ahead, Colonel!" shouted a rough voice. "Thar's enough of y'ur old +men here tew see that you git a fair hearin'." + +"Thank you, gentlemen," and Fremont bowed. "The alcalde tells me," he +continued, after a moment's pause, "that you have tried those two boys," +and he pointed to Thure and Bud, "for murder, have found them guilty, +and were about to hang them. I know these two young men, your prisoners, +well. I know their fathers, their brothers, have known them for years; +and so sure am I that you have made a terrible mistake, that I am ready, +personally, to stand accountable for them until their innocence has been +proven to your complete satisfaction." + +"But, three men swore that they saw the prisoners kill the man, +Colonel!" called someone from the crowd. "This has been no mob trial; +but a regular court trial by jury; and the jury found them guilty, +unanimous." + +"Where are those witnesses? Let us have a look at them?" demanded +Fremont. + +"Here's one on 'em, Colonel," and the huge frame of Hammer Jones loomed +up in front of Fremont, with the trembling Skoonly still in the grip of +his right hand. "I swun, but I am glad tew see you right now," and +quickly shifting Skoonly to his left hand, he extended his right to +Fremont. + +"Ham, Hammer Jones!" and Fremont gripped the extended hand with glad +cordiality. "It's like old times to see your face again. But this is no +time for idle talk," and his fine face hardened. "So that is one of the +witnesses against Thure and Bud," and his piercing eyes looked +searchingly into the face of Skoonly. "What did he swear to?" and +Fremont turned quickly to the alcalde. + +"He swore," answered the alcalde, "that he saw the prisoners kill the +man three days ago in the Sacramento Valley--" + +"Three days ago!" snorted Ham wrathfully. "He saw th' prisoners kill a +man three days ago in th' Sacermento Valley! Not unless he's got a +double-barreled long-shot gun ahind him that can shoot his body clean +from Hangtown tew th' Sacermento Valley in less time than I could take a +chaw of ter-backer; for three days ago I seen this identickle man, +Skoonly, run out of Hangtown for tryin' tew steal th' gold-dust of a +sick miner. S'cuse me for interrupting" and Ham turned his eyes, still +glinting with his honest wrath, to the alcalde. + +"What!" and the alcalde's eyes brightened and his whole face lightened, +as if a great load had been suddenly lifted off his soul. "You saw this +man run out of Hangtown three days ago! The very time that he swore he +was on his way from San Francisco to the diggings! The very day that he +swore he saw the prisoners kill the miner in the Sacramento Valley!" + +"Right. He sart'in was in Hangtown three days ago. I reckon I otter +know, seein' I was one on 'em tew help run him out. Ay, Skoonly," and +Ham jerked the cringing man around in front of the alcalde. "Now, what +might be th' trouble with that arm?" and he glared down at the bandaged +arm of Skoonly, who had submitted to all these indignities, almost +without a protest. He knew Hammer Jones. + +"He said," answered the alcalde, "that his horse threw him and broke his +arm a little while before he saw the murder committed and that that was +why he had not gone to the help of the miner." + +"Huh!" and again Ham snorted scornfully, then a sudden gleam came into +his eyes, and he turned quickly to the alcalde. "Supposing" he grinned, +"you have that broken arm investigated. 'Twouldn't s'prise me none tew +find it a durned good arm yit." + +"Good!" and the alcalde smiled. "Skoonly can't object, because it will +be a strong point in his favor, if we find the arm really broken." + +"But I do object," protested Skoonly emphatically, his face becoming +livid. "Th' pain'll be sumthin' awful; an' doc said that it mustn't be +taken out of the splints for a month on no account." + +"Objection overruled," declared the alcalde, who had been watching the +man's face. "Here," and he turned to the foreman of the jury, "this +appears like a proper point for you to investigate. I'll turn him over +to you. Be careful and not hurt the arm any more than you are compelled +to," and he smiled. + +The crowd, which by this time had formed a close and deeply interested +circle around the dramatic characters in the little drama that was here +being enacted, watched with tense and grim faces, the foreman, aided by +a couple of his fellow jurymen, slowly unwind the bandages from +Skoonly's arm. If they had been fooled, if they had been led by false +testimony almost to hang two innocent men, nay, boys, their wrath +against the false accusers would be sudden and terrible. + +Skoonly yelled and squirmed, when they began unwinding the bandages from +his arm, as if the action caused him the most intense pain, and begged +them to stop, while his face grew so white that even Ham himself began +to fear that the arm, at least, bore no false testimony; but the +unwinding went steadily on. + +And, lo and behold! when the last bandage was off, there lay the arm, +sound of bone, and without even a bruise or discoloration along its +whole length! + +"Wal, I'll be durned! Jest as I thought! The cur! An' that is th' kind +of evidence you was a-go-in' tew hang them boys on!" and Ham's angry +eyes swept the circle of surrounding faces. + +A murmur, that swiftly swelled into a roar of hundreds of angry voices, +broke from the surrounding crowd, when Ham's testimony and the result of +the examination of Skoonly's bandaged arm became known. + +"A rope! Get a rope! Hang him!" yelled a hoarse voice; and the cry was +taken up by hundreds of voices; and the jam of enraged men pressed +closer and closer to the cowering man, whose face grew livid with fear, +as he glared wildly around, seeking some means of escape. But there was +none; and despair and a great dread, the dread of a sudden and frightful +death, took possession of his soul. + +"Save me! Save me!" he yelled, throwing himself at Fremont's feet. "I +did not mean tew git th' boys hanged. They, Bill an' Spike, told me +'twas jest tew scare them. They was a-tryin' tew frighten th' boys intew +doin' sumthin' for them--Oh-h-h, don't let them git me! Save me!" and he +clutched Fremont's legs with both his quivering hands, as the roar of +the crowd became louder and more threatening. + +"Quick," and Fremont bent over him, "will you tell all, all that you +know of this horrible affair, if we will save your neck?" + +"Yes! Yes!" eagerly agreed the terror-stricken man. "I'll tell +ever'thing! Afore God I'll tell ever'thing! It's Bill an' Spike who is +responsible, not me. It's them you want." + +"Men," and Fremont again leaped up on top of the barrel, both hands +outstretched for silence. "Listen, men, listen!" + +For a minute the roar of the crowd continued, and then swiftly subsided, +as all eyes caught sight of the tall figure of Fremont standing on the +barrel top. + +"Make your words few and to the point, Colonel. This is no time for +speech-making," warned a voice from the crowd. "We want to get hold of +the skunk who was willing to falsely swear away the lives of two boys." + +"My words will be few and to the point," Fremont began, his clear +penetrating voice reaching every ear in the crowd. "Skoonly will confess +everything, if you will spare his neck. He appears to have been but the +tool of the other two men; and we will need his testimony to make out a +case against them and to prove to the satisfaction of all, the innocence +of the two boys. Under these circumstances, it would seem to be best to +allow him to go free, providing he makes a clean breast of everything he +knows concerning this case." + +"And further providin'," supplemented Ham, "that he be warned never +ag'in tew show his cowardly face in Sacermento City or any minin'-camp +in Calaforny, under penalty of instant hangin'." + +"An' that he be given a hoss-licken, jest afore lettin' him go," added a +roughly dressed miner, standing near the inner edge of the circle. + +Growlingly, like a hungry dog driven from a bone, the crowd at length +agreed to this disposal of Skoonly; and the wretched man, with much +faltering and many terrified glances around the enclosing circle of grim +faces, told how, for a thousand dollars in gold-dust, he had agreed to +help Quinley and Ugger out with his testimony, if they needed it; how he +and the two scoundrels had planned out the whole thing the night before +and were on the lookout for the boys that morning; how he had remained +in a near-by saloon, with his manufactured broken arm all ready, waiting +for a summons from the two men; and how, at last, the summons had come +and he had given in his testimony, according to agreement. He declared +that the two men had told him that they only wished to frighten the two +boys into giving up something, he did not know what, that really +belonged to them, and had assured him there would be no danger of +getting the boys hanged, that they would be sure to yield before it got +to that point. About the murder of the miner he knew nothing, except +that Spike Quinley and Bill Ugger had told him that they had killed the +man themselves, and had showed him the money-belt, still heavy with +gold-dust, that they had taken from him-- + +"Great guns!" broke in Ham excitedly, at this moment, "if we ain't plum +forgot them tew villains," and he made a mad break through the crowd in +the direction of the spot where he had left Quinley and Ugger. + +In an instant the wildest excitement prevailed; and hundreds of men were +rushing about excitedly, looking for the two scoundrels. But Quinley and +Ugger were wise in their wickedness, and seeing, with fear-enlightened +eyes, the results of the advent of Hammer Jones and Colonel Fremont, had +taken advantage of the excitement attending the examination of Skoonly, +to disappear so suddenly and completely, that, although Sacramento City +was searched all that day and that night, as with a fine-toothed comb, +not a sign nor hair of either man could be found; and the enraged crowd +had to be satisfied with giving Skoonly the promised "hoss-licken," and +running him out of town the next morning, with a warning never to show +his cowardly face on their streets again, unless he was looking for the +job of dancing the hangman's hornpipe at the end of a rope. + +The excitement and the confusion and the swift scattering of the crowd, +attending the search for the two scoundrels, of course ended the trial +of Thure Conroyal and Bud Randolph for the murder of John Stackpole; and +they stood free and worthy men in the sight of all people once more--and +with the skin map still in their possession. + +"Great Moses! but I was glad to see you, Ham!" declared Thure, as he +gripped his big friend's hand, after some of the excitement had quieted +down. + +"Glad! Glad is no name for my feelings, when I saw your great body loom +up by the side of the alcalde," and Bud gripped his other hand. + +"I reckon you was some pleased tew see me," grinned back Ham, "both on +you," and the hearty grip of his big hands made both boys wince. + +"Colonel, Colonel Fremont!" and Thure broke away from Ham's hand to rush +up to Fremont, who was talking with the alcalde. "I--we can never thank +you enough for coming so splendidly to our help." + +"Then do not try," smiled back Fremont. "My boy," and he gripped Thure's +hand, as his face sobered, "I have not forgotten a certain night, some +three years ago, near the shores of Lake Klamath, when an Indian stood +with bow bended and arrow aimed at my breast; nor the skill and +quickness of the boy, whose bullet struck and killed the Indian before +his fingers could loose the arrow.[2] I fancy that I have not yet +discharged my full debt to that boy." + +[Footnote 2: A full account of this incident, the saving of Fremont's +life by Thure, is given in the preceding book of this series, _Fighting +with Fremont_.] + +"That--that was nothing," stammered Thure, his face flushing with +pleasure to think that Fremont still remembered the incident. "But +this--Think of the terrible death you helped save us from!" and Thure +shuddered. + +"Yes, it was terrible," and Fremont's eyes rested kindly on the face of +the boy, "but, think no more about it now," he added quickly, as he saw +how swiftly the color had fled from his face at the thought of the +dreadful peril he had just escaped. "Come," and he turned briskly to +Ham, "I wish you, and the two boys, and the alcalde, if he will do us +the honor, to dine with me. I have an hour at my disposal before I must +leave the city; and I know of no better way of spending it than in your +company. Besides, I am hungry, and I am sure you are, also, after all +this excitement, now happily over. So, fall in," and he smiled, as he +gave the once familiar command. + +The alcalde begged to be excused, on account of other matters that +demanded his immediate attention; but Ham and the two boys, with +answering-smiles on their faces, "fell in"; and, under the command of +Fremont, charged down on the City Hotel, where their generous host +entertained them lavishly on the costly viands of that expensive +hostelry, while he and Ham talked of old times, of the perils and +hardships and joys they had shared on those wonderful exploring +expeditions that had brought a world-wide fame to the then young +lieutenant, and the two delighted boys listened, until it became time +for Colonel Fremont to go. + +"Our dads will never forget what you have done for us, Colonel," Thure +said, as he grasped Fremont's hand in farewell. + +"I may soon put them to the test," smiled back Fremont, "by giving them +an opportunity to vote for me, when we get our state goverment +organized." + +"You sure can count on all our votes," declared Thure eagerly; "that is, +as soon as Bud and I are old enough to vote." + +"Thank you," laughed Fremont, and added quickly, his face sobering. "And +it is an honor to any man to receive the votes of men like your fathers +and Ham here and you two boys, even in prospect, an honor, that, believe +me, I appreciate," and the light in his forceful eyes deepened, as if he +were seeing visions of the future. "But, I must be off. Remember me to +your fathers and to all the others," and he sprang lightly on to the +back of his horse, near which he had been standing during these words, +and galloped off down the street toward the ferry. + + + + +CHAPTER XIII + +EXPLANATIONS + + +"Wal, now," and Ham turned a puzzled and frowning face on the two boys, +the moment Colonel Fremont had vanished down the street, "what are you +tew yunks a-dewin' in Sacremento City? A-tryin' tew git yur necks +stretched, you blamed idgits? I'll be durned, if I wouldn't like tew +spank both on you!" and the frown on his face deepened. "I--" + +"Oh, Ham," broke in Thure excitedly, "we've got the most wonderful story +to tell! And it all comes from that murdered miner, who, before he died, +told us about a wonderfully rich mine that he had discovered; and it was +to get the map to this mine that those two dreadful men tried to get us +hanged--" + +"Whoa--up! Jest pull up y'ur hosses a bit," and Ham stared in +astonishment at the excited boy. "You're a-goin' tew fast for me tew +keep up. Come 'long back intew th' hotel, an' tell me y'ur story +straight, not in jerks an' chunks," and he led the way back into the +City Hotel, and to a quiet corner in the big waiting-room, where they +could talk undisturbed and unheard. + +Here, in low but excited voices and after exacting promises of the +utmost secrecy, Thure and Bud told their wonderful story to Ham. + +"Wal, I'll be tee-totally durned, if it don't sound good!" declared that +worthy, when, at last, the tale had been completed. "But thar's lots of +mighty good soundin' yarns goin' 'round camp, 'bout wonderful gold +mountains an' caves of gold. Howsomever, I never heer'd tell on +anybudy's really findin' any on 'em; an', I reckon, 'most on 'em is jest +lies. But that thar map seems tew give y'ur yarn a look like th' truth; +an', I reckon, them tew skunks must have believed th' yarn, or they +wouldn't have ben so pow'ful anxious tew git th' map. Gosh, if it should +prove true!" and Ham's eyes widened and his cheeks flushed and he drew +in a deep breath. "I'll be durned, if it should prove true, if I don't +go back tew my old home in Vermont, that I ain't seen since I was a yunk +'bout y'ur age, an' buy up th' old farm, an' build a big house on it, +an'--Gosh, a'mighty, if that yarn of y'urn ain't sot me tew dreamin'!" +and Ham came back to the earth, looking a bit foolish. "More'n likely +it's all a lie; an' thar I was a buyin' farms an' a-buildin' houses! +Queer how th' gold gits intew th' blood an' makes all humans tarnal +idgits, now ain't it?" and he shook his head wonderingly. + +"But, there's the map, and the big gold nugget, and all the gold that +the murderers got from him," protested Thure. "He must have found some +kind of a mine to have got that gold; and crazy folks wouldn't draw real +maps of the gold-diggings they only imagined they had discovered." + +"An' you've got that map, an' that hunk of gold with you?" and again the +eager light shone in Ham's eyes. "Wal, I reckon I'd like tew have a look +at that nugget an' map." + +"But, not here," interjected Bud anxiously, as he glanced suspiciously +around the big room at a number of roughly dressed men, who were +standing in front of the bar or seated at tables playing cards. "I think +that we had better wait until we get to our dads, before we show up the +map and the nugget. We can't be too careful. Now, how comes it that you +are in Sacramento City, Ham?" and the eyes of both boys turned +inquiringly to the face of their big friend. + +"Reckon you're right 'bout th' map an' nugget," admitted Ham +reluctantly. "Leastwise I don't blame you for bein' some keerful after +y'ur late experience," and his own eyes glanced sharply about the room. +"Now, as tew my bein' here, that's soon explained. Y'ur dads an' th' +rest sent me in tew git a load of camp-supplies--flour, bacon, sugar, +coffee an' sech like things tew eat, 'long with some diggin' tools an' +extra clothin'. Got in a leetle afore noon; an', heerin' thar was a +murder trial on in th' hoss-market, I hit th' trail for th' market tew +once, bein' some anxious tew see who was a-goin' tew have their necks +stretched. Wal, if I didn't 'most have tew push my heart back down my +throat with my fist, when I seed that you tew yunks was th' criminals!" + +"But you made things hum, when you got started," and the eyes of Bud +glowed with admiration, as they rested on the face of his big friend. +"You just straightened things out in no time. My, but it did do me good +to see you give Brokennose that punch on the jaw!" + +"Same here," grinned Ham. "But it riled me all up tew have them tew curs +git away. If ever I lay my eyes on either one on 'em ag'in," and his +eyes glinted savagely, "thar won't be no need of no rope tew hang 'em, +th' cowardly murderin' skunks!" and he banged his great fist down on the +table so hard that nearly every one in the room jumped and turned their +eyes curiously in his direction. + +For a few minutes longer Ham and the two boys sat talking together, then +Ham suddenly straightened up. + +"Wal, if I ain't forgettin' all 'bout them supplies in th' excitement," +he said, hurriedly rising. "Come on, yunks, I've got tew hustle an' make +all them purchases afore night; for we've got tew git out of here afore +sun-up tew-morrer," and Ham led the way out of the hotel, to where he +had left a couple of sturdy little pack-horses tied to the trees, when +he had rushed off to see the hanging. + +An open space, under the overhanging branches of a huge evergreen oak, +was now selected for the camp for the night; and hither Ham and the two +boys brought their horses, and, after unsaddling and unbridling them, +gave them a scanty supply of grass, bought at fifty cents a big hand +full, and a little barley, at a dollar a quart. Then Bud, the two boys +had drawn cuts to see who should stay, was left to watch the camp, and +Ham and Thure started out to make the needed purchases. + +The shops were crowded with men buying goods to take with them to the +gold-mines, or diggings, as the mines were almost universally called, +and paying for them with gold-dust, the name given to the fine particles +of rough gold dug out of the ground, at the rate of about sixteen +dollars to the ounce of gold. On every counter stood a pair of scales, +with which to weigh the gold; and it was a curious sight to Thure to see +these men, whenever they bought anything, pull out a little bag or other +receptacle, take out a few pinches of what looked like grains of coarse +yellow sand, and drop them on the scales, until the required weight was +reached, in payment for the purchase. Ham, himself, had only gold-dust +with which to make his payments; and it made Thure feel quite like a +real miner, when he handed the little gold-bag to him and told him to +attend to the paying, while he did the selecting of the goods needed. + +By sundown all the purchases were made and carried to the camp and +everything made ready for an early start in the morning. + +After supper--they got their own suppers, all deciding that the food at +the hotels was too rich for their blood, or, rather, pockets--Thure and +Bud, boy-like, notwithstanding their weariness, wanted to take a little +stroll about the town; but Ham promptly and emphatically vetoed any such +a move on their part. + +"I'll be durned if you dew!" he declared decisively, the instant the +subject was broached. "You'll stay right here in camp, an' crawl intew +y'ur blankets, an' git tew sleep jest as quick as th' good Lord'll let +you. You shore have had all th' excitement you need for one day; an' th' +devil only knows what trouble you'd be a-gettin' intew, if you was +allowed tew run loose, promiscus like, about th' streets of Sacermento +City at night. It's bad enough by day, as you sart'in otter know; but by +night! Not for tew yunks like you!" and Ham shook his head so decidedly +and frowningly that neither boy ventured even a word in protest against +his rather arbitrary decision. + +But, although they remained in camp, Thure and Bud never forgot that +first night in Sacramento City. The scenes about them were so unique, so +weirdly and romantically beautiful, so suggestive of dramatic +possibilities, that they impressed themselves indelibly on memories new +to such sensations. + +As the sun went down a gray chill fog arose from the river and the +lowlying shores and fell down over the little city like a thin wet veil, +blurring and softening and reddening the light from the innumerable +camp-fires, built under the dark shadows of overhanging trees, and the +broad glows coming from canvas houses and tents, lighted from within, +and the bright glares that poured through the doors and windows of the +more brilliantly illuminated dance-halls and gambling-hells, giving to +all a weird and dream-like aspect, fascinating, romantic, and beautiful. + +Their camp was situated some distance from the center of the city's +activities; but near enough for the sounds of its wild revelries to +reach their ears, softened a little by the distance. A dozen or more +bands were playing a dozen or more different tunes from a dozen or more +different dance-halls, all near together along the levee and the +neighboring streets; and, sometimes, high above even these discordant +sounds, rose the human voice, in loud song, or boisterous shout, or +peals of rough laughter. Around some of the near-by camp-fires men had +gathered and were singing the loved home melodies; and from one of these +groups came the voice of a woman in song, sounding singularly sweet and +entrancing in the midst of all those harsher sounds. Above their heads a +gentle wind blew murmuringly and whisperingly through the wide-spreading +branches of the evergreen oak; and, at their feet, snapped and crackled +the ruddy flames of their own camp-fire. + +By nine o'clock the lights of the surrounding camp-fires began to grow +dimmer, and the songs and the laughter and the talking of the groups +around them ceased. All these were seeking their beds or blankets; and +soon only the noise and the music, the songs and the shouts of the +revelers broke the stillness of the night. + +For a little while, before closing their eyes in sleep, Thure and Bud +lay in their blankets listening to these distant sounds of wild revelry. + +Suddenly, above the music, above the songs and the shouts and the +laughter, rang out the sharp--crack--crack--of two pistol shots, +followed by an instant's lull in the sounds; and then the music, the +songs, the shouts, and the laughter went on, louder and madder than +ever. + +At the sound of the pistol shots both boys had leaped out of their +blankets and stood listening intently; but Ham had only grunted and +rolled over in his blanket. + +"Ham! Ham! Did you hear that?" called Thure excitedly. "Someone must +have been shot!" + +"Shut up, an' crawl back intew y'ur blankets," growled Ham. "'Tain't +none of our bus'ness, if some fool did git shot. It's probably some +drunken row. Whiskey's 'most always back of every shootin' scrap. It +beats me," and the growl deepened, "how full-growed men, with +full-growed brains, can put a drop of that stuff intew their mouths, +after they've once seen what it does tew a feller's interlect, makin' a +man intew a bloody brute or a dirty beast or a grinnin' monkey; an' yit, +th' best an' th' wisest on 'em goes right on drinkin' it. It shore gits +me! Now," and he turned his wrath again on the two boys, "git right back +intew y'ur blankets, an' shut y'ur mouths an' y'ur eyes, an' keep 'em +shut till mornin'," and once again and with a final deep rumbling growl, +he rolled over in his blanket and lay still. + +Thure and Bud crawled slowly back into their blankets; and, at last, +with the sounds of the distant revelry still ringing in their ears, fell +asleep. + + + + +CHAPTER XIV + +THE LUCK OF DICKSON + + +The next morning, a good hour before sunrise, Thure and Bud found +themselves suddenly tumbled out of their blankets and the grinning face +of Ham bending over them. + +"Sleepyheads!" and, reaching down, he gripped each boy by his coat +collar, the night had been chilly and both had slept in their coats, +jerked him to his feet and shook him violently, "Wake up!" and, suddenly +letting go, he sent both boys staggering from him. "Thar, them's my +patented double-j'inted yunk-wakers," and he shook both of his big fists +in the faces of the two boys, "warranted tew wake th' soundest sleepin' +yunk that ever rolled himself up in a blanket, in seven an' +three-quarters seconds by th' watch, or money refunded. For +testimonials, see Bud Randolph and Thure Conroyal," and the grin +broadened on his face, until it threatened to engulf all his features. + +"It sure does the waking all right," laughed Thure; "and you can have my +testimony to that effect any time you wish it." + +For an hour all hands were busy, getting the breakfast, eating, packing +and saddling and bridling the horses; and then, just as the sun, like a +great globe of gold, rose above the gold-filled mountains of their hopes +to the east and shone down on the waters of the Sacramento, Ham gave the +word to start, and, leading one of his well-loaded pack-horses on either +side of him, he strode off, headed for the rough trail to Hangtown, +followed by Thure and Bud, driving their pack-horses before them. + +As they passed along by the various camps in the outskirts of the town, +a man, holding a long-handled frying-pan over the coals of his +camp-fire, looked up and then remarked casually: + +"Queer shootin' scrap that down on the levee last night!" + +"Heer'd th' shootin', but that's all I heer'd," answered Ham, halting +for a moment. "What might thar be queer 'bout it?" + +"Both on 'em bosum friends 'til they gits a lot of French Ike's whiskey +down 'em. Then one calls t'other a liar, an' both on 'em pulls their +guns an' shoots; an' both on 'em falls dead, th' bullets goin' through +th' heart of each one on 'em," answered the man. + +"Hump! Nuthin' queer 'bout that!" grunted Ham. "That's a common thing +for whiskey tew dew. Git up!" and he continued on his way. + +The trail to Hangtown, after leaving the Sacramento Valley, entered the +rough and picturesque regions of the western slopes of the Sierra Nevada +Mountains, where the traveling was slow and difficult, especially with +heavily loaded pack-horses; and, although the distance from Sacramento +City, as the crow flies, was scarcely more than forty miles, yet it was +not until near the middle of the afternoon of the third day that our +friends came in sight of the rude log cabins and tents of Hangtown. They +had climbed to the summit of a particularly rough hill and had just +rounded a huge pile of rocks, when Ham brought his pack-horses to a +sudden halt. + +"Thar's Hangtown," he said, and pointed down the steep side of the hill +into what was little more than a wide ravine, where a number of rudely +built log houses and dirty-looking tents lay scattered along the sides +and the bottom of the declivity and men could be seen at work with picks +and shovels, digging up the hard stony ground, or, with gold-pans in +their hands, washing the dirt thus dug in the waters of the little creek +that flowed through the bottom of the ravine. + +"Hurrah!" yelled both boys, taking off their hats and swinging them +around their heads the moment their eyes caught sight of the houses and +the tents. + +"At last we are where gold is being actually dug up out of the ground!" +exclaimed Thure enthusiastically, a moment later, as he sat on the back +of his horse, watching, with glowing face and eyes, the men of the pick +and the shovel toiling below. + +"It shore does have tew be dug up out of th' ground, at least th' most +on it," agreed Ham, grinning. "More diggin' than gold, th' most on us +find." + +"Oh, come! Let's hurry. I want to get to dad," and Bud started off down +the hill excitedly, with Thure and Ham hurrying along behind him. + +The side of the hill was seamed with small water worn gulches and strewn +with rocks and the logs of fallen trees; and the trail down to the +bottom wound and twisted and turned to avoid these obstructions, until +it seemed to the impatient boys, that, for every step downward, they had +to go a dozen steps to get around some gulch or huge rock or fallen +tree; but, at last, they reached the bottom, and were actually on the +very ground where men were digging gold out of the dirt. + +"Now, where are our dads and the rest?" and Thure looked curiously and +excitedly around him at the various groups of miners hard at work with +their picks or shovels or pans or other washing machines. "I can't see +anybody in sight that looks like them--Oh, there is Dick Dickson!" and +he jumped excitedly off his horse and ran up to a miner at work near by, +who was about to wash a pan of dirt, followed by Bud. + +"Hello, Dick! Didn't know you in them clothes," and Thure held out his +hand to the miner, whose only dress was a broad-brimmed hat, a red +woollen shirt, and a pair of trousers. + +"Glad to see you," and the miner set down the pan of dirt and gripped +the hands of both the boys. "Had to come to the diggings with the rest, +did you? Well, it's hard work; but the gold is here!" and his eyes +sparkled. + +"Are you going to wash that pan of dirt, Dick?" and the eyes of Thure +turned excitedly to the pan full of dirt that the miner had placed on +the ground at the sudden appearance of the boys. + +"Yes," answered Dickson, grinning; "and it's the first pan that looks +like pay-dirt that I've taken out of my new mine over yonder alongside +of that big rock," and he pointed to a huge rock that jutted up above +the ground a couple of rods away, where the boys could see a pile of +dirt that had been thrown out of a hole dug down close to the upper side +of the rock; "and so I am just a little anxious to see how it pans out." + +"Don't--don't let us keep you from washing it," and Bud's face flushed +with excitement. "We, too, would like to see how it pans out, wouldn't +we Thure?" + +"You bet!" was Thure's emphatic rejoinder. "I hope we bring you good +luck, Dick. Now, let's see how you do it." + +"All right. I sure need some good luck. Well, here goes," and with hands +that trembled a little with excitement, for the washing of that pan full +of dirt might mean a small fortune, he bent and picked up the gold-pan. + +The creek was only a few feet away and Dickson hurried thither, followed +by the two eager boys, while Ham, a good-natured grin on his face, stood +guard over the horses. + +Dickson first submerged the pan in the water and held it there until the +dirt was thoroughly soaked, while with one hand he crushed and broke the +larger lumps and stirred the mass with his fingers, until all the dirt +was dissolved, and a great deal of it had been borne away, in a thick +muddy cloud, by the current of the stream. He then tipped the pan a +little, at the same time giving it a slight whirling motion, holding it +with both his hands, which soon caused all the remaining dirt to float +away in the water, except a little coarse black gravel that covered the +bottom of the pan in a thin layer. + +"Now," and Dickson straightened up, the pan in his hands, his face +flushed with excitement, for already his eyes had caught the yellow +glitter of gold, shining amongst the coarse grains of gravel, "we'll see +how hard I've struck it," and he thrust his fingers down into the wet +black gravel that covered the bottom of the pan, and moved them slowly +about in it, bending his head down close to the pan, so that his eyes +could catch every gleam of gold. + +"Is there any? Is there any?" and Thure, in his anxiety to see, almost +bunted his head into the head of Dickson. + +"Is there any! Whoop!" and Dickson let out a yell that nearly startled +both boys off their feet. "Is there any! Just look there! And there! And +there!" and with a trembling finger he pointed, as he spoke, to little +rough bits of gold, a little larger than pin-heads, that fairly flecked +with yellow the bottommost layer of black gravel. + +[Illustration: "IS THERE ANY! JUST LOOK THERE! AND THERE! AND THERE!"] + +Thure and Bud shouted with delight; and Ham and half a dozen of the +miners at work near by came up on the run, the faces of all showing the +liveliest interest. + +"Whoop! I've struck it! Struck it rich, boys!" and the miner, almost +beside himself with excitement, swiftly gathered the golden bits out of +the pan and spread them out on the palm of his hand where all could see. +"A good ten ounces!" he almost shouted, as he tossed them up and down to +test their weight. "One hundred and sixty dollars! And out of the first +pan full of pay-dirt! Gee-wilikins, but won't this be good news for +Mollie!" + +"You shore have struck it, Dickson," declared Ham, who, with glowing +eyes, had been examining the bits of gold on the palm of the miner's +hand. "I reckon thar's a pocketful of it where that comed from," and he +glanced toward the big rock. "That thar rock acted like a big riffle an' +stopped th' gold a-comin' down th' stream that hit ag'in it. I'm mighty +glad you've hit y'ur luck at last," and the big hand of Ham went out in +a hearty grip of the miner's calloused palm. "You shore deserve it, +Dickson." + +The congratulations of all were equally hearty and apparently free from +envy; but Dickson was too eager to further test his discovery to wait +long to listen to congratulation; and, hurriedly pocketing the gold, he +grabbed up the pan and rushed back to his "mine" by the side of the big +rock. + +"Supposing we wait and see him wash out another pan of dirt," and Thure +turned his flushed face and glowing eyes eagerly to Ham. "I never was so +much interested in anything in my life." + +"You shore have got the gold-fever an' got it bad," laughed Ham. "An', I +reckon, you're not th' only boy hereabouts that is a-sufferin' with it," +and he glanced at Bud's flushed face. "Wal, I'm some interested myself +in seein' how Dickson's luck holds out; so we'll wait tew see the +washin' of another pan." + +In less than ten minutes the excited miner was back with another pan +full of the precious dirt, which he at once began to wash, his nervous +excitement being so great that the pan shook and trembled in his hands. +Suddenly, in the midst of his washing, he jumped to his feet with a wild +yell. + +"A nugget! A nugget!" and he held aloft in one hand a little chunk of +solid gold, about as large as an egg and nearly of the same shape, only +rougher in outline. + +By this time quite a little crowd of miners had gathered around the +lucky man; and handshakes and claps on the shoulders and verbal +congratulations were showered on him from all sides, while the nugget +was passed from hand to hand, with many wise and otherwise comments as +to its weight and probable value and the likelihood of there being +others like it where it came from. In the excitement caused by the +finding of the nugget, the remaining dirt in the pan was forgotten, +until Ham, suddenly remembering, turned to the excited Dickson. + +"Better finish cleanin' out th' pan, Dick," he said. "Thar's probably +more gold in it." + +"Gosh, if I didn't forget it!" and Dickson grabbed up the pan and began +washing its contents with feverish haste. + +In a few minutes he arose and held out the pan, his hands trembling. + +"There! Just look there!" he cried, pointing to the glitter of gold in +the black sand that covered the bottom of the pan. "If there isn't a +good fifteen ounces of gold there, then I miss my guess!" and he broke +into a happy laugh. "Well, boys, my luck has turned at last! And there +is a little woman up there in that little log cabin that has got to know +about it at once," and Dickson dropped the pan and started on the run up +the side of the hill toward a little log house that stood in a cluster +of pines halfway up its side, followed by cheers from the miners, who +appeared to be almost as rejoiced over his good fortune, as if it had +been their own. + +All this had been very interesting and very exciting to Thure and Bud; +but now that the climax had been passed their thoughts turned at once to +their fathers. + +"Now," and Thure caught hold of Ham's coat sleeve, "now that we have +seen how they get the gold from the ground, take us to our dads. We are +more anxious than ever to get to them as quickly as possible." + +"I'm pow'ful glad Dickson made that strike," Ham commented, when they +were again on their way. "He's been workin' like a hoss for months, +without hardly gittin' a sight of color; but he's had th' pluck tew keep +a-diggin'. I reckon it's th' Leetle Woman up in th' cabin that's kept +him a-goin'. She's pluck clean through an' has stood right by th' side +of Dick, no matter what sort of luck fate dished out tew him. I shore am +glad Dick has hit it for th' Leetle Woman's sake, as well as his own. +Now, 'bout y'ur dads. That's their house up thar, 'bout a dozen rods +beyond Dickson's. But, I reckon, we won't find none of 'em at home this +time of th' day," and he turned his horses into a rude trail that wound +up the side of the hill toward the little grove of pine trees, in which +the boys could see the little cabin where Dickson lived and beyond that +a larger log house. + +During this time Dickson had been speeding up the hill, shouting and +yelling the good news at the top of his voice as he ran. Suddenly the +boys saw the door of the cabin thrown open, and a woman rush out and run +madly down the rough trail toward the miner, her long unconfined hair +streaming out behind her. + +"Whoop! I've struck it! Struck it rich, Mollie!" they heard Dickson +yell, while from down the hill rang out cheer after cheer from the +little group of miners now gathered about Dickson's find and watching +the meeting between the lucky man and the "Little Woman," as nearly all +the miners in Hangtown called Mrs. Dickson. + +A few minutes later Dickson and the "Little Woman," hand in hand, like +two happy children, ran past them on their way down to the wonderful +find. + +Thure and Bud, and even Ham, cheered and yelled as they ran by; and the +woman turned her shining eyes in their direction and waved her free hand +and shouted a welcome to the two boys. + +"I shore am glad that Dickson made that strike," Ham again remarked, +with something that looked suspiciously like moisture in his eyes. "He's +a deservin' cuss; an' th' Leetle Woman's ben like a mother tew us all." + + + + +CHAPTER XV + +AROUND THE SUPPER TABLE + + +Ham's expectations were fulfilled; for they found the log house vacant, +with a sign on the door that read: "BACK ABOUT SUNDOWN." + +"Wal, jest dismount an' unpack an' make y'urselves tew home. We'll git +things all straightened out afore we start out tew hunt up th' +delinquents," and Ham began unpacking his horses. + +But Thure and Bud had to have a look inside the house, before they +untied a rope or unbuckled a strap; and, the moment they dismounted, +they rushed to the door and entered. + +The house was a very rude affair--just four walls of logs, roughly +fitted with an ax and laid one on top of the other to a height of seven +feet, enclosing a space some twenty-five feet long by eighteen feet +wide, with a bark roof, ground floor, a door cut through the logs in the +middle of one side, and three windows, one in each side and one in the +end opposite the fireplace. The fireplace was very roughly constructed +of stones and sticks, plastered together with a clay-like mud, and with +the chimney built entirely outside of the house. + +The furniture was in keeping with the house. The table was the split +halves of a log, cut about ten feet long and laid side by side, with +their flat sides up, supported by four short posts driven into the +ground near the center of the room. The chairs were blocks of wood, set +on end, reënforced by a couple of old boxes and two miners' easy chairs, +a unique production, made by cutting down an empty flour barrel to +something of the shape of an armed easy chair and attaching two rockers +to the bottom. The seats of these chairs were often lined and stuffed in +good shape and had the comfortable feel and rock of the more costly +chairs of civilization--and what more need a miner ask? Along the side +of the room opposite the door ran a double tier of rude bunks, one side +of the beds being supported by posts driven into the ground and the +other by the logs of the wall. On the wall near the fireplace hung the +frying-pans and the other rude cooking utensils; and in a corner were +piled the bags, barrels, kegs, and boxes containing their camp supplies. + +When you are told that this, at that time in Hangtown, was considered a +rather luxurious style of living, you may be able to form something of +an idea of the kind of style in which the average miner lived. + +"Well, they don't put on much style, do they?" and the eyes Thure turned +to Bud twinkled with excitement and interest. + +"Don't they! Just feast your eyes on this!" and Bud, dropping down into +the soft seat of one of the "easy" chairs, leaned back comfortably and +began rocking. "Now, if this isn't style and comfort, then I don't know +what style and comfort are. Better try it," and he winked toward the +other "easy" chair. + +Thure at once profited by the suggestion. + +"Well, I swun to goodness!" he declared, as he rocked back and forth in +the novel chair, "if this doesn't beat mother's easy rocker for comfort. +I reckon dad will have to make her one, when we get back home," and he +grinned. + +"Say," and Ham strode into the house, a bag of flour on one shoulder, a +box of canned stuff under one arm, and a grin all over his face, "if you +yunks think you've come up here tew dew nuthin' but tew set an' rock in +y'ur dads' easy chairs, you've got another think comin' an' comin' +quick. Now, git them packs off th' backs of y'ur hosses an' intew th' +house. This ain't no Home of Cumfort for lazy yunks. Out with you!" and, +dropping the bag of flour and the box in the corner, he started for the +two boys. + +Thure and Bud "outed" as fast as their four legs could take them; and +soon were busy getting the packs off their horses and the goods into the +house. When this had been done and the horses had been cared for, the +sun was nearing the tops of the western mountains; and it was decided +not to hunt up the "delinquents," as Ham called them, but to await their +return at the house; and, in the meantime, to prepare such a supper for +them as seldom blessed a miner's eyes and excited his appetite, from the +delicacies Mrs. Conroyal and Mrs. Randolph had sent in the packs of the +boys. Then, in addition, Thure and Bud determined to try and give their +fathers, who, of course, supposed the two boys were still at home with +their mothers and sisters on the rancho, a little surprise. By keeping a +sharp lookout down the trail they could be warned of the coming of the +men in sufficient time to put their surprise in operation. + +Accordingly they got everything in readiness, first by tying their +horses out of sight behind a clump of bushes and removing every outward +sign of their presence, and then by drawing the two easy chairs up close +together in front of the door and placing one of the blocks of wood used +as seats in front of each chair. When they saw their fathers coming, +they would take their places in these chairs, lean back comfortably in +them, place their feet at a comfortable angle on top of the blocks of +wood, and, thus sitting cozily in the two easy chairs, be the first +objects to meet their fathers' eyes on entering the house. They fancied +that this unexpected sight might surprise the two men some; and they +were not disappointed. + +Fortunately for the success of their "surprise," Mr. Conroyal and Mr. +Randolph led the little procession of miners that appeared a few minutes +after sundown, coming up the trail leading to the log house. + +"Here they come!" cried Bud, who was stationed at the window overlooking +the trail, the moment the men appeared in sight. "Hurry, Thure, and get +into your chair." + +The two boys quickly seated themselves in the barrel-rockers, perched +their feet comfortably on top of the blocks of wood, leaned back +comfortably into the hollows of their chairs, and fixed their eyes on +the door, their faces shining with excitement. + +At last the door was flung open and the big frame of Noel Conroyal, +backed by that of Rad Randolph, appeared in the doorway. + +For a moment both men stopped right where they were, and stood staring +in blank astonishment at the faces of the two boys sitting in the two +chairs. + +"Walk right in," invited Thure, his eyes dancing. + +"Yes, come right in and have supper with us," urged Bud. + +For an instant longer the two men stood staring; and then both of them +made a rush for the two boys; and, as they were almost instantly +followed by Dill Conroyal, Thure's older brother, Rex Holt, Thure's +cousin, and Frank Holt, Thure's uncle and the father of Rex Holt, you +can imagine the excitement and confusion that reigned in that log house +and how swiftly the questions flew back and forth for the next few +minutes. The men had been away from their homes and their dear ones for +nearly a year now; and, naturally, were exceedingly anxious to learn +what had been going on during their absence. Suddenly, when the +excitement had quieted down a little, Mr. Conroyal's face clouded and +something that looked very much like a frown gathered on his forehead, +as he turned to Thure. + +"But, young man," and the frown on his face deepened, "how comes it that +you are here, against my express commands? I left you at home to care +for your mother and sister and the rancho. Why have you deserted your +trust?" + +"Oh, dad," and Thure turned excitedly to his father, "the most wonderful +thing has happened! We found a dying miner, who had been robbed and +stabbed; and he, just before he died, gave us a map that tells us how to +find a Cave of Gold that he had discovered; and mother, our mothers, +thought you ought to know about it; and so we are here, to get you all +to help find this wonderful Cave of Gold. The miner said that the bottom +of the cave was covered with gold nuggets, just covered with them, dad." + +"And he gave us one of the nuggets, a whopper!" broke in Bud. + +"And your mothers were foolish enough to believe such an improbable tale +and to send you here on such a wildgoose chase!" and something that +began to look very much like anger darkened Mr. Conroyal's face. "Why, +the camp is full of such tales; but no sensible man ever pays any +attention to them." + +"But, dad, you haven't heard our story yet; and you haven't seen the map +and the nugget," insisted Thure eagerly. "I am sure you will not blame +us for coming when you know all." + +"Well, my son," and Mr. Conroyal's lips tightened grimly, "we'll have a +look at that map and nugget and hear that wonderful story of yours and +then, if it doesn't look as if it might pan out true, back you will +start for home at sun-up to-morrow morning. What do you say, Rad?" and +he turned to Mr. Randolph. "The boys must be made to understand that +they can't desert a trust like that at every wild tale they hear." + +"Right," agreed Mr. Randolph. "They start back for home to-morrow +morning, if their tale does not sound reasonable enough to make good +their coming. They were all the men folks left that the women could +depend on; and the reason must be a strong one to justify their +deserting them." + +"But, we did not desert them," expostulated Bud. "They gave us +permission to come, told us to come, because they thought you ought to +know about the Cave of Gold and the map, and there was no one else to +send," and Bud's cheeks flushed a little with disappointment and +indignation. + +"Wal, now," and the good-natured face of Ham loomed up between the two +boys, "I reckon, if you all will jest take a look at that thar table, +you'll stop y'ur talkin' and git tew eatin' some sudden. 'Tain't once in +a dog's age that a miner in Hangtown can sot down tew a table like +that," and Ham waved both hands proudly in the direction of the +split-log table, on which he had spread out, with lavish hands, the +cakes, pies, jellies, fruits, butter, eggs and the other good things +sent from home, together with the results of his own more substantial +cooking, fried bacon, nicely browned flapjacks, and steaming hot coffee. + +"Whoop!" yelled Rex. "Me for the eat!" and, grabbing up one of the +blocks of wood, he made a rush for the table, followed by all present. + +That was a jolly supper. The sight of the unaccustomed good things to +eat put everybody in good nature--and no wonder! for their eyes had not +seen an egg or a cake or a pie or a hunk of butter, to say nothing of +the jelly and the fruit, in Hangtown before for six months; and nobody +knows how good these things look and taste, until they have been without +even a smell of them for some months, and living on a steady diet of +salt pork and beans and man-made bread. But, at length, as all good +things will, the eating came to an end; and then, almost involuntarily, +all eyes turned toward Thure and Bud. Their stomachs were filled; and +now all were in the best possible condition to listen to their story. + +"Now, for that dead miner's wonderful tale," and Conroyal turned to +Thure. + +"Jest wait a minit afore you begin," and Ham arose suddenly from the +table. "We want no outside listeners tew this tale," and, hurrying +outside, he made a hasty circuit of the house, to assure himself that +there were no eavesdroppers. When he came in he remarked, by way of +answer to the inquiring glances turned in his direction: "You will know +why I'm so cautious-like afore th' yunks come tew th' end of their tale; +an', I reckon," and he glanced around the circle of somewhat startled +faces that surrounded the table, "afore they begin, we'd better have it +understood by all that thar is tew be no talkin' outside 'bout this +matter, that it's tew be kept as close as our own skins tew ourselves. +It has already caused th' death of th' old miner, an' mighty nigh th' +death of them yunks thar, as you'll soon larn, an' death is still hot on +th' trail, so it's jest good boss-sense for us tew be cautious-like. We +don't want no more killin's, if we can help it. Now, I reckon, you can +begin y'ur yarn," and, seating himself, he nodded his head to Thure and +Bud. + +You may be sure that, after these ominous actions and words of Ham, +there was no lack of interest in the faces now turned toward the two +boys. + +Thure began the story; and, helped here and there by Bud and often +interrupted by the angry exclamations of his excited hearers, he told +the remarkable tale, from the killing of _El Feroz_ and the death of the +old miner to their own startling arrest for murder in the streets of +Sacramento City and narrow rescue from the hangman's rope by the +providential coming of Hammer Jones and Colonel Fremont. + +"And those two cowardly skunks got away!" almost yelled Conroyal, as he +banged his big fist down on the table, his face white with wrath. "And +after they had almost succeeded in getting two innocent boys hanged for +a crime they committed themselves!" + +"They sart'in did," answered Ham grimly. "An' what's more th' cunnin' +devils like as not are still on th' trail of that thar skin map th' old +miner gave th' boys. That's why I reckon we'll need tew be some +cautious." + +"But, where is this wonderful skin map and that big gold nugget?" cried +Rex Holt, his eyes shining and his face flushing. "Let us have a look at +them," and he jumped to his feet and leaned across the table, so as to +be nearer to Thure. + +"Dill, you and Rex just take a run around the house to see that the +coast is still clear, before the boys show up the gold nugget and the +skin map," and Mr. Conroyal glanced sharply toward the door and the +windows. "As Ham says, we want no eavesdroppers in this case." + +Dill and Rex at once sprang to the door; and, moving in opposite +directions, each slowly made the circuit of the house, their keen eyes +searching the surrounding darkness. They neither saw nor heard anything +suspicious. + +"Now, we'll have a look at that map and gold nugget," Mr. Conroyal said, +as soon as Rex and Dill had returned and reported the coast clear. "Of +course," and he glanced around the circle of faces, "it is understood +that all that is said and seen here to-night is to be kept secret by +all, whether or not the search for the Cave of Gold is made." + +"Yes, yes!" cried Dill impatiently. "We're all in on it together and +must not breathe a word about it to an outsider. We all understand that, +don't we?" + +All the heads around the table quickly nodded assent. + +"Now, then, let us have that map and gold nugget," and he turned +excitedly to Thure and Bud. + +Thure at once thrust his hand under the bosom of his shirt and under his +left shoulder and pulled out the miner's little buckskin bag. Then he +opened the bag and pulled out the map. + +"The skin map," he said, and, laying it down on the table, he swiftly +turned the bag upside down and dumped the gold nugget down on top of it. +"And here is the gold nugget." + +For a moment no one moved; but all sat staring at the big yellow chunk +of metal, shining ruddily in the light of the flickering candles, as it +dropped from the bag and came to a rest on the skin map and lay there on +the table in front of Thure. + +"Gosh, that sart'in looks like th' real stuff!" and the big hand of Ham +reached out and picked up the nugget and hefted it critically. "Solid +gold!" he declared, his eyes shining. "Jest heft it, Con," and he passed +the nugget to Conroyal. "Wal, I reckon you yunks have made good. Now, +let's see what's on that thar piece of skin," and, picking up the map, +he smoothed it out on the table and stared down on it, while as many +heads as possible crowded close to his head and stared down on the map +with him. + +"John Stackpole, did anyone here ever hear of a feller by th' name of +John Stackpole?" and Ham raised his head and glanced around. + +"I know the man," declared Frank Holt, the father of Rex, whose snowy +white hair gave him a patriarchal appearance. "I remember now. That's +the name the fellow gave I saw in Coleman's store 'bout two weeks ago. +He had a peculiar scar, shaped something like a horseshoe over one of +his eyes." + +"That's the man! You remember that queer-shaped scar over one of his +eyes, don't you?" and Bud turned excitedly to Thure. + +"Yes," answered Thure. "He must have just got back from the cave. What +was he doing, Uncle Frank?" and he turned eagerly to Mr. Holt. + +"Well, he certainly looked as if he had just come out of a cave," +grinned Holt. "Clothes all in rags and dirty, and hair and beard all +over his head, except his eyes and nose and mouth. But," and his face +lighted up, "he seemed to have plenty of gold-dust; for, while I was +standing there watching him curiously, he picked out a good suit of +clothes and paid for them out of a bag heavy with gold, gold that was +mostly small nuggets. + +"'Struck it, pard,' and I saw Coleman's eyes glisten, as he gathered in +them small nuggets, for the gold wasn't no Hangtown gold. Anybody with +eyes could see that. + +"'Just a pocket,' answered the man. 'But good and rich, for a pocket.' + +"'Whereabouts might it be, if I ain't asking too much?' queried Coleman, +who I could see was some excited over that bag full of little gold +nuggets, as he placed the bundle of clothes down in front of the man. + +"'Thank you,' answered the man gruffly, and, picking up the bundle, he +hurried out of the store, considerably to the disappointment of Coleman. + +"Now, I calculate, that must have been our man, for he certainly told +Coleman that his name was John Stackpole, when he asked him if any +message had been left there for him. I remember it all plain, because I +got some excited over that bag full of little gold nuggets myself; but I +didn't call to mind the name until Ham called it out." + +For many minutes the map and the gold nugget were now passed from hand +to hand and thoroughly examined by all, while the tongues of all wagged +with excited comments and Thure and Bud were often called upon to repeat +parts of their story. But, at length, Noel Conroyal, who had been +elected President of the Never-Give-Up California Mining Company, into +which our good friends, the Conroyals, the Randolphs, the Holts, and +Hammer Jones, had organized themselves, stood up and pounded on the +table with his big fist. + +"The Never-Give-Up California Mining Company will come to order," he +said, the moment the talking ceased; "for the purpose of considering the +matter laid before it by Thure Conroyal and Bud Randolph and to +determine what action, if any, shall be taken." + +"Oh, cut out the big talk, dad, and just let's talk it over together," +protested Dill a bit impatiently; for, when Mr. Conroyal assumed the +office and the dignities of the President of the Never-Give-Up +California Mining Company, he was apt to be a little formal and +long-winded. "We don't need the formalities and they take up time." + +"All right, if that is the wish of the company," agreed Mr. Conroyal +good-naturedly. "I only wanted to get to doing something besides +talking." + +"I think," declared Ham, "that, now that we've heer'd th' story an' seen +th' skin map an' th' gold nugget, we'd better sleep on it afore we +decide anything, 'specially seein' that it's gittin' late, an' all on +us, I reckon, are plumb tired; an' tharfore, I move that this here +meetin' be adjourned 'til tew-morrer mornin', an' that all on us be +ordered tew git intew our bunks an' go tew sleep." + +Ham's suggestion sounded so sensible, for even the excitement could no +longer keep their tired bodies and brains from calling out for rest and +sleep, that it was adopted at once, with only a few feeble protests; +and, in fifteen minutes from the time it was made the lights were out +and all were in their bunks. + +"Say, dad," queried Thure a bit mischievously, as he and Bud crawled +under the blankets of one of the bunks, "do we have to start back for +home at sun-up?" + +"No, shut up and go to sleep," growled back Mr. Conroyal. + + + + +CHAPTER XVI + +UNEXPECTED COMPANY + + +The next morning everybody at the Headquarters of the Never-Give-Up +California Mining Company was up an hour before the sun flashed its +golden light over the tops of the eastern mountains and down on the log +cabins and tents of Hangtown. All the workers in the mining-camps went +to bed early, tired out with their hard day's work with pick and shovel, +slept soundly, and arose early the next morning to begin another day of +toil. Only the drones--the gamblers, the saloon-keepers, and their +foolish patrons--burned the midnight oil, or, rather in this case, the +midnight candle, for there was little oil to burn in these camps. Hence +it was that when Thure and Bud hurried out of the house to wash their +hands and faces in a near-by spring, they saw that they were far from +being the only early risers, that the smoke was rising from the chimneys +of nearly every log cabin in sight and that in front of nearly every +tent glowed a camp-fire, around which the cooks already could be seen +preparing breakfast. + +"Well, this is great!" declared Bud, as he dashed the cool, refreshing +water over his face. "I feel like a new man already. There must be +something in this mountain air that gets into the blood and puts new +life into a fellow. Say, but isn't this a beautiful sight, like--like a +picture painted by a great artist!" and his eyes swept over the +surrounding scene, now just becoming visible through the light of the +early dawn. + +"You are right, it is a beautiful scene," and Thure stood up and allowed +his eyes to drink in, with all the enthusiasm of youth, the beauties of +the scene; "but, I reckon, there is no artist that can paint a picture +the equal of that," and he pointed to the distant tops of the eastern +mountains. "It takes the brush of God to paint that kind of pictures!" + +And Thure was right. No artist's skill could transfer to canvas the full +glories of such a scene as now delighted the eyes of Thure and Bud. + +The first rays of the morning's sun flamed upon the snow-covered tops of +the mountains towering high above their heads to the eastward, while the +mountainsides and valleys were still dark with the shadows of night; and +everywhere the flaming light of morning struck the crystal-white of the +snow on mountain top and pinnacle, that peak was crowned with a glorious +halo that glowed, first with grayish violet lights, swiftly changing to +crimson and rose, and from rose to gold, until, suddenly, the whole peak +blazed forth in the glorious light of the full-risen sun. A vision for +an artist to rhapsodize over; but for a God to paint! + +"Bre'kfust! First an' last call tew bre'kfust!" yelled Ham from the open +door of the house, just as the sun burst over the tops of the mountains. + +"I feel as if I had just been to church," Thure said reverently, as the +two boys started back to the house. + +"So do I," agreed Bud. "Only no church or priest ever seem to bring God +as close to a fellow as such a scene as that does. I don't see how +anybody can live in the mountains and not believe in God." + +As soon as breakfast was eaten, Mr. Conroyal arose. + +"Now," he said, "that we have all had a night in which to think over the +tale of the dead miner we had better get together and decide on what we +had best do; and, as Dill suggested last night, we will first talk it +over in an informal way. Now, what do you think about the truth of the +miner's yarn? That, of course, is the first thing to settle; for there +is no need of bothering with the matter at all, unless we feel quite +sure that the miner really found a cave something like the one he +described to Thure and Bud." + +"Well, considering all things," and Frank Holt took the pipe he had lit +and was puffing on out of his mouth and laid it down on the table, "and +more especially considering the fact, that, when I saw him in Coleman's, +he appeared to have just got in from a long prospecting spell in the +mountains and to have plenty of gold along with him, and gold of a +different kind than is found anywhere around here, I feel quite certain +that Stackpole's yarn about finding that Cave of Gold comes pretty nigh +to being true, nigh enough at least to be worth investigating." + +"Them's my sentiments right down tew a T," declared Ham emphatically. +"Whar thar's ben so much smoke, thar's sart'in tew be some fire. I'm in +favor of makin' a hunt for th' Cave of Gold; but, afore doin' it, I'd +like tew know how that thar wing dam project over in Holt's Gulch is +promisin' tew pan out. If 'twon't take tew long, I'd like tew see that +job finished afore we have a try for th' Cave of Gold. I reckon we've +all put tew many backaches an' armaches intew that dam tew want tew see +'em wasted; an' thar might be a wagon load of gold thar, an', if thar +is, we want tew be th' ones tew git it, after all our work." + +"Right, Ham's right," asserted Mr. Randolph. "Now, supposing we all go +down and have a look at that dam, and try to figure out just about how +much longer it will take to finish it, before we decide anything +definitely about the hunt for the Cave of Gold. I feel almost sure that +we are going to strike it rich there, and I'd hate like sin to see any +one else reap where we've sown so many backaches, as Ham says." + +"I think Rad has it about right," declared Mr. Conroyal, "and, if there +are no objections, we'll all go down to Holt's Gulch and have a look at +the wing dam. I fancy it wouldn't please none of us much, after working +as hard as we have, to see somebody else step into our boots there and +reap a fortune, as like as not they'd do, if we deserted the dam now. I +reckon it won't take more than a week to finish the dam; and then a few +hours will show whether or not we've struck pay-dirt." + +There were no objections made to this proposition, although Rex and Dill +and Thure and Bud grumbled a little over the prospect of having the hunt +for the Cave of Gold delayed for a week; and, accordingly, all started +for Holt's Gulch, so named in honor of its discoverer, Rex Holt. + +The gulch was about two miles from Hangtown and was reached by passing +up a deep and steep ravine, that split the side of the hill a little +above Hangtown, for about a mile, and then up and over the side of the +ravine and down into a narrow little valley, into which a little stream +of water tumbled through a rent in the walls of rock that nearly +enclosed the valley. This rent in the rocks was the entrance to Holt's +Gulch; and the dam was being constructed something like half a mile +farther up, where the gulch crooked about, like a bent elbow, and +widened out a little. + +Many of the miners were already at work when our little company passed +up the ravine on their way to Holt's Gulch, presenting scenes of the +greatest interest and novelty to the unaccustomed eyes of Thure and Bud, +as they dug for the precious metal, sometimes up to their knees in mud +and water, sometimes so far away from the water that all the pay-dirt +had to be carried on their backs to the creek and there panned, but +always cheerful and hopeful that they "sure would strike it big soon." + +"Now, what might those fellows be doing there? They look as if they +might be winnowing wheat; but, of course, that can't be what they are +doing," and Thure turned a puzzled face to Ham, as he pointed to where a +small company of Mexicans, lank and skinny and black as Arabs of the +desert, were gathering the loose dry dirt in large wooden bowls, tossing +it up in the air, where the wind could blow away the lighter particles, +and dexterously catching it again in their bowls, as it came down, or +allowing it to fall on blankets or hides spread on the ground at their +feet, in a manner very similar to the ancient method of separating the +grain from the chaff. + +"Them are a breed of Mexies called Sonorans," answered Ham; "an' they +are a-throwin' that dirt up in th' air an' a-catchin' it ag'in tew git +th' gold out of it. You see th' wind keeps a-blowin' th' lighter dirt +out an' a-leavin' th' gold, 'cause it's heavier, until thar's nuthin' +left but th' dirt what's tew heavy for th' wind tew blow away an' th' +gold-dust, which is cleaned by blowing th' heavy dirt out of th' bowl +with th' breath. That way of gittin' gold is called dry-washin'; an' is +tew slow an' dirty for Americans or anybody else that's got much gump +tew 'em; but them tarnal Mexies seem tew thrive on it. I reckon th' good +Lord made 'em nearly black, jest so they could live an' work in dirt, +without th' dirt showin' through much. That sort of thing would kill a +white man in a week," and Ham looked his disgust. + +"Say, but this gold-digging is no fun, no matter how you do it, is it?" +and Thure's eyes swept up and down the ravine, where hundreds of men +were toiling like ditch-diggers. + +"Fun! Gold-diggin' fun!" and Ham grinned. "Th' feller what comes tew th' +diggin's a-thinkin' that th' gold is a-goin' tew jump up right out of +th' ground, 'cause it's so glad tew see him, is a-goin' tew git fooled +'bout as bad as Dutch Ike did, when he took a skunk for a new kind of an +American house cat an' tried tew pick it up in his arms. Fun! No; +gold-diggin' is jest grit an' j'int grease mixed tewgether an' kept +a-goin' with beans an' salt pork an' flapjacks. But, we're gettin' ahind +a-watchin' them dirty Sonorans. Come on," and the huge strides of Ham +made Thure and Bud both trot to keep up with him, as he hurried after +the others, to whom the dry-washing Mexicans were too common a sight to +be worthy a moment's pause for the purpose of watching. + +"Now, dad," and Thure turned inquiringly to his father, when, at length, +all stood together in Holt's Gulch on the mound of dirt that had been +already thrown up in building the wing dam, "I don't just see how this +dam is going to help you find the gold." + +"Well, my son," and Mr. Conroyal smiled, "it is not at all surprising to +find that you do not know all about mining, seeing that you have been in +the diggings only over night; but I'll give you the theory of the dam. +This little stream of water, as you can see from where we stand, makes +rather a sharp turn a few rods down, against an almost perpendicular +wall of rock, forming a curve in the stream that can be likened to the +crook in a bent arm, and leaving quite a little open space of ground +almost on a level with the water in the bend of the arm. Now we've +discovered that there is a deep hole right at the elbow joint, partly +filled with gravel and big enough to hold a good many tons of gold, but +too deep to get at through the water; and we've figured it out something +like this. The gold found in all the diggings along the beds of rivers +has been washed out of the rocks by the water and carried down by the +current, until stopped by its own weight or some obstruction; and we +calculate that most of the gold carried down by this stream would sink +down into this hole and stay there, because, gold being so heavy, it +would sure fall down into the hole, and, once there, the water would not +be strong enough to lift it out again. Now, that is the reason why we +think there might be gold and lots of it in that there hole," and he +pointed to the elbow made by the curve in the stream. + +"But, of course, not being fish, we cannot get down into the hole to see +whether or not there is gold in it, as long as the water runs over it; +and so we are making this wing dam up here above the elbow, to turn the +stream into a new channel and send it flowing kitti-corner-wise across +the opening between the two arms of the elbow and back into its own +channel below the elbow, which, of course, would leave the elbow dry and +give us a chance to clean out the hole and get all the gold there is in +it." + +"Oh, I see now!" exclaimed Thure, his eyes beginning to shine with +excitement. "And you call it a wing dam, because you have to make a sort +of a wing to the main dam, extending for quite a ways out on the dry +land, in order to give the water a sufficient turn to keep it from +flowing back into the old channel until you are ready to have it." + +"Exactly," and Mr. Conroyal smiled. "And, if the good Lord will only +keep it from raining until we get the dam finished, all of us might make +our fortunes right here; and, again, we might not find a cent's worth of +gold. It's all a speculation," and he shrugged his big shoulders. + +"But--but what difference could a little rain make? You are not afraid +of getting wet, are you?" and Thure smiled at the thought of these hardy +men standing in dread of a little rain. + +"No, son, we are not afraid of getting wet," and Mr. Conroyal smiled +grimly. "But a big rain up there in the mountains where this stream +comes from, would mean that in less than no time a flood of water would +come a-tearing down this narrow gulch that would sweep our dam off its +feet quicker than you could wink an eye--and us along with it, if we +didn't get out of here about as lively as the Lord would let us. +Howsomever we are not counting much on a rain, seeing that the dry +season has got a fairly good start; but it might come," and his eyes +turned a little anxiously toward the snow-covered mountains to the +northeast, whence came the little stream of water running through Holt's +Gulch. "But, come, we must get busy. Now, the first thing for us to do +is to figure out about how much longer it will take us to finish the +dam. I calculate that we have the dam about two-thirds done; and, since +we have now been at work twelve days, I think we can count on finishing +it in another six days." + +"That's 'bout my idee, Con," agreed Ham. "Another six days otter see th' +finish of th' job; an' then--maybe it will be gold an' maybe it will be +jest a lot of durned hard work for nothin'; but it shore looks good; an' +I'm in favor of seein' this dam through afore tacklin' th' Cave of Gold +propersition." + +For an hour or more our friends measured and figured and considered; and +then, all coming to the conclusion that Mr. Conroyal's estimate of the +time required to complete the dam was about right, the Never-Give-Up +California Mining Company went into executive session, and, after again +considering the marvelous tale of the dead miner and again examining the +gold nugget and the skin map and again carefully weighing their chances +of finding gold in the hollow of the stream's elbow after the turning of +the water aside by the dam, the Company finally decided that the dam +proposition looked too good to throw up, even for such an alluring +project as the hunt for the wonderful Cave of Gold, especially since the +Cave of Gold could not run away and would still be there waiting to be +found after the dam proposition had been thoroughly tried out. +Accordingly it was voted to first complete the dam and see if there was +any gold in the old bed of the stream; and then, if it was still the +wish of the Company, they would start on a hunt for the miner's Cave of +Gold. + +"That means for everybudy tew git busy tew once with pick or shovel," +and Ham jumped to his feet and seized a pick the moment the result of +the final vote was announced. "We want tew git this here dam built jest +as soon as we can, an' find out what's in that thar hole; an' then, I +reckon, we'll all want tew have a try for that thar gold cave, unless we +gits enough gold out of th' hole tew plumb fill us all up with gold," +and Ham grinned joyously, as he struck the sharp point of his pick down +deep into the hard dirt. + +There was always the prospect of a big find in the near future to keep +up the spirits of the gold-digger. What did his condition to-day matter +to him, when to-morrow he might fill his pockets full of gold! When all +he had to do was to shoulder his pick and shovel, pick up his gold-pan, +and go out almost anywhere and dig enough gold out of the ground at +least to live on! When every morning was cheered by the possibility of +striking it rich before night, and the discouragements of every night +were lightened by the thought that to-morrow might be his lucky day! The +star of hope always brightened his darkest skies; and so long as he kept +his health, he usually kept his courage and good-nature. Consequently +the reader need not wonder at the joyous grin on Ham's face, when he +began tearing up the earth with his pick; for every blow might be +bringing him a step nearer to a fortune! + +The building of a dam under any circumstances is hard and dirty work; +but, when the only tools are picks and shovels, when all the dirt that +cannot be thrown into place with the shovel, must be lugged there on the +backs of the laborers themselves, as was the case with our friends, +then, indeed, does the building of a dam become about as fatiguing work +as a human being can undertake to do, as Thure and Bud both discovered +long before the night of their first day's work in the goldmines of +California came to bring rest to their aching backs and arms and legs. +But that day saw the completion of the wing part of the dam and the new +channel so far as it was thought necessary to dig one and now all that +remained to be done was to extend the dam across the stream itself; and +this progress put all, even the two boys notwithstanding their +weariness, into splendid spirits. + +"I reckon it won't take us th' hull six days tew finish th' job," +commented Ham, as he threw down his pick and wiped his perspiring face +with a huge red handkerchief at the close of the day's work. "We didn't +calculate that you tew yunks was such hosses tew work," and he grinned +into the faces of Thure and Bud; and the two tired boys grinned bravely +back. They were not going to let anybody know just how very, very tired +they really were. + +That night, when the returning laborers came within sight of their log +house, they were greatly surprised to see the smoke pouring hospitably +out of its chimney and a light glowing a bright welcome through its +windows. + +"Now, who can it be!" exclaimed Ham, the moment his eyes caught sight of +the smoke and the light, while all quickened their steps and their faces +brightened; for company in that lonely log house was such a rarity as to +be most gladly welcomed. "Won't expectin' nobudy, was you, Con?" + +"No," answered Conroyal. "I can't imagine who it can be." + +"Maybe it's th' minister an' his wife come tew make us a social-like +call. Wal, he won't git no chicken dinner, if it is," and Ham grinned. + +At the door of the house the mystery was solved by the sudden appearance +in the doorway of the smiling face of Mrs. Dickson glowing with the heat +of the fire over which she had been cooking and her own happiness, +backed by the grinning countenance of her husband. + +"Dick and I felt just as if we had to celebrate our good fortune +someway, or bust," she explained, smiling and bowing to the astonished +men; "and, of course, we didn't want to celebrate it all alone, so we +just moved in here for the celebration, your house being larger than +ours. Now, get washed up as quick as you can and come right in. Supper +is almost ready; and Dick has bought out nearly all the stores in +Hangtown. Thought you men folks might enjoy a taste of woman's cooking +again," and her sweet laugh rang out joyously. + +"Got everything good to eat they had in Hangtown, boys," and Dickson +thrust his head out over one of his wife's shoulders; "and Mollie's +cooked a dinner that just fairly makes a fellow's insides jump to get a +whiff of. Whoop! I've taken a good Ten Thousand Dollars' worth of gold +out of that hole by the side of the big rock already! And there is more +left there, boys! There is more left there!" and the happy man caught +his wife around the waist and began waltzing with her around the table. + +"Wal, I'll be durned!" was the way Ham expressed his feelings at this +unexpected but most welcomed invasion of their home; and, judging from +the looks on the faces of the others, that was about the way all felt. + +Our friends promptly hurried away to the spring to "wash up," as the +Little Woman had commanded; and soon were back again, with, probably, +just a little cleaner faces and hands than they had had before in weeks. + +"Now, just sit right down to the table," Mrs. Dickson urged, the moment +they came filing in. "Everything is ready for you to begin eating right +away; and nobody is to wait on ceremony. I know you must be about as +hungry as bears. Dick and I have already eaten until we are both about +ready to bust, the things looked and smelled so good we couldn't wait no +how, so we've got nothing else to do but just to wait on you big hungry +men--There, sit right down there, Ham, in front of that gold-pan +full--but it is a surprise; and I won't tell you what is in that pan +yet," and she pushed the grinning Ham down on the block of wood that did +service in lieu of a dining chair in front of a steaming covered +gold-pan. + +One near whiff of the contents of this pan and Ham jumped to his feet. + +"Whoop, boys!" he yelled. "It's chicken! It's chicken pie! Whoop! Hurrah +for th' Leetle Woman!" and, whirling suddenly around, he threw one big +arm around Mrs. Dickson, drew her quickly to him, and gave her a smack +on one of her rosy cheeks that sounded like the report of a pistol. + +"And the only chickens in Hangtown are in that pie," declared Dickson +proudly. "When we saw those birds Mollie and I just couldn't keep our +hands off them. They seemed to be just a-begging us to buy them and make +them into a chicken pie. Now, fall to, boys; and, with every mouthful +that you eat, think of our good luck. It means a lot to us, boys, a +whole lot to the Little Woman and me. We are going back to our dear old +New York home on the beautiful banks of the Hudson--Hi, there, Ham! Just +start the chicken pie a-going round. You are not the only mouth at the +table," and Dickson, doubtless feeling that sentiment was beginning to +get a little the best of him, rushed excitedly about the table, as he +helped to pass the good things Mrs. Dickson had cooked from one to +another. + +That was a dinner to remember as long as one lived. The circumstances of +its giving were so unusual and so generous, its surroundings were so +unique, and its jolliness was so whole-hearted and spontaneous, that +ever afterwards it was one of the bright spots in the memories of all +who were present. + +When the eating was ended the men went outside and built a huge fire in +front of the house; and then sat down around it and smoked their pipes +and told stories and compared mining notes and discussed the +ever-present questions of where the gold came from and how it got there, +all of which would make interesting reading, but which, because of other +events that are crowding forward, must be passed over thus briefly. + +For a couple of hours the talk around the camp-fire continued; Mrs. +Dickson had joined the circle, and then Mr. and Mrs. Dickson both rose. + +"It's getting late and we must be going," declared Mrs. Dickson. + +"Not yit! Not yit! Not until you've sung for us!" cried Ham, jumping to +his feet. "We can't let her go without a song, can we, boys?" + +The reply was an unanimous demand for the song; and Mrs. Dickson, +smiling and bowing and blushing, like a happy schoolgirl, and declaring +that she was afraid she had eaten too much to sing, straightened up her +plump little body, threw back her head, and was about to begin to sing +in the dark shadows where she stood, when Ham caught her by both her +shoulders and gently pushed her out into the bright light of the +camp-fire. + +"Th' song wouldn't sound nigh as good, if we couldn't see th' singer +plain," he declared, his face seemingly one broad grin. "Thar, that's +'bout right," and he swung her around so that the brightest light shone +full on her face. "Now give us good old 'Ben Bolt,' Somehow that song +kinder seems tew sweeten me all up inside," and Ham sat down almost +directly in front of Mrs. Dickson. + +Mrs. Dickson had a sweet, clear, bird-like voice, and what she lacked in +training she more than made up in the feeling she put into the words she +sang; and her singing always touched the hearts of these lonely miners +deeply. But to-night, as she stood there, with the ruddy light of the +camp-fire shining on her face and dimly illuminating the surrounding +shadows of the lonely night and the towering mountains and the tall pine +trees, and sang the beautiful words and melody of "Sweet Alice, Ben +Bolt," she struck a deeper chord still, and all listened like men +entranced until the last note died away in the silence of the encircling +night. + +"I never knowed I liked music so well, 'til I heer'd th' Leetle Woman +sing," declared Ham the moment the sound of Mrs. Dickson's voice ceased. +"Her singin' seems tew come a-knockin' right at th' door of a feller's +heart. Now, dew sing us another one," and he turned pleadingly to Mrs. +Dickson. + +"Yes, I will sing you just one more song; and then we must be going. It +must be nearly ten o'clock; and those two tired boys have been nodding +their heads for the last half-hour." + +"Me!" "We!" and Thure and Bud both sat up very straight. "Oh, we were +just nodding our heads to keep time to your music. Please do sing +again." + +For answer Mrs. Dickson lifted her face to the sparkling skies; and +then, while the tears gathered in her own eyes and her sweet voice +trembled a little, she sang that song dear to the hearts of all +wanderers no matter where they roam, "Home, Sweet Home." + +"Now, good night, everybody. Come, Dick," and, turning quickly the +moment she stopped singing, Mrs. Dickson caught hold of her husband's +arm and hurried away before the spell of the song and the singer was +broken. + +A half an hour later the lights in both the houses were out and their +inmates sound asleep. + + + + +CHAPTER XVII + +POCKFACE AGAIN + + +Thure and Bud were very tired and very sleepy and both slept very +soundly; but, when the door of their house was suddenly flung violently +open some three hours after they had closed their eyes in sleep, and a +voice, hoarse with excitement, yelled: "Fire! Fire! Fire!" they found +themselves out of their bunks and on their feet and wide-awake almost +before the startling cry ceased to echo in the room. + +"Where, where is the fire?" they heard Conroyal asking excitedly, as +they hurried into their trousers and heavy boots--they had slept in +their shirts. A moment later came a cry of horror from Ham in reply. + +"God in heaven!" he yelled. "It's Dickson's! Th' Leetle Woman!" and he +plunged madly out through the door, followed by every other man in the +house. + +Thure and Bud were close behind the last man. The moment they were +outside their eyes caught the red glow of the fire shining wickedly +through the openings between the pine trees that surrounded Dickson's +little cabin, and raced madly toward it. The distance was not great, not +over twenty rods; and they soon found themselves in front of the burning +house. + +Dickson and his wife, half-dressed, were rushing madly about, empty +water-pails in their hands. Already the red flames were leaping through +one of the windows; and, as they looked, a heavy jet of black smoke, +swiftly followed by a long tongue of fire, shot out from the roof above +the flaming window. + +"Buckets! Buckets!" yelled Ham. "Form a line tew th' spring an' pass +buckets of water from it tew th' house. Here, you," he cried, as his +eyes caught sight of Thure and Bud, "back tew th' house an' git +everything in it that'll hold water--pails, gold-pans, kettles, +anything--Hurry!" + +Thure and Bud turned instantly and sped back to the house, their hearts +thumping with excitement. They knew the value of moments in a case like +this. Thure was a little longer-legged, a little the swifter runner, and +he reached the open door perhaps a rod ahead of Bud and sprang through +it, thinking only of how he could get hold of the kettles and the pails +and the pans in the quickest manner possible. + +The room was dimly lighted by a ruddy glow from the coals still burning +in the fireplace; and by this light, Thure, the moment he sprang through +the door, saw a figure start up suddenly from near the bunk where he +slept and turn a pock-marked, face, white with fear, toward him; and +then, as his momentum carried him into the room and before he could lift +a hand in self-defense, he saw the right hand suddenly swing up a heavy +club, as the figure leaped toward him, and--a blinding crash and he knew +no more for the present. + +Bud was more fortunate. He saw the figure, saw the blow hurriedly aimed +at him, in time to spring aside; and then, with a yell of rage, for he, +too, had caught sight of the pock-marked face of his assailant, he +hurled himself toward him. + +But Pockface had had all of the fight he wanted; for, the instant he +struck at Bud and failed to hit him, he sprang through the door. + +Bud, in his mad rush to get at the man, failed to see the body of Thure +sprawled out on the ground at his feet, and, as he sprang after the +fleeing scoundrel, his feet struck the body and pitched him head-first +to the ground, where he lay for an instant, stunned by the fall. When he +jumped to his feet and sprang excitedly to the door, Pockface had +vanished completely into the darkness of the night. + +There was no use now of trying to follow him. Besides, there was Thure! +What had happened to him? He--he might be dead! And, with fingers that +trembled with anxiety and dread, Bud hurriedly lit a candle and bent +over Thure, for the moment forgetful of the fire and of everything else +but the condition of his friend. + +A great bump on the top of Thure's head showed where the blow had +fallen; but he was breathing, and Bud's experience in such matters +quickly told him that he was only stunned. + +On a box in a corner of the room stood a pail, filled with water. Bud +quickly seized this pail, and, in his excitement, dumped its whole +contents directly down on the white face of Thure. + +A shiver ran through the still form, then both eyes opened and stared +wildly, blankly around for a moment. Suddenly the blank, wild look left +the eyes, and Thure struggled desperately to get on his feet. + +"Did he--did he get the skin map?" he cried excitedly, as Bud endeavored +to quiet him. "I--I left it under my pillow. Hurry! See if it is still +there. Never mind me. I'll be all right in a minute. Hurry and see if +the map is still where I left it," and he pushed Bud impatiently away +from him. + +Bud quickly caught up the candle and hurried to the bunk. Both pillows +lay on the floor, where some hurried hand had thrown them, and the +little buckskin bag, with its precious contents, was nowhere in sight. +Bud jerked off all the blankets and held the candle up high; but no +sight of the buckskin bag rewarded his efforts. + +"It is gone!" and he turned a despairing face to Thure. "He got the map! +And after all we have gone through!" + +"What!" Thure was now on his feet, all the dizziness gone, and rushing +toward the bunk. "The map gone!" and he seized the candle from Bud's +hand, and, holding it so that its light illuminated the whole bunk, +stared wildly down on the rumpled surface of the rude bedtick, which +now, the blankets having been thrown off, showed its entire surface to +the light of the candle. There could be no doubting his own eyes. The +buckskin bag was not there! + +"Gone! It is gone!" and Thure staggered back from the bunk, almost as if +he had received a blow. "But," and he straightened up suddenly, his face +white and his eyes sparkling with rage, "he has not had time to go far. +Get your rifle, your pistols," and he sprang to the rack where hung his +rifle and pistols. "We must catch him. Oh, if I could but just get hold +of him!" and, rifle and pistols in hands, he rushed to the door; and not +until the glare of the burning house met his eyes did he come to his +senses sufficiently to see the folly of rushing blindly out into the +darkness of the night and the wildness of the mountains after the +scoundrel who had fled he knew not whither, or to recall the purpose for +which he and Bud had been sent back to the house. + +"Mother of men! We are forgetting all about the fire!" and he stopped +abruptly. "Well, it would be useless to try to find him now," and his +eyes glared wrathfully out into the darkness of the night. "The buckets! +Hurry!" and he rushed back into the house. + +When, a few minutes later, Thure and Bud, loaded down with kettles, +pails, pans, and even frying-pans, rushed pantingly up to Ham, who stood +at the end of the long line of men, stretching from the house to the +spring, throwing the water, as it was passed to him, with his great +strong arms, on the fire, he turned angrily on them. + +"Git tew th' spring," he shouted, "with them kettles and pails, you +young--" Then, catching sight of their white faces, he stopped abruptly. +"What's happened?" + +"They've got the map!" + +"Burn th' map! Git tew th' spring with them pails an' git busy with th' +water," and, with a violent swing of his huge body, Ham flung a large +gold-pan full of water on top of the flaming roof. + +Thure and Bud at once hurried to the spring. + +By this time the alarm of fire had raced up and down the gulches and +ravines of Hangtown and men were running from every direction toward the +burning building. Already a hundred or more men were stretched in a long +line from the house to the spring; and down this line buckets and pails +and pans of water were passing as swiftly as strong and willing arms +could send them. The air was filled with the yells and cries of excited +men. + +Thure and Bud at once pushed their pails and buckets into service and +promptly joined a new line that was forming. + +Fortunately the spring was a large one and the water held out; and, in a +short time, a great shout went up from the house and rushed along the +two lines of bucket men up to the spring and echoed and reëchoed +triumphantly up and down through the rocky gulches and canyons of +Hangtown. + +The fire had been conquered; but not until the larger part of the roof +had been burned and the greater part of the interior furnishings +destroyed. + +The cause of the fire was a mystery. Mr. and Mrs. Dickson were positive +that it did not come from the fireplace, that, in fact, it had started +in almost the opposite end of the house and nearly directly under their +bunk; for, when the heat and the smoke awoke them, the foot of the bunk +and the lower end of the bed-clothes were already ablaze. Everything +inside the house was too badly burnt to furnish any positive clues; but +it was the opinion of nearly all the excited men that the house had been +set on fire purposely; and, if they could have but laid their hands on +the miscreant, there would have been as speedy a hanging as the one had +been that had given the town its unsavory name. + +The moment the excitement of the fire was over, Thure and Bud hastened +to their fathers and hurriedly told them what had happened on their +return to the house and of the disappearance of the map. + +The two men at once quietly but quickly gathered the other members of +the company and soon all were back again in the house, with the door +tightly closed. + +"Now," and Mr. Conroyal turned to the two boys, "tell us exactly what +happened." + +Thure quickly told all that he knew up to the moment the club had +knocked him senseless and exhibited the bump, now as large as a goose +egg, on the top of his head in proof of the story; and then Bud related +his part in the adventure. Both boys were certain that the man they had +seen in the house was Quinley, or Pockface as they continued to call +him. + +"An' you say th' skunk got that thar skin map an' gold nugget!" and Ham +sprang excitedly to his feet. + +"Yes. I--I left it under my pillow. We found both pillows on the floor; +and the buckskin bag gone. The man was standing near my bunk when I +rushed in, and must have just found it. Oh, if I only could have got +hold of him before he hit me!" and tears of baffled rage filled Thure's +eyes. + +"You're sart'in th' bag ain't thar?" and Ham glanced at the dismantled +bunk and the disordered bed-clothes scattered about. + +"Look for yourself," and Thure sank down on one of the rude chairs and, +throwing his arms disconsolately on the table, laid his aching head down +on them. + +Ham seized a lighted candle and strode over to the bunk, followed by all +the other men. He held the candle over the bunk and his eyes swiftly +searched every inch of the surface of the bedtick. + +"Th' yunks are right! Th' bag's not here!" and, with an angry growl, he +seized the offending mattress and hurled it out on the floor. + +There was a soft thud, as of something small but heavy striking the +ground of the floor; and then, with a yell that caused Thure to jump +nearly a foot up in the air from his seat at the table, Ham dropped the +candle and caught up something from the floor. + +"Hal'lujah! Hurrah! Amen! Here it is!" yelled the excited man, as he +held up where all could see the missing buckskin bag. + +In his mad tumble out of the bunk at the alarm of fire, Thure must have +knocked the little bag down between the mattress and the side of the +bunk, whence the rude hands of Ham had dislodged it when he had jerked +the mattress off the bunk; and this, probably, was all that had saved it +from the fingers of Pockface, for the pillows lying on the floor showed +that he had evidently searched underneath them. + +There is no need of picturing the rejoicing in that log house for the +next few minutes; but, when all had quieted down and were beginning to +talk sensible again, Rex suddenly jumped to his feet with an exclamation +of horror and rage. + +"The curs! The cowards! The murderers!" he cried excitedly. + +"What's bitin' you?" demanded Ham in astonishment. + +"The fire! Can't you see the curs set Dickson's house on fire on purpose +to get us out of the way?" + +"Great guns! If I don't believe you are right!" and Ham leaped to his +feet, his face white with rage. "An' a woman asleep in th' house! They +might have burnt both on 'em tew death! They shore won't stop at nuthin' +tew git that map! An' tew think I had my grip on that red-headed skunk's +shoulder, an' I only knocked him down!" and Ham dropped back on his +seat, muttering wrathfully to himself. + +"I reckon Rex has the right of it," and Mr. Conroyal's lips tightened. +"But the devilish cunning of it! They knew that whoever had the buckskin +bag would not be apt to sleep with it on him; and they calculated that +the sudden alarm of fire, coming when all were sound asleep, would so +startle, that, for the moment, even the skin map would be forgotten and +all would rush out to help put out the fire, and give them a chance to +search the house. Cunning, but as devilish as it is cunning! Think of +how they might have burnt Dickson and the Little Woman in their bed! By +the good God, we would be justified in killing either one of them on +sight!" and his rugged face hardened. + +"We certainly would," agreed Mr. Randolph emphatically. "They have +forfeited all their rights of manhood. But, I fancy, the cunning devils +won't give us a chance for an open fight. They will always strike from +behind something; but now that we know they are on our trail, we've got +to be on the lookout for them." + +"'Pears tew me," and Ham held the buckskin bag up, "that it's this here +thing that needs special guardin'. It's th' map that they are after; an' +they don't 'pear tew be none particular how many or who they kill tew +git it, only so they save their own hides. Now, I reckon, we've got tew +keep an eye on this here map night an' day 'til we gits tew th' Cave of +Gold; an' then, like as not, we'll have tew fight for th' gold. First +off, it 'pears tew me, we otter git some better place tew hide th' map +since them curs seem tew know 'bout th' buckskin bag," and Ham took the +fateful map out of the little bag and spread it out on his knees. + +"I know," and, in his excitement, Thure jumped to his feet and caught up +the map. "I know a good way to hide the map, and, maybe, fool them. +We'll leave the gold nugget in the bag, and I'll sew the skin map on the +inside of my shirt bosom. Then, if they should somehow get hold of the +buckskin bag, they'd only get the gold nugget; but, to get the map, +they'd have to get me; and, I reckon, dad and the rest of you are able +to keep them from doing that!" + +"That sounds sensible," declared Ham. "Thure'll always have his shirt on +his back night an' day; an' so we'll jest have tew keep an eye on Thure. +I reckon that idee is 'bout as good as any we can think of--only, we +must be powerful careful tew keep it secret an' tew never let th' yunk +git out of our sight for an instant." + +After a little discussion all agreed that Thure's plan was a good one; +and, accordingly, Thure at once took off his shirt and carefully and +smoothly sewed the skin map on the inside of its bosom, the face of the +map toward the cloth; and then, over all, he sewed another piece of +cloth, so that the map was completely hidden between the two folds of +cloth. + +"There," he said, as he pulled the shirt back on his body, "I'd like to +see Pockface or Brokennose get the map now, without getting me; and, I +reckon, you fellers will see that they have their hands full if they +tackle that job," and his eyes glanced proudly around the little circle +of men, who had gathered close about him while he was performing his +interesting little feat in sewing. + +And Thure had good reasons for his pride and confidence in his comrades; +for his father and Frank Holt, his uncle, and Hammer Jones and Rex and +Dill and Mr. Randolph were all old trappers and hunters and Indian +fighters, who had been tried by every form of peril and had never been +found wanting. Indeed, the names of Hammer Jones and Noel Conroyal and +Steeltrap Smith, as Frank Holt was once called, were still famous +throughout all the Rocky Mountain region, for the deeds of daring and +skill that had made them comrades in fame, as they often had been in +fact, with trappers and Indian fighters like Kit Carson and Jim Bridger +and Old Bill Williams and half-a-dozen other fearless men, whose courage +and pluck and wonderful skill had made their names known wherever a +campfire blazed throughout all the great West. Yes, Thure had good +reasons to believe that Brokennose and Pockface, cunning as they were, +would certainly have their hands full, if they got the skin map away +from him, while he was watched by such men as these. + +"They'll have tew git all of us afore they git you, son," declared Ham, +in reply to Thure's assertion. "Now," and he stretched his big frame and +yawned, "seein' that we've 'tended tew all th' business that needs +'tendin' tew tew-night, we'd better try an' git a leetle more sleep +afore mornin'. Leastwise I'm a-goin' tew," and, after a glance through +the window to assure himself that everything was all safe and quiet +around the Dickson house, he slipped a loaded pistol under his pillow +and climbed into his bunk. + +Ham's advice, as usual, was too good to be neglected, and soon all were +in their bunks. But, just before each had climbed into his bunk, he, +like Ham, had slipped a loaded pistol under his pillow. They were not +the kind of men to go unprepared when danger threatened. + + + + +CHAPTER XVIII + +STORY OF THE GREAT DISCOVERY + + +A cheery call from Mr. and Mrs. Dickson greeted our friends the next +morning, as they started down the trail on their way to the wing dam. +Both were in the best of spirits and did not appear to be bothering +their heads in the least over their rather exciting and unfortunate +adventure of the night before. Indeed, what could the burning of a log +cabin more or less matter to a man who was digging out of the ground +from five to ten thousand dollars' worth of gold a day! They were busily +at work putting on a temporary roof in place of the one the fire had +destroyed. + +"Lose much?" queried Ham sympathetically, as the little company came to +a halt in front of the ruins. + +"Only a little worn-out clothing and some mighty poor furniture," +laughed Dickson. "Mollie and I calculate we can fix up the roof by noon +good enough to last the few days we are likely to remain here; and the +time it takes us to do that is our only real loss. You see, we've +decided, if we get as much as twenty thousand dollars' worth of gold out +of that hole, we'll get for New York as fast as the good Lord will let +us; and it looks now as if it was good for that much, at least, before +it gives out. Why, it won't take more than a couple of days more to fix +us all right, if the gold continues to turn up the way it did yesterday! +Hope it will be your turn next." + +"Same here," laughed Mrs. Dickson. "My, but it does seem good to be +digging real gold up out of the ground in handfuls. Hope that wing dam, +or whatever you call it, will be the golden key that will unlock the +door of fortune to you all." + +"We all shore agrees with you thar," grinned Ham. "An' we all hopes that +y'ur luck will continue, 'til you gits enough tew send you back home in +fine style--not that we're none anxious tew see you go," he added +hastily, "'cause 'twould be 'bout as painful an operation as bein' +seperated from a sore tooth, to be seperated from that singin' apperatus +of your'n. We'll be expectin' you tew come over an' sing some more for +us tew-night." + +"I certainly can't refuse, after such a compliment to my singing," she +laughed back. + +"It almost tempts me tew try hitchin' up myself, tew see them tew +a-workin' tewgether as happy as tew nestin' birds," grinned Ham, as our +friends, after a few minutes' longer talk with the joyful and fortunate +couple, continued on their way. "I reckon that's 'bout th' kind of +marriage th' feller meant, when he said they was made in heaven; for th' +t'other kind 'pear tew be made in t'other place," and Ham chuckled. + +That day they succeeded in building a wall of rocks, piled one on top of +the other and plastered together with clay and the branches of trees, +across the little stream itself and almost high enough to force the +water to flow in the new channel. Consequently night found them +jubilant; for now it began to look as if they might complete the dam on +the morrow, and this was doing better by a day or two than they had +expected to do. + +"I reckon we had better bring along the pails and the pans to-morrow," +Mr. Conroyal said, as he paused with Ham and Mr. Randolph for a last +calculating look at the dam, before starting for the log house that +night. "Looks now as if we might complete the dam and turn the water a +little before night; and, if we do, we will want to get right to work at +the hole. It sure looks as if we had struck a good thing here, boys," +and his face lighted, as his eyes turned toward the elbow. "If this +stream has been carrying down gold the way some of the streams have in +this section, we'll have Dickson beat by a wagon load or two of gold a +day. I can't see how it can help turning out something big," and the +gold-fever light that shone in his eyes began to sparkle in the eyes of +the others. + +"It shore otter turn out big tew pay us for all this work," and Ham's +glance slowly wandered over the huge piles of rocks and dirt that their +shovels and strong arms had reared, "but thar's no countin' on what +it'll do. 'Twouldn't s'prise me none, if we took out a wagon load of +gold; an', ag'in, 'twouldn't s'prise me none, if we didn't take out a +thimble load. Gold is 'bout as unsart'in an' queer as women. When you +think you've got it shore, gosh, it ain't thar at all! But, I reckon +you're right 'bout th' pans an' pails; an' I shore hopes you're right +'bout th' wagon loads of gold." + +After supper that night Mr. and Mrs. Dickson came over and joined the +circle around the big camp-fire that Thure and Bud had kindled in front +of the log house. There was no need to be saving of wood, when all one +had to do to get it was to cut it. Wood was the one thing that was free +and plentiful in Hangtown. + +"How did she pan out tew-day, Dick?" queried Ham, as Dickson seated +himself on a log. + +"Well," and Dickson hesitated and glanced swiftly and just a little +suspiciously around the circle of faces. Already the possession of much +gold was robbing him of some of his open, free-hearted confidence in his +fellow men, was drawing tight the strings of caution. "Well," he +continued, after a swift warning glance into the face of his wife, "I +fear that we have about come to the bottom of the pocket. Not much doing +to-day," but the light in his eyes seemed to belie his statement. + +"Oh, Dick," and Mrs. Dickson turned a reproving face to her husband, +"how can you say that, when we found this, and a lot of smaller nuggets, +and a good three thousand dollars' worth in gold-dust besides!" and she +held up before the astonished eyes of the circle a huge gold nugget. "It +weighs exactly five pounds and three and three-quarters ounces, and is +worth over a thousand dollars," and the Little Woman's face glowed with +triumph. "There," and she turned a pair of happy but defiant eyes on her +husband, "I just couldn't keep a thing like that to myself; and I +shouldn't want to, if I could; and I told Dick that I couldn't and I +wouldn't keep it from you and I didn't," and her eyes sparkled merrily. +"But Dick is getting a little afraid that, if it becomes known how big +our find really is it might tempt some scoundrel to try and get the gold +away from us." + +"Not meaning you fellows, of course," and Dickson's face flushed. + +"Shore, we understand an' without any explainin'," broke in Ham +heartily. "An', Leetle Woman, Dick's more'n half right 'bout bein' some +cautious who you tells y'ur good luck tew. Thar was a miner murdered for +his gold 'bout a week ago nigh Sacremento City; an' th' murderers worn't +caught an' might be a-snoopin' 'round Hangtown right now." + +"Mercy!" and Mrs. Dickson turned a whitening face to Ham. "Why, there is +hardly a lock on a door in all Hangtown; and most of the miners don't +even take the trouble to hide their gold-dust securely. I thought +everybody knew that the climate of Hangtown wasn't good for the health +of robbers." + +"An' so it ain't for them that gits caught," answered Ham. "But humans +will risk anything, even their lives for gold. Why, it wasn't more'n a +week ago that we run Skoonly out of town for stealin'! So, I reckon, +'tain't more'n good hoss-sense for you tew be some cautious now that you +are gittin' a fortune in gold. Not that thar's any harm in a-tellin' old +friends like us, 'cause we knows enough tew keep mum 'bout it," and Ham +glanced warningly around the circle of interested faces. "But 'twouldn't +be good sense tew let th' hull town know th' size of y'ur pile. It's tew +goll durned big an' temptin'. Not that I wants tew scare you, Leetle +Woman. Only it's jest good hoss-religion not tew tempt y'ur feller +mortals more'n it's necessary. Now forgit th' gold an' give us a song." + +Ham had not been without his reasons in thus trying to arouse the fears +of Mr. and Mrs. Dickson and in warning the others to keep their +knowledge of the amount of Dickson's find to themselves; for, since the +night adventure of Thure and Bud, he knew that Quinley and Ugger must be +lurking somewhere in the vicinity, and that, if these two scoundrels +should get knowledge of Dickson's great luck, neither their gold nor +their lives would be safe. + +Mrs. Dickson sang a number of the old songs, including Ham's favorite, +"Sweet Alice, Ben Bolt"; but her music lacked something of its usual +soul-fervor. Evidently the words of Ham had so aroused her fears that +she could not keep her mind from wandering to the little pile of gold +they had left almost unguarded in their lockless log cabin; and, in a +short time, both excused themselves on the plea of weariness, and +hurried home. + +"Tew bad tew scare th' Leetle Woman," Ham said regretfully; "but 'twould +be a heap worse tew have Quinley an' Ugger git that thar gold. I got +scart of them jest as soon as th' Leetle Woman showed up th' big nugget; +for they must be a-lurkin' 'round here somewhere, keepin' an eye on us; +an', if they heer'd of Dickson's gold, they shore would try an' git it. +Wal, we'd better follow their example an' git tew bed; for we've got a +hard day's work afore us, if we finish th' wing dam an' turn th' water +tew-morrer. I'm goin'," and Ham, knocking the ashes out of his pipe on +the log on which he was sitting, arose and went into the house, whither +he was soon followed by the others. + + * * * * * + +The next day as Thure and Bud were sitting in the shade of the cool side +of the gulch, a little apart from the others, eating their lunch and +discussing the great find they expected to make when they turned the +water of the little stream into the new channel, Thure, whose eyes +happened to be looking down the gulch at that moment, suddenly +exclaimed: + +"Hello, look who's coming!" and he pointed down the gulch to where a man +could be seen walking slowly toward them, a pick and shovel and gold-pan +slung across his broad shoulders, a Mexican sombrero on his head and the +rest of his body clothed in a blue flannel shirt and linen trousers that +had once been white, protected by deerskin leggings and thrust into the +tops of knee-boots. + +"Out prospecting, I reckon," and Bud glanced curiously at the advancing +stranger, for visitors had been rare in that lonely gulch. "Let's ask +him to dine with us," and he smiled as he glanced at the coarse but +abundant fare spread out on the ground between them. "He must be hungry, +if he has lugged those things on his back far. Hello!" and he turned to +the stranger, who by this time had come to within a couple of rods of +where the two boys sat, "You are just in time to help us finish up these +beans and pork. Come and have a seat at our table," and he grinned a +welcome, as he nodded toward the food. + +"I don't care if I do," smiled back the stranger, as he flung pick and +shovel and pan from his back and dropped down by the side of the boys, +"especially since I've got a little jerked venison here that I know will +taste good to you, if you've been living on salt pork as long as the +most of the miners have," and he began to undo a little bundle tied to +the end of his pick, and presently disclosed a chunk of dried venison +and a couple of ship-biscuits, wrapped up in a coarse but clean cloth. +This food he at once laid down on the cloth, which he had spread out on +Bud's table, and bade the boys help themselves, at the same time and +without any further invitation helping himself to the beans and pork. + +"Wait, and I'll get you a cup of hot coffee," and Bud jumped to his feet +and hurried to where Ham was superintending the boiling of a pot of +coffee over the camp-fire. + +"Say, dew you know who that feller is who has j'ined grub with you?" +queried Ham, grinning, as he filled a tin cup full of the coffee and +handed it to Bud. + +"Oh, just a miner out prospecting, I reckon," answered Bud, as he took +the coffee. "We thought we would be social and asked him to share our +meal," and he started back with the coffee. + +"Wal," and the grin on Ham's face broadened, "that feller is James W. +Marshall!" + +"What!" and Bud stopped so suddenly that he almost spilt the coffee. +"Not the James W. Marshall who discovered the first gold in California!" + +"Th' identicle cuss," laughed Ham. "But 'tain't done him much good so +far." + +"Glory be, we just thought he was an ordinary prospector, when we asked +him to share our lunch! And so he is the man that started all this mad +rush for California gold," and Bud's eyes turned curiously in the +direction of the stranger. "Well, he sure don't look as if the gold had +done him much good." + +"That's usually th' way on it," replied Ham. "Th' feller what finds it +only gits th' first smell, then 'long comes some other feller an' +gobbles it all up, leavin' th' finder nuthin' but th' glory." + +"Maybe we can get him to tell us the story of how he found the gold," +and Bud's face lighted up. "I'd like to hear it from his own lips." + +"Wal," grinned Ham, "jest tell him that he's 'bout th' most abused man +in all Californy, an', I reckon, he'll open his heart tew you. He's +pow'ful sore over everybudy else but he a-gettin' th' gold, an' he th' +discoverer." + +"Maybe the hot coffee will do as well," laughed Bud, as he hurried back +to his guest. + +The hot coffee, possibly even more the contagion of the joyous +enthusiasm of the two youths, did, indeed, seem to act like a charm on +Marshall's taciturn and soured disposition; for, before the meal was +half over, he was talking freely of his mining ventures with Thure and +Bud; and it needed but a few well-directed inquiries to bring the +desired story from his willing lips. + +"How did I happen to discover the gold?" he began, as if the boys had +asked him directly for the story, which they had not. "Well, it all came +about in this way," and he settled himself into a comfortable position. +"In May, 1847, Captain Sutter sent me up the American River to look for +a good site for a sawmill that he wished me to build for him; and, after +a number of days of fruitless search, I found what looked like the exact +spot I was hunting for on the South Fork of the American about +forty-five miles from Sutter's Fort. Captain Sutter, you may be sure, +was well pleased when I told him of my success; and we entered into a +partnership, according to which I was to build the mill and he was to +find provisions, tools, teams, and pay a part of the men's wages; and in +August, everything being ready, I started out with six men and two +wagons loaded with the tools and provisions. We first put up log houses +in which to live; for we expected to remain there all winter. But this +was done in no time for the men were great with the ax. Then we cut +timber and fell to work hewing it for the framework of the mill and to +building the dam, which, with the help of about forty Indians, who had +gathered around us in great numbers, we put up in a kind of a way in +four weeks. When the mill was nearly completed, it was my custom every +evening after the men had quit work to raise the gate in the mill-race +and allow the water to run all night, in order to wash as much sand and +gravel as possible out of the race during the night; and in the morning, +while the men were getting breakfast, I would go down and shut the gate +and walk along the race to see where the work needed to be done for the +day. + +"One clear cold morning in January--I shall never forget that morning. I +can see it all as I sit here--the nearly completed mill, the slopes of +the surrounding tree-covered hills, the water pouring over the dam, the +mill-race, a foot or so of water still rushing along over its bottom--I +can see it all--" + +Marshall paused, his eyes staring straight in front of him, a peculiar, +dreamy, wild look in them that sent uncanny chills to the hearts of both +boys as long as it lasted. What was he seeing? Visions?--Visions of what +that morning meant to a gold-mad world? + +"No, I can never forget that January morning," Marshall resumed, after +perhaps a minute, the normal look again coming back into his eyes; "for +on that morning I found the gold that has set the world crazy and proven +little more than a curse to me," and a gloomy bitter look clouded his +face. + +"On that morning, as usual, after having shut off the water, I started +to walk along the race, keeping my eyes pretty close to the ground, so +as to make a note of where the ditch needed more digging. There was +still about a foot of water running in the race. Suddenly my eyes caught +a glimpse of something shining through the water, just a bright little +gleam of yellow lying on the bottom of the ditch; but the first sight of +it made my heart jump, for I thought it might be gold; and I reached my +hand down quick through the water and picked it up and examined it +eagerly. The piece was about half the size, and of the shape of a pea; +and felt and looked like gold, only it did not seem to me to be exactly +the right color: all the gold coin I had seen was of a reddish tinge; +this looked more like brass. I looked again in the water and saw another +piece and picked that up. Then I sat down on the bank, with the little +pieces of shining metal on the palm of my hand, and began to think right +hard. Was it gold? I recalled to mind all the metals I had ever seen or +heard of, but I couldn't seem to think of any that looked like this, +that is, that looked enough like it to make me certain of what it was. +Suddenly the thought came to me that this was probably nothing but iron +pyrites, or fool's gold, that I had heard and read of, but had never +seen. I trembled at the thought; for by now I had become considerably +excited over the possibility of its being gold. But iron pyrites would +break when pounded! I jumped to my feet, getting more excited every +minute; and quickly found a couple of hard river stones, and, putting +the pieces on one, I pounded them with the other. It was soft, and +didn't break! It must be gold; but was probably largely mixed with some +other metal, possibly silver, for I thought that pure gold certainly +would have a brighter color. + +"I don't know just how long I sat there, looking at them two little bits +of yellow metal in my hand and thinking hard of all that it might mean +to me and the men with me, if it should really prove to be gold, for I +sure was some excited; but, when I got back to our cabin, the men had +finished their breakfast and were beginning to wonder a little what had +become of me. I showed them the two pieces, and told them where I had +found them, and that I thought they were gold. This excited the men a +good deal; and I had some trouble to keep them from dropping everything +and going to gold hunting, leaving me finish my job alone. However, I +told them that as soon as we had the mill finished we would give a week +or two to gold hunting and see what we could make out of it, and this +satisfied them for the time, none of them then dreaming there was enough +gold there to amount to much. + +"After this, while at work in the race, we all kept a sharp lookout, and +in the course of three or four days we had picked up about three ounces, +our work going on the same as usual; for none of us at that time +imagined that the whole country was sown with gold. If we had--that mill +sure would never have been completed," and Marshall smiled a little +bitterly. + +"Four or five days after I picked up those two little pieces of yellow +metal I had to go to Sutter's Fort; and, wishing to get all the +information I could respecting the real value of the metal, I took all +that we had collected with me, and showed it to Captain Sutter. He at +once declared that it was gold; but, like me, thought it was largely +mixed with some other metal. We now tried to hit upon some means of +telling the exact quantity of gold found in the alloy; but couldn't +figure out how to do it, until we stumbled upon an old American +cyclopedia, that gave the specific gravity of all the metals and rules +to find the quantity of each in a given bulk. We now wanted some silver, +with which to compare our metal; and, after hunting over the whole fort +and borrowing from some of the men, we managed to get three dollars and +a half in silver. Captain Sutter had a small pair of scales; and, with +the aid of these and the cyclopedia, we soon ciphered it out that there +was neither silver nor copper in the gold, but that it was entirely +pure. + +"This proof that the metal was real gold excited both of us +considerable; but, when we had cooled down a little and talked it over, +we concluded it would be our best policy to keep it as quiet as possible +until the mill was completed. Now, at this time, there was a great +number of disbanded Mormon soldiers in and about the fort, and, somehow, +they came to hear of it; and then the golden cat was out of the bag, for +the news that gold had been discovered just spread over the whole +country like wild-fire. Indeed, I had hardly got back to the mill, +before men with picks and pans and shovels and hoes and all sorts of +tools began coming in, all anxious to fall to work and dig up our mill +by the roots; but this, of course, we would not allow, although I +sometimes had the greatest trouble to get rid of them. I sent them all +off in different directions, telling them of such and such places where +I felt certain they would find gold, if they would only take the trouble +to dig for it. Not that I really thought they would find any gold, for +at that time I never imagined the gold was so abundant; but they would +dig nowhere but in such places as I pointed out and I had to get rid of +them someway. I believe if I had told them to dig on top of a mountain, +that, so great was their confidence in me, they would have climbed to +the top of the mountain and began picking away at the rocks," and +something, almost a twinkle, came into Marshall's eyes, brightening +their somber lights. + +"And did the parties you scattered through the country find any gold?" +inquired Thure eagerly. + +"Yes, many of them did, to my surprise," answered Marshall; "but the +second real discovery of gold was in a gulch on the road to Sacramento. +The third gold discovery was made on a bar of the South Fork of the +American River a little above the junction of the Middle and South +forks. The diggings over there where Hangtown is," and he flung up one +of his arms in the direction of Hangtown, "was discovered by myself; for +we all went gold hunting, as soon as the mill was finished. Some Indians +found the diggings down at Kelsey's; and thus in a short time we +discovered that the whole country hereabouts is sown with gold, thick in +spots but thin and scattering almost all over. Now that is the true +story of the gold discovery in California, right from the lips of the +man who picked up the first piece of gold, and who has had more cheating +and robbing than thanks from the men the discovery has helped most," and +the somber light deepened in the eyes of the disappointed and soured +man, who always laid the blame of the misfortunes that seemed to follow +him after the great discovery on the ingratitude of his fellow men, +rather than on his own inability to use the opportunities that a kindly +fate had thrust in his way. + +"Well, it sure does seem hard," sympathized Bud, "that you, who +discovered the gold, should be able to get so little of it. But," and +his face brightened, "your luck may change to-morrow, and you may yet +live to see yourself one of the richest men in California." + +Here the huge form of Hammer Jones broke in on the three. + +"How d'dew, Jim," and Ham reached down a big hand and gripped the hand +of Marshall. "Ben tellin' th' yunks all 'bout th' Great Discovery, I +reckon?" and he grinned. "Wal, if you'll jest sot down an' make y'urself +easy for 'bout three hours, 'til we puts the finishin' touches on this +here dam, I shouldn't be none s'prised if we was able tew show you +somethin' of a discovery ourselves," and Ham pointed to the now nearly +completed dam. + +Marshall at once became greatly interested, when Ham had explained to +him what they hoped the dam would do for them; and not only agreed to +wait until the completion of the dam, but to help in its completion; +and, in a few minutes more, all were again at work, spurred to +extraordinary exertions by the thought that a few short hours more would +tell the story of their success or failure. + + + + +CHAPTER XIX + +SOME EXCITING MOMENTS + + +Exactly at three o'clock, by Mr. Conroyal's big silver watch, the last +shovel of dirt and the last stone was thrown on the dam; and, with +cheers that echoed and reëchoed up and down the narrow gulch, our +friends saw all the water of the little stream flowing into its new +channel. + +"Now get your pans and pails, and we'll hustle the water out of the +hole, so that we can get at the dirt," Mr. Conroyal cried excitedly, the +moment it was seen that the dam was working perfectly and that the old +bed of the stream below the dam was fast becoming dry. + +With another cheer, each grabbed up a pan or a pail, and all made a rush +for the hole in the elbow of the now nearly drained bed of the stream, +acting more like an excited troop of school boys than gray-haired and +long-bearded men, as some of them were. + +The old bed of the stream was solid rock, worn smooth by the action of +the water; and, as Thure and Bud, in their anxiety to be the first to +reach the hole, raced down this, Thure's feet suddenly slipped on the +wet rock and down he went, the gold-pan he was carrying flying from his +hands and banging loudly as it slid for a short distance over the hard +rock. He jumped quickly to his feet, fortunately unhurt, and bent +hastily to pick up the pan. As he lifted the pan, which had been stopped +by a bit of rock that projected a couple of inches above the level of +the bed, his eyes caught a bright gleam that came from the upper side of +the projecting rock. + +For an instant Thure stared wildly at the shining bit of metal lodged +against the rock; and then, with a yell that brought everybody to a +halt, he dropped the pan and grabbed the bit of metal. + +"Gold! Gold!" he shouted excitedly, as he held up between the thumb and +finger of his right hand the bit of metal he had picked up, which was +about the size and something the shape of his thumb. + +In a moment all were crowded around him, eagerly examining the nugget. + +"It certainly is gold!" declared Marshall, as he hefted the nugget on +the palm of his hand. + +"Hurra, that's a durned good sign that that thar hole is chuck full of +it!" cried Ham, excitedly swinging the gold-pan he held in his hand +around his head. "Come on! Let's git that water out of th' way an' down +tew pay-dirt, jest as quick as th' Lord'll let us," and he started on +the run for the hole, followed by all the others. + +The hole in the point of the elbow of the old channel of the stream was +about twenty feet across; and now, of course, was level full of water, +which had to be thrown out before any digging could be done. + +Ham, who had a long pair of rubber boots, bought on purpose for this +occasion, now slipped them on his feet, pulled the legs up to his waist, +where he fastened them to his belt, seized one of the pails, and stepped +into the hole. At the first step he went down to the knee, at the +second, nearly to the tops of his rubber boots, but the third step +lowered him in the water only a couple of inches. + +"Gosh, 'tain't deep! We can have th' water out of here in no time. Now, +jest git in line an' I'll pass th' water out tew you," and he plunged +the pail down into the water, and quickly passed it to the man standing +the nearest to him, who passed it on down a line that had been quickly +formed until the last man was far enough down for the water, when thrown +on the ground, to run off down the old channel. + +There were enough pans and pails to keep a constant stream of them +passing up and down the line; and, as everybody, under the spur of the +thought of what might lie hidden there in that hole, worked with +feverish haste, the water was speedily lowered, until after an hour of +as hard and tiresome work as was ever done by men, the bottom of the +hole was laid bare. + +"We'll dig a hole first off right in th' center of th' hole plumb down +to bed-rock," declared Ham, as he passed out the last pailful of water. +"Then, if thar's any gold here, we'll strike it shore. Throw me a +shovel!" Ham's face was flushed and his eyes were sparkling with +excitement; for now the great moment was near, the moment that would +tell whether or not all their labor had been in vain, whether or not +they were to find the expected gold. + +"Here! Here!" and Thure caught up a shovel and rushed to Ham; and almost +collided with Bud, who, shovel in hand, was also rushing to Ham. + +"Let us help you dig! Let us help you dig!" cried both boys, almost +beside themselves with excitement. + +"Now, jest hold y'ur hosses an' git out of here. This is men's work," +and Ham good-naturedly thrust the two boys aside, caught up a shovel, +and began throwing up the moist sand and gravel like an animated steam +shovel. + +The hole was partly filled with coarse sand and gravel; and, since gold +is so heavy that it will sink down through sand and gravel until it +comes to something more solid, all this had to be thrown off before they +could hope to come to pay-dirt, which is usually a thin layer of gravel +or clay lying on top of the bed-rock. Ham was now digging down to this +bed-rock; and, when he reached it, he would throw a few shovels of the +dirt directly on its top into a gold-pan, and then a few minutes' +washing of the dirt in the pan would show whether or not they had struck +gold. The hole he was digging was not large enough for more than one man +to work in it at a time, consequently the others formed a circle around +Ham and watched his progress with faces feverish with excitement, any +one of them ready the moment Ham tired to seize a shovel and jump into +the hole in his place. But the shoveling was not hard and the sturdy +muscles of Ham did not tire. + +In the excitement of these thrilling minutes nobody saw anything but +Ham, nobody heard anything but the push of his shovel through the moist +gravel and the thud of the dirt as it fell on top of the ground. It is +doubtful if a cannon fired within a rod of them, would have made one of +them jump. Hence it is not to be wondered at that none of them saw the +black clouds gathering about the tops of the mountains to the northeast +and swiftly sweeping down toward them, nor heard the peals of distant +thunder, sounding louder and nearer with the passing of each minute. The +gold-fever was hot in their blood; and they were deaf and blind to all +but the digging man. + +Ham's shovel bit swiftly down into the soft, moist sand. Now he is down +to his waist. Now only his shoulders show above the top of the hole. +Suddenly, with a violent grunt, he straightens up. + +"Bed-rock!" he yells, and begins digging again. + +The excitement is now intense. Nearly every one has a gold-pan in his +hand, and is holding it out toward Ham, ready to receive the first +shovel of pay-dirt. That first shovel of dirt means so much, possibly a +fortune for all! Even the graybeards, Mr. Conroyal and Rad Randolph and +Frank Holt, men who could, who often had faced death without the quiver +of a muscle, are now all of a tremble with excitement. Thure and Bud are +both bending forward so far that there is danger of their tumbling into +the hole on top of Ham. + +For a couple of minutes longer Ham shovels out the dirt, but more slowly +and carefully now. + +"Give me a pan," and he suddenly straightens up, seizes one of the pans, +and disappears in the hole. A moment later he jumps out of the hole, the +pan nearly filled with dirt in his hands, and races like a mad man with +it to the little stream of water, followed by all the others. + +In the excitement of the moment no one notices how dark it is becoming, +nor hears an ominous sound, a distant roar, each second growing louder, +and coming from far up the gulch. + +Ham reaches the water, and, plunging the pan down into it, begins +carefully stirring its contents with his big fingers. Around him bend +the others, regardless of wet feet. In a few minutes the larger part of +the sand and the gravel is washed out of the pan by the water. Now only +a thin layer of black sand remains on the bottom of the pan. The crucial +instant has come. Ham slowly straightens up, carefully pours all the +water out of the pan, bends his head down close over it, and begins +moving the thin layer of black sand about with his fingers. + +"Is there, is there any gold?" queries Thure, unable longer to keep +silent. + +Ham does not answer for a moment, but continues to stir the sand with +his big fingers, bending his head still closer to the pan. + +"Not a durned smell!" and he suddenly hurls the pan violently from him. + +At this moment Mr. Conroyal utters a startled exclamation and glances +quickly up the gulch. One look is sufficient to turn his face white. +From where he stands he can see straight up the gulch for nearly half a +mile; and half that distance up the gulch he sees a dark gray wall, ten +feet high, topped with white, rushing down toward him with the speed of +a race horse, and hears a roar like the rushing charge of a thousand +cavalrymen. + +"My God, a flood!" he yells. "Climb for your lives!" + +There was no need of a second warning. All could now see the advancing +flood, could hear the deafening roar, could feel the solid earth +beginning to tremble beneath their feet; and all began to climb for +their lives up the steep side of the gulch. There was no time to stop to +pick up anything. Pans, shovels, picks, and such parts of their clothes +as happened to be off their bodies they left where they lay. + +Thure and Bud happened to be climbing almost directly under Marshall. +Suddenly, before they were above the danger line and when the flood was +almost upon them, Marshall's feet slipped and he slid past the boys down +directly in front of the advancing flood. It looked like death to stop +to help him; but neither boy hesitated an instant. + +"Here, grip wrists!" yelled Thure, who was a little above Bud. "I will +hold you while you pull Marshall up." + +Bud instantly saw what was wanted; and, in another moment the two arms +of the boys were locked together in a grip almost impossible to break. + +"Now reach down and try and get hold of one of Marshall's hands. Quick!" +and Thure gripped, with the strength of desperation, the point of a +projecting rock with his free left hand and planted his feet firmly on +the narrow ledge where he stood. + +"Here, catch hold of my hand, quick," and Bud bent and stretched his +free hand down to Marshall, who, with a face as white as death, was +vainly struggling to climb up the almost perpendicular side of the rock +down which he had slid. + +[Illustration: BUD BENT AND STRETCHED HIS FREE HAND DOWN TO MARSHALL.] + +Marshall saw the hand and caught it, as a drowning man would grasp a +beam of wood floating within his reach. + +There was a terrible wrench on the arms and bodies of the two boys, but +neither broke his hold; and, with a tremendous pull, Marshall was jerked +up on the ledge of rock on which they were standing, and, in another +moment the three had climbed to safety, just as the flood swept by them, +so close that they were covered with the foam that rode on its top. + +For a minute the three stood panting and trembling where they were; and +then they climbed to the broad ledge where all had halted out of reach +of the flood. + +Mr. Conroyal gripped Thure's hand and held it warmly for a minute; but +he did not speak a word. There was no need; for Thure understood. + +Mr. Randolph was a little more demonstrative, but he said little. + +The two boys had done exactly what the two men expected their sons to +do; and the hearts of both were glad and proud, but neither man showed +his pride in their brave action, only his joy that they had escaped the +flood. + +Marshall, the moment their fathers dropped their hands, seized a hand of +each boy in each of his hands and started to thank them, with tears in +his eyes; but both boys quickly jerked their hands away. + +"Forget it," Thure said impatiently. "We only did what you or any other +man would have done under the same circumstances--Great Moses, just look +at that water!" and Thure's eyes turned to the flood that was now +foaming and boiling a few feet beneath them. + +At this moment the edge of the black clouds swept over them, and the +rain fell down in torrents; but in a quarter of an hour the clouds had +passed, and the sun was shining again, and the violence of the flood was +beginning to slacken. In half an hour the flood had swept by; and with +it had gone every vestige of the wing dam they had builded with so much +labor and with so many high hopes. + +"Durn th' durned dam!" and, without another word, Ham turned his back on +the scene of their fruitless labors, and strode off toward Hangtown, +followed by all the others, who fervently echoed his words in their +hearts. + + + + +CHAPTER XX + +ROBBED + + +"Now I'll say good-by to you men," Marshall said, when they reached the +outskirts of Hangtown. "I am real sorry that your venture turned out the +way that it did; but a man has got to expect any sort of luck in the +diggings, and usually it is the worst sort that he gets dealt out to +him, at least that has been my experience," and he smiled bitterly. + +Marshall now stood for a moment, irresolutely, his eyes fixed on Thure +and Bud; and then, suddenly, he thrust one of his hands deep into his +trousers pocket and drew out a little roll of buckskin, carefully folded +and tied. This little packet he at once untied and unrolled and brought +to light two small gold nuggets. With one of these in either hand he now +approached Thure and Bud. + +"My young friends," he said, "I do not know as the life you saved is of +much value; but still I prize it, being the only life I have; and I want +to show you that I appreciate the quickness and the bravery of your +action, and to leave with you some memento of the deed and of the man +you saved from a horrible death. I am poor, others have grown rich off +my misfortunes--" Again that bitter look of mingled discontent and +useless rebellion swept over his face--"but I still have left these two +little nuggets of gold, the very two pieces of gold that I picked up +from the mill-race on that cold January morning, the first two nuggets +of gold found in California! I prize them above everything else that I +possess; and, because they are so dear to me, I now most willingly give +them to you, to keep in memory of this day and of the unfortunate man +whose life you saved," and he handed one of the nuggets to Thure and the +other to Bud. "Keep them carefully. They will be valuable mementos some +day, Good-by," and without another word or waiting for a reply, he +whirled about and walked swiftly away. + +Thure and Bud both ran after him, and told him that, although they would +prize the nuggets above anything else he could give them, they did not +wish to take them from him, the one who first picked them up, that they +belonged to him, that he ought to keep them; but Marshall would not +listen to them, would not take the nuggets back, would not even stop to +hear the boys' thanks, and strode on down the trail to where the lights +of Hangtown were beginning to twinkle through the gathering shadows of +night. + +In after years these two little gold nuggets became the most valued +treasures in the possession of the families of our young heroes; and +their grandchildren still cherish them among their most prized +heirlooms. + +"I reckon thar's somethin' jest a leetle out of kilter in th' top of +Marshall's head," Ham commented, as he watched the man hurrying down the +trail. "He's smart enough when it comes tew th' use of tools; but +outside of them 'bout everything that he touches 'pears tew go wrong +with him, an' ginerally it goes wrong because of th' fool way he tackles +it, though he lays his bad luck all on th' ingratertude of his feller +mortals." + +Thure and Bud very carefully stowed away the two nuggets in their +pockets, and hurried on after their companions, who were hurrying up the +trail leading to the log house. + +As they passed the Dickson log cabin Mr. and Mrs. Dickson both came out. +Mrs. Dickson's eyes were red from crying, and the face of Dickson was +white and set, with a look of despair in his eyes not good to see. + +"Hello! What has happened?" and Mr. Conroyal, who was in the lead, +stopped suddenly and stared in astonishment at the woe-begone faces of +the erstwhile happy couple. + +"Robbed," Dickson answered sententiously. "Robbed and the mine has +played out." + +"Yes, robbed of all but about fifty dollars' worth of gold-dust that we +took out this afternoon before the mine gave out," and Mrs. Dickson's +voice trembled. "And not a thing to tell us who did the robbing. Robbed +of a good forty thousand dollors' worth of gold-dust! Enough to have +taken us both back to New York state and enabled us to have lived the +rest of our lives in comfort," and Mrs. Dickson's voice broke into sobs. + +"Robbed! Robbed of all your gold!" and our friends gather around them in +great excitement and indignation. + +"When?" + +"How?" + +"Who did it?" + +"Sometime this afternoon," answered Mr. Dickson, "as near as we can +figure it out just a little before the storm. But all that we really +know is, that, when we went to get the gold to-night, it was gone, and +without a sign left to tell who had taken it." + +"And we had it so well hidden," mourned Mrs. Dickson, "under a stone in +the fireplace. And then to think that the mine should give out at the +same time!" and again she burst into tears. + +"Wal, it shore is tough luck, Leetle Woman," sympathized Ham. "But we've +got tew take th' tough luck with th' tender an' make th' best on it. +Now, supposin' we have a look around. Maybe we can find some clue that +you missed, you being some excited. It'll go mighty hard with th' +robbers, if we catch them," and Ham's face hardened. "Now jest show us +where you had th' gold hidden," and he and the others followed Mr. and +Mrs. Dickson into the house. + +"We had the gold hid right there, under that stone," and Dickson pointed +to an upturned flat stone, about a foot square, that lay near a small +hole, excavated in the bed of the fireplace, which the stone had +evidently covered over and concealed. "When we got in to-night there was +not a suspicious sign anywhere; and it was not until I lifted the stone +off the hole to put the gold in that we'd taken out since noon that we +discovered that we had been robbed. I reckon there is no use of trying +to find the robbers. A hundred men could hide themselves in these +mountains in a couple of hours where ten thousand could not find them," +and the look of despair settled back on his face. "Nobody saw them come +and nobody saw them go and nobody has the least idea who did the +robbing. So, I guess, it is just up to Mollie and me to buckle down to +hard work and hard living again." + +"Now, don't git discourage. Maybe thar's better luck in store for you +than you dream of," and Ham's face lighted up, as if a pleasant idea had +suddenly come to him. "I want tew have a talk with th' rest of th' +members of th' Never-Give-Up California Mining Company; an' then, may be +we'll have a propersition tew make tew you, an', ag'in, maybe we won't," +and Ham grinned so good-naturedly that even Mrs. Dickson smiled wanly. + +"Come on, fellers, let's git tew th' office of th' Never-Give-Up +California Mining Company; an' go intew secret session tew consider +important matters," and he hurried out of the house, followed by all the +others, except Mr. and Mrs. Dickson, who stared after them with +something like hope mingled with the look of wonderment on their faces. +They knew that Hammer Jones never talked that way, under such serious +circumstances, without meaning something. But, what could he mean? + +Ham was the first to open the door of the log house and enter. The room +was dark and he struck a match and lit the candle, which had been left +on the table ready for lighting. The moment the light of the candle +illuminated the surface of the table, Ham uttered an exclamation and +stood staring blankly, for a moment, at something that glittered and +shimmered in the flickering candle light near the center of the table. + +"Wal, I'll be durned!" and he reached out one of his big hands and +gingerly drew from the table a small keen-bladed Mexican dagger, which, +with a strong blow, had been driven through a piece of paper deep into +the wood of the table. + +All the others were now crowding excitedly around the table; and Mr. +Conroyal quickly picked up the piece of paper and held it up to the +candlelight. On the paper were scrawled, with a piece of charred coal by +a hand unused to writing, the following words: + + WE ARE AGOIN TEW GIT THE MAP OR WE ARE A GOIN TEW GIT THE GOLD + AFTER YOU GIT IT IF WE HAVE TEW GIT YOU TEW DEW IT. SO TEW SAVE + YURSELFS TRUBLE AND TEW KEEP HUL SKINS ON YUR BONES YOUD BETER HAND + OVER THAT MAP. THARS ENUF ON US TEW WHIP THE HUL ON YOU OFF THE + FACE OF THE EARTH AND WE WIL DO IT IF YOU DONT GIVE UP THE MAP. A + WORD TEW THE WISE IS ENUF. LIFE IS WURTH MORN GOLD. TI THE MAP TEW + THE END OF THE STRING THAT YOU WIL FIND TIED TEW A STICK STUCK IN + THE GROUND RIGHT NEAR YUR DOOR AND WE WIL PUL THE MAP TEW US. IF + YOU TRI TEW FOLLOW THE MAP WE WIL SHOOT TEW KIL. IF YOU TRI TEW + ROUSE THE TOWN WE WIL VAMOSE. WE ARE ON THE WATCH. GIVE 3 JERKS ON + THE STRING WHEN YUR REDY FOR US TEW PUL THE MAP IN. IF WE DONT GIT + THE MAP BY MIDNIGHT TEWNIGHT WE WIL KNOW ITS TEW BE WAR TEW THE + DEATH. + +This ominous note was unsigned; but there was no need of any signature. + +For a moment after all had finished reading, no one spoke, but each +stood staring from the paper to the dagger in Ham's hand. Then Ham +suddenly straightened up with a growl of rage. + +"I thought it was them, an' this proves I was right. Th' durned skunks!" +and the righteous wrath in Ham's eyes was good to see. "Now, men," and +his glance swept swiftly the circle of excited faces, "this makes th' +offerin' of proof unnecessary. We know who robbed th' Dicksons! An' we +know, if they hadn't a-ben watchin' us an' a tryin' tew git hold of that +thar skin map, they wouldn't have found out 'bout Dickson's gold an' did +th' robbin'. This makes us sort of respons'ble for th' robbin'; an', I +reckon, it's up tew us tew try an' make good what th' Dicksons lost on +'count of our bringin' them skunks down on them, more special since +their mine's gin out, tew. Now, seein' that thar durned dam has played +out on us, I reckon we're all a-calculatin' on havin' a try for th' Cave +of Gold next; an' I figger 'twouldn't be more'n square for us tew ask +th' Dicksons tew go long with us on th' hunt for th' dead miner's +wonderful cave, an', if we find it, for them tew share in th' gold same +as us. How does th' propersition strike you, men?" + +"Bully!" exclaimed Thure enthusiastically. "Mrs. Dickson can beat dad +and the rest of you making flapjacks all hollow; and she can make +biscuits, real biscuits that a fellow can eat without cracking them +first with a hammer, the same as nuts!" + +"Wal, I reckon, that argyment settles it," grinned Ham. + +"Supposing we consider the Never-Give-Up California Mining Company in +session and put it to a vote," suggested Mr. Conroyal. + +All agreeing, Mr. Conroyal promptly put the matter to a vote; and Mr. +and Mrs. Dickson were duly elected members of the Never-Give-Up +California Mining Company, with all the rights and privileges +appertaining thereto, the vote being unanimous. + +"Now I'll appoint Hammer Jones and Rad Randolph a committee to notify +Mr. and Mrs. Dickson of their election and to escort them to the offices +of the Never-Give-Up California Mining Company," and Mr. Conroyal +smiled. + +Ham and Mr. Randolph at once caught up their hats and hurried off to +perform their pleasant mission; and in five minutes were back with the +wondering man and woman on their arms between them. + +As briefly as possible Mr. Conroyal now told the story of the skin map +and the Cave of Gold; and how they had every reason to believe that the +men who had robbed them were the same men who had murdered the miner, +and who now were striving so desperately to secure the skin map; and in +proof that the robbers and the murderers were the same, he showed the +note and the dagger, which they had found on the table, in evidence that +the men had been there that afternoon. + +"Now," he concluded, "Ham thinks, and we all agree with him most +emphatically, that, since we are in a way responsible for bringing the +robbers down upon you, it would be no more than fair for us to invite +you to join with us in our search for this Cave of Gold, understanding, +of course, that, if the gold is found, all are to share alike, as all +will have to share alike the dangers and the difficulties of finding and +keeping it; and, judging by the note we found on the table, the dangers +will be real enough. Of course we are not sure that the cave really +exists, nor, if it does exist, that we will be able to find it; but we +have faith enough in it to give it a try. We plan to start on the hunt +just as soon as we can get ready, probably sometime tomorrow. This I +think explains the matter sufficiently for you to come to a decision. +Are you with us?" + +"Yes! Yes!" exclaimed both Mr. and Mrs. Dickson eagerly. + +"In to the death, as the note says," added Mrs. Dickson, smiling. "And +we thank you from the bottoms of our hearts for the chance." + +"Do you know this murdered miner's name?" Dickson asked, his eyes +sparkling with excitement. "I think I know the man." + +"John Stackpole, the map says," answered Mr. Conroyal. + +"That's the man!" declared Dickson excitedly. "The very man I went +prospecting with last fall. He had some crazy idea in his head then +about a Cave of Gold that an old Indian whom he had cured of some +disease, he had been an army doctor once, had told him he had found in a +hidden gulch that opened into a canyon. We hunted all up and down the +canyon, into which the Indian said the gulch opened, but we couldn't +find no such gulch as the Indian described, and had to give it up. You +remember my telling you all about it, don't you, Mollie?" and Dickson +turned to his wife. + +"Yes, yes," assented Mrs. Dickson eagerly. "You went on the trip while I +was away to Sacramento City and you told me all about it, when I got +back. Queer how things do turn out!" + +"And so Stackpole really found the cave at last; but at the cost of his +life," and Dickson's face saddened. "Too bad!--I mean his murder; for he +was a good sort of a fellow, when he was away from liquor, but, let him +get a little whiskey down him, and he was as ugly as the devil. I reckon +that it was drink that drove him out of the army in disgrace; and I +reckon it was drink that caused his murder; for he was a very cautious +man and would have said nothing about his discovering the Cave of Gold, +especially to strangers, if he had been in his right senses--Can I, can +I see that map?" and Dickson's face suddenly lighted up. "Possibly I +know the place." + +"Sure," and Mr. Conroyal turned to Thure. "Get out the map, Thure." + +Thure's face reddened a little, but, turning his back to Mrs. Dickson, +he quickly, with the aid of his knife, ripped open the bosom of his +shirt, and, pulling out the map, handed it to his father, who at once +spread it out on the table in front of Dickson. + +"Lot's Canyon!" Dickson cried excitedly, almost the moment his eyes fell +on the map. "Why, that's the very name we gave the canyon where we tried +to find the hidden gulch, on account of a white pillar of rock, that +Stackpole said might have been Lot's wife. And here is the very pillar +itself!" and he pointed to the little square on the map marked Lot's +Wife. "And the Big Tree! And the Devil's Slide! And Goose Neck Lake! +Every one of them names that we gave to places! I am sure that that is +the same canyon that Stackpole searched for the Cave of Gold when I was +with him," and Dickson turned an excited face to Mr. Conroyal. "It's +about a five days' tramp from here." + +"That's what the dying miner said," broke in Bud eagerly. + +"And do you think you can find that canyon again?" asked Mr. Conroyal +anxiously. "The trail on the map is none too clear; and I reckon we'd +have to do some hunting before we found it, with only the map to guide +us." + +"I am sure I can," answered Dickson, his eyes still on the map. + +"Well, then, we are in great luck," declared Mr. Conroyal. "I--Jumping +grasshoppers, if we are not forgetting all about that polite note!" he +exclaimed, as his eyes happened suddenly to fall on the dagger and the +bit of paper, which, during all this time, had lain on the table +neglected. "Now, what shall we do about that?" and his eyes flashed +around the circle of faces. + +"Let's first see if the string is really there," proposed Thure. + +"Good idee," and Ham caught up the candle and started for the door, +followed by all the others, Thure and Bud at his heels. + +Within six feet of the door they found a sharpened stick thrust into the +ground, with the end of a strong string tied to it. The string ran along +the ground as far as the eye could see and disappeared in the darkness +of the night, in the direction of a thick clump of trees forty rods +away. + +"Wal, now, they shore are cunnin' cusses!" and Ham's eyes followed the +string admiringly until it was lost in the darkness. "Jest tie th' map +tew th' end of this string, an' somebudy out thar somewhere in th' +darkness will pull it tew him, without nobudy here bein' th' wiser for +it. Not a durned bit of use tew follow up th' string neither. They could +shoot an' cut an' run long afore we could see them in th' darkness. They +shore are good at planning th' durned skunks! Say, jest supposin' we +send 'em a leetle message, jest tew see how th' string works," and Ham +turned to the others, a broad grin on his face. + +This impressed all as a good idea, and they hurried back into the house +to prepare the message. In a few minutes the message, written on the +back of the piece of paper which they had found on the table, was ready. +It was brief, but to the point, and read: + + If you want the map, come and get it. There are nine men and one + woman, worth any two men, who will be glad to welcome you. + +The paper, with the message on it, was now rolled up tightly, and all +hurried out to the string. + +Mr. Conroyal took the paper, and, kneeling down by the side of the +stick, untied the string, tied the little packet of paper strongly to +it, and then gave the string three sharp, strong jerks. + +The response was prompt. Hardly had he given the last jerk, when the +string was pulled out of his hand, and the little packet of paper +started bobbing along over the ground toward the distant clump of trees, +with all watching its progress with fascinated eyes, until it +disappeared in the darkness. + +For, perhaps, ten minutes they stood there, no one speaking a word, and +all eyes turned in the direction whither the little packet of paper had +disappeared. Then they saw a faint glow in the little clump of trees, as +if someone had struck a match. + +"I reckon they're readin' it," grinned Ham. "Wonder how they like it?" + +Ham did not have to wonder long; for, almost as he uttered the last +word, a spurt of flame leaped out from the dark shadows of the distant +clump of trees, and a rifle bullet whistled so close by his face that it +burnt the end of his nose, and buried itself in the logs of the house. + +"Gosh A'mighty, he's got my nose!" and Ham made a break for the door of +the house, one big hand holding on to the end of his nose. + +In two seconds all were in the house and the door shut. + +"How much on it did he git? Not enough tew spoil my beauty, I hopes," +and Ham held a lighted candle in front of his face before a small mirror +hanging on the wall. "Wal, I'll be durned! Jest burnt th' tip end on +it!" and he set the candle down on the table in disgust. + +The darkness of the night and the wilderness of the surrounding +mountains made absolutely useless any attempt to follow up their +enemies; and, after an hour spent in discussing plans, Mr. and Mrs. +Dickson returned to their house, and our friends hurried into their +bunks, to get the rest needed to fit them for a busy morrow. + + + + +CHAPTER XXI + +PEDRO + + +The next morning all our friends were up an hour before sunrise; for the +Never-Give-Up California Mining Company had much to do that morning, if +they started on the hunt for the Cave of Gold that day, as they hoped to +do. The horses had to be brought from the little valley five miles away, +where they had been turned out to pasture, needed supplies of food and +clothing and tools had to be procured at the stores of Hangtown, and +everything had to be made ready for the rough journey through the +wilderness of mountains and forests to the northeast. But nine men and +one woman can accomplish much in a few hours; and by noon everything was +in readiness for the start, and the horses stood saddled and bridled and +packed, ready for the journey, before the door of the log house, while +our friends gathered around the rough table inside for their last meal +in the house that had sheltered them for so long. + +"Seems almost like leaving home," declared Mr. Conroyal, as his eyes +glanced slowly around the familiar room. + +"It shore does," agreed Ham. "We've had some mighty good times in the +old house; an' I hopes th' fellers who move in when we're out, will be +sort of gentle tew things. Somehow it seems a leetle cruel tew desert +them tew friendly old rockers thar, that have so often given ease an' +comfort tew our tired bodies, not knowin' what sort of critters will +next sot down in 'em," and his eyes rested on the two barrel-rockers. +"They seem tew be a lookin' at me right now, sort of forlorn an' +reproachful-like," and a smile lighted his face at the whimsical +thought. "Wal, that kind of philosophizin' won't dig no gold. Now, dew +you reckon them skunks are on th' watch an' will try tew foller us?" and +the smile left his face. + +"Yes," answered Mr. Conroyal. "They have probably been watching us all +the morning. When Frank and I started out as soon as it was light enough +to see to try and trace the string and maybe get onto the trail of the +scoundrels, we both feel certain that we were watched and that somebody +was warned of our coming, because, before we'd gone a dozen rods, we +heard a coyotelike bark, coming from way up the mountain-side and ending +in a howl that we are sure never came from a coyote's throat; and, when +we got to the clump of trees, we found signs of someone having been +there only a few minutes before, and followed the trail to a rocky gulch +a dozen rods beyond the trees, where we lost the trail on the hard +rocks. Yes, they sure will try to follow us; for now, I fancy, their +plan is, since they can't get hold of the map, to let us find the gold +and then to try and get it away from us. At least that is the way Frank +and I figure it out; and we've got to give them the slip somehow +somewhere between here and Lot's Canyon, or fight for the gold. Quinley +and Ugger have probably gathered together a band of cut-throats, and +figure on being able to get the gold away from us after we have found +it." + +"And we calculate," continued Frank Holt, "that the best way to try and +give them the slip will be to go into camp early to-night; and then +about midnight to suddenly and quietly break camp and steal away under +cover of the darkness, hoping to get away without their knowing it." + +"I reckon they're tew cute tew be fooled that easy," and Ham shook his +head. + +"And so do we," grinned back Holt. "But we calculate that it will make +them think that we think that we have fooled them, and so they won't +consider it necessary to keep so close watch on us, and we can try to +make our real getaway the next night or the night after." + +"That sounds more like it," and Ham grinned his approval. "Wal, since we +all 'pear tew be through eatin', let's git a-goin'," and he jumped up +from the table and hurried out doors, nearly stumbling over a thin, +sallow-faced, middle-aged Mexican, who stood near the door apparently +waiting for someone to come out. + +"Hello, Pedro! What you doin' here?" and Ham scowled down on the little +Mexican, whom he had often seen working about Coleman's store. "Coleman +send you for something?" + +"No, señor," answered the Mexican. "Coleman kick me this morning; and +now I no longer work for Coleman. I now would cook and keep camp for +señors," and he bowed, with a flourish of both his thin arms. "Get wood, +make fire, cook, carry water, clean dish, all I do for señors. I very +good cook. Coleman say I make best flapjacks in Hangtown. All I do for +señors for one ounce gold-dust a week. Si, señors?" and his bright black +eyes flashed questioningly around the circle of faces that, by this +time, had gathered around him. + +"But, see, our hosses are packed. We're 'bout tew break camp," and Ham +pointed to the horses. + +"Si, señor," answered Pedro, smiling. "I know how pack horse, so pack no +slip under belly. I go where señors go. I do good work, kind, faithful, +honest," and again he smiled, until his teeth showed like two rows of +yellow ivory in his mouth. + +"Now," and Ham turned questioningly to the others. "I wonder if +'twouldn't be a good thing tew take Pedro 'long? He could help a lot +'bout hoss-packin' an' cookin' an' things, an' could dew all th' dirty +heavy work for th' Leetle Woman." + +"Reckon you're right, Ham," declared Mr. Conroyal. "Shall we take the +Mexican on his own terms?" and he glanced inquiringly around. + +"Yes, and a good bargain I call it," assented Mr. Randolph. "Pedro +couldn't have staid as long as he did with Coleman, if he hadn't been a +pretty decent sort of a Mexican; and he can help a lot about camp." + +And thus it came about that Pedro, the Mexican, entered the service of +our friends, without a thought of suspicion that he might be other than +what he seemed coming into the head of one of them. If they had not seen +him so often working about Coleman's store and felt sure that he was +only an ignorant Mexican menial, they probably would have been a little +more cautious about taking him with them on such a venture as they were +about to undertake. + +Mrs. Dickson was given one of the horses to ride, although she protested +that she was just as able to walk as anybody; but the other five horses +were all loaded with the packs containing the supplies for the journey +and the mining tools, the men, of course, all walking. The five +pack-horses were placed in charge of Pedro and brought up the rear of +the little column of men that now marched slowly over the hill that +flanked Hangtown and off toward the unknown wilderness of mountains and +forests to the northeast, Ham and Dickson and Mr. Conroyal in the lead. + +For the first two or three days' march, or until they had passed beyond +the region where the miners were at work, their way would be plain. They +had only to follow the trail of the miners to Humbug Canyon, the last +known place marked down on the skin map. But from Humbug Canyon on there +would be no trail to follow and they would be obliged to trust to the +guidance of Mr. Dickson and the skin map to bring them into Lot's +Canyon. After that they would have to depend entirely on the map and +their own skill to discover the hidden opening into Crooked Arm Gulch. + +Naturally Thure and Bud were in high spirits, now that they were +actually on their way to the marvelous Cave of Gold; and, boylike, they +allowed no thoughts of the threatening perils from Ugger and Quinley and +their band of cut-throats to trouble their minds or to distract their +attention from the wonderful scenes constantly unfolding before them, as +they advanced along the trail leading to Humbug Canyon, where something +interesting or beautiful or both met their eyes each moment, no matter +in what direction they looked. Now it was some wonderful formation of +nature--great masses of rocks towering thousands of feet above their +heads, picturesque little mountain-surrounded valleys, deep canyons and +gulches and ravines and chasms, beautiful cascades of water plunging +over precipitous cliffs to fall in a stream of sparkling jewels on the +rocks at their base, or great forests of columnlike trees, or winding, +murmuring, plunging, seething, turbulent little streams of water rushing +furiously toward some far-off valley, and like marvels and beauties of +nature. Again, in entering some little valley or ravine, they would come +suddenly upon a picturesque little company of miners hard at work with +picks and shovels and pans and cradles, searching for the elusive yellow +grains of gold. Indeed, during that first afternoon, they found the +miners everywhere, in the valleys, in the gulches and the ravines, along +the streams, wherever there seemed the least prospect of finding gold, +there these wild knights of the pick and the shovel were sure to be +found; and, as they passed, the latest mining news would be shouted back +and forth, enlivened with rude sallies of wit and merry well-wishes. + +Sometimes they would pause for a few minutes to talk with the miners and +to watch them at their work; and, on one of these occasions, Thure and +Bud saw, for the first time, a couple of miners at work with a cradle, +as this queer machine used to separate the gold from the dirt is called. + +"I don't wonder it is called a cradle," Thure exclaimed, the moment he +caught sight of the odd-looking contrivance. "Why, if it wasn't for that +hopper on the upper end and the man shoveling dirt and pouring water +into it, one would surely think that fellow was rocking his baby to +sleep in its cradle. Can't we wait here a little while and watch them +work it?" and Thure turned to his father. "The horses need a rest +anyway." + +"Going to clean up soon?" Mr. Conroyal called to the men. + +"In about ten minutes," answered the shoveler. "And, I reckon, we can +show some gold when we do. Won't you wait and see how it pans out?" he +invited cordially. + +"Oh, do, please!" cried both the boys. + +"All right," assented Mr. Conroyal. "A rest won't hurt the horses, and I +am sure the clean up will interest you boys." + +"Bully! Come on. Let's get closer," and Thure started on the run for the +spot where the two men were working. + +The men had placed the cradle within a few feet of where they were +digging up the pay-dirt, and near the cradle they had dug a small +reservoir, which was kept constantly filled with water by means of a +small trench dug from the little mountain stream a dozen rods away, so +that they had both the water and the dirt handy, two very necessary +things to make cradling successful, unless the pay-dirt is very rich. +The machine itself, as Thure said, looked very much like a rudely made, +baby's cradle. The body was about the same size and shape as the +ordinary homemade box cradle seen in the homes of thousands in those +days and underneath it were two similar rockers, but here the +resemblance ended. One end of the cradle-box was a little higher than +the other end, which was left open, so that the water loaded with the +waste dirt could run out; and on the upper end stood a hopper, or +riddle-box, as it was frequently called, about twenty inches square, +with sides four inches high and a bottom made of sheet-iron, pierced +with holes half an inch in diameter. Directly under the hopper, which +was not nailed to the cradle-box, was an apron of wood, fastened to the +sides of the cradle-box and sloping down from the lower end of the +hopper to the upper end of the cradle-box. Two strips of wood, about an +inch square, called riffle-bars, were nailed across the bottom of the +cradle-box, one at the middle and the other near the lower end. An +upright piece of wood, nailed to one side of the cradle-box, furnished a +convenient handle for the man who did the rocking. Such, briefly +described, was the make of the curious machine that had so aroused the +interest of Thure and Bud. + +"Ever see a cradle work before?" asked the man who was shoveling the +dirt and pouring the water into the hopper, as Thure and Bud came +running up, their eyes shining with interest. + +"No," answered Thure. "It sure is a funny looking machine." + +"It sure is," agreed the man. "But a fellow can clean two or three times +as much dirt with it as he can with a pan and do it better. This is the +philosophy of it," and he shoveled the pay-dirt into the hopper until it +was a little over half filled, and then, picking up a long-handled +dipper, began dipping water out of the reservoir and pouring it on the +dirt in the hopper, while the other man constantly kept the cradle +rocking back and forth. "You see," continued the man, "the motion and +the water loosens and softens the dirt until all of it, except the +larger stones, falls through the holes in the bottom of the hopper and +runs down the apron to the upper end of the cradle and then down the +bottom of the cradle and over the riffle-bars and out the lower end, +leaving the gold and the heavier particles of sand and gravel behind the +riffle-bars. But a fellow has to keep the cradle in constant motion, or +the sand will pack and harden behind the riffle-bars and allow the gold +to slide over it, instead of sinking down through it, as gold always +will when sand or gravel is loose or in motion," as he spoke, he thrust +his hand into the hopper and picked out a couple of stones too large to +pass through the holes in the bottom of the hopper, and, after closely +examining them to see that there was no gold clinging to their sides, +threw them away. + +"But, how do you get the gold out of the cradle?" queried Bud. "It seems +to be mixed all up with a lot of heavy sand and gravel behind the +riffle-bars." + +"We will show you, just as soon as we wash out this hopper full of +dirt," replied the man. "Ay, Hank?" and he turned to his companion, the +rocker. + +"I reckon it is about time to make a clean up, Dave," assented Hank, +shifting the other hand to the cradle handle. "Anyhow both my arms are +about plumb tired out." + +After about ten minutes of this vigorous rocking all the dirt had been +dissolved and nothing remained in the hopper except a number of stones, +too large to fall through the holes in its bottom, which had been washed +clean by the water and the shaking they had received. + +"There, I calculate that will do the business," and the man addressed as +Dave, dropped the dipper, with which he had been pouring the water into +the hopper, while Hank stopped rocking the cradle and, rising to his +feet, stretched up both arms over his head with a sigh of relief. + +"Say, but this gold-digging is darned hard work," and he grinned down at +the two boys. + +"A darned sight harder than measuring cloth behind a counter," laughed +Dave, as he lifted the hopper off the cradle and with a quick jerk threw +the stones out of it and laid it down on the ground. "But a fellow gets +something for his hard work--that is, he does if he is lucky," he added, +as he picked up a large iron spoon from the ground near the cradle. "Now +we'll see how the gold pans out," and bending over the cradle he began +digging out the gravel and sand behind the riffle-bars with the spoon +and throwing it into a gold-pan, which Hank held. + +By this time all the company, except Pedro, who had been left in charge +of the pack-horses, had gathered around the two men and were watching +the cleaning up process with the greatest interest. + +"'Bout how much dew you expect she'll pan out?" queried Ham, as Dave +scraped out the last spoonful of sand and gravel and threw it into the +pan. + +"Somewhere between three and four ounces," answered Dave. "At least that +is about what we usually clean out. How does she feel, Hank?" and he +turned to his partner, who was running his fingers speculatively through +the wet sand in the pan. + +"I'll bet you an ounce of dust that there is a good five ounces of gold +in this pan right now," declared the man, his eyes shining. + +Before replying Dave took the pan and ran his fingers a few times +through the sand. + +"I'll go you. Wash her out," and he handed the pan back to Hank. + +Hank now took the pan to the little stream of water, where the swift +current would help in separating the gold from the sand; and in a few +minutes his skilful hands had succeeded in washing out of the pan all +the sand and gravel, except a thin layer of black sand, that was too +heavy to wash out without danger of washing out the gold with it, which +now could be seen sparkling here and there in the sand. + +"Want to back out?" and Hank held the pan up in triumph in front of +Dave's face. + +"Sure not. There is not over four ounces there," answered Dave, after a +moment's close examination of the sand. "Get out your magnet." + +Hank now thrust one of his hands into his pocket and pulled out a large +horseshoe magnet, the ends of which he at once began passing over the +black sand in the bottom of the pan; and, since the black sand was +nearly all iron, the magnet force caused it to cling to the horseshoe +and in this ingenious manner the remaining sand was quickly drawn from +the pan, leaving a thin, a very thin layer of gold-dust lying on its +bottom. + +Dave now produced a small balance from one of his pockets and the +gold-dust was quickly gathered up and weighed. + +"I win! Five ounces and a half!" shouted Hank triumphantly, at the same +time giving Dave a resounding whack on his back with the flat of his +hand. "That's the best clean up we've had since we started digging here. +I reckon you boys brought us good luck," and he grinned joyously into +the faces of Thure and Bud. + +"Five an' a half ounces! That's a mighty good clean up," declared Ham, +critically eyeing the little pile of gold-dust on the scale. "How often +dew you clean up a day?" + +"Usually about four times," answered one of the men. "But sometimes, +when the shoveling is good, we get in another clean up or two by working +a little late." + +"Wal, tew hundred an' fifty or three hundred dollars' worth of gold a +day is shore dewin' pretty well for tew men; an' I hopes y'ur good luck +continues." + +"No more measuring cloth behind a counter for me, if it does," laughed +Dave. "You see Hank and I were both clerks in a drygoods store back +East; but we will both be proprietors when we get back, if our good luck +holds out only a few months longer," and the look on the faces of the +two men told how much they were counting on that proprietorship. + +"I am sure your good luck will continue," smiled Mr. Conroyal +encouragingly. "But now we must be on our way," and he led the way back +to where Pedro was waiting with the horses. + +That night our friends made their camp in a little grove of trees that +grew on the bank of a streamlet flowing through a small mountain valley, +where there was an abundance of water, wood, and grass. + +Pedro proved himself so great a success at unpacking the horses and +attending to the rougher camp duties that all felt like congratulating +themselves on having secured his service. He was willing and cleanly, +two rather rare qualities in the Mexican camp menial, who was usually +sullen in disposition and dirty in person and habits. He also proved to +the satisfaction of all that his flapjacks deserved all the praises that +Coleman had given them. + +"He's a jewel," declared Mrs. Dickson enthusiastically. "And, if it +wasn't for something snaky and creepy-crawly looking in his eyes, I had +rather have his help than that of most women's. But I guess that queer +look and the way he has of watching all of us comes from his being +Mexican. Now," and she lowered her voice, "are you still planning to +break camp sometime during the night and try to fool Ugger and his men, +if they are trying to keep watch of us?" + +"Yes," replied Mr. Conroyal. "The moon will be up about midnight; and, I +reckon, that will be about the best time for us to try to make our +getaway. So the sooner we all get to sleep the more rest we will get. +Now, how about the guard?" and he turned inquiringly to the circle of +men who had gathered around the camp-fire for a quiet little talk, after +the supper had been eaten and all the camp duties had been attended to. +"Do you think it necessary for us to post guards over the camp nights?" + +"Sart'in," declared Ham. "Them skunks would be shore tew be up tew some +devilment, like stealin' our hosses or something if we didn't; an' I +don't calculate on lettin' 'em git th' start on us, if watchin' will +prevent it. I'm for havin' a guard every night, until we git safe back +tew civilerzation ag'in. Them's uncommon cunnin' scoundrels what's on +our trail, an' we don't want tew take no chances with them." + +"That's exactly the way I feel about it," agreed Mr. Conroyal. "Twould +be foolish to run any needless chances. Rex, you will stand guard for +the first two hours. Then you can awaken Dill, who will keep guard until +it is time to arouse the camp, which will be just as soon as the moon +rises, somewhere around midnight. Now everybody but Rex get into their +blankets." + +A small tent had been secured for the use of Mrs. Dickson, into which +she now retired; but the men found "soft" spots of ground near the +camp-fire, spread out their blankets on them, and, rolling themselves up +in the blankets, lay down to as sound a sleep as ever blessed a man in +the most comfortable of beds. + +A little after midnight, just as the white disk of the moon rose above +the tops of the mountains to the east, Dill quietly awoke his father; +and then the two quietly, and cautioning all to make as little noise as +possible, awoke the others. + +Pedro, who had lain down near the horses, was at first inclined to be +surly, when aroused from a sound sleep and told to pack the horses as +quickly and as quietly as possible; but in a few minutes all his +surliness had vanished and he was doing the work with a swift and +skilful dexterity that showed long practice. + +In half an hour the horses were packed and everything was ready to +start. + +"Now," and Mr. Conroyal lowered his voice almost to a whisper, "there +must be no talking and everyone must move quietly, so as to make as +little noise as possible, until we have put a couple of miles between us +and the camp. I'll go on ahead and the others can follow in single file. +Rex, you and Dill and Thure and Bud help Pedro with the horses. You had +better lead them for awhile. We will leave the camp-fire burning. +Everybody ready?" + +"Yes"--"Yes," came in whispers. + +"All right. Come on," and Mr. Conroyal, walking carefully so as to make +as little noise as possible, moved off down the trail that showed +faintly in the moonlight. + +In the excitement of the moment no one saw Pedro bend quickly down to +the ground, just before starting, and swiftly slip a piece of paper on +which was written the two words, "Humbug Canyon," under a stone that lay +near the camp-fire, and then, with a cunning gleam in his snaky black +eyes straighten up and give all his attention to the horse he was to +lead. + +All now fell into line and followed close behind Mr. Conroyal, Thure and +Bud and Rex and Dill and Pedro each leading one of the pack-horses. + +For a mile the trail was over the soft grass-covered sod of the valley, +which muffled the sounds made by their moving feet, so that they might +have passed within half a dozen rods of a camp without a man in it +dreaming that a little company of men and horses were passing, unless he +chanced to see them. Then the trail again entered the defiles of the +mountains, where the going was rough and difficult and sometimes +dangerous, on account of their not being able to see clearly in the dim +light of the moon; but Mr. Conroyal kept pressing steadily and silently +onward, and as steadily and as silently all the others followed. + +There was no talking, even after they had passed the danger zone. No one +seemed to care to talk. There was something in the mystery of the night +and the wilderness, in the white light of the moon falling on tree and +rock and mountain and valley, in the silence of the vast surrounding +forests and mighty piles of towering rocks that stilled the tongue. + +For a couple of hours they journeyed steadily and silently on through +the moonlit wilderness; and then Mr. Conroyal came to a halt in a narrow +little valley. + +"I reckon we've thrown the scoundrels off the trail by now, if we are +going to to-night," he said; "and so we might as well go into camp again +and rest up until sunrise; and as this looks like a good place we will +go into camp right there under those trees," and he pointed toward a +little grove of evergreen oaks that grew a few rods away. + +All were tired and all were sleepy; and, consequently, all welcomed the +decision to go into camp, and acted on it so promptly that, in fifteen +minutes, all, except the guard, were rolled up in their blankets and +soon were sound asleep. + + + + +CHAPTER XXII + +THE MYSTERY OF THE TENT + + +"I reckon we otter make Humbug Canyon afore dark tew-night," Ham +declared, as our friends, notwithstanding the break in their rest of the +night before, moved out of the little valley, where they had camped, as +soon as it became light enough to see the trail the next morning. + +"Yes," assented Mr. Conroyal, "but we will have to keep going to do it. +Do you suppose we fooled Ugger and his gang and threw them off our trail +last night?" and he turned a little anxiously to Ham and Frank Holt, who +were walking by his side. + +"If they didn't have no one on watch, I reckon we did," answered Ham; +"but it's more'n likely they're cunnin' enough tew be on th' lookout for +jest such tricks an' that they know right now where we be. They know it +wouldn't dew for them tew lose track of us in this here wilderness of +mountains, where 'twould be like tryin' tew find a needle in a haystack +tew try tew hit our trail ag'in, once it was lost; an' so, I reckon, +some on 'em has got an eye on us right now, an' that we'll have tew play +a shrewder trick than that tew fool 'em. But, maybe, 'twill work all +right as a sort of a blind, an' make them think that we think that we +have fooled them, an' so make 'em keerless, so that we can fool 'em th' +next time. What dew you think, Steeltrap?" Ham still frequently called +Frank Holt by his old name, Steeltrap Smith, a name that had been given +to him on account of his skill as a trapper, when his own name was +unknown even to himself, as the readers of this series of books will +remember. + +"I think you are about right, Ham," replied Holt, "although I should not +be much surprised if we gave them the slip last night. I kept watch all +the time that we were on the move yesterday, but nary a sign of anybody +following our trail could I discover. They sure must have a cunning +trailer, or else they're not depending on keeping us in sight. Perhaps +they got more about the trail from the old miner than we think they did, +and are on the watch for us at some point ahead, which they know we must +pass." + +"That's a shrewd guess, Frank," declared Mr. Conroyal. "Now," and his +face brightened, "why wouldn't it be a good plan for us not to pass +through Humbug Canyon at all; but to go around it and to try to hit the +trail again on the other side? If there is any place ahead where they +would be likely to be on the watch for us, it is at Humbug Canyon, +because that is the last place on the trail they could be sure of +without the map. The trouble will be to get around Humbug Canyon. Maybe +there is no trail that we can follow but the one running through the +canyon. Anybody here know anything about the region around Humbug +Canyon?" and, raising his voice, he stopped and looked inquiringly +around. + +"Yes, a little," answered Dickson, quickly coming forward. "I spent +about two weeks last fall prospecting in the mountains around it. What +would you like to know?" + +"Can we go to one side of Humbug Canyon and hit the trail to the Cave of +Gold again beyond?" inquired Conroyal eagerly. "If there has been +anybody stationed in Humbug Canyon to look out for us, we would like to +fool them by not passing through it at all." + +"I think we might do it by working around through Owl Gulch about five +miles to the east of Humbug Canyon," Dickson answered thoughtfully: "but +it will be considerable out of our way and the trail won't be nigh as +good. I am not absolutely sure, but I think we could get through all +right that way and not go nigh Humbug Canyon." + +"Shall we risk it?" and Mr. Conroyal turned to the men, all of whom had +been interested listeners to his query and to Dickson's answer. + +"I think the idea a good one," declared Mr. Randolph, "because, if the +old miner told them that the trail to the cave passed through Humbug +Canyon, they'd be sure to have someone on the watch for us there; and, I +reckon, we are good enough mountaineers to find the trail on the other +side without much trouble." + +"My sentiments tew a ha'r," agreed Ham emphatically. "Let's hit for Owl +Gulch. 'Twould be worth goin' a hundred miles out of th' way tew shake +them skunks." + +"All right," and Mr. Conroyal turned to Dickson. "You are the guide from +now on, Dick, so step to the front and we will follow." + +This plan appeared to please all except Pedro, who, bending down by the +side of one of the horses and pretending to tighten a rope holding the +pack, scowled furiously and swore violently, under his breath, in +Mexican; and the scowl was still on his face, when he again straightened +up and prepared to follow along with the pack-horses. + +"What's the trouble, Pedro? Flapjacks getting busy?" and Thure turned a +grinning face to the Mexican. + +"No. Pack slip and pinch finger in rope. Now all right," and the smile +came back on Pedro's face. + +But Thure noticed that the scowl returned again and again to his face +that forenoon, as he walked along by the side of the pack-horses. + +"Reckon the break in his sleep has made him cross," he thought, and gave +the matter no more attention. + +At noon, when they stopped to give horses and selves a short rest and a +chance to eat their dinners, Pedro slipped off behind a rock for some +ten minutes; and, when the journey was resumed, he lagged a little +behind the others, pretending to be tightening one of the packs, and, +once again, managed to slip, unseen, a little piece of paper under a +stone and leave it near the camp-fire over which Mrs. Dickson had heated +the coffee. This little feat seemed to fully restore his good-nature; +for there were no more scowls on his face that day. + +About the middle of the afternoon Dickson halted, where the stream along +whose bank they had been walking for the last two hours forked, one +branch flowing almost directly from the north and the other coming from +the east, with a huge triangle of mountains widening out between them. + +"Thither runs the trail to Humbug Canyon," and he pointed to the +northern stream; "and thither runs the trail to Owl Gulch," and his +finger turned to the eastern branch. "We are now about two hours from +Humbug Canyon and some four hours from Owl Gulch. Remember I am not +absolutely sure I can find the trail the other side of Humbug Canyon; +but I think I can. Stackpole and I went by way of the canyon. Now, which +shall it be?" + +"Owl Gulch," answered Mr. Conroyal promptly. "I reckon we can find the +trail all right again--Hi, there, Pedro, what sort of a heathenish charm +is that you are making?" and he turned abruptly to Pedro, who the moment +they had stopped had begun scratching curious lines with his knife on +the face of a soft rock, by the side of which they had halted. + +"Si, señor," and Pedro turned a solemn face to Mr. Conroyal, "'tis but a +holy cross I am cutting to scare the devils away from following us up +that evil-smelling stream," and he pointed to the east fork of the +little river, from which arose a faint odor. + +"Wal," grinned Ham, "I shore dew hope that you scare 'em away; for thar +shore is devils a-follerin' us," and his grin broadened at sight of the +startled look that came into Pedro's face. + +"_Madre de Dios!_" and Pedro crossed himself swiftly. + +"But, even a devil must cotch a feller afore he can run his pitchfork +intew him," and Ham chuckled; "an' we ain't cotched yit. As for that +thar stream," and he chuckled again, "th' devil once took a drink out of +it, an' it's smelt of his breath ever since." + +"There, that will do, Ham," laughed Mr. Conroyal. "Come on," and he +started up the east fork of the river. + +Pedro, the snaky look in his eyes showing more plainly than ever, +swiftly cut a small arrow, with its head pointing up the east fork of +the rivulet, underneath the cross, slipped the knife back into its +sheath, and followed with the pack-horses, his sallow face now all +smiles. Evidently he had explicit faith in the power of his charm to +keep the devils from following them up the evil-smelling stream. + +That night our friends camped in Owl Gulch, a steep, narrow defile, +little more than a crack in the huge walls of surrounding rock; and the +next day, after much arduous and violent climbing for horses and men up +the gulch and over the low back of a mountain, they passed down into a +quiet little valley, just as the sun sank behind the tops of the +mountains to the west. + +The moment Dickson entered the valley he uttered an exclamation of +pleasure. + +"Hurrah!" he cried. "We've hit the trail again! I am sure this is the +little valley where Stackpole and I camped the first night out from +Humbug Canyon. There should be a spring bubbling out of the ground at +the point of that spur of rocks where you see that little grove of +trees," and he pointed to a small grove of trees that clustered about +the point of a ridge of rocks that projected, like a long bony finger, +from the side of the surrounding mountains down into the little valley. +"We made our camp in the grove. I'll know the place for sure when we get +there by a tree that Stackpole girdled," and, accompanied by Thure and +Bud, he started on the run for the little grove of trees now about half +a mile away. + +In a few minutes the three reached the trees. The spring was there! By +its side stood a tall sycamore tree, dead, its trunk having been girdled +by an ax, as the deep scars in its bark still plainly showed. + +"There," and Dickson pointed triumphantly to the tree, "there is my +witness, the very tree that Stackpole girdled, in order that he might +have plenty of dry wood the next time that he camped here. And see," and +he pointed excitedly to the blackened remains of a camp-fire that did +not look to be many weeks old, "there is where he camped on his way back +from the Cave of Gold. We sure are in luck!" and he turned to shout the +good news to the others, who were now pushing their way eagerly through +the trees. + +"Here is where we camp for the night," declared Mr. Conroyal, when the +excitement and the jubilation of the discovery that they were surely on +the right trail again had somewhat quieted down; and all at once began +joyfully preparing the camp for the night. + +"It's queer how things dew turn out sometimes," philosophized Ham, when +all were seated around a blazing camp-fire, built from the limbs of the +dead sycamore, after the supper had been eaten and all the camp duties +attended to. "Th' miner that murdered that tree, jest so that he might +have dry wood, was murdered himself, jest for his gold; an' here we be +a-settin' around an' takin' comfort from a camp-fire built from th' dead +limbs of th' dead miner's dead tree, an' bound on a hunt for th' dead +miner's gold. Wal, I shore hopes we have better luck than he did." + +"Oh, shut up, Ham!" and Rex threw a discarded flapjack at Ham's head, +with such good aim that it landed squarely over his big mouth. "You are +enough to give the dumps to a man with the tooth-ache." + +When the laugh that followed this admirable use of valuable ammunition +had quieted down, Dickson turned to Mr. Conroyal. + +"I think I would like to have another look at that skin map," he said. + +"Certain, get the map, Thure," and Mr. Conroyal turned to Thure. + +Thure hesitated a moment, and then, catching sight of Mrs. Dickson's +little tent and receiving a smiling nod from her, he quickly entered the +tent, and a few minutes later came out with the skin map in his hand, +and handed it to Mr. Dickson. + +Pedro, who was standing near, washing the few supper dishes in a +gold-pan, started a little and almost visibly pricked up his ears at the +first mention of the skin map, and his evil eyes followed Thure into the +tent, with an intensity of look that was well for him was unseen by his +employers. + +Dickson took the map and spread it out on his knees, where the light of +the camp-fire shone full upon it; and soon all were gathered around him, +yes, all, even Pedro, who had softly left his dish washing and +tip-toeing up to the heads bending absorbedly over the map, was now +striving to secure a glimpse of the skin map directly from over the big +shoulders of Ham. + +Suddenly Ham straightened up his huge frame, with such a sudden jerk, +that one of his shoulders came in so violent a contact with the point of +Pedro's chin that the Mexican was lifted off his feet and thrown flat on +his back to the ground. + +"Wal, I'll be durned!" and Ham stared down in astonishment on the fallen +Mexican. "Thought I heer'd someone breathin' over my shoulder. Now what +might you be dewin' down thar?" and the eyes that glared down into +Pedro's face began to glow angrily. + +"I--I" stammered Pedro, as he staggered a little dizzily to his feet, +both hands holding onto his head. "I but try to see what make so great +interest to señors, when sudden up comes that great body and hit chin, +like bunt of big bull, and knock head to ground. I did but follow my +head, señor." + +"Jest follered y'ur head, did you?" and Ham's anger vanished in roars of +laughter, at the words of the unfortunate Mexican and the looks on his +face, in which he was heartily joined by all the others, all except Mrs. +Dickson, who inquired solicitously of Pedro if he was much hurt. + +But Pedro's curiosity for the moment was fully satisfied, and, without +making any reply, except to mutter something about American bulls under +his breath, he retreated to his dish washing. + +"Sarved him right," declared Ham emphatically, as all again resumed +their examination of the skin map. + +When the map had been sufficiently examined, Thure again retired into +Mrs. Dickson's tent, where he again concealed the map in the bosom of +his shirt; and when he came out again, apparently without the map, Pedro +smiled knowingly. + +Before going to her tent that night Mrs. Dickson sang a number of songs, +and almost weirdly beautiful her voice sounded in the still night air of +that little wilderness valley, concluding with Ham's favorite "Ben +Bolt." Then she bade them all good-night and disappeared into her little +tent. + +Mr. Dickson and Thure were to stand guard that night until the moon came +up, which would be about one o'clock in the morning. Consequently, as +soon as Mrs. Dickson retired, all but these two rolled themselves up in +their blankets near the camp-fire and were soon sound asleep. Thure and +Dickson each picked up his rifle and took his station on opposite sides +of the camp and began his long silent vigil. + +The skies were overcast with clouds and the darkness was so dense that +the watchers could not see six feet outside of the constantly dimming +circle of the firelight. In a couple of hours the fire had burnt down so +low, that, from where Thure stood near the horses, he could not even see +the white of Mrs. Dickson's tent, although it was not over ten yards +from where he stood; and he was about to step forward to replenish it, +when a dark object leaped by him, so close that he could have touched it +with his outstretched rifle, and disappeared in the darkness before he +could utter a word or throw his gun to his shoulder, and the next +instant the air was rent by a piercing shriek from Pedro, followed by +the flash and the report of his pistol and his yells of fright. + +In an instant every man in the camp was on his feet, his rifle in his +hands, calling excitedly: "What is the trouble?" "What has happened?" +and running to where Pedro was rolling about on the ground, calling on +all the saints in the Mexican calendar to protect him, seemingly frantic +with fear. + +"Stop that yellin', you Mexican coyote, an' tell us what has happened, +quick," and Ham bent down and, seizing the squirming Pedro by the +shoulders, jerked him to his feet and dragged him unceremoniously to the +camp-fire, which an armful of dry fuel caused to blaze up brightly. + +"_Madre de Dios!_ I know not! I know not!" cried the man, glaring +wildly about him and clinging to Ham. "Unless it was the devil of +these evil mountains. I lay sleeping, rolled up in my blanket, +when,--poof!--something hit my side and something big and ugly tumble +all over me and I see something black and awful jump in the darkness and +I grab my pistol I always sleep with me in blanket and shoot--bang!--and +the big black thing give one great jump and vanish, just like a black +devil, in the darkness. _Santissima!_ I know not what he was, if he was +not the devil! I--" + +"I saw him rush by me so close that I might have touched him with my +rifle," here broke in Thure; "but, before I could speak or shoot, he had +disappeared in the darkness, and then came Pedro's shot and yells." + +"Look to the horses!" cried Mr. Conroyal. "See that everything is safe!" + +At that moment Dickson appeared in the circle of light made by the +camp-fire. + +"All the horses are safe," he said. "Nothing appears to be missing. What +does all this excitement mean? I saw nothing, heard nothing, until the +shooting and yelling began--" He stopped abruptly and glanced swiftly +around. "Mollie! Where's Mollie?" and he sprang toward the tent. + +"Gosh! I plumb forgot th' Leetle Woman! She shore otter have showed up +afore this," and Ham's face whitened, as his eyes followed Dickson into +the little tent. + +The fire was now burning so brightly that the tent showed plainly in its +ruddy light; and the eyes of all fixed themselves on it, a look of +dreadful apprehension on each whitening face. + +For a moment all was silent after Dickson disappeared in the tent; and +then came a yell of horror that made every man jump for the tent, just +as Dickson staggered out with a squirming bundle in his arms, that he +quickly laid down on the ground and began frantically untying the +deerskin thongs with which it was tightly bound. + +"Great God, if 'tain't th' Leetle Woman!" and Ham bent excitedly and +with his knife began cutting the thongs, which bound Mrs. Dickson, head +and all, in her own blanket as tightly as an Egyptian mummy. + +In a moment her body was free; but, when the blanket was lifted from her +face, her mouth was found to be so tightly stuffed, with a piece of +cloth torn from her own dress, that she could not utter an audible +sound. Dickson's strong fingers quickly pulled the cloth out of her +mouth; and she lay, white and gasping for breath, but apparently unhurt, +staring up wildly into the faces of the excited men. + +"Take her into the tent, Dick, until she recovers from her fright and +rough usage," whispered Mr. Conroyal, bending close to Dickson's ear. + +Dickson quickly lifted his wife into his arms and carried her into the +tent. + +"Who did it?" and Mr. Conroyal's eyes searched anxiously the angry and +mystified faces of the men, the moment Mr. Dickson vanished with his +burden in the tent. + +"Th' Lord alone knows for sart'in," answered Ham. "But, I reckon, 'twas +one of them durned skunks. Jest wait 'til th' Leetle Woman gits tew +feelin' like herself ag'in an' maybe she can give us some useful +information." + +But, in this conjecture, Ham was wrong; for, when something like half an +hour later, Mrs. Dickson came out the tent, leaning on her husband's arm +and looking very white, but otherwise little the worse for her +experience, all the information she could give only added to the +mystery. + +She had been sound asleep when the attack was made. The first thing she +knew a hand held her by the throat, so tightly that she could not utter +a sound; and, when she opened her mouth, gasping vainly for breath, it +was instantly stuffed full of rags, so firmly that she could not utter a +loud sound. Then the hand was taken from her throat, her arms pressed +closely to her sides, and she was tightly rolled up in her own blanket, +head and all, and tied the way they had found her. For some little time +after that she heard her assailant cautiously searching the tent. He +appeared to be exceedingly anxious to find something; for every possible +hiding-place in the tent had been thoroughly searched and every package +or bundle had been opened. When the search was over, she heard the +intruder creep softly out of the tent. Then had followed a few minutes +of silence broken suddenly by Pedro's yells and shot. Owing to the +darkness and to the fact that her eyes had been covered as quickly as +possible, she could not give any idea of what her assailant looked like, +only she did not think he was a large man. + +This was all the information that Mrs. Dicksom could give; and a +thorough search of the tent with a torch added nothing to it. + +Thure and Pedro were again examined; but they could give no definite +information. Thure had only caught a glimpse of the man, as he had +rushed by him in the darkness; and Pedro appeared to have been too +nearly frightened out of his wits to have seen anything correctly, even +if it had been clear daylight, instead of the black night that it was. +However both disagreed with Mrs. Dickson in one particular. Thure felt +quite sure that the man who rushed by him was a large man; and Pedro was +positive that he was a giant in size. Dickson had not seen the man at +all. The horses and the packs, indeed the whole camp, were thoroughly +examined with lighted torches; but nothing was found missing, nothing +had even been disturbed outside of Mrs. Dickson's tent, and from here, +so far as they could discover, not a thing had been taken. + +"It's 'bout as plain as th' nose on a man's face that he was after th' +skin map," Ham commented, when all had again gathered around the +camp-fire to consider the mystery; "but, why should he look for it in +th' tent? an' how did he git in thar? that's what gits me," and Ham +shook his head. "Wal, thar is no use figgerin' on it any longer +tew-night. Let's git back intew our blankets; an' maybe we can see +things clearer in th' mornin'. It's tew tarnel dark even tew think," and +Ham laid down on his blanket and rolled himself up in it and refused to +have another word to say about the mystery that night. + +"Reckon Ham is right," Mr. Conroyal declared, as that worthy disappeared +in his blanket. "But I sure would like to have a look at the man, who +can creep into our camp at night, right under the noses of the guards, +and tie one of us up in a blanket, and search a tent, and make a clean +getaway. I sure would like to have a look at that man." + +"I'd want more than a look," and Mr. Dickson clenched both his hands. +"I'd just like to get hold of him for about five minutes, the +scoundrel!" + +"And you are not the only one, Dick," and an angry light flashed into +Mr. Conroyal's eyes. "But, what's the use! He's got away; and without +leaving a clue, so far as I can see. Let's get into our blankets. Maybe, +as Ham says, we can see clearer in the morning. Good night," and Mr. +Conroyal turned to his blanket, followed by all the others, except Bud +and Mr. Randolph, who were to act as guards during the remainder of the +night. + + + + +CHAPTER XXIII + +ON THE SHORE OF GOOSE NECK LAKE + + +The next morning the camp was again thoroughly examined; but no clues to +the identity of the intruder of the night before could be found, nor +could they follow his trail beyond the spot where he had apparently +stumbled over Pedro. Here the ground, which happened to be a little +soft, plainly showed where he had fallen and jumped to his feet and +leaped off in the direction of the point of rocks, but farther than this +it was impossible to trail him on account of the hardness of the ground. +There was absolutely nothing more that they could do; for it would be +useless to attempt to run him down in that wilderness of mountains; and +they were obliged to leave the mystery of the tent; it was a great +mystery to those strong watchful men how the gagging and the binding of +Mrs. Dickson had been so quietly and effectively accomplished, unsolved +for the present. + +"Don't look much as if we'd thrown th' cunnin' devils off our trail, +does it?" Ham grumbled, as our little company again started on their +journey. "'Pears like as if we'd had all our trouble for our pains so +far. Wal, they didn't git th' skin map; but it shows they shore could +have got it, if they'd knowed whar it was," and his face clouded. "They +might have sneaked up ahind Dickson or Thure jest as easy an' knocked +'em senseless an' bound an' gagged 'em. Reckon we've got tew be more +keerful or they'll git th' map yit. 'Bout how much longer will it take +us tew git tew that thar canyon?" and he turned anxiously to Mr. +Dickson. + +"We ought to make it in three days sure," answered Dickson. "Stackpole +and I did it in a little over two days from here; but, on account of the +pack-horses, it will probably take us a little longer." + +"Shore you remember th' trail?" + +"Yes," and Dickson's eyes turned northward. "Now that I am on the +ground, things come back to me. See that opening between those two +mountains?" and Dickson pointed to a ravine-like depression between two +mountains some four or five miles away. "Well, I know we went up that +ravine, because Stackpole pointed it out to me right from here, just as +I am pointing it out to you; and that ravine, after a couple of miles, +widens out into quite a little valley, with the mountain, called Three +Tree Mountain on the map, near its upper end." + +"Wal, we shore was in luck, Dick, when we took you intew th' +partnership," Ham declared heartily; "for, I reckon, we'd had a durned +long hunt a-findin' our way jest by that map, but now all we've got tew +do is jest tew foller y'ur lead. Wal, lead on," and he grinned. + +Dickson proved that his memory of the trail was correct; for, after they +had entered the ravine between the two mountains and had gone up it for +a couple of miles, it opened out into a beautiful little valley; and +there, near its upper end, stood a huge round-topped mountain, bald of +head, except for three tall trees that stood out against the horizon +like three lonely sentinels. + +"Hurrah!" yelled Thure, the moment his eyes caught sight of this +mountain. "There is Three Tree Mountain! We sure are on the right trail. +Bully for Dickson!" + +Our friends now had passed beyond the realm of the hitherto ubiquitous +miner. The wilderness was supreme. Everywhere around them mountains and +forests and valleys and streams stood unchanged, as they came from the +hand of God. + +Game of all kinds was abundant. Bud shot a young buck elk, which they +ate for supper, when they went into camp for the night at the foot of +Three Tree Mountain. + +The guard was doubled that night and the camp-fire was kept blazing +brightly, so that no one could creep into camp unseen under cover of the +darkness. These precautions proved effectual; and the night was passed +without alarm. + +Dickson found no trouble in following the trail during the day. At every +turning point some remembered landmark would show him the right way to +go. A short time before night they passed over a ridge of rocks and +looked down into a quiet little valley, near the center of which lay a +beautiful little lake. + +"Behold!" cried Dickson, pointing to the water, that shone like red gold +in the red rays of the setting sun. "Behold, Goose Neck Lake! It was +while standing at this very spot and looking down on the peculiar +necklike bend of the lake, that Stackpole gave it the name, Goose Neck +Lake. There is a little grove of trees on its north shore that will make +us a fine camping place. And tomorrow afternoon sometime we should be in +Lot's Canyon! Come on," and he hurried down the ridge toward the lake. + +It was dark when they reached the north shore of the lake and pitched +their camp in the little grove of trees. All were in high spirits; for +on the morrow they would be in Lot's Canyon, almost at their journey's +end, almost within reach of the Cave of Gold! + +For the last two days they had not seen nor heard a sign of their +enemies and they were beginning to hope that, in the maze of deep +gulches and ravines and little mountain-enclosed valleys through which +they had been passing, they had given them the slip, and this hope added +to their cheer. Consequently the little group that gathered around the +camp-fire that night was unusually merry--all except Pedro, who went +about his camp duties with a sullen troubled look on his face. Ever +since the night Mrs. Dickson had been found tightly bound in her tent, +his face had worn a troubled expression and his eyes were continually +turning to Thure, with a wondering questioning look in them, as if there +were something about the boy that he could not understand; and every +time he had heard the name of the skin map mentioned he had become +instantly alert, but always in such a way as not to attract attention in +his direction. Now, on this night, his was the only gloomy face in the +company. + +"Looks as if we had given th' skunks th' slip at last," Ham said, as he +seated himself on his blanket, spread near the blazing fire, and leaned +back comfortably on his elbow. "An' I don't wonder; for I don't believe +even Kit Carson himself could have kept on our trail through all them +short twistin' gulches an' thick woods, through which we've ben passin' +for th' past tew days. Howsomever, I reckon, we hadn't better let up +none on th' caution bus'ness--But, let us forgit them skunks an' turn +our minds tew more pleasant things, like a song from th' Leetle Woman," +and he turned to Mrs. Dickson. "I jest sorter feel hungry for music +tonight. Please sing 'Old Dan Tucker,' an' Th' Emergrants Lament' an'--" + +"'Ben Bolt,'" laughed Thure. + +"Shore," grinned Ham. "I couldn't go tew sleep without hearin' 'Ben +Bolt,' but let us have 'Old Dan Tucker' first." + +Mrs. Dickson was in splendid voice that night and sang with unusual +fervor, even for her; and the men kept begging her for "just one more +song," until, at last, with a laugh, she declared she just couldn't sing +another song, and, bidding them all good night, hurried into her tent. + +The guard was again doubled that night and instructed to keep the +camp-fire blazing brightly. Hammer Jones, Frank Holt, Mr. Randolph, and +Dill Conroyal, were to keep the first watch, through the darkest hours +of the night, before the moon came up. The night was clear and the +starlight bright enough to make objects dimly visible a few rods away. +The grove where they were encamped was not large and the guards were +stationed in its outskirts, where they could patrol all around it. + +Hammer Jones' post was near the horses, on the opposite side of the +grove from the lake. About twenty rods from him, out on the open valley +stood a large tree, with three or four smaller trees growing around it. +In the starlight he could see the outlines of these trees dimly. He +stationed himself in the dark shadows of a large tree, where he could +keep one eye on the horses and the camp, illuminated by the blazing +camp-fire, and the other on the surrounding valley. + +For a couple of hours he neither saw nor heard a suspicious sign or +sound. Then from the little clump of trees came the hoot of an owl that +caused him to straighten up quickly and to listen intently. Ham had +spent the greater part of his life in the wilderness; and the voices of +its wild dwellers were as familiar to him as were the voices of his +fellow men; and something in the first hoot of that owl had awakened his +suspicions. It did not sound exactly right. There was a false quaver at +the end. In a minute the hoot was repeated, still with that unnatural +quaver at its end. + +Along the outskirts of the grove grew a thin line of short bushes. Ham +now bent down until his form was hidden by these bushes, and began +creeping slowly and very cautiously toward the clump of trees. In this +way he was able to get some three or four rods nearer to the spot that +had awakened his suspicions. During this cautious forward movement the +hoot of the owl had been repeated three times, at intervals of about a +minute, and the same false note had been sounded each time. + +"I'd bet th' last coonskin in my pack that that's no owl hootin'," Ham +muttered softly to himself, fixing his eyes intently on the dark shadows +underneath the trees. + +Suddenly he fancied he saw one of the shadows move. + +"By gum, I'll chance a shot!" and swiftly throwing his rifle to his +shoulder, he fired at the spot where he thought he had seen the shadow +move. + +There was a faint sound, like a smothered exclamation; and then all was +still in the little grove of trees, nor could Ham's straining eyes +detect any further movements. + +But his shot had aroused the camp; and now all the men, except the +guard, came running to him, their rifles in their hands, excitedly +calling to know what was the matter. + +"Jest a suspicious hoot of an owl an' a movin' shader," answered Ham. "I +reckon thar was one of them durned skunks a-hidin' in that clump of +trees, a-callin' out some signal; an' I shouldn't be none s'prised if my +bullet pinked him. Leastwise I thought I heer'd a smothered cry." + +"Get torches and we will see," cried Mr. Conroyal excitedly. "Maybe you +got him, Ham." + +Thure and Bud hurried to the camp-fire and soon were back with blazing +pine torches in their hands. + +There were no hostile Indians in that part of the country, and they knew +that Ugger and his gang could not be there yet in sufficient force to +dare venture to attack them, so they did not fear to advance on the +little clump of trees with lighted torches in their hands. + +There were three small trees and the one large tree and a few low bushes +in the clump. The ground around these was as carefully searched as was +possible by the light of the torches; but not a sign of Ham's human owl +did they find. + +"Must have been a real owl after all, Ham," Mr. Conroyal said, as he was +about to give up the search and to return to the camp. + +But, at this moment, Thure uttered a startled exclamation and, bending +quickly, picked up something from the ground and held it up where the +light of the torches showed it plainly to all. + +It was a little finger freshly severed from a left hand! + +"Marked him! By gum, I marked him!" cried Ham exultingly. + +"You sure did, Ham," and Mr. Conroyal bent hastily and examined the +finger carefully. "It came from the hand of a white man all right," he +declared. "And the hand of rather a small man, the left hand. Well, you +will know your man the next time you see him, Ham." + +"I shore will," grinned Ham. "An', if I dew, I wants tew return him his +finger; so I'll jest take charge of that leetle bit of anatominy," and, +reaching out, he took the finger from Thure, and, carefully wrapping it +up in a piece of buckskin, thrust it into one of his pockets. "Wal, th' +excitement is all over now, boys, an' you can return tew y'ur downy +couches an' soft pillers. I reckon thar won't be no more owl hootin' +tew-night, leastwise not from that bird," and Ham chuckled. + +All now returned to the camp and to their blankets; and Ham resumed his +watch in the dark shadows under the big tree. + +Ham was right. There was no more owl hooting that night. But the finding +of that finger had brought uneasy thoughts to all. Evidently they had +not succeeded in throwing their cunning enemies off the trail. And now, +here they were within a few hours' march of Lot's Canyon, of the Cave of +Gold, and with the scoundrels still hot on their track! What was to be +done? How could they now hope to throw Ugger and his men off their +trail, when all their efforts so far had been in vain? Indeed, how had +Ugger and his men been able to keep on their trail, through all the maze +of mountains and forests and winding gulches and twisting ravines +through which they had been passing? That was a great mystery to all--to +all, except Pedro. + + + + +CHAPTER XXIV + +IN LOT'S CANYON + + +The next morning, just as they were about to start on their way Mr. +Conroyal called the little company together. + +"You all know what happened last night, and what it means," he said. "In +spite of all our efforts to throw them off, that Ugger gang apparently +are still on our trail. Now, Dickson says that we can make Lot's Canyon +this afternoon; but, if we do, them skunks will be sure to follow us and +to find it, too. Under such circumstances what shall we do? Shall we try +again to fool them, by not going straight to the canyon to-day and see +if we can't slip into it to-night without being seen? Or, shall we defy +them, and march straight for the canyon, without any effort to hide our +trail?" + +"That last plan hits my bull's-eye," declared Ham emphatically. "If they +want tew foller, let 'em foller. If they want tew fight, we'll give 'em +all th' fight they want," and Ham's lips closed grimly. "I'm tired of +tryin' tew dodge th' dirty sneakin' murderin' pack of cowards any +longer. I gives my vote for marchin' as straight tew Lot's Canyon as th' +good Lord an' Dickson can take us." + +"Bully for Ham!" shouted Bud enthusiastically. "I vote with Ham," and he +sprang to Ham's side. + +"So do I," and Thure followed him. + +"Me, too," and, with a laugh, Mrs. Dickson took her stand by the side of +the boys. + +And, with a cheer, all the others joined her. + +"Reckon that means, straight for Lot's Canyon. Lead on," and Mr. +Conroyal turned to Dickson. + +Until about noon the trail wound around great hills of rocks, and in and +out of deep gulches and rocky defiles, and over high ridges of rock; and +then, just as the sun was nearing the meridian, it entered a broad +mountain-enclosed valley, some six or seven miles long by about two +miles wide. Near the upper end of the valley a tall pinnacle of rocks +shot up into the sky, like a church steeple, at the head of what looked +like an almost precipitous mass of rocks that rose many hundreds of feet +above the level of the valley. + +"See that rock?" and Dickson pointed triumphantly to the steeple-like +rock at the head of the valley. + +"Shore, not bein' blind," Ham answered. "What might it be doin' thar?" +and he grinned. + +"That rock," and Dickson paused to glance around the circle of faces +that now surrounded him, "stands within half a mile of the Devil's +Slide, which is the only way down into Lot's Canyon. Boys, we should be +in Lot's Canyon in two hours!" + +"Hurrah!" yelled Thure. + +"Hurrah!" echoed Bud. + +"Come on," cried Mr. Conroyal. "The sooner we get there the better. +Pedro, see if you can't liven up them pack-horses a little." + +"Si, si, señor," and Pedro began hurling volleys of Mexican oaths at the +pack-horses and running from one to another of them, striking with his +whip and urging with his voice, until the patient animals were moving as +fast as the safety of their packs would permit. + +Pedro appeared to be in unusually good spirits that day. All the gloom +of the day before had vanished with the dawning of the morning of the +night of the hooting owl. + +In an hour and a half, so eagerly did they press forward, our little +company had passed the steeple-like pinnacle of rocks; and in another +fifteen minutes they had climbed to the top of a ridge of rocks, and +were looking down a steep, narrow declivity, cut by the wonderous hand +of nature, in a precipitous wall of solid rock that rose from the bottom +of a canyon five hundred feet below them. The smooth floor of the +declivity was not over a dozen feet wide and shot downward at an angle +of about forty-five degrees. + +"Gosh! I don't wonder Stackpole called that Th' Devil's Slide," and +Ham's eyes stared down the steep slope of the declivity. "Ain't thar no +other way of gettin' down thar intew that thar canyon?" and he turned to +Dickson. + +"Not that I know of," Dickson answered. "That was the way Stackpole and +I went. It is not as difficult as it looks. The rock is not slippery, +and, by being careful, a man can get down all right. But the horses! I +don't know about them," and he glanced a little dubiously toward the six +horses. + +"We'll have to use ropes on them," declared Mr. Conroyal. "Two men to a +horse. Get out the ropes." + +In a few minutes five strong ropes had been secured from the packs, and +preparations were immediately begun for helping the horses down the +slide. + +There were ten men in the company, including Pedro, and this enabled +them to start all the pack-horses at the same time down the declivity. +The method of procedure was simple. The middle of a strong rope some +thirty feet long was placed under the neck of a horse and across the +breast and fastened there, so that it could not slip down. Then two men +took hold of the rope, one at each end, and, by walking a little behind +and on opposite sides of the horse, they were in position to hold back +the animal, should he start to slide or get to going too fast. In this +way and with very little trouble, for the footing down the declivity was +much better than they expected it would be, they soon had the six horses +safely down the Devil's Slide. + +All now stood at the bottom of a deep canyon, with walls of nearly +perpendicular rock rising on both sides from five hundred to a thousand +feet above their heads. The bottom was strewn with rocks of all shapes +and sizes, and little clumps of trees and bushes grew here and there. + +"This," and Dickson glanced a bit dramatically around him, "is Lot's +Canyon. The white pillar of rock, called Lot's Wife on the map, is about +a couple of miles farther up the canyon, and near it stands the Big +Tree, and close by that tree, according to the map, should be the hidden +entrance to Crooked Arm Gulch. And it must be well-hidden too; for, when +I was with Stackpole, we couldn't find a sign of a gulch near the Big +Tree, although I remember we looked especially sharp for it right there, +because the Indian had told Stackpole that it was near a big tree and +that was the biggest tree we could find in the canyon. I hope we have +better luck." + +"Let us hurry and get to the Big Tree," cried Thure impatiently. "I am +sure that, if there is any entrance to any gulch there, some of us can +find it. Come on," and the excited boy, with Bud by his side, started up +the canyon. + +Rex and Dill and Mr. Dickson at once joined the two boys, and the five +hurried eagerly forward, leaving the others to come on more slowly with +Pedro and the horses. + +The canyon was from one hundred to two hundred feet wide at the bottom, +and twisted and wound along between its gigantic walls of rock, like a +huge serpent. Doubtless in some far distant age it had been the course +of a mighty river; but now not a drop of water flowed along its rocky +bottom and evidently had not for hundreds of years. + +"Looks like a mighty good place for grizzlies," commented Rex, as they +hurried along over the rough rocks of the bottom. + +"And there has been one here not many minutes ago," supplemented Dill, +pointing to the bark of a tree that had been freshly torn by the sharp +claws of some powerful animal. + +"And there he is!" cried Thure, as they made a sudden turn around a huge +point of rocks, projecting a few feet out into the canyon, and came face +to face with a huge male grizzly not a hundred feet away. + +The grizzly appeared to be very greatly astonished at this sudden +invasion of man into his hitherto undisputed realm of rocks, and a +little offended. With a deep bass-drum-like "huff, huff," he reared his +huge body up on his hind legs, and, turning his wicked little eyes on +them, uttered a deep warning growl, as much as to say: "Now, if you men +will turn right around and go back, I will not harm you." + +"Shall we shoot?" asked Thure, cocking his rifle. + +"No, not if the brute will get out of our way," answered Rex. "We have +no time to fool with grizzlies," and, cocking his own rifle, he started +straight toward the grizzly. + +The growl of the bear deepened, and he made no sign of giving way to the +intruders. + +"All right, old man," and Rex stopped and threw his rifle to his +shoulder. "Stand ready to fire, if my bullet fails to bring him down," +he warned, as his eye glanced swiftly along the rifle barrel. + +But Rex Holt was one of the best rifle shots in California, and knew +exactly where to send his bullet in order to make it instantly fatal; +and there was no need of a second shot, for almost at the instant of the +crack of his rifle, the huge beast, with a deep startled, "huff," and a +staggering leap toward them, tumbled sprawlingly to the ground, as if +all his tough muscles had been suddenly turned to hot tallow, and with a +few quiverings, the great frame lay still. + +"No time to bother with him now. Let him lay there for the present. Come +on," and Rex, pausing by the side of the grizzly only long enough to +assure himself that the monster was dead, hurried on up the canyon. + +For half an hour longer they struggled on over the broken rocks that +covered the bottom of the canyon; and then they came to where the canyon +made an abrupt turn, and, widening out a little, ran straight ahead for +half a mile or more. + +The moment they made this turn and looked up the clear stretch of +canyon, all uttered a shout of triumph. Some two hundred yards from them +and near the east wall of the canyon grew a huge oak tree; and, perhaps +a hundred yards farther up the canyon, stood a tall pillar of white +rock. + +"The Big Tree!" yelled Thure exultingly, starting on the run for the +tree. + +"Lot's Wife!" shouted Bud, racing along after Thure. + +Rex and Dill and Dickson hastened after the excited boys; and, in a few +minutes, all stood beneath the giant branches of the great oak. + +The tree was some seventy-five feet high and nearly as broad as it was +high; and its huge trunk grew so close to the wall of the canyon that +the ends of its great limbs on that side had been pressed tight up +against the rocks. + +"Well, we are here at last!" Thure's face was flushed and his eyes were +sparkling with excitement. "Now, for the hidden entrance to Crooked Arm +Gulch!" and his eyes turned eagerly to the walls of the canyon. + +The wall of the canyon near the tree, so far as their eyes could judge, +was a solid mass of cracked and seamed rocks, that sprang from the +bottom of the canyon almost straight upward for five hundred or more +feet. There did not appear to be break or opening of any kind, nor did +it look as if there ever had been such an opening. + +For half an hour the two boys and Rex and Dill and Mr. Dickson searched +excitedly up and down the wall of the canyon near the tree, without one +of them finding the first sign of an entrance to the hidden gulch. + +"Great Moses, but this is exasperating!" complained Thure, staring +indignantly at the blank walls of rock. "To be held up like this, when +almost at the entrance to the Cave of Gold! But we have got to find it," +and the heat of his excitement having cooled down a little, he began a +more careful and systematic search of the face of the wall of rock. + +"Found it?" yelled Ham, who at this moment came round the turn in the +canyon at the head of the remainder of the company. + +"No," Dickson called back. "Not a sign of an opening anywhere in sight." + +"I reckon this is where our trouble begins," Ham declared a few minutes +later, when he stood near the Big Tree and searched the precipitous side +of the wall of rock vainly with his keen eyes. "It shore don't look as +if there ever had ben any gulch entrance thar." + +"Let us have another look at the map," suggested Mr. Conroyal, after all +had searched the face of the wall of rock in vain for some time. +"Possibly we have overlooked some little point of guidance on it." + +Thure at once procured the map and handed it to his father; and all +crowded anxiously around him, as he seated himself on a rock and spread +the map out on his knees. + +"This sure must be the right place," he declared, as he glanced down at +the map and then up and down the canyon; "for here is the Big Tree and +there," and he pointed to the white pillar, "is Lot's Wife, and that +slide down there must surely have been the Devil's Slide; and, if this +is the right place, then the entrance to Crooked Arm Gulch must be right +there, according to this map," and he pointed to the wall of rock +against which the great limbs of the tree were pressing. + +"Wai, it ain't thar," and Ham turned away disgustedly from the map. "Any +fool with eyes in his head can see that it ain't thar. I reckon we've +come on a wild-goose chase. Let's go intew camp an' git some grub down +us. I'm allfired hungry, an' it's tew late tew look any more tew-day," +and he glanced toward the west wall of the canyon, up the side of which +the shadows of night were already beginning to creep. "Possibly we can +dew better in th' mornin', though it's more'n I can see how, seem' that +thar's nuthin' but th' face of a solid wall of rock tew search; an' +we've searched 'bout every inch of that that we can a'ready," and he +threw his big frame down on the ground and stared at the wall of rock +wrathfully. + +And much of the same disappointment and disgust that troubled Ham was +troubling the hearts of all; for it did not seem possible that there +could be any entrance to any gulch anywhere near the Big Tree. The wall +of rock was too steep to climb, but the eye could search its entire +face, except where the limbs of the giant oak hid a few square yards of +the surface, and nowhere was there a break in the wall nor the least +sign of an opening of any sort, let alone the entrance to a gulch. This +was so plainly evident, so easily and so quickly to be seen, for the +smooth face of the wall of a canyon offers few opportunities of +concealment, that the gloom of bitter disappointment deadened the +spirits of all; and, consequently, it was a very downhearted and +discouraged company of men that now started to make ready for the night +under the overhanging branches of the Big Tree. + +All the next day the search was continued, but without any results. + +"Durn th' old map! Let's throw it intew th' fire an' git back tew th' +diggin's," Ham declared wrathfully, as they gathered for the night under +the Big Tree. "Stackpole shore must have been loony when he made that +map." + +"Reckon you are right," agreed Mr. Conroyal. "Well, we'll have another +look at the map; and, if we can't get any new ideas from it, we will do +as you say and start back for the diggings in the morning." + +"No; no! Just one more day! Let us look one more day!" pleaded Thure. "I +can't believe that Stackpole did not find that Cave of Gold. He was so +sure of it, so earnest about it--and there is the nugget and the gold he +had with him when murdered! Let us look just one more day!" + +"Well, son, I am sure that we all are just as anxious to find that Cave +of Gold as you can possibly be; but, where can we look that we have not +already looked? What is the use of going over exactly the same ground +that we have already been over many times? It isn't a question of +sticking. I'd say stick as long as there was any hope. But, as Ham says, +any fool with eyes in his head can see that there is no gulch opening +here. Either Stackpole was crazy, or we've struck the wrong canyon; and, +in either case, we might just as well give up the search and get back +where we know there is gold. However, I will put the matter to a vote; +and we will do as the majority wishes. Shall we start back for the +diggings in the morning? All in favor of starting back in the morning +stand up," and Mr. Conroyal's eyes glanced over the little company +seated around him. + +All arose slowly to their feet, except Thure and Bud, who looked almost +ready to cry at this untimely ending of all their romantic dreams. + +"I know it is hard, hard on us all, and especially hard on you two +boys," Mr. Conroyal said, turning sympathetically to the lads. "But it +would be foolish to waste any more time here. Now, let us have a last +look at that map, before we fling the cussed thing into the fire," and +he motioned Thure to hand him the skin map. "We don't want it to fool +anybody else." + +Thure slowly took the map from its place of concealment in his shirt +bosom and reluctantly handed it to his father. Then all bent their heads +over it; but there was little interest in their faces. They had examined +the map too often and too closely to hope to find anything new in it +now. + +Suddenly Mrs. Dickson uttered a little exclamation and pointed with her +finger to the roughly drawn tree in the left hand corner of the map. + +"I wonder if that tree, with the arrow pointing downward toward the east +point of the cross, does not mean something," she said. + +"Moses!" yelled Thure, jumping to his feet excitedly. "It does! It's the +key to the whole secret! I remember now! The miner said the gulch was +blocked by great rocks, that we must climb the Big Tree to the third +limb. You remember, don't you, Bud?" and he turned excitedly to Bud. + +"Yes," answered Bud, now as greatly excited as was Thure himself. "He +said, 'Climb to the third limb. Remember, climb to the third +limb--third--third--' and then he choked all up. Come! It is yet light +enough to see!" and both boys made a jump for the huge trunk of the +great oak tree and began climbing up it almost with the agility of two +squirrels. + +"Gosh! Thar might be somethin' in that!" and Ham, and all the others, +jumped to their feet and followed the movements of the two boys with +deeply interested eyes. + +The third limb was about twenty feet from the ground, of huge size and +thrust itself straight out to the rocky wall of the canyon, against +which its end appeared to be tightly pressed. + +Along this limb Thure and Bud now scrambled, as swiftly as hands and +feet and body could propel them, Thure in the lead. The limb was +sufficiently large and strong to make this neither difficult nor +dangerous. In a few minutes they were at the face of the wall of rock. +Here Thure paused for a moment, then he was seen to rise on his feet, +push a few branches aside, and, with a yell, disappear. The next moment +he was followed by Bud. + +"Wal, I'll be teetotally durned!" and Ham and the others stared blankly +at the spot where the two boys had disappeared. + +For five minutes they stood staring at the spot, without speaking a +word, so intense was their interest. Then the heads of the two boys +appeared through the branches almost simultaneously; and a loud yell of +triumph broke wildly from the mouth of each. + +"Found! Found!" yelled Thure. + +"We've found the gulch! Crooked Arm Gulch!" cried Bud. "Come up and +see." + +"Durned if I don't!" and Ham leaped for the trunk of the tree, followed +by every other man in the company, except Pedro, who, together with Mrs. +Dickson, remained below. + +"Not too many on the limb at a time," cautioned Rex, who had succeeded +in reaching the third limb first. "It might break," and he began working +his way along it, closely followed by Dill. + +In a couple of minutes he had reached the opening in the wall of rock, a +jagged hole some four or five feet in diameter, into which the sturdy +limb had thrust itself in such a manner that its branches completely +concealed all signs of the opening from below. + +"Great! This is great!" Rex exclaimed, as he pushed his way through the +branches into the hole. + +In a few minutes more all were through the hole, and were standing on a +narrow shelf of rock, looking down into a deep, narrow gulch, whose +bottom was considerably below the level of the bottom of Lot's Canyon. + +"By gum! if we ain't struck th' right spot at last!" and Ham stared in +astonishment up the gulch to where it made a bend, like a crook at the +elbow in a man's bent arm. "Thar's th' Golden Elbow," and he pointed to +the bend; "an' this shore must be Crooked Arm Gulch. Wal, this is what I +call luck! Hurra!" and he swung his hat around his head and yelled at +the very top of his strong lungs; and every man there joined with him in +the yell; and the rocky walls of the narrow gulch echoed and reëchoed +the sound, until it seemed as if a hundred men were shouting their +joyous yells of triumph. + +"Too bad it is so late in the day that we must put off exploring the +gulch until to-morrow," Mr. Conroyal lamented, when the excitement had +somewhat quieted down. + +"Oh, dad, just let us see if the cave is really there!" begged Thure. + +"Impossible. See how swiftly the dark shadows of night are gathering. We +must hasten back to Lot's Canyon at once. In fifteen minutes it will be +too dark to see our way plainly. Come on, everybody. I reckon the Little +Woman is some curious to know what has been happening up here," and, +smiling happily, he started back toward the opening, followed by all the +others. + +When they again reached the ground at the bottom of the Big Tree, they +found Mrs. Dickson alone. She said that Pedro had asked permission to go +back to where the grizzly bear had been filled to get a chunk of bear +steak for their supper, and had hurried off, taking one of their rifles +with him, as soon as she had said yes. She was nearly wild with joy, +when told of the find they had made, and vowed that she would go with +them in the morning, when they started out to look for the Cave of Gold, +in spite of the seemingly dangerous climb along the big limb of the Big +Tree. + +Half an hour later Pedro returned with a big chunk of bear meat, which +was soon roasting on wooden spits placed around the blazing camp-fire. + +That was as joyful an evening as the night before had been gloomy. Even +the saturnine spirits of Pedro seemed greatly affected by the general +hilarity; for his sallow face was all smiles and his little black eyes +snapped and twinkled, as he passed hither and thither among the men, and +he was very careful to place the pan in which he washed the dishes +within easy hearing distance of every word they might utter. Indeed, it +seemed almost impossible for him to tear himself away from the sound of +their voices; and, when he was compelled to go to the little spring they +had discovered some twenty rods distant from the Big Tree, after water, +he had gone there and back on the run, as if he was fearful that +something might be said while he was away that he ought to hear. But, to +all this, our friends gave no heed, save that Ham once or twice turned +his eyes on Pedro's excited face, with just a flicker of suspicion in +them. + +"Wal, I don't wonder he's some excited, seein' us so upset," he thought. +"Still thar won't be no harm in keepin' as much as possible from him. I +don't believe in trustin' a Mexican nohow, any more than you've got +tew," and Ham lowered his own voice and cautioned the others to do +likewise, when Pedro was near. "Jest tew be on the safe side," he +explained. + +"We must de doubly cautious now," warned Mr. Conroyal, when they made +ready for bed, "and keep somebody on guard night and day all the time; +for now that we have found the secret of Crooked Arm Gulch them devils +are likely to be down upon us at the first unguarded moment. We will put +four men on guard again to-night. Rex, you and Dill and Bud and his +father can stand guard for the first half of the night; and you can call +Ham and Frank and Thure and me to relieve you about one o'clock. Now, +get to your stations and we will get to our blankets. Good night, +everybody," and he began rolling himself up in his blanket. + +An example that all except the guards followed very speedily. + + + + +CHAPTER XXV + +THE CAVE OF GOLD + + +There were no disturbances during the night; and the dawn of the next +morning found everybody up and awaiting eagerly the moment when there +would be sufficient light in the canyon to make the climbing of the Big +Tree and the entrance into Crooked Arm Gulch safe. At last Mr. Conroyal +declared that the great moment had come. + +"But," and he glanced around the little group of eager faces, "Ham and I +think, and I am sure you will all agree with us when you stop to +consider the matter, that we ought to leave at least one man here to +stand guard with Pedro. Now, under the circumstances, I had rather not +say who that man shall be, but will ask for a volunteer. Who is willing +to offer himself up as a sacrifice to the good of the public?" and Mr. +Conroyal smiled. + +For a moment all stood staring blankly into one another's faces. No one +appeared to be in the least anxious to make this sacrifice. And no +wonder! For, now at the very moment they were about to explore the +mysteries of the dead miner's wonderful Cave of Gold, who would care to +be left behind? Then, with a smile on his face, Frank Holt stepped +forth. + +"Reckon I'll stay and keep company with Pedro," he said. "I'm not as +young as I once was, and crawling along that limb some twenty feet above +the ground looks some dangerous to legs as old as mine. But I'd like to +have one of you, if you find the cave all right, come and let me know," +and the sparkle in his eyes told how great was his interest in the +result. + +"I'll come right back and relieve you, dad, just as soon as we find the +cave and see what it is like," Rex Holt promised. "Then you can go and +see for yourself. It was great of you to offer to stay. I'll be back +soon. Good-by," and he hurried after the others, who were already +climbing the Big Tree. + +Pedro, all the morning, had been as feverish with excitement as had any +of the others, and had watched their every movement, as a cat watches a +caught mouse, and had tried to overhear every word uttered; but, at the +first mention of a guard being left with him, he had muttered a Mexican +oath and had turned angrily and sullenly away, all his excitement gone. +Evidently he had counted a great deal on being left alone with the +horses and the camp supplies, when the search for the Cave of Gold was +made; and, consequently, the leaving of a guard with him had been a very +great disappointment. But he was too cunning to allow this +disappointment to be seen by his employers, and had turned quickly away +to hide his feelings, until he was again his usual suave self; and so he +did not hear the promise of Rex to hasten back as soon as the cave was +found and relieve his father. + +You may be sure that there were no laggards among the climbers up the +Big Tree and along the limb and through the entrance into Crooked Arm +Gulch; and soon all stood on the little shelf of rock, from which they +had had their first view of the gulch the night before. + +"Now, th' first thing tew dew is tew git down tew th' bottom," commented +Ham, as the eyes of all eagerly searched the walls of the gulch. + +"That looks easy! Right this way!" and Thure began excitedly clambering +down the rocks. + +The shelf of rock on which they stood was some fifty feet above the +bottom of the gulch; and from it a series of shelves and jutting rocks +made an easy pathway downward, for mountaineers as experienced as they +were, and soon all our friends stood at the bottom of Crooked Arm Gulch. + +"Now for the Golden Elbow!" shouted Thure. "I want to be the first one +in the Cave of Gold," and he started up the gulch as fast as he could +go, jumping and climbing over the rocks that nearly covered its bottom. + +"Same here!" and, with a yell, Bud started after him. + +In a moment all, even the gray-haired men, had joined madly in the race. +Evidently Thure was not the only one who wished to be the first in the +Cave of Gold. + +The gulch was narrow, only about a couple of rods wide at the place +where our friends had reached the bottom, and, some three hundred yards +from here, it made a turn, like the crook in a man's bent arm. This was +evidently the Golden Elbow, and the point for which all were racing. + +Thure, owing to his start and his long legs, was the first to reach this +spot, but Bud was not six feet behind him. Then came Rex and Dill and +the others, with Dickson and his wife pantingly bringing up the rear. +All had stopped directly in front of the point of the turn, and now +stood staring excitedly around them, looking for the entrance to the +Cave of Gold and looking in vain. + +In front of them the wall of the gulch had been hollowed out into a +great overhanging arch, seventy-five or more feet in height and some +fifteen feet deep. + +Could this be the miner's Cave of Gold? + +Surely not; for there was no need of torch here, and the bottom +certainly was not covered with gold nuggets, but with hundreds of pieces +of broken rock, some of them as large as two strong men could lift. + +"Wal, I swun, if it don't look as if we was up ag'in it ag'in," and Ham +stared excitedly around. "But, if thar is any cave here, it must be +right in thar. Come, git busy," and he began clambering over the rocks +toward the back wall of the arch. "I'll bet a coonskin that I can find +it first." + +"Take you!" shouted Thure and Bud, both clambering swiftly after him. + +In a minute more all were searching excitedly for the hidden entrance to +the cave, along the entire back wall of the arch; but the rocks of the +bottom seemed to meet a solid wall of rock at the back. + +"Say, but isn't it enough to make even a Job swear to be held up like +this, right at the most exciting moment!" and Thure stopped in front of +a large flat rock, that had fallen so that it stood nearly on edge, +leaning against the back wall of the arch. "Come, give me a hand; and +let's see what is behind this rock," and he turned to Bud, who stood +near him. "It looks almost as if it might have been stood up there on +purpose." + +In a moment the strong arms of the two boys were tugging at the huge +slab of rock; and, at last, with a mighty effort, they pulled it away +from the wall and toppled it over backward, and it fell, with a crash, +on the rocks between them, revealing a black opening in the solid rock. + +"Hurrah!" yelled Bud. + +"Found!" shouted Thure; and both excited boys made a dive for the hole, +with the result that their bodies stuck tightly in the opening, the hole +not being large enough to accommodate the entrance of both of them at +the same time. + +Ham and Mr. Conroyal pulled them out; and then Ham thrust his big body +into the opening--he could just squeeze in--and began cautiously working +his way forward. It was not a venture for an excited boy to make, the +entrance into that black hole without a light. + +In about five minutes Ham came backing hurriedly out. + +"Who's got th' candles?" he cried excitedly. "Thar sart'in is a cave in +thar; but it is as dark as the bottomless pit. We must have lights +before we can enter. Give me a candle." + +"Here, here they are!" and Mr. Conroyal who in the excitement of the +moment had forgotten the package of a couple of dozen candles he had +tied up and slung over his back just before climbing the tree that +morning, quickly swung the package down on a rock in front of him and +cut the strings. + +Ham caught up one of the candles, and, hurriedly lighting it, again +crawled into the hole, holding the candle out in front of him. + +Thure and Bud both caught up candles and lighting them, looked +imploringly at their fathers. + +Both men nodded, and the boys dove into the hole; but this time +separately. + +"The rest of us had better wait outside until we hear from Ham and the +boys," Mr. Conroyal said, staring anxiously into the hole. + +For perhaps ten minutes, although to the anxious and excited watchers +outside it seemed more like an hour, not a sound came from the hole into +whose black depths the three men had vanished. Even the lights of their +candles had disappeared. Then, suddenly, the excited voice of Thure was +heard, booming out through the hole. + +"It's the cave, the Cave of Gold!" he cried exultantly, his voice +trembling with excitement. "Come in, all of you. There is room for all. +I will hold my candle so that you can see." + +"Here, Dickson, you go first, and, Mollie, you follow right behind him," +and Mr. Conroyal pushed Mr. and Mrs. Dickson excitedly toward the cave +opening, and motioned Rex and Dill and Mr. Randolph to follow them, he +himself entering last. + +The hole slanted downward for some ten feet, then, enlarging a little, +turned to the right and ran straight ahead for some thirty feet, still +slanting quite steeply downward, when it suddenly opened out into a +large chamber, worn by the action of water, apparently, out of the solid +rock. + +In five minutes all our excited friends stood in this chamber or cave +and were staring wonderingly around them. They found themselves in a +room, some thirty feet long by twenty feet wide at the widest, with an +oval slanting roof, shaped something like the inverted quarter of an +egg-shell. The bottom of the cave was level and composed of a very +coarse gravel, mixed with little rounded chunks of a yellowish metal, +that glowed in the light of the candles like thousands of dull yellow +coals of fire. + +In an instant everybody was down on their knees examining these chunks +of metal. For a couple of minutes no one spoke. Then Ham lifted his head +and looked slowly around him, as if he were trying to convince himself +that he was really awake. + +"Gosh!" he said, in a voice hardly above a whisper. "It is gold!" + +"It is gold!" and Mr. Conroyal looked up, his face white and his eyes +shining. "It is gold; and enough of it to make us all rich beyond our +fondest dreams. No wonder the miner called it the Cave of Gold." + +[Illustration: "IT IS GOLD! IT IS GOLD! AND ENOUGH OF IT TO MAKE US ALL +RICH BEYOND OUR FONDEST DREAMS."] + +"Gold! Gold! Now Ruth shall have her breastpin nugget and gold +necklace!" and Thure, with hands that trembled so that he could hardly +hold the candle, began an excited search for the largest chunk of gold +that he could find. In two minutes he had found one about the size and +the shape of a robin's egg. "The very thing!" he cried. "That will make +a magnificent breastpin," and he quickly picked it up and began +searching for the nuggets to go into the promised necklace. + +During this time Bud was quickly gathering up the largest nuggets he +could find; for a similar purpose but for a different girl; and the +fingers of all the others were busy in the same exciting way. + +For half an hour all forgot everything, but the shining pellets that +covered the bottom of the cave. Then Rex suddenly straightened up. + +"Great Washington! I'm forgetting dad!" he exclaimed. "I must go to dad +at once," and he started for the hole that gave passageway to the outer +world. + +Naturally Rex was greatly excited and made all possible haste to get +back to his father with the good news. The distance was not great, and +in ten minutes he had reached the hidden entrance to Crooked Arm Gulch, +and, hurriedly crawling through the narrow opening, he pushed the +concealing branches aside--and found himself looking directly into the +red face of Bill Ugger. + +"God in heaven!" and Rex struck out with all the strength of his strong +right arm. + +The face was not three feet away and the blow landed squarely on the +broken nose. There was a low cry, the crash of broken branches, and the +huge body of Bill Ugger plunged downward from the limb. + +For an instant Rex stared blankly after the body; and then, suddenly +realizing the value of every moment, if they would not all be caught in +a trap from which there would be no escape, he whirled about and raced +back to the Cave of Gold, almost wild with the thought of what might +happen, if the gang of robbers should capture their horses and supplies +and hold them captive in Crooked Arm Gulch, as they could easily do, +once they secured possession of the Big Tree. Then there was his father. +What had happened to him? No wonder his face went white, and he risked +limb and life a dozen times in his mad scramble down the rocks and up +the gulch and into the opening of the Cave of Gold. + +"Quick! Everybody, back to the Big Tree!" he shouted, as he plunged into +the cave, where our excited friends were still busily picking up the +nuggets. "The robbers! They have got dad! Quick!" and he whirled about +and rushed back. + +In an instant the gold was forgotten. Every man jumped for his rifle, +which had been left near the entrance to the cave, and sprang after Rex, +leaving the startled and frightened Mrs. Dickson to follow as best she +could. + +There was not one of them but understood on the instant the seriousness +of their peril. If the robbers secured their horses and supplies and +held the entrance to Crooked Arm Gulch, they would be absolutely at +their mercy; for, so far as they knew, the only way out of the gulch was +by way of the Big Tree, and half a dozen men, armed with rifles, could +hold this narrow opening against their most desperate efforts to get +out, and in a few days, could starve them into surrender, for they had +no food with them. They must at all costs, if it was not already too +late, keep the entrance to Crooked Arm Gulch from falling into the hands +of the robbers. + +Hammer Jones, by desperate efforts, reached the side of Rex, just as he +was about to plunge into the passageway between Crooked Arm Gulch and +Lot's Canyon; and one of his great hands closed down on the excited +man's shoulder just in time to stop the reckless act. + +"Cautious! Cautious!" warned Ham, as he jerked Rex back. "If them skunks +have got th' camp, 'twill be death to sot foot on that big limb." + +"But, dad--" + +"'Twon't help him none for you tew git killed. I'll take a look first," +and the great strength of Ham forced Rex back, while he himself began +cautiously, yet rapidly, crawling through the narrow opening. + +In a moment he had reached the limb of the Big Tree, and, carefully +parting the branches so as to make no noise, he cautiously looked down. + +The camp had been pitched under the Big Tree almost directly beneath +him; and the first look showed him everything apparently safe and +undisturbed. The next look--and, with the cry: "Come on, everybody, as +quick as th' Lord will let you," he sprang out on the limb and began +working his way down the tree so recklessly that more than once he was +in danger of falling. The moment he reached the ground he leaped toward +an object that lay tightly bound up in a blanket on the ground near the +trunk of the tree; and, with a swift hand began cutting the ropes that +were tightly wound around it from head to foot, in a manner exactly +similar to that in which they had found Mrs. Dickson on the night she +had been so mysteriously bound in her tent. + +By the time Rex had reached his side he had uncovered Frank Holt, with +his hands bound behind him and a gag in his mouth, but otherwise unhurt, +except for a big lump on the back of his head. In a moment more Rex had +pulled the gag out of his father's mouth and Ham had freed his hands. + +"Pedro!" Holt gasped and staggered a little dizzily to his feet. "He +struck me down from behind, and tied and gagged me, as you found me. +Where is Pedro?" and he looked excitedly and a bit wildly around. "Ah, +now I remember," and his face cleared. "He has gone for the rest of the +gang. I overheard him and another man, after I had recovered my senses +and lay tightly bound up in the blanket, planning how he would go and +get the rest of the gang, while the other man climbed the tree and kept +guard over the narrow opening. Their plan was to capture the camp and +hold the Big Tree, so that none of you could get out of Crooked Arm +Gulch, and then starve you into surrendering everything; and they came +mighty nigh doing it," and he glanced anxiously down the canyon. +"They'll be due in about half an hour, I judge from what I overheard. +They were not calculating on any of you getting back so soon," and he +smiled grimly. + +"But that other man? Where is that other man?" and Mr. Conroyal--by this +time all, even Mrs. Dickson, had made their way down the Big +Tree--looked anxiously around. + +Rex started and glanced quickly toward the wall of the canyon, directly +under the opening to Crooked Arm Gulch; and then his face cleared. + +"I reckon that's him," and he pointed to a huddled heap that lay on the +rocks. "I knocked him off the limb of the Big Tree. But, we had better +make sure he is where he can do no harm," and he hurried to the body. +"Dead as a stone. Neck broken," he declared, as he turned the corpse +over. + +"Broken-nose! It's Broken-nose!" and Thure, who had hurried up with Rex, +started back, as the man's face came into view. + +"Wal, th' world's better off by havin' one less scoundrel in it," and +Ham scowled down on the face of Bill Ugger, ugly and repulsive even in +death. "Now," and he turned quickly to Holt, "didn't you say that thar +Mexican skunk, Pedro, had gone tew git th' rest of th' gang?" + +"Yes," answered Holt; "and we must be ready for them, when they get +here. They are camped down near the Devil's Slide; and I calculate it +will take them about half an hour yet to get here." + +"An' the skunks are a-calculatin' on findin' th' camp unguarded?" and +Ham's eyes began to twinkle brightly. + +"Yes, I heard Pedro tell the other fellow that he felt quite sure none +of us would be back for two hours or more; but, to make things safe, +Brokennose, as Thure calls him, said he'd climb the tree and knock the +head off anyone that tried to come through the narrow opening into +Crooked Arm Gulch. I reckon Rex got there just at the right moment to +spoil that little game." + +"I certainly did," and Rex smiled grimly. "A minute later, and he would +have got me, instead of my getting him. But, we must be getting ready +for the return of Pedro," and his eyes glanced anxiously down the +canyon. + +"Say," and Ham turned to Conroyal, "why can't we give them th' same kind +of a s'prise they was a-calculatin' on givin' us? They ain't expectin' +tew find us here, an' will come a rushin' up unsuspicious-like, an', if +we hide, we can give 'em a mighty warm reception a-fore they know what's +happenin'." + +"Bully! Where'll we hide?" and Mr. Conroyal glanced eagerly around. +"There, those rocks will be just the place," and he pointed up the +canyon to where a row of big rocks stood up, almost like a rampart, +something like a hundred feet from the Big Tree. "Now we must leave the +camp looking just as it was when Pedro left it. Here, somebody, quick, +we'll tie the body of Ugger up in the blanket, and leave it where we +found Frank. That will sure fool them," and he hurried to where the +corpse of Ugger lay; and, in a few minutes, the body was tightly bound +up in a blanket and laid down on the exact spot where Ham had found +Holt. + +"All got plenty of powder and lead?" and Mr. Conroyal glanced swiftly +from man to man. + +All answered in the affirmative. + +"Then get behind the rocks," and, with a final look around the camp to +see that every suspicious sign had been removed, Mr. Conroyal led his +little company to the rocky rampart to await the coming of Pedro and the +band of robbers; and soon all had vanished from the sight of anyone +coming up the canyon. + +In front of them and the Big Tree there was a space some three hundred +feet wide, clear of trees or underbrush or rocks large enough to shield +a man. + +"We will wait for them until they get out into the open," Mr. Conroyal +said, pointing to this space. "Now everybody see that his rifle and +pistols and knife are ready; and remember to keep down out of sight and +on no account to fire until I give the word." + +They did not have long to wait; for hardly had Mr. Conroyal uttered his +last words of warning, when they saw Pedro coming around the bend in the +canyon some two hundred yards below them. At first Pedro advanced very +cautiously, darting from rock to rock and keeping his body concealed as +much as possible; but, at last, coming to where he could get a clear +view of the camp and seeing nothing to awaken his suspicions, he +appeared to be satisfied that all was safe and turned and began +beckoning excitedly with both his hands. In response a little company of +heavily armed men instantly sprang into sight, coming from around the +bend in the canyon, and hurried up to where Pedro stood awaiting them. + +For two or three minutes they stood there, while Pedro, gesticulating +excitedly and frequently pointing toward the quiet-seeming little camp +under the Big Tree, appeared to be explaining the situation to them. +Then all began advancing cautiously, yet rapidly toward the Big Tree, +taking advantage of the rocks and trees and bushes to conceal their +movements as much as possible. + +"Here they come!" whispered Thure excitedly to Bud, as the men began +their advance. He had his eye to a little opening between the two +adjoining rocks behind which the boys were crouching. "I counted twenty +of them and I think there are one or two more. Say, but won't we give +them a big surprise?" + +"You bet!" and Bud's jaws came together grimly. + +"Keep down! Everybody keep down!" warned Mr. Conroyal in a whisper. +"Don't shoot, until I give the order; and then jump to your feet and +pick your man and fire as quick as the Lord will let you; but, be sure +you have got the bead on the man before you pull the trigger. We must +down as many of them as possible at the first volley. Now, everybody get +ready. They will be out in the open in a minute or two," and he turned +to give his attention to the advancing robbers. + +By this time Pedro and his men had reached the line of rocks and bushes +that faced the opening in front of the rocks behind which our friends +lay concealed; and here they paused for a moment, each man behind a +rock, and searched with careful eyes the camp under the Big Tree. + +"There's Pockface!" excitedly whispered Bud, who now had his eye to the +crack between the two stones, "behind that big rock straight in front of +us, the skunk. Now, just wait, until we get the order to fire," and his +lips closed tightly. + +At this moment Ham, who crouched behind a rock by the side of Mr. +Conroyal, whispered: + +"I'll be durned if I don't believe we can capture the hull caboodle, if +we jest wait 'til they git 'most up tew us, an' then jump up sudden an' +point our guns at them an' yell, 'hands up!' an' that'll be a heap +better'n tew let half on 'em git away tew bother us all the way back tew +civilerzation." + +"Right, I believe you are right. Anyway we will try it. Watch them, +while I give the right instructions," and Mr. Conroyal crept swiftly to +near the center of the little group behind the rampart of rocks. + +"Men," he said, speaking low, yet loud enough for all to hear, "we are +going to try to capture the whole bunch of scoundrels. At the word, +every one of you jump to his feet and point his rifle at the skunks and +yell 'Hands UP!' I reckon that will bring every hand up; but, if it +don't and any of them act suspicious or make a break, shoot quick, and +shoot to kill. Do you all understand?" + +All nodded and Mr. Conroyal returned at once to his place by the side of +Ham. + +At this moment the robbers broke from the rocks and ran swiftly out into +the open toward the Big Tree. + +"Ready, everybody ready!" whispered Mr. Conroyal. + +On came the robbers, until they were within seventy-five feet of the +rocks behind which our friends were hiding. + +"Now!" yelled Mr. Conroyal, and leaped to his feet, and leveled his +rifle. "Hands UP!" he commanded. + +And almost at the same moment all the others,--even Mrs. Dickson--leaped +to their feet, and leveled their rifles, and yelled: "Hands UP!" + +The robbers stopped, as if they had suddenly run into a stone wall, +turned their startled eyes on the leveled rifles and the stern-faced men +back of them--and then, every hand went up, as if worked by one shaft of +machinery, every hand except the hands of Pockface, who, doubtless +thinking that his capture would mean death anyway, whirled about +suddenly and leaped toward the rocks behind him. + +At the same instant Ham's rifle cracked; and the legs of Pockface +doubled up under him, and he went down, like a shot rabbit. + +That was enough for the rest of the men. + +"Don't shoot. We surrender," they all yelled, holding their hands as +high as they could above their heads. + +"Rex, you and Dill get their guns and knives. The rest of you keep them +covered with your rifles," commanded Mr. Conroyal. + +Rex and Dill, with broad grins on their faces, instantly stepped forth, +and soon had all the weapons of the robbers safely confiscated. + +Fifteen minutes later, every robber lay on his back under the Big Tree, +his hands and feet firmly bound with strong ropes. There were twenty-one +of them; and our friends were too wise to take any needless chances. + + + + +CHAPTER XXVI + +THE CATASTROPHE + + +"Now, the question is, what shall we do with our captives?" and Mr. +Conroyal glanced a little anxiously around the circle of faces that had +gathered about him, a short time after all the robbers had been safely +bound. "We cannot hang them, as they deserve, and we have not food +enough to keep them, and it will be hardly safe to turn them loose. What +do you think we had better do, Ham?" and he turned to Hammer Jones. + +"First off," answered Ham, "we'd better make a raid on their camp an' +git all their hosses an' supplies. Maybe that'll answer th' food +question; for, I reckon, they must have come well supplied, seein' that +Ugger an' Quinley would have plenty of gold-dust tew buy with." + +"Good," promptly declared Mr. Conroyal. "You and Rex and Dill and +Dickson make that raid at once on their camp, which, I fancy, you will +find somewhere near the Devil's Slide." + +Ham proved to be right; for, when he and the men who went with him, +returned from the raid, some two hours later, they had with them fifteen +horses, ten of which were heavily laden with food and other camp +supplies, and one prisoner, the man who had been left to guard the camp. + +"Now, I reckon, we've got them all, twenty-tew livin' an' tew dead," Ham +declared, as he bound his prisoner and placed him with the other +captives: "an' right whar we can keep them out of mischief. Thar's +plenty of food for all, Con," and he turned to Conroyal, "leastwise for +a few days, so th' food problem is settled. Now, what are you proposin' +of dewin'? We want tew git th' gold an' git out of here as soon as we +can," and he lowered his voice. + +"I can't see but one thing for us to do, Ham," Mr. Conroyal answered, +"and that is to keep a guard over the prisoners, while the rest of us +get the gold out; and then, when we've got the gold, to turn them loose +in the mountains, without weapons or horses, and make for home as fast +as we can. We've been considering the problem, while you were after the +horses and camp supplies, and that is the conclusion that we have come +to. How does it strike you?" + +"'Bout right, under th' circumstances," answered Ham. "An' th' sooner we +git things a-goin' ag'in th' better. I'm gettin' some anxious tew git +back intew that cave." + +"We'll get busy at once," declared Mr. Conroyal. "But first, I reckon, +we ought to bury them two corpses. 'Twouldn't be Christian to leave them +to rot a-top the ground or to be ate up by wolves." + +"Shore," agreed Ham. "Come on, Rex. We're th' responsible fellers, an', +I reckon, it's up tew us tew dig th' grave. We'll put 'em both in one +grave," and he picked up a pick and shovel and started to where the body +of Quinley lay. + +In a short time the two men had the grave dug. + +"Now for the bodies," and Ham caught hold of Quinley and turned the body +over. "Wal, I swun!" and he stared down at the left hand. The little +finger had been recently shot away and the wound was still roughly +bandaged. "So y'ur th' feller that I owe a finger tew. Wal, here it is," +and he thrust his hand into his pocket and pulled out the little +buckskin-wrapped parcel, containing the little finger that he had shot +from the unknown hand the night they were encamped on the shore of Goose +Neck Lake, and laid it down on the corpse. + +"Now, I reckon, we'll have to see if you have any of that stolen +gold-dust left," and Ham began a search of the body, which resulted in +the finding of a heavily laden gold-belt buckled around the waist, next +to the skin. + +Ham at once appropriated this; and then the two men lowered the body +into the grave. A similar belt, also well-filled with gold-dust, was +found around the body of Bill Ugger. Ham unbuckled this belt and placed +it with the other. Then he and Rex lifted the body of Ugger and carried +it to the grave and lowered it down on top of the body of Quinley; and +then filled the grave with broken pieces of rocks and dirt, to prevent +the wolves from digging up the bodies. + +"Th' way of th' transgresser is hard, accordin' tew th' good book," and +Ham's eyes rested thoughtfully on that lonely new-made grave. "An' shore +th' end of them tew 'pears tew bear out th' good book. Wal, th' dead is +dead, an' that's all thar is tew it. Now, for th' livin'," and he turned +from the grave and walked up to where Mr. and Mrs. Dickson were +standing, the two confiscated gold-belts in his hand. + +"Here, Dick, I reckon, is a part of th' gold them skunks got from you," +and he handed the two belts to Dickson. "Leastwise we got them from +their bodies." + +But Mr. and Mrs. Dickson refused to take the gold and insisted that it +be placed in the common fund, to be shared by all alike, so Ham turned +the two gold-belts over to Mr. Conroyal. + +The camp was now placed under the strictest discipline. Ten of the +prisoners were compelled to assist in getting the gold from the cave. +The others were kept bound and under constant guard, night and day, all +except Pedro, who, during the day, was forced to do the cooking and the +camp work for all, while at night he was securely bound and returned to +his place with the other prisoners. + +Thus the work of getting the gold out of the cave went steadily on for +five days, every one, even Mrs. Dickson, working to the very limit of +his or her endurance. Then came the night of the catastrophe. + +The gold, as fast as it was taken out of the cave, was carried, in sacks +made from blankets, to the opening in the wall of rock that gave +entrance to Crooked Arm Gulch, and from there lowered to the ground with +ropes. Each night all the workers returned to the camp under the Big +Tree. On this night, the sixth night from the day of the finding of the +Cave of Gold, about midnight, there suddenly swept through the air above +them one of those rare, for that time of the year, but often very +violent, mountain storms. + +For an hour the water fell out of the skies, as if poured from an +enormous bucket. The wind blew, until it seemed almost to shake the +solid mountains themselves, while vivid glares of lightning blinded the +eyes and heavy peals of thunder deafened the ears. Then came a lull in +the violence of the storm, as if the elements had paused to gather +themselves for a last supreme effort, followed almost instantly by a +glare of lightning so vivid, that, for the moment, it seemed as if the +whole world was ablaze, and a shock of thunder, so appalling, that +everyone leaped from his blanket and stood staring with blanched face +and frightened eyes around him, not knowing what awful thing was +happening. For two or three minutes the dreadful sounds continued, as if +mountains were being torn up by the roots and thrown crashing to the +earth again, while the ground shook and trembled beneath their feet, as +if the earth had the ague. Then, only the roar of the falling rain and +the rushing of the wind through the limbs of the Big Tree above their +heads, was heard. Fifteen minutes later the rain had ceased, the wind +had died down, the clouds had swept by, and the stars were shining again +in a clear sky. + +The next morning, when our friends, on their way to the Cave of Gold, +reached the narrow shelf of rock in Crooked Arm Gulch, from which they +had had their first view of the Golden Elbow, an astonishing sight met +their eyes. + +The great arch, overhanging the entrance to the Cave of Gold, with its +millions of tons of superincumbent rocks, had given away, and the whole +of that side of the gulch, nearly a thousand feet high and for a couple +of hundred feet on either side, had split off and fallen in a great mass +of rocks, hundreds of feet high, where the day before had been the +entrance to the dead miner's marvelous Cave of Gold. + +For a number of minutes all stood staring at this unexpected and +astounding sight in awed silence. No wonder it had sounded the night +before as if mountains were being torn up and thrown down again! No +wonder the ground beneath them had shook and trembled from the impact of +those millions of tons of rocks! + +"Gosh! I'm glad I ain't in that Cave of Gold!" and Ham turned an awed +face to the others. "If that storm had comed up in th' daytime, some on +us might be in thar right now. I reckon we've got all th' gold th' Lord +intended us tew git, an' now we'd better git for home." + +"Well, if that was the Lord's work, He has been mighty accommodating to +wait until we got all the gold we need," and Mr. Conroyal smiled. "I was +thinking last night that we had about enough, and had better be starting +for home. Mighty curious place, that Cave of Gold; and I have been +wondering quite a bit how the gold got into it; and this is about the +way I figure it out: + +"Thousands of years ago, how many thousands God alone knows, there must +have been a great river pouring through Lot's Canyon, with its bed +hundreds of feet below the present bottom of the canyon; and, at that +time, there must also have been a powerful stream of water flowing +through this gulch, and emptying into the river in Lot's Canyon, through +a great hole worn through the solid wall of rock, which is now +completely hidden under the rocks that have fallen down into the gulch +during the ages since both rivers dried up. Now, in making that turn," +and he pointed to where the Golden Elbow had been, "I figure that the +water struck a soft ledge of gold-bearing rock, and gradually scooped +out a big cave right in the point of the turn, and, of course, as the +gold was washed out of the rock, it would fall to the bottom of the +cave, and, being in quite large chunks, it was too heavy for the action +of the water to carry it out of the cave, while the water would carry +out nearly all the other dirt and gravel, thus leaving the bottom of the +cave covered with gold nuggets, the way we found it. And, after the +river had dried up, rocks from the arch at the entrance to the cave +would fall off, and little by little fill up the entrance and form the +big arch we found. Now, that's about the way the gold came into the +cave, according to my figureing. What's your idea, Rad?" and Mr. +Conroyal turned to Rad Randolph. + +"I think that you've hit it about right, Con," answered Mr. Randolph. +"But, now that there is no hope of getting any more gold out of that +cave, I am getting powerful anxious to make a start for home with what +we have got. Let's go back to the Big Tree at once and get agoing +homeward as soon as we can." + +"Hurrah for home!" yelled Thure, starting for the opening out of Crooked +Arm Gulch. "I'd rather see home now than another Cave of Gold." + +In a few minutes all were back in the camp under the Big Tree; and +preparations for the start homeward were begun at once. + +In three hours everything was ready for the journey. The gold, there was +fifty bags of it, each weighing about one hundred pounds, was packed on +the fifteen horses they had secured from the robbers. Mrs. Dickson was +given one of the other horses to ride, and the food and the camp +supplies were packed on the remaining five horses. + +The twenty-two prisoners were now all gathered in a bunch under the Big +Tree, and the hands of each man strongly tied behind his back. Then Mr. +Conroyal stepped out in front of them. + +"You cowardly pack of scoundrels," he said, "if we could, we would +gladly take you to where we could deliver you up to the justice you so +richly deserve; but, under existing circumstances, that is impossible; +and so we have decided to leave you here, bound as you now are, without +weapons of any kind, but with food enough to last you three days, which +ought to be enough to keep you until you can get to one of the +mining-camps. Doubtless, by working real hard, you can manage to get the +hands of one of you untied in course of the next two or three hours, and +then he can soon untie the hands of the others, and you can start for +one of the mining-camps as soon as you please. But," Mr. Conroyal spoke +slowly, so that every man could understand every word that he uttered, +"do not, if you value your lives, follow our trail. We will shoot, and +shoot to kill, on sight. Now, that is all I have to say to you, except," +and he grinned joyously, "to thank you for bringing us those fifteen +horses and for your help in getting out the gold. I do not know what we +would have done without the horses and without your help. Hope this will +learn you to give up trying to steal gold and start you to digging for +it," and he turned and led the little company down the canyon, bound, at +last, for home. + + + + +CHAPTER XXVII + +HOME + + +Ten days later than the events just recorded in the last chapter, Iola +Conroyal and Ruth Randolph sat swinging in a hammock, stretched under +the broad porch that shaded the front of the Conroyal house. + +"I wish we could hear from our dads and the boys," Iola said, as the two +girls swung gently back and forth. "It seems like a long time now since +Thure and Bud left us; and we haven't heard a word from them since they +went away; and so many things might have happened to them. Why, they may +already have found the Cave of Gold, and right at this moment they may +be picking up gold nuggets by the basketful!" and her dark eyes sparkled +at the thought. + +"Yes, it has been a long time since we heard from the mines," answered +Ruth; "and our mothers are beginning to worry, more than they let us +know. They are afraid that the hunt for the Cave of Gold will get them +into some kind of trouble with the men who murdered the old miner for +the skin map, and then failed to get it. And--and not to hear a word +from them, when so many things might happen, is terrible worrying. Oh, I +do hope they find that Cave of Gold, and get enough gold to make us rich +all the rest of our lives!" and her face brightened. "That is the way it +would come out in a story book; and I can't see why it can't happen that +way in real life, just this once. I dreamt, only last night, that they +came back with a string of horses a mile long and all of them loaded +down with gold. And--and," and her face flushed a little, "Thure brought +me a nugget as big as my head, and a necklace of nuggets that reached to +the ground, when he threw it around my neck. Oh, if something like that +would only happen in real life!" and she laughed merrily at her own +extravagant conceit. + +"And I dreamt--" and then Iola stopped abruptly. + +A faint halloo, coming from far-off, at this moment had reached the ears +of both girls, and brought them out of the hammock in one jump, and +turned their two pairs of eyes to staring excitedly across the level of +the valley in front of the house. + +A mile away they saw two horsemen, swinging their hats around their +heads and hallooing loudly, riding excitedly toward the house; and back +of them came a long train of horses and men. + +For a minute the two girls stood, as if turned to stone, staring with +widening eyes at those two horsemen, at the train of horses and men +behind them; and then, with a yell that made their mothers jump from the +chairs where they were sitting in the cool of the house and rush to the +door, they leaped off the porch and ran toward the two horsemen. + +"It's Thure and Bud! It's dad and the rest!" they shouted, as they ran. + +In a few minutes the racing boys--for the two horsemen were Thure and +Bud--and the running girls met. + +The boys jumped from their saddles, and, the next instant, they were in +the arms of the girls. + +"We found it! We found it!" shouted Thure, a moment later, dancing up +and down with excitement. "We found the Cave of Gold! And here," and he +thrust one of his hands into his pocket, "is your breastpin nugget!" and +he handed the big gold nugget he had found to Ruth. "And here is your +necklace of gold nuggets!" and he threw over the happy girl's head and +around her neck a long string of gold nuggets that he had strung on a +deer sinew, during the homeward journey. + +Bud, during this time, had been going through the same delightful +performance with Iola. + +That was the most wonderful night in the history of the Conroyal and the +Randolph households! + +First, of course, after the greetings were over, the gold had to be +taken off the horses and carried into the house and piled up in the +center of the floor of the big room; and then, with all of the two +families and all of the friends who took part in the search for the Cave +of Gold, not forgetting you may be sure Mr. and Mrs. Dickson, seated in +a circle around the piled-up bags of gold, the story of the adventures +of Thure and Bud and the finding of the dead miner's marvelous Cave of +Gold had to be told. + +"Oh, dear! Oh, dear!" sighed Iola happily, when, at last, the tale was +ended. "It is just like a story out of a book; and I wouldn't believe it +at all, if I couldn't see the gold piled up right in front of me. Now," +and her eyes looked wonderingly at the bags of gold, "how much is all +that gold worth? Is it worth a Hundred Thousand Dollars?" and her eyes +grew big with the thought of the enormous wealth that lay within touch +of her hand. + +"I reckon it is," laughed Mr. Conroyal. "But, supposing we see just +about how much it is worth. Thure, you and Bud go and get the big +scales, and we will weigh it." + +In a few minutes the two boys returned, carrying between them a small +platform scales, capable of weighing a few hundred pounds at a time, and +set it down by the side of the pile of bags of gold. + +Mr. Conroyal now placed the bags of gold, four at a time, on the scales, +and announced their weights; and Thure and Bud, pencils and paper in +their hands, set down the amounts. When the last bag had been weighed, +all waited anxiously while the two boys added up the various amounts. +Thure was the first to finish the addition. + +"Five thousand one hundred and three and a half pounds!" he yelled. + +"Exactly what I got," announced Bud a moment later. + +"Give me the pencil and paper," and Mr. Conroyal caught the pencil and +paper from Thure's hands. "I'll see about what that amount of gold is +worth," and he began figuring on the paper, with hands that trembled +just a little with excitement. Presently he looked up, his face flushed +and his eyes shining. + +"Of course I can't tell exactly how much the gold is worth," he said, +"not knowing exactly how much it will bring an ounce; but, I am sure we +can count on its bringing a Million Dollars, a Million Dollars, boys! +And that, since there were ten in the company, will give each one of us +at least One Hundred Thousand Dollars!" + +"Great Moses! That means that we are all rich! Hurrah!" and Thure jumped +to his feet and yelled so loudly that Iola thrust her mantilla over his +mouth, fearing that the glad noise might bring the roof down on their +heads. + +"And that we can now go to our dear home in New York," Mrs. Dickson said +softly, pressing the hand she held of her husband and looking happily +into his eyes. + + + +***END OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK THE CAVE OF GOLD*** + + +******* This file should be named 20126-8.txt or 20126-8.zip ******* + + +This and all associated files of various formats will be found in: +https://www.gutenberg.org/dirs/2/0/1/2/20126 + + + +Updated editions will replace the previous one--the old editions +will be renamed. + +Creating the works from public domain print editions means that no +one owns a United States copyright in these works, so the Foundation +(and you!) can copy and distribute it in the United States without +permission and without paying copyright royalties. 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You may copy it, give it away or +re-use it under the terms of the Project Gutenberg License included +with this eBook or online at <a href = "http://www.gutenberg.org">www.gutenberg.org</a></pre> +<p>Title: The Cave of Gold</p> +<p> A Tale of California in '49</p> +<p>Author: Everett McNeil</p> +<p>Release Date: December 17, 2006 [eBook #20126]</p> +<p>Language: English</p> +<p>Character set encoding: ISO-8859-1</p> +<p>***START OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK THE CAVE OF GOLD***</p> +<p> </p> +<h4>E-text prepared by the Project Gutenberg Online Distributed Proofreading Team<br /> + (<a href="http://www.pgdp.net/">http://www.pgdp.net/</a>)<br /> + from material generously made available by<br /> + Internet Archive/American Libraries<br /> + (<a href="http://www.archive.org/details/americana">http://www.archive.org/details/americana</a>)</h4> +<p> </p> +<table border="0" cellpadding="10" style="background-color: #ccccff;"> + <tr> + <td valign="top"> + Note: + </td> + <td> + The source of this e-book and images of the original pages are + available through Internet Archive/American Libraries. See + <a href="http://www.archive.org/details/caveofgold00mcnerich"> + http://www.archive.org/details/caveofgold00mcnerich</a> + </td> + </tr> +</table> +<p> </p> +<hr class="full" /> +<p> </p> +<p> </p> + +<h1>THE CAVE OF GOLD</h1> + +<h3>A TALE OF CALIFORNIA IN '49</h3> + +<h2>BY EVERETT McNEIL</h2> + +<h3>AUTHOR OF "FIGHTING WITH FREMONT," "IN TEXAS WITH DAVY CROCKETT," "WITH +KIT CARSON IN THE ROCKIES," ETC.</h3> +<p> </p> +<p> </p> +<p> </p> + +<h4>NEW YORK<br /> +E. P. DUTTON & COMPANY<br /> +681 <span class="smcap">Fifth Ave.</span></h4> + + +<h4>First Printing, January, 1911<br /> +Second Printing, August. 1919<br /> +Third Printing, June, 1926<br /> +<i>Printed in the U.S.A</i>.</h4> + + + +<hr style="width: 65%;" /> +<h4>TO THE DESCENDANTS YOUNG OR OLD OF THE HARDY FORTY-NINERS THIS STORY OF +THE EXCITING DAYS OF THE DISCOVERY OF GOLD IN CALIFORNIA IS HOPEFULLY +DEDICATED</h4> + + + + +<hr style="width: 65%;" /> + +<div class="figcenter"> +<a name="illus002" id="illus002"></a> +<img src="images/illus002.jpg" alt=""/> +</div> + + +<h3>"YOU LIE!" AND THE HARD FIST LANDED SQUARELY ON THE MAN'S CHIN.</h3> + +<hr style="width: 65%;" /> + +<h2>CONTENTS</h2> + + +<!-- Autogenerated TOC. Modify or delete as required. --> +<p> +<a href="#FOREWORD">FOREWORD</a><br /> +<a href="#ILLUSTRATIONS">ILLUSTRATIONS</a><br /> +<a href="#CHAPTER_I">CHAPTER I. <span class="smcap">El Feroz</span></a><br /> +<a href="#CHAPTER_II">CHAPTER II. <span class="smcap">Death of the Miner</span></a><br /> +<a href="#CHAPTER_III">CHAPTER III. <span class="smcap">The Skin Map</span></a><br /> +<a href="#CHAPTER_IV">CHAPTER IV. <span class="smcap">At the Conroyal Rancho</span></a><br /> +<a href="#CHAPTER_V">CHAPTER V. <span class="smcap">Off for the Gold-Mines</span></a><br /> +<a href="#CHAPTER_VI">CHAPTER VI. <span class="smcap">The Sign of the Two Red Thumbs</span></a><br /> +<a href="#CHAPTER_VII">CHAPTER VII. <span class="smcap">Caught in the Flood</span></a><br /> +<a href="#CHAPTER_VIII">CHAPTER VIII. <span class="smcap">Accused of Murder</span></a><br /> +<a href="#CHAPTER_IX">CHAPTER IX. <span class="smcap">The Testimony of Bill Ugger</span></a><br /> +<a href="#CHAPTER_X">CHAPTER X. <span class="smcap">The Missing Button</span></a><br /> +<a href="#CHAPTER_XI">CHAPTER XI. <span class="smcap">An Unexpected Witness</span></a><br /> +<a href="#CHAPTER_XII">CHAPTER XII. <span class="smcap">Hammer Jones</span></a><br /> +<a href="#CHAPTER_XIII">CHAPTER XIII. <span class="smcap">Explanations</span></a><br /> +<a href="#CHAPTER_XIV">CHAPTER XIV. <span class="smcap">The Luck of Dickson</span></a><br /> +<a href="#CHAPTER_XV">CHAPTER XV. <span class="smcap">Around the Supper Table</span></a><br /> +<a href="#CHAPTER_XVI">CHAPTER XVI. <span class="smcap">Unexpected Company</span></a><br /> +<a href="#CHAPTER_XVII">CHAPTER XVII. <span class="smcap">Pockface Again</span></a><br /> +<a href="#CHAPTER_XVIII">CHAPTER XVIII. <span class="smcap">Story of the Great Discovery</span></a><br /> +<a href="#CHAPTER_XIX">CHAPTER XIX. <span class="smcap">Some Exciting Moments</span></a><br /> +<a href="#CHAPTER_XX">CHAPTER XX. <span class="smcap">Robbed</span></a><br /> +<a href="#CHAPTER_XXI">CHAPTER XXI. <span class="smcap">Pedro</span></a><br /> +<a href="#CHAPTER_XXII">CHAPTER XXII. <span class="smcap">The Mystery of the Tent</span></a><br /> +<a href="#CHAPTER_XXIII">CHAPTER XXIII. <span class="smcap">On the Shore of Goose Neck Lake</span></a><br /> +<a href="#CHAPTER_XXIV">CHAPTER XXIV. <span class="smcap">In Lot's Canyon</span></a><br /> +<a href="#CHAPTER_XXV">CHAPTER XXV. <span class="smcap">The Cave of Gold</span></a><br /> +<a href="#CHAPTER_XXVI">CHAPTER XXVI. <span class="smcap">The Catastrophe</span></a><br /> +<a href="#CHAPTER_XXVII">CHAPTER XXVII. <span class="smcap">Home</span></a><br /> +</p> +<!-- End Autogenerated TOC. --> + + +<hr style="width: 65%;" /> +<h2><a name="FOREWORD" id="FOREWORD"></a>FOREWORD</h2> + + +<p>On a cold January morning of 1848, James Wilson Marshall picked up two +yellow bits of metal, about the size and the shape of split peas, from +the tail-race of the sawmill he was building on the South Fork of the +American River, some forty-five miles northeast of Sutter's Fort, now +Sacramento City. These two yellow pellets proved to be gold; and soon it +was discovered that all the region thereabouts was thickly sown with +shining particles of the same precious yellow metal. A few months later +and all the world was pouring its most adventurous spirits into the +wilderness of California.</p> + +<p>This discovery of gold in California and the remarkable inpouring of men +that followed, meant very much to the United States. In a few months it +cleared a wilderness and built up a great state. In one step it advanced +the interests and the importance of the United States half a century in +the policies and the commerce of the Pacific. It threw wide open the +great doors of the West and invited the world to enter. It poured into +the pockets of the people and into the treasury of the United States a +vast amount of gold—alas! soon to be sorely needed to defray the +expenses of the most costly war of the ages. Indeed, when the length and +the breadth of its influence is considered, this discovery of gold in +California becomes one of the most important factors in the developing +of our nation, the great corner-stone in the upbuilding of the West; +and, as such, it deserves a much more important place in the history of +the United States than any historian has yet given to it.</p> + +<p>In the present story an attempt has been made, not only to tell an +interesting tale, but to interest the younger generation in this +remarkable and dramatic phase of our national development, possibly the +most picturesque and dramatic period in the history of the nation: to +picture to them how these knights of the pick and the shovel lived and +worked, how they found and wrested the gold from the hard hand of +nature, and to give to them something of an idea of the hardships and +the perils they were obliged to endure while doing it.</p> + +<p>The period was a dramatic period, crowded with unusual and startling +happenings, as far removed as possible from the quiet commonplaceness +and routine life of the average boy and girl of to-day; and the reader +is cautioned to remember this—if disposed at any time to think the +incidents narrated in the present tale too improbable or too startling +to have ever happened—that they could not happen to-day, even in +California; but they might have all happened then and there in +California.</p> + +<p>The author is one of those who believe that the boys and the girls of +to-day should know something of the foundation stones on which the +superstructure of our national greatness rests, and how and with what +toils and perils they were laid; and, it is in the hope that the reading +of this story will interest them in this, the laying of the great +corner-stone in the upbuilding of the West, that this tale of the +Discovery of Gold in California has been written.</p> + +<p>No nation can afford to forget its builders.</p> + +<hr style="width: 65%;" /> +<h2><a name="ILLUSTRATIONS" id="ILLUSTRATIONS"></a>ILLUSTRATIONS</h2> + + +<p><a href="#illus002"><span class="smcap">"You lie!" and the hard fist landed squarely on the man's chin</span></a></p> + +<p><a href="#illus049"><span class="smcap">The skin map</span></a></p> + +<p><a href="#illus075">"<span class="smcap">You can turn your horses around and ride back the way you +came</span>"</a></p> + +<p><a href="#illus205">"<span class="smcap">Is there any! just look there! and there! and there!</span>"</a></p> + +<p><a href="#illus283"><span class="smcap">Bud bent and stretched his free hand down to Marshall</span></a></p> + +<p><a href="#illus373">"<span class="smcap">It is gold! it is gold! and enough of it to make us all rich beyond +our fondest dreams</span>"</a></p> + + + +<hr style="width: 65%;" /> + + + + + + + + +<h2>The Cave of Gold</h2> + + + +<hr style="width: 65%;" /> +<h2><a name="CHAPTER_I" id="CHAPTER_I"></a>CHAPTER I</h2> + +<h3>EL FEROZ</h3> + + +<p>"Whoa!"—"whoa!" With quick jerks on their bridle reins Thure Conroyal +and Bud Randolph pulled up their horses and listened shiveringly.</p> + +<p>Again that same shrill whistling scream of dreadful agony and fear, that +had caused them to rein up their horses so suddenly a moment before, +came from the valley beyond the brow of the little hill up which they +had been slowly riding, and chilled the very marrow in their bones with +the terrible intensity of its fear and anguish. Then all was still.</p> + +<p>"What—what was it?" and Thure turned a startled face to Bud. "It didn't +sound human and I never heard an animal scream like that before. What +can it be?"</p> + +<p>"I don't know," Bud answered, his face whitening a little; "but I am +going to find out. Come on," and, swinging his rifle into position where +it would be ready for instant use, he started up the hill, his eyes +fixed in the direction whence had come those fearful screams.</p> + +<p>"We'd better go a little slow, until we find out what it is," cautioned +Thure, as he quickly fell in by the side of Bud, his own rifle held +ready for instant use. "It might be Indian devilment of some kind. You +know dad's last letter from the mines said that the Indians were getting +ugly; and if it is hostile Indians, we want to see them first."</p> + +<p>"You bet we do," was Bud's emphatic rejoinder, as he again pulled up his +horse. "Now, just hold Gray Cloud and I'll scout on ahead and see what's +going on down there in the valley before we show ourselves," and, +sliding swiftly from Gray Cloud's back, he tossed his bridle rein to +Thure, and, rifle in hand, started swiftly and as silently as an Indian +toward a thick clump of bushes that grew directly on the top of the +little hill.</p> + +<p>Thure deftly caught the bridle rein; and then sat silent and motionless +on the back of his horse, his eyes on his comrade, waiting in tense +expectancy for the moment when he would reach the clump of bushes and +look down into the valley beyond and see the cause of those strange and +terrible cries that had so suddenly and so fearfully startled them.</p> + +<p>Bud, carrying his cocked rifle at trail, his form bent so that the least +possible part of his body showed above the grass of the hillside, ran +swiftly until he had almost reached the brow of the hill and the clump +of bushes. Then, crouching closer to the ground, he crept cautiously and +slowly to the bushes and, gently working himself into their midst, +carefully parted the branches in front of his face until he had a clear +view of the little valley below. At the first sight he uttered an +exclamation of surprise and wrath and threw his rifle to his shoulder; +but, with a regretful shake of his head, he almost instantly lowered the +gun, and, turning quickly about, motioned excitedly for Thure to advance +with the horses and started on the run to meet him.</p> + +<p>"Indians! Is it Indians?" Thure cried anxiously, the moment Bud was at +his side.</p> + +<p>"No," panted the boy, as he leaped into his saddle. "It's <i>El Feroz</i>; +and if I've got anything to say about it, he has made his last kill. +Come on," and his eyes glinted with wrath and excitement, as he dug his +spurs into the flanks of Gray Cloud and galloped furiously up the hill.</p> + +<p>"<i>El Feroz!</i> Bully!" and Thure, with an exultant yell, struck the spurs +into his horse and galloped along by his side.</p> + +<p>At the top of the hill both boys pulled up their horses and looked down +into the valley. The valley was small, not more than half a mile across, +and through its center ran a little stream of water, fringed with bushes +and small trees. On the near side of this fringe of trees and bushes and +only a short distance from where our two young friends sat on the backs +of their horses, crouched a huge grizzly bear over the body of a horse +that was still quivering in the death agony.</p> + +<p>"The brute!" exclaimed Thure angrily, the moment his eyes had taken in +this scene of violence. "So that was the death scream of a horse we +heard! Well, I never want to hear another! But, we've got you now, you +old villain!" and his eyes swept over the little valley, free, except +for the fringe of trees and bushes, of all obstructions, exultingly. "If +we let you get away from this, we'll both deserve to be shot. Now," and +he turned to Bud, "you ride to the right and I'll go to the left and we +will have the brute between us, so that if he charges either of us, the +other can take after him and shoot or rope him."</p> + +<p>"Good!" agreed Bud. "But, say, let's rope him first. Just shooting is +too good for <i>El Feroz</i>. Remember Manuel and Old Pedro, whom he killed, +and Jim Bevins, whom he tore nearly to pieces and crippled for life, to +say nothing of the cattle and the horses he has killed. And now that we +have him where he can't get away, I am for showing him that man is his +master, strong and ferocious as he is, before killing him. We could not +have picked out a better place for roping him, if we had been doing the +picking," and his eyes glanced over the smooth level of the little +valley. "We'll let him chase us until we get him away from the trees and +bushes along the creek, and then we'll have some fun with the big brute +with our ropes, before sending him to Kingdom Come with our bullets. +What do you say, Thure?"</p> + +<p>"Well," grinned Thure reminiscently, "if it don't turn out better than +did our attempt to rope a grizzly when I was with Fremont, I say shoot +the grizzly first and rope him afterward. Now, it won't be no joke +roping <i>El Feroz</i>, even if everything is in our favor," and his face +sobered. "Still, I reckon, our horses can keep us at a safe distance +from his ugly claws and teeth; and it will be all right to have a try +with the ropes before we use bullets, but we've got to be careful. <i>El +Feroz</i> is the largest and ugliest grizzly ever seen anywhere around +here, and could kill one of our horses with one blow of his huge paw. +Mexican Juan says that an Indian devil has taken possession of the big +brute and that only a silver bullet blessed by a priest can kill him; +and, in proof of his belief, he told me that he himself had shot five +lead bullets at <i>El Feroz</i> and that he had heard the devil laugh when +the bullets struck and fell hot and flattened to the ground. Now he +always carries a silver bullet with him that he had a priest bless when +he was down to San Francisco last fall; and the next time he meets <i>El +Feroz</i> he expects to kill him with the holy bullet. He showed me the +silver bullet," and Thure laughed. "But I'm willing to put my trust in +lead, if it hits the right spot, Indian devil or no devil. Now, look at +<i>El Feroz</i>. He doesn't seem to be worrying none over our presence. +Appears to think the filling of his greedy belly too important an +operation to be interrupted by us," and Thure's eyes turned to where the +huge grizzly was tearing with teeth and claws the carcass of the horse, +his wicked little eyes turned in their direction, but otherwise giving +them not the slightest attention. Evidently <i>El Feroz</i> had only contempt +for the puny prowess of man.</p> + +<p>"Well, we'll soon teach him better manners, the ugly brute! Come on," +and Bud Randolph and Thure Conroyal both started slowly toward the +grizzly, loosening the strong ropes that hung from the pommels of their +saddles as they rode.</p> + +<p>There was no need of haste. <i>El Feroz</i> would not run away—not from a +good dinner like that he was now eating—for all the men in California. +For four years he had terrorized this part of California, had never once +turned his back to a man, but had seen the backs of many men turned to +him; and now the killing of the horse had aroused all the ferocity of +his savage nature, and he was ready to fight anything and everything +that threatened to rob him of his prey.</p> + +<p>Thure Conroyal and Bud Randolph did not for a moment expect <i>El Feroz</i> +to run, when they rode toward him. They knew grizzly nature, especially +the ferocious nature of <i>El Feroz</i>, too well to dream of such a thing. +They knew he would fight; and, if they had been afoot, they would not +have dared to attack the evil monster, armed though they were with +rifles and so skilful in their use that they could cut the head off a +wild goose at a hundred yards. But, seated on the backs of their fleet +and well-trained horses and on a smooth and open field like the one +before them, they did not fear even <i>El Feroz</i> himself. If their ropes +did not hold or their bullets kill at once, the swift legs of their +horses could be counted on to keep them out of danger, unless some +unforeseen mischance happened.</p> + +<p>The lassoing or roping of grizzly bears was a sport often indulged in by +the native Californians, who were among the most skilful horsemen in the +world and marvelously expert with their lassos or reatas, as they called +the long rope, usually made of hide or woven horsehair, which they used +to catch their horses and cattle; and Thure Conroyal and Bud Randolph +had become as expert as any native with their reatas, and, consequently, +felt equal to the roping of even as ferocious and as huge a beast as <i>El +Feroz</i> himself, the most dreaded grizzly in the California mountains.</p> + +<p>Thure and Bud rode slowly toward the grizzly, one turning a little to +the left and the other to the right as he advanced, so that when they +drew near to <i>El Feroz</i> there were some five rods of space between them. +They had fastened their rifles to the saddles in front of them, to hold +them safe and yet have them where they could be quickly seized in case +of sudden need and to give them free use of both of their hands in +throwing their ropes and in managing their horses; and now, as they +advanced toward the bear, they uncoiled their reatas and began slowly +swinging the loops around their heads in readiness for the throw, while +every faculty of their minds quickened and every muscle of their young +bodies tightened in expectation of the coming battle that might mean +death to one or both, if either blundered.</p> + +<p>The grizzly glared furiously, first at one horseman then at the other, +and tore more savagely than ever at the flesh of the horse, until both +boys were almost upon him. Then, with a roar so savage and fearful that +both horses, well-trained as they were, jumped violently, he reared up +suddenly on his hind legs, the blood of the horse dripping from his +reddened teeth, and, growling ferociously and swaying his huge head from +side to side, he stood, for a moment, apparently trying to decide which +one of those two venturesome humans he should tear to pieces first.</p> + +<p>"Quick! Rope him around the neck before he charges!" yelled Thure. "I'll +try to get one of his hind legs."</p> + +<p>As Thure spoke Bud's lasso shot through the air; and the loop glided +swiftly over the great head and tightened suddenly around the hairy +neck, just at the moment the bear came to the decision to charge Thure +and sprang toward him, with the result that the sudden unexpectedness of +the jerk of Bud's rope yanked him off his feet and hurled him on his +back.</p> + +<p>Thure instantly saw his opportunity and before the huge beast could +right himself, he had swiftly cast the loop of his rope around one of +the sprawling hind legs and drawn it tight.</p> + +<p>"Hurrah! We've got him!" yelled Bud triumphantly, as Gray Cloud whirled +about and stood facing the grizzly, his strong body braced backward so +that he held the rope taut, as all well-broken California horses were +trained to do the moment the thrown rope caught its victim.</p> + +<p>"Got him! You bet we've got him!" echoed Thure, as his own horse whirled +into position, with both front legs strongly braced, and drew the lasso +tight about bruin's hind leg, thus stretching him out between the ends +of the two reatas.</p> + +<p>But they had not "got him"—not yet; for, just at that moment, all the +ferocious bulk of raging bone and muscle that had given <i>El Feroz</i> his +name of terror, gave a tremendous heave, whirled over on its feet; and, +before either boy knew what was happening, Bud's lasso broke and about a +ton of angry bear was hurling itself toward Thure.</p> + +<p>The unforeseen mischance had happened with a vengeance!</p> + +<p>Bud uttered a yell of warning and horror and caught at his rifle; but, +almost before his hands could touch the gun, <i>El Feroz</i> was upon Thure +and only a tremendous jump sideways of his brave little horse saved him +from the sweep of one of those saber-armed paws.</p> + +<p>The grizzly bear, for an animal of his huge bulk, is astonishingly agile +and speedy, when once his fighting blood is aroused; and, if ever a +grizzly was fighting mad, that grizzly was now <i>El Feroz</i>. The instant +he saw that he had missed the horse and man, he whirled about and was +after them again; and, so swift was his turn and so sudden his charge, +that, once again, only the superior horsemanship of Thure and the +agility of the horse saved them from a sweeping blow of one of the great +paws that came so close that Thure could feel the rush of its wind +against his face.</p> + +<p>"Out run him! Out run him!" yelled Bud excitedly. "Try to throw him with +your rope; and I'll see if I can get a bullet in him," and he suddenly +jerked up Gray Cloud, so that he could make his aim more sure, threw his +rifle to his shoulder, and fired.</p> + +<p>The ball struck the grizzly, but did not disable him. Indeed, the wound +seemed rather to increase the terrible energy and rage with which he was +striving to reach Thure and his horse with one of those powerful paws; +and, for a dreadful moment, it appeared to Bud as if the huge beast +might even overtake the speedy horse. Then he saw that Thure was slowly +gaining, that the rope, which still clutched the hind leg of the +grizzly, was slowly tightening; and, with breathless haste, he began +reloading his rifle. He had had all the roping of <i>El Feroz</i> he wanted; +and now his only desire was to get a bullet into the huge body, where it +would kill quickly, as speedily as possible. Suddenly, just as he was +driving the bullet down into the barrel of his rifle, he heard a wild +yell of exultation from Thure, and looked up just in time to see the +hind part of the grizzly shoot upward into the air; and the next moment +his astonished eyes saw the huge body dangling from a strong limb of an +old oak tree, that thrust itself out from the sturdy trunk some fifteen +feet above the ground, and held there by the grip of Thure's rope around +one of the hind legs.</p> + +<p>It needed but a glance for Bud to understand how this seemingly +marvelous feat had been accomplished. The quick eyes of Thure had seen +the tree, with its sturdy limb thrust out some fifteen feet above the +ground, almost directly in the line of his flight; and, swerving a +little to one side, so as to pass close to it, and slowing up his horse +a bit, he had gathered up the slack of the rope in his hand, and, as he +passed the tree, he had thrown it so that the middle of the rope had +fallen over the top of the limb not far from the trunk; and then, of +course, the rope had jerked the bear up into the air, and Thure had +whirled his horse about, and now the well-trained animal stood, his fore +legs braced, holding the struggling grizzly up to the limb.</p> + +<p>"Shoot, shoot him quick, before the limb or the rope breaks!" yelled +Bud, the moment his eyes had taken in the situation, and, ramming the +bullet swiftly home, he spurred Gray Cloud toward the dangling bear.</p> + +<p>Thure at once seized his rifle; but so furious were the struggles of the +grizzly—he hung just so that his fore paws touched the ground—as he +twisted and turned and frantically pawed up the dirt, insane with rage, +that it was impossible to get accurate aim from where he sat on his +horse; and Thure jumped from his saddle and ran quickly close up to the +swinging grizzly, now struggling more furiously than ever at the near +approach of his hated enemy.</p> + +<p>"Don't! Look out! Can't you see how the limb is bending and shaking?" +yelled Bud excitedly. "The limb or the rope might break at any moment!" +and Bud shuddered at the horror of the thought of what then might happen +and urged his horse more desperately than ever toward the scene.</p> + +<p>And, indeed, the huge body of the grizzly, twisting and swinging at the +end of the rope, the blood flowing from the wound made by Bud's bullet, +his little red eyes glowing like coals of fire, his strong jaws snapping +and growling, and his huge paws striking furiously in the direction of +Thure, did make a sight to chill the marrow in the bones of any man.</p> + +<p>Thure, now that he was so close to the bear that he could have touched +him with the muzzle of his rifle, realized that, in his haste, he had +done a fool-hardy thing; but he was not the kind of a lad to back down +from a position once taken, not until he had to do so, and, quickly +bringing his rifle to his shoulder, he waited until the swaying body +presented a fatal spot to his aim, pulled the trigger, and leaped +backward from the bear.</p> + +<p>It was fortunate for Thure that he made that backward jump; for, at the +crack of his rifle, <i>El Feroz</i> made such a tremendous lunge toward him, +that the creaking limb bent nearly double, and, with a sound like the +report of a gun, broke off close to the trunk and crashed to the ground +on top of the grizzly.</p> + +<p>For a moment <i>El Feroz</i> lay stunned by his wounds and fall and the crash +of the heavy limb; and then, with a roar, he struggled to his feet, just +as Bud jerked Gray Cloud to a halt not a rod away, and, instantly +throwing his rifle to his shoulder, fired. Even then the ferocious beast +plunged desperately toward his new enemy, staggering blindly, and fell +dead on the exact spot where Thure had stood.</p> + +<p>"Jumping buffaloes, but that was a narrow escape for you, Thure!" and, +throwing himself out of his saddle, Bud rushed up to where Thure stood, +white and trembling, now that the danger was over, not ten feet from +where the bear lay dead.</p> + +<p>"But, we've got him! Got <i>El Feroz</i> himself!" and the blood surged back +to Thure's face. "The biggest grizzly in all California! Say, but won't +the Mexicans and the Indians think we are great hunters now? And won't +Ruth and Iola stare, when we throw down the hide of <i>El Feroz</i> in front +of them to-night?"</p> + +<p>No wonder Thure felt a little vainglorious over their achievement; for +there was not a hunter in all that country who would not have considered +the killing of <i>El Feroz</i> the crowning exploit of his life, so great had +become the monster grizzly's reputation for savage ferocity and +fearlessness of man.</p> + +<p>"Well, I reckon we won't do any more hunting to-day," Bud declared, as +he began swiftly reloading his rifle. In that country at that time no +experienced hunter ever allowed his rifle to remain unloaded a moment +longer than was necessary. "When we get the hide off that monster, it +will be time to be starting for home," and his eyes turned to the dead +grizzly. "Whew, but isn't he a whopper! I'll bet that he will weigh +nearly a ton! You are right, the girls will be surprised some, when we +throw down that hide in front of them," and his face flushed a little at +the thought of the glory that would soon be theirs. "But, come, now that +our guns are loaded, let's get busy with our knives and get this big +hide off," and, pulling out his hunting-knife from its sheath, he bent +over the huge carcass of <i>El Feroz</i>.</p> + +<p>"I'll be with you as soon as I free Buck," and Thure, slipping the noose +of his reata off the hind leg of the dead grizzly and coiling it around +his arm, hastened to where his gallant little horse still stood; and, +after fastening the rope in its place on the pommel of the saddle, he +hurried back to where Bud was bending over the grizzly.</p> + +<p>There was no need of tying their horses. All the rope required to hold +them fast was the rope of love they bore their young masters, and so the +two animals were left free, while the two boys busied themselves getting +the pelt off the bear.</p> + +<p>The skinning of a grizzly bear, especially when the bear is as huge and +as tough as was <i>El Feroz</i>, is no light undertaking; but Thure and Bud +were no novices at this kind of labor, and, after half an hour's hard +work, the great pelt was off and stretched out on the ground, skin side +up.</p> + +<p>"There, I am glad that job is done!" Thure exclaimed, with satisfaction, +as he wiped his bloody knife on the grass. "Say, but he sure was a +whopper!" and his eyes glanced exultantly over the great hide, now +looking larger than ever as it lay spread out on the grass. "Great +Moses, look at all those old bullet marks!—Fifteen of them! No wonder +that Mexican Juan thought <i>El Feroz</i> was protected by the devil!—Hello, +what is the matter now?" and Thure jumped up quickly from the hide, over +which he had been bending counting <i>El Feroz's</i> old bullet wounds, at a +sudden exclamation of alarm from Bud.</p> + +<p>"There! There! Look there!" Bud was pointing excitedly up the valley.</p> + +<p>"Mother of men, they are murdering him!" "Come on!" and Thure, grabbing +up his rifle, made a jump for his horse, followed by Bud.</p> + +<p>Three-quarters of a mile up the valley from where our young friends had +slain the big grizzly, a spur of rocks projected down into the valley, +reaching like a long finger almost to the fringe of trees along the +creek; and around this spur of rocks three men had slowly ridden, and, +just as they had come in sight from where the boys stood, Bud, whose +eyes had happened to be turned in that direction, had seen two of the +men suddenly and apparently without warning set upon the third man and, +after a short struggle, knock him off his horse. It was this sight that +had caused his sudden cry of alarm, followed by Thure's exclamation of +horror, "They are murdering him!" and the quick jump of both boys for +their horses.</p> + +<p>It took Thure and Bud less than a minute to reach their horses and to +spring up into their saddles; but, in that brief time, the unequal +struggle up the valley was over, and the two men were bending over the +prostrate body of their victim, apparently searching for valuables, when +the two boys, with loud yells, spurred their horses at full speed toward +them.</p> + +<p>At the sound of their voices, the two men looked suddenly up, saw them +coming, hastily grabbed up a few things from the ground, evidently taken +from the man they were robbing, jumped to their feet, sprang on the +backs of their horses, and, before either boy was near enough to shoot, +both had disappeared around the spur of rocks, lashing and spurring +their horses frantically.</p> + +<p>Thure and Bud jerked up their horses by the side of the fallen man and, +jumping from their saddles, bent quickly over him.</p> + +<p>"They've murdered him!" cried Bud, the moment his horrified eyes saw the +white face and the bloodstained breast of the stricken man. "They have +stabbed him! The cowardly curs!"</p> + +<p>"No, he is not dead! I can feel his heart beat. The stab was too low to +reach his heart. Quick, we must do something to stop this flow of blood, +or he soon will be dead," and Thure tore open the bosom of the rough +flannel shirt, exposing the red mouth of a knife wound from which the +blood was flowing freely.</p> + +<p>Thure and Bud were both familiar with the rough surgery of the plains +and the mountains; and soon their deft hands had swiftly untied the silk +scarfs from around their necks, plugged the wound with one of them and +used the other to tightly bind and hold it in place.</p> + +<p>"There, I think that will stop the blood! Now, let's see what other +hurts he has," and Thure passed his hands gently over the man's head. +"Two bumps—whoppers! Either enough to knock the senses out of an ox; +but, I reckon, they've done no mortal damage. It's the stab wound that I +am most afraid of. What do you make out of it all anyway?" and Thure +turned to Bud.</p> + +<p>"Plain robbery and attempted murder," Bud answered gravely. "The man is +evidently a miner," and his eyes rested on the long unkempt hair and +beard, the weather-bronzed skin, and the rough worn clothing of the +wounded man; "and was, probably, on his way from the mines to San +Francisco with his gold-dust, when those two cowardly curs met him and, +finding out that he was from the mines, attempted to murder him for his +gold."</p> + +<p>"Reckon you're right," agreed Thure. "Leastwise there's no use of +speculating over it longer now. The thing to do is to get him home as +soon as we can. Mother is powerful good doctoring hurts. Just see if you +can get him up on the saddle in front of me. I reckon that'll be the +safest way to carry him," and Thure mounted his horse, while Bud thrust +his sturdy young arms under the body of the insensible man and, as +gently as possible, lifted him to the saddle, where the strong arms of +Thure held him as comfortably as possible.</p> + +<p>"Now, I'll strike out straight for home," Thure said, as he started Buck +off on a walk with his double burden; "and you can ride back and get the +hide of <i>El Feroz</i>, and soon catch up with me."</p> + +<p>"All right. I'll be with you again as soon as I can," and Bud sprang on +the back of Gray Cloud and started off on a gallop for the scene of the +contest with the grizzly.</p> + +<p>How wonderful it is that the tenor of our whole after lives may be, nay, +frequently is, completely changed by some seemingly unimportant +circumstance or unexpected happening. If Thure Conroyal and Bud Randolph +had not heard the death-cry of that horse and had not turned aside to +see what had caused those agonizing sounds, they would not have been +delayed, by their contest with the grizzly, until the coming of the +three men, nor have witnessed the attack on the miner; and, if they had +not seen this attack on the miner and hurried to his rescue, they never +would have heard the miner's marvelous tale, nor have secured the skin +map; and, if they had not heard the miner's tale and secured the skin +map—But, I must let the story itself tell you all that resulted from +these unexpected and seemingly unimportant happenings.</p> + + + +<hr style="width: 65%;" /> +<h2><a name="CHAPTER_II" id="CHAPTER_II"></a>CHAPTER II</h2> + +<h3>DEATH OF THE MINER</h3> + + +<p>California and 1849! Magical combination of Place and Date! The Land of +Gold and the Time of Gold! The Date and the Place of the opening of +Nature's richest treasure-house! Gold—free for all who would stoop and +pick or dig it out of the rocks and the dirt! The beginning of the most +wonderful exodus of gold-mad men in the history of the world! "Gold! +Gold!! GOLD!!! CALIFORNIA GOLD!" The nations of the world heard the cry; +and the most enterprising and daring and venturesome—the wicked as well +as the good—of the nations of the world started straightway for +California. Towns and cities sprang up, like mushrooms, in a night, +where the day before the grizzly bear had hunted. In a year a wilderness +became a populous state. A marvelous work to accomplish, even for an +Anglo-Saxon-American nation; but, get down your histories of California, +boys, and you will learn that we did accomplish that very thing—built a +great state out of a wilderness in some twelve months of time!</p> + +<p>Of course, Thure and Bud (Bud with the grizzly's hide had soon overtaken +Thure), as they rode along over the soft grass of the Sacramento Valley, +on this clear July afternoon of the eventful year of 1849, did not +realize that all these wonderful things were happening or were about to +happen in their loved California. They knew that a great gold discovery +had been made in the region of the American River some forty miles +northeast of Sutter's Fort. Indeed, for the last year, all California +had gone gold-mad over this same discovery; and now every able-bodied +man in the country, who could possibly get there, was at the mines. +Stores, ranches, ships, pulpits, all businesses and all professions had +been deserted for the alluring smiles of the yellow god, gold, until it +might be truthfully said, that in all California there was but one +business and that one business was gold-digging.</p> + +<p>The devastating gold-fever had swept over the Conroyal and the Randolph +ranchos; and had left, of all the grown-up males, only Thure and Bud, +who, not yet being of age, had been compelled to stay, much against +their wills, to care for the women folks and the ranchos, while their +fathers and brothers and all the able-bodied help had rushed off, like +madmen, to the mines; and only their loyalty to their loved mothers and +fathers had kept them from following. Now, the one great hope of their +lives was to win permission to go to the mines, where men were winning +fortunes in a day, and try their luck at gold-digging.</p> + +<p>The Conroyal rancho, the Randolph and the Conroyal families had united, +when the men went to the mines, and both families were now living at the +Conroyal rancho, was some five miles from the scene of the robbery and +attempted murder of the miner; and, for the first two miles of the +homeward ride, the wounded man lay unconscious and motionless in Thure's +arms. Then he began to move restlessly and to mutter unintelligible +things.</p> + +<p>"He sure isn't dead," Thure declared, as the struggles of the man nearly +pitched both of them out of the saddle. "Just give me a hand, Bud; for, +I reckon, we'll have to lower him to the ground until he gets his right +senses back or quits this twitching and jerking. I am afraid he will +start the wound to bleeding again."</p> + +<p>Bud quickly sprang off the back of his horse; and together and as gently +as possible the two boys lowered the wounded miner from the saddle and +laid him down on a little mound of grass. A few rods away a small stream +of water wound its way, half-hidden by tall grass and bushes and low +trees, through the little valley where they had stopped.</p> + +<p>"Get your hat full of water," Thure said, as he bent down to see if the +bandage over the wound was still in its place. "Seems to me he ought to +be getting his senses back by this time."</p> + +<p>Bud at once started off on the run for the water and soon was back with +his broad-brimmed felt hat full of the cooling fluid; and, kneeling down +by the side of the wounded man, who now lay quiet, with eyes closed, +although he was still muttering incoherently, he bathed the hot forehead +and the swollen lumps on the back of his head.</p> + +<p>Suddenly the miner's eyes opened and stared wonderingly around him and +up into the faces of the two boys. For a minute he did not seem to be +able to comprehend what had happened. Then the blank wondering look +suddenly left his eyes.</p> + +<p>"Did they get the gold?" and his hand went quickly to his waist. There +was no belt there. "Gone! A good twenty pounds of as fine gold as was +ever dug from the earth, gone!—Gods, if they had but given me any kind +of a show, they would not have got it so easily!" and his eyes flamed +and he attempted to sit up, but fell back with a groan and a whitening +face.</p> + +<p>For a minute or two he lay with eyes closed, breathing heavily. +Evidently he was trying to collect his thoughts, to realize his +situation. When he opened his eyes again there was a solemn, an awed +look in them that had not been there before, and the anger had gone.</p> + +<p>"I have been stabbed," he said slowly, "and I am dying."</p> + +<p>"No, no. The knife did not go near your heart. It struck too low. You +will soon be all right again. Wait until we get you home and mother will +soon make a whole man of you. Mother is about the best nurse in all +California," and Thure gripped one of the hard toil-worn hands and +smiled encouragingly.</p> + +<p>"No." As the man spoke his eyes never once left Thure's face. "No, I am +dying. I know. I was once a surgeon, an army surgeon." For a moment his +eyes darkened, as if with bitter recollections. "But, what matters the +past now? Let it bury its dead," and he smiled grimly. "This is death. +I know. I have seen many die just this way. Internal hemorrhage, we +doctors called it. The blood from the wound is flowing into my body. +I can feel it. I have half an hour, possibly an hour to live; and +then—" The awed look in the eyes deepened, and, for a couple of minutes, +he did not speak, but lay staring straight up into the blue skies. +Suddenly his white lips tightened and he turned to Thure.</p> + +<p>"How far is it to your home and to your mother?" he asked abruptly.</p> + +<p>"About three miles; but I can carry you so easily that I am sure—"</p> + +<p>"Too far," the wounded man broke in impatiently. "I might die before I +got there. No, this shall be my deathbed—the soft green grass, canopied +by the blue skies—a fitting end, a fitting end," he added gloomily.</p> + +<p>"Come, come," and Thure tried to make his voice sound cheery and full of +hope. "Never say die, until you are dead. Just wait until we get home +and mother will put new life into you. Now, I'll get on my horse, and +Bud will lift you up into my arms, and we'll be home before you know +it," and Thure jumped to his feet and started toward his horse.</p> + +<p>"No, come back," and the miner impatiently lifted himself up on one +elbow. "Come back. I have no time to waste riding three miles for a +deathbed. I—" Again the keen eyes searched the faces of the two boys. +"I have much to say and little time in which to say it. Get that +bearskin off your horse and make me as comfortable as possible on it. +And be quick about it; for I am going fast, and, before I go, I want to +make you two boys my heirs for saving me from those two villains. The +cowardly curs! They hit me from behind!" and again the eyes flamed with +anger. "They got the gold I had with me and they got me; but they did +not get the secret of Crooked Arm Gulch, nor learn how to find its +Golden Elbow. Curse them! If I could but live, I'd—But, what's the +use?" and he sank back white-lipped on the grass. "That knife stab in +the breast has done for me. And just when the golden key that unlocks +all the doors of pleasure and power was tight-gripped in my very +fingers! Just my luck! But," and the look of somber resignation came +back into the pain-racked eyes, "I'll not die like a snarling, whining +coyote. I'll meet death, as I have met life—face to face, with both +eyes wide open. Now," and he turned to Bud, who had hurried to his horse +and, unloosening the bear-skin, had hastened back with it and spread it +out on the grass, soft hair up, by the side of the wounded man, "lay me +on the skin and stuff something under my head and shoulders, so as to +keep the blood from flooding my lungs and heart as long as possible; for +I have that to tell that must not wait, even for death," and the white +lips tightened firmly.</p> + +<p>Thure and Bud, anxious to do everything possible to ease the last +moments of the dying man, now carefully lifted him and laid him down on +the skin of the grizzly bear as gently as possible. Then, taking off one +of the saddles and their own coats, they placed the saddle, softened by +the folded coats and the bearskin, under the head and the shoulders of +the miner; and only the white tight-drawn lips and the burning eyes told +of the intense pain that he must have suffered while the change was +being made.</p> + +<p>For a couple of minutes the wounded man lay silent on the bearskin, with +closed eyes, breathing heavily. Then he suddenly opened his eyes and +turned them resolutely on the two boys, who stood, one on each side, +bending anxiously over him.</p> + +<p>"There, that is better," he said. "That is all you can do for me. Now, +sit down close to my head, so that you can hear every word that I say; +for never did dying lips have a more important message to utter, never +did mortal leave a richer inheritance to mortal than I am about to leave +to you. Gold—a cave paved with gold! Gold—a cave walled with seams of +gold! Gold—bushels, barrels of gold nuggets, to be picked up, as you +pick up pebbles from the stony bed of a river! Gods, if I could but +live!" Again the blood flushed back into the white cheeks and the eyes +glowed with feverish excitement.</p> + +<p>"There! There!" and Thure laid a cool hand on the hot forehead. "Never +mind the gold now. When you have rested a bit and have recovered some of +your strength, Bud and I will rig up a stretcher out of the bearskin and +carry you home between us; and then, when you are comfortably fixed in a +soft bed, you can tell us all about this wonderful cave of gold."</p> + +<p>No wonder Thure thought all this wild talk about the marvelous cave of +gold but the delirium of a dying man and tried to quiet the sufferer; +but the miner would not be quieted, and, roughly brushing the hand from +his forehead, he turned his glowing eyes full on Thure's face.</p> + +<p>"You think I am raving," he said, "that this cave of gold exists only in +the disordered fancy of a dying man. Well, I will show you. Thrust your +hand under my shirt, beneath my right shoulder, and pull out the small +bag you will find there. Quick!" he cried impatiently, as Thure +hesitated. "You forget that I am a dying man and have not a minute of +time to waste."</p> + +<p>Thus admonished, Thure hastily thrust his right hand under the miner's +shirt, as directed, and pulled out a small buckskin bag, fastened by a +buckskin thong about the miner's shoulder. The weight of the bag, for it +was only some seven inches long by three inches wide, surprised him.</p> + +<p>"Cut the strings and open the bag," commanded the miner.</p> + +<p>Thure quickly did as bidden.</p> + +<p>"Now, see what is inside of the bag."</p> + +<p>Thure thrust his hand into the bag and drew out a long, tightly rolled +piece of white parchment-like skin.</p> + +<p>"That is the skin map. Never mind that now. Turn the bag bottom side up +and shake it."</p> + +<p>Thure caught hold of the bottom of the bag with his fingers, turned it +over and gave it a vigorous shake; and then sat staring wildly at the +object that had fallen, with a thud, on the bearskin by his side. He was +looking at a solid nugget of gold nearly as large as, and shaped very +much like his fist!</p> + +<p>"Pick it up! Lift it!" urged the miner, his eyes shining with +excitement. "It is gold, pure, virgin gold, just as God made it! I +picked it up off the bottom of the cave, where there are thousands of +other smaller nuggets. In the light of my torch they sparkled and shone +until the floor of the cave seemed flooded with golden light. In the two +hours I was there I gathered up the Five Thousand Dollars' worth of gold +nuggets the robbers stole from me and that nugget, all that I dared take +with me; for the way out of Crooked Arm Gulch is not a road over which a +man more heavily burdened would care to venture. I had no food with me, +no horses; and I must hurry back, where food, on which to live, and +horses, on which to carry my supplies to the cave and the gold away from +it, could be bought. I—"</p> + +<p>"And you found this hunk of gold on the floor of that cave?" Thure who +had been lifting and examining the nugget with widening eyes, could +control his excitement no longer. "And you say that there are thousands +of other nuggets where this came from?"</p> + +<p>"Yes, yes! I have been telling you God's truth," and the face grew white +and drawn with pain again. "But, don't interrupt me. I—I have only a +few minutes left. The nugget, the gold, all is yours. I—I bequeath it +to you with my dying breath. The map—the skin map—will tell you where +to find it—North—northeast from Hangtown—a good five days' tramp—No +miners there yet—Deep—steep canyon—Lot's Canyon—Tall white pillar of +rock standing near Crooked Arm Gulch—Must look—sharp—to find gulch +opening—Blocked by great—rocks—Big tree—Climb to third limb. +Remember—climb to third limb—third limb—third—My God!—My God!" and +both hands clutched madly at his throat.</p> + +<p>His breath was now coming in quick heaving gasps; and only by a supreme +effort of will was he able longer to command his wavering reason.</p> + +<p>"Quick—quick," he gasped, his voice coming in a hoarse whisper. "Bend +your heads close. Beware of the two men who robbed and murdered me—I—I +told—them of the cave of gold; but I did—did not tell them where it +is; and—and they—can—cannot find it without the skin map—They—they +murdered me for—for that map; but they did not get it—It—it was not +in—in my money-belt, as they thought. Guard that map—They—they would +kill—kill you to get it. One is a huge red-haired man with a broken +nose—The other is—is small, with pock-marked face—Beware—beware +pock—pock-marked face and—and broken nose—I—God—I—"</p> + +<p>Again he clutched violently at his throat; and then a great wondering +look of awe came into his eyes, now staring straight up into the blue +skies, and his form stiffened suddenly.</p> + +<p>Thure and Bud could endure the dreadful sight no longer and turned their +horrified eyes away; and, when, a couple of minutes later, they again +looked on the face of the miner, he was dead, with a smile on his grim +lips and a look of peace on his face, as if the coming of Death, at the +very last, had been a most pleasant and joyous event.</p> + + + +<hr style="width: 65%;" /> +<h2><a name="CHAPTER_III" id="CHAPTER_III"></a>CHAPTER III</h2> + +<h3>THE SKIN MAP</h3> + + +<p>No mortal can look on death unmoved. Savage or civilized, Christian or +pagan, a great awe, a questioning wonder thrills the spirits of all who +stand in the presence of the dread, unsolvable mystery, death. The soul +asks questions that cannot be answered, that the ages have left +unanswered. And, as Thure and Bud now stood, with uncovered heads, +looking down on the quiet, peaceful face and the motionless, rigid form +of the dead miner, the world-old awe and wondering concerning death +thrilled their hearts. For a couple of minutes neither spoke, neither +moved. Then Thure's eyes sought the face of Bud.</p> + +<p>"He is dead," he said solemnly.</p> + +<p>"He is dead," answered Bud, not moving his awed eyes from the still +face.</p> + +<p>"Dead!" and Thure bent and reverently straightened out the bent legs and +arms and smoothed back the matted hair from the forehead. "Dead, yes, as +dead as a stone; and yet a few minutes ago he was breathing and talking! +What a queer thing life is anyhow! Well, it won't do neither him nor us +any good to stand here thinking and talking about it. Now we must get +the body to the house and give it as decent a burial as possible. I'll +carry the body across the saddle in front of me. Come, let's hurry. I am +getting anxious to have it over."</p> + +<p>For the moment, so great had been the shock of the miner's sudden death, +Thure and Bud had forgotten all about the dead man's marvelous tale of +the Cave of Gold; but now, as Bud stooped to help lift the body from the +bearskin, his eyes caught the yellow glow of the gold nugget, which lay +on the skin by the side of its unfortunate finder, and the sight +recalled the wondrous tale.</p> + +<p>"What do you think of his story about finding that nugget in a cave +where the floor is covered with gold nuggets as thickly as pebbles on +the bed of a stony river? Do you suppose it is true or, just one of the +queer notions that sometimes come to the dying?" and Bud looked +wonderingly from the nugget to Thure's face.</p> + +<p>"Great Moses, I forgot all about the gold!" and Thure's face flushed +with excitement. "Quick, let's get the body on the grass and then we'll +have another look at the nugget. That was a powerful queer story he +told; but it might be true. And if it is true," and his eyes sparkled, +"then we've just got to go to the mines and hunt up our dads and the +others and get them to help us find that cave."</p> + +<p>In a moment more they had lifted the body off the bearskin and had laid +it down on the grass; and the gold nugget was in their hands.</p> + +<p>"Glory! But isn't it heavy?" and Bud balanced the nugget in one hand. +"And it looks and feels and weighs like gold! It must be gold."</p> + +<p>"It sure does look like gold," agreed Thure. "It looks and feels just +like the nuggets dad sent home, only larger. Oh, if we only could find +the cave where it came from! Let me see, he said that it was in the +Golden Elbow of Crooked Arm Gulch, in Lot's Canyon, near a white pillar +of rock and a big tree that we must climb to the third limb—a mighty +queer place I call that to find a cave! I reckon he must have been +lunaticy," and Thure turned a disappointed face to Bud.</p> + +<p>"Well, he certainly found gold, and this proves it," and Bud tossed the +big nugget up in the air and caught it as it came down, "to say nothing +of the five thousand dollars' worth of gold nuggets that he claims his +murderers stole from him. But, didn't he say something about a map, a +skin map, that would tell us how to find the cave?" and his face +lighted.</p> + +<p>"Yes, yes, that was the little roll of white skin I pulled first out of +the bag," and Thure's eyes searched eagerly the ground. "Here it is!" +and, stooping quickly, he picked up the little roll of white +parchment-like skin that he had pulled out of the little bag and dropped +on the ground, and began unrolling it with fingers that trembled with +excitement, while Bud crowded close to his side, his eyes on the +unrolling piece of tanned skin.</p> + +<p>The skin was some ten inches long by seven inches wide, of a somewhat +stiff texture, and tanned so that it was nearly white. On the inner side +an unskilled hand had rudely drawn a map; and beneath the map was +written the words:</p> + +<div class="blockquot"><p>Map, showing the location of the Cave of Gold in the Golden Elbow +of Crooked Arm Gulch, which opens into Lot's Canyon near the white +pillar of rock and the big tree, made by John Stackpole, the +discoverer of the Cave of Gold.—1849.</p></div> + +<p>In the lower left-hand corner of the map was a rudely drawn tree, with +three huge limbs, and, from near the end of the upper and third limb, an +arrow pointed slantingly downward, away from the trunk of the tree. In +the lower right-hand corner was a hand holding a flaming torch. Between +the tree and the torch was a cross, marked with the four main points of +the compass. In the lower left-hand corner of the map itself was a small +circle, marked "Hangtown"; and from there a crooked line trailed in a +northeasterly direction to the upper right-hand quarter of the skin, +where a map of Lot's Canyon and Crooked Arm Gulch was drawn with +considerable detail.</p> + +<hr style="width: 65%;" /> + +<div class="figcenter"> +<a name="illus049" id="illus049"></a> +<img src="images/illus049.jpg" alt=""/> +</div> + +<h3>THE SKIN MAP.</h3> + +<hr style="width: 65%;" /> + + +<p>For a couple of minutes the two boys studied this map in silence, while +the conviction that the Cave of Gold was no deathbed hallucination, but +a wonderful reality, grew upon them; or else, how came the skin map, +which evidently had been made many days ago?</p> + +<p>"Hangtown!" and Thure pointed excitedly to the name on the map. "That's +the name of the mining camp where dad was when he wrote last. And here," +and his finger followed up the trail marked on the map, "is Lot's +Canyon! and the Big Tree! and Crooked Arm Gulch! and the Golden Elbow! +and—and this black spot, marked 'cave,' right at the point of the +Golden Elbow, must be the Cave of Gold! Great Moses, but I believe the +miner did actually find that Cave of Gold, just as he said he did!" and +Thure's eyes and face glowed with excitement.</p> + +<p>"So do I," Bud agreed emphatically. "The skin map, the gold nugget—why, +even his murder! all go to prove the truth of his tale. The robbers +killed him to get this map. They could have got the gold without killing +and got away all right; but they knew of the Cave of Gold and the +map—the miner said he told them—and, expecting to get the map along +with the gold, they killed him to get him out of the way, so that they +could have all the gold in the cave to themselves. Say, but let's hurry +home and tell our mothers. They can't refuse to let us go to the mines +now! And we must start just as soon as possible. Come," and, for the +moment, in his excitement, forgetting the dead body of the miner, he +started to mount his horse.</p> + +<p>"But, we can't leave him there!" and Thure pointed to the body. "Just +help me to get him up on the horse in front of me and then we'll get +home as soon as possible," and, picking up the little buckskin bag, he +slipped the nugget and the map back into it, thrust it into his pocket, +and soon, with the help of Bud, was on his horse, with the body of the +dead miner in front of him.</p> + +<p>Bud now quickly threw the grizzly bearskin back on his horse, jumped +into his saddle, and the homeward journey was resumed.</p> + + + +<hr style="width: 65%;" /> +<h2><a name="CHAPTER_IV" id="CHAPTER_IV"></a>CHAPTER IV</h2> + +<h3>AT THE CONROYAL RANCHO</h3> + + +<p>When Thure, bearing in his arms the dead body of a man, and Bud, with +the huge skin of a grizzly bear hanging across the back of his horse +behind the saddle, rode into the open court in front of the Conroyal +rancho, there was great excitement; and, even before they could +dismount, they were surrounded by a crowd of gesticulating, +question-shouting women and children and old decrepit men, all wild with +curiosity to know what had happened. In the midst of all this +excitement, the door of the house was flung open and two young ladies +catapulted themselves through the crowd to where Thure and Bud sat on +their horses.</p> + +<p>"Mercy! What has happened?" and Iola Conroyal, her horrified eyes fixed +on the face of the dead miner, came to a sudden halt by the side of +Thure, with Ruth Randolph, round-eyed and white-faced, clinging to one +of her arms. "Is—is he dead?"</p> + +<p>"Yes, he is dead," Thure answered gravely. "Murdered for his gold." +Then, seeing how white the faces of the two girls had suddenly grown, he +added quickly: "You girls hurry right back into the house and tell your +mothers that we found a miner, who had been robbed and stabbed, and +started to bring him home with us, but that he died before we got here; +and ask them to have some blankets laid on the floor of the sala for the +body to lie on and a sheet to cover it. Now, hurry. We'll tell you how +it all happened later," and not until the two girls were back in the +house did Thure make a move to get rid of his ghastly burden. Then, +reverently the body of the dead miner was lowered from the horse, and +borne into the large hall-like room of the house known as the sala, and +laid down on the blankets there prepared for it, and covered over with a +sheet.</p> + +<p>In the meantime Bud had thrown the great hide of the grizzly to the +ground with the information that it was the skin of <i>El Feroz</i> himself.</p> + +<p>"How did you kill him?" "Who shot him?" and, with shouts of wonder and +delight, all the men and the boys, who had not gone into the sala with +the body of the dead miner, crowded around the skin of the fallen +monarch.</p> + +<p>"Thure and I found the old villain just after he had killed a horse, and +shot him," Bud answered hastily, anxious to get to his mother with the +wonderful news of the Cave of Gold as quickly as possible. "Here, +Angelo!" and he turned to a young Mexican boy standing near, "Take my +horse and see that he is properly cared for. And you, Juan, take the +hide of <i>El Feroz</i> and let us see how fine a robe you can make out of +it."</p> + +<p>"Si, si, señor," answered the old Mexican exultingly. "He, the ugly +brute, kill my wife's brother, Pedro, whom I, like my own brother, +loved, and 'twill give my soul peace one fine robe to make out of his +big skin. A great glory, the killing of <i>El Feroz</i>, señor," and his old +eyes kindled. "Your fame like a swift horse will travel."</p> + +<p>"Shucks! Any hunter could have got him the same as we did," and Bud +hurried into the house, all care for the glory of killing <i>El Feroz</i> +having been driven out of his head by the dying miner's remarkable +revelations.</p> + +<p>At the door of the house Bud was met by his mother and Mrs. Conroyal, +with Ruth and Iola close behind them. The bringing of the dead body of +the murdered miner into the house had greatly excited both women.</p> + +<p>"My son," Mrs. Randolph cried the moment she caught sight of Bud, "what +means this tale of murder and robbery and the bringing of the dead body +of a strange man into the house?"</p> + +<p>"Oh, mother, mother," and Bud excitedly caught hold of his mother's +hand, "the most wonderful, the most marvelous thing has happened!"</p> + +<p>"What?" and the astonished and horrified woman caught hold of both of +his shoulders and shook him. "Have you gone clean crazy, Bud Randolph, +to speak of murder and robbery like that?"</p> + +<p>"I—I," stammered Bud, "I forgot the dead miner. We were too late to +save him; but he lived long enough to tell us—" He stopped abruptly and +glanced swiftly around the room. The secret of the Cave of Gold must not +be proclaimed from the housetops! There was no one in the room with +himself, but the two women and the two girls. "Mother, Mrs. Conroyal," +he continued, lowering his voice, "the old miner before he died told +Thure and me of a wonderful Cave of Gold that he had discovered in a +gulch somewhere in the mountains; and he made Thure and me his heirs, +and gave us a map, showing the way to the cave, and a huge gold nugget, +which the robbers did not get, that he said he had found in the cave, +and he—But here is Thure! He has the—"</p> + +<p>"Hush! Not so loud!" and Thure, who at that moment stepped into the room +from the sala, where the body of the dead miner lay, lifted a warning +hand. "There are many ears in there," and he pointed to the door he had +just closed behind him, "that must not hear what we have to tell. Come, +let us go to your room, mother, where there won't be any danger of what +we have to tell you being overheard," and he started for Mrs. Conroyal's +private room, followed by Bud and the two wondering women and the girls.</p> + +<p>"I—I," and Thure stopped at the door of his mother's room and looked +hesitatingly at Iola and Ruth, "I—I reckon it is too great a secret to +tell you two girls just now. You had better wait—"</p> + +<p>"No!"—"No!" broke in both girls indignantly, while Ruth, looking as if +she would like to box Thure's ears, declared:</p> + +<p>"We girls can keep a secret just as well as you boys can, and you know +it; for, haven't we saved you from many a licking by not telling your +dads what you had been up to? But if this is the way you are going to +treat us, we'll fix you next time," and she shook her head +threateningly.</p> + +<p>"Besides," supplemented Iola triumphantly, "we know most of the secret +already. It's about a Cave of Gold and a map and—"</p> + +<p>"Oh, Christmas! You couldn't keep nothing from the girls!" and the face +Thure turned to Bud showed his disgust.</p> + +<p>"Well, I reckon the secret is just as safe with them as it is with us," +protested Bud stoutly, flushing a little, "especially when they know how +important it is to keep it secret. You will never tell a word of it to +anybody, will you girls? It—it might mean murder, if you did."</p> + +<p>"No, no," affirmed Iola emphatically. "We'll not breathe a word of it to +a living human being. We'll die first. We'll not disappoint your trust +in us, Bud," and she glanced a bit scornfully from Bud to her brother. +"Will we, Ruth?"</p> + +<p>"Never," and Ruth's red lips closed tightly over her pearly teeth. "Do +you suppose we'd betray those we love?" and her eyes flashed +indignantly.</p> + +<p>"All right. See that you don't, then," and Thure's face cleared. To tell +the truth he was just a little ashamed of the lack of confidence he had +shown in his sister and Ruth. "Anyhow, you know so much now that you +might as well be told the rest, so come on," and he opened the door and +carefully closed and locked it, when all had entered the room.</p> + +<p>It did not take many minutes for the two eager boys to tell the story of +the day's remarkable experiences, from the killing of the great grizzly +to the death of the old miner; for the narrative, under the lash of +their active tongues, proceeded in running jumps, from the beginning to +the end and was never allowed to lag an instant.</p> + +<p>"And now," concluded Thure excitedly, when the last of the wonderful +tale had been told, "Bud and I must both start for the mines just as +soon as we can get ready; and get father and Rex and Dill and Uncle +Frank and Hammer Jones to help us find this Cave of Gold; and when we +have found it—"</p> + +<p>"But," broke in Mrs. Conroyal, smiling at Thure's enthusiasm, although +her own face was flushed and her eyes were sparkling with excitement, +"where is this wonderful gold nugget and skin map, that you tell us the +miner gave you in proof of his remarkable story? You seem to forget that +you have not yet shown us your proof."</p> + +<p>"Here, here it is!" and the excited boy thrust one hand into his pocket +and triumphantly pulled out the small buckskin bag; and, swiftly turning +the bag bottom side up, dumped its contents into his mother's lap; and +the next moment, the two women and the two girls were as excitedly +examining the big nugget and the rude skin map as ever they had been +examined by the two boys.</p> + +<p>"And the miner told you that the bottom of the cave was covered with +gold nuggets like this?" queried Mrs. Randolph, her eyes shining, as she +held up the nugget.</p> + +<p>"Yes, yes," answered Bud. "Thousands of them, only smaller. Of course he +picked up the biggest that he could see. We can go to the mines now, +can't we, mother?"</p> + +<p>"And this queer skin map tells you how to find this wonderful Cave of +Gold?" and Mrs. Conroyal spread out the map on her lap and stared +wonderingly at it. "I can't see how all this jumble of crooked lines and +letters can tell you anything."</p> + +<p>"Why, it's easy, mother," and Thure bent eagerly over the map. "You see +you start from Hangtown and go in a northeasterly direction to Humbug +Canyon and Three Tree Mountain and Goose Neck Lake and the Devil's Slide +to Lot's Canyon; and then up Lot's Canyon until you come to Crooked Arm +Gulch, and then up Crooked Arm Gulch until you come to the Golden Elbow; +and the cave, you see, is right in the point of the elbow," and Thure's +finger rested excitedly on the black spot on the map marked "cave." "The +cave is about five days from Hangtown, the miner said. We can go to the +mines now, can't we, mother?"</p> + +<p>"Hangtown! What a horrid name!" and Mrs. Conroyal shuddered. "But," and +she started to her feet excitedly, "wasn't your father's last letter +sent from Hangtown? I am sure it was," and she hurried to her writing +desk, picked up a letter and glanced eagerly at its heading. "See! It +was! Here is the name," and she pointed triumphantly to the letter.</p> + +<p>"You see, it won't be difficult to find the Cave of Gold from the map, +mother, not with dad's help. And, mother, we must start for the mines +just as soon as we can get ready to go. You surely will let us go now!" +and Thure caught hold of his mother's hand. "Say, yes, mother, now; +because Bud and I want to start to-morrow morning, and there is much to +be done before we go."</p> + +<p>"My boy," and Mrs. Conroyal's face sobered, "you are all the man that +the mines have left me. Husband, son, servants, all have gone to the +mines, until now you and Bud are the only able-bodied men left on the +rancho—and now the mines are calling you!"</p> + +<p>"But, mother, think of what the finding of such a mine means to us all! +And father and Mr. Randolph, if they knew about the Cave of Gold and the +skin map, I am sure would want us to come; and Old Juan and Manuel and +the boys can take care of the rancho; and, you know, if we find the Cave +of Gold and get the gold, then all of us, father and the rest, will be +back soon; and we will be rich; and dad can build you the new house that +you want and furnish it the way that you want it furnished; and Bud and +I can go East and get the education that we need to fit us to do a man's +work in the great new State of California that is bound to be made out +of this country, now that it has become a part of the United States. It +is yes, isn't it, mother? And we can start, can't we, to-morrow +morning?" and Thure's arm went round his mother and he drew her +appealingly to him.</p> + +<p>For a minute or two Mrs. Conroyal did not answer. She was battling with +her mother-love. She knew what this quest of the Cave of Gold might +mean—hardships, dangers, even death for those she loved. But she was of +pioneer stock, had often seen her dearest go forth to face the dangers +of the unknown wilderness; and, at last, with something of Spartan-like +fortitude, she turned to Thure.</p> + +<p>"Yes, my son, you may go," she said. "You may go to your father and tell +him all; and he will decide about the search for the Cave of Gold."</p> + +<p>"Hurrah! We can go! Mother says I can go!" and Thure swung his free hand +around his head.</p> + +<p>"And mother says I can go! Hurrah for the gold-mines!" and Bud clapped +his sister on the back, by way of letting off some of the surplus steam +of his enthusiasm. "It will be great! And I'll bring you back a necklace +of gold nuggets, sister mine. Now, we must be getting ready."</p> + +<p>"But, first we all have a solemn duty to perform," Mrs. Conroyal said +gravely. "We must give the dead miner decent burial, as we would wish +our own dear ones buried, should they die amongst strangers. See that +the grave is dug, my son; and notify all that the funeral will be held +in the house-sala at the going down of the sun. Come, we will make ready +the house for the funeral," and, followed by Mrs. Randolph and the two +girls, she hurried from the room.</p> + +<p>A half an hour later, all who were left on the rancho gathered in the +sala to pay the last respects of the living, who soon must die, to the +dead, who but a short time before lived. There was no minister, no +priest to be had. Mrs. Conroyal read the church service for the dead +over the body of the unfortunate miner; and then six of the oldest and +strongest boys gently lifted the boards on which the corpse lay to their +shoulders and, just as the rays of the setting sun redden the tops of +the western mountains, bore the body slowly to its last resting place, +beneath the outstretched arms of a sturdy oak, on the top of a little +hillock, near the murmuring waters of a small stream that flowed close +by the house.</p> + +<p>That night was a busy night at the Conroyal rancho. Everything must be +got ready for the going of Thure and Bud in the morning; and it was +surprising how many things there were that needed doing. But, at length, +long after midnight, everything was in readiness and the two boys +entered their sleeping room for their last night's rest, for they knew +not how long, in the dear old home-house.</p> + +<p>"I can hardly realize that we are to start for the mines in the +morning," Thure said, as he quickly undressed and jumped into bed. "All +that has happened to-day seems more like a dream than the reality; and I +am almost afraid that I will wake up in the morning and find that I have +been only dreaming."</p> + +<p>"Well," declared Bud, "if it's only dreaming, I'm going to get into bed +and dream some more as quick as I can; so, not meaning to be impolite, +shut up and good night," and he settled himself down comfortably in the +bed and closed his eyes. And, in five minutes, in spite of the feverish +excitements of the day, the two tired boys were sound asleep.</p> + + + +<hr style="width: 65%;" /> +<h2><a name="CHAPTER_V" id="CHAPTER_V"></a>CHAPTER V</h2> + +<h3>OFF FOR THE GOLD-MINES</h3> + + +<p>The next morning when the sun rose, in all the golden glory of dawning +day in beautiful California, above the tops of the eastern mountains and +shone down into the Valley of the Sacramento, its rays fell on an +interesting scene in front of the Conroyal house, where nearly all the +men, women and children of the place had gathered about two heavily +laden pack-horses, four saddled horses, and two boys, and two girls. The +two boys were Thure and Bud, ready to start for the mines, the two girls +were Iola and Ruth, who were to ride with the boys for an hour or so on +their way, the four saddled horses were their riding horses, and the two +pack-horses bore the outfits of the young miners, as well as sundry +tokens of love and affection sent to the dear ones at the mines. The +boys stood at their horses' heads, ready to mount. The very moment of +departure had come.</p> + +<p>"Well, I reckon we must be going now. Good-by, mother," and Thure turned +for a last embrace in those dear arms, and then swung himself up into +his saddle.</p> + +<p>"God bless you, and protect you, and bring you safe home, my son," and +Mrs. Conroyal, trying in vain to keep back the tears from her eyes and +the sobs from her voice, embraced and kissed Thure farewell and bravely +saw him mount.</p> + +<p>Bud tried very hard to control his feelings, but his voice choked a +little and there were tears in his eyes, as he kissed his mother good-by +and jumped into his saddle; and then, just to break the gloom that +seemed to be gathering too thickly about the parting, he jerked off his +hat, and, swinging it around his head, shouted: "Hurrah, for the +gold-mines! Hurrah, we're off for the mines!"</p> + +<p>And everybody shouted with him; and, in the midst of the shouting, the +two boys, leading their pack-horses and with Iola and Ruth on their +horses by their sides, rode out of the house-court and started across +the valley toward the distant eastern mountains.</p> + +<p>The search for the dead miner's Cave of Gold had begun.</p> + +<p>Iola Conroyal and Ruth Randolph were two very lively and high-spirited +girls, just old enough to see all the romance and little of the rough +reality and danger of such a quest as their two brothers had begun. The +wonderful tale of the dying miner, with its Cave of Gold, its +rough-drawn map and its big gold nugget, had appealed very strongly to +their vivid and romantic imaginations; and the starting of Thure and Bud +in search of this marvelous cave had surrounded them, in their eyes, +with something of the glamour that gilds the heroes of romance. They +envied them their quest; they would have gone joyfully with them, if +they could; and now, as they rode along by their sides in the cool +morning air, they could think or talk of little else than this wonderful +quest and of what would happen, if the boys should really and truly find +that marvelous Cave of Gold.</p> + +<p>"Will you—will you promise to give me the first gold nugget you pick up +in this wonderful cave?" Ruth said, after they had been riding and +talking for some little while, glancing up a bit shyly into Thure's +face. "I will have a breastpin made out of it and always wear it in +remembrance of that great event—and—and of you," she added in a lower +voice, her face flushing a little.</p> + +<p>"Sure I will! I—that is exactly what I had planned to do anyhow," Thure +declared. "And I'll see that it is a big one, Ruth, the biggest that I +can find. And the next nugget I pick up you shall have for a ring; and +then I'll pick up a lot of little nuggets and make you a gold necklace +out of them."</p> + +<p>"That will be glorious," and Ruth's eyes shone. "And—and I shall prize +them all very much. Oh, dear, I don't see why we girls were just born +girls and not boys! I never wanted to do anything as much as I want to +go with you and Bud, and help hunt for this Cave of Gold. I'd go anyway, +if mother would let me."</p> + +<p>"So would I," Iola declared, her dark eyes and cheeks glowing at the +thought. "It is terrible to be just a girl, when there is anything like +this to be done. We, at least Ruth and I, do not want to be put in a +cage and fed, like canary birds. We want to do things, too; and we could +do things, too, if folks would only let us."</p> + +<p>"Hoity-toity!" laughed Thure. "I reckon God knew what He was about when +He made you 'just girls'—just sisters, sweethearts, wives, mothers, the +dearest words spoken in every language the world over; and, for one, I +am powerful glad that He did make you 'just girls.'"</p> + +<p>"So am I," Bud agreed, so emphatically that all laughed.</p> + +<p>"But, it really does seem too bad that Iola and I have got to stay at +home with our mothers, where nothing exciting ever happens," persisted +Ruth, "while you two, just because you are boys, can go hunting caves of +gold and have all sorts of wonderful adventures—not that I really and +truly would like to be a boy," she added hastily and a little +contradictorily. "Boys are so awkward and have such big feet and hands, +and—and—"</p> + +<p>"And are such good fellows to wait on girls," grinned Bud provokingly.</p> + +<p>"Which shows girls' real superiority," smiled back Ruth.</p> + +<p>"Well, if you are satisfied, what are you kicking for? You haven't heard +Thure and me wishing that we were girls, have you?" queried Bud +triumphantly.</p> + +<p>"Well, I should say not, not when you are off on a hunt like this +anyhow!" Ruth rejoined. "Oh, but I do hope you will find that Cave of +Gold! And come back covered with gold nuggets and glory!"</p> + +<p>By this time our young friends had reached the foot of the ridge, on +whose top it had been agreed they were to say farewell to one another; +and the thought of the nearness of the parting was suddenly pressed home +to each heart, and they rode to the top of the ridge without speaking a +word. Here they pulled up their horses; and, for a moment, their eyes +looked wistfully into one another's faces, while they sat silent in +their saddles.</p> + +<p>"Oh, come, let's have the agony over!" and Bud tried to make his voice +sound cheery and unconcerned. "Good-by, Ruth," and, urging his horse up +close to the side of his sister's horse, he leaned over, threw his arms +around her neck and kissed her. Then he turned and quickly served Iola +in the same way; and, striking spurs into his horse, started off, his +pack-horse tugging at the rope behind him.</p> + +<p>Thure hesitated a moment; and then, following Bud's example, quickly +kissed Iola and Ruth good-by, and started after Bud.</p> + +<p>"Don't forget that you have promised me the first gold nugget that you +pick up in the cave!" called Ruth.</p> + +<p>"Nor the gold necklace!" warned Iola.</p> + +<p>Thure and Bud waved their hands and shouted in reply; but rode steadily +on.</p> + +<p>The two girls sat on their horses and watched them, until, with final +shouts and the waving of their hats, they passed over the top of a +distant ridge and vanished from sight. Then Iola and Ruth turned their +horses homeward and rode silently down the other side of the ridge. They +did not care to talk, even about the wonderful Cave of Gold, just then.</p> + +<p>They had ridden something like a couple of miles on their way homeward +and their tongues were just beginning to wag, girl-like, again, when +both were considerably startled by a loud hallo, coming from behind. +They turned quickly and saw two horsemen, who had just ridden out from +behind a small grove of trees, some twenty rods back and to the right, +and who were now riding toward them.</p> + +<p>"I wonder who they can be!" exclaimed Ruth. "I am sure that I never saw +them before; but I suppose we had better wait and find out what they +want. They might be lost. They look like strangers to this part of the +country," and she pulled up her horse.</p> + +<p>"Yes," agreed Iola, halting her horse by the side of Ruth. "They are +probably foreigners on their way to the mines; and we had better wait to +see if we can be of any help to them."</p> + +<p>In the holster that hung from the pommel of the saddle of each girl +there was a double-barreled pistol, loaded and ready for instant use; +and it was not there for ornament. Both girls had been trained to use +the rifle and the pistol; and never, since Iola's frightful experience +with the Mexican desperado, Padilla, some three years before,<a name="FNanchor_1_1" id="FNanchor_1_1"></a><a href="#Footnote_1_1" class="fnanchor">[1]</a> had +either girl been permitted to ride, even a short distance from the +house, without having one or both of these weapons with her. +Consequently, trained and armed as they were, they saw nothing to fear +in meeting the two strange horsemen, although they were alone in a +little valley and out of sight and hearing of every other human being, +so far as they knew.</p> + + + +<p>The two horsemen came up on a slow gallop; and pulled up their horses a +dozen feet from the girls.</p> + +<p>"We asks your pardon, ladies," said the larger of the two men—a big +red-headed man with a broken nose—as he awkwardly doffed his hat. "But, +seein' you ridin' by, an' thinkin' you might be able tew give us sum +information, we bein' strangers in this part of Californy, we made bold +tew hallo tew you," and he paused, his bold eyes staring admiringly into +the dark face of Iola.</p> + +<p>"We will be very glad to help you, if we can," answered Iola, a bit +shortly, for she did not like the looks of the big man with the broken +nose. "What is it you would like to know?"</p> + +<p>"Wal," answered the man, glancing toward his companion, "me an' my +pardner was tew meet a man over yonder by that big rock that sticks +itself out of th' ground, like a nose on a man's face," and he pointed +to a huge rock a mile or more away that shot up out of the level of the +valley, not unlike the nose on a man's face. "He was tew git thar 'bout +noon yisterday; an' we haven't seen hide nor ha'r of him yit; an', +gittin' powerful tired of waitin' an' thinkin' you ladies might have +seen him, we stops you tew ask."</p> + +<p>"An' bein' a leetle afeared he might have come tew harm," the other +horseman, a small man with a pock-marked face, here broke in, "seein' +that he was a comin' from th' diggin's an' was supposed tew have +considerable gold-dust with him, we makes bold tew stop you ladies tew +ask about him, jest as my pardner says, thinkin' you might have seen +him."</p> + +<p>"What—what did he look like?" Iola asked anxiously, the moment the man +paused; for her thoughts had gone instantly to the dead man they had +buried last night, when he had spoken of the man they were looking for +as being on his way back from the diggings.</p> + +<p>"Wal, he won't exactly what you ladies would call a beauty," answered +the big man, grinning, "seein' that he'd let his whiskers an' ha'r grow +long an' scraggly all over his face an' head; but you'd a-knowed him, if +you'd a-seen him, by a peecoolyer scar over his left eye, shaped +sumthin' like a hoss-shoe, with th' ends of th' shoe pointin' t'ord th' +corners of th' eye."</p> + +<p>"Why," and Iola's face whitened, "he must have been the man our +brothers, Thure and Bud, brought home with them yesterday afternoon! He +had a scar on his forehead like that. Didn't you notice it?" and she +turned to Ruth.</p> + +<p>"Yes," Ruth answered, "and he was from the mines."</p> + +<p>"Wal, now, that's good news," declared the big man, glancing out of the +corners of his eyes at his companion. "We was afeared sum harm had come +tew him. An' so he's restin' safe an' easy at your home. Now, whar might +that be, if I may be so bold as tew ask?"</p> + +<p>"But, he'd been robbed—murdered!" exclaimed Iola. "And it was his dead +body that had been brought to our house. We buried him last night."</p> + +<p>"Robbed! Murdered!" almost yelled the big man. "Do you hear that, +Spike?" and he turned excitedly to his companion. "Sumone got him for +his gold, jest as he was afeared they would. An' you say 'twas your +brothers who found him, an' took th' body home with them, an' gave it +decent burial. Now I call that decent, don't you, Spike?" and he glanced +sharply at his companion.</p> + +<p>"White an' decent," agreed Spike. "But," and his small snake-like eyes +shifted swiftly from face to face of the two girls, as he spoke, "did +he—did he leave any message for his friends; or, was he dead when your +brothers found him?"</p> + +<p>"He lived only a little while," answered Iola. "He had been stabbed by +one of the cowards, and he died before they could get him to the house. +I don't think he left any message. I don't remember of hearing our +brothers say anything about a message, do you?" and she turned to Ruth.</p> + +<p>"No," replied Ruth. "He—he left no word for any friend. He only—" she +stopped abruptly, and just in time; for, unthinkingly, she had been +about to speak of the skin map and the Cave of Gold.</p> + +<p>Both men started slightly at her words and abrupt stop and flashed swift +glances into each other's eyes.</p> + +<p>"Now, that's tew bad," declared the big man. "We sure thought he would +leave a message for us, seein' that he knowed we was here a-waitin' for +him. But, I reckon, we'd better ride on tew th' house with you ladies +an' see them brothers of your'n personal. You see we wants tew make +sart'in 'twas our friend that was robbed and murdered, besides he might +have left sum word for Spike an' me, an' your brothers not have +mentioned it, bein' naturally excited-like over th' robbery an' murder."</p> + +<p>"But, you can't see them now!" exclaimed Iola, impulsively. "They left +for the mines this very morning. Why, we parted from them not more than +an hour ago."</p> + +<p>Both men started violently at this news, and again the swift suspicious +glances flashed from eyes to eyes, and an ugly threatening look came +into their faces.</p> + +<p>"Gone tew th' mines! An' started sudden, this very mornin'!" exclaimed +Spike excitedly. "Did—Did th' old miner say an'thing 'bout whar he +found his gold afore he died?" and his beady black eyes glowed angrily +into the faces of the two girls. "We're his friends, an' have a right +tew know, an' we want tew know, an' we're goin' tew know," and he urged +his horse nearer to the girls.</p> + +<p>Both girls were badly frightened by this sudden and unexpected change in +the two men; for there was no mistaking the ugly and dangerous look on +their faces; but neither girl lost her head.</p> + +<p>"You will not come a step closer than you now are," and the white hand +of Iola flashed to the pistol in her holster; and Spike, to his evident +horror, suddenly found himself looking straight down into two little +round holes that seemed to his startled eyes as big as the mouths of +cannons.</p> + +<p>"And you, too, stay right where you are," and Ruth's pistol suddenly +turned the big man with a broken nose into a wildly staring equestrian +statue. "We two girls are not going to take any chances with you two +men; and—and now that we have given you all the information that we +have for you, you can turn your horses around and ride back the way you +came."</p> + +<hr style="width: 65%;" /> + +<div class="figcenter"> +<a name="illus075" id="illus075"></a> +<img src="images/illus075.jpg" alt=""/> +</div> + +<h3>"YOU CAN TURN YOUR HORSES AROUND AND RIDE BACK THE WAY +YOU CAME."</h3> + +<hr style="width: 65%;" /> + + +<p>The faces of both girls had suddenly grown as white as milk; for, almost +at the same moment, each had remembered that the dying miner had +described his two murderers as a big red-headed man with a broken nose +and a small man with a pock-marked face—and they were now looking +straight into the faces of two such men. But the hands that held the +pistols did not tremble; and there was no mistaking the look in the +shining eyes back of the little round holes. They would shoot; and, if +they shot, they would not miss; and it did not take the two men two +seconds to discover these facts.</p> + +<p>"Oh, come, this ain't no hold up game, is it, ladies?" and the big man +tried to look as if he considered the whole affair a huge joke; but he +was very careful not to make a threatening move; and he kept his eyes +fixed on the two little round holes of Ruth's pistol, in a horrible +staring way that Ruth never forgot.</p> + +<p>"No," Ruth answered shortly. "It is not a hold up; and there is going to +be no hold up in this case," she added significantly; "so just turn your +horses around and gallop back the way you came; and be very careful not +to let your hands go near your belts or to look back while doing it," +she warned.</p> + +<p>"Oh, say, now," began the small man. "This ain't hospital-like. We ain't +meanin' you ladies no harm. We—"</p> + +<p>"Drop the talk and turn your horses around and get," Iola commanded so +imperatively, so threateningly that both men, in a sudden panic of +fear—like nearly all rascals they were cowards and those two pistols in +those two girlish hands might go off at any instant—whirled their +horses around and galloped off, while a bullet from one of the barrels +of Iola's pistol, whistling between their heads, added to their panic +and speed.</p> + +<p>"Do you," and Ruth turned her white face to Iola, the moment the two men +were at a safe distance, "do you really think they were the two men who +murdered the miner?"</p> + +<p>"Yes," answered Iola, as she began reloading her pistol, with hands that +trembled now so that she could hardly pour the powder into the barrel. +"I am sure they were. Ugh! But what a dreadful fright they gave me! I +felt certain they were going to murder us, when they started toward us."</p> + +<p>"And—and do you suppose they were trying to find out about that skin +map and the Cave of Gold?" and Ruth's face again began whitening.</p> + +<p>"Yes, that is it!" and Iola started. "That was what made them so angry +and ugly, when we told them that Thure and Bud had already started for +the mines. They at once suspicioned that the boys had the map and that +they had started out to find the Cave of Gold. Oh, Ruth," and a look of +horror came into Iola's face, "do you suppose they will start on the +trail of Thure and Bud and try to get the map from them? Why, they might +murder them!"</p> + +<p>"That is exactly what I am afraid they will do," declared Ruth, her own +face reflecting the horror in Iola's face. "But you may be sure that two +cowards like them will never get the best of our brothers, unless they +do it in some sneaking underhanded way; and the boys have been warned to +look out for them. It won't take Thure and Bud as long to discover who +they are, as it did us. The instant they see that broken nose and +pock-marked face, they will be on their guard. But I do wish we had said +nothing about the boys starting for the mines. Anyhow that is about all +the information they did get from us that will do them any good, thank +goodness! And they will have a mighty hard time finding and following +their trail, unless they are old hunters and trappers; and they did not +look as if they were. Anyhow it can't be helped now; and the best thing +that we can do is to get back home as quickly as we can."</p> + +<p>"I don't think we had better say anything to our mothers about meeting +the two men," Iola said, as with a final look in the direction of the +two horsemen, who were still galloping up the valley, they turned their +horses homeward. "It wouldn't do any good to tell them and they'd worry +a lot."</p> + +<p>"You're right. Mum's the word," agreed Ruth; and then both girls struck +their horses sharply and started on a swift gallop for the Conroyal +rancho, where we must leave them for the present and return to Thure and +Bud.</p> + + + +<hr style="width: 65%;" /> +<h2><a name="CHAPTER_VI" id="CHAPTER_VI"></a>CHAPTER VI</h2> + +<h3>THE SIGN OF THE TWO RED THUMBS</h3> + + +<p>At the date of the happenings here recorded, 1849, the greater part of +California was still an unbroken wilderness, inhabited only by scattered +tribes of Indians and the wild beasts. For some three hundred years the +Spaniards and the Mexicans had occupied a few choice spots along the +coast, with now and then an isolated ranchero in the great interior +valleys of the Sacramento and the San Joaquin Rivers. Then, in 1846, had +come the War with Mexico and the Conquest of California by the +Americans, swiftly followed by the discovery of gold in 1848 and the +great inflow of gold-seekers from all parts of the world of 1849 and +later, who, of course, all rushed pell-mell to the gold regions, leaving +the rest of California more thinly populated than ever. Indeed, in 1849, +all California, except the gold regions, was practically deserted; and, +since the gold regions were located in what had been, a few weeks +before, a mountainous wilderness, nearly everybody in California was +living in the wilderness, and, necessarily, living under primitive +wilderness conditions—a wild, free, independent sort of a life that +quickly brought to the surface the real character of each individual.</p> + +<p>Such, then, was the California of 1849, the California of Thure and Bud; +and such were the conditions of the life, the wild romantic life of the +wilderness mining camps, toward which we left our young friends +hastening, their unwilling pack-horses pulling and tugging on the ropes +which were dragging them away from the home-pastures, when we rode a +little way on the homeward journey with Iola and Ruth.</p> + +<p>Now, to return to Thure and Bud.</p> + +<p>The Conroyal rancho was situated in the Lower Sacramento Valley, some +two-days' journey from Sutter's Fort, near which the City of Sacramento +on the Sacramento River had sprung into a sudden and marvelous +existence; and, as Sacramento City was then the final rendezvous of all +those bound for the mines, some forty miles in the wilderness of +mountains to the east, Thure and Bud, naturally, had headed straight for +this town, intending, when there, to find someone going to Hangtown, +with whom they might journey to this mining camp, where they hoped to +find their fathers and their friends. Both boys were well acquainted +with the trail to Sutter's Fort, having been there frequently with their +fathers; and, since Sacramento City was only a couple of miles or so +from Sutter's Fort, they would have no difficulty in finding their way +thither. The trail, for the greater part of the distance, ran through +beautiful valleys and over low-lying hills, where nature still reigned +unfretted by man and where a human being was seldom seen, consequently +Thure and Bud expected to have a lonely ride to Sacramento City.</p> + +<p>For some little while after the departure of the two girls neither boy +spoke. Somehow they did not feel like talking, not even about the +wonderful Cave of Gold, nor the skin map, nor the death of the old +miner. They were thinking of home and the dear ones from whom they had +parted for they knew not how long; and, when boys are thinking deeply of +such things, they do not like talking. But, gloom and sadness cannot +long conquer the spirits of any normal boy; and, at the end of an hour's +riding they were their own lively and talkative selves again.</p> + +<p>"I wonder if we can make our old camping-ground to-night?" Thure +questioned doubtfully, as they came to a halt, a little before noon, on +the top of a steep ridge to give their horses a short rest. "If I +remember right, this ridge is not nearly half-way to the place where dad +and I always camped when we went to Sutter's Fort; and it must be nearly +noon now," and he glanced upward at the sun, which was fast nearing the +zenith. "Say, but these old pack-horses are as slow as oxen. I wonder if +we can't do something to hurry them up?"</p> + +<p>"We've got to make the old camping-ground tonight, if it takes us till +midnight," Bud answered emphatically. "That is, we've got to, if we +expect to get to Sacramento City to-morrow; and that's where I, for one, +expect to be sometime to-morrow night. I reckon, we'll have to drive +them pack-horses in front of us and use the whip a little."</p> + +<p>"A bully idea," Thure agreed. "I wonder why we did not think of it +before. Here, you old slowpoke, get up!" and, whirling his horse around, +he suddenly rode up behind his pack-horse and gave that animal a quick +blow with his whip.</p> + +<p>The scheme worked splendidly; and the two boys were soon on their way +again and moving at a considerably increased speed. But, notwithstanding +their accelerated motion, it was not until some three hours after sunset +that the two tired boys and the four tired horses reached the old +camping-grounds, where there was an abundance of water for themselves +and horses and fuel for the camp-fire.</p> + +<p>"Well, I swun I am tired!" Thure exclaimed, as he threw himself down +with a sigh of satisfaction on his blanket before the camp-fire, when, +at last, the horses had been unsaddled and unbridled and unpacked and +picketed where they could feed on the rich grass, and the two boys had +eaten their rude meal of broiled venison—they had shot a young deer on +their way—and homemade bread, washed down by a huge tin cup full of +coffee of their own brewing.</p> + +<p>"I reckon you are not the only tired boy in this camp to-night," and Bud +spread out his blanket on the ground by the side of Thure's and +stretched himself out on it. "Every bone and muscle in my body has been +just a-teasing me for the last two hours to let up and give them a rest. +Well, we got here anyhow; and I guess we can now make Sacramento City +all right to-morrow night. Say," and he sat up on his blanket with a +jerk at the thought that had suddenly come to him, "do you suppose those +two villains, who robbed and killed the old miner, have found out that +we have the skin map that they committed murder in vain to get? If they +have, I reckon we'll have to be on the lookout for them good and sharp. +Why, they might be on our trail even now!"</p> + +<p>"You are right," and Thure sat up quickly. "But I can't see just how +they could know that we have the map. They certainly didn't wait for +introductions when we charged down upon them; and I don't believe they +followed us home—they were too scart, the cowards! But, as Kit Carson +says: 'The time to be cautious is before the Indians get your scalp—not +afterwards.' I reckon that means that we've got to keep guard to-night; +and I don't believe I ever felt more sleepy," and Thure sighed. "But, if +Brokennose and Pockface should happen to be on our trail, they couldn't +ask for anything better than to get us two here alone and asleep +to-night. They sure would have the skin map in the morning, and, +probably, our horses and supplies, and, possibly, our lives. Say, but I +just would like to meet them two cowards when I am awake!" and Thure's +eyes glinted wrathfully.</p> + +<p>"Well, I should not be surprised if we had that pleasure before long," +and Bud's face hardened. "If the old miner told them of the Cave of Gold +and the skin map, and he said he did, they sure will be on the lookout +for the party with the map; and it wouldn't take much inquiring for them +to find out that it was us that brought the dead miner home; and then, I +reckon, it won't take them two minutes to guess what started us so +sudden-like for the mines. I sure hope they won't find us until we get +to our dads and Rex and Dill and Hammer Jones. I'd feel safe enough +then. You see, we are guarding not only our lives, but also the Cave of +Gold; and the finding of that cave means a lot to all of us."</p> + +<p>"It sure does," Thure agreed. "Luck has been against both of our dads +lately; and, well, we've just got to find that Cave of Gold; and we are +going to find it, in spite of all the broken noses and pockmarked faces +in the world. But, it won't do to sit here talking all night. We must +get all the sleep we can. Who will stand guard first?"</p> + +<p>"I will," Bud answered, picking up his rifle and rising; "so get into +your blanket and asleep as quick as you can. It must be almost midnight +now."</p> + +<p>"All right," and Thure began rolling himself up in his blanket. "Wake me +in about two hours, and I'll stand guard the rest of the night. We want +to be on our way as soon as it is light enough to see. Good night," and +in five minutes Thure was as dead to his surroundings as the log near +which he lay.</p> + +<p>Bud picked up his blanket and moved off into the dark shadows of the +low-hanging branches of an evergreen oak and out of the light of the +camp-fire, where he could watch, seeing but unseen.</p> + +<p>The night had grown dark and cool—all California nights are chilly; and +Bud wrapped his blanket around him and, leaning up against the trunk of +the tree, looked out into the darkness surrounding the lone camp-fire. +In the distance a coyote was making the night hideous with his +demoniacal howlings. From a near tree came the lonesome hoot of an owl. +All else was still, save from all around came the mysterious sounds of +the wilderness at night, suggestive of the low whisperings and talking +of uneasy spirits.</p> + +<p>But all this was commonplace to Bud. He had often spent the night out in +the open, had often stood guard by a lonely camp-fire, when darkness was +all around and only the weird voices of the night were heard; and he +gave little thought to these things. He was very tired and very sleepy +and it took about all the thought power he had to compel himself to stay +awake.</p> + +<p>An hour past. There had not been a suspicious sound nor movement; and +Bud began to feel more secure, began to relax some of his vigilance, +began to close his eyes now and then for a brief moment, began to lean +more comfortably against the trunk of the tree—then, suddenly, he +straightened himself up with a jerk, his eyes wide open, his cocked +rifle held ready for instant use. Sure he had heard a sound, a sound +that did not belong to the night, a thud like the fall of some heavy +body on soft ground, and coming from the direction of the camp-fire! For +a moment he stared, tense with excitement, toward the camp-fire, now +glowing dully; but he saw nothing unusual, heard nothing unusual. Thure +still lay by the side of the log, his form showing faintly in the dull +light. The horses were grazing quietly—he could just distinguish their +forms through the darkness. They showed no alarm.</p> + +<p>"Queer! I certainly heard something fall; and right near! Well, I reckon +I had better make sure that everything is all right with Thure," and Bud +very cautiously stepped out from the shadows of the tree and, moving +softly, crept up to where Thure lay. His deep regular breathing told him +that he was sound asleep and that all was well with him.</p> + +<p>"Must have been dreaming," he muttered in disgust, and returned to his +station under the tree; but he did not close his eyes again.</p> + +<p>There were no other suspicious sounds during the remainder of his watch, +nor during the watch of Thure; and the dawning of morning found both +boys and all their belongings safe and sound.</p> + +<p>"Did you see or hear anything suspicious during your watch?" was Bud's +first query, when Thure awoke him the next morning.</p> + +<p>"No. Why?" answered Thure. "Did you?"</p> + +<p>"Well, I—I don't know," and Bud jumped to his feet and began looking +sharply around over the ground near the camp-fire.</p> + +<p>Suddenly he uttered an exclamation and, bending quickly down, picked up +a large flat stone that was lying between the log, near which Thure had +slept, and the camp-fire.</p> + +<p>"I—I don't remember of seeing this stone here last night," and he +turned it over curiously; and then uttered another exclamation that +brought Thure to his side on the jump.</p> + +<p>The stone was flat, some three inches thick, nearly round, and, +possibly, a foot in diameter. One side was nearly white and smooth; and +the astonished eyes of the boys read, rudely written on this side, +evidently with a piece of charred coal, these ominous words:</p> + +<div class="blockquot"><p>LEVE THE MAP TO THE MINERS CAVE UNDER THIS STON NEAR YOUR CAMP FIRE +WHEN YOU BRAKE CAMP IN THE MORNING AND NEVER TELL NOBODY WHAT THE +MINER TOLD YOU ABOUT THE CAVE—OR WELL GIT YOU THE SAME AS WE GOT +THE MINER—LIFE IS WURTH MOREN GOLD AND YOULL NEVER LIVE TO GIT THE +GOLD.</p></div> + +<p>Under these words were the red prints of two thumbs—one the mark of a +huge thumb and the other the mark of a much smaller thumb—as if their +owners had covered their thumbs with blood and then pressed them against +the stone, in lieu of signatures.</p> + +<p>For a full two minutes the two boys stood staring at these words, their +faces whitening and their eyes widening.</p> + +<p>"How—how did this get here?" Thure was the first to speak.</p> + +<p>For answer Bud leaped to the log, by the side of which Thure had slept, +and, bending over it, looked closely at the ground on the other side.</p> + +<p>"Right from behind this log!" he exclaimed, after a moment's scrutiny of +the ground. "The fellow that threw that stone crept up behind this log +and then got up on his knees and tossed the rock to where we found it. +You can still see the prints of his knees and toes in the ground. I +thought I heard a sound like the fall of something heavy during my +watch; but I was half asleep when I heard it," and Bud's face flushed a +little; "and when I couldn't see anything suspicious or find anything +suspicious or hear any more suspicious sounds, I concluded I had only +fancied I had heard the sound. But that is sure no fancy," and his eyes +glared at the stone, which Thure still held.</p> + +<p>"And I was sound asleep right on the other side of that log at that very +moment!" and Thure's weather-bronzed face whitened a little. "No more +logs for bedfellows for me!"</p> + +<p>"Yes, and he must have been lying right on the other side of that log, +when I bent over you to see if you were all right," added Bud. "If I'd +been only smart enough to look, it might have saved us from a lot of +trouble," and Bud's lips tightened grimly.</p> + +<p>"Better as it is," Thure declared. "Now, we've had our warning and +nobody hurt; but, if you had discovered the fellow behind the log, +they'd have got you, sure, and, probably, me, too. Both were doubtless +on hand; and would have shot you before you could have done anything, if +you had discovered one of them. Now, I reckon, if they had found the +camp unguarded, they were intending to have a try for the map then and +there—and they would have got it! Well, what do you think about doing +as they ask, and leaving the map under the stone? It seems from what +that stone says—"</p> + +<p>"What!" and Bud turned in astonishment to Thure. "Give up that map to a +couple of the biggest cowards and cut-throats in California? I'd sooner +give them every drop of blood in my body. I—"</p> + +<p>"Well, you need not get so rambunctuous over it," laughed Thure. "But," +and his face sobered, "I reckon that that there is no idle threat," and +he pointed to the flat stone, which now lay on the ground at his feet; +"and I fancy the sooner we get to our dads the better it will be for us. +Not that I'd be afraid of those two skunks," he added hastily, "if +they'd come out in the open, where one could see them; but I do not care +for any more creeping upon a fellow in the dark, when he's asleep," and +he glanced shudderingly toward the log. "But, there is no use of talking +any more about it. Let's get busy. We must make Sacramento City to-night +sure."</p> + +<p>In a very short time breakfast was eaten, the horses saddled and bridled +and packed, and the two boys ready to mount and to start on their way +again.</p> + +<p>"Now, for our answer to that there message," and Thure picked up the +flat stone and dropped it into the camp-fire. "I reckon that will tell +them what we think of their threat; and that we're too old to be scart +like little school boys," and he sprang on the back of his horse. "Now +for Sacramento City!" and the two boys, with watchful eyes glancing all +around them, resumed their lonely journey toward the new city on the +Sacramento.</p> + + + +<hr style="width: 65%;" /> +<h2><a name="CHAPTER_VII" id="CHAPTER_VII"></a>CHAPTER VII</h2> + +<h3>CAUGHT IN THE FLOOD</h3> + + +<p>In July, 1849, the tide of gold-seekers had not yet set in at its +greatest flow. It was too early in the year for the thousands of +emigrants coming across the plains and the mountains to the east or for +those journeying by ship from the more distant parts of the world to +have reached the Eldorado of their golden hopes; but from every +inhabited part of California and the region to the north, from Mexico +and the Pacific coast southward and from the nearer islands of the +Pacific a constant stream of gold-seekers had been flowing into the gold +regions for nearly a year. Those coming by ship landed at San Francisco; +and from there reëmbarked in smaller boats and were carried up the +Sacramento River to Sacramento City, the nearest point to the mines +reached by boat, or made the journey overland on horseback, or with +mule- or horse- or oxen-drawn wagons, or even on foot. Many of the +Mexicans and a few of the South Americans came overland, while nearly +all of those coming from Oregon territory, whither many emigrants had +gone from the States during the past few years, made the journey +southward to Sacramento City the same way they had crossed the great +plains and the mountains, when they had sought new homes in the Great +Northwest a few years before—that is, by way of the prairie-schooner, +afoot and on horseback, traveling in small companies for mutual +protection.</p> + +<p>All of these different streams of inflowing gold-seekers were too far +south for Thure and Bud to strike until they were nearly to Sacramento +City, except that from Oregon, flowing from the north; and they hardly +expected to find this stream still flowing, since those regions were +supposed to have been already drained of all their gold-seeking +inhabitants. But, hardly had they ridden an hour on their way that +morning, when, on coming to the top of a low ridge of hills and looking +down into the valley beyond, they saw half a dozen white-topped wagons, +accompanied by a number of men, some on horseback and some afoot, a +couple of miles ahead of them and about to pass over another ridge of +hills.</p> + +<p>"Hurrah!" yelled Thure, at sight of the wagons and the men. "I'll bet a +coon skin that they are bound for Sacramento City and the gold-diggings, +too. Come, let's hurry up our horses and see if we can't overtake them. +I'll feel a lot safer when we're in with that crowd," and his keen eyes +glanced swiftly over the valley in front of them. "There are too many +places along this trail, where them skunks could hide and shoot us +without our getting a shot back at them, to suit me. But they will +hardly venture to take a shot at us, while we are with a crowd of armed +men like that. Hurrah! Come on!" and, striking his pack-horse with his +whip, Thure hurried on down the hill.</p> + +<p>A couple of hours later the two boys overtook the slower-moving train of +wagons; and were given a hearty welcome by the gaunt, roughly dressed +and rougher-looking men, who, as they had surmised, were bound for the +gold-mines.</p> + +<p>Thure, as they joined the little company of prospective miners, turned +and looked backward, just in time to see two horsemen appear on the brow +of a distant hill, halt their horses and sit staring in their direction +for a couple of minutes; and then, wheeling their horses about disappear +down the other side of the hill.</p> + +<p>"Queer!" thought Thure. "I should think they'd be only too glad to join +us, unless," and his heart gave a jump at the thought, "unless they were +Brokennose and Pockface following on our trail! I wonder—"</p> + +<p>But here the men of the wagon-train, gathering excitedly about him and +all eagerly asking questions, drove all further thoughts of the two +solitary horsemen out of his head.</p> + +<p>There were fifteen men, two women, and three children—a girl of +fourteen and two boys thirteen years old—in the company; and all had +come from the great wilderness to the north, whither they had gone from +the States some three years before. They had been traveling for many +days southward, through a wilderness inhabited only by wild beasts and +Indians, without seeing a human being, except a few Indians, although +they had passed a number of deserted ranchos on their way down the +Sacramento Valley, until Thure and Bud rode into their midst. All the +men were armed with long-barreled rifles, huge knives, and some of them, +in addition, carried a pistol or a revolver. They were dressed for the +most part in deerskins and their hair and beards had grown so long, that +only their bright eyes and bronzed noses and gleaming white teeth, when +they smiled or opened their mouths, were visible. All the other features +of their faces were hidden behind matted locks of hair. The faces of the +women and the children had been browned by the sun, until they were +nearly of the color of Indians, and their clothing was soiled and worn; +but all were clear-eyed and looked as if they did not know what a bodily +ache or pain was.</p> + +<p>Thure and Bud were too familiar with this type of wilderness manhood to +be worried in the least over their rough looks and dress. They knew +something of the real men that usually dwelt within these rough +exteriors—the men who hewed the way for civilization through the +wilderness, the men of the rifle, the trap, and the ax, strong and +sturdy and as gnarled and knotted as the oaks of their own forests, yet +as true to a friend or to the right as they saw it, as the balls in +their rifles were to their sights—and neither boy hesitated an instant +to accept their invitation to "jog along" with them to Sacramento City.</p> + +<p>For a few minutes the whole company halted and crowded excitedly around +Thure and Bud. They had heard no news of the world outside of their +little company for many days; and they were especially anxious to hear +the latest news from the diggings.</p> + +<p>"Sure th' gold ain't petered out yit?" queried one of the men anxiously.</p> + +<p>"No," answered Thure, smiling. "According to dad's last letter they were +discovering new diggings almost every day and all the old diggings were +still panning out well. Why, he wrote that the fellow who had the claim +right next to his claim had found a pocket the day before, out of which +he had taken in one day one thousand dollars' worth of gold nuggets!"</p> + +<p>"Say, young man," and a great, huge-boned, lank man crowded eagerly up +to Thure's side, "jest say them words over ag'in; an' say 'em loud, so +that Sal can hear. She's bin callin' me a fool regular 'bout every hour +since we started for th' diggings. Says she'll eat all th' gold I find +an' won't have no stumick-ake neither. Now, listen, Sal," and he turned +excitedly to one of the two women, who stood together on the outskirts +of the little crowd of men around Thure and Bud. "Jest listen tew what +this boy's own dad rit home," and again he turned his eager eyes on +Thure's face.</p> + +<p>Thure laughed and repeated, in a louder voice, the story of the miner's +good luck.</p> + +<p>"Did you hear that, Sal?" and again the big man turned excitedly to the +woman. "One Thousand Dollars' wurth of gold nuggets picked right up out +of a hole in th' ground in one day! Gosh, that's more gold than we ever +seed in our lives! An' he found it all in one day! Good lord! in ten +days he'd have Ten Thousand Dollars! An' in one hundred days he'd have +One Hundred Thousand Dollars!" he almost shouted.</p> + +<p>"Well, what if he did have one hundred thousand dollars! What good would +that do you? That's what I'd like tew know, Tim Perkins? He'd have th' +gold, not you, wouldn't he?" and the woman turned a thin care-worn face +to her big husband.</p> + +<p>"But," and the big fellow's eyes fairly shone with enthusiasm, "can't +you see, Sal, that that proves that th' gold is thar; an', th' gold +bein' thar, I stand as good a chance as anybody else of runnin' ontew a +pocket like that. Good lord, a Thousand Dollars in One Day! Think of +what that would mean tew us, Sal! Edication for th' boy an' gal, a +comfortable home for us as long as we live! If we could only have sech +luck! An' I've bin dreamin' of findin' gold almost every night since we +hooked up an' started for th' diggin's!"</p> + +<p>"An' your dreamin' always comes true!" replied Mrs. Perkins scornfully. +"Well, I've only got this tew say, an', if I've sed it onct, I've sed it +a hundred times, this is our last wild-goose chasin' trip. You'll settle +down for keeps, th' next time you settle down, Tim Perkins, gold or no +gold; or you'll do your chasin' alone," and she turned and climbed back +into one of the wagons, not at all moved by her big husband's +enthusiasm.</p> + +<p>"Sal's some downhearted," the big fellow explained to Thure, "'cause +things ain't turned out for us like we expected since comin' tew Oregon. +But," and his face lighted up again, "jest wait till I make my strike in +th' diggings an' nuthin' 'll be tew good for her an' th' yunks."</p> + +<p>"Do you reckon we can make Sacramento City tew-night?" here broke in one +of the men anxiously. "We was a calculatin' that we might."</p> + +<p>"Yes," answered Thure, "if you are willing to travel late; but you'll +have to hustle to do it."</p> + +<p>"Then we'll hustle," declared the man, who appeared to be the captain of +the little company. "Everybody who wants tew git to Sacramento City +tew-night git a-goin'," he shouted. "Th' gold stories'll keep till we +git thar," and he hurried away to his own wagon, which was in the van; +and soon, with much loud shouting and the cracking of the long lashes of +whips, the little train of wagons was again in motion.</p> + +<p>Thure and Bud fell in at once by the side of the leader, who, learning +that they were familiar with the trail to Sacramento City, had asked +them to act as guides.</p> + +<p>All the wagons were drawn by big raw-boned and long-legged mules; and +the two boys soon found that they had to use their whips freely on their +sturdy little pack-horses in order to hold their places in the train.</p> + +<p>All day long they pressed steadily forward, as fast as mule legs could +drag the heavy wagons; and, a little before night, they struck the +northern trail from San Francisco to Sacramento City, now a +well-traveled road. Here, for the first time, Thure and Bud began to get +something of an idea of what the rush to the gold-mines was like. There +were some twenty-five wagons, a hundred or more horsemen, and many men +on foot in sight of their eyes, when their wagons swung around a small +hill and on to the trail, now hardened into a road by the thousands of +wheels and hoofs that had recently passed over it; and all were hurrying +forward, as if they were fearful they would be too late to reap any of +the golden harvest.</p> + +<p>"Great buffaloes!" and Tim Perkins turned anxiously to Thure, by whose +side he was riding, "dew you reckon all them folks are bound for the +diggin's?"</p> + +<p>"Yes," answered Thure. "Can't you see that everyone is armed with a pick +and shovel and gold-pan? Why, even the men on foot are lugging picks and +shovels and gold-pans on their backs!"</p> + +<p>"An'," continued Tim, the anxious look on his face deepening, "dew you +reckon they've bin a-tearin' over th' trail tew th' diggin's like this +for long; or is this jest a stampede we have struck?"</p> + +<p>"A ship has probably landed at San Francisco lately," Thure replied; +"and these are some of the gold-seekers who came in it. But I don't +think from what I have heard that what we are seeing is an unusual sight +along this trail. They've been rushing to the mines like a herd of +stampeding cattle for months."</p> + +<p>"Gosh! I'm afeard they'll find all th' gold afore we git thar! If +'twon't for Sal an' th yunks I'd hurry on ahead. Dang it, if I was only +thar right now I might be discoverin' a pocket full of gold, like that +miner aside your dad did, at this identical moment! Hi, thar, Jud," and +he turned his eyes glowing with excitement to the face of the +train-captain, "let's see if we can't git ahead of some of this tarnel +crowd; or they'll be a-landin' on all the good spots afore we git thar."</p> + +<p>"Now, jest keep a tight rein on your hosses, Perkins," grinned Jud +Smith, the leader of the little company of Oregon gold-seekers; "an' +rekerleck th' old sayin' 'th' more haste th' less speed,' But," and an +uneasy look came into his own eyes, "it sure does look like all creation +had started for th' diggin's. See, they're still a-comin' as far back as +th' eyes can reach! I reckon we had better try an' hit up a leetle +livelier gait. G'lang, thar, you long-eared repteels!" and the long lash +of his whip hissed through the air and cracked, like the report of a +pistol, over the heads of his leading mules.</p> + +<p>Indeed, it seemed to be impossible for even the sanest of men to mingle +long with a crowd of hurrying gold-seekers and think of what they were +hurrying for, and not catch the fever of unreasoning haste. The thought +that they might be too late, that each moment they might be missing a +golden opportunity by not being on the spot, seemed to obsess all minds; +and the nearer they got to the gold-fields the greater became this +excitement and hurry, until it degenerated into little more than a wild +stampede of gold-mad men.</p> + +<p>And no wonder! for the nearer they got to the mines the bigger the +stories seemed to grow of the wonderful gold finds that were being made. +Nay, more than this! They now sometimes actually saw the gold and +actually met the men who had found it, as they were returning to the +comforts and pleasures of civilization, actually burdened down with the +weight of the precious metal they were carrying! And, what if all this +gold should all be dug up before they got to the mines! The thought was +enough to put the fever of haste into the blood of any man.</p> + +<p>The knowledge of having the skin map and the thought of the Cave of Gold +to which it pointed the way, did not keep Thure and Bud from feeling +this excitement, this wild desire to hurry, as their little company +swung into line on the trail and rushed madly on with the rest. True the +skin map and the gold nugget, still in the miner's buckskin bag, hung, +safely hidden, under the armpit of Thure's left shoulder; but the old +miner himself had found the Cave of Gold, and, if he had found it, why +might not some other man find it? That was the disturbing thought that +had troubled the two boys all along; and now, when they began to realize +how great was the flood of gold-seekers constantly pouring into the +mining regions and how their keen eyes would be searching everywhere, +their anxiety to get to their fathers as quickly as possible grew apace, +until they were almost as eager to reach the mines as was Tim Perkins +himself; and, by a constant urging of their pack-horses, managed to keep +their places with Jud Smith and his company.</p> + +<p>However, in spite of all their hurrying, it was after nine o'clock at +night and dark before they reached the west bank of the Sacramento River +opposite Sacramento City. Here they found a hundred wagons and many +animals and men ahead of them, waiting to be ferried across the river; +and, to their very great disappointment, they were obliged to wait until +the next morning before crossing over to Sacramento City.</p> + +<p>"Well, we are within sight of Sacramento City anyhow," declared Thure, +when Jud Smith returned from the ferry with the news that they would be +obliged to camp on that side of the river for the night; "and, I reckon, +it is just as well that we don't cross over to-night. I'll feel just a +little better entering a town like that in the clear light of day," and +his eyes looked in astonishment and wonder across the dark waters of the +river to where the myriad lights of Sacramento City shone along the +opposite bank.</p> + +<p>The last time Thure had stood where he was now standing, only a little +over a year ago, and looked across the Sacramento River, not a sign of a +human habitation was in sight where now shone the thousands of lights of +a busy city!</p> + +<p>"Isn't it a wonderful sight!" exclaimed Bud, as the two boys stood a +little later on the river bank, staring, with fascinated eyes, across +the water. "Looks more like a dream-city, or a scene in fairyland, than +it does like a real town inhabited by real people."</p> + +<p>And Bud was right. It was a marvelous sight that the two boys were +looking at, a sight the like of which, probably, no human eye will ever +look upon again.</p> + +<p>Along the river bank for a mile or more and stretching back from the +water's edge up the slope of the low-lying hills, glowed and sparkled a +city of tents, pitched in the midst of a virgin forest of huge oak and +sycamore trees. It is impossible for words to convey to the mind the +mystic charm of this wonderful city of light, when seen by night across +the dark waters of the river. Nearly all the houses were but rude frames +walled with canvas, or merely tents; and, in the darkness, the lights +within transformed these into dwellings of solid light, that glowed in +rows along the river front, their lights reflected in the water, and +straggled in glowing rows of light up the hillsides and underneath the +dark overhanging branches of great trees, while here and there through +the general glow shone out brilliant points of light, the decoy-lamps of +the gambling-houses and the saloons. And, for a background to all this, +the shadowy darkness of the surrounding night!</p> + +<p>Thure and Bud were very tired; but they stood for many minutes looking +on this wondrous and fairylike scene, half expecting to see it all +vanish instantly at the wave of some magician's wand, before they turned +to prepare for the night. On their way back to camp and just as they +were passing a large camp-fire, they met two horsemen riding down toward +the ferry.</p> + +<p>"No crossing to-night!" called out Thure.</p> + +<p>The two horsemen turned their faces in their direction; and both boys +started, for, by the light of the camp-fire, they saw that one of the +men was large and the other was small and that the nose of the large man +had been broken, and then the darkness hid their faces from their sight, +as the two horsemen hurried on without uttering a word in reply.</p> + + + +<hr style="width: 65%;" /> +<h2><a name="CHAPTER_VIII" id="CHAPTER_VIII"></a>CHAPTER VIII</h2> + +<h3>ACCUSED OF MURDER</h3> + + +<p>There were no laggards in the camp on the west side of the Sacramento +River the next morning. Long before sun-up a line of wagons and animals +and men stood waiting at the ferry, ready to be carried across the +river; and among the first of these were our anxious young friends, +Thure and Bud. They had pushed on ahead of their fellow travelers of the +day before, the little company of Oregon gold-seekers, who had been +delayed in getting into the line on account of their wagons, and were +fortunate enough to get near the ferry; and, just as the first rays of +the morning's sun looked down on the novel and interesting scene, they +led their animals on board the ferry-boat.</p> + +<p>The boat was jammed with men and wagons and horses and mules and oxen. +The men were all talking excitedly of the mines, the animals were +frightened and restless—indeed, all living beings seemed to breathe in +excitement and restlessness and anxiety out of the very air, with every +breath they drew into their bodies.</p> + +<p>"Glory be!" commented Bud, as his eyes looked over the motley gathering +of men that crowded every available spot on the boat, "but this is a +queer-looking lot of men to see in the wilds of California! Looks like +every nation in the world was represented right here in this one boat +load and sounds like the confusion of tongues at the tower of Babel. +There sure has got to be a lot of gold, if everybody gets a share!" and +his face clouded. "Say, but this boat is slow!" and he turned his +impatient eyes toward the shore, where, in the garish light of day, the +city of canvas seemed real enough, but not a whit less wonderful, only +in an entirely different way, than had the magic city of light the night +before.</p> + +<p>A forest of masts grew from a multitude of boats strung along the river +front, and stood out in striking contrast against the leaved branches of +the trees on the shore. The boats were moored to strong trunks and huge +sinewy roots; and the larger number of them turned out "to grass," that +is, leased as shops and dwelling houses. Signboards and figure-heads +from the boats were set up along the shore, facing the levee; and back +of them, up the gentle slopes of the hills lying between the Sacramento +and the American Rivers, for the town was built at the junction of these +two rivers, ran the streets of this novel city, lined with their +odd-looking canvas houses and tents. Great forest-trees, some of them +six feet in diameter, towered here and there above the houses and the +streets, their huge column-like trunks and outspreading boughs, clothed +with green leaves, adding the needed touch of romanticism to complete +the unique picturesqueness of the scene. Everywhere was bustle and +excitement. Men were hurrying in and out of the doors of the shops and +of the saloons and up and down the streets. Drivers were shouting and +cursing at their horses, mules, or oxen; whips were cracking; and wheels +were rumbling and creaking. Parties of miners here and there, with loud +shouts of farewell, were starting off for the mines, loaded down with +pickaxes and shovels, with gold-pans and frying-pans, and other +equipments of the rude camp-life they were preparing to live. Sun-up, +everybody up, seemed to be the motto of all Sacramento City.</p> + +<p>Into the midst of this wild hurly-burly Thure and Bud plunged directly +from the ferry-boat. At first they hardly knew what to do with +themselves and horses. Never had they been in a scene of such excitement +and confusion before. It fairly made their heads whirl; but, boy-like, +they enjoyed every bit of it, as, with their keen young eyes glancing in +every direction, they rode, holding their frightened pack-horses close +to their sides, slowly up what seemed to be the main street of the city.</p> + +<p>"Say," and Bud pointed to a large sign on the front of one of the few +frame buildings, which read "City Hotel," "that looks like a place to +eat. Let's tie our horses outside and go in and get our breakfast. I'm +as hungry as a bear; and—and—well we can talk over what we had better +do next while we are eating. Glory be, I did not suppose Sacramento City +was like this!" and he grinned.</p> + +<p>The boys had been in too much of a hurry to get across the river to stop +to prepare their own breakfast that morning, consequently Thure at once +welcomed Bud's suggestion; and, jumping off their horses, the two lads +tied their animals to near-by trees and walked into the City Hotel, +bravely trying to look and act as if they were accustomed to living at +hotels all their lives, although, to tell the truth, neither boy had +even seen a hotel before for ten years.</p> + +<p>They found the dining-room and seats at one of the tables without much +difficulty; and after some little study of the bill-of-fare, during +which they forgot to look at the prices, they gave their order to the +waiter—God save the mark! no, to the steward; for there the word +"waiter," was never used, it not being considered a sufficiently +respectable calling for a man who a few months before might have been a +lawyer, a doctor, a merchant, or even a minister. The food was soon set +before them; and, as they ate, they talked over the situation.</p> + +<p>"The first thing for us to do," declared Thure, "is to find some miners +bound for Hangtown, and then make arrangements to go with them; and the +only way to do this is to start out and ask everyone who looks as if he +was going to the diggings, if he is going to Hangtown, or knows of +anyone who is. I reckon it won't take us long to find someone; and, if +possible, we want to get on our way to-day."</p> + +<p>Bud promptly sanctioned this plan; and, accordingly, it was agreed that, +as soon as they finished their breakfast, they would start out to find +someone bound for Hangtown.</p> + +<p>"I'll pay the bill," magnanimously announced Thure, when the last morsel +of food and the last swallow of coffee had vanished down their throats, +and he turned to the smiling steward.</p> + +<p>The steward wrote for a minute or so on a little pad of paper; and then, +tearing off a sheet, handed it to Thure. It was the bill for their +breakfast and read:</p> + +<table> +<tr><td>4 fried eggs</td><td align="right"> $6.00</td></tr> +<tr><td>1 leg of mutton (with potatoes)</td><td align="right"> 2.25</td></tr> +<tr><td>1 leg of veal (with potatoes)</td><td align="right"> 2.25</td></tr> +<tr><td>2 cups of coffee (with milk)</td><td align="right"> 1.50</td></tr> +<tr><td>Bread (with butter) for two</td><td align="right"> 2.00</td></tr> +<tr><td>2 pieces of pie</td><td align="right"> 1.50</td></tr> +<tr><td></td><td align="right">———</td></tr> +<tr><td>Total</td><td align="right"> $15.50</td></tr> +</table> + +<p>"Great Moses!" and Thure stared in the utmost astonishment at the piece +of paper he held in his hand, "does this mean that we are to pay Fifteen +Dollars and a Half for what we have just eaten?"</p> + +<p>"Yes," smiled the steward, who had evidently been a lawyer before he +became a steward, "fifteen dollars and fifty cents is all. Eggs and +butter came down a little to-day; and we always give our patrons the +benefit of a fall in prices at once. You will see that your bill is +correct by glancing at the prices on the bill-of-fare."</p> + +<p>Thure transferred his stare, for a moment, to the face of the smiling +steward; and then, picking up the bill-of-fare, he saw that the prices +were correct, and paid the bill.</p> + +<p>"I see that you have already found your goldmine," he remarked, as he +handed the cashier the money.</p> + +<p>"And without digging in mud and gravel for the gold," the cashier +replied, with a grin and a wink. "But, there is not as much gold in it +as you might think. Now, how much do you suppose those eggs cost me a +dozen?" and he pointed to the egg item on the bill-of-fare.</p> + +<p>"Never sold any," smiled back Thure. "We always gave them away."</p> + +<p>"Huh! I'll take a car load at that price. Now, them identical eggs that +you ate this morning cost me at the rate of Thirteen Dollars and +Seventy-five cents a dozen, wholesale! I reckon you are new to the +diggings, or you would know that prices on everything have gone soaring +up like skyrockets," and the cashier, who happened also to be the +proprietor, threw up both hands despairingly toward the ceiling. "Say, +what do you suppose I have to pay the fellow who washes the dishes? +Seventy-five Dollars a week and keep! And the cook, Mother of men! he +gets One Hundred and Eighty-five Dollars a week! Got to pay it, or +they'll go to the diggings."</p> + +<p>"Excuse me," broke in Bud, who at this moment suddenly thought that no +one would be apt to know more about the goings and the comings of the +miners, than the hotelkeeper, himself. "But, do you happen to know of +any miners in town who are going to Hangtown? We expect to find our dads +there; and want to get away from here as soon as we can."</p> + +<p>"Now," and the broad forehead wrinkled, "let me think. Sure!" and the +wrinkles vanished. "Yankee Tom and his company were to start for +Hangtown this morning; and, I reckon, if you hustle, you can yet get to +them before they start. You see—"</p> + +<p>"Where'll we find them?" broke in Thure eagerly. He was too anxious to +be off to care to listen longer to the talkative landlord.</p> + +<p>"See that big sycamore over yonder?" and the landlord pointed through +the open door to where a giant tree lifted its head far above its +surroundings.</p> + +<p>"Yes."</p> + +<p>"Well, Yankee Tom's camp is under that tree. Just head for that tree, +and you will sure hit his camp, if he is still there; but you'd better +hustle," and the landlord turned to attend to other guests.</p> + +<p>Thure and Bud at once hurried out to where they had left their horses; +and were soon mounted and hastening toward the big tree. Their route, +for a short distance, lay through a very busy street, with shops of all +kinds and innumerable gambling—and drinking-hells on both sides. Great +crowds of men were hurrying in and out of these places; and the street +was so jammed with wagons and horses and mules and oxen and men that +Thure and Bud found considerable difficulty in making their way through +it.</p> + +<p>"No more hotel eating for me," declared Thure, with a grimace, as they +made their way as speedily as possible through this crowded street. "A +Dollar and a Half for an Egg! But won't mother's eyes open when she +hears that?"</p> + +<p>"Well, eggs are not the only things that are high. Just look at that +sign there," and Bud pointed to a large sign in front of one of the +stores, on which the storekeeper had recorded the day's bargains. The +sign read:</p> + +<h4>THE BEST AND THE CHEAPEST PLACE TO BUY YOUR OUTFITS</h4> + +<h4> A FEW OF TO-DAY'S SPECIAL BARGAINS THAT CANT BE +BEAT ANYWHERE IN THE CITY</h4> + + +<table> + +<tr><td>Best flour ten pounds for only</td><td align="right"> $15.00</td><td></td></tr> +<tr><td>Rice, five pounds for only </td><td align="right"> 5.00</td><td></td></tr> +<tr><td>Potatoes, a heaped-up bushel, only </td><td align="right"> 35.00</td><td></td></tr> +<tr><td>Good butter only </td><td align="right"> 2.00</td><td> per pound</td></tr> +<tr><td>Barley only </td><td align="right"> 1.00</td><td> per quart</td></tr> +<tr><td>Best white beans only </td><td align="right"> 6.50</td><td></td></tr> +<tr><td>Candles only </td><td align="right"> 1.00</td><td> each.</td></tr> +<tr><td>Best Salaratus only </td><td align="right"> 14.50</td><td> per pound</td></tr> +<tr><td>Hip boots, warranted waterproof </td><td align="right"> 100.00</td><td></td></tr> +<tr><td>Pair of pantaloons, good quality </td><td align="right"> 36.00</td><td></td></tr> +<tr><td>Sugar—good—only </td><td align="right"> 2.00</td><td> per pound</td></tr> +<tr><td>Coffee, five pounds for </td><td align="right"> 9.00</td><td></td></tr> +<tr><td>Good picks, shovels, tin-pans at only </td><td align="right"> 57.00</td><td> each.</td></tr> + +</table> + +<p>"Whew!" and Thure drew in a long breath, when he had finished reading +the sign. "It's lucky we brought our outfits along with us, or we'd be +bankrupt before we could get out of Sacramento City. Well, those prices +certainly prove that the gold is here. Nobody could live if it wasn't. +And, when you stop to think that most of the stuff has to be brought +thousands of miles and then packed for some two hundred miles more into +a roadless wilderness, the prices don't look so high—Well, what's the +rumpus now?" and Thure whirled partly around on his horse to look back +to where a huge red-headed man had suddenly jumped up on top of a barrel +in front of one of the stores, and was yelling something, just what he +could not understand, and pointing excitedly in his direction.</p> + +<p>A sound, like a growl from the throats of a hundred angry wolves, went +up from the surrounding crowd, and a great wave, headed by the +red-headed man, rolled threateningly toward the two wondering boys.</p> + +<p>"What—what can be the trouble?" and Bud turned an anxious face to +Thure. "They look mad; and they are coming straight toward us! What can +have happened? Who are they after?" and he looked confusedly around.</p> + +<p>"Pull them off their horses!"</p> + +<p>"Hang them!"</p> + +<p>"The murderers!"</p> + +<p>The air was now filled with these and similar dreadful cries and men +came running toward them from all directions; and, before the two boys +could fairly realize what was happening, they found themselves the +center of a seething crowd of excited and angry men, while a hundred +armed hands were lifted threateningly toward them.</p> + +<p>"God in heaven, they are after us!" and Thure, too utterly astounded for +the moment to realize the terrible nature of their situation, stared +wildly into the surrounding angry faces. "What—what—"</p> + +<p>But, before he could put his stammering dumbfounded query, strong hands +seized and jerked him roughly from his horse, while other hands at the +same moment jerked Bud off his horse. One of the men who seized and +pulled Thure from his horse was the big red-headed man, who had jumped +up on top of the barrel and who had led the rush against the two boys. +The moment Thure looked into his face he started back in horror. The man +had a broken nose!</p> + +<p>At this moment and before either boy had collected his startled wits +sufficiently to even offer a protest or to demand what this rough laying +on of hands meant, a big man drove, like a sharpened wedge, through the +crowd, and halted, with a hand tightly gripping the coat collar of each +terrified lad.</p> + +<p>"What is the trouble?" he demanded authoritatively. "What have the young +men done?"</p> + +<p>"The sheriff!" yelled someone in the crowd. "It's Turner, the sheriff!"</p> + +<p>"Yes, it's Turner, the sheriff," and the man tightened his grips on +Thure's and Bud's collars. "Hands off. They are my prisoners now," and +he turned a bit impatiently to the men, whose hands still had hold of +the boys. "Well, what have they done?"</p> + +<p>"Murder!" "Murder!" yelled a dozen voices from the crowd.</p> + +<p>"Why, they are little more than boys!" and the sheriff turned his eyes +in astonished horror on Thure and Bud. "Who accuses them?"</p> + +<p>"Me an' my pard do," and the big red-headed man with a broken nose, who +had let go of Thure the moment the sheriff had him safely by the collar, +stepped up in front of Turner. "We accuses them of murderin' an' robbin' +John Stackpole, an old miner, who was on his way tew San Francisco from +th' diggin's; an' what's more, we saw 'em do it with our own eyes; an' +are ready tew swear tew th' same afore any judge an' jury. Ain't we +Spike?" and he turned to a small man, with a pockmarked face, who was +standing close to Bud.</p> + +<p>"True as preachin'," declared the small man. "With my own eyes I saw 'em +knock th' miner off his hoss with their guns, an' then jump on him, an' +run a knife through his heart, an' jerk off his gold-belt, an'—"</p> + +<p>"You lie!" and the hard fist of Bud's sturdy right arm landed squarely +on the chin of the man, with such force that he was knocked backward, +senseless, into the arms of a man standing behind him. "You and +Brokennose killed him yourselves. We—"</p> + +<p>"Shut up!" and the sheriff whirled Bud violently around in front of him. +"Now, young man, another move like that and I will put you in irons. +Here, Dave," and he turned to a roughly dressed miner standing near, +"just pull their teeth, while I hold them. They're beginning to look +some rambunctuous."</p> + +<p>And, indeed, Thure and Bud did look "rambunctuous"; for by now both boys +were beginning to get an inkling of the game that was being played on +them by the two scoundrels. But, what could they do? Everything had +happened so suddenly and unexpectedly, that they were in the hands of +the sheriff before either of them had recovered his wits sufficiently to +even open his mouth in protest or defense.</p> + +<p>"Quiet, quiet," cautioned the roughly dressed miner, whom the sheriff +had summoned to his aid, in a low voice, as he swiftly pulled the boys' +knives and pistols from their belts. "Don't let your tempers git tew +buckin'. You're a sight better off in th' hands of th' sheriff, who will +see that you git a fair trial, than you would be in the hands of the +mob, who sometimes string a feller up first an' try him afterwards."</p> + +<p>Thure and Bud promptly saw the wisdom of this counsel and allowed the +miner to disarm them without protest.</p> + +<p>"Now, Dave, I'll make you my deputy until this little matter is settled. +Bring along the animals and I'll see that these two young—" The sheriff +paused and looked curiously into the faces of Thure and Bud. "I'll be +hanged, if you look much like murderers!" he declared frankly. +"Howsomever, I am not the judge; and you can't always tell whether or +not a dog has got fleas by his looks."</p> + +<p>"We are innocent, absolutely innocent," began Thure excitedly. "We did +not kill the old miner. We—"</p> + +<p>"Save your talk," broke in the sheriff good-naturedly, glancing sharply +into the boy's face, "for the trial. I'll see that you get a fair trial; +and that's all that I can do. Now, you two men that make this accusation +of murder against the prisoners, come along," and he glanced keenly at +the two men.</p> + +<p>Brokennose still stood near Thure; and the one called Spike had +recovered sufficiently from his contact with Bud's fist to stand glaring +at Bud, with an ugly scowl on his pock-marked face.</p> + +<p>"Where are you goin' tew take 'em?" he demanded. "This ain't no jail +case. We wants them tried immejiate. Thar ain't no need of lawyers an' +jedges tew mix things up. We seed 'em kill th' miner, an' are willin' +tew swear tew it, an' that otter be enough tew have 'em danglin' by +their necks inside of half an hour."</p> + +<p>"They'll dangle, when they've been proven guilty, according to the laws +of this city; and not before," answered the sheriff dryly. "We'd give a +dog a fair trial in this town before we'd hang him. Come, you can tell +your stories to the alcalde," and, still keeping a tight grip on the +collars of Thure and Bud, he started down the street toward the office +of the alcalde, before whom all criminal cases were tried, followed by +Dave, the miner, with the horses of the boys, their two accusers, and +the crowd, which had made no move to dispute the authority of the +sheriff, although a little growling had been done. They knew that they +would not have long to wait. California justice in those days in the +mining towns and camps was sudden.</p> + + + +<hr style="width: 65%;" /> +<h2><a name="CHAPTER_IX" id="CHAPTER_IX"></a>CHAPTER IX</h2> + +<h3>THE TESTIMONY OF BILL UGGER</h3> + + +<p>Sacramento City at that date had a rude but effective government of its +own. An alcalde and other city officers had been elected; and certain +unwritten laws, for the protection of life and property, had been +promulgated and were strictly enforced. Lynching, in the sense that we +know it to-day, was almost unknown. There were no disorderly mobs, who, +under the spurs of their own brutal passions, strung up their victims +unheard and without even the semblance of a fair trial. Justice, if +sudden, was usually careful to see that it was justice and not brutality +that rendered the verdict. And yet, many of these early trials had the +outward semblance of lynching-bees in the swift severity of their +punishments. A murderer would be arrested, tried, convicted, and +decently hanged, all before sundown of the same day. The mob spirit was +there, but usually held in check by the sturdy manhood of the American +miners, who had nearly all come from law abiding and law respecting +communities.</p> + +<p>This swift severity of Justice was, in a sense, compelled by the +unusual, the almost unprecedented conditions surrounding life in a city +born suddenly in a wilderness. There were few locks and bars and bolts, +or, even, doors, in Sacramento City at that time; and large sums in gold +and great values in goods were often left exposed and almost +unprotected. The thief, under such circumstances, had to be dealt with +severely and promptly; or the property of no one would be safe. There +were no regularly established courts in the city to try criminals, no +written code of laws to dictate methods of procedure, no court officials +to enforce mandates, and no safe jails in which to confine prisoners. +Under such circumstances the people had to form their own courts, make +their own laws, and see that they were enforced; or have no laws; and +the criminal had to be dealt with summarily. The thief was sometimes +whipped, or, even, cropped, that is his ears were cut off, and he was +always driven from the city, and warned not to come back under penalty +of death. The murderer, when proven guilty to the satisfaction of the +people, was always hanged. No prisoners were held. They were proven +guilty and sentence pronounced and executed at once; or they were set +free.</p> + +<p>Such was Sacramento City in 1849, the Sacramento City in which Thure and +Bud now found themselves under arrest for the horrible crime of murder, +the most serious crime that can be charged against a human being +anywhere, but rendered especially serious in the present case by the +peculiar surrounding circumstances. In all the city, so far as either +boy knew, they did not have a friend, or even an acquaintance, who could +vouch for them—and yet, before the sun set that night, they must prove +themselves innocent of the crime charged, or, in all human probability, +be hanged!</p> + +<p>The alcalde's office was small, only a few of the great crowd of men who +had followed the sheriff and his prisoners could get inside of it; and, +when the alcalde saw the size of the gathering outside of his office and +learned the serious nature of the charge against the two boys, he at +once ordered the "court" to be held under the big oak in the +horse-market, where there would be room for all to see and hear how +justice was dispensed. Accordingly all started at once for the +horse-market, situated near the bottom of K Street, where an immense +evergreen oak stood in the middle of the street, furnishing an agreeable +shade for many feet around and a fittingly picturesque scene for the +holding of such a trial as was about to take place.</p> + +<p>The method of procedure, on arriving at the horse-market, was simple but +effective. The alcalde took his station near the trunk of the great oak, +and summoned the prisoners and their accusers before him, while the +crowd gathered in a grim and stern-faced circle around this improvised +courtroom.</p> + +<p>"What is the crime the prisoners are charged with?" and the alcalde +turned to the sheriff.</p> + +<p>"Murder!" answered the sheriff briefly.</p> + +<p>"Who makes the accusation?"</p> + +<p>"Those two men standing there," and the sheriff indicated the big +red-headed man with the broken nose and the small man with the +pock-marked face, who now stood just behind the sheriff and his two +prisoners.</p> + +<p>"Stand forth by the side of the prisoners," commanded the alcalde.</p> + +<p>The two men shuffled awkwardly forward and stood uneasily by the side of +Thure and Bud, their eyes shifting restlessly from the face of the +alcalde to the faces of the surrounding crowd.</p> + +<p>For a couple or more minutes the alcalde studied the faces of the two +boys and the faces of their two accusers in silence. Evidently he was +endeavoring to form an opinion of the characters of the prisoners and +their accusers; but, what that opinion was, his face did not betray.</p> + +<p>"Why do you accuse these two young men of murder?" and the alcalde +suddenly fixed his eyes upon the face of the man with a broken nose.</p> + +<p>"Because I seen 'em do it," answered the man. "Me an' my pard, Spike, +seen 'em do it. Ask him," and he turned to the small man, who stood +close by his side.</p> + +<p>"And you are both willing to make oath that you saw these two young men, +who are little more than boys, commit the awful crime of murder?" the +alcalde continued.</p> + +<p>"Yes," promptly responded both men.</p> + +<p>"Then, may God have mercy on your souls, if the accusations are false! +What have you to say to the accusation? Guilty; or, not guilty?" and the +alcalde turned abruptly to Thure and Bud.</p> + +<p>"Not guilty," answered Thure, his face very white. "We—"</p> + +<p>"That will do for the present," interrupted the alcalde. "Gentlemen, how +shall the case be tried?" and he turned to the surrounding crowd of +stern-faced men.</p> + +<p>"Give 'em a jury, an' git a-goin'," called a rough voice impatiently.</p> + +<p>"Do you wish a trial by jury?" and again the alcalde turned to Thure and +Bud.</p> + +<p>"Yes," answered both boys.</p> + +<p>"The trial will be by jury," announced the alcalde. "I summon to act as +this jury," and his eyes searched the circle of surrounding faces, as he +slowly called out the names of twelve men, who, as their names were +called, stepped forth and took their stations by the side of the alcalde +and in front of the prisoners and their accusers.</p> + +<p>When the twelve jurymen had been selected, all were solemnly sworn by +the alcalde to render a true and just verdict, according to the evidence +presented; and the trial of Thure and Bud for the murder of John +Stackpole, the miner, was ready to begin.</p> + +<p>During all this time Thure and Bud had been doing some very serious and +some very rapid thinking. At first the suddenness and the unexpectedness +of the rush of men upon them in the busy street, followed so swiftly by +their arrest and the dreadful accusations of the two men, whom they had +every reason to believe had committed the crime themselves, had almost +completely benumbed their faculties; but this condition of mind had +lasted only a short time, and long before they reached the place of +trial their minds were busy with the dreadful problem of how to prove +themselves innocent of the crime charged, when two men were ready to +swear that they saw them commit the crime, and when they did not have, +could not have, a single witness who could swear to the truthfulness of +their statements concerning the miner's death. No one but themselves had +seen him die; and, so far as they knew, no one but themselves and their +accusers knew the cause of his death. If they only had time to send +home—But, even if they had witnesses from home, what could they prove? +Only that the two boys had brought the dead miner home and had buried +him; and that would be no proof that they had not killed him and +invented the story of the two robbers.</p> + +<p>True, on their side, they could accuse the two men of committing the +murder themselves; but they had no positive proofs that they were guilty +of the crime, only the description of his assailants given them by the +dying miner. There might be other men with broken noses and pock-marked +faces. All that they could swear to of their own knowledge was that one +of the men they had seen murdering the old miner was larger than the +other. They had not got near enough to the murderers to be able to +recognize them again, even if they should see them, except by the +description given by the murdered man. And for them to accuse the two +men, who had caused their arrest, of the murder, in itself would look +suspicious to those who did not know the real facts and would have a +tendency to make them doubt their whole story of the death of the miner.</p> + +<p>Then there was another matter that troubled the two boys greatly. Why +had the two men accused them thus publicly of the murder of the miner? +Why had they run this risk of turning suspicion against themselves? They +must feel very certain that the "evidence" they would produce would +convict; or, they never would have dared to have chanced accusing them +of the crime; for their acquittal would be almost sure to turn suspicion +in their own direction. True, there was the skin map, and, possibly, the +accusation was some scheme to get the map into their possession; but, +how could their hanging bring this about? If they were hanged, the map +and its meaning would be almost sure to be made public; and then every +man in Sacramento City would have as good a chance of finding the Cave +of Gold as would the two scoundrels themselves, a condition of things +that both boys felt quite sure the two men were exceedingly anxious to +avoid, and the map itself would be almost certain to be kept from them.</p> + +<p>Then, again, the possession of the skin map itself was the cause of the +gravest anxiety and dread. If they confessed to its possession it would +reveal to all the secret of the Cave of Gold, something that they were +almost ready to give their lives to prevent, and would not help their +case in the least. Indeed, under the circumstances it would, probably, +be considered the strongest possible circumstantial evidence of their +guilt.</p> + +<p>But, what if the alcalde should order them searched and the map be +found? Or, what if the two men, becoming desperate, should ask that they +be searched, to see if anything that belonged to the miner could be +found in their possession, and the buckskin bag and the gold nugget and +the skin map should all be discovered in their place of concealment +under Thure's left shoulder?</p> + +<p>When the two horns of a dilemma are both equally long and sharp, how, +then, can the peril be avoided?</p> + +<p>Indeed, the longer and the closer Thure and Bud looked at their +situation, the more dreadful and impossible of remedy it appeared. How +could they prove their innocence, when they did not have a single +witness to appear in their defense? How could their youth and +inexperience, friendless and alone, hope to combat successfully with the +cunning and the experience of these two unprincipled men, who would stop +at nothing to accomplish their ends? But, they were not the kind of boys +to give up a fight for life, as long as they could strike back; and the +more difficult their situation appeared, the more grimly determined they +became to win out somehow, or, at least, to die fighting.</p> + +<p>"Not a word of the skin map and the Cave of Gold," hastily warned Thure +in a whisper to Bud, as the alcalde, having completed the tale of the +jury, again turned to them. "Tell everything just as it happened, but +that. The telling of that would not help us a bit; and, if it were known +that we had a map and a gold nugget that had belonged to the miner, it +would look suspicious and might hurt us a lot; and we don't want to give +away the Cave of Gold, not if we can help it."</p> + +<p>"Right," whispered back Bud. "It's got to be our word against the word +of those two cowardly villains, I reckon," and he glared furiously in +the direction of the two men. "We've just got to beat them some way," +and his young face grew grim and stern.</p> + +<p>By this time the jurymen had all seated themselves comfortably on the +ground on both sides of the alcalde, and were ready to hear the +testimony.</p> + +<p>"You may step forward and be sworn," and the alcalde's eyes signaled out +the big man with a broken nose.</p> + +<p>The man stepped up in front of the alcalde, who sat on a stump, with a +barrel standing on end in front of him and an old worn Bible lying on +top of the barrel.</p> + +<p>"Hold up your right hand," commanded the alcalde, his keen eyes fixing +themselves sternly on the red, brutal face; "and repeat the oath after +me."</p> + +<p>The man's right hand went up with a sort of spasmodic jerk.</p> + +<p>"I do solemnly swear," began the alcalde slowly, "that the testimony I +am about to give in the case now before the court, shall be the truth, +the whole truth, and nothing but the truth; and may God eternally damn +my soul, if I knowingly utter a false word."</p> + +<p>Hesitatingly and with a whitening face, the man slowly repeated this +oath.</p> + +<p>"Kiss the Bible," commanded the alcalde; "and may God blister the lips +that have touched His holy book, if they suffer a false word to pass +between them."</p> + +<p>The man hesitated a moment: and then, at a muttered objurgation from his +companion, he bent and hastily pressed his lips against the cover of the +holy book.</p> + +<p>"What is your name and business?" In this rude and informal court the +alcalde not only acted as judge, but also examined all witnesses.</p> + +<p>"William Ugger, Bill Ugger, for short," answered the man, his eyes +shifting restlessly from face to face as he spoke. "Me an' my pard are +bound for th' diggin's."</p> + +<p>"Now, remembering that you have sworn to speak nothing but the truth and +that your lips have just kissed the holiest of books, you may tell the +jury and the people here assembled what you know of this alleged murder +of the miner, John Stackpole. Be as brief as possible, please," and the +alcalde's eyes, as well as the eyes of every man gathered there, +fastened themselves on the face of Bill Ugger.</p> + +<p>"Wal," and the shifting eyes fixed themselves for a few brief moments on +the ground in front of the big feet, "it happened like this. Me an' my +pard, Spike, thar," and he nodded toward his companion, "was on our way +from San Francisco tew Sacramento City an' th' diggin's a-hossback. +Somehow we happened tew git off th' reg'lar trail, me an' Spike did; an' +'long 'bout noon, three days ago, we comed tew a leetle valley, with a +leetle stream of water a-runnin' through it, an' a string of trees an' +brush a-growin' 'longside th' water. Both on us bein' tired, we'd ben +a-goin' since sun-up, we found a nice shady spot 'longside th' water, +an', tyin' our hosses tew th' trees, both on us laid down for a short +snooze. Course I don't know how long we'd ben a-snoozin', but, I reckon, +'twas 'bout a couple of hours, when we was both jerked out of a sound +sleep by a yell of agony that sounded as if it comed from a man what had +ben struck a mortal blow. Nat'rally that yell startled me an' Spike sum, +bein' that we both had been sound asleep; an', maybe, for a minute we +sot a-lookin' intew each other's eyes, doin' nuthin'. Then Spike says: +'Sounded human, Bill. Like sumone had got his,' an' I seed that he was +a-shiverin'; for 'tain't none pleasant tew be waked out of a sound sleep +by th' death-cry of a human. 'An' it sounded as if it comed from right +ayond that leetle clump of bushes,' an' he pointed a shakin' finger +toward a leetle clump of bushes, 'bout a rod away, that shut out our +view of th' valley. 'I reckon we'd better investergate,' an' we both +began a-crawlin' toward that clump of bushes, not havin' heard no more +sounds.</p> + +<p>"Wal," and the shifty eyes shot swift glances from the face of the +alcalde to the faces of the jury and the surrounding crowd, to note the +effect of his words, "when we got tew them bushes an' looked through +'em—" He paused and laid a hand solemnly on the Bible lying on top of +the barrel in front of the alcalde—"so help me God! this is what we +saw. Th' valley in front of th' bushes was level an' open, so that we +could see clear 'cross it; an', 'bout twenty rods from whar we was, we +saw a man strugglin' violently on th' ground with two other men atop of +him, while three hosses stood a leetle ways off a lookin' at 'em; an', +even as we looked, we saw one of th' men flash a knife above his head +an' plunge it down, an' th' man on th' ground stopped strugglin'.</p> + +<p>"This was a leetle more'n Spike an' I was a-willin' tew stand for, an' +we both jumps up out of th' bushes, an', drawin' our pistols, we had no +rifles, we yells an' starts for them two men. Both on 'em jumps tew +their feet, an' grabs up their rifles, an', afore you could say Jack, +they had th' both on us covered, we not bein' near enough tew use +our pistols. But we was close enough tew see 'em plain; an', afore +God!—" The man stopped abruptly and, whirling suddenly about, pointed +a finger dramatically directly into the face of Thure—"it was that young +villain a-standin' thar what had his gun a-pointin' straight at me!"</p> + +<p>Thure, in utter astonishment, took a quick step backward; and then, +suddenly realizing what that pointing finger meant, backed by those +startling words, he lost all control of himself for the moment and +leaped straight toward Bill Ugger.</p> + +<p>"It's a lie! A lie!" he yelled, as with all his young strength he +struggled furiously with the great bulk of his antagonist. But, before +either could do the other any harm, the strong hands of the sheriff +seized Thure by the shoulders.</p> + +<p>"Here, you young catamount!" and he jerked Thure violently backward, and +lifted the butt of his heavy revolver threateningly, while his face +hardened. "Quit it, or—" and the heavy butt descended lightly on +Thure's head by way of warning.</p> + +<p>"But he lied! Every word that he uttered was a lie!" and tears of rage +gathered in Thure's eyes.</p> + +<p>"Young man," the alcalde was now standing on his feet, all the sympathy +gone from his face, "you will give me your word of honor not in any way +again to do violence to the decorum of this court during this trial, or +I shall order the sheriff to bind you hand and foot. Do I have your +promise?" and he fixed his eyes sternly on the white face of Thure.</p> + +<p>For a moment Thure stood silent. Then his young face hardened and his +lips tightened into two thin straight lines. Reason again had firm hold +of the helm.</p> + +<p>"I promise," he answered quietly; "and I ask the court's pardon for my +violent action. But the damnable lies told by that—"</p> + +<p>"That will do," interrupted the alcalde. "Sheriff, if either of the +prisoners forgets himself or our presence again, bind him hand and foot. +Now," and he turned to Bill Ugger, who, as soon as Thure had been torn +from him, had again returned quietly to his place before the official +barrel, his red face flushed and his little eyes shining with triumph, +"you may go on with your testimony, William Ugger. You were saying that +you recognized one of the prisoners as one of the murderers and that he +had you covered with his rifle. Remembering your oath and comprehending +fully what your dreadful accusation means to a fellow human being, you +still swear that the man who sprang up from the prostrate body and +leveled his rifle at you was this prisoner?" and the alcalde's lifted +hand indicated Thure.</p> + +<p>The interest of the crowd surrounding the court had by this time become +intense. Men were breathing heavily and their faces had hardened and an +ugly look had come into their eyes. All now stretched their heads +forward, as they listened almost breathlessly for the reply of Bill +Ugger.</p> + +<p>"I do," answered the man grimly. "I saw his face plain, a-lookin' at me +above th' top of his rifle."</p> + +<p>A deep growl went up from the surrounding crowd, a sound more like the +throat mutterings of a monstrous tiger than anything human. The sheriff +started and his keen eyes swiftly searched the circle of faces.</p> + +<p>"I reckon thar ain't no need of waitin' for more testimony," cried a +hoarse voice. "They was seen killin' th' man; an' that's all we wants +tew know. Let jedgement be pronounced, an' we'll 'tend tew th' ex'cutin' +of it."</p> + +<p>"Right!" yelled another. "There's no need of wasting more—"</p> + +<p>"Silence!" thundered the alcalde, leaping to his feet. "This court, a +court elected by your own authority, is trying the prisoners; and, by +the Eternal Andrew Jackson! they shall not be declared guilty until they +have been heard in their own defense, until they have been proven guilty +in full accordance with the laws of this city. William Ugger, you may go +on with your testimony. There will be no further interruptions," and the +alcalde quietly laid a couple of big revolvers down on top of the +barrel, one on each side of the Bible.</p> + +<p>At this moment and when all eyes were bent on the alcalde, Thure felt a +slight jerk on his coat sleeve, and, glancing down, saw that the smaller +of their accusers, the pock-marked man, had moved up close to his side +and that it had been his hand that had jerked his sleeve.</p> + +<p>"Read at once," and the man swiftly slipped a piece of paper into his +hand. "It is your only hope," and he moved away, not having once even +glanced toward Thure.</p> + +<p>Thure, stepping a little behind Bud and holding the paper so that no +eyes but his own could see it, cautiously opened the note and slowly +read these words:</p> + +<div class="blockquot"><p>If you wil give us the miners map and promice tu say nuthin bout +the gold kave Bill and me wil sudenly diskuver that we is mistakin +in thinkin that you was the ones tu kil old Stakpole and you wil go +free. If you dont you wil both hang afore sun down tu nite and al +the gold in Caleforny aint wurth as much tu you as is yur lives. If +you agrees tu this nod yur hed 2 times. If you dont git redy tu +hang.</p></div> + +<p>The note was unsigned; and no signature was necessary. Its meaning was +plain. The two boys were to surrender the skin map to the two scoundrels +and say nothing about the Cave of Gold; or, the dreadful plot, in whose +meshes they found themselves so tightly ensnared, was to be followed out +to its horrible conclusion. The motive back of the two men's action now +stood revealed. They expected to frighten the two boys into giving up +the skin map and into keeping secret their knowledge of the Cave of +Gold. But, what a fiendish plot! And with what diabolical cunning it had +all been worked out and was being executed!</p> + +<p>Thure read the note through slowly; and, in a flash, he had comprehended +the whole atrocious, scheme and with what devilish cunning circumstances +had been manipulated to bring about their present terrible situation; +but, only the furious look in his eyes showed how the note had affected +him.</p> + +<p>"From Pockface," he whispered, as he quietly slipped the paper into +Bud's hand. "Read it on the sly; and then give me your answer."</p> + +<p>Bud cautiously took the note and opened it, wondering greatly at its +coming from Pockface. He read it through slowly, comprehendingly; and +then he turned and glanced into Thure's face. One look was sufficient.</p> + +<p>During all this time Pockface's eyes had been covertly watching the +boys.</p> + +<p>Bud now waited until he saw that the man's eyes were upon him, then he +deliberately raised the piece of paper to his mouth, spit on it, and, +bending down, placed it under the heel of his boot, ground it to pieces +in the ground, and, defiantly turning his back on the man, gave his +attention to the doings of the alcalde.</p> + +<p>The two scoundrels had misjudged the courage and the pluck of two +American boys like Thure Conroyal and Bud Randolph; and, judging from +the scowls that disfigured their faces and the ugly light that flashed +into their eyes, at the sight of Bud's actions, in their disappointment, +they would show them no mercy. They would get the map, or they would +hang the boys. Indeed, this action on their part now became almost +necessary; for, if they did not succeed in hanging the boys, the boys, +in all probability, would succeed in hanging them.</p> + +<p>This dramatic byplay had taken but a short time in the enacting and had +passed unnoticed in the excitement occasioned by the threats from the +surrounding crowd and the placing of the alcalde's two big revolvers by +the side of the Bible on top of the barrel standing in front of him. +When it was over and Thure and Bud again gave their attention to the +court, Bill Ugger was about to continue with his testimony, the majority +of the crowd having shown themselves so plainly in sympathy with the +actions of the alcalde that the rougher ones evidently thought it wise +to keep quiet.</p> + +<p>"As I was a-sayin'," continued Bill Ugger, when everything had quieted +down again, "afore we could git near enough tew th' murderers tew use +our pistols, they held us up with their rifles, an' ordered us tew git +an' git lively; an', by way of makin' plain their meaning that skunk," +and he glared at Thure, "sent a bullet a-whistlin' so close tew my ears +that it made this hole through th' brim of my hat," and the man held up +his wide-brimmed hat and pointed with his finger to a little round hole +in the brim close to the crown. "Three inches more tew one side an' he'd +a-got me, tew.</p> + +<p>"Wal, me an' Spike didn't stop tew argy none after that; but got back +ahind them bushes an' trees as sudden as our legs would take us. But," +and Ugger paused and glared at Thure and Bud, "if I knowed I was on my +deathbed an' a-goin' tew die in five minits, I'd be willin' tew swear +that th' tew murderers was them tew boys a-standin' thar. We saw their +faces plain an' thar ain't no mistake," and his eyes flashed an ugly +look in the direction of Thure and Bud.</p> + +<p>"Of course," continued Bill Ugger, "they didn't dare follow us, 'cause, +if they did, they knowed we could hide ahind a tree an' pot 'em, which +we'd ben sum glad tew do," and his eyes glowed vindictively. "Wal, we +waited, hid ahind th' bushes an' trees, not darin' tew show ourselves +an' bein' tew far off tew do any pistol shooting a-hopin' that they'd +ride off an' leave th' body of th' man they'd robbed an' probably +killed, but they was tew cunnin' tew do that; for, in a leetle while, +they throwed th' body, like it was a bag of grain, across th' back of +one of th' hosses an' tied it thar; an' then they rode off, a-leadin' +th' hoss with th' body on it ahind 'em. Me an' Spike waited 'til they'd +gone out of sight over th' top of a distant hill an' then we made for +th' spot of th' killin'. Th' grass was sum tread up an' bloody; an' +lyin' in th' blood an' partly tread intew th' ground, we found this," +and Ugger thrust his hand into one of his pockets and pulled out a small +daguerreotype-case, perhaps a couple of inches square, on which could be +plainly seen ominous stains of red.</p> + +<p>"This," and he held up the small case where all could see, "has inside +of it th' picter of as handsum a lady as I ever seed; an' under th' +picter is writ, in a woman's writin,' these words: Tew my beloved +husband, John Stackpole'; an' we reckoned, me an' Spike did, as how th' +murdered man's name must a-ben John Stackpole. See for yourselves," and +he handed the case to the alcalde, who, after opening it and looking at +the picture inside and the blood stains on the outside, passed it on to +the jury, who examined it carefully.</p> + +<p>"Of course," continued Ugger, after he had watched the effect of the +daguerreotype on the alcalde and the jury for a minute, "bein' bound for +th' diggin's an' knowin' 'twould be almost useless tew try an' trail th' +murderers, me an' Spike at once started on our way ag'in for Sacermento +City, not expectin' tew see them murderers ag'in, leastwise not so soon. +We got intew th' city this mornin'; an' was a-standin' on th' street +a-lookin' at th' humans a-passin' by, when who should come a-ridin' +along right afore our eyes, but them tew identickle young fellers what +we had seen kill that man; an', of course, bein' honest an' law-abidin' +men, me an' Spike seen tew it that they didn't git away a second time. +Now, I reckon, that's all I've got tew tell, only," and again his eyes +turned vindictively to Thure and Bud, "thar ain't ben no mistake made +an' you've got th' right men; an' if they don't hang afore night, then +thar ain't no justice in Sacermento City. I'm done."</p> + +<p>The alcalde sat for a moment looking straight in front of him. Evidently +he was swiftly reviewing the man's testimony to see if there were any +points that needed clearing up; but everything had been told, +apparently, in such a clear, straightforward manner that there seemed to +be nothing that needed explaining, and, with a sigh as he thought of the +youthfulness of the prisoners, the alcalde turned to the jury.</p> + +<p>"Would you like to ask the witness any questions?" he inquired.</p> + +<p>"No. Everything seems to have been told as clear and as straight as a +string," one of them replied, and all the others nodded their assent to +this, statement.</p> + +<p>"Have the prisoners any questions they wish to ask the witness?" and the +alcalde turned to Thure and Bud.</p> + +<p>For a moment the two boys consulted together. Then Thure said quietly: +"No, there is nothing that either of us would care to ask that man."</p> + +<p>"The prisoner is dismissed for the present," and the alcalde motioned +Bill Ugger to step back from in front of the barrel.</p> + + + +<hr style="width: 65%;" /> +<h2><a name="CHAPTER_X" id="CHAPTER_X"></a>CHAPTER X</h2> + +<h3>THE MISSING BUTTON</h3> + + +<p>"You may step forward and be sworn," and the alcalde turned his shrewd +eyes on the pockmarked face of the small man.</p> + +<p>The man stepped quickly forward; but, just before he reached the barrel, +a sudden gleam shot into his eyes, which at that moment happened to be +bent on the ground and looking at the spot where Thure and Ugger had had +their brief but vigorous struggle. The next instant his foot apparently +caught in a root that protruded above the ground; and he stumbled and +fell violently downward, both outstretched hands clutching at the +ground. As he jumped hastily to his feet, his face very red and his +mouth flowing with apologies to the alcalde for his clumsiness, he +glanced downward swiftly into one of his hands, and then, with another +quick gleam of cunning triumph in his eyes, he quickly slipped the hand +into one of his pockets, and, taking his place in front of the barrel, +faced the alcalde.</p> + +<p>"What is your name and present business?" the alcalde asked, when he had +sworn the witness, in the same manner Ugger had been sworn, to tell the +truth, the whole truth, and nothing but the truth.</p> + +<p>"Spikenard Quinley," the man answered, shifting his eyes quickly from +the face of the alcalde to the two big revolvers on top of the barrel; +"but most of my friends jest call me Spike, for short. I'm bound for th' +diggin's, 'long with my pard, Bill Ugger, him who jest testified."</p> + +<p>"Tell the jury all that you know about the case now before it; and make +your testimony as brief as possible, please," and the alcalde settled +back on his rude seat and fixed his eyes on the face of the witness.</p> + +<p>Quinley did not prove to be as dramatic a witness as Ugger had been; but +he told a seemingly straightforward and honest story of how he and his +partner had witnessed the killing of the man supposed to be John +Stackpole, that differed only in the manner of its telling from the one +already told by Ugger, and, consequently, need not be repeated here. He, +also, was very positive that the two men, who had jumped up from the +prostrate body of the man and had held them up with their rifles, were +the two prisoners; and right here he introduced a bit of new +corroborative evidence in a most effective and dramatic manner.</p> + +<p>He had completed his testimony and had been dismissed by the alcalde and +had started away from the court-barrel, when he suddenly stopped, as if +he had unexpectedly remembered something that might have a bearing on +the case, and turned to the alcalde.</p> + +<p>"Excuse me, y'ur honor," he said, as he thrust a hand into one of his +pockets, the same pocket into which he had thrust the same hand a moment +after his tumble over the root, "but I've jest reckerlected that I've +sumthin' right here in my pocket that might help tew identify the +prisoners as the murderers, an' ag'in it might not—not that me and Bill +needs any more identifin', but, naterly, you, not seem' 'em kill th' +man, ain't so sart'in an' wants all th' proof that you can git tew show +that you shore have got the right party; an' so, if y'ur honor don't +object, I've got a leetle sumthin' more that I'd like tew introduce as +testimony, that might, an' ag'in it might not, help tew make th' +identity of th' prisoners more shore," and he paused, still keeping his +hand in his pocket.</p> + +<p>"This court is always ready to hear any testimony that has any bearing +on the case before it," the alcalde said. "Take your place again on the +witness stand," and he nodded toward the barrel.</p> + +<p>Quinley at once returned to his place in front of the barrel.</p> + +<p>"Now, remembering that you are still under oath to tell God's truth, you +may introduce your evidence," and the alcalde half-arose from his seat +in his anxiety to see what this new evidence might be.</p> + +<p>"Of course, I'm none shore that it belongs tew either of th' prisoners," +Quinley began. "It might have come from th' clothes of th' murdered man, +an' ag'in it might have come from th' clothes of th' prisoners, an' +ag'in th' prisoners might not have on th' same clothes tew-day that they +did when they killed th' man, an' so it might prove nuthin'; but, right +whar th' grass was tread up th' worst on th' spot whar we saw th' man +killed, I found this—" and the hand came out of the pocket and was +extended toward the alcalde, holding on its palm a button. "Now I'd +plumb forgot all about th' findin' of this button, not settin' any store +on it, when, jest as I was a-leavin' th' witness stand, th' thought +popped intew my head, that, if th' prisoners happened tew have on th' +same clothes they had on when they murdered the man an' th' button came +from their clothes, then I had in my pocket important evidence, 'cause +th' button is a peekuler lookin' button, an', I reckon, thar must be +more buttons like it on th' clothes whar it come from. I asks that th' +clothes of th' prisoners be examined tew see if either on 'em has +buttons on like this," and he handed the button to the alcalde.</p> + +<p>The alcalde took the button and sat for a moment staring at it as it lay +on the palm of his hand—a small thing, but it might help to weave the +rope that would hang two human beings!</p> + +<p>"Git a-goin'," shouted someone impatiently from the surrounding crowd, +"an' see if either of th' prisoners has got any buttons on his clothes +like that you're a-holdin' in y'ur hand. If he has, I reckon, thar won't +be any need of takin' any more testimonies."</p> + +<p>A dozen voices shouted their approval of this statement. Evidently the +sympathies of the crowd were being fast turned from Thure and Bud.</p> + +<p>The alcalde arose slowly to his feet.</p> + +<p>"This court," he said sternly, "is here to see that the prisoners are +given a fair trial, guilty or not guilty; and judgment shall not be +pronounced until the case has been fairly tried and their innocence or +their guilt fully established. This cannot be done until the prisoners +themselves have been heard in their own defense. Let us hear no more +talk of mob judgment and mob execution. The court will pronounce +judgment, and the court will see that its judgment is promptly executed, +to the full satisfaction of every honest law-abiding man in the city." +He paused for a moment, while his keen eyes sternly searched the faces +of the surrounding crowd. There was no response to his words and +challenging glance.</p> + +<p>"This button," he continued quietly, holding up the button that Quinley +had handed him where all could see it, "the witness swears was picked up +by himself from the ground, where the struggle between the murdered man +and his murderers took place, and is presumed to have come either from +the clothing of the murdered man or from the clothing of his murderers; +and the witness asks that the clothing of the two prisoners be examined +to see if like buttons can be found on their clothing. The contentions +of the witness, regarding the value of this button as evidence in the +case before us, are just. Therefore his request is granted and the +prisoners are ordered to be examined. Young man," and he turned to Bud, +"you will please come forward; and allow the gentlemen of the jury to +compare this button with the buttons on your clothing," and he handed +the button he held in his hand to the foreman of the jury.</p> + +<p>The production of this button by Quinley was a surprise to Thure and +Bud. If it should prove to have come from the clothing of one of them, +it certainly would look suspicious; but, how could it have come from +their clothes, at least from the clothes they now had on, since neither +of them were now wearing the same garments that they had worn on the day +of the hunt, when they had found the murdered miner? Consequently the +introducing of the button as evidence by Quinley had caused both of them +more surprise than it had uneasiness, surprise that Quinley should care +to introduce such meaningless evidence as he must know the button to be, +since the examination of their clothing could only prove that the button +belonged to neither of them. The episode of Quinley's stumble, in the +excitement of the trial, had passed from both of their minds, as, +doubtless, it had from the minds of all the others; but, even if they +had remembered it, they would not have thought of connecting it in any +way with the finding of the button. Hence Bud, at the summons of the +alcalde, had stepped forward promptly and confidently.</p> + +<p>"We find two buttons missing from the prisoner's coat," announced the +foreman of the jury, when the examination of Bud had been completed. +"But, since the button offered in evidence bears no resemblance in +design or size to the buttons remaining on the coat, we declare that so +far as this prisoner is concerned the button in question proves +nothing."</p> + +<p>"You may return to your place by the side of the sheriff," and the +alcalde gave an almost audible sigh of relief, while something very near +like a cheer came from the crowd. It was hard to look into those two +young clear-eyed faces and believe that they masked the hearts of +murderers.</p> + +<p>Bud hurried back to his place by the side of the sheriff, with the first +smile on his lips that had so far brightened his face during the trial.</p> + +<p>"Now," and the alcalde turned to Thure, "let the jury compare the button +with the buttons on your clothing," and the anxious look came back on +his face.</p> + +<p>Thure, with the same promptness and confidence that Bud had displayed, +advanced and submitted to the examination; but, hardly had he reached +the foreman of the jury, when the excited actions of the jurymen told +all that an important discovery of some kind had been made; and their +report was awaited with almost breathless interest.</p> + +<p>"We find," began the foreman, speaking slowly, after every man on the +jury had carefully compared the button Quinley had handed to the alcalde +with the buttons on Thure's coat, "one button missing from the +prisoner's coat." He paused a moment, and then continued, raising his +voice a little: "We also find that the button handed to the alcalde by +the witness, Spikenard Quinley, and said to have been found by him on +the spot of ground where the struggle took place between the murdered +man and his murderers, to be exactly similar in design, size, and shape +to the remaining buttons on the prisoner's coat, and that it appears to +be the missing button."</p> + +<p>"But—but," stammered Thure, his face white and tense with excitement, +"that button, if it came from my clothes, could not have been found on +the ground where the miner was murdered. Why, I did not even have on the +same clothes that day that I have on now—"</p> + +<p>"What!" and the alcalde jumped to his feet, his face white and stern, +while again that deep-throated growl went up from the crowd, "What do +you mean by 'that day?' Do you realize that your expression amounts +almost to a confession of guilt?"</p> + +<p>"No," and Thure turned firmly to the alcalde. By a desperate effort he +had recovered his self-control. "It means, if that button was found on +the spot where the miner was murdered, that it did not come from my +clothes; for I did not have on the same clothes on the day we found the +wounded miner that I have on now. The button, if it came from my +clothes, and I confess that it looks as if it did, must have been got by +that man in some other way," and Thure's eyes flashed wrathfully in the +direction of Quinley, who grinned and touched his neck suggestively.</p> + +<p>A hoarse laugh, that had no sound of mirth in it, came from the +surrounding crowd, at this improbable explanation of Thure, an +explanation that strengthened rather than weakened their belief in the +testimony of Quinley; but a look of relief, as well as of surprise, came +on the face of the alcalde.</p> + +<p>"Ah, I forgot. We have not yet heard your story. You say that you found +the miner, John Stackpole, found him wounded?" he asked eagerly. "Then +he is still alive?"</p> + +<p>"Yes, we found him," Thure answered slowly, "found him in the hands of +his murderers, but not in time to save him. He died before we could get +him home."</p> + +<p>"Died! And in your hands!" and again the alcalde's face grew stern, and +again that hoarse unbelieving laugh came from the crowd. "Young man, do +you realize that you are telling a very improbable-sounding story? But," +and the alcalde resumed his judicial gravity of countenance, "I am +forgetting that you are not on the witness stand. The button, it appears +then, came from the prisoner's coat," and he turned to the foreman of +the jury.</p> + +<p>"It does," answered the foreman gravely.</p> + +<p>"The prisoner may return to his place by the side of the sheriff. Now," +and the alcalde's eyes searched the surrounding faces, "is there anyone +else present who has any testimony to give against the prisoners now on +trial before this court for the murder of John Stackpole?" and he +paused, to give anyone who wished to do so time to come forward.</p> + +<p>"I reckon the testimony is plenty sufficient as it now stands," and a +huge brutal-looking man pushed his way through the crowd and faced the +alcalde. "Haven't two reputable witnesses sworn that they saw the +prisoners kill the man? Didn't one of them find a buttom that has been +proven to belong to the coat of one of the prisoners on the very spot +where the man was killed? And what can be offered in disproof of all +this? Nothing but the word of the prisoners themselves, who certainly +would lie to save their necks, if they would kill a man to get his gold. +I move," and he whirled about and faced the crowd, now muttering and +growling like a huge beast, "that the jury be instructed to render their +verdict now, so that we can hang them two young devils and get about our +business. All in favor—"</p> + +<p>"Wait!" The alcalde's voice rang out clear and imperative; and, as he +spoke, he stepped out in front of the barrel, one of the big revolvers +held in each hand. "Before you put your motion I have a few words to +say; and, after I have said my few words, you can put your motion; and +we will see whether the men of Sacramento City stand for law and justice +or for mob brutality."</p> + +<p>"Hear! Hear!" shouted a number of voices. "The alcalde shall be heard!"</p> + +<p>"Men," continued the alcalde, his voice ringing with intense +earnestness, "I stand not here to plead for mercy in behalf of these two +young men, although their youth might almost justify such a plea. I am +here to demand justice. If this court, after fair trial shall find them +guilty of the brutal murder charged against them, then, in the name of +the same justice that I now invoke to protect them, they must hang; for, +in a community situated as we are, self-protection compels us to deal +with murderers with stern and relentless hands. But—Hear my words!—the +prisoners have not yet been proven guilty before this court. They have +not yet had fair trial. They have not yet even been heard in their own +defense. When I took my oath of office to serve you as alcalde, that +oath, the oath you yourselves compelled me to swear, bound me to see +that every prisoner brought before me had fair and speedy trial. I meant +to keep that oath then; and, by the Eternal Andrew Jackson! I mean to +keep it now, if need be with my life. Now, you can put your motion," +and, with a couple of quick strides, the alcalde placed himself by the +side of the sheriff, near the two prisoners, the two big revolvers held +ready for instant use. He knew that the only way to check mob violence +was to stop it before it gathered momentum.</p> + +<p>"Give the prisoners justice!" "They shall have justice!" "Hurrah, for +the alcalde!" shouted a hundred voices; and stern-faced men pushed +themselves through the crowd from every direction and formed a cordon +around the prisoners and the court.</p> + +<p>"Go on with the trial. We will see that the court is sustained," and a +man stepped out from the surrounding cordon and bowed to the alcalde.</p> + +<p>The mutterings and growlings suddenly ceased. The huge brutal-looking +man slunk back into the crowd, his motion unput.</p> + +<p>In the midst of these exciting moments, when the attention of all was +concentrated on the alcalde, Bud suddenly felt a hand thrust something +into his hand from behind. He turned quickly. Bill Ugger stood not four +feet behind him.</p> + +<p>"Read," and Ugger moved a couple of steps back and to one side.</p> + +<p>Bud glanced down at his hand and saw that he held a bit of folded paper. +Hastily, yet cautiously, he unfolded it and read these words scrawled on +it with a lead pencil:</p> + +<div class="blockquot"><p>Me and Spike kan yit save you. Give up the miners map and promis to +tell nobudy of the kave of gold and we wil git you free. Refuse and +we wil let you hang and then git the map off yur ded bodies we wil +git the map anyway so whats the use of given up yur lives. Weve got +things fixed so that you kant eskape the rope unles we save you so +you've got to give us the map or hang. Make yur own choice taint +our funrel.</p> + +<p>If you agrees nod yur hed 2 times to Spike and you wil be free in +less than 10 minits.</p></div> + +<p>Bud read these words through slowly; and then, moving up close to Thure, +he passed the paper to him.</p> + +<p>"Read it," he said, fixing his eyes anxiously on his comrade's face.</p> + +<p>By this time both boys saw plainly how strong was the web of evidence +that the two villains had so cunningly succeeded in throwing around +them; and how completely they appeared to have them in their power. And +what could they do or say to disprove their testimony? Their own tale, +looked at in the light of the evidence of the two men, would seem +improbable, would sound like a tale made up to fit the occasion. And +they could not bring forward a single witness to prove its truthfulness! +No wonder the unfortunate boys were tempted to give up the skin map; for +what is gold, when weighed in the balance against life?</p> + +<p>Thure read the note; and then turned to Bud, his face white and his +heart throbbing with anxiety.</p> + +<p>"What shall our answer be?" he asked in a whisper. "I hate like sin to +give up the skin map to them two scoundrels; but, I reckon, our fathers +and mothers would rather have our lives than the gold. But," and his +face brightened a little, "we have not yet given our testimony. I reckon +we had better wait until we see how the alcalde and the jury take our +stories before giving up the map."</p> + +<p>"Yes," agreed Bud, his own face brightening at the thought of putting +off the surrender a little longer, "we will wait and see what effect our +testimony has. But, I guess you are right, if it comes to hanging," and +he shuddered, "or giving up the map, we'll have to give up the map. But +we won't give up until we've got to," and his face hardened. "Who'd a +thought them two scoundrels could get us in such a terrible fix!" and he +glared wrathfully in the direction of the two men, who now stood close +together regarding Thure and Bud with furtive but anxious eyes.</p> + +<p>"Now to give them two skunks their answer," and Thure, holding the paper +out where the two men could see it, deliberately tore it to pieces and, +turning his back scornfully to them, gave his attention to the doings of +the court.</p> + + + +<hr style="width: 65%;" /> +<h2><a name="CHAPTER_XI" id="CHAPTER_XI"></a>CHAPTER XI</h2> + +<h3>AN UNEXPECTED WITNESS</h3> + + +<p>The alcalde, the moment he saw that the mob spirit had been subdued, had +returned quietly to his place behind the barrel; and, when the two boys +again gave their attention to him, he had just reached his rude seat of +judgment, and was about to speak.</p> + +<p>"I knew," he said, as his keen eyes searched the faces of the men, who +had so opportunely formed the cordon of safety around him and his court, +"that I could depend on the good sense and fair-mindedness of the people +of Sacramento City. We will now proceed with the trial," and he quietly +slipped back both of his revolvers into his coat pockets.</p> + +<p>"Once more," and the alcalde raised his voice so that all could hear, +"the court asks, is there any other witness to bear testimony against +the two prisoners, if so, let him now step forward."</p> + +<p>For a minute or two the alcalde waited. There was no movement, no word +from the surrounding crowd.</p> + +<p>"We will now proceed with the examination of the prisoners. Young man, +take your place on the witness stand," and the alcalde turned to Thure.</p> + +<p>"Don't get excited. Keep cool," cautioned Bud, as Thure hastened to take +his place in front of the barrel.</p> + +<p>A hush came over the great encircling crowd, as Thure stood before +the alcalde and was solemnly sworn to tell the truth, the whole truth, +and nothing but the truth. Many of those rough bearded men had sons +of their own back at home, hardly younger than was the prisoner, who +now stood before the bar of justice, with a rope dangling threateningly +above his head; and these men found it hard to believe that that +wholesome-looking, clear-eyed youth could be guilty of the atrocious +crime charged against him. But, there was the evidence; and the laws of +the city must be enforced; and their faces grew stern and sad.</p> + +<p>Thure told his story in a clear straightforward way; told how he and Bud +had gone out for a hunt on that day, how they had heard the death-cry of +the unfortunate horse and had slain the huge grizzly, how, just after +they had completed the skinning of the grizzly, they had seen the +struggle of the old miner with his two assailants and had rushed to his +rescue, how the robbers had fled, leaving the miner robbed and mortally +stabbed, how they had endeavored to get him to their home before he +died, but had failed, and, finally, how the miner had died and they had +borne his dead body home and had buried it.</p> + +<p>There was hardly a loud sound made while Thure was telling his story. +One could almost have heard the great crowd breathing. When he had +spoken of witnessing the struggle between the miner and his murderers +and of rushing to his rescue, there had been a great stir in the crowd, +but it had quickly subsided, so eager were all to hear every word that +he uttered. His manner and his story made a deep impression; but, alas, +it was soon seen that his evidence had introduced nothing to disprove +the testimony of his two accusers that had any stronger proof back of it +than his own word and the word of his fellow prisoner, while he had +admitted bringing the dead body of the murdered miner home and burying +it, admitted having the dead body of the miner in his possession. This, +at least, was in direct proof of what his accusers had testified; for +they had sworn that they had seen the two boys bear the dead body off +with them. It looked as if they had made their story up to fit in with +the accounts of the previous witnesses and yet disprove the story of +their accusers.</p> + +<p>Thure, so far in his testimony, had said nothing of the description the +old miner had given of his murderers. He was saving that for the last, +to be brought out by the questions of the alcalde, if possible. He +wished to make it as emphatic and striking as possible, and yet he did +not wish to appear to give it voluntarily; for he was wise enough to see +that for him and Bud to accuse their accusers might re-act back on +themselves. Fortunately the questions of the alcalde led directly to it.</p> + +<p>"You testify," began the alcalde, the moment Thure had apparently +completed his testimony, "that you drove the murderers away from the +body of the miner. Did you get near enough to them to recognize them +again, should you see them?"</p> + +<p>"No," Thure answered. "I could only swear that one was a large man and +that the other was small."</p> + +<p>"Did you discover anything that would lead you to surmise who committed +the crime?" again asked the alcalde.</p> + +<p>"No, not directly," answered Thure hesitatingly. "But the old miner, +just before he died, gave us a description of his two murderers," and he +stopped.</p> + +<p>"How did he describe them? Why do you hesitate?" asked the alcalde +sharply.</p> + +<p>"Because," answered Thure boldly, "the description the dying miner gave +of his two murderers appears to make us accuse our accusers, as if we +were trying to get back at them, when it is God's truth that we are +uttering."</p> + +<p>"Give us the description. We are the ones to judge of its merits," +commanded the alcalde, his face flushing with interest, while the +surrounding crowd became breathless.</p> + +<p>Bud was looking at the two men; and he saw both of them start at the +words of Thure and glance apprehensively into each other's eyes.</p> + +<p>"The miner said," and Thure turned his eyes full upon Bill Ugger, "that +one of his murderers was a large, red-headed man with a broken nose; and +that the other," and his eyes turned to the face of Spike Quinley, "was +a small man, with a pock-marked face."</p> + +<p>For a moment no one spoke. All eyes were bent on the faces of the two +men. There was no mistaking to whom the description applied. Then a +harsh laugh broke from Bill Ugger.</p> + +<p>"Tryin' to turn th' tables on us, be you?" and again he laughed. "Wal, I +reckon, ever'one here believes that yarn. It fits tew pat, not tew be +true. So me an' Spike are th' true murderers, be we? Wal, this is sum +unexpected an' s'prisin', ain't it Spike?" and he turned to his comrade, +grinning and glaring like a huge buffoon; but a close observer might +have noticed that his skin had whitened beneath its red beard.</p> + +<p>Quinley had started perceptibly at Thure's description of the miner's +murderers, but he had quickly controlled himself, and a deadly gleam had +come into his wicked little eyes and his thin lips had tightened, as, +unperceived by all eyes, except the eyes the movement was intended for, +he had turned and given a man standing in the edge of the circle a +signal. The man at once had slipped back in the crowd and vanished.</p> + +<p>"Powerful s'prisin'," and Quinley turned and grinned back into the face +of Ugger. "I reckon you can already feel th' rope a-tightenin' 'round +y'ur neck, can't you, Bill? That description sart'in fits us as pat as +an old shoe. But th' s'prisin'est thing 'bout it all is, that I don't +'pear tew have any rekerlections of a-committin' that murder. Must have +ben dreamin', when I done it."</p> + +<p>The eyes of the alcalde, during this brief byplay, had been closely +watching the faces of the two men. He now turned to Thure again.</p> + +<p>"Have you any witnesses, other than your fellow prisoner, to testify to +the truth of your statements?" he asked.</p> + +<p>"No," answered Thure; "except that our mothers and our sisters and the +folks at the rancho can testify to our bringing home the body of the +dead miner and that we told them that we had found him just as I have +said that we did."</p> + +<p>"That would prove nothing as to who committed the murder. Is there +anyone in Sacramento City that knows either of you two boys?"</p> + +<p>"No," again answered Thure. "Not that I know of, unless," and his face +brightened, "Captain Sutler is here. He knows both of us well. We are +expecting to find our dads at Hangtown."</p> + +<p>"Captain Sutter is not here," answered the alcalde, "as anyone in the +city might have told you; and it is impossible to send to Hangtown after +your fathers."</p> + +<p>"But, are we to be proven guilty on the evidence of those two men alone, +whom I am almost certain committed the crime themselves?" and Thure's +face flushed indignantly. "Is not our word, at least, as good as +theirs?"</p> + +<p>"Young man," replied the alcalde sternly, "that is for the jury to +decide. Have you any further evidence to give? If not, and the jury do +not wish to ask you any questions," he paused and glanced toward the +foreman, who shook his head, "you are dismissed, and the other prisoner +can take his place on the witness stand."</p> + +<p>For a moment Thure hesitated. He wanted to say something, to do +something to further disprove this horrible accusation—but, what could +he say or do that he had not already said or done? He had told his +story. There was nothing more for him to tell, nothing more for him to +do; and, with tightly compressed lips, he turned and walked from the +witness stand back to his place by the side of the sheriff, while Bud +took his place in front of the barrel.</p> + +<p>There was nothing new in Bud's testimony. He could only repeat, in +different words, what Thure had already told.</p> + +<p>While Bud was giving his testimony, Spike Quinley worked his way up +close to Thure; and again a piece of paper was slipped furtively into +his hand.</p> + +<p>Thure glanced down at the paper. At least here was a chance to escape +the worst. If Bud did not make a better impression than he apparently +had, then there would be nothing left but to surrender the map, that or +hanging. And it must be done soon now, or it would be too late. Thure +shuddered at the thought of the hanging; and, with fingers that trembled +a little, cautiously opened the paper and read these dreadful words:</p> + +<div class="blockquot"><p>You have gone and done it now you infernal idjit by testifin' agin +us it is now yur necks or ourn al hel kant save you now you kan +keep the map and we wil git it off yur ded bodies and you kan have +the satisfackshun of noin that you might have ben alive and wel +when yur danglin ded at the end of a rope.</p></div> + +<p>The vindictive scrawl closed with a rude attempt to draw a rope, hanging +from a tree, with a man dangling from one end.</p> + +<p>Thure stared blankly at the paper for a moment after he had read the +words that appeared to close their last avenue of escape. He saw clearly +the force of their meaning. It had, indeed, now become a battle for life +between him and Bud and their two accusers. Their testimony, once they +were free, would turn suspicion directly upon Quinley and Ugger. It +would be suicidal for the two men now to attempt to do anything to free +them. Thure raised his eyes and looked wildly around, at the face of the +alcalde, the faces of the jury, and the faces of the surrounding crowd. +On all was a look of ominous sadness and sternness that made his heart +sink. Evidently the words and the actions of the cunning Ugger and the +crafty Quinley had again completely turned the tide against them. But +the worst blow was yet to come.</p> + +<p>Bud completed his testimony and, in an ominous silence, was dismissed. +The alcalde arose from his judgment-stump and turned to address a few +final words to the jury; but, as the first word left his mouth, a +commotion occurred in the crowd directly in front of him.</p> + +<p>"More testimony! Important testimony!" shouted a voice; and a man, with +his right arm done up in a sling, pushed his way through the encircling +crowd.</p> + +<p>The man hastily and keenly scrutinized the faces of the two prisoners.</p> + +<p>"Yes, them's sart'inly th' fellers," he said aloud; and turned his eyes +on the faces of their accusers.</p> + +<p>"Them's shore th' same two men I seed. Thar's no mistaking them faces," +he declared, with conviction. "Now," and he turned to the alcalde, "I +asks y'ur pardon, y'ur honor; but, bein' sum crippled with a broken arm, +as you can see, an', on that account, keepin' sum close in my tent, I +heared nuthin' of this trial 'til jest a few minits ago; but, when I did +hear of it, I felt mortally sart'in that it had tew do with th' same +murder that I witness in th' Sacermento Valley three days ago; an', +wantin' tew see that justice made no mistake, I got here as quick as I +could, tew give in my testimony. Hope I'm not tew late," and he fixed +his eyes anxiously on the face of the alcalde.</p> + +<p>"No; you are not too late," the alcalde answered, looking at the man +keenly, "if your evidence is of real importance."</p> + +<p>"I reckon it is of real importance," answered the man, "seein' that I +saw th' killin' done with my own two eyes; an' was close enough tew +reckernize th' killers plain."</p> + +<p>This statement caused a big sensation in the surrounding crowd. All +pressed nearer, and stretched their heads eagerly forward to get a sight +of this new witness, while, "Hush!" "Quiet!" "Shut your mouth!" and like +expressions, came from all around the crowding circle of men.</p> + +<p>Thure and Bud had both started with pleased surprise at the words of +this unexpected witness, and their faces lighted up with hope. Here, at +last, was a witness who would tell the truth, who would free them from +this horrible accusation of murder; for, evidently by his actions, he +was as much of a stranger to Ugger and Quinley as he was to themselves, +and, consequently, he could not be in league with their two cunning and +mendacious accusers. They glanced at the two men. Their surprise +appeared to be real; and the two boys thought they detected a look of +fearful consternation on each face.</p> + +<p>"Step forward and be sworn," commanded the alcalde, the moment the buzz +of the excitement caused by the words of the man with the broken arm had +ceased.</p> + +<p>The man stepped quickly in front of the barrel; and was sworn, in the +same manner the other witnesses had been sworn, to tell the truth.</p> + +<p>"What is your name and business?" demanded the alcalde.</p> + +<p>"John Skoonly," replied the man; "an' I'm bound for th' diggin's. Jest +got in from San Francisco this mornin'."</p> + +<p>"Now, John Skoonly," and the alcalde's eyes rested steadily on the +witness's face as he settled back on his stump, "kindly tell the jury +and the people gathered here, what you know of the case now being tried +before them."</p> + +<p>"I was on my way from San Francisco tew here," began the witness, "when +three days ago I wandered off th' main trail tew do a little huntin' an' +was throwed by my hoss an' broke my right arm. That took all th' hunt +out of me; an' I laid down under sum trees that growed 'long side a crik +tew try an' do sumthin' tew ease up th' pain an' tew git a little rest +afore I started back for th' trail.</p> + +<p>"Wal, I reckon I hadn't ben thar more'n half an hour, when I heared a +screech that fairly lifted my hat off my head, a-comin' from th' open +valley, jest beyont th' trees whar I was a-lyin' in th' shade, an' +a-soundin' like sum feller was gittin' hurt mortal bad. I jumps up quick +an' runs tew sum bushes that growed a-treen me an' th' sound, an' looks +through 'em, a little cautious-like on account of my broken arm, an' +seed three men a-strugglin' on th' ground not more'n forty rods from +whar I was; an' th' next I knowed I heared a lot of yellin', an' seen +tew men jump out of th' bushes sum twenty rods below me, an' start +runnin' for them fightin' men. But, afore they'd made a dozen jumps, tew +of them men springs up from th' ground, th' other man didn't 'pear tew +have any spring left in him, but lay still, grabs up their rifles an' +hollers tew them runnin' men tew stop sudden, or they'd shoot; an' th' +men stops sudden, they havin' only pistols. Then th' tew men with rifles +yells for them tew git an' git quick, an' one on 'em fires his rifle; +an', I reckon, th' bullet must have come close, for th' tew men whirled +'bout like they was sum scart an' started back for th' bushes.</p> + +<p>"Th' tew men now picks up th' body of th' third man, which hangs limp +like he was dead, an' flings it across th' back of one of their hosses +an' ties it thar. Then they mounts th' other tew hosses an' goes +a-ridin' off a-leadin' the hoss with th' dead body across its back ahind +'em; an' in ridin' off, they comes within a dozen rods of whar I was +a-hidin', an' I sees 'em plain, an' I was s'prised tew see that they +didn't look tew be much more'n boys; an' yit they 'peared tew have +killed a man!</p> + +<p>"Y'ur honor," and the man paused and whirled partly around, and when he +continued again his voice was very solemn, "as shore as thar is a God in +heaven, th' tew men that I saw a-ridin' by me, with that dead body on +th' hoss ahind them, are a-standin' right thar!" and he pointed straight +toward Thure and Bud.</p> + +<p>A sound of horror and of rage went up from the surrounding crowd, a +sound that had the promise of dreadful things to come in it.</p> + +<p>The alcalde leaped to his feet, his face looking white and drawn; for he +knew that now the two boys were doomed, and, somehow, in spite of all +the terrible evidence, he could not look into their clear-eyed faces and +believe them guilty of such a horrible crime.</p> + +<p>"Silence! Silence, men!" he commanded, stretching out both of his hands +imperatively. "Silence! I have questions, important questions to ask the +witness."</p> + +<p>Almost instantly the great crowd became still, so anxious were all now +to hear every word.</p> + +<p>"John Skoonly," and the alcalde turned to the witness, "you swear that +you saw two men start to the rescue of the murdered man. Did you see +these two men plainly enough to recognize them should you see them +again?"</p> + +<p>"Sart'in'," replied the man promptly, and, whirling about, he pointed to +Quinley and Ugger, "Thar they stand. I'd know them mugs ag'in anywhar," +and he grinned.</p> + +<p>"Why," continued the alcalde, "did you not make your presence known to +these two men, at least after the murderers had ridden off? There would +not have been any danger then," and he smiled scornfully; "and they +might have been of help to you in your crippled condition."</p> + +<p>"Wal," answered the man frankly, turning and looking squarely into the +faces of Ugger and Quinley, "tew be honest, I didn't like th' looks of +them tew faces none tew much; an', as I had consider'ble of money 'long +with me, I reckoned 'twould be safer for me tew travel alone jest then, +so I jest sneaked out 'tother side of th' trees an' rode back tew th' +trail alone."</p> + +<p>Quinley and Ugger scowled at this frank reference to their looks; and a +few in the encircling crowd laughed grimly. Plainly there could be no +collusion between this witness and Ugger and Quinley; and this apparent +fact gave almost the positiveness of proven truth to his testimony, in +the eyes of the crowd.</p> + +<p>"Then," and the alcalde looked sharply into the face of the witness, +"you never saw either William Ugger or Spikenard Quinley, until you saw +them, as described in your testimony, on the day of the murder?"</p> + +<p>"If y'ur meanin' that little pock-marked runt an' that big red-readed +feller with a smashed nose, a-standin' thar, I sart'inly never did see +them afore that identickle moment. Why, I didn't even know their names +'til you spoke 'em out."</p> + +<p>Again some of the crowd laughed in a grim sort of a way; and again Ugger +and Quinley scowled and glared wrathfully at the frank-spoken witness.</p> + +<p>"I am done," the alcalde said quietly, turning to the jury. "Do you, +gentlemen of the jury, wish to ask the witness any questions?"</p> + +<p>"No," replied the foreman, after a glance into the faces of his fellow +jurymen. "Your questions have brought out the only points we wished to +inquire about."</p> + +<p>"Do the prisoners wish to ask the witness any questions?" and the +alcalde turned to Thure and Bud.</p> + +<p>For a moment neither boy spoke, neither boy moved. The testimony of this +witness, so different from what they had expected, had dumfounded them. +They felt that he had knocked the last prop out from under their safety; +and all the horrors of their situation had dropped down on their spirits +with crushing, numbing force. Their minds, their nerves, their very +muscles were paralyzed, for the moment, by the sudden and awful +realization that now they must hang, must hang for a crime committed by +others!</p> + +<p>But a boy at eighteen can never be long absolutely without hope. Surely, +surely the jury, the alcalde must see that this witness had lied, that +all the witnesses against them had lied! They could not, they could not +bring in a verdict of guilty! They could not sentence them, Thure +Conroyal and Bud Randolph, to be hanged! Hanged! The thought stung them +into life; and Thure turned wildly to the alcalde.</p> + +<p>"It's a lie! a lie!" he cried. "It is all a lie! They know it is a lie! +You surely must believe us! We did not kill the miner! We tried to save +him! In spite of all their lies, you must believe us! We are only two +boys, two boys without a friend to help us! We can not fight against +their cunning! It is our word against their word! Look at us! Look into +our faces! Do we look like boys who would kill a man? Look into the +faces of our accusers! Think, we have fathers, mothers, brothers, +sisters! Oh, you can not hang us, you can not hang us! You must believe +us!"</p> + +<p>"My boy," there was a solemn sternness in the voice of the alcalde as he +spoke, "if you are guiltless of the crime charged against you, then, may +God have mercy on us and on you! But I, the jury, the men gathered here +can only judge of your guilt or innocence by the evidence presented +before us; and, according to that evidence, and not according to the +dictates of hearts that may be touched by your youth and seeming +innocence, must the verdict be rendered. Gentlemen of the jury," and he +turned to the jury, "the evidence has now all been laid before you; and +it now becomes your duty to determine the guilt or the innocence of the +prisoners. May the great God of justice and mercy direct your judgment +aright; and cause you to bring in a verdict in accordance with the real +truth!"</p> + + + +<hr style="width: 65%;" /> +<h2><a name="CHAPTER_XII" id="CHAPTER_XII"></a>CHAPTER XII</h2> + +<h3>HAMMER JONES</h3> + + +<p>The jurymen at once gathered about the foreman; but the consultation was +brief. In less than ten minutes the foreman signified that the verdict +was ready.</p> + +<p>"Sheriff," the alcalde's lips were tight-drawn and his face whitened as +he spoke, "bring the prisoners forward to hear the verdict of the jury."</p> + +<p>The jury now stood together in line, on the right of the alcalde. The +foreman stood a pace in front of this line.</p> + +<p>The sheriff led Thure and Bud directly up in front of the line and +within a couple of paces of the foreman; and there he halted the +prisoners to await the giving of the verdict.</p> + +<p>For a minute there was absolute silence, as the prisoners stood thus +before the jury. The surrounding crowd forgot to breathe. It seemed, for +a moment, as if the alcalde could not ask the fateful questions; but, at +last, his tight-drawn lips parted.</p> + +<p>"Gentlemen of the jury, are you ready to render your verdict?" he asked.</p> + +<p>"We are ready," answered the foreman.</p> + +<p>"Gentlemen of the jury, you may state your verdict."</p> + +<p>The foreman's eyes faltered and turned from the faces of the prisoners.</p> + +<p>"Guilty of the crime as charged," he said, and closed his lips tightly, +and turned his head away.</p> + +<p>The great crowd breathed again; and an ominous, deep-toned, shuddering +murmur arose from its depths, as all eyes turned toward the alcalde. It +now became his duty to sentence the prisoners; and, in accordance with +the verdict just rendered, he could pronounce but one sentence—hanging.</p> + +<p>For a full minute the alcalde stood straight and silent. He realized to +its full the awful irrevocableness of the sentence he was about to +pronounce, and a shuddering horror shook his soul. Never before had he +felt like this when pronouncing a similar sentence. The sight of those +two, white, staring, boyish faces had unmanned him—yet he must do his +duty.</p> + +<p>"Thure Conroyal, Bud Randolph—" His voice was clear and firm and the +eyes he turned on the prisoners stern and steady—"a just and impartial +jury have found you guilty of the horrible crime of murder; and it now +becomes my awful duty to pronounce your sentence. Stand forth and +receive your sentence."</p> + +<p>As Thure and Bud turned their white faces toward the alcalde and stepped +forth to receive their sentence, a man, almost a giant in size, who had +just pushed himself through the crowd to the inner edge of the circle, +uttered an exclamation of surprise and horror; and, the next instant, he +had flung the men still standing between him and the open space around +the alcalde and the prisoners violently to one side, and, almost in a +bound, had reached the side of the alcalde.</p> + +<p>"Great God in heaven, alcalde!" he roared. "What does this mean?" and he +stared from the face of the alcalde to the faces of the two boys, into +whose dulled eyes had suddenly leaped a great light at the sight of the +big man.</p> + +<p>"Murder and hanging," answered the alcalde sternly. "The prisoners have +had a fair trial; the jury have pronounced them guilty; and I am about +to sentence them to be hanged."</p> + +<p>"Murder! Hanged!" and the utter, unbelieving astonishment on the face of +the big man was good to see.</p> + +<p>"It's a lie, a lie! We never killed the man! Oh, Ham, we never killed +the man! You, surely, will believe us!" and Thure and Bud both, with +faces white with excitement and hope, sprang eagerly to the side of the +big fellow.</p> + +<p>"Shut up! Stand back!" and he pushed the boys away. "See here," and he +swung around in front of the alcalde, "you know me; an' you know I'd +never try tew save th' neck of no criminal. But I know them boys, know +their dads an' mas; an' I know they never committed no murder. Who seen +'em dew it? Whar are th' witnesses?" and his eyes glared around the +circle of tense faces.</p> + +<p>"There they stand, Ham," and the alcalde pointed to the three witnesses, +who at the sudden appearance of Hammer Jones, the big friend of the two +boys, had involuntarily come together, as if for mutual defense; "and +each one of the three swore positively that he saw the boys kill the +man."</p> + +<p>"Huh!" and, almost in a stride, Hammer Jones stood directly in front of +Bill Ugger; and, the instant his eyes looked closely into the face of +the man, his own face went white with wrath.</p> + +<p>"Hello, Greaser Smith!" and the great hand fell on the shrinking +shoulder and gripped the coat collar tightly. "So you're one of th' +skunks that's a-tryin' tew git them tew boys hanged, be you? Rekerlect +that time down in Sante Fé, when you was a-goin' tew skin a nigger +alive, an' wanted tew kill tew boys for interferin'? Still up tew yur +boyish tricks, I see. Wal, I've still got th' same big foot that kicked +you intew th' mudpuddle; an' th' same big fist that smashed that nose of +yourn when you was a-tryin' tew kiss a Mexican gal against her will. An' +now you're a-tryin' tew have tew innocent boys hanged for a murder that +you probably did yurself," and Ham's eyes flamed. "You cowardly skunk!" +and, suddenly letting go of the coat collar, he took a quick step +backward, and swung up his great fist with all the strength of his +powerful right arm, striking the man squarely under the chin. The force +of the blow lifted Ugger, alias Greaser Smith, off his feet and hurled +him to the ground as senseless as a log.</p> + +<p>"Now, we'll have a look at th' other witnesses," and Ham turned to the +cringing Quinley.</p> + +<p>"Never seed you afore," he declared, as he looked into the pock-marked +face of the trembling man, whose terrified eyes were fixed on the huge +fist that had so summarily dealt with his big partner. "Wal, you are a +likely lookin' cuss tew be th' side partner of Greaser Smith. I reckon +you tew pull tewgether like tew mules. I'll have sumthin' special tew +say tew you 'bout this case, when I see who t'other witness is," and he +turned to the man with the broken arm, who had been looking excitedly +around, as if he were searching for an opening in the crowd through +which to escape and who now stood with his back toward Hammer Jones.</p> + +<p>"Here, you," and Ham caught him by the shoulder and whirled him around, +"jest give me a sight of yur mug—wal, I'll be durned, if 'tain't +Skoonly!" and Ham's eyes widened with surprise and the angry glint in +them deepened, while the man under the grip of his big hand shook as if +he had an ague fit. "Here's matter for the alcalde. Come," and he +started toward the alcalde, dragging the man along with him.</p> + +<p>So sudden had been Ham's appearance and so swift and unexpected were his +actions, that, at first, the great surrounding crowd had stood and +stared at him in astonishment, making no move; but, by now, they were +beginning to wake up to the fact that here was a man evidently bent on +defeating the ends of justice; and an angry growl, the growl of a mob, a +sound once heard that is never forgotten, rolled out from its midst. But +there were many men in that crowd who knew Hammer Jones, who had hunted +and trapped and fought Indians with him, who had seen him risk his life +fearlessly to save a comrade's life, and who never yet had known him to +do a dishonorable deed; and these men knew, that, if Hammer Jones said +that the prisoners were innocent, he had good reasons for saying it, and +they were ready to see that he had a chance to prove his statement; and +cries of: "Hurrah for Ham Jones!" "Give him a chance to prove what he +says!" "Hear! Hear! Hear! Ham Jones!" "He shall be heard!" mingled with +yells of: "String him up along with the boys!" "Bust his head!" "He's +trying to rescue the murderers!" and like cries of rage at this +unexpected interference.</p> + +<p>But, before these two opposing forces could come to a clash, a tall +spare man, whose deep-set eyes, keen and piercing as a hawk's, shone out +of a weather-bronzed face, pushed himself hurriedly through the crowd +that was beginning to seethe around the open court-room beneath the +great evergreen oak, and hastened to the side of the alcalde.</p> + +<p>"What is the trouble?" he demanded in a quiet authoritative tone of +voice.</p> + +<p>The alcalde welcomed him with a glad smile of recognition; and, as +briefly as possible, told him what had occurred.</p> + +<p>The man turned quickly and the keen eyes glanced, with a violent start +of recognition, for a moment into the faces of the two boys.</p> + +<p>"My God, alcalde!" and he whirled about in front of the surprised +alcalde, "you were about to make a terrible mistake! I know these boys +well; and I know they never murdered a man.</p> + +<p>"Men! Men! Hear me!" and he leaped lightly up on top of the barrel that +stood in front of the alcalde, his singularly clear and penetrating +voice reaching every ear in the crowd. "Men! Men! Hear me! A terrible +mistake has—"</p> + +<p>"It's Fremont!" shouted someone. "Hurrah for Colonel Fremont! The man +who licked the Mexicans! The man who won California for us! Hurrah for +Colonel Fremont!"</p> + +<p>The name acted like magic in quieting the fast-growing turbulence of the +crowd. There was not a man present who had not heard of the dauntless +young explorer, the bold soldier, the recent conqueror of California, to +whom more than to any other one man they owed the fact that the +gold-diggings were in the territory of the United States; and all wished +to see this remarkable man, all were ready to hear what he had to say. +As suddenly as it had begun, the violence of the crowd ceased and all +eyes were turned toward Fremont.</p> + +<p>"Go ahead, Colonel!" shouted a rough voice. "Thar's enough of y'ur old +men here tew see that you git a fair hearin'."</p> + +<p>"Thank you, gentlemen," and Fremont bowed. "The alcalde tells me," he +continued, after a moment's pause, "that you have tried those two boys," +and he pointed to Thure and Bud, "for murder, have found them guilty, +and were about to hang them. I know these two young men, your prisoners, +well. I know their fathers, their brothers, have known them for years; +and so sure am I that you have made a terrible mistake, that I am ready, +personally, to stand accountable for them until their innocence has been +proven to your complete satisfaction."</p> + +<p>"But, three men swore that they saw the prisoners kill the man, +Colonel!" called someone from the crowd. "This has been no mob trial; +but a regular court trial by jury; and the jury found them guilty, +unanimous."</p> + +<p>"Where are those witnesses? Let us have a look at them?" demanded +Fremont.</p> + +<p>"Here's one on 'em, Colonel," and the huge frame of Hammer Jones loomed +up in front of Fremont, with the trembling Skoonly still in the grip of +his right hand. "I swun, but I am glad tew see you right now," and +quickly shifting Skoonly to his left hand, he extended his right to +Fremont.</p> + +<p>"Ham, Hammer Jones!" and Fremont gripped the extended hand with glad +cordiality. "It's like old times to see your face again. But this is no +time for idle talk," and his fine face hardened. "So that is one of the +witnesses against Thure and Bud," and his piercing eyes looked +searchingly into the face of Skoonly. "What did he swear to?" and +Fremont turned quickly to the alcalde.</p> + +<p>"He swore," answered the alcalde, "that he saw the prisoners kill the +man three days ago in the Sacramento Valley—"</p> + +<p>"Three days ago!" snorted Ham wrathfully. "He saw th' prisoners kill a +man three days ago in th' Sacermento Valley! Not unless he's got a +double-barreled long-shot gun ahind him that can shoot his body clean +from Hangtown tew th' Sacermento Valley in less time than I could take a +chaw of ter-backer; for three days ago I seen this identickle man, +Skoonly, run out of Hangtown for tryin' tew steal th' gold-dust of a +sick miner. S'cuse me for interrupting" and Ham turned his eyes, still +glinting with his honest wrath, to the alcalde.</p> + +<p>"What!" and the alcalde's eyes brightened and his whole face lightened, +as if a great load had been suddenly lifted off his soul. "You saw this +man run out of Hangtown three days ago! The very time that he swore he +was on his way from San Francisco to the diggings! The very day that he +swore he saw the prisoners kill the miner in the Sacramento Valley!"</p> + +<p>"Right. He sart'in was in Hangtown three days ago. I reckon I otter +know, seein' I was one on 'em tew help run him out. Ay, Skoonly," and +Ham jerked the cringing man around in front of the alcalde. "Now, what +might be th' trouble with that arm?" and he glared down at the bandaged +arm of Skoonly, who had submitted to all these indignities, almost +without a protest. He knew Hammer Jones.</p> + +<p>"He said," answered the alcalde, "that his horse threw him and broke his +arm a little while before he saw the murder committed and that that was +why he had not gone to the help of the miner."</p> + +<p>"Huh!" and again Ham snorted scornfully, then a sudden gleam came into +his eyes, and he turned quickly to the alcalde. "Supposing" he grinned, +"you have that broken arm investigated. 'Twouldn't s'prise me none tew +find it a durned good arm yit."</p> + +<p>"Good!" and the alcalde smiled. "Skoonly can't object, because it will +be a strong point in his favor, if we find the arm really broken."</p> + +<p>"But I do object," protested Skoonly emphatically, his face becoming +livid. "Th' pain'll be sumthin' awful; an' doc said that it mustn't be +taken out of the splints for a month on no account."</p> + +<p>"Objection overruled," declared the alcalde, who had been watching the +man's face. "Here," and he turned to the foreman of the jury, "this +appears like a proper point for you to investigate. I'll turn him over +to you. Be careful and not hurt the arm any more than you are compelled +to," and he smiled.</p> + +<p>The crowd, which by this time had formed a close and deeply interested +circle around the dramatic characters in the little drama that was here +being enacted, watched with tense and grim faces, the foreman, aided by +a couple of his fellow jurymen, slowly unwind the bandages from +Skoonly's arm. If they had been fooled, if they had been led by false +testimony almost to hang two innocent men, nay, boys, their wrath +against the false accusers would be sudden and terrible.</p> + +<p>Skoonly yelled and squirmed, when they began unwinding the bandages from +his arm, as if the action caused him the most intense pain, and begged +them to stop, while his face grew so white that even Ham himself began +to fear that the arm, at least, bore no false testimony; but the +unwinding went steadily on.</p> + +<p>And, lo and behold! when the last bandage was off, there lay the arm, +sound of bone, and without even a bruise or discoloration along its +whole length!</p> + +<p>"Wal, I'll be durned! Jest as I thought! The cur! An' that is th' kind +of evidence you was a-go-in' tew hang them boys on!" and Ham's angry +eyes swept the circle of surrounding faces.</p> + +<p>A murmur, that swiftly swelled into a roar of hundreds of angry voices, +broke from the surrounding crowd, when Ham's testimony and the result of +the examination of Skoonly's bandaged arm became known.</p> + +<p>"A rope! Get a rope! Hang him!" yelled a hoarse voice; and the cry was +taken up by hundreds of voices; and the jam of enraged men pressed +closer and closer to the cowering man, whose face grew livid with fear, +as he glared wildly around, seeking some means of escape. But there was +none; and despair and a great dread, the dread of a sudden and frightful +death, took possession of his soul.</p> + +<p>"Save me! Save me!" he yelled, throwing himself at Fremont's feet. "I +did not mean tew git th' boys hanged. They, Bill an' Spike, told me +'twas jest tew scare them. They was a-tryin' tew frighten th' boys intew +doin' sumthin' for them—Oh-h-h, don't let them git me! Save me!" and he +clutched Fremont's legs with both his quivering hands, as the roar of +the crowd became louder and more threatening.</p> + +<p>"Quick," and Fremont bent over him, "will you tell all, all that you +know of this horrible affair, if we will save your neck?"</p> + +<p>"Yes! Yes!" eagerly agreed the terror-stricken man. "I'll tell +ever'thing! Afore God I'll tell ever'thing! It's Bill an' Spike who is +responsible, not me. It's them you want."</p> + +<p>"Men," and Fremont again leaped up on top of the barrel, both hands +outstretched for silence. "Listen, men, listen!"</p> + +<p>For a minute the roar of the crowd continued, and then swiftly subsided, +as all eyes caught sight of the tall figure of Fremont standing on the +barrel top.</p> + +<p>"Make your words few and to the point, Colonel. This is no time for +speech-making," warned a voice from the crowd. "We want to get hold of +the skunk who was willing to falsely swear away the lives of two boys."</p> + +<p>"My words will be few and to the point," Fremont began, his clear +penetrating voice reaching every ear in the crowd. "Skoonly will confess +everything, if you will spare his neck. He appears to have been but the +tool of the other two men; and we will need his testimony to make out a +case against them and to prove to the satisfaction of all, the innocence +of the two boys. Under these circumstances, it would seem to be best to +allow him to go free, providing he makes a clean breast of everything he +knows concerning this case."</p> + +<p>"And further providin'," supplemented Ham, "that he be warned never +ag'in tew show his cowardly face in Sacermento City or any minin'-camp +in Calaforny, under penalty of instant hangin'."</p> + +<p>"An' that he be given a hoss-licken, jest afore lettin' him go," added a +roughly dressed miner, standing near the inner edge of the circle.</p> + +<p>Growlingly, like a hungry dog driven from a bone, the crowd at length +agreed to this disposal of Skoonly; and the wretched man, with much +faltering and many terrified glances around the enclosing circle of grim +faces, told how, for a thousand dollars in gold-dust, he had agreed to +help Quinley and Ugger out with his testimony, if they needed it; how he +and the two scoundrels had planned out the whole thing the night before +and were on the lookout for the boys that morning; how he had remained +in a near-by saloon, with his manufactured broken arm all ready, waiting +for a summons from the two men; and how, at last, the summons had come +and he had given in his testimony, according to agreement. He declared +that the two men had told him that they only wished to frighten the two +boys into giving up something, he did not know what, that really +belonged to them, and had assured him there would be no danger of +getting the boys hanged, that they would be sure to yield before it got +to that point. About the murder of the miner he knew nothing, except +that Spike Quinley and Bill Ugger had told him that they had killed the +man themselves, and had showed him the money-belt, still heavy with +gold-dust, that they had taken from him—</p> + +<p>"Great guns!" broke in Ham excitedly, at this moment, "if we ain't plum +forgot them tew villains," and he made a mad break through the crowd in +the direction of the spot where he had left Quinley and Ugger.</p> + +<p>In an instant the wildest excitement prevailed; and hundreds of men were +rushing about excitedly, looking for the two scoundrels. But Quinley and +Ugger were wise in their wickedness, and seeing, with fear-enlightened +eyes, the results of the advent of Hammer Jones and Colonel Fremont, had +taken advantage of the excitement attending the examination of Skoonly, +to disappear so suddenly and completely, that, although Sacramento City +was searched all that day and that night, as with a fine-toothed comb, +not a sign nor hair of either man could be found; and the enraged crowd +had to be satisfied with giving Skoonly the promised "hoss-licken," and +running him out of town the next morning, with a warning never to show +his cowardly face on their streets again, unless he was looking for the +job of dancing the hangman's hornpipe at the end of a rope.</p> + +<p>The excitement and the confusion and the swift scattering of the crowd, +attending the search for the two scoundrels, of course ended the trial +of Thure Conroyal and Bud Randolph for the murder of John Stackpole; and +they stood free and worthy men in the sight of all people once more—and +with the skin map still in their possession.</p> + +<p>"Great Moses! but I was glad to see you, Ham!" declared Thure, as he +gripped his big friend's hand, after some of the excitement had quieted +down.</p> + +<p>"Glad! Glad is no name for my feelings, when I saw your great body loom +up by the side of the alcalde," and Bud gripped his other hand.</p> + +<p>"I reckon you was some pleased tew see me," grinned back Ham, "both on +you," and the hearty grip of his big hands made both boys wince.</p> + +<p>"Colonel, Colonel Fremont!" and Thure broke away from Ham's hand to rush +up to Fremont, who was talking with the alcalde. "I—we can never thank +you enough for coming so splendidly to our help."</p> + +<p>"Then do not try," smiled back Fremont. "My boy," and he gripped Thure's +hand, as his face sobered, "I have not forgotten a certain night, some +three years ago, near the shores of Lake Klamath, when an Indian stood +with bow bended and arrow aimed at my breast; nor the skill and +quickness of the boy, whose bullet struck and killed the Indian before +his fingers could loose the arrow.<a name="FNanchor_2_2" id="FNanchor_2_2"></a><a href="#Footnote_2_2" class="fnanchor">[2]</a> I fancy that I have not yet +discharged my full debt to that boy."</p> + + + +<p>"That—that was nothing," stammered Thure, his face flushing with +pleasure to think that Fremont still remembered the incident. "But +this—Think of the terrible death you helped save us from!" and Thure +shuddered.</p> + +<p>"Yes, it was terrible," and Fremont's eyes rested kindly on the face of +the boy, "but, think no more about it now," he added quickly, as he saw +how swiftly the color had fled from his face at the thought of the +dreadful peril he had just escaped. "Come," and he turned briskly to +Ham, "I wish you, and the two boys, and the alcalde, if he will do us +the honor, to dine with me. I have an hour at my disposal before I must +leave the city; and I know of no better way of spending it than in your +company. Besides, I am hungry, and I am sure you are, also, after all +this excitement, now happily over. So, fall in," and he smiled, as he +gave the once familiar command.</p> + +<p>The alcalde begged to be excused, on account of other matters that +demanded his immediate attention; but Ham and the two boys, with +answering-smiles on their faces, "fell in"; and, under the command of +Fremont, charged down on the City Hotel, where their generous host +entertained them lavishly on the costly viands of that expensive +hostelry, while he and Ham talked of old times, of the perils and +hardships and joys they had shared on those wonderful exploring +expeditions that had brought a world-wide fame to the then young +lieutenant, and the two delighted boys listened, until it became time +for Colonel Fremont to go.</p> + +<p>"Our dads will never forget what you have done for us, Colonel," Thure +said, as he grasped Fremont's hand in farewell.</p> + +<p>"I may soon put them to the test," smiled back Fremont, "by giving them +an opportunity to vote for me, when we get our state goverment +organized."</p> + +<p>"You sure can count on all our votes," declared Thure eagerly; "that is, +as soon as Bud and I are old enough to vote."</p> + +<p>"Thank you," laughed Fremont, and added quickly, his face sobering. "And +it is an honor to any man to receive the votes of men like your fathers +and Ham here and you two boys, even in prospect, an honor, that, believe +me, I appreciate," and the light in his forceful eyes deepened, as if he +were seeing visions of the future. "But, I must be off. Remember me to +your fathers and to all the others," and he sprang lightly on to the +back of his horse, near which he had been standing during these words, +and galloped off down the street toward the ferry.</p> + + + +<hr style="width: 65%;" /> +<h2><a name="CHAPTER_XIII" id="CHAPTER_XIII"></a>CHAPTER XIII</h2> + +<h3>EXPLANATIONS</h3> + + +<p>"Wal, now," and Ham turned a puzzled and frowning face on the two boys, +the moment Colonel Fremont had vanished down the street, "what are you +tew yunks a-dewin' in Sacremento City? A-tryin' tew git yur necks +stretched, you blamed idgits? I'll be durned, if I wouldn't like tew +spank both on you!" and the frown on his face deepened. "I—"</p> + +<p>"Oh, Ham," broke in Thure excitedly, "we've got the most wonderful story +to tell! And it all comes from that murdered miner, who, before he died, +told us about a wonderfully rich mine that he had discovered; and it was +to get the map to this mine that those two dreadful men tried to get us +hanged—"</p> + +<p>"Whoa—up! Jest pull up y'ur hosses a bit," and Ham stared in +astonishment at the excited boy. "You're a-goin' tew fast for me tew +keep up. Come 'long back intew th' hotel, an' tell me y'ur story +straight, not in jerks an' chunks," and he led the way back into the +City Hotel, and to a quiet corner in the big waiting-room, where they +could talk undisturbed and unheard.</p> + +<p>Here, in low but excited voices and after exacting promises of the +utmost secrecy, Thure and Bud told their wonderful story to Ham.</p> + +<p>"Wal, I'll be tee-totally durned, if it don't sound good!" declared that +worthy, when, at last, the tale had been completed. "But thar's lots of +mighty good soundin' yarns goin' 'round camp, 'bout wonderful gold +mountains an' caves of gold. Howsomever, I never heer'd tell on +anybudy's really findin' any on 'em; an', I reckon, 'most on 'em is jest +lies. But that thar map seems tew give y'ur yarn a look like th' truth; +an', I reckon, them tew skunks must have believed th' yarn, or they +wouldn't have ben so pow'ful anxious tew git th' map. Gosh, if it should +prove true!" and Ham's eyes widened and his cheeks flushed and he drew +in a deep breath. "I'll be durned, if it should prove true, if I don't +go back tew my old home in Vermont, that I ain't seen since I was a yunk +'bout y'ur age, an' buy up th' old farm, an' build a big house on it, +an'—Gosh, a'mighty, if that yarn of y'urn ain't sot me tew dreamin'!" +and Ham came back to the earth, looking a bit foolish. "More'n likely +it's all a lie; an' thar I was a buyin' farms an' a-buildin' houses! +Queer how th' gold gits intew th' blood an' makes all humans tarnal +idgits, now ain't it?" and he shook his head wonderingly.</p> + +<p>"But, there's the map, and the big gold nugget, and all the gold that +the murderers got from him," protested Thure. "He must have found some +kind of a mine to have got that gold; and crazy folks wouldn't draw real +maps of the gold-diggings they only imagined they had discovered."</p> + +<p>"An' you've got that map, an' that hunk of gold with you?" and again the +eager light shone in Ham's eyes. "Wal, I reckon I'd like tew have a look +at that nugget an' map."</p> + +<p>"But, not here," interjected Bud anxiously, as he glanced suspiciously +around the big room at a number of roughly dressed men, who were +standing in front of the bar or seated at tables playing cards. "I think +that we had better wait until we get to our dads, before we show up the +map and the nugget. We can't be too careful. Now, how comes it that you +are in Sacramento City, Ham?" and the eyes of both boys turned +inquiringly to the face of their big friend.</p> + +<p>"Reckon you're right 'bout th' map an' nugget," admitted Ham +reluctantly. "Leastwise I don't blame you for bein' some keerful after +y'ur late experience," and his own eyes glanced sharply about the room. +"Now, as tew my bein' here, that's soon explained. Y'ur dads an' th' +rest sent me in tew git a load of camp-supplies—flour, bacon, sugar, +coffee an' sech like things tew eat, 'long with some diggin' tools an' +extra clothin'. Got in a leetle afore noon; an', heerin' thar was a +murder trial on in th' hoss-market, I hit th' trail for th' market tew +once, bein' some anxious tew see who was a-goin' tew have their necks +stretched. Wal, if I didn't 'most have tew push my heart back down my +throat with my fist, when I seed that you tew yunks was th' criminals!"</p> + +<p>"But you made things hum, when you got started," and the eyes of Bud +glowed with admiration, as they rested on the face of his big friend. +"You just straightened things out in no time. My, but it did do me good +to see you give Brokennose that punch on the jaw!"</p> + +<p>"Same here," grinned Ham. "But it riled me all up tew have them tew curs +git away. If ever I lay my eyes on either one on 'em ag'in," and his +eyes glinted savagely, "thar won't be no need of no rope tew hang 'em, +th' cowardly murderin' skunks!" and he banged his great fist down on the +table so hard that nearly every one in the room jumped and turned their +eyes curiously in his direction.</p> + +<p>For a few minutes longer Ham and the two boys sat talking together, then +Ham suddenly straightened up.</p> + +<p>"Wal, if I ain't forgettin' all 'bout them supplies in th' excitement," +he said, hurriedly rising. "Come on, yunks, I've got tew hustle an' make +all them purchases afore night; for we've got tew git out of here afore +sun-up tew-morrer," and Ham led the way out of the hotel, to where he +had left a couple of sturdy little pack-horses tied to the trees, when +he had rushed off to see the hanging.</p> + +<p>An open space, under the overhanging branches of a huge evergreen oak, +was now selected for the camp for the night; and hither Ham and the two +boys brought their horses, and, after unsaddling and unbridling them, +gave them a scanty supply of grass, bought at fifty cents a big hand +full, and a little barley, at a dollar a quart. Then Bud, the two boys +had drawn cuts to see who should stay, was left to watch the camp, and +Ham and Thure started out to make the needed purchases.</p> + +<p>The shops were crowded with men buying goods to take with them to the +gold-mines, or diggings, as the mines were almost universally called, +and paying for them with gold-dust, the name given to the fine particles +of rough gold dug out of the ground, at the rate of about sixteen +dollars to the ounce of gold. On every counter stood a pair of scales, +with which to weigh the gold; and it was a curious sight to Thure to see +these men, whenever they bought anything, pull out a little bag or other +receptacle, take out a few pinches of what looked like grains of coarse +yellow sand, and drop them on the scales, until the required weight was +reached, in payment for the purchase. Ham, himself, had only gold-dust +with which to make his payments; and it made Thure feel quite like a +real miner, when he handed the little gold-bag to him and told him to +attend to the paying, while he did the selecting of the goods needed.</p> + +<p>By sundown all the purchases were made and carried to the camp and +everything made ready for an early start in the morning.</p> + +<p>After supper—they got their own suppers, all deciding that the food at +the hotels was too rich for their blood, or, rather, pockets—Thure and +Bud, boy-like, notwithstanding their weariness, wanted to take a little +stroll about the town; but Ham promptly and emphatically vetoed any such +a move on their part.</p> + +<p>"I'll be durned if you dew!" he declared decisively, the instant the +subject was broached. "You'll stay right here in camp, an' crawl intew +y'ur blankets, an' git tew sleep jest as quick as th' good Lord'll let +you. You shore have had all th' excitement you need for one day; an' th' +devil only knows what trouble you'd be a-gettin' intew, if you was +allowed tew run loose, promiscus like, about th' streets of Sacermento +City at night. It's bad enough by day, as you sart'in otter know; but by +night! Not for tew yunks like you!" and Ham shook his head so decidedly +and frowningly that neither boy ventured even a word in protest against +his rather arbitrary decision.</p> + +<p>But, although they remained in camp, Thure and Bud never forgot that +first night in Sacramento City. The scenes about them were so unique, so +weirdly and romantically beautiful, so suggestive of dramatic +possibilities, that they impressed themselves indelibly on memories new +to such sensations.</p> + +<p>As the sun went down a gray chill fog arose from the river and the +lowlying shores and fell down over the little city like a thin wet veil, +blurring and softening and reddening the light from the innumerable +camp-fires, built under the dark shadows of overhanging trees, and the +broad glows coming from canvas houses and tents, lighted from within, +and the bright glares that poured through the doors and windows of the +more brilliantly illuminated dance-halls and gambling-hells, giving to +all a weird and dream-like aspect, fascinating, romantic, and beautiful.</p> + +<p>Their camp was situated some distance from the center of the city's +activities; but near enough for the sounds of its wild revelries to +reach their ears, softened a little by the distance. A dozen or more +bands were playing a dozen or more different tunes from a dozen or more +different dance-halls, all near together along the levee and the +neighboring streets; and, sometimes, high above even these discordant +sounds, rose the human voice, in loud song, or boisterous shout, or +peals of rough laughter. Around some of the near-by camp-fires men had +gathered and were singing the loved home melodies; and from one of these +groups came the voice of a woman in song, sounding singularly sweet and +entrancing in the midst of all those harsher sounds. Above their heads a +gentle wind blew murmuringly and whisperingly through the wide-spreading +branches of the evergreen oak; and, at their feet, snapped and crackled +the ruddy flames of their own camp-fire.</p> + +<p>By nine o'clock the lights of the surrounding camp-fires began to grow +dimmer, and the songs and the laughter and the talking of the groups +around them ceased. All these were seeking their beds or blankets; and +soon only the noise and the music, the songs and the shouts of the +revelers broke the stillness of the night.</p> + +<p>For a little while, before closing their eyes in sleep, Thure and Bud +lay in their blankets listening to these distant sounds of wild revelry.</p> + +<p>Suddenly, above the music, above the songs and the shouts and the +laughter, rang out the sharp—crack—crack—of two pistol shots, +followed by an instant's lull in the sounds; and then the music, the +songs, the shouts, and the laughter went on, louder and madder than +ever.</p> + +<p>At the sound of the pistol shots both boys had leaped out of their +blankets and stood listening intently; but Ham had only grunted and +rolled over in his blanket.</p> + +<p>"Ham! Ham! Did you hear that?" called Thure excitedly. "Someone must +have been shot!"</p> + +<p>"Shut up, an' crawl back intew y'ur blankets," growled Ham. "'Tain't +none of our bus'ness, if some fool did git shot. It's probably some +drunken row. Whiskey's 'most always back of every shootin' scrap. It +beats me," and the growl deepened, "how full-growed men, with +full-growed brains, can put a drop of that stuff intew their mouths, +after they've once seen what it does tew a feller's interlect, makin' a +man intew a bloody brute or a dirty beast or a grinnin' monkey; an' yit, +th' best an' th' wisest on 'em goes right on drinkin' it. It shore gits +me! Now," and he turned his wrath again on the two boys, "git right back +intew y'ur blankets, an' shut y'ur mouths an' y'ur eyes, an' keep 'em +shut till mornin'," and once again and with a final deep rumbling growl, +he rolled over in his blanket and lay still.</p> + +<p>Thure and Bud crawled slowly back into their blankets; and, at last, +with the sounds of the distant revelry still ringing in their ears, fell +asleep.</p> + + + +<hr style="width: 65%;" /> +<h2><a name="CHAPTER_XIV" id="CHAPTER_XIV"></a>CHAPTER XIV</h2> + +<h3>THE LUCK OF DICKSON</h3> + + +<p>The next morning, a good hour before sunrise, Thure and Bud found +themselves suddenly tumbled out of their blankets and the grinning face +of Ham bending over them.</p> + +<p>"Sleepyheads!" and, reaching down, he gripped each boy by his coat +collar, the night had been chilly and both had slept in their coats, +jerked him to his feet and shook him violently, "Wake up!" and, suddenly +letting go, he sent both boys staggering from him. "Thar, them's my +patented double-j'inted yunk-wakers," and he shook both of his big fists +in the faces of the two boys, "warranted tew wake th' soundest sleepin' +yunk that ever rolled himself up in a blanket, in seven an' +three-quarters seconds by th' watch, or money refunded. For +testimonials, see Bud Randolph and Thure Conroyal," and the grin +broadened on his face, until it threatened to engulf all his features.</p> + +<p>"It sure does the waking all right," laughed Thure; "and you can have my +testimony to that effect any time you wish it."</p> + +<p>For an hour all hands were busy, getting the breakfast, eating, packing +and saddling and bridling the horses; and then, just as the sun, like a +great globe of gold, rose above the gold-filled mountains of their hopes +to the east and shone down on the waters of the Sacramento, Ham gave the +word to start, and, leading one of his well-loaded pack-horses on either +side of him, he strode off, headed for the rough trail to Hangtown, +followed by Thure and Bud, driving their pack-horses before them.</p> + +<p>As they passed along by the various camps in the outskirts of the town, +a man, holding a long-handled frying-pan over the coals of his +camp-fire, looked up and then remarked casually:</p> + +<p>"Queer shootin' scrap that down on the levee last night!"</p> + +<p>"Heer'd th' shootin', but that's all I heer'd," answered Ham, halting +for a moment. "What might thar be queer 'bout it?"</p> + +<p>"Both on 'em bosum friends 'til they gits a lot of French Ike's whiskey +down 'em. Then one calls t'other a liar, an' both on 'em pulls their +guns an' shoots; an' both on 'em falls dead, th' bullets goin' through +th' heart of each one on 'em," answered the man.</p> + +<p>"Hump! Nuthin' queer 'bout that!" grunted Ham. "That's a common thing +for whiskey tew dew. Git up!" and he continued on his way.</p> + +<p>The trail to Hangtown, after leaving the Sacramento Valley, entered the +rough and picturesque regions of the western slopes of the Sierra Nevada +Mountains, where the traveling was slow and difficult, especially with +heavily loaded pack-horses; and, although the distance from Sacramento +City, as the crow flies, was scarcely more than forty miles, yet it was +not until near the middle of the afternoon of the third day that our +friends came in sight of the rude log cabins and tents of Hangtown. They +had climbed to the summit of a particularly rough hill and had just +rounded a huge pile of rocks, when Ham brought his pack-horses to a +sudden halt.</p> + +<p>"Thar's Hangtown," he said, and pointed down the steep side of the hill +into what was little more than a wide ravine, where a number of rudely +built log houses and dirty-looking tents lay scattered along the sides +and the bottom of the declivity and men could be seen at work with picks +and shovels, digging up the hard stony ground, or, with gold-pans in +their hands, washing the dirt thus dug in the waters of the little creek +that flowed through the bottom of the ravine.</p> + +<p>"Hurrah!" yelled both boys, taking off their hats and swinging them +around their heads the moment their eyes caught sight of the houses and +the tents.</p> + +<p>"At last we are where gold is being actually dug up out of the ground!" +exclaimed Thure enthusiastically, a moment later, as he sat on the back +of his horse, watching, with glowing face and eyes, the men of the pick +and the shovel toiling below.</p> + +<p>"It shore does have tew be dug up out of th' ground, at least th' most +on it," agreed Ham, grinning. "More diggin' than gold, th' most on us +find."</p> + +<p>"Oh, come! Let's hurry. I want to get to dad," and Bud started off down +the hill excitedly, with Thure and Ham hurrying along behind him.</p> + +<p>The side of the hill was seamed with small water worn gulches and strewn +with rocks and the logs of fallen trees; and the trail down to the +bottom wound and twisted and turned to avoid these obstructions, until +it seemed to the impatient boys, that, for every step downward, they had +to go a dozen steps to get around some gulch or huge rock or fallen +tree; but, at last, they reached the bottom, and were actually on the +very ground where men were digging gold out of the dirt.</p> + +<p>"Now, where are our dads and the rest?" and Thure looked curiously and +excitedly around him at the various groups of miners hard at work with +their picks or shovels or pans or other washing machines. "I can't see +anybody in sight that looks like them—Oh, there is Dick Dickson!" and +he jumped excitedly off his horse and ran up to a miner at work near by, +who was about to wash a pan of dirt, followed by Bud.</p> + +<p>"Hello, Dick! Didn't know you in them clothes," and Thure held out his +hand to the miner, whose only dress was a broad-brimmed hat, a red +woollen shirt, and a pair of trousers.</p> + +<p>"Glad to see you," and the miner set down the pan of dirt and gripped +the hands of both the boys. "Had to come to the diggings with the rest, +did you? Well, it's hard work; but the gold is here!" and his eyes +sparkled.</p> + +<p>"Are you going to wash that pan of dirt, Dick?" and the eyes of Thure +turned excitedly to the pan full of dirt that the miner had placed on +the ground at the sudden appearance of the boys.</p> + +<p>"Yes," answered Dickson, grinning; "and it's the first pan that looks +like pay-dirt that I've taken out of my new mine over yonder alongside +of that big rock," and he pointed to a huge rock that jutted up above +the ground a couple of rods away, where the boys could see a pile of +dirt that had been thrown out of a hole dug down close to the upper side +of the rock; "and so I am just a little anxious to see how it pans out."</p> + +<p>"Don't—don't let us keep you from washing it," and Bud's face flushed +with excitement. "We, too, would like to see how it pans out, wouldn't +we Thure?"</p> + +<p>"You bet!" was Thure's emphatic rejoinder. "I hope we bring you good +luck, Dick. Now, let's see how you do it."</p> + +<p>"All right. I sure need some good luck. Well, here goes," and with hands +that trembled a little with excitement, for the washing of that pan full +of dirt might mean a small fortune, he bent and picked up the gold-pan.</p> + +<p>The creek was only a few feet away and Dickson hurried thither, followed +by the two eager boys, while Ham, a good-natured grin on his face, stood +guard over the horses.</p> + +<p>Dickson first submerged the pan in the water and held it there until the +dirt was thoroughly soaked, while with one hand he crushed and broke the +larger lumps and stirred the mass with his fingers, until all the dirt +was dissolved, and a great deal of it had been borne away, in a thick +muddy cloud, by the current of the stream. He then tipped the pan a +little, at the same time giving it a slight whirling motion, holding it +with both his hands, which soon caused all the remaining dirt to float +away in the water, except a little coarse black gravel that covered the +bottom of the pan in a thin layer.</p> + +<p>"Now," and Dickson straightened up, the pan in his hands, his face +flushed with excitement, for already his eyes had caught the yellow +glitter of gold, shining amongst the coarse grains of gravel, "we'll see +how hard I've struck it," and he thrust his fingers down into the wet +black gravel that covered the bottom of the pan, and moved them slowly +about in it, bending his head down close to the pan, so that his eyes +could catch every gleam of gold.</p> + +<p>"Is there any? Is there any?" and Thure, in his anxiety to see, almost +bunted his head into the head of Dickson.</p> + +<p>"Is there any! Whoop!" and Dickson let out a yell that nearly startled +both boys off their feet. "Is there any! Just look there! And there! And +there!" and with a trembling finger he pointed, as he spoke, to little +rough bits of gold, a little larger than pin-heads, that fairly flecked +with yellow the bottommost layer of black gravel.</p> + +<hr style="width: 65%;" /> + +<div class="figcenter"> +<a name="illus205" id="illus205"></a> +<img src="images/illus205.jpg" alt=""/> +</div> + +<h3>"IS THERE ANY! JUST LOOK THERE! AND THERE! AND THERE!"</h3> + +<hr style="width: 65%;" /> + + +<p>Thure and Bud shouted with delight; and Ham and half a dozen of the +miners at work near by came up on the run, the faces of all showing the +liveliest interest.</p> + +<p>"Whoop! I've struck it! Struck it rich, boys!" and the miner, almost +beside himself with excitement, swiftly gathered the golden bits out of +the pan and spread them out on the palm of his hand where all could see. +"A good ten ounces!" he almost shouted, as he tossed them up and down to +test their weight. "One hundred and sixty dollars! And out of the first +pan full of pay-dirt! Gee-wilikins, but won't this be good news for +Mollie!"</p> + +<p>"You shore have struck it, Dickson," declared Ham, who, with glowing +eyes, had been examining the bits of gold on the palm of the miner's +hand. "I reckon thar's a pocketful of it where that comed from," and he +glanced toward the big rock. "That thar rock acted like a big riffle an' +stopped th' gold a-comin' down th' stream that hit ag'in it. I'm mighty +glad you've hit y'ur luck at last," and the big hand of Ham went out in +a hearty grip of the miner's calloused palm. "You shore deserve it, +Dickson."</p> + +<p>The congratulations of all were equally hearty and apparently free from +envy; but Dickson was too eager to further test his discovery to wait +long to listen to congratulation; and, hurriedly pocketing the gold, he +grabbed up the pan and rushed back to his "mine" by the side of the big +rock.</p> + +<p>"Supposing we wait and see him wash out another pan of dirt," and Thure +turned his flushed face and glowing eyes eagerly to Ham. "I never was so +much interested in anything in my life."</p> + +<p>"You shore have got the gold-fever an' got it bad," laughed Ham. "An', I +reckon, you're not th' only boy hereabouts that is a-sufferin' with it," +and he glanced at Bud's flushed face. "Wal, I'm some interested myself +in seein' how Dickson's luck holds out; so we'll wait tew see the +washin' of another pan."</p> + +<p>In less than ten minutes the excited miner was back with another pan +full of the precious dirt, which he at once began to wash, his nervous +excitement being so great that the pan shook and trembled in his hands. +Suddenly, in the midst of his washing, he jumped to his feet with a wild +yell.</p> + +<p>"A nugget! A nugget!" and he held aloft in one hand a little chunk of +solid gold, about as large as an egg and nearly of the same shape, only +rougher in outline.</p> + +<p>By this time quite a little crowd of miners had gathered around the +lucky man; and handshakes and claps on the shoulders and verbal +congratulations were showered on him from all sides, while the nugget +was passed from hand to hand, with many wise and otherwise comments as +to its weight and probable value and the likelihood of there being +others like it where it came from. In the excitement caused by the +finding of the nugget, the remaining dirt in the pan was forgotten, +until Ham, suddenly remembering, turned to the excited Dickson.</p> + +<p>"Better finish cleanin' out th' pan, Dick," he said. "Thar's probably +more gold in it."</p> + +<p>"Gosh, if I didn't forget it!" and Dickson grabbed up the pan and began +washing its contents with feverish haste.</p> + +<p>In a few minutes he arose and held out the pan, his hands trembling.</p> + +<p>"There! Just look there!" he cried, pointing to the glitter of gold in +the black sand that covered the bottom of the pan. "If there isn't a +good fifteen ounces of gold there, then I miss my guess!" and he broke +into a happy laugh. "Well, boys, my luck has turned at last! And there +is a little woman up there in that little log cabin that has got to know +about it at once," and Dickson dropped the pan and started on the run up +the side of the hill toward a little log house that stood in a cluster +of pines halfway up its side, followed by cheers from the miners, who +appeared to be almost as rejoiced over his good fortune, as if it had +been their own.</p> + +<p>All this had been very interesting and very exciting to Thure and Bud; +but now that the climax had been passed their thoughts turned at once to +their fathers.</p> + +<p>"Now," and Thure caught hold of Ham's coat sleeve, "now that we have +seen how they get the gold from the ground, take us to our dads. We are +more anxious than ever to get to them as quickly as possible."</p> + +<p>"I'm pow'ful glad Dickson made that strike," Ham commented, when they +were again on their way. "He's been workin' like a hoss for months, +without hardly gittin' a sight of color; but he's had th' pluck tew keep +a-diggin'. I reckon it's th' Leetle Woman up in th' cabin that's kept +him a-goin'. She's pluck clean through an' has stood right by th' side +of Dick, no matter what sort of luck fate dished out tew him. I shore am +glad Dick has hit it for th' Leetle Woman's sake, as well as his own. +Now, 'bout y'ur dads. That's their house up thar, 'bout a dozen rods +beyond Dickson's. But, I reckon, we won't find none of 'em at home this +time of th' day," and he turned his horses into a rude trail that wound +up the side of the hill toward the little grove of pine trees, in which +the boys could see the little cabin where Dickson lived and beyond that +a larger log house.</p> + +<p>During this time Dickson had been speeding up the hill, shouting and +yelling the good news at the top of his voice as he ran. Suddenly the +boys saw the door of the cabin thrown open, and a woman rush out and run +madly down the rough trail toward the miner, her long unconfined hair +streaming out behind her.</p> + +<p>"Whoop! I've struck it! Struck it rich, Mollie!" they heard Dickson +yell, while from down the hill rang out cheer after cheer from the +little group of miners now gathered about Dickson's find and watching +the meeting between the lucky man and the "Little Woman," as nearly all +the miners in Hangtown called Mrs. Dickson.</p> + +<p>A few minutes later Dickson and the "Little Woman," hand in hand, like +two happy children, ran past them on their way down to the wonderful +find.</p> + +<p>Thure and Bud, and even Ham, cheered and yelled as they ran by; and the +woman turned her shining eyes in their direction and waved her free hand +and shouted a welcome to the two boys.</p> + +<p>"I shore am glad that Dickson made that strike," Ham again remarked, +with something that looked suspiciously like moisture in his eyes. "He's +a deservin' cuss; an' th' Leetle Woman's ben like a mother tew us all."</p> + + + +<hr style="width: 65%;" /> +<h2><a name="CHAPTER_XV" id="CHAPTER_XV"></a>CHAPTER XV</h2> + +<h3>AROUND THE SUPPER TABLE</h3> + + +<p>Ham's expectations were fulfilled; for they found the log house vacant, +with a sign on the door that read: "BACK ABOUT SUNDOWN."</p> + +<p>"Wal, jest dismount an' unpack an' make y'urselves tew home. We'll git +things all straightened out afore we start out tew hunt up th' +delinquents," and Ham began unpacking his horses.</p> + +<p>But Thure and Bud had to have a look inside the house, before they +untied a rope or unbuckled a strap; and, the moment they dismounted, +they rushed to the door and entered.</p> + +<p>The house was a very rude affair—just four walls of logs, roughly +fitted with an ax and laid one on top of the other to a height of seven +feet, enclosing a space some twenty-five feet long by eighteen feet +wide, with a bark roof, ground floor, a door cut through the logs in the +middle of one side, and three windows, one in each side and one in the +end opposite the fireplace. The fireplace was very roughly constructed +of stones and sticks, plastered together with a clay-like mud, and with +the chimney built entirely outside of the house.</p> + +<p>The furniture was in keeping with the house. The table was the split +halves of a log, cut about ten feet long and laid side by side, with +their flat sides up, supported by four short posts driven into the +ground near the center of the room. The chairs were blocks of wood, set +on end, reënforced by a couple of old boxes and two miners' easy chairs, +a unique production, made by cutting down an empty flour barrel to +something of the shape of an armed easy chair and attaching two rockers +to the bottom. The seats of these chairs were often lined and stuffed in +good shape and had the comfortable feel and rock of the more costly +chairs of civilization—and what more need a miner ask? Along the side +of the room opposite the door ran a double tier of rude bunks, one side +of the beds being supported by posts driven into the ground and the +other by the logs of the wall. On the wall near the fireplace hung the +frying-pans and the other rude cooking utensils; and in a corner were +piled the bags, barrels, kegs, and boxes containing their camp supplies.</p> + +<p>When you are told that this, at that time in Hangtown, was considered a +rather luxurious style of living, you may be able to form something of +an idea of the kind of style in which the average miner lived.</p> + +<p>"Well, they don't put on much style, do they?" and the eyes Thure turned +to Bud twinkled with excitement and interest.</p> + +<p>"Don't they! Just feast your eyes on this!" and Bud, dropping down into +the soft seat of one of the "easy" chairs, leaned back comfortably and +began rocking. "Now, if this isn't style and comfort, then I don't know +what style and comfort are. Better try it," and he winked toward the +other "easy" chair.</p> + +<p>Thure at once profited by the suggestion.</p> + +<p>"Well, I swun to goodness!" he declared, as he rocked back and forth in +the novel chair, "if this doesn't beat mother's easy rocker for comfort. +I reckon dad will have to make her one, when we get back home," and he +grinned.</p> + +<p>"Say," and Ham strode into the house, a bag of flour on one shoulder, a +box of canned stuff under one arm, and a grin all over his face, "if you +yunks think you've come up here tew dew nuthin' but tew set an' rock in +y'ur dads' easy chairs, you've got another think comin' an' comin' +quick. Now, git them packs off th' backs of y'ur hosses an' intew th' +house. This ain't no Home of Cumfort for lazy yunks. Out with you!" and, +dropping the bag of flour and the box in the corner, he started for the +two boys.</p> + +<p>Thure and Bud "outed" as fast as their four legs could take them; and +soon were busy getting the packs off their horses and the goods into the +house. When this had been done and the horses had been cared for, the +sun was nearing the tops of the western mountains; and it was decided +not to hunt up the "delinquents," as Ham called them, but to await their +return at the house; and, in the meantime, to prepare such a supper for +them as seldom blessed a miner's eyes and excited his appetite, from the +delicacies Mrs. Conroyal and Mrs. Randolph had sent in the packs of the +boys. Then, in addition, Thure and Bud determined to try and give their +fathers, who, of course, supposed the two boys were still at home with +their mothers and sisters on the rancho, a little surprise. By keeping a +sharp lookout down the trail they could be warned of the coming of the +men in sufficient time to put their surprise in operation.</p> + +<p>Accordingly they got everything in readiness, first by tying their +horses out of sight behind a clump of bushes and removing every outward +sign of their presence, and then by drawing the two easy chairs up close +together in front of the door and placing one of the blocks of wood used +as seats in front of each chair. When they saw their fathers coming, +they would take their places in these chairs, lean back comfortably in +them, place their feet at a comfortable angle on top of the blocks of +wood, and, thus sitting cozily in the two easy chairs, be the first +objects to meet their fathers' eyes on entering the house. They fancied +that this unexpected sight might surprise the two men some; and they +were not disappointed.</p> + +<p>Fortunately for the success of their "surprise," Mr. Conroyal and Mr. +Randolph led the little procession of miners that appeared a few minutes +after sundown, coming up the trail leading to the log house.</p> + +<p>"Here they come!" cried Bud, who was stationed at the window overlooking +the trail, the moment the men appeared in sight. "Hurry, Thure, and get +into your chair."</p> + +<p>The two boys quickly seated themselves in the barrel-rockers, perched +their feet comfortably on top of the blocks of wood, leaned back +comfortably into the hollows of their chairs, and fixed their eyes on +the door, their faces shining with excitement.</p> + +<p>At last the door was flung open and the big frame of Noel Conroyal, +backed by that of Rad Randolph, appeared in the doorway.</p> + +<p>For a moment both men stopped right where they were, and stood staring +in blank astonishment at the faces of the two boys sitting in the two +chairs.</p> + +<p>"Walk right in," invited Thure, his eyes dancing.</p> + +<p>"Yes, come right in and have supper with us," urged Bud.</p> + +<p>For an instant longer the two men stood staring; and then both of them +made a rush for the two boys; and, as they were almost instantly +followed by Dill Conroyal, Thure's older brother, Rex Holt, Thure's +cousin, and Frank Holt, Thure's uncle and the father of Rex Holt, you +can imagine the excitement and confusion that reigned in that log house +and how swiftly the questions flew back and forth for the next few +minutes. The men had been away from their homes and their dear ones for +nearly a year now; and, naturally, were exceedingly anxious to learn +what had been going on during their absence. Suddenly, when the +excitement had quieted down a little, Mr. Conroyal's face clouded and +something that looked very much like a frown gathered on his forehead, +as he turned to Thure.</p> + +<p>"But, young man," and the frown on his face deepened, "how comes it that +you are here, against my express commands? I left you at home to care +for your mother and sister and the rancho. Why have you deserted your +trust?"</p> + +<p>"Oh, dad," and Thure turned excitedly to his father, "the most wonderful +thing has happened! We found a dying miner, who had been robbed and +stabbed; and he, just before he died, gave us a map that tells us how to +find a Cave of Gold that he had discovered; and mother, our mothers, +thought you ought to know about it; and so we are here, to get you all +to help find this wonderful Cave of Gold. The miner said that the bottom +of the cave was covered with gold nuggets, just covered with them, dad."</p> + +<p>"And he gave us one of the nuggets, a whopper!" broke in Bud.</p> + +<p>"And your mothers were foolish enough to believe such an improbable tale +and to send you here on such a wildgoose chase!" and something that +began to look very much like anger darkened Mr. Conroyal's face. "Why, +the camp is full of such tales; but no sensible man ever pays any +attention to them."</p> + +<p>"But, dad, you haven't heard our story yet; and you haven't seen the map +and the nugget," insisted Thure eagerly. "I am sure you will not blame +us for coming when you know all."</p> + +<p>"Well, my son," and Mr. Conroyal's lips tightened grimly, "we'll have a +look at that map and nugget and hear that wonderful story of yours and +then, if it doesn't look as if it might pan out true, back you will +start for home at sun-up to-morrow morning. What do you say, Rad?" and +he turned to Mr. Randolph. "The boys must be made to understand that +they can't desert a trust like that at every wild tale they hear."</p> + +<p>"Right," agreed Mr. Randolph. "They start back for home to-morrow +morning, if their tale does not sound reasonable enough to make good +their coming. They were all the men folks left that the women could +depend on; and the reason must be a strong one to justify their +deserting them."</p> + +<p>"But, we did not desert them," expostulated Bud. "They gave us +permission to come, told us to come, because they thought you ought to +know about the Cave of Gold and the map, and there was no one else to +send," and Bud's cheeks flushed a little with disappointment and +indignation.</p> + +<p>"Wal, now," and the good-natured face of Ham loomed up between the two +boys, "I reckon, if you all will jest take a look at that thar table, +you'll stop y'ur talkin' and git tew eatin' some sudden. 'Tain't once in +a dog's age that a miner in Hangtown can sot down tew a table like +that," and Ham waved both hands proudly in the direction of the +split-log table, on which he had spread out, with lavish hands, the +cakes, pies, jellies, fruits, butter, eggs and the other good things +sent from home, together with the results of his own more substantial +cooking, fried bacon, nicely browned flapjacks, and steaming hot coffee.</p> + +<p>"Whoop!" yelled Rex. "Me for the eat!" and, grabbing up one of the +blocks of wood, he made a rush for the table, followed by all present.</p> + +<p>That was a jolly supper. The sight of the unaccustomed good things to +eat put everybody in good nature—and no wonder! for their eyes had not +seen an egg or a cake or a pie or a hunk of butter, to say nothing of +the jelly and the fruit, in Hangtown before for six months; and nobody +knows how good these things look and taste, until they have been without +even a smell of them for some months, and living on a steady diet of +salt pork and beans and man-made bread. But, at length, as all good +things will, the eating came to an end; and then, almost involuntarily, +all eyes turned toward Thure and Bud. Their stomachs were filled; and +now all were in the best possible condition to listen to their story.</p> + +<p>"Now, for that dead miner's wonderful tale," and Conroyal turned to +Thure.</p> + +<p>"Jest wait a minit afore you begin," and Ham arose suddenly from the +table. "We want no outside listeners tew this tale," and, hurrying +outside, he made a hasty circuit of the house, to assure himself that +there were no eavesdroppers. When he came in he remarked, by way of +answer to the inquiring glances turned in his direction: "You will know +why I'm so cautious-like afore th' yunks come tew th' end of their tale; +an', I reckon," and he glanced around the circle of somewhat startled +faces that surrounded the table, "afore they begin, we'd better have it +understood by all that thar is tew be no talkin' outside 'bout this +matter, that it's tew be kept as close as our own skins tew ourselves. +It has already caused th' death of th' old miner, an' mighty nigh th' +death of them yunks thar, as you'll soon larn, an' death is still hot on +th' trail, so it's jest good boss-sense for us tew be cautious-like. We +don't want no more killin's, if we can help it. Now, I reckon, you can +begin y'ur yarn," and, seating himself, he nodded his head to Thure and +Bud.</p> + +<p>You may be sure that, after these ominous actions and words of Ham, +there was no lack of interest in the faces now turned toward the two +boys.</p> + +<p>Thure began the story; and, helped here and there by Bud and often +interrupted by the angry exclamations of his excited hearers, he told +the remarkable tale, from the killing of <i>El Feroz</i> and the death of the +old miner to their own startling arrest for murder in the streets of +Sacramento City and narrow rescue from the hangman's rope by the +providential coming of Hammer Jones and Colonel Fremont.</p> + +<p>"And those two cowardly skunks got away!" almost yelled Conroyal, as he +banged his big fist down on the table, his face white with wrath. "And +after they had almost succeeded in getting two innocent boys hanged for +a crime they committed themselves!"</p> + +<p>"They sart'in did," answered Ham grimly. "An' what's more th' cunnin' +devils like as not are still on th' trail of that thar skin map th' old +miner gave th' boys. That's why I reckon we'll need tew be some +cautious."</p> + +<p>"But, where is this wonderful skin map and that big gold nugget?" cried +Rex Holt, his eyes shining and his face flushing. "Let us have a look at +them," and he jumped to his feet and leaned across the table, so as to +be nearer to Thure.</p> + +<p>"Dill, you and Rex just take a run around the house to see that the +coast is still clear, before the boys show up the gold nugget and the +skin map," and Mr. Conroyal glanced sharply toward the door and the +windows. "As Ham says, we want no eavesdroppers in this case."</p> + +<p>Dill and Rex at once sprang to the door; and, moving in opposite +directions, each slowly made the circuit of the house, their keen eyes +searching the surrounding darkness. They neither saw nor heard anything +suspicious.</p> + +<p>"Now, we'll have a look at that map and gold nugget," Mr. Conroyal said, +as soon as Rex and Dill had returned and reported the coast clear. "Of +course," and he glanced around the circle of faces, "it is understood +that all that is said and seen here to-night is to be kept secret by +all, whether or not the search for the Cave of Gold is made."</p> + +<p>"Yes, yes!" cried Dill impatiently. "We're all in on it together and +must not breathe a word about it to an outsider. We all understand that, +don't we?"</p> + +<p>All the heads around the table quickly nodded assent.</p> + +<p>"Now, then, let us have that map and gold nugget," and he turned +excitedly to Thure and Bud.</p> + +<p>Thure at once thrust his hand under the bosom of his shirt and under his +left shoulder and pulled out the miner's little buckskin bag. Then he +opened the bag and pulled out the map.</p> + +<p>"The skin map," he said, and, laying it down on the table, he swiftly +turned the bag upside down and dumped the gold nugget down on top of it. +"And here is the gold nugget."</p> + +<p>For a moment no one moved; but all sat staring at the big yellow chunk +of metal, shining ruddily in the light of the flickering candles, as it +dropped from the bag and came to a rest on the skin map and lay there on +the table in front of Thure.</p> + +<p>"Gosh, that sart'in looks like th' real stuff!" and the big hand of Ham +reached out and picked up the nugget and hefted it critically. "Solid +gold!" he declared, his eyes shining. "Jest heft it, Con," and he passed +the nugget to Conroyal. "Wal, I reckon you yunks have made good. Now, +let's see what's on that thar piece of skin," and, picking up the map, +he smoothed it out on the table and stared down on it, while as many +heads as possible crowded close to his head and stared down on the map +with him.</p> + +<p>"John Stackpole, did anyone here ever hear of a feller by th' name of +John Stackpole?" and Ham raised his head and glanced around.</p> + +<p>"I know the man," declared Frank Holt, the father of Rex, whose snowy +white hair gave him a patriarchal appearance. "I remember now. That's +the name the fellow gave I saw in Coleman's store 'bout two weeks ago. +He had a peculiar scar, shaped something like a horseshoe over one of +his eyes."</p> + +<p>"That's the man! You remember that queer-shaped scar over one of his +eyes, don't you?" and Bud turned excitedly to Thure.</p> + +<p>"Yes," answered Thure. "He must have just got back from the cave. What +was he doing, Uncle Frank?" and he turned eagerly to Mr. Holt.</p> + +<p>"Well, he certainly looked as if he had just come out of a cave," +grinned Holt. "Clothes all in rags and dirty, and hair and beard all +over his head, except his eyes and nose and mouth. But," and his face +lighted up, "he seemed to have plenty of gold-dust; for, while I was +standing there watching him curiously, he picked out a good suit of +clothes and paid for them out of a bag heavy with gold, gold that was +mostly small nuggets.</p> + +<p>"'Struck it, pard,' and I saw Coleman's eyes glisten, as he gathered in +them small nuggets, for the gold wasn't no Hangtown gold. Anybody with +eyes could see that.</p> + +<p>"'Just a pocket,' answered the man. 'But good and rich, for a pocket.'</p> + +<p>"'Whereabouts might it be, if I ain't asking too much?' queried Coleman, +who I could see was some excited over that bag full of little gold +nuggets, as he placed the bundle of clothes down in front of the man.</p> + +<p>"'Thank you,' answered the man gruffly, and, picking up the bundle, he +hurried out of the store, considerably to the disappointment of Coleman.</p> + +<p>"Now, I calculate, that must have been our man, for he certainly told +Coleman that his name was John Stackpole, when he asked him if any +message had been left there for him. I remember it all plain, because I +got some excited over that bag full of little gold nuggets myself; but I +didn't call to mind the name until Ham called it out."</p> + +<p>For many minutes the map and the gold nugget were now passed from hand +to hand and thoroughly examined by all, while the tongues of all wagged +with excited comments and Thure and Bud were often called upon to repeat +parts of their story. But, at length, Noel Conroyal, who had been +elected President of the Never-Give-Up California Mining Company, into +which our good friends, the Conroyals, the Randolphs, the Holts, and +Hammer Jones, had organized themselves, stood up and pounded on the +table with his big fist.</p> + +<p>"The Never-Give-Up California Mining Company will come to order," he +said, the moment the talking ceased; "for the purpose of considering the +matter laid before it by Thure Conroyal and Bud Randolph and to +determine what action, if any, shall be taken."</p> + +<p>"Oh, cut out the big talk, dad, and just let's talk it over together," +protested Dill a bit impatiently; for, when Mr. Conroyal assumed the +office and the dignities of the President of the Never-Give-Up +California Mining Company, he was apt to be a little formal and +long-winded. "We don't need the formalities and they take up time."</p> + +<p>"All right, if that is the wish of the company," agreed Mr. Conroyal +good-naturedly. "I only wanted to get to doing something besides +talking."</p> + +<p>"I think," declared Ham, "that, now that we've heer'd th' story an' seen +th' skin map an' th' gold nugget, we'd better sleep on it afore we +decide anything, 'specially seein' that it's gittin' late, an' all on +us, I reckon, are plumb tired; an' tharfore, I move that this here +meetin' be adjourned 'til tew-morrer mornin', an' that all on us be +ordered tew git intew our bunks an' go tew sleep."</p> + +<p>Ham's suggestion sounded so sensible, for even the excitement could no +longer keep their tired bodies and brains from calling out for rest and +sleep, that it was adopted at once, with only a few feeble protests; +and, in fifteen minutes from the time it was made the lights were out +and all were in their bunks.</p> + +<p>"Say, dad," queried Thure a bit mischievously, as he and Bud crawled +under the blankets of one of the bunks, "do we have to start back for +home at sun-up?"</p> + +<p>"No, shut up and go to sleep," growled back Mr. Conroyal.</p> + + + +<hr style="width: 65%;" /> +<h2><a name="CHAPTER_XVI" id="CHAPTER_XVI"></a>CHAPTER XVI</h2> + +<h3>UNEXPECTED COMPANY</h3> + + +<p>The next morning everybody at the Headquarters of the Never-Give-Up +California Mining Company was up an hour before the sun flashed its +golden light over the tops of the eastern mountains and down on the log +cabins and tents of Hangtown. All the workers in the mining-camps went +to bed early, tired out with their hard day's work with pick and shovel, +slept soundly, and arose early the next morning to begin another day of +toil. Only the drones—the gamblers, the saloon-keepers, and their +foolish patrons—burned the midnight oil, or, rather in this case, the +midnight candle, for there was little oil to burn in these camps. Hence +it was that when Thure and Bud hurried out of the house to wash their +hands and faces in a near-by spring, they saw that they were far from +being the only early risers, that the smoke was rising from the chimneys +of nearly every log cabin in sight and that in front of nearly every +tent glowed a camp-fire, around which the cooks already could be seen +preparing breakfast.</p> + +<p>"Well, this is great!" declared Bud, as he dashed the cool, refreshing +water over his face. "I feel like a new man already. There must be +something in this mountain air that gets into the blood and puts new +life into a fellow. Say, but isn't this a beautiful sight, like—like a +picture painted by a great artist!" and his eyes swept over the +surrounding scene, now just becoming visible through the light of the +early dawn.</p> + +<p>"You are right, it is a beautiful scene," and Thure stood up and allowed +his eyes to drink in, with all the enthusiasm of youth, the beauties of +the scene; "but, I reckon, there is no artist that can paint a picture +the equal of that," and he pointed to the distant tops of the eastern +mountains. "It takes the brush of God to paint that kind of pictures!"</p> + +<p>And Thure was right. No artist's skill could transfer to canvas the full +glories of such a scene as now delighted the eyes of Thure and Bud.</p> + +<p>The first rays of the morning's sun flamed upon the snow-covered tops of +the mountains towering high above their heads to the eastward, while the +mountainsides and valleys were still dark with the shadows of night; and +everywhere the flaming light of morning struck the crystal-white of the +snow on mountain top and pinnacle, that peak was crowned with a glorious +halo that glowed, first with grayish violet lights, swiftly changing to +crimson and rose, and from rose to gold, until, suddenly, the whole peak +blazed forth in the glorious light of the full-risen sun. A vision for +an artist to rhapsodize over; but for a God to paint!</p> + +<p>"Bre'kfust! First an' last call tew bre'kfust!" yelled Ham from the open +door of the house, just as the sun burst over the tops of the mountains.</p> + +<p>"I feel as if I had just been to church," Thure said reverently, as the +two boys started back to the house.</p> + +<p>"So do I," agreed Bud. "Only no church or priest ever seem to bring God +as close to a fellow as such a scene as that does. I don't see how +anybody can live in the mountains and not believe in God."</p> + +<p>As soon as breakfast was eaten, Mr. Conroyal arose.</p> + +<p>"Now," he said, "that we have all had a night in which to think over the +tale of the dead miner we had better get together and decide on what we +had best do; and, as Dill suggested last night, we will first talk it +over in an informal way. Now, what do you think about the truth of the +miner's yarn? That, of course, is the first thing to settle; for there +is no need of bothering with the matter at all, unless we feel quite +sure that the miner really found a cave something like the one he +described to Thure and Bud."</p> + +<p>"Well, considering all things," and Frank Holt took the pipe he had lit +and was puffing on out of his mouth and laid it down on the table, "and +more especially considering the fact, that, when I saw him in Coleman's, +he appeared to have just got in from a long prospecting spell in the +mountains and to have plenty of gold along with him, and gold of a +different kind than is found anywhere around here, I feel quite certain +that Stackpole's yarn about finding that Cave of Gold comes pretty nigh +to being true, nigh enough at least to be worth investigating."</p> + +<p>"Them's my sentiments right down tew a T," declared Ham emphatically. +"Whar thar's ben so much smoke, thar's sart'in tew be some fire. I'm in +favor of makin' a hunt for th' Cave of Gold; but, afore doin' it, I'd +like tew know how that thar wing dam project over in Holt's Gulch is +promisin' tew pan out. If 'twon't take tew long, I'd like tew see that +job finished afore we have a try for th' Cave of Gold. I reckon we've +all put tew many backaches an' armaches intew that dam tew want tew see +'em wasted; an' thar might be a wagon load of gold thar, an', if thar +is, we want tew be th' ones tew git it, after all our work."</p> + +<p>"Right, Ham's right," asserted Mr. Randolph. "Now, supposing we all go +down and have a look at that dam, and try to figure out just about how +much longer it will take to finish it, before we decide anything +definitely about the hunt for the Cave of Gold. I feel almost sure that +we are going to strike it rich there, and I'd hate like sin to see any +one else reap where we've sown so many backaches, as Ham says."</p> + +<p>"I think Rad has it about right," declared Mr. Conroyal, "and, if there +are no objections, we'll all go down to Holt's Gulch and have a look at +the wing dam. I fancy it wouldn't please none of us much, after working +as hard as we have, to see somebody else step into our boots there and +reap a fortune, as like as not they'd do, if we deserted the dam now. I +reckon it won't take more than a week to finish the dam; and then a few +hours will show whether or not we've struck pay-dirt."</p> + +<p>There were no objections made to this proposition, although Rex and Dill +and Thure and Bud grumbled a little over the prospect of having the hunt +for the Cave of Gold delayed for a week; and, accordingly, all started +for Holt's Gulch, so named in honor of its discoverer, Rex Holt.</p> + +<p>The gulch was about two miles from Hangtown and was reached by passing +up a deep and steep ravine, that split the side of the hill a little +above Hangtown, for about a mile, and then up and over the side of the +ravine and down into a narrow little valley, into which a little stream +of water tumbled through a rent in the walls of rock that nearly +enclosed the valley. This rent in the rocks was the entrance to Holt's +Gulch; and the dam was being constructed something like half a mile +farther up, where the gulch crooked about, like a bent elbow, and +widened out a little.</p> + +<p>Many of the miners were already at work when our little company passed +up the ravine on their way to Holt's Gulch, presenting scenes of the +greatest interest and novelty to the unaccustomed eyes of Thure and Bud, +as they dug for the precious metal, sometimes up to their knees in mud +and water, sometimes so far away from the water that all the pay-dirt +had to be carried on their backs to the creek and there panned, but +always cheerful and hopeful that they "sure would strike it big soon."</p> + +<p>"Now, what might those fellows be doing there? They look as if they +might be winnowing wheat; but, of course, that can't be what they are +doing," and Thure turned a puzzled face to Ham, as he pointed to where a +small company of Mexicans, lank and skinny and black as Arabs of the +desert, were gathering the loose dry dirt in large wooden bowls, tossing +it up in the air, where the wind could blow away the lighter particles, +and dexterously catching it again in their bowls, as it came down, or +allowing it to fall on blankets or hides spread on the ground at their +feet, in a manner very similar to the ancient method of separating the +grain from the chaff.</p> + +<p>"Them are a breed of Mexies called Sonorans," answered Ham; "an' they +are a-throwin' that dirt up in th' air an' a-catchin' it ag'in tew git +th' gold out of it. You see th' wind keeps a-blowin' th' lighter dirt +out an' a-leavin' th' gold, 'cause it's heavier, until thar's nuthin' +left but th' dirt what's tew heavy for th' wind tew blow away an' th' +gold-dust, which is cleaned by blowing th' heavy dirt out of th' bowl +with th' breath. That way of gittin' gold is called dry-washin'; an' is +tew slow an' dirty for Americans or anybody else that's got much gump +tew 'em; but them tarnal Mexies seem tew thrive on it. I reckon th' good +Lord made 'em nearly black, jest so they could live an' work in dirt, +without th' dirt showin' through much. That sort of thing would kill a +white man in a week," and Ham looked his disgust.</p> + +<p>"Say, but this gold-digging is no fun, no matter how you do it, is it?" +and Thure's eyes swept up and down the ravine, where hundreds of men +were toiling like ditch-diggers.</p> + +<p>"Fun! Gold-diggin' fun!" and Ham grinned. "Th' feller what comes tew th' +diggin's a-thinkin' that th' gold is a-goin' tew jump up right out of +th' ground, 'cause it's so glad tew see him, is a-goin' tew git fooled +'bout as bad as Dutch Ike did, when he took a skunk for a new kind of an +American house cat an' tried tew pick it up in his arms. Fun! No; +gold-diggin' is jest grit an' j'int grease mixed tewgether an' kept +a-goin' with beans an' salt pork an' flapjacks. But, we're gettin' ahind +a-watchin' them dirty Sonorans. Come on," and the huge strides of Ham +made Thure and Bud both trot to keep up with him, as he hurried after +the others, to whom the dry-washing Mexicans were too common a sight to +be worthy a moment's pause for the purpose of watching.</p> + +<p>"Now, dad," and Thure turned inquiringly to his father, when, at length, +all stood together in Holt's Gulch on the mound of dirt that had been +already thrown up in building the wing dam, "I don't just see how this +dam is going to help you find the gold."</p> + +<p>"Well, my son," and Mr. Conroyal smiled, "it is not at all surprising to +find that you do not know all about mining, seeing that you have been in +the diggings only over night; but I'll give you the theory of the dam. +This little stream of water, as you can see from where we stand, makes +rather a sharp turn a few rods down, against an almost perpendicular +wall of rock, forming a curve in the stream that can be likened to the +crook in a bent arm, and leaving quite a little open space of ground +almost on a level with the water in the bend of the arm. Now we've +discovered that there is a deep hole right at the elbow joint, partly +filled with gravel and big enough to hold a good many tons of gold, but +too deep to get at through the water; and we've figured it out something +like this. The gold found in all the diggings along the beds of rivers +has been washed out of the rocks by the water and carried down by the +current, until stopped by its own weight or some obstruction; and we +calculate that most of the gold carried down by this stream would sink +down into this hole and stay there, because, gold being so heavy, it +would sure fall down into the hole, and, once there, the water would not +be strong enough to lift it out again. Now, that is the reason why we +think there might be gold and lots of it in that there hole," and he +pointed to the elbow made by the curve in the stream.</p> + +<p>"But, of course, not being fish, we cannot get down into the hole to see +whether or not there is gold in it, as long as the water runs over it; +and so we are making this wing dam up here above the elbow, to turn the +stream into a new channel and send it flowing kitti-corner-wise across +the opening between the two arms of the elbow and back into its own +channel below the elbow, which, of course, would leave the elbow dry and +give us a chance to clean out the hole and get all the gold there is in +it."</p> + +<p>"Oh, I see now!" exclaimed Thure, his eyes beginning to shine with +excitement. "And you call it a wing dam, because you have to make a sort +of a wing to the main dam, extending for quite a ways out on the dry +land, in order to give the water a sufficient turn to keep it from +flowing back into the old channel until you are ready to have it."</p> + +<p>"Exactly," and Mr. Conroyal smiled. "And, if the good Lord will only +keep it from raining until we get the dam finished, all of us might make +our fortunes right here; and, again, we might not find a cent's worth of +gold. It's all a speculation," and he shrugged his big shoulders.</p> + +<p>"But—but what difference could a little rain make? You are not afraid +of getting wet, are you?" and Thure smiled at the thought of these hardy +men standing in dread of a little rain.</p> + +<p>"No, son, we are not afraid of getting wet," and Mr. Conroyal smiled +grimly. "But a big rain up there in the mountains where this stream +comes from, would mean that in less than no time a flood of water would +come a-tearing down this narrow gulch that would sweep our dam off its +feet quicker than you could wink an eye—and us along with it, if we +didn't get out of here about as lively as the Lord would let us. +Howsomever we are not counting much on a rain, seeing that the dry +season has got a fairly good start; but it might come," and his eyes +turned a little anxiously toward the snow-covered mountains to the +northeast, whence came the little stream of water running through Holt's +Gulch. "But, come, we must get busy. Now, the first thing for us to do +is to figure out about how much longer it will take us to finish the +dam. I calculate that we have the dam about two-thirds done; and, since +we have now been at work twelve days, I think we can count on finishing +it in another six days."</p> + +<p>"That's 'bout my idee, Con," agreed Ham. "Another six days otter see th' +finish of th' job; an' then—maybe it will be gold an' maybe it will be +jest a lot of durned hard work for nothin'; but it shore looks good; an' +I'm in favor of seein' this dam through afore tacklin' th' Cave of Gold +propersition."</p> + +<p>For an hour or more our friends measured and figured and considered; and +then, all coming to the conclusion that Mr. Conroyal's estimate of the +time required to complete the dam was about right, the Never-Give-Up +California Mining Company went into executive session, and, after again +considering the marvelous tale of the dead miner and again examining the +gold nugget and the skin map and again carefully weighing their chances +of finding gold in the hollow of the stream's elbow after the turning of +the water aside by the dam, the Company finally decided that the dam +proposition looked too good to throw up, even for such an alluring +project as the hunt for the wonderful Cave of Gold, especially since the +Cave of Gold could not run away and would still be there waiting to be +found after the dam proposition had been thoroughly tried out. +Accordingly it was voted to first complete the dam and see if there was +any gold in the old bed of the stream; and then, if it was still the +wish of the Company, they would start on a hunt for the miner's Cave of +Gold.</p> + +<p>"That means for everybudy tew git busy tew once with pick or shovel," +and Ham jumped to his feet and seized a pick the moment the result of +the final vote was announced. "We want tew git this here dam built jest +as soon as we can, an' find out what's in that thar hole; an' then, I +reckon, we'll all want tew have a try for that thar gold cave, unless we +gits enough gold out of th' hole tew plumb fill us all up with gold," +and Ham grinned joyously, as he struck the sharp point of his pick down +deep into the hard dirt.</p> + +<p>There was always the prospect of a big find in the near future to keep +up the spirits of the gold-digger. What did his condition to-day matter +to him, when to-morrow he might fill his pockets full of gold! When all +he had to do was to shoulder his pick and shovel, pick up his gold-pan, +and go out almost anywhere and dig enough gold out of the ground at +least to live on! When every morning was cheered by the possibility of +striking it rich before night, and the discouragements of every night +were lightened by the thought that to-morrow might be his lucky day! The +star of hope always brightened his darkest skies; and so long as he kept +his health, he usually kept his courage and good-nature. Consequently +the reader need not wonder at the joyous grin on Ham's face, when he +began tearing up the earth with his pick; for every blow might be +bringing him a step nearer to a fortune!</p> + +<p>The building of a dam under any circumstances is hard and dirty work; +but, when the only tools are picks and shovels, when all the dirt that +cannot be thrown into place with the shovel, must be lugged there on the +backs of the laborers themselves, as was the case with our friends, +then, indeed, does the building of a dam become about as fatiguing work +as a human being can undertake to do, as Thure and Bud both discovered +long before the night of their first day's work in the goldmines of +California came to bring rest to their aching backs and arms and legs. +But that day saw the completion of the wing part of the dam and the new +channel so far as it was thought necessary to dig one and now all that +remained to be done was to extend the dam across the stream itself; and +this progress put all, even the two boys notwithstanding their +weariness, into splendid spirits.</p> + +<p>"I reckon it won't take us th' hull six days tew finish th' job," +commented Ham, as he threw down his pick and wiped his perspiring face +with a huge red handkerchief at the close of the day's work. "We didn't +calculate that you tew yunks was such hosses tew work," and he grinned +into the faces of Thure and Bud; and the two tired boys grinned bravely +back. They were not going to let anybody know just how very, very tired +they really were.</p> + +<p>That night, when the returning laborers came within sight of their log +house, they were greatly surprised to see the smoke pouring hospitably +out of its chimney and a light glowing a bright welcome through its +windows.</p> + +<p>"Now, who can it be!" exclaimed Ham, the moment his eyes caught sight of +the smoke and the light, while all quickened their steps and their faces +brightened; for company in that lonely log house was such a rarity as to +be most gladly welcomed. "Won't expectin' nobudy, was you, Con?"</p> + +<p>"No," answered Conroyal. "I can't imagine who it can be."</p> + +<p>"Maybe it's th' minister an' his wife come tew make us a social-like +call. Wal, he won't git no chicken dinner, if it is," and Ham grinned.</p> + +<p>At the door of the house the mystery was solved by the sudden appearance +in the doorway of the smiling face of Mrs. Dickson glowing with the heat +of the fire over which she had been cooking and her own happiness, +backed by the grinning countenance of her husband.</p> + +<p>"Dick and I felt just as if we had to celebrate our good fortune +someway, or bust," she explained, smiling and bowing to the astonished +men; "and, of course, we didn't want to celebrate it all alone, so we +just moved in here for the celebration, your house being larger than +ours. Now, get washed up as quick as you can and come right in. Supper +is almost ready; and Dick has bought out nearly all the stores in +Hangtown. Thought you men folks might enjoy a taste of woman's cooking +again," and her sweet laugh rang out joyously.</p> + +<p>"Got everything good to eat they had in Hangtown, boys," and Dickson +thrust his head out over one of his wife's shoulders; "and Mollie's +cooked a dinner that just fairly makes a fellow's insides jump to get a +whiff of. Whoop! I've taken a good Ten Thousand Dollars' worth of gold +out of that hole by the side of the big rock already! And there is more +left there, boys! There is more left there!" and the happy man caught +his wife around the waist and began waltzing with her around the table.</p> + +<p>"Wal, I'll be durned!" was the way Ham expressed his feelings at this +unexpected but most welcomed invasion of their home; and, judging from +the looks on the faces of the others, that was about the way all felt.</p> + +<p>Our friends promptly hurried away to the spring to "wash up," as the +Little Woman had commanded; and soon were back again, with, probably, +just a little cleaner faces and hands than they had had before in weeks.</p> + +<p>"Now, just sit right down to the table," Mrs. Dickson urged, the moment +they came filing in. "Everything is ready for you to begin eating right +away; and nobody is to wait on ceremony. I know you must be about as +hungry as bears. Dick and I have already eaten until we are both about +ready to bust, the things looked and smelled so good we couldn't wait no +how, so we've got nothing else to do but just to wait on you big hungry +men—There, sit right down there, Ham, in front of that gold-pan +full—but it is a surprise; and I won't tell you what is in that pan +yet," and she pushed the grinning Ham down on the block of wood that did +service in lieu of a dining chair in front of a steaming covered +gold-pan.</p> + +<p>One near whiff of the contents of this pan and Ham jumped to his feet.</p> + +<p>"Whoop, boys!" he yelled. "It's chicken! It's chicken pie! Whoop! Hurrah +for th' Leetle Woman!" and, whirling suddenly around, he threw one big +arm around Mrs. Dickson, drew her quickly to him, and gave her a smack +on one of her rosy cheeks that sounded like the report of a pistol.</p> + +<p>"And the only chickens in Hangtown are in that pie," declared Dickson +proudly. "When we saw those birds Mollie and I just couldn't keep our +hands off them. They seemed to be just a-begging us to buy them and make +them into a chicken pie. Now, fall to, boys; and, with every mouthful +that you eat, think of our good luck. It means a lot to us, boys, a +whole lot to the Little Woman and me. We are going back to our dear old +New York home on the beautiful banks of the Hudson—Hi, there, Ham! Just +start the chicken pie a-going round. You are not the only mouth at the +table," and Dickson, doubtless feeling that sentiment was beginning to +get a little the best of him, rushed excitedly about the table, as he +helped to pass the good things Mrs. Dickson had cooked from one to +another.</p> + +<p>That was a dinner to remember as long as one lived. The circumstances of +its giving were so unusual and so generous, its surroundings were so +unique, and its jolliness was so whole-hearted and spontaneous, that +ever afterwards it was one of the bright spots in the memories of all +who were present.</p> + +<p>When the eating was ended the men went outside and built a huge fire in +front of the house; and then sat down around it and smoked their pipes +and told stories and compared mining notes and discussed the +ever-present questions of where the gold came from and how it got there, +all of which would make interesting reading, but which, because of other +events that are crowding forward, must be passed over thus briefly.</p> + +<p>For a couple of hours the talk around the camp-fire continued; Mrs. +Dickson had joined the circle, and then Mr. and Mrs. Dickson both rose.</p> + +<p>"It's getting late and we must be going," declared Mrs. Dickson.</p> + +<p>"Not yit! Not yit! Not until you've sung for us!" cried Ham, jumping to +his feet. "We can't let her go without a song, can we, boys?"</p> + +<p>The reply was an unanimous demand for the song; and Mrs. Dickson, +smiling and bowing and blushing, like a happy schoolgirl, and declaring +that she was afraid she had eaten too much to sing, straightened up her +plump little body, threw back her head, and was about to begin to sing +in the dark shadows where she stood, when Ham caught her by both her +shoulders and gently pushed her out into the bright light of the +camp-fire.</p> + +<p>"Th' song wouldn't sound nigh as good, if we couldn't see th' singer +plain," he declared, his face seemingly one broad grin. "Thar, that's +'bout right," and he swung her around so that the brightest light shone +full on her face. "Now give us good old 'Ben Bolt,' Somehow that song +kinder seems tew sweeten me all up inside," and Ham sat down almost +directly in front of Mrs. Dickson.</p> + +<p>Mrs. Dickson had a sweet, clear, bird-like voice, and what she lacked in +training she more than made up in the feeling she put into the words she +sang; and her singing always touched the hearts of these lonely miners +deeply. But to-night, as she stood there, with the ruddy light of the +camp-fire shining on her face and dimly illuminating the surrounding +shadows of the lonely night and the towering mountains and the tall pine +trees, and sang the beautiful words and melody of "Sweet Alice, Ben +Bolt," she struck a deeper chord still, and all listened like men +entranced until the last note died away in the silence of the encircling +night.</p> + +<p>"I never knowed I liked music so well, 'til I heer'd th' Leetle Woman +sing," declared Ham the moment the sound of Mrs. Dickson's voice ceased. +"Her singin' seems tew come a-knockin' right at th' door of a feller's +heart. Now, dew sing us another one," and he turned pleadingly to Mrs. +Dickson.</p> + +<p>"Yes, I will sing you just one more song; and then we must be going. It +must be nearly ten o'clock; and those two tired boys have been nodding +their heads for the last half-hour."</p> + +<p>"Me!" "We!" and Thure and Bud both sat up very straight. "Oh, we were +just nodding our heads to keep time to your music. Please do sing +again."</p> + +<p>For answer Mrs. Dickson lifted her face to the sparkling skies; and +then, while the tears gathered in her own eyes and her sweet voice +trembled a little, she sang that song dear to the hearts of all +wanderers no matter where they roam, "Home, Sweet Home."</p> + +<p>"Now, good night, everybody. Come, Dick," and, turning quickly the +moment she stopped singing, Mrs. Dickson caught hold of her husband's +arm and hurried away before the spell of the song and the singer was +broken.</p> + +<p>A half an hour later the lights in both the houses were out and their +inmates sound asleep.</p> + + + +<hr style="width: 65%;" /> +<h2><a name="CHAPTER_XVII" id="CHAPTER_XVII"></a>CHAPTER XVII</h2> + +<h3>POCKFACE AGAIN</h3> + + +<p>Thure and Bud were very tired and very sleepy and both slept very +soundly; but, when the door of their house was suddenly flung violently +open some three hours after they had closed their eyes in sleep, and a +voice, hoarse with excitement, yelled: "Fire! Fire! Fire!" they found +themselves out of their bunks and on their feet and wide-awake almost +before the startling cry ceased to echo in the room.</p> + +<p>"Where, where is the fire?" they heard Conroyal asking excitedly, as +they hurried into their trousers and heavy boots—they had slept in +their shirts. A moment later came a cry of horror from Ham in reply.</p> + +<p>"God in heaven!" he yelled. "It's Dickson's! Th' Leetle Woman!" and he +plunged madly out through the door, followed by every other man in the +house.</p> + +<p>Thure and Bud were close behind the last man. The moment they were +outside their eyes caught the red glow of the fire shining wickedly +through the openings between the pine trees that surrounded Dickson's +little cabin, and raced madly toward it. The distance was not great, not +over twenty rods; and they soon found themselves in front of the burning +house.</p> + +<p>Dickson and his wife, half-dressed, were rushing madly about, empty +water-pails in their hands. Already the red flames were leaping through +one of the windows; and, as they looked, a heavy jet of black smoke, +swiftly followed by a long tongue of fire, shot out from the roof above +the flaming window.</p> + +<p>"Buckets! Buckets!" yelled Ham. "Form a line tew th' spring an' pass +buckets of water from it tew th' house. Here, you," he cried, as his +eyes caught sight of Thure and Bud, "back tew th' house an' git +everything in it that'll hold water—pails, gold-pans, kettles, +anything—Hurry!"</p> + +<p>Thure and Bud turned instantly and sped back to the house, their hearts +thumping with excitement. They knew the value of moments in a case like +this. Thure was a little longer-legged, a little the swifter runner, and +he reached the open door perhaps a rod ahead of Bud and sprang through +it, thinking only of how he could get hold of the kettles and the pails +and the pans in the quickest manner possible.</p> + +<p>The room was dimly lighted by a ruddy glow from the coals still burning +in the fireplace; and by this light, Thure, the moment he sprang through +the door, saw a figure start up suddenly from near the bunk where he +slept and turn a pock-marked, face, white with fear, toward him; and +then, as his momentum carried him into the room and before he could lift +a hand in self-defense, he saw the right hand suddenly swing up a heavy +club, as the figure leaped toward him, and—a blinding crash and he knew +no more for the present.</p> + +<p>Bud was more fortunate. He saw the figure, saw the blow hurriedly aimed +at him, in time to spring aside; and then, with a yell of rage, for he, +too, had caught sight of the pock-marked face of his assailant, he +hurled himself toward him.</p> + +<p>But Pockface had had all of the fight he wanted; for, the instant he +struck at Bud and failed to hit him, he sprang through the door.</p> + +<p>Bud, in his mad rush to get at the man, failed to see the body of Thure +sprawled out on the ground at his feet, and, as he sprang after the +fleeing scoundrel, his feet struck the body and pitched him head-first +to the ground, where he lay for an instant, stunned by the fall. When he +jumped to his feet and sprang excitedly to the door, Pockface had +vanished completely into the darkness of the night.</p> + +<p>There was no use now of trying to follow him. Besides, there was Thure! +What had happened to him? He—he might be dead! And, with fingers that +trembled with anxiety and dread, Bud hurriedly lit a candle and bent +over Thure, for the moment forgetful of the fire and of everything else +but the condition of his friend.</p> + +<p>A great bump on the top of Thure's head showed where the blow had +fallen; but he was breathing, and Bud's experience in such matters +quickly told him that he was only stunned.</p> + +<p>On a box in a corner of the room stood a pail, filled with water. Bud +quickly seized this pail, and, in his excitement, dumped its whole +contents directly down on the white face of Thure.</p> + +<p>A shiver ran through the still form, then both eyes opened and stared +wildly, blankly around for a moment. Suddenly the blank, wild look left +the eyes, and Thure struggled desperately to get on his feet.</p> + +<p>"Did he—did he get the skin map?" he cried excitedly, as Bud endeavored +to quiet him. "I—I left it under my pillow. Hurry! See if it is still +there. Never mind me. I'll be all right in a minute. Hurry and see if +the map is still where I left it," and he pushed Bud impatiently away +from him.</p> + +<p>Bud quickly caught up the candle and hurried to the bunk. Both pillows +lay on the floor, where some hurried hand had thrown them, and the +little buckskin bag, with its precious contents, was nowhere in sight. +Bud jerked off all the blankets and held the candle up high; but no +sight of the buckskin bag rewarded his efforts.</p> + +<p>"It is gone!" and he turned a despairing face to Thure. "He got the map! +And after all we have gone through!"</p> + +<p>"What!" Thure was now on his feet, all the dizziness gone, and rushing +toward the bunk. "The map gone!" and he seized the candle from Bud's +hand, and, holding it so that its light illuminated the whole bunk, +stared wildly down on the rumpled surface of the rude bedtick, which +now, the blankets having been thrown off, showed its entire surface to +the light of the candle. There could be no doubting his own eyes. The +buckskin bag was not there!</p> + +<p>"Gone! It is gone!" and Thure staggered back from the bunk, almost as if +he had received a blow. "But," and he straightened up suddenly, his face +white and his eyes sparkling with rage, "he has not had time to go far. +Get your rifle, your pistols," and he sprang to the rack where hung his +rifle and pistols. "We must catch him. Oh, if I could but just get hold +of him!" and, rifle and pistols in hands, he rushed to the door; and not +until the glare of the burning house met his eyes did he come to his +senses sufficiently to see the folly of rushing blindly out into the +darkness of the night and the wildness of the mountains after the +scoundrel who had fled he knew not whither, or to recall the purpose for +which he and Bud had been sent back to the house.</p> + +<p>"Mother of men! We are forgetting all about the fire!" and he stopped +abruptly. "Well, it would be useless to try to find him now," and his +eyes glared wrathfully out into the darkness of the night. "The buckets! +Hurry!" and he rushed back into the house.</p> + +<p>When, a few minutes later, Thure and Bud, loaded down with kettles, +pails, pans, and even frying-pans, rushed pantingly up to Ham, who stood +at the end of the long line of men, stretching from the house to the +spring, throwing the water, as it was passed to him, with his great +strong arms, on the fire, he turned angrily on them.</p> + +<p>"Git tew th' spring," he shouted, "with them kettles and pails, you +young—" Then, catching sight of their white faces, he stopped abruptly. +"What's happened?"</p> + +<p>"They've got the map!"</p> + +<p>"Burn th' map! Git tew th' spring with them pails an' git busy with th' +water," and, with a violent swing of his huge body, Ham flung a large +gold-pan full of water on top of the flaming roof.</p> + +<p>Thure and Bud at once hurried to the spring.</p> + +<p>By this time the alarm of fire had raced up and down the gulches and +ravines of Hangtown and men were running from every direction toward the +burning building. Already a hundred or more men were stretched in a long +line from the house to the spring; and down this line buckets and pails +and pans of water were passing as swiftly as strong and willing arms +could send them. The air was filled with the yells and cries of excited +men.</p> + +<p>Thure and Bud at once pushed their pails and buckets into service and +promptly joined a new line that was forming.</p> + +<p>Fortunately the spring was a large one and the water held out; and, in a +short time, a great shout went up from the house and rushed along the +two lines of bucket men up to the spring and echoed and reëchoed +triumphantly up and down through the rocky gulches and canyons of +Hangtown.</p> + +<p>The fire had been conquered; but not until the larger part of the roof +had been burned and the greater part of the interior furnishings +destroyed.</p> + +<p>The cause of the fire was a mystery. Mr. and Mrs. Dickson were positive +that it did not come from the fireplace, that, in fact, it had started +in almost the opposite end of the house and nearly directly under their +bunk; for, when the heat and the smoke awoke them, the foot of the bunk +and the lower end of the bed-clothes were already ablaze. Everything +inside the house was too badly burnt to furnish any positive clues; but +it was the opinion of nearly all the excited men that the house had been +set on fire purposely; and, if they could have but laid their hands on +the miscreant, there would have been as speedy a hanging as the one had +been that had given the town its unsavory name.</p> + +<p>The moment the excitement of the fire was over, Thure and Bud hastened +to their fathers and hurriedly told them what had happened on their +return to the house and of the disappearance of the map.</p> + +<p>The two men at once quietly but quickly gathered the other members of +the company and soon all were back again in the house, with the door +tightly closed.</p> + +<p>"Now," and Mr. Conroyal turned to the two boys, "tell us exactly what +happened."</p> + +<p>Thure quickly told all that he knew up to the moment the club had +knocked him senseless and exhibited the bump, now as large as a goose +egg, on the top of his head in proof of the story; and then Bud related +his part in the adventure. Both boys were certain that the man they had +seen in the house was Quinley, or Pockface as they continued to call +him.</p> + +<p>"An' you say th' skunk got that thar skin map an' gold nugget!" and Ham +sprang excitedly to his feet.</p> + +<p>"Yes. I—I left it under my pillow. We found both pillows on the floor; +and the buckskin bag gone. The man was standing near my bunk when I +rushed in, and must have just found it. Oh, if I only could have got +hold of him before he hit me!" and tears of baffled rage filled Thure's +eyes.</p> + +<p>"You're sart'in th' bag ain't thar?" and Ham glanced at the dismantled +bunk and the disordered bed-clothes scattered about.</p> + +<p>"Look for yourself," and Thure sank down on one of the rude chairs and, +throwing his arms disconsolately on the table, laid his aching head down +on them.</p> + +<p>Ham seized a lighted candle and strode over to the bunk, followed by all +the other men. He held the candle over the bunk and his eyes swiftly +searched every inch of the surface of the bedtick.</p> + +<p>"Th' yunks are right! Th' bag's not here!" and, with an angry growl, he +seized the offending mattress and hurled it out on the floor.</p> + +<p>There was a soft thud, as of something small but heavy striking the +ground of the floor; and then, with a yell that caused Thure to jump +nearly a foot up in the air from his seat at the table, Ham dropped the +candle and caught up something from the floor.</p> + +<p>"Hal'lujah! Hurrah! Amen! Here it is!" yelled the excited man, as he +held up where all could see the missing buckskin bag.</p> + +<p>In his mad tumble out of the bunk at the alarm of fire, Thure must have +knocked the little bag down between the mattress and the side of the +bunk, whence the rude hands of Ham had dislodged it when he had jerked +the mattress off the bunk; and this, probably, was all that had saved it +from the fingers of Pockface, for the pillows lying on the floor showed +that he had evidently searched underneath them.</p> + +<p>There is no need of picturing the rejoicing in that log house for the +next few minutes; but, when all had quieted down and were beginning to +talk sensible again, Rex suddenly jumped to his feet with an exclamation +of horror and rage.</p> + +<p>"The curs! The cowards! The murderers!" he cried excitedly.</p> + +<p>"What's bitin' you?" demanded Ham in astonishment.</p> + +<p>"The fire! Can't you see the curs set Dickson's house on fire on purpose +to get us out of the way?"</p> + +<p>"Great guns! If I don't believe you are right!" and Ham leaped to his +feet, his face white with rage. "An' a woman asleep in th' house! They +might have burnt both on 'em tew death! They shore won't stop at nuthin' +tew git that map! An' tew think I had my grip on that red-headed skunk's +shoulder, an' I only knocked him down!" and Ham dropped back on his +seat, muttering wrathfully to himself.</p> + +<p>"I reckon Rex has the right of it," and Mr. Conroyal's lips tightened. +"But the devilish cunning of it! They knew that whoever had the buckskin +bag would not be apt to sleep with it on him; and they calculated that +the sudden alarm of fire, coming when all were sound asleep, would so +startle, that, for the moment, even the skin map would be forgotten and +all would rush out to help put out the fire, and give them a chance to +search the house. Cunning, but as devilish as it is cunning! Think of +how they might have burnt Dickson and the Little Woman in their bed! By +the good God, we would be justified in killing either one of them on +sight!" and his rugged face hardened.</p> + +<p>"We certainly would," agreed Mr. Randolph emphatically. "They have +forfeited all their rights of manhood. But, I fancy, the cunning devils +won't give us a chance for an open fight. They will always strike from +behind something; but now that we know they are on our trail, we've got +to be on the lookout for them."</p> + +<p>"'Pears tew me," and Ham held the buckskin bag up, "that it's this here +thing that needs special guardin'. It's th' map that they are after; an' +they don't 'pear tew be none particular how many or who they kill tew +git it, only so they save their own hides. Now, I reckon, we've got tew +keep an eye on this here map night an' day 'til we gits tew th' Cave of +Gold; an' then, like as not, we'll have tew fight for th' gold. First +off, it 'pears tew me, we otter git some better place tew hide th' map +since them curs seem tew know 'bout th' buckskin bag," and Ham took the +fateful map out of the little bag and spread it out on his knees.</p> + +<p>"I know," and, in his excitement, Thure jumped to his feet and caught up +the map. "I know a good way to hide the map, and, maybe, fool them. +We'll leave the gold nugget in the bag, and I'll sew the skin map on the +inside of my shirt bosom. Then, if they should somehow get hold of the +buckskin bag, they'd only get the gold nugget; but, to get the map, +they'd have to get me; and, I reckon, dad and the rest of you are able +to keep them from doing that!"</p> + +<p>"That sounds sensible," declared Ham. "Thure'll always have his shirt on +his back night an' day; an' so we'll jest have tew keep an eye on Thure. +I reckon that idee is 'bout as good as any we can think of—only, we +must be powerful careful tew keep it secret an' tew never let th' yunk +git out of our sight for an instant."</p> + +<p>After a little discussion all agreed that Thure's plan was a good one; +and, accordingly, Thure at once took off his shirt and carefully and +smoothly sewed the skin map on the inside of its bosom, the face of the +map toward the cloth; and then, over all, he sewed another piece of +cloth, so that the map was completely hidden between the two folds of +cloth.</p> + +<p>"There," he said, as he pulled the shirt back on his body, "I'd like to +see Pockface or Brokennose get the map now, without getting me; and, I +reckon, you fellers will see that they have their hands full if they +tackle that job," and his eyes glanced proudly around the little circle +of men, who had gathered close about him while he was performing his +interesting little feat in sewing.</p> + +<p>And Thure had good reasons for his pride and confidence in his comrades; +for his father and Frank Holt, his uncle, and Hammer Jones and Rex and +Dill and Mr. Randolph were all old trappers and hunters and Indian +fighters, who had been tried by every form of peril and had never been +found wanting. Indeed, the names of Hammer Jones and Noel Conroyal and +Steeltrap Smith, as Frank Holt was once called, were still famous +throughout all the Rocky Mountain region, for the deeds of daring and +skill that had made them comrades in fame, as they often had been in +fact, with trappers and Indian fighters like Kit Carson and Jim Bridger +and Old Bill Williams and half-a-dozen other fearless men, whose courage +and pluck and wonderful skill had made their names known wherever a +campfire blazed throughout all the great West. Yes, Thure had good +reasons to believe that Brokennose and Pockface, cunning as they were, +would certainly have their hands full, if they got the skin map away +from him, while he was watched by such men as these.</p> + +<p>"They'll have tew git all of us afore they git you, son," declared Ham, +in reply to Thure's assertion. "Now," and he stretched his big frame and +yawned, "seein' that we've 'tended tew all th' business that needs +'tendin' tew tew-night, we'd better try an' git a leetle more sleep +afore mornin'. Leastwise I'm a-goin' tew," and, after a glance through +the window to assure himself that everything was all safe and quiet +around the Dickson house, he slipped a loaded pistol under his pillow +and climbed into his bunk.</p> + +<p>Ham's advice, as usual, was too good to be neglected, and soon all were +in their bunks. But, just before each had climbed into his bunk, he, +like Ham, had slipped a loaded pistol under his pillow. They were not +the kind of men to go unprepared when danger threatened.</p> + + + +<hr style="width: 65%;" /> +<h2><a name="CHAPTER_XVIII" id="CHAPTER_XVIII"></a>CHAPTER XVIII</h2> + +<h3>STORY OF THE GREAT DISCOVERY</h3> + + +<p>A cheery call from Mr. and Mrs. Dickson greeted our friends the next +morning, as they started down the trail on their way to the wing dam. +Both were in the best of spirits and did not appear to be bothering +their heads in the least over their rather exciting and unfortunate +adventure of the night before. Indeed, what could the burning of a log +cabin more or less matter to a man who was digging out of the ground +from five to ten thousand dollars' worth of gold a day! They were busily +at work putting on a temporary roof in place of the one the fire had +destroyed.</p> + +<p>"Lose much?" queried Ham sympathetically, as the little company came to +a halt in front of the ruins.</p> + +<p>"Only a little worn-out clothing and some mighty poor furniture," +laughed Dickson. "Mollie and I calculate we can fix up the roof by noon +good enough to last the few days we are likely to remain here; and the +time it takes us to do that is our only real loss. You see, we've +decided, if we get as much as twenty thousand dollars' worth of gold out +of that hole, we'll get for New York as fast as the good Lord will let +us; and it looks now as if it was good for that much, at least, before +it gives out. Why, it won't take more than a couple of days more to fix +us all right, if the gold continues to turn up the way it did yesterday! +Hope it will be your turn next."</p> + +<p>"Same here," laughed Mrs. Dickson. "My, but it does seem good to be +digging real gold up out of the ground in handfuls. Hope that wing dam, +or whatever you call it, will be the golden key that will unlock the +door of fortune to you all."</p> + +<p>"We all shore agrees with you thar," grinned Ham. "An' we all hopes that +y'ur luck will continue, 'til you gits enough tew send you back home in +fine style—not that we're none anxious tew see you go," he added +hastily, "'cause 'twould be 'bout as painful an operation as bein' +seperated from a sore tooth, to be seperated from that singin' apperatus +of your'n. We'll be expectin' you tew come over an' sing some more for +us tew-night."</p> + +<p>"I certainly can't refuse, after such a compliment to my singing," she +laughed back.</p> + +<p>"It almost tempts me tew try hitchin' up myself, tew see them tew +a-workin' tewgether as happy as tew nestin' birds," grinned Ham, as our +friends, after a few minutes' longer talk with the joyful and fortunate +couple, continued on their way. "I reckon that's 'bout th' kind of +marriage th' feller meant, when he said they was made in heaven; for th' +t'other kind 'pear tew be made in t'other place," and Ham chuckled.</p> + +<p>That day they succeeded in building a wall of rocks, piled one on top of +the other and plastered together with clay and the branches of trees, +across the little stream itself and almost high enough to force the +water to flow in the new channel. Consequently night found them +jubilant; for now it began to look as if they might complete the dam on +the morrow, and this was doing better by a day or two than they had +expected to do.</p> + +<p>"I reckon we had better bring along the pails and the pans to-morrow," +Mr. Conroyal said, as he paused with Ham and Mr. Randolph for a last +calculating look at the dam, before starting for the log house that +night. "Looks now as if we might complete the dam and turn the water a +little before night; and, if we do, we will want to get right to work at +the hole. It sure looks as if we had struck a good thing here, boys," +and his face lighted, as his eyes turned toward the elbow. "If this +stream has been carrying down gold the way some of the streams have in +this section, we'll have Dickson beat by a wagon load or two of gold a +day. I can't see how it can help turning out something big," and the +gold-fever light that shone in his eyes began to sparkle in the eyes of +the others.</p> + +<p>"It shore otter turn out big tew pay us for all this work," and Ham's +glance slowly wandered over the huge piles of rocks and dirt that their +shovels and strong arms had reared, "but thar's no countin' on what +it'll do. 'Twouldn't s'prise me none, if we took out a wagon load of +gold; an', ag'in, 'twouldn't s'prise me none, if we didn't take out a +thimble load. Gold is 'bout as unsart'in an' queer as women. When you +think you've got it shore, gosh, it ain't thar at all! But, I reckon +you're right 'bout th' pans an' pails; an' I shore hopes you're right +'bout th' wagon loads of gold."</p> + +<p>After supper that night Mr. and Mrs. Dickson came over and joined the +circle around the big camp-fire that Thure and Bud had kindled in front +of the log house. There was no need to be saving of wood, when all one +had to do to get it was to cut it. Wood was the one thing that was free +and plentiful in Hangtown.</p> + +<p>"How did she pan out tew-day, Dick?" queried Ham, as Dickson seated +himself on a log.</p> + +<p>"Well," and Dickson hesitated and glanced swiftly and just a little +suspiciously around the circle of faces. Already the possession of much +gold was robbing him of some of his open, free-hearted confidence in his +fellow men, was drawing tight the strings of caution. "Well," he +continued, after a swift warning glance into the face of his wife, "I +fear that we have about come to the bottom of the pocket. Not much doing +to-day," but the light in his eyes seemed to belie his statement.</p> + +<p>"Oh, Dick," and Mrs. Dickson turned a reproving face to her husband, +"how can you say that, when we found this, and a lot of smaller nuggets, +and a good three thousand dollars' worth in gold-dust besides!" and she +held up before the astonished eyes of the circle a huge gold nugget. "It +weighs exactly five pounds and three and three-quarters ounces, and is +worth over a thousand dollars," and the Little Woman's face glowed with +triumph. "There," and she turned a pair of happy but defiant eyes on her +husband, "I just couldn't keep a thing like that to myself; and I +shouldn't want to, if I could; and I told Dick that I couldn't and I +wouldn't keep it from you and I didn't," and her eyes sparkled merrily. +"But Dick is getting a little afraid that, if it becomes known how big +our find really is it might tempt some scoundrel to try and get the gold +away from us."</p> + +<p>"Not meaning you fellows, of course," and Dickson's face flushed.</p> + +<p>"Shore, we understand an' without any explainin'," broke in Ham +heartily. "An', Leetle Woman, Dick's more'n half right 'bout bein' some +cautious who you tells y'ur good luck tew. Thar was a miner murdered for +his gold 'bout a week ago nigh Sacremento City; an' th' murderers worn't +caught an' might be a-snoopin' 'round Hangtown right now."</p> + +<p>"Mercy!" and Mrs. Dickson turned a whitening face to Ham. "Why, there is +hardly a lock on a door in all Hangtown; and most of the miners don't +even take the trouble to hide their gold-dust securely. I thought +everybody knew that the climate of Hangtown wasn't good for the health +of robbers."</p> + +<p>"An' so it ain't for them that gits caught," answered Ham. "But humans +will risk anything, even their lives for gold. Why, it wasn't more'n a +week ago that we run Skoonly out of town for stealin'! So, I reckon, +'tain't more'n good hoss-sense for you tew be some cautious now that you +are gittin' a fortune in gold. Not that thar's any harm in a-tellin' old +friends like us, 'cause we knows enough tew keep mum 'bout it," and Ham +glanced warningly around the circle of interested faces. "But 'twouldn't +be good sense tew let th' hull town know th' size of y'ur pile. It's tew +goll durned big an' temptin'. Not that I wants tew scare you, Leetle +Woman. Only it's jest good hoss-religion not tew tempt y'ur feller +mortals more'n it's necessary. Now forgit th' gold an' give us a song."</p> + +<p>Ham had not been without his reasons in thus trying to arouse the fears +of Mr. and Mrs. Dickson and in warning the others to keep their +knowledge of the amount of Dickson's find to themselves; for, since the +night adventure of Thure and Bud, he knew that Quinley and Ugger must be +lurking somewhere in the vicinity, and that, if these two scoundrels +should get knowledge of Dickson's great luck, neither their gold nor +their lives would be safe.</p> + +<p>Mrs. Dickson sang a number of the old songs, including Ham's favorite, +"Sweet Alice, Ben Bolt"; but her music lacked something of its usual +soul-fervor. Evidently the words of Ham had so aroused her fears that +she could not keep her mind from wandering to the little pile of gold +they had left almost unguarded in their lockless log cabin; and, in a +short time, both excused themselves on the plea of weariness, and +hurried home.</p> + +<p>"Tew bad tew scare th' Leetle Woman," Ham said regretfully; "but 'twould +be a heap worse tew have Quinley an' Ugger git that thar gold. I got +scart of them jest as soon as th' Leetle Woman showed up th' big nugget; +for they must be a-lurkin' 'round here somewhere, keepin' an eye on us; +an', if they heer'd of Dickson's gold, they shore would try an' git it. +Wal, we'd better follow their example an' git tew bed; for we've got a +hard day's work afore us, if we finish th' wing dam an' turn th' water +tew-morrer. I'm goin'," and Ham, knocking the ashes out of his pipe on +the log on which he was sitting, arose and went into the house, whither +he was soon followed by the others.</p> + +<hr style='width: 45%;' /> + +<p>The next day as Thure and Bud were sitting in the shade of the cool side +of the gulch, a little apart from the others, eating their lunch and +discussing the great find they expected to make when they turned the +water of the little stream into the new channel, Thure, whose eyes +happened to be looking down the gulch at that moment, suddenly +exclaimed:</p> + +<p>"Hello, look who's coming!" and he pointed down the gulch to where a man +could be seen walking slowly toward them, a pick and shovel and gold-pan +slung across his broad shoulders, a Mexican sombrero on his head and the +rest of his body clothed in a blue flannel shirt and linen trousers that +had once been white, protected by deerskin leggings and thrust into the +tops of knee-boots.</p> + +<p>"Out prospecting, I reckon," and Bud glanced curiously at the advancing +stranger, for visitors had been rare in that lonely gulch. "Let's ask +him to dine with us," and he smiled as he glanced at the coarse but +abundant fare spread out on the ground between them. "He must be hungry, +if he has lugged those things on his back far. Hello!" and he turned to +the stranger, who by this time had come to within a couple of rods of +where the two boys sat, "You are just in time to help us finish up these +beans and pork. Come and have a seat at our table," and he grinned a +welcome, as he nodded toward the food.</p> + +<p>"I don't care if I do," smiled back the stranger, as he flung pick and +shovel and pan from his back and dropped down by the side of the boys, +"especially since I've got a little jerked venison here that I know will +taste good to you, if you've been living on salt pork as long as the +most of the miners have," and he began to undo a little bundle tied to +the end of his pick, and presently disclosed a chunk of dried venison +and a couple of ship-biscuits, wrapped up in a coarse but clean cloth. +This food he at once laid down on the cloth, which he had spread out on +Bud's table, and bade the boys help themselves, at the same time and +without any further invitation helping himself to the beans and pork.</p> + +<p>"Wait, and I'll get you a cup of hot coffee," and Bud jumped to his feet +and hurried to where Ham was superintending the boiling of a pot of +coffee over the camp-fire.</p> + +<p>"Say, dew you know who that feller is who has j'ined grub with you?" +queried Ham, grinning, as he filled a tin cup full of the coffee and +handed it to Bud.</p> + +<p>"Oh, just a miner out prospecting, I reckon," answered Bud, as he took +the coffee. "We thought we would be social and asked him to share our +meal," and he started back with the coffee.</p> + +<p>"Wal," and the grin on Ham's face broadened, "that feller is James W. +Marshall!"</p> + +<p>"What!" and Bud stopped so suddenly that he almost spilt the coffee. +"Not the James W. Marshall who discovered the first gold in California!"</p> + +<p>"Th' identicle cuss," laughed Ham. "But 'tain't done him much good so +far."</p> + +<p>"Glory be, we just thought he was an ordinary prospector, when we asked +him to share our lunch! And so he is the man that started all this mad +rush for California gold," and Bud's eyes turned curiously in the +direction of the stranger. "Well, he sure don't look as if the gold had +done him much good."</p> + +<p>"That's usually th' way on it," replied Ham. "Th' feller what finds it +only gits th' first smell, then 'long comes some other feller an' +gobbles it all up, leavin' th' finder nuthin' but th' glory."</p> + +<p>"Maybe we can get him to tell us the story of how he found the gold," +and Bud's face lighted up. "I'd like to hear it from his own lips."</p> + +<p>"Wal," grinned Ham, "jest tell him that he's 'bout th' most abused man +in all Californy, an', I reckon, he'll open his heart tew you. He's +pow'ful sore over everybudy else but he a-gettin' th' gold, an' he th' +discoverer."</p> + +<p>"Maybe the hot coffee will do as well," laughed Bud, as he hurried back +to his guest.</p> + +<p>The hot coffee, possibly even more the contagion of the joyous +enthusiasm of the two youths, did, indeed, seem to act like a charm on +Marshall's taciturn and soured disposition; for, before the meal was +half over, he was talking freely of his mining ventures with Thure and +Bud; and it needed but a few well-directed inquiries to bring the +desired story from his willing lips.</p> + +<p>"How did I happen to discover the gold?" he began, as if the boys had +asked him directly for the story, which they had not. "Well, it all came +about in this way," and he settled himself into a comfortable position. +"In May, 1847, Captain Sutter sent me up the American River to look for +a good site for a sawmill that he wished me to build for him; and, after +a number of days of fruitless search, I found what looked like the exact +spot I was hunting for on the South Fork of the American about +forty-five miles from Sutter's Fort. Captain Sutter, you may be sure, +was well pleased when I told him of my success; and we entered into a +partnership, according to which I was to build the mill and he was to +find provisions, tools, teams, and pay a part of the men's wages; and in +August, everything being ready, I started out with six men and two +wagons loaded with the tools and provisions. We first put up log houses +in which to live; for we expected to remain there all winter. But this +was done in no time for the men were great with the ax. Then we cut +timber and fell to work hewing it for the framework of the mill and to +building the dam, which, with the help of about forty Indians, who had +gathered around us in great numbers, we put up in a kind of a way in +four weeks. When the mill was nearly completed, it was my custom every +evening after the men had quit work to raise the gate in the mill-race +and allow the water to run all night, in order to wash as much sand and +gravel as possible out of the race during the night; and in the morning, +while the men were getting breakfast, I would go down and shut the gate +and walk along the race to see where the work needed to be done for the +day.</p> + +<p>"One clear cold morning in January—I shall never forget that morning. I +can see it all as I sit here—the nearly completed mill, the slopes of +the surrounding tree-covered hills, the water pouring over the dam, the +mill-race, a foot or so of water still rushing along over its bottom—I +can see it all—"</p> + +<p>Marshall paused, his eyes staring straight in front of him, a peculiar, +dreamy, wild look in them that sent uncanny chills to the hearts of both +boys as long as it lasted. What was he seeing? Visions?—Visions of what +that morning meant to a gold-mad world?</p> + +<p>"No, I can never forget that January morning," Marshall resumed, after +perhaps a minute, the normal look again coming back into his eyes; "for +on that morning I found the gold that has set the world crazy and proven +little more than a curse to me," and a gloomy bitter look clouded his +face.</p> + +<p>"On that morning, as usual, after having shut off the water, I started +to walk along the race, keeping my eyes pretty close to the ground, so +as to make a note of where the ditch needed more digging. There was +still about a foot of water running in the race. Suddenly my eyes caught +a glimpse of something shining through the water, just a bright little +gleam of yellow lying on the bottom of the ditch; but the first sight of +it made my heart jump, for I thought it might be gold; and I reached my +hand down quick through the water and picked it up and examined it +eagerly. The piece was about half the size, and of the shape of a pea; +and felt and looked like gold, only it did not seem to me to be exactly +the right color: all the gold coin I had seen was of a reddish tinge; +this looked more like brass. I looked again in the water and saw another +piece and picked that up. Then I sat down on the bank, with the little +pieces of shining metal on the palm of my hand, and began to think right +hard. Was it gold? I recalled to mind all the metals I had ever seen or +heard of, but I couldn't seem to think of any that looked like this, +that is, that looked enough like it to make me certain of what it was. +Suddenly the thought came to me that this was probably nothing but iron +pyrites, or fool's gold, that I had heard and read of, but had never +seen. I trembled at the thought; for by now I had become considerably +excited over the possibility of its being gold. But iron pyrites would +break when pounded! I jumped to my feet, getting more excited every +minute; and quickly found a couple of hard river stones, and, putting +the pieces on one, I pounded them with the other. It was soft, and +didn't break! It must be gold; but was probably largely mixed with some +other metal, possibly silver, for I thought that pure gold certainly +would have a brighter color.</p> + +<p>"I don't know just how long I sat there, looking at them two little bits +of yellow metal in my hand and thinking hard of all that it might mean +to me and the men with me, if it should really prove to be gold, for I +sure was some excited; but, when I got back to our cabin, the men had +finished their breakfast and were beginning to wonder a little what had +become of me. I showed them the two pieces, and told them where I had +found them, and that I thought they were gold. This excited the men a +good deal; and I had some trouble to keep them from dropping everything +and going to gold hunting, leaving me finish my job alone. However, I +told them that as soon as we had the mill finished we would give a week +or two to gold hunting and see what we could make out of it, and this +satisfied them for the time, none of them then dreaming there was enough +gold there to amount to much.</p> + +<p>"After this, while at work in the race, we all kept a sharp lookout, and +in the course of three or four days we had picked up about three ounces, +our work going on the same as usual; for none of us at that time +imagined that the whole country was sown with gold. If we had—that mill +sure would never have been completed," and Marshall smiled a little +bitterly.</p> + +<p>"Four or five days after I picked up those two little pieces of yellow +metal I had to go to Sutter's Fort; and, wishing to get all the +information I could respecting the real value of the metal, I took all +that we had collected with me, and showed it to Captain Sutter. He at +once declared that it was gold; but, like me, thought it was largely +mixed with some other metal. We now tried to hit upon some means of +telling the exact quantity of gold found in the alloy; but couldn't +figure out how to do it, until we stumbled upon an old American +cyclopedia, that gave the specific gravity of all the metals and rules +to find the quantity of each in a given bulk. We now wanted some silver, +with which to compare our metal; and, after hunting over the whole fort +and borrowing from some of the men, we managed to get three dollars and +a half in silver. Captain Sutter had a small pair of scales; and, with +the aid of these and the cyclopedia, we soon ciphered it out that there +was neither silver nor copper in the gold, but that it was entirely +pure.</p> + +<p>"This proof that the metal was real gold excited both of us +considerable; but, when we had cooled down a little and talked it over, +we concluded it would be our best policy to keep it as quiet as possible +until the mill was completed. Now, at this time, there was a great +number of disbanded Mormon soldiers in and about the fort, and, somehow, +they came to hear of it; and then the golden cat was out of the bag, for +the news that gold had been discovered just spread over the whole +country like wild-fire. Indeed, I had hardly got back to the mill, +before men with picks and pans and shovels and hoes and all sorts of +tools began coming in, all anxious to fall to work and dig up our mill +by the roots; but this, of course, we would not allow, although I +sometimes had the greatest trouble to get rid of them. I sent them all +off in different directions, telling them of such and such places where +I felt certain they would find gold, if they would only take the trouble +to dig for it. Not that I really thought they would find any gold, for +at that time I never imagined the gold was so abundant; but they would +dig nowhere but in such places as I pointed out and I had to get rid of +them someway. I believe if I had told them to dig on top of a mountain, +that, so great was their confidence in me, they would have climbed to +the top of the mountain and began picking away at the rocks," and +something, almost a twinkle, came into Marshall's eyes, brightening +their somber lights.</p> + +<p>"And did the parties you scattered through the country find any gold?" +inquired Thure eagerly.</p> + +<p>"Yes, many of them did, to my surprise," answered Marshall; "but the +second real discovery of gold was in a gulch on the road to Sacramento. +The third gold discovery was made on a bar of the South Fork of the +American River a little above the junction of the Middle and South +forks. The diggings over there where Hangtown is," and he flung up one +of his arms in the direction of Hangtown, "was discovered by myself; for +we all went gold hunting, as soon as the mill was finished. Some Indians +found the diggings down at Kelsey's; and thus in a short time we +discovered that the whole country hereabouts is sown with gold, thick in +spots but thin and scattering almost all over. Now that is the true +story of the gold discovery in California, right from the lips of the +man who picked up the first piece of gold, and who has had more cheating +and robbing than thanks from the men the discovery has helped most," and +the somber light deepened in the eyes of the disappointed and soured +man, who always laid the blame of the misfortunes that seemed to follow +him after the great discovery on the ingratitude of his fellow men, +rather than on his own inability to use the opportunities that a kindly +fate had thrust in his way.</p> + +<p>"Well, it sure does seem hard," sympathized Bud, "that you, who +discovered the gold, should be able to get so little of it. But," and +his face brightened, "your luck may change to-morrow, and you may yet +live to see yourself one of the richest men in California."</p> + +<p>Here the huge form of Hammer Jones broke in on the three.</p> + +<p>"How d'dew, Jim," and Ham reached down a big hand and gripped the hand +of Marshall. "Ben tellin' th' yunks all 'bout th' Great Discovery, I +reckon?" and he grinned. "Wal, if you'll jest sot down an' make y'urself +easy for 'bout three hours, 'til we puts the finishin' touches on this +here dam, I shouldn't be none s'prised if we was able tew show you +somethin' of a discovery ourselves," and Ham pointed to the now nearly +completed dam.</p> + +<p>Marshall at once became greatly interested, when Ham had explained to +him what they hoped the dam would do for them; and not only agreed to +wait until the completion of the dam, but to help in its completion; +and, in a few minutes more, all were again at work, spurred to +extraordinary exertions by the thought that a few short hours more would +tell the story of their success or failure.</p> + + + +<hr style="width: 65%;" /> +<h2><a name="CHAPTER_XIX" id="CHAPTER_XIX"></a>CHAPTER XIX</h2> + +<h3>SOME EXCITING MOMENTS</h3> + + +<p>Exactly at three o'clock, by Mr. Conroyal's big silver watch, the last +shovel of dirt and the last stone was thrown on the dam; and, with +cheers that echoed and reëchoed up and down the narrow gulch, our +friends saw all the water of the little stream flowing into its new +channel.</p> + +<p>"Now get your pans and pails, and we'll hustle the water out of the +hole, so that we can get at the dirt," Mr. Conroyal cried excitedly, the +moment it was seen that the dam was working perfectly and that the old +bed of the stream below the dam was fast becoming dry.</p> + +<p>With another cheer, each grabbed up a pan or a pail, and all made a rush +for the hole in the elbow of the now nearly drained bed of the stream, +acting more like an excited troop of school boys than gray-haired and +long-bearded men, as some of them were.</p> + +<p>The old bed of the stream was solid rock, worn smooth by the action of +the water; and, as Thure and Bud, in their anxiety to be the first to +reach the hole, raced down this, Thure's feet suddenly slipped on the +wet rock and down he went, the gold-pan he was carrying flying from his +hands and banging loudly as it slid for a short distance over the hard +rock. He jumped quickly to his feet, fortunately unhurt, and bent +hastily to pick up the pan. As he lifted the pan, which had been stopped +by a bit of rock that projected a couple of inches above the level of +the bed, his eyes caught a bright gleam that came from the upper side of +the projecting rock.</p> + +<p>For an instant Thure stared wildly at the shining bit of metal lodged +against the rock; and then, with a yell that brought everybody to a +halt, he dropped the pan and grabbed the bit of metal.</p> + +<p>"Gold! Gold!" he shouted excitedly, as he held up between the thumb and +finger of his right hand the bit of metal he had picked up, which was +about the size and something the shape of his thumb.</p> + +<p>In a moment all were crowded around him, eagerly examining the nugget.</p> + +<p>"It certainly is gold!" declared Marshall, as he hefted the nugget on +the palm of his hand.</p> + +<p>"Hurra, that's a durned good sign that that thar hole is chuck full of +it!" cried Ham, excitedly swinging the gold-pan he held in his hand +around his head. "Come on! Let's git that water out of th' way an' down +tew pay-dirt, jest as quick as th' Lord'll let us," and he started on +the run for the hole, followed by all the others.</p> + +<p>The hole in the point of the elbow of the old channel of the stream was +about twenty feet across; and now, of course, was level full of water, +which had to be thrown out before any digging could be done.</p> + +<p>Ham, who had a long pair of rubber boots, bought on purpose for this +occasion, now slipped them on his feet, pulled the legs up to his waist, +where he fastened them to his belt, seized one of the pails, and stepped +into the hole. At the first step he went down to the knee, at the +second, nearly to the tops of his rubber boots, but the third step +lowered him in the water only a couple of inches.</p> + +<p>"Gosh, 'tain't deep! We can have th' water out of here in no time. Now, +jest git in line an' I'll pass th' water out tew you," and he plunged +the pail down into the water, and quickly passed it to the man standing +the nearest to him, who passed it on down a line that had been quickly +formed until the last man was far enough down for the water, when thrown +on the ground, to run off down the old channel.</p> + +<p>There were enough pans and pails to keep a constant stream of them +passing up and down the line; and, as everybody, under the spur of the +thought of what might lie hidden there in that hole, worked with +feverish haste, the water was speedily lowered, until after an hour of +as hard and tiresome work as was ever done by men, the bottom of the +hole was laid bare.</p> + +<p>"We'll dig a hole first off right in th' center of th' hole plumb down +to bed-rock," declared Ham, as he passed out the last pailful of water. +"Then, if thar's any gold here, we'll strike it shore. Throw me a +shovel!" Ham's face was flushed and his eyes were sparkling with +excitement; for now the great moment was near, the moment that would +tell whether or not all their labor had been in vain, whether or not +they were to find the expected gold.</p> + +<p>"Here! Here!" and Thure caught up a shovel and rushed to Ham; and almost +collided with Bud, who, shovel in hand, was also rushing to Ham.</p> + +<p>"Let us help you dig! Let us help you dig!" cried both boys, almost +beside themselves with excitement.</p> + +<p>"Now, jest hold y'ur hosses an' git out of here. This is men's work," +and Ham good-naturedly thrust the two boys aside, caught up a shovel, +and began throwing up the moist sand and gravel like an animated steam +shovel.</p> + +<p>The hole was partly filled with coarse sand and gravel; and, since gold +is so heavy that it will sink down through sand and gravel until it +comes to something more solid, all this had to be thrown off before they +could hope to come to pay-dirt, which is usually a thin layer of gravel +or clay lying on top of the bed-rock. Ham was now digging down to this +bed-rock; and, when he reached it, he would throw a few shovels of the +dirt directly on its top into a gold-pan, and then a few minutes' +washing of the dirt in the pan would show whether or not they had struck +gold. The hole he was digging was not large enough for more than one man +to work in it at a time, consequently the others formed a circle around +Ham and watched his progress with faces feverish with excitement, any +one of them ready the moment Ham tired to seize a shovel and jump into +the hole in his place. But the shoveling was not hard and the sturdy +muscles of Ham did not tire.</p> + +<p>In the excitement of these thrilling minutes nobody saw anything but +Ham, nobody heard anything but the push of his shovel through the moist +gravel and the thud of the dirt as it fell on top of the ground. It is +doubtful if a cannon fired within a rod of them, would have made one of +them jump. Hence it is not to be wondered at that none of them saw the +black clouds gathering about the tops of the mountains to the northeast +and swiftly sweeping down toward them, nor heard the peals of distant +thunder, sounding louder and nearer with the passing of each minute. The +gold-fever was hot in their blood; and they were deaf and blind to all +but the digging man.</p> + +<p>Ham's shovel bit swiftly down into the soft, moist sand. Now he is down +to his waist. Now only his shoulders show above the top of the hole. +Suddenly, with a violent grunt, he straightens up.</p> + +<p>"Bed-rock!" he yells, and begins digging again.</p> + +<p>The excitement is now intense. Nearly every one has a gold-pan in his +hand, and is holding it out toward Ham, ready to receive the first +shovel of pay-dirt. That first shovel of dirt means so much, possibly a +fortune for all! Even the graybeards, Mr. Conroyal and Rad Randolph and +Frank Holt, men who could, who often had faced death without the quiver +of a muscle, are now all of a tremble with excitement. Thure and Bud are +both bending forward so far that there is danger of their tumbling into +the hole on top of Ham.</p> + +<p>For a couple of minutes longer Ham shovels out the dirt, but more slowly +and carefully now.</p> + +<p>"Give me a pan," and he suddenly straightens up, seizes one of the pans, +and disappears in the hole. A moment later he jumps out of the hole, the +pan nearly filled with dirt in his hands, and races like a mad man with +it to the little stream of water, followed by all the others.</p> + +<p>In the excitement of the moment no one notices how dark it is becoming, +nor hears an ominous sound, a distant roar, each second growing louder, +and coming from far up the gulch.</p> + +<p>Ham reaches the water, and, plunging the pan down into it, begins +carefully stirring its contents with his big fingers. Around him bend +the others, regardless of wet feet. In a few minutes the larger part of +the sand and the gravel is washed out of the pan by the water. Now only +a thin layer of black sand remains on the bottom of the pan. The crucial +instant has come. Ham slowly straightens up, carefully pours all the +water out of the pan, bends his head down close over it, and begins +moving the thin layer of black sand about with his fingers.</p> + +<p>"Is there, is there any gold?" queries Thure, unable longer to keep +silent.</p> + +<p>Ham does not answer for a moment, but continues to stir the sand with +his big fingers, bending his head still closer to the pan.</p> + +<p>"Not a durned smell!" and he suddenly hurls the pan violently from him.</p> + +<p>At this moment Mr. Conroyal utters a startled exclamation and glances +quickly up the gulch. One look is sufficient to turn his face white. +From where he stands he can see straight up the gulch for nearly half a +mile; and half that distance up the gulch he sees a dark gray wall, ten +feet high, topped with white, rushing down toward him with the speed of +a race horse, and hears a roar like the rushing charge of a thousand +cavalrymen.</p> + +<p>"My God, a flood!" he yells. "Climb for your lives!"</p> + +<p>There was no need of a second warning. All could now see the advancing +flood, could hear the deafening roar, could feel the solid earth +beginning to tremble beneath their feet; and all began to climb for +their lives up the steep side of the gulch. There was no time to stop to +pick up anything. Pans, shovels, picks, and such parts of their clothes +as happened to be off their bodies they left where they lay.</p> + +<p>Thure and Bud happened to be climbing almost directly under Marshall. +Suddenly, before they were above the danger line and when the flood was +almost upon them, Marshall's feet slipped and he slid past the boys down +directly in front of the advancing flood. It looked like death to stop +to help him; but neither boy hesitated an instant.</p> + +<p>"Here, grip wrists!" yelled Thure, who was a little above Bud. "I will +hold you while you pull Marshall up."</p> + +<p>Bud instantly saw what was wanted; and, in another moment the two arms +of the boys were locked together in a grip almost impossible to break.</p> + +<p>"Now reach down and try and get hold of one of Marshall's hands. Quick!" +and Thure gripped, with the strength of desperation, the point of a +projecting rock with his free left hand and planted his feet firmly on +the narrow ledge where he stood.</p> + +<p>"Here, catch hold of my hand, quick," and Bud bent and stretched his +free hand down to Marshall, who, with a face as white as death, was +vainly struggling to climb up the almost perpendicular side of the rock +down which he had slid.</p> + +<hr style="width: 65%;" /> + +<div class="figcenter"> +<a name="illus283" id="illus283"></a> +<img src="images/illus283.jpg" alt=""/> +</div> + +<h3>BUD BENT AND STRETCHED HIS FREE HAND DOWN TO MARSHALL.</h3> + +<hr style="width: 65%;" /> + + +<p>Marshall saw the hand and caught it, as a drowning man would grasp a +beam of wood floating within his reach.</p> + +<p>There was a terrible wrench on the arms and bodies of the two boys, but +neither broke his hold; and, with a tremendous pull, Marshall was jerked +up on the ledge of rock on which they were standing, and, in another +moment the three had climbed to safety, just as the flood swept by them, +so close that they were covered with the foam that rode on its top.</p> + +<p>For a minute the three stood panting and trembling where they were; and +then they climbed to the broad ledge where all had halted out of reach +of the flood.</p> + +<p>Mr. Conroyal gripped Thure's hand and held it warmly for a minute; but +he did not speak a word. There was no need; for Thure understood.</p> + +<p>Mr. Randolph was a little more demonstrative, but he said little.</p> + +<p>The two boys had done exactly what the two men expected their sons to +do; and the hearts of both were glad and proud, but neither man showed +his pride in their brave action, only his joy that they had escaped the +flood.</p> + +<p>Marshall, the moment their fathers dropped their hands, seized a hand of +each boy in each of his hands and started to thank them, with tears in +his eyes; but both boys quickly jerked their hands away.</p> + +<p>"Forget it," Thure said impatiently. "We only did what you or any other +man would have done under the same circumstances—Great Moses, just look +at that water!" and Thure's eyes turned to the flood that was now +foaming and boiling a few feet beneath them.</p> + +<p>At this moment the edge of the black clouds swept over them, and the +rain fell down in torrents; but in a quarter of an hour the clouds had +passed, and the sun was shining again, and the violence of the flood was +beginning to slacken. In half an hour the flood had swept by; and with +it had gone every vestige of the wing dam they had builded with so much +labor and with so many high hopes.</p> + +<p>"Durn th' durned dam!" and, without another word, Ham turned his back on +the scene of their fruitless labors, and strode off toward Hangtown, +followed by all the others, who fervently echoed his words in their +hearts.</p> + + + +<hr style="width: 65%;" /> +<h2><a name="CHAPTER_XX" id="CHAPTER_XX"></a>CHAPTER XX</h2> + +<h3>ROBBED</h3> + + +<p>"Now I'll say good-by to you men," Marshall said, when they reached the +outskirts of Hangtown. "I am real sorry that your venture turned out the +way that it did; but a man has got to expect any sort of luck in the +diggings, and usually it is the worst sort that he gets dealt out to +him, at least that has been my experience," and he smiled bitterly.</p> + +<p>Marshall now stood for a moment, irresolutely, his eyes fixed on Thure +and Bud; and then, suddenly, he thrust one of his hands deep into his +trousers pocket and drew out a little roll of buckskin, carefully folded +and tied. This little packet he at once untied and unrolled and brought +to light two small gold nuggets. With one of these in either hand he now +approached Thure and Bud.</p> + +<p>"My young friends," he said, "I do not know as the life you saved is of +much value; but still I prize it, being the only life I have; and I want +to show you that I appreciate the quickness and the bravery of your +action, and to leave with you some memento of the deed and of the man +you saved from a horrible death. I am poor, others have grown rich off +my misfortunes—" Again that bitter look of mingled discontent and +useless rebellion swept over his face—"but I still have left these two +little nuggets of gold, the very two pieces of gold that I picked up +from the mill-race on that cold January morning, the first two nuggets +of gold found in California! I prize them above everything else that I +possess; and, because they are so dear to me, I now most willingly give +them to you, to keep in memory of this day and of the unfortunate man +whose life you saved," and he handed one of the nuggets to Thure and the +other to Bud. "Keep them carefully. They will be valuable mementos some +day, Good-by," and without another word or waiting for a reply, he +whirled about and walked swiftly away.</p> + +<p>Thure and Bud both ran after him, and told him that, although they would +prize the nuggets above anything else he could give them, they did not +wish to take them from him, the one who first picked them up, that they +belonged to him, that he ought to keep them; but Marshall would not +listen to them, would not take the nuggets back, would not even stop to +hear the boys' thanks, and strode on down the trail to where the lights +of Hangtown were beginning to twinkle through the gathering shadows of +night.</p> + +<p>In after years these two little gold nuggets became the most valued +treasures in the possession of the families of our young heroes; and +their grandchildren still cherish them among their most prized +heirlooms.</p> + +<p>"I reckon thar's somethin' jest a leetle out of kilter in th' top of +Marshall's head," Ham commented, as he watched the man hurrying down the +trail. "He's smart enough when it comes tew th' use of tools; but +outside of them 'bout everything that he touches 'pears tew go wrong +with him, an' ginerally it goes wrong because of th' fool way he tackles +it, though he lays his bad luck all on th' ingratertude of his feller +mortals."</p> + +<p>Thure and Bud very carefully stowed away the two nuggets in their +pockets, and hurried on after their companions, who were hurrying up the +trail leading to the log house.</p> + +<p>As they passed the Dickson log cabin Mr. and Mrs. Dickson both came out. +Mrs. Dickson's eyes were red from crying, and the face of Dickson was +white and set, with a look of despair in his eyes not good to see.</p> + +<p>"Hello! What has happened?" and Mr. Conroyal, who was in the lead, +stopped suddenly and stared in astonishment at the woe-begone faces of +the erstwhile happy couple.</p> + +<p>"Robbed," Dickson answered sententiously. "Robbed and the mine has +played out."</p> + +<p>"Yes, robbed of all but about fifty dollars' worth of gold-dust that we +took out this afternoon before the mine gave out," and Mrs. Dickson's +voice trembled. "And not a thing to tell us who did the robbing. Robbed +of a good forty thousand dollors' worth of gold-dust! Enough to have +taken us both back to New York state and enabled us to have lived the +rest of our lives in comfort," and Mrs. Dickson's voice broke into sobs.</p> + +<p>"Robbed! Robbed of all your gold!" and our friends gather around them in +great excitement and indignation.</p> + +<p>"When?"</p> + +<p>"How?"</p> + +<p>"Who did it?"</p> + +<p>"Sometime this afternoon," answered Mr. Dickson, "as near as we can +figure it out just a little before the storm. But all that we really +know is, that, when we went to get the gold to-night, it was gone, and +without a sign left to tell who had taken it."</p> + +<p>"And we had it so well hidden," mourned Mrs. Dickson, "under a stone in +the fireplace. And then to think that the mine should give out at the +same time!" and again she burst into tears.</p> + +<p>"Wal, it shore is tough luck, Leetle Woman," sympathized Ham. "But we've +got tew take th' tough luck with th' tender an' make th' best on it. +Now, supposin' we have a look around. Maybe we can find some clue that +you missed, you being some excited. It'll go mighty hard with th' +robbers, if we catch them," and Ham's face hardened. "Now jest show us +where you had th' gold hidden," and he and the others followed Mr. and +Mrs. Dickson into the house.</p> + +<p>"We had the gold hid right there, under that stone," and Dickson pointed +to an upturned flat stone, about a foot square, that lay near a small +hole, excavated in the bed of the fireplace, which the stone had +evidently covered over and concealed. "When we got in to-night there was +not a suspicious sign anywhere; and it was not until I lifted the stone +off the hole to put the gold in that we'd taken out since noon that we +discovered that we had been robbed. I reckon there is no use of trying +to find the robbers. A hundred men could hide themselves in these +mountains in a couple of hours where ten thousand could not find them," +and the look of despair settled back on his face. "Nobody saw them come +and nobody saw them go and nobody has the least idea who did the +robbing. So, I guess, it is just up to Mollie and me to buckle down to +hard work and hard living again."</p> + +<p>"Now, don't git discourage. Maybe thar's better luck in store for you +than you dream of," and Ham's face lighted up, as if a pleasant idea had +suddenly come to him. "I want tew have a talk with th' rest of th' +members of th' Never-Give-Up California Mining Company; an' then, may be +we'll have a propersition tew make tew you, an', ag'in, maybe we won't," +and Ham grinned so good-naturedly that even Mrs. Dickson smiled wanly.</p> + +<p>"Come on, fellers, let's git tew th' office of th' Never-Give-Up +California Mining Company; an' go intew secret session tew consider +important matters," and he hurried out of the house, followed by all the +others, except Mr. and Mrs. Dickson, who stared after them with +something like hope mingled with the look of wonderment on their faces. +They knew that Hammer Jones never talked that way, under such serious +circumstances, without meaning something. But, what could he mean?</p> + +<p>Ham was the first to open the door of the log house and enter. The room +was dark and he struck a match and lit the candle, which had been left +on the table ready for lighting. The moment the light of the candle +illuminated the surface of the table, Ham uttered an exclamation and +stood staring blankly, for a moment, at something that glittered and +shimmered in the flickering candle light near the center of the table.</p> + +<p>"Wal, I'll be durned!" and he reached out one of his big hands and +gingerly drew from the table a small keen-bladed Mexican dagger, which, +with a strong blow, had been driven through a piece of paper deep into +the wood of the table.</p> + +<p>All the others were now crowding excitedly around the table; and Mr. +Conroyal quickly picked up the piece of paper and held it up to the +candlelight. On the paper were scrawled, with a piece of charred coal by +a hand unused to writing, the following words:</p> + +<div class="blockquot"><p>WE ARE AGOIN TEW GIT THE MAP OR WE ARE A GOIN TEW GIT THE GOLD +AFTER YOU GIT IT IF WE HAVE TEW GIT YOU TEW DEW IT. SO TEW SAVE +YURSELFS TRUBLE AND TEW KEEP HUL SKINS ON YUR BONES YOUD BETER HAND +OVER THAT MAP. THARS ENUF ON US TEW WHIP THE HUL ON YOU OFF THE +FACE OF THE EARTH AND WE WIL DO IT IF YOU DONT GIVE UP THE MAP. A +WORD TEW THE WISE IS ENUF. LIFE IS WURTH MORN GOLD. TI THE MAP TEW +THE END OF THE STRING THAT YOU WIL FIND TIED TEW A STICK STUCK IN +THE GROUND RIGHT NEAR YUR DOOR AND WE WIL PUL THE MAP TEW US. IF +YOU TRI TEW FOLLOW THE MAP WE WIL SHOOT TEW KIL. IF YOU TRI TEW +ROUSE THE TOWN WE WIL VAMOSE. WE ARE ON THE WATCH. GIVE 3 JERKS ON +THE STRING WHEN YUR REDY FOR US TEW PUL THE MAP IN. IF WE DONT GIT +THE MAP BY MIDNIGHT TEWNIGHT WE WIL KNOW ITS TEW BE WAR TEW THE +DEATH.</p></div> + +<p>This ominous note was unsigned; but there was no need of any signature.</p> + +<p>For a moment after all had finished reading, no one spoke, but each +stood staring from the paper to the dagger in Ham's hand. Then Ham +suddenly straightened up with a growl of rage.</p> + +<p>"I thought it was them, an' this proves I was right. Th' durned skunks!" +and the righteous wrath in Ham's eyes was good to see. "Now, men," and +his glance swept swiftly the circle of excited faces, "this makes th' +offerin' of proof unnecessary. We know who robbed th' Dicksons! An' we +know, if they hadn't a-ben watchin' us an' a tryin' tew git hold of that +thar skin map, they wouldn't have found out 'bout Dickson's gold an' did +th' robbin'. This makes us sort of respons'ble for th' robbin'; an', I +reckon, it's up tew us tew try an' make good what th' Dicksons lost on +'count of our bringin' them skunks down on them, more special since +their mine's gin out, tew. Now, seein' that thar durned dam has played +out on us, I reckon we're all a-calculatin' on havin' a try for th' Cave +of Gold next; an' I figger 'twouldn't be more'n square for us tew ask +th' Dicksons tew go long with us on th' hunt for th' dead miner's +wonderful cave, an', if we find it, for them tew share in th' gold same +as us. How does th' propersition strike you, men?"</p> + +<p>"Bully!" exclaimed Thure enthusiastically. "Mrs. Dickson can beat dad +and the rest of you making flapjacks all hollow; and she can make +biscuits, real biscuits that a fellow can eat without cracking them +first with a hammer, the same as nuts!"</p> + +<p>"Wal, I reckon, that argyment settles it," grinned Ham.</p> + +<p>"Supposing we consider the Never-Give-Up California Mining Company in +session and put it to a vote," suggested Mr. Conroyal.</p> + +<p>All agreeing, Mr. Conroyal promptly put the matter to a vote; and Mr. +and Mrs. Dickson were duly elected members of the Never-Give-Up +California Mining Company, with all the rights and privileges +appertaining thereto, the vote being unanimous.</p> + +<p>"Now I'll appoint Hammer Jones and Rad Randolph a committee to notify +Mr. and Mrs. Dickson of their election and to escort them to the offices +of the Never-Give-Up California Mining Company," and Mr. Conroyal +smiled.</p> + +<p>Ham and Mr. Randolph at once caught up their hats and hurried off to +perform their pleasant mission; and in five minutes were back with the +wondering man and woman on their arms between them.</p> + +<p>As briefly as possible Mr. Conroyal now told the story of the skin map +and the Cave of Gold; and how they had every reason to believe that the +men who had robbed them were the same men who had murdered the miner, +and who now were striving so desperately to secure the skin map; and in +proof that the robbers and the murderers were the same, he showed the +note and the dagger, which they had found on the table, in evidence that +the men had been there that afternoon.</p> + +<p>"Now," he concluded, "Ham thinks, and we all agree with him most +emphatically, that, since we are in a way responsible for bringing the +robbers down upon you, it would be no more than fair for us to invite +you to join with us in our search for this Cave of Gold, understanding, +of course, that, if the gold is found, all are to share alike, as all +will have to share alike the dangers and the difficulties of finding and +keeping it; and, judging by the note we found on the table, the dangers +will be real enough. Of course we are not sure that the cave really +exists, nor, if it does exist, that we will be able to find it; but we +have faith enough in it to give it a try. We plan to start on the hunt +just as soon as we can get ready, probably sometime tomorrow. This I +think explains the matter sufficiently for you to come to a decision. +Are you with us?"</p> + +<p>"Yes! Yes!" exclaimed both Mr. and Mrs. Dickson eagerly.</p> + +<p>"In to the death, as the note says," added Mrs. Dickson, smiling. "And +we thank you from the bottoms of our hearts for the chance."</p> + +<p>"Do you know this murdered miner's name?" Dickson asked, his eyes +sparkling with excitement. "I think I know the man."</p> + +<p>"John Stackpole, the map says," answered Mr. Conroyal.</p> + +<p>"That's the man!" declared Dickson excitedly. "The very man I went +prospecting with last fall. He had some crazy idea in his head then +about a Cave of Gold that an old Indian whom he had cured of some +disease, he had been an army doctor once, had told him he had found in a +hidden gulch that opened into a canyon. We hunted all up and down the +canyon, into which the Indian said the gulch opened, but we couldn't +find no such gulch as the Indian described, and had to give it up. You +remember my telling you all about it, don't you, Mollie?" and Dickson +turned to his wife.</p> + +<p>"Yes, yes," assented Mrs. Dickson eagerly. "You went on the trip while I +was away to Sacramento City and you told me all about it, when I got +back. Queer how things do turn out!"</p> + +<p>"And so Stackpole really found the cave at last; but at the cost of his +life," and Dickson's face saddened. "Too bad!—I mean his murder; for he +was a good sort of a fellow, when he was away from liquor, but, let him +get a little whiskey down him, and he was as ugly as the devil. I reckon +that it was drink that drove him out of the army in disgrace; and I +reckon it was drink that caused his murder; for he was a very cautious +man and would have said nothing about his discovering the Cave of Gold, +especially to strangers, if he had been in his right senses—Can I, can +I see that map?" and Dickson's face suddenly lighted up. "Possibly I +know the place."</p> + +<p>"Sure," and Mr. Conroyal turned to Thure. "Get out the map, Thure."</p> + +<p>Thure's face reddened a little, but, turning his back to Mrs. Dickson, +he quickly, with the aid of his knife, ripped open the bosom of his +shirt, and, pulling out the map, handed it to his father, who at once +spread it out on the table in front of Dickson.</p> + +<p>"Lot's Canyon!" Dickson cried excitedly, almost the moment his eyes fell +on the map. "Why, that's the very name we gave the canyon where we tried +to find the hidden gulch, on account of a white pillar of rock, that +Stackpole said might have been Lot's wife. And here is the very pillar +itself!" and he pointed to the little square on the map marked Lot's +Wife. "And the Big Tree! And the Devil's Slide! And Goose Neck Lake! +Every one of them names that we gave to places! I am sure that that is +the same canyon that Stackpole searched for the Cave of Gold when I was +with him," and Dickson turned an excited face to Mr. Conroyal. "It's +about a five days' tramp from here."</p> + +<p>"That's what the dying miner said," broke in Bud eagerly.</p> + +<p>"And do you think you can find that canyon again?" asked Mr. Conroyal +anxiously. "The trail on the map is none too clear; and I reckon we'd +have to do some hunting before we found it, with only the map to guide +us."</p> + +<p>"I am sure I can," answered Dickson, his eyes still on the map.</p> + +<p>"Well, then, we are in great luck," declared Mr. Conroyal. "I—Jumping +grasshoppers, if we are not forgetting all about that polite note!" he +exclaimed, as his eyes happened suddenly to fall on the dagger and the +bit of paper, which, during all this time, had lain on the table +neglected. "Now, what shall we do about that?" and his eyes flashed +around the circle of faces.</p> + +<p>"Let's first see if the string is really there," proposed Thure.</p> + +<p>"Good idee," and Ham caught up the candle and started for the door, +followed by all the others, Thure and Bud at his heels.</p> + +<p>Within six feet of the door they found a sharpened stick thrust into the +ground, with the end of a strong string tied to it. The string ran along +the ground as far as the eye could see and disappeared in the darkness +of the night, in the direction of a thick clump of trees forty rods +away.</p> + +<p>"Wal, now, they shore are cunnin' cusses!" and Ham's eyes followed the +string admiringly until it was lost in the darkness. "Jest tie th' map +tew th' end of this string, an' somebudy out thar somewhere in th' +darkness will pull it tew him, without nobudy here bein' th' wiser for +it. Not a durned bit of use tew follow up th' string neither. They could +shoot an' cut an' run long afore we could see them in th' darkness. They +shore are good at planning th' durned skunks! Say, jest supposin' we +send 'em a leetle message, jest tew see how th' string works," and Ham +turned to the others, a broad grin on his face.</p> + +<p>This impressed all as a good idea, and they hurried back into the house +to prepare the message. In a few minutes the message, written on the +back of the piece of paper which they had found on the table, was ready. +It was brief, but to the point, and read:</p> + +<div class="blockquot"><p>If you want the map, come and get it. There are nine men and one +woman, worth any two men, who will be glad to welcome you.</p></div> + +<p>The paper, with the message on it, was now rolled up tightly, and all +hurried out to the string.</p> + +<p>Mr. Conroyal took the paper, and, kneeling down by the side of the +stick, untied the string, tied the little packet of paper strongly to +it, and then gave the string three sharp, strong jerks.</p> + +<p>The response was prompt. Hardly had he given the last jerk, when the +string was pulled out of his hand, and the little packet of paper +started bobbing along over the ground toward the distant clump of trees, +with all watching its progress with fascinated eyes, until it +disappeared in the darkness.</p> + +<p>For, perhaps, ten minutes they stood there, no one speaking a word, and +all eyes turned in the direction whither the little packet of paper had +disappeared. Then they saw a faint glow in the little clump of trees, as +if someone had struck a match.</p> + +<p>"I reckon they're readin' it," grinned Ham. "Wonder how they like it?"</p> + +<p>Ham did not have to wonder long; for, almost as he uttered the last +word, a spurt of flame leaped out from the dark shadows of the distant +clump of trees, and a rifle bullet whistled so close by his face that it +burnt the end of his nose, and buried itself in the logs of the house.</p> + +<p>"Gosh A'mighty, he's got my nose!" and Ham made a break for the door of +the house, one big hand holding on to the end of his nose.</p> + +<p>In two seconds all were in the house and the door shut.</p> + +<p>"How much on it did he git? Not enough tew spoil my beauty, I hopes," +and Ham held a lighted candle in front of his face before a small mirror +hanging on the wall. "Wal, I'll be durned! Jest burnt th' tip end on +it!" and he set the candle down on the table in disgust.</p> + +<p>The darkness of the night and the wilderness of the surrounding +mountains made absolutely useless any attempt to follow up their +enemies; and, after an hour spent in discussing plans, Mr. and Mrs. +Dickson returned to their house, and our friends hurried into their +bunks, to get the rest needed to fit them for a busy morrow.</p> + + + +<hr style="width: 65%;" /> +<h2><a name="CHAPTER_XXI" id="CHAPTER_XXI"></a>CHAPTER XXI</h2> + +<h3>PEDRO</h3> + + +<p>The next morning all our friends were up an hour before sunrise; for the +Never-Give-Up California Mining Company had much to do that morning, if +they started on the hunt for the Cave of Gold that day, as they hoped to +do. The horses had to be brought from the little valley five miles away, +where they had been turned out to pasture, needed supplies of food and +clothing and tools had to be procured at the stores of Hangtown, and +everything had to be made ready for the rough journey through the +wilderness of mountains and forests to the northeast. But nine men and +one woman can accomplish much in a few hours; and by noon everything was +in readiness for the start, and the horses stood saddled and bridled and +packed, ready for the journey, before the door of the log house, while +our friends gathered around the rough table inside for their last meal +in the house that had sheltered them for so long.</p> + +<p>"Seems almost like leaving home," declared Mr. Conroyal, as his eyes +glanced slowly around the familiar room.</p> + +<p>"It shore does," agreed Ham. "We've had some mighty good times in the +old house; an' I hopes th' fellers who move in when we're out, will be +sort of gentle tew things. Somehow it seems a leetle cruel tew desert +them tew friendly old rockers thar, that have so often given ease an' +comfort tew our tired bodies, not knowin' what sort of critters will +next sot down in 'em," and his eyes rested on the two barrel-rockers. +"They seem tew be a lookin' at me right now, sort of forlorn an' +reproachful-like," and a smile lighted his face at the whimsical +thought. "Wal, that kind of philosophizin' won't dig no gold. Now, dew +you reckon them skunks are on th' watch an' will try tew foller us?" and +the smile left his face.</p> + +<p>"Yes," answered Mr. Conroyal. "They have probably been watching us all +the morning. When Frank and I started out as soon as it was light enough +to see to try and trace the string and maybe get onto the trail of the +scoundrels, we both feel certain that we were watched and that somebody +was warned of our coming, because, before we'd gone a dozen rods, we +heard a coyotelike bark, coming from way up the mountain-side and ending +in a howl that we are sure never came from a coyote's throat; and, when +we got to the clump of trees, we found signs of someone having been +there only a few minutes before, and followed the trail to a rocky gulch +a dozen rods beyond the trees, where we lost the trail on the hard +rocks. Yes, they sure will try to follow us; for now, I fancy, their +plan is, since they can't get hold of the map, to let us find the gold +and then to try and get it away from us. At least that is the way Frank +and I figure it out; and we've got to give them the slip somehow +somewhere between here and Lot's Canyon, or fight for the gold. Quinley +and Ugger have probably gathered together a band of cut-throats, and +figure on being able to get the gold away from us after we have found +it."</p> + +<p>"And we calculate," continued Frank Holt, "that the best way to try and +give them the slip will be to go into camp early to-night; and then +about midnight to suddenly and quietly break camp and steal away under +cover of the darkness, hoping to get away without their knowing it."</p> + +<p>"I reckon they're tew cute tew be fooled that easy," and Ham shook his +head.</p> + +<p>"And so do we," grinned back Holt. "But we calculate that it will make +them think that we think that we have fooled them, and so they won't +consider it necessary to keep so close watch on us, and we can try to +make our real getaway the next night or the night after."</p> + +<p>"That sounds more like it," and Ham grinned his approval. "Wal, since we +all 'pear tew be through eatin', let's git a-goin'," and he jumped up +from the table and hurried out doors, nearly stumbling over a thin, +sallow-faced, middle-aged Mexican, who stood near the door apparently +waiting for someone to come out.</p> + +<p>"Hello, Pedro! What you doin' here?" and Ham scowled down on the little +Mexican, whom he had often seen working about Coleman's store. "Coleman +send you for something?"</p> + +<p>"No, señor," answered the Mexican. "Coleman kick me this morning; and +now I no longer work for Coleman. I now would cook and keep camp for +señors," and he bowed, with a flourish of both his thin arms. "Get wood, +make fire, cook, carry water, clean dish, all I do for señors. I very +good cook. Coleman say I make best flapjacks in Hangtown. All I do for +señors for one ounce gold-dust a week. Si, señors?" and his bright black +eyes flashed questioningly around the circle of faces that, by this +time, had gathered around him.</p> + +<p>"But, see, our hosses are packed. We're 'bout tew break camp," and Ham +pointed to the horses.</p> + +<p>"Si, señor," answered Pedro, smiling. "I know how pack horse, so pack no +slip under belly. I go where señors go. I do good work, kind, faithful, +honest," and again he smiled, until his teeth showed like two rows of +yellow ivory in his mouth.</p> + +<p>"Now," and Ham turned questioningly to the others. "I wonder if +'twouldn't be a good thing tew take Pedro 'long? He could help a lot +'bout hoss-packin' an' cookin' an' things, an' could dew all th' dirty +heavy work for th' Leetle Woman."</p> + +<p>"Reckon you're right, Ham," declared Mr. Conroyal. "Shall we take the +Mexican on his own terms?" and he glanced inquiringly around.</p> + +<p>"Yes, and a good bargain I call it," assented Mr. Randolph. "Pedro +couldn't have staid as long as he did with Coleman, if he hadn't been a +pretty decent sort of a Mexican; and he can help a lot about camp."</p> + +<p>And thus it came about that Pedro, the Mexican, entered the service of +our friends, without a thought of suspicion that he might be other than +what he seemed coming into the head of one of them. If they had not seen +him so often working about Coleman's store and felt sure that he was +only an ignorant Mexican menial, they probably would have been a little +more cautious about taking him with them on such a venture as they were +about to undertake.</p> + +<p>Mrs. Dickson was given one of the horses to ride, although she protested +that she was just as able to walk as anybody; but the other five horses +were all loaded with the packs containing the supplies for the journey +and the mining tools, the men, of course, all walking. The five +pack-horses were placed in charge of Pedro and brought up the rear of +the little column of men that now marched slowly over the hill that +flanked Hangtown and off toward the unknown wilderness of mountains and +forests to the northeast, Ham and Dickson and Mr. Conroyal in the lead.</p> + +<p>For the first two or three days' march, or until they had passed beyond +the region where the miners were at work, their way would be plain. They +had only to follow the trail of the miners to Humbug Canyon, the last +known place marked down on the skin map. But from Humbug Canyon on there +would be no trail to follow and they would be obliged to trust to the +guidance of Mr. Dickson and the skin map to bring them into Lot's +Canyon. After that they would have to depend entirely on the map and +their own skill to discover the hidden opening into Crooked Arm Gulch.</p> + +<p>Naturally Thure and Bud were in high spirits, now that they were +actually on their way to the marvelous Cave of Gold; and, boylike, they +allowed no thoughts of the threatening perils from Ugger and Quinley and +their band of cut-throats to trouble their minds or to distract their +attention from the wonderful scenes constantly unfolding before them, as +they advanced along the trail leading to Humbug Canyon, where something +interesting or beautiful or both met their eyes each moment, no matter +in what direction they looked. Now it was some wonderful formation of +nature—great masses of rocks towering thousands of feet above their +heads, picturesque little mountain-surrounded valleys, deep canyons and +gulches and ravines and chasms, beautiful cascades of water plunging +over precipitous cliffs to fall in a stream of sparkling jewels on the +rocks at their base, or great forests of columnlike trees, or winding, +murmuring, plunging, seething, turbulent little streams of water rushing +furiously toward some far-off valley, and like marvels and beauties of +nature. Again, in entering some little valley or ravine, they would come +suddenly upon a picturesque little company of miners hard at work with +picks and shovels and pans and cradles, searching for the elusive yellow +grains of gold. Indeed, during that first afternoon, they found the +miners everywhere, in the valleys, in the gulches and the ravines, along +the streams, wherever there seemed the least prospect of finding gold, +there these wild knights of the pick and the shovel were sure to be +found; and, as they passed, the latest mining news would be shouted back +and forth, enlivened with rude sallies of wit and merry well-wishes.</p> + +<p>Sometimes they would pause for a few minutes to talk with the miners and +to watch them at their work; and, on one of these occasions, Thure and +Bud saw, for the first time, a couple of miners at work with a cradle, +as this queer machine used to separate the gold from the dirt is called.</p> + +<p>"I don't wonder it is called a cradle," Thure exclaimed, the moment he +caught sight of the odd-looking contrivance. "Why, if it wasn't for that +hopper on the upper end and the man shoveling dirt and pouring water +into it, one would surely think that fellow was rocking his baby to +sleep in its cradle. Can't we wait here a little while and watch them +work it?" and Thure turned to his father. "The horses need a rest +anyway."</p> + +<p>"Going to clean up soon?" Mr. Conroyal called to the men.</p> + +<p>"In about ten minutes," answered the shoveler. "And, I reckon, we can +show some gold when we do. Won't you wait and see how it pans out?" he +invited cordially.</p> + +<p>"Oh, do, please!" cried both the boys.</p> + +<p>"All right," assented Mr. Conroyal. "A rest won't hurt the horses, and I +am sure the clean up will interest you boys."</p> + +<p>"Bully! Come on. Let's get closer," and Thure started on the run for the +spot where the two men were working.</p> + +<p>The men had placed the cradle within a few feet of where they were +digging up the pay-dirt, and near the cradle they had dug a small +reservoir, which was kept constantly filled with water by means of a +small trench dug from the little mountain stream a dozen rods away, so +that they had both the water and the dirt handy, two very necessary +things to make cradling successful, unless the pay-dirt is very rich. +The machine itself, as Thure said, looked very much like a rudely made, +baby's cradle. The body was about the same size and shape as the +ordinary homemade box cradle seen in the homes of thousands in those +days and underneath it were two similar rockers, but here the +resemblance ended. One end of the cradle-box was a little higher than +the other end, which was left open, so that the water loaded with the +waste dirt could run out; and on the upper end stood a hopper, or +riddle-box, as it was frequently called, about twenty inches square, +with sides four inches high and a bottom made of sheet-iron, pierced +with holes half an inch in diameter. Directly under the hopper, which +was not nailed to the cradle-box, was an apron of wood, fastened to the +sides of the cradle-box and sloping down from the lower end of the +hopper to the upper end of the cradle-box. Two strips of wood, about an +inch square, called riffle-bars, were nailed across the bottom of the +cradle-box, one at the middle and the other near the lower end. An +upright piece of wood, nailed to one side of the cradle-box, furnished a +convenient handle for the man who did the rocking. Such, briefly +described, was the make of the curious machine that had so aroused the +interest of Thure and Bud.</p> + +<p>"Ever see a cradle work before?" asked the man who was shoveling the +dirt and pouring the water into the hopper, as Thure and Bud came +running up, their eyes shining with interest.</p> + +<p>"No," answered Thure. "It sure is a funny looking machine."</p> + +<p>"It sure is," agreed the man. "But a fellow can clean two or three times +as much dirt with it as he can with a pan and do it better. This is the +philosophy of it," and he shoveled the pay-dirt into the hopper until it +was a little over half filled, and then, picking up a long-handled +dipper, began dipping water out of the reservoir and pouring it on the +dirt in the hopper, while the other man constantly kept the cradle +rocking back and forth. "You see," continued the man, "the motion and +the water loosens and softens the dirt until all of it, except the +larger stones, falls through the holes in the bottom of the hopper and +runs down the apron to the upper end of the cradle and then down the +bottom of the cradle and over the riffle-bars and out the lower end, +leaving the gold and the heavier particles of sand and gravel behind the +riffle-bars. But a fellow has to keep the cradle in constant motion, or +the sand will pack and harden behind the riffle-bars and allow the gold +to slide over it, instead of sinking down through it, as gold always +will when sand or gravel is loose or in motion," as he spoke, he thrust +his hand into the hopper and picked out a couple of stones too large to +pass through the holes in the bottom of the hopper, and, after closely +examining them to see that there was no gold clinging to their sides, +threw them away.</p> + +<p>"But, how do you get the gold out of the cradle?" queried Bud. "It seems +to be mixed all up with a lot of heavy sand and gravel behind the +riffle-bars."</p> + +<p>"We will show you, just as soon as we wash out this hopper full of +dirt," replied the man. "Ay, Hank?" and he turned to his companion, the +rocker.</p> + +<p>"I reckon it is about time to make a clean up, Dave," assented Hank, +shifting the other hand to the cradle handle. "Anyhow both my arms are +about plumb tired out."</p> + +<p>After about ten minutes of this vigorous rocking all the dirt had been +dissolved and nothing remained in the hopper except a number of stones, +too large to fall through the holes in its bottom, which had been washed +clean by the water and the shaking they had received.</p> + +<p>"There, I calculate that will do the business," and the man addressed as +Dave, dropped the dipper, with which he had been pouring the water into +the hopper, while Hank stopped rocking the cradle and, rising to his +feet, stretched up both arms over his head with a sigh of relief.</p> + +<p>"Say, but this gold-digging is darned hard work," and he grinned down at +the two boys.</p> + +<p>"A darned sight harder than measuring cloth behind a counter," laughed +Dave, as he lifted the hopper off the cradle and with a quick jerk threw +the stones out of it and laid it down on the ground. "But a fellow gets +something for his hard work—that is, he does if he is lucky," he added, +as he picked up a large iron spoon from the ground near the cradle. "Now +we'll see how the gold pans out," and bending over the cradle he began +digging out the gravel and sand behind the riffle-bars with the spoon +and throwing it into a gold-pan, which Hank held.</p> + +<p>By this time all the company, except Pedro, who had been left in charge +of the pack-horses, had gathered around the two men and were watching +the cleaning up process with the greatest interest.</p> + +<p>"'Bout how much dew you expect she'll pan out?" queried Ham, as Dave +scraped out the last spoonful of sand and gravel and threw it into the +pan.</p> + +<p>"Somewhere between three and four ounces," answered Dave. "At least that +is about what we usually clean out. How does she feel, Hank?" and he +turned to his partner, who was running his fingers speculatively through +the wet sand in the pan.</p> + +<p>"I'll bet you an ounce of dust that there is a good five ounces of gold +in this pan right now," declared the man, his eyes shining.</p> + +<p>Before replying Dave took the pan and ran his fingers a few times +through the sand.</p> + +<p>"I'll go you. Wash her out," and he handed the pan back to Hank.</p> + +<p>Hank now took the pan to the little stream of water, where the swift +current would help in separating the gold from the sand; and in a few +minutes his skilful hands had succeeded in washing out of the pan all +the sand and gravel, except a thin layer of black sand, that was too +heavy to wash out without danger of washing out the gold with it, which +now could be seen sparkling here and there in the sand.</p> + +<p>"Want to back out?" and Hank held the pan up in triumph in front of +Dave's face.</p> + +<p>"Sure not. There is not over four ounces there," answered Dave, after a +moment's close examination of the sand. "Get out your magnet."</p> + +<p>Hank now thrust one of his hands into his pocket and pulled out a large +horseshoe magnet, the ends of which he at once began passing over the +black sand in the bottom of the pan; and, since the black sand was +nearly all iron, the magnet force caused it to cling to the horseshoe +and in this ingenious manner the remaining sand was quickly drawn from +the pan, leaving a thin, a very thin layer of gold-dust lying on its +bottom.</p> + +<p>Dave now produced a small balance from one of his pockets and the +gold-dust was quickly gathered up and weighed.</p> + +<p>"I win! Five ounces and a half!" shouted Hank triumphantly, at the same +time giving Dave a resounding whack on his back with the flat of his +hand. "That's the best clean up we've had since we started digging here. +I reckon you boys brought us good luck," and he grinned joyously into +the faces of Thure and Bud.</p> + +<p>"Five an' a half ounces! That's a mighty good clean up," declared Ham, +critically eyeing the little pile of gold-dust on the scale. "How often +dew you clean up a day?"</p> + +<p>"Usually about four times," answered one of the men. "But sometimes, +when the shoveling is good, we get in another clean up or two by working +a little late."</p> + +<p>"Wal, tew hundred an' fifty or three hundred dollars' worth of gold a +day is shore dewin' pretty well for tew men; an' I hopes y'ur good luck +continues."</p> + +<p>"No more measuring cloth behind a counter for me, if it does," laughed +Dave. "You see Hank and I were both clerks in a drygoods store back +East; but we will both be proprietors when we get back, if our good luck +holds out only a few months longer," and the look on the faces of the +two men told how much they were counting on that proprietorship.</p> + +<p>"I am sure your good luck will continue," smiled Mr. Conroyal +encouragingly. "But now we must be on our way," and he led the way back +to where Pedro was waiting with the horses.</p> + +<p>That night our friends made their camp in a little grove of trees that +grew on the bank of a streamlet flowing through a small mountain valley, +where there was an abundance of water, wood, and grass.</p> + +<p>Pedro proved himself so great a success at unpacking the horses and +attending to the rougher camp duties that all felt like congratulating +themselves on having secured his service. He was willing and cleanly, +two rather rare qualities in the Mexican camp menial, who was usually +sullen in disposition and dirty in person and habits. He also proved to +the satisfaction of all that his flapjacks deserved all the praises that +Coleman had given them.</p> + +<p>"He's a jewel," declared Mrs. Dickson enthusiastically. "And, if it +wasn't for something snaky and creepy-crawly looking in his eyes, I had +rather have his help than that of most women's. But I guess that queer +look and the way he has of watching all of us comes from his being +Mexican. Now," and she lowered her voice, "are you still planning to +break camp sometime during the night and try to fool Ugger and his men, +if they are trying to keep watch of us?"</p> + +<p>"Yes," replied Mr. Conroyal. "The moon will be up about midnight; and, I +reckon, that will be about the best time for us to try to make our +getaway. So the sooner we all get to sleep the more rest we will get. +Now, how about the guard?" and he turned inquiringly to the circle of +men who had gathered around the camp-fire for a quiet little talk, after +the supper had been eaten and all the camp duties had been attended to. +"Do you think it necessary for us to post guards over the camp nights?"</p> + +<p>"Sart'in," declared Ham. "Them skunks would be shore tew be up tew some +devilment, like stealin' our hosses or something if we didn't; an' I +don't calculate on lettin' 'em git th' start on us, if watchin' will +prevent it. I'm for havin' a guard every night, until we git safe back +tew civilerzation ag'in. Them's uncommon cunnin' scoundrels what's on +our trail, an' we don't want tew take no chances with them."</p> + +<p>"That's exactly the way I feel about it," agreed Mr. Conroyal. "Twould +be foolish to run any needless chances. Rex, you will stand guard for +the first two hours. Then you can awaken Dill, who will keep guard until +it is time to arouse the camp, which will be just as soon as the moon +rises, somewhere around midnight. Now everybody but Rex get into their +blankets."</p> + +<p>A small tent had been secured for the use of Mrs. Dickson, into which +she now retired; but the men found "soft" spots of ground near the +camp-fire, spread out their blankets on them, and, rolling themselves up +in the blankets, lay down to as sound a sleep as ever blessed a man in +the most comfortable of beds.</p> + +<p>A little after midnight, just as the white disk of the moon rose above +the tops of the mountains to the east, Dill quietly awoke his father; +and then the two quietly, and cautioning all to make as little noise as +possible, awoke the others.</p> + +<p>Pedro, who had lain down near the horses, was at first inclined to be +surly, when aroused from a sound sleep and told to pack the horses as +quickly and as quietly as possible; but in a few minutes all his +surliness had vanished and he was doing the work with a swift and +skilful dexterity that showed long practice.</p> + +<p>In half an hour the horses were packed and everything was ready to +start.</p> + +<p>"Now," and Mr. Conroyal lowered his voice almost to a whisper, "there +must be no talking and everyone must move quietly, so as to make as +little noise as possible, until we have put a couple of miles between us +and the camp. I'll go on ahead and the others can follow in single file. +Rex, you and Dill and Thure and Bud help Pedro with the horses. You had +better lead them for awhile. We will leave the camp-fire burning. +Everybody ready?"</p> + +<p>"Yes"—"Yes," came in whispers.</p> + +<p>"All right. Come on," and Mr. Conroyal, walking carefully so as to make +as little noise as possible, moved off down the trail that showed +faintly in the moonlight.</p> + +<p>In the excitement of the moment no one saw Pedro bend quickly down to +the ground, just before starting, and swiftly slip a piece of paper on +which was written the two words, "Humbug Canyon," under a stone that lay +near the camp-fire, and then, with a cunning gleam in his snaky black +eyes straighten up and give all his attention to the horse he was to +lead.</p> + +<p>All now fell into line and followed close behind Mr. Conroyal, Thure and +Bud and Rex and Dill and Pedro each leading one of the pack-horses.</p> + +<p>For a mile the trail was over the soft grass-covered sod of the valley, +which muffled the sounds made by their moving feet, so that they might +have passed within half a dozen rods of a camp without a man in it +dreaming that a little company of men and horses were passing, unless he +chanced to see them. Then the trail again entered the defiles of the +mountains, where the going was rough and difficult and sometimes +dangerous, on account of their not being able to see clearly in the dim +light of the moon; but Mr. Conroyal kept pressing steadily and silently +onward, and as steadily and as silently all the others followed.</p> + +<p>There was no talking, even after they had passed the danger zone. No one +seemed to care to talk. There was something in the mystery of the night +and the wilderness, in the white light of the moon falling on tree and +rock and mountain and valley, in the silence of the vast surrounding +forests and mighty piles of towering rocks that stilled the tongue.</p> + +<p>For a couple of hours they journeyed steadily and silently on through +the moonlit wilderness; and then Mr. Conroyal came to a halt in a narrow +little valley.</p> + +<p>"I reckon we've thrown the scoundrels off the trail by now, if we are +going to to-night," he said; "and so we might as well go into camp again +and rest up until sunrise; and as this looks like a good place we will +go into camp right there under those trees," and he pointed toward a +little grove of evergreen oaks that grew a few rods away.</p> + +<p>All were tired and all were sleepy; and, consequently, all welcomed the +decision to go into camp, and acted on it so promptly that, in fifteen +minutes, all, except the guard, were rolled up in their blankets and +soon were sound asleep.</p> + + + +<hr style="width: 65%;" /> +<h2><a name="CHAPTER_XXII" id="CHAPTER_XXII"></a>CHAPTER XXII</h2> + +<h3>THE MYSTERY OF THE TENT</h3> + + +<p>"I reckon we otter make Humbug Canyon afore dark tew-night," Ham +declared, as our friends, notwithstanding the break in their rest of the +night before, moved out of the little valley, where they had camped, as +soon as it became light enough to see the trail the next morning.</p> + +<p>"Yes," assented Mr. Conroyal, "but we will have to keep going to do it. +Do you suppose we fooled Ugger and his gang and threw them off our trail +last night?" and he turned a little anxiously to Ham and Frank Holt, who +were walking by his side.</p> + +<p>"If they didn't have no one on watch, I reckon we did," answered Ham; +"but it's more'n likely they're cunnin' enough tew be on th' lookout for +jest such tricks an' that they know right now where we be. They know it +wouldn't dew for them tew lose track of us in this here wilderness of +mountains, where 'twould be like tryin' tew find a needle in a haystack +tew try tew hit our trail ag'in, once it was lost; an' so, I reckon, +some on 'em has got an eye on us right now, an' that we'll have tew play +a shrewder trick than that tew fool 'em. But, maybe, 'twill work all +right as a sort of a blind, an' make them think that we think that we +have fooled them, an' so make 'em keerless, so that we can fool 'em th' +next time. What dew you think, Steeltrap?" Ham still frequently called +Frank Holt by his old name, Steeltrap Smith, a name that had been given +to him on account of his skill as a trapper, when his own name was +unknown even to himself, as the readers of this series of books will +remember.</p> + +<p>"I think you are about right, Ham," replied Holt, "although I should not +be much surprised if we gave them the slip last night. I kept watch all +the time that we were on the move yesterday, but nary a sign of anybody +following our trail could I discover. They sure must have a cunning +trailer, or else they're not depending on keeping us in sight. Perhaps +they got more about the trail from the old miner than we think they did, +and are on the watch for us at some point ahead, which they know we must +pass."</p> + +<p>"That's a shrewd guess, Frank," declared Mr. Conroyal. "Now," and his +face brightened, "why wouldn't it be a good plan for us not to pass +through Humbug Canyon at all; but to go around it and to try to hit the +trail again on the other side? If there is any place ahead where they +would be likely to be on the watch for us, it is at Humbug Canyon, +because that is the last place on the trail they could be sure of +without the map. The trouble will be to get around Humbug Canyon. Maybe +there is no trail that we can follow but the one running through the +canyon. Anybody here know anything about the region around Humbug +Canyon?" and, raising his voice, he stopped and looked inquiringly +around.</p> + +<p>"Yes, a little," answered Dickson, quickly coming forward. "I spent +about two weeks last fall prospecting in the mountains around it. What +would you like to know?"</p> + +<p>"Can we go to one side of Humbug Canyon and hit the trail to the Cave of +Gold again beyond?" inquired Conroyal eagerly. "If there has been +anybody stationed in Humbug Canyon to look out for us, we would like to +fool them by not passing through it at all."</p> + +<p>"I think we might do it by working around through Owl Gulch about five +miles to the east of Humbug Canyon," Dickson answered thoughtfully: "but +it will be considerable out of our way and the trail won't be nigh as +good. I am not absolutely sure, but I think we could get through all +right that way and not go nigh Humbug Canyon."</p> + +<p>"Shall we risk it?" and Mr. Conroyal turned to the men, all of whom had +been interested listeners to his query and to Dickson's answer.</p> + +<p>"I think the idea a good one," declared Mr. Randolph, "because, if the +old miner told them that the trail to the cave passed through Humbug +Canyon, they'd be sure to have someone on the watch for us there; and, I +reckon, we are good enough mountaineers to find the trail on the other +side without much trouble."</p> + +<p>"My sentiments tew a ha'r," agreed Ham emphatically. "Let's hit for Owl +Gulch. 'Twould be worth goin' a hundred miles out of th' way tew shake +them skunks."</p> + +<p>"All right," and Mr. Conroyal turned to Dickson. "You are the guide from +now on, Dick, so step to the front and we will follow."</p> + +<p>This plan appeared to please all except Pedro, who, bending down by the +side of one of the horses and pretending to tighten a rope holding the +pack, scowled furiously and swore violently, under his breath, in +Mexican; and the scowl was still on his face, when he again straightened +up and prepared to follow along with the pack-horses.</p> + +<p>"What's the trouble, Pedro? Flapjacks getting busy?" and Thure turned a +grinning face to the Mexican.</p> + +<p>"No. Pack slip and pinch finger in rope. Now all right," and the smile +came back on Pedro's face.</p> + +<p>But Thure noticed that the scowl returned again and again to his face +that forenoon, as he walked along by the side of the pack-horses.</p> + +<p>"Reckon the break in his sleep has made him cross," he thought, and gave +the matter no more attention.</p> + +<p>At noon, when they stopped to give horses and selves a short rest and a +chance to eat their dinners, Pedro slipped off behind a rock for some +ten minutes; and, when the journey was resumed, he lagged a little +behind the others, pretending to be tightening one of the packs, and, +once again, managed to slip, unseen, a little piece of paper under a +stone and leave it near the camp-fire over which Mrs. Dickson had heated +the coffee. This little feat seemed to fully restore his good-nature; +for there were no more scowls on his face that day.</p> + +<p>About the middle of the afternoon Dickson halted, where the stream along +whose bank they had been walking for the last two hours forked, one +branch flowing almost directly from the north and the other coming from +the east, with a huge triangle of mountains widening out between them.</p> + +<p>"Thither runs the trail to Humbug Canyon," and he pointed to the +northern stream; "and thither runs the trail to Owl Gulch," and his +finger turned to the eastern branch. "We are now about two hours from +Humbug Canyon and some four hours from Owl Gulch. Remember I am not +absolutely sure I can find the trail the other side of Humbug Canyon; +but I think I can. Stackpole and I went by way of the canyon. Now, which +shall it be?"</p> + +<p>"Owl Gulch," answered Mr. Conroyal promptly. "I reckon we can find the +trail all right again—Hi, there, Pedro, what sort of a heathenish charm +is that you are making?" and he turned abruptly to Pedro, who the moment +they had stopped had begun scratching curious lines with his knife on +the face of a soft rock, by the side of which they had halted.</p> + +<p>"Si, señor," and Pedro turned a solemn face to Mr. Conroyal, "'tis but a +holy cross I am cutting to scare the devils away from following us up +that evil-smelling stream," and he pointed to the east fork of the +little river, from which arose a faint odor.</p> + +<p>"Wal," grinned Ham, "I shore dew hope that you scare 'em away; for thar +shore is devils a-follerin' us," and his grin broadened at sight of the +startled look that came into Pedro's face.</p> + +<p>"<i>Madre de Dios!</i>" and Pedro crossed himself swiftly.</p> + +<p>"But, even a devil must cotch a feller afore he can run his pitchfork +intew him," and Ham chuckled; "an' we ain't cotched yit. As for that +thar stream," and he chuckled again, "th' devil once took a drink out of +it, an' it's smelt of his breath ever since."</p> + +<p>"There, that will do, Ham," laughed Mr. Conroyal. "Come on," and he +started up the east fork of the river.</p> + +<p>Pedro, the snaky look in his eyes showing more plainly than ever, +swiftly cut a small arrow, with its head pointing up the east fork of +the rivulet, underneath the cross, slipped the knife back into its +sheath, and followed with the pack-horses, his sallow face now all +smiles. Evidently he had explicit faith in the power of his charm to +keep the devils from following them up the evil-smelling stream.</p> + +<p>That night our friends camped in Owl Gulch, a steep, narrow defile, +little more than a crack in the huge walls of surrounding rock; and the +next day, after much arduous and violent climbing for horses and men up +the gulch and over the low back of a mountain, they passed down into a +quiet little valley, just as the sun sank behind the tops of the +mountains to the west.</p> + +<p>The moment Dickson entered the valley he uttered an exclamation of +pleasure.</p> + +<p>"Hurrah!" he cried. "We've hit the trail again! I am sure this is the +little valley where Stackpole and I camped the first night out from +Humbug Canyon. There should be a spring bubbling out of the ground at +the point of that spur of rocks where you see that little grove of +trees," and he pointed to a small grove of trees that clustered about +the point of a ridge of rocks that projected, like a long bony finger, +from the side of the surrounding mountains down into the little valley. +"We made our camp in the grove. I'll know the place for sure when we get +there by a tree that Stackpole girdled," and, accompanied by Thure and +Bud, he started on the run for the little grove of trees now about half +a mile away.</p> + +<p>In a few minutes the three reached the trees. The spring was there! By +its side stood a tall sycamore tree, dead, its trunk having been girdled +by an ax, as the deep scars in its bark still plainly showed.</p> + +<p>"There," and Dickson pointed triumphantly to the tree, "there is my +witness, the very tree that Stackpole girdled, in order that he might +have plenty of dry wood the next time that he camped here. And see," and +he pointed excitedly to the blackened remains of a camp-fire that did +not look to be many weeks old, "there is where he camped on his way back +from the Cave of Gold. We sure are in luck!" and he turned to shout the +good news to the others, who were now pushing their way eagerly through +the trees.</p> + +<p>"Here is where we camp for the night," declared Mr. Conroyal, when the +excitement and the jubilation of the discovery that they were surely on +the right trail again had somewhat quieted down; and all at once began +joyfully preparing the camp for the night.</p> + +<p>"It's queer how things dew turn out sometimes," philosophized Ham, when +all were seated around a blazing camp-fire, built from the limbs of the +dead sycamore, after the supper had been eaten and all the camp duties +attended to. "Th' miner that murdered that tree, jest so that he might +have dry wood, was murdered himself, jest for his gold; an' here we be +a-settin' around an' takin' comfort from a camp-fire built from th' dead +limbs of th' dead miner's dead tree, an' bound on a hunt for th' dead +miner's gold. Wal, I shore hopes we have better luck than he did."</p> + +<p>"Oh, shut up, Ham!" and Rex threw a discarded flapjack at Ham's head, +with such good aim that it landed squarely over his big mouth. "You are +enough to give the dumps to a man with the tooth-ache."</p> + +<p>When the laugh that followed this admirable use of valuable ammunition +had quieted down, Dickson turned to Mr. Conroyal.</p> + +<p>"I think I would like to have another look at that skin map," he said.</p> + +<p>"Certain, get the map, Thure," and Mr. Conroyal turned to Thure.</p> + +<p>Thure hesitated a moment, and then, catching sight of Mrs. Dickson's +little tent and receiving a smiling nod from her, he quickly entered the +tent, and a few minutes later came out with the skin map in his hand, +and handed it to Mr. Dickson.</p> + +<p>Pedro, who was standing near, washing the few supper dishes in a +gold-pan, started a little and almost visibly pricked up his ears at the +first mention of the skin map, and his evil eyes followed Thure into the +tent, with an intensity of look that was well for him was unseen by his +employers.</p> + +<p>Dickson took the map and spread it out on his knees, where the light of +the camp-fire shone full upon it; and soon all were gathered around him, +yes, all, even Pedro, who had softly left his dish washing and +tip-toeing up to the heads bending absorbedly over the map, was now +striving to secure a glimpse of the skin map directly from over the big +shoulders of Ham.</p> + +<p>Suddenly Ham straightened up his huge frame, with such a sudden jerk, +that one of his shoulders came in so violent a contact with the point of +Pedro's chin that the Mexican was lifted off his feet and thrown flat on +his back to the ground.</p> + +<p>"Wal, I'll be durned!" and Ham stared down in astonishment on the fallen +Mexican. "Thought I heer'd someone breathin' over my shoulder. Now what +might you be dewin' down thar?" and the eyes that glared down into +Pedro's face began to glow angrily.</p> + +<p>"I—I" stammered Pedro, as he staggered a little dizzily to his feet, +both hands holding onto his head. "I but try to see what make so great +interest to señors, when sudden up comes that great body and hit chin, +like bunt of big bull, and knock head to ground. I did but follow my +head, señor."</p> + +<p>"Jest follered y'ur head, did you?" and Ham's anger vanished in roars of +laughter, at the words of the unfortunate Mexican and the looks on his +face, in which he was heartily joined by all the others, all except Mrs. +Dickson, who inquired solicitously of Pedro if he was much hurt.</p> + +<p>But Pedro's curiosity for the moment was fully satisfied, and, without +making any reply, except to mutter something about American bulls under +his breath, he retreated to his dish washing.</p> + +<p>"Sarved him right," declared Ham emphatically, as all again resumed +their examination of the skin map.</p> + +<p>When the map had been sufficiently examined, Thure again retired into +Mrs. Dickson's tent, where he again concealed the map in the bosom of +his shirt; and when he came out again, apparently without the map, Pedro +smiled knowingly.</p> + +<p>Before going to her tent that night Mrs. Dickson sang a number of songs, +and almost weirdly beautiful her voice sounded in the still night air of +that little wilderness valley, concluding with Ham's favorite "Ben +Bolt." Then she bade them all good-night and disappeared into her little +tent.</p> + +<p>Mr. Dickson and Thure were to stand guard that night until the moon came +up, which would be about one o'clock in the morning. Consequently, as +soon as Mrs. Dickson retired, all but these two rolled themselves up in +their blankets near the camp-fire and were soon sound asleep. Thure and +Dickson each picked up his rifle and took his station on opposite sides +of the camp and began his long silent vigil.</p> + +<p>The skies were overcast with clouds and the darkness was so dense that +the watchers could not see six feet outside of the constantly dimming +circle of the firelight. In a couple of hours the fire had burnt down so +low, that, from where Thure stood near the horses, he could not even see +the white of Mrs. Dickson's tent, although it was not over ten yards +from where he stood; and he was about to step forward to replenish it, +when a dark object leaped by him, so close that he could have touched it +with his outstretched rifle, and disappeared in the darkness before he +could utter a word or throw his gun to his shoulder, and the next +instant the air was rent by a piercing shriek from Pedro, followed by +the flash and the report of his pistol and his yells of fright.</p> + +<p>In an instant every man in the camp was on his feet, his rifle in his +hands, calling excitedly: "What is the trouble?" "What has happened?" +and running to where Pedro was rolling about on the ground, calling on +all the saints in the Mexican calendar to protect him, seemingly frantic +with fear.</p> + +<p>"Stop that yellin', you Mexican coyote, an' tell us what has happened, +quick," and Ham bent down and, seizing the squirming Pedro by the +shoulders, jerked him to his feet and dragged him unceremoniously to the +camp-fire, which an armful of dry fuel caused to blaze up brightly.</p> + +<p>"<i>Madre de Dios!</i> I know not! I know not!" cried the man, glaring +wildly about him and clinging to Ham. "Unless it was the devil of +these evil mountains. I lay sleeping, rolled up in my blanket, +when,—poof!—something hit my side and something big and ugly tumble +all over me and I see something black and awful jump in the darkness and +I grab my pistol I always sleep with me in blanket and shoot—bang!—and +the big black thing give one great jump and vanish, just like a black +devil, in the darkness. <i>Santissima!</i> I know not what he was, if he was +not the devil! I—"</p> + +<p>"I saw him rush by me so close that I might have touched him with my +rifle," here broke in Thure; "but, before I could speak or shoot, he had +disappeared in the darkness, and then came Pedro's shot and yells."</p> + +<p>"Look to the horses!" cried Mr. Conroyal. "See that everything is safe!"</p> + +<p>At that moment Dickson appeared in the circle of light made by the +camp-fire.</p> + +<p>"All the horses are safe," he said. "Nothing appears to be missing. What +does all this excitement mean? I saw nothing, heard nothing, until the +shooting and yelling began—" He stopped abruptly and glanced swiftly +around. "Mollie! Where's Mollie?" and he sprang toward the tent.</p> + +<p>"Gosh! I plumb forgot th' Leetle Woman! She shore otter have showed up +afore this," and Ham's face whitened, as his eyes followed Dickson into +the little tent.</p> + +<p>The fire was now burning so brightly that the tent showed plainly in its +ruddy light; and the eyes of all fixed themselves on it, a look of +dreadful apprehension on each whitening face.</p> + +<p>For a moment all was silent after Dickson disappeared in the tent; and +then came a yell of horror that made every man jump for the tent, just +as Dickson staggered out with a squirming bundle in his arms, that he +quickly laid down on the ground and began frantically untying the +deerskin thongs with which it was tightly bound.</p> + +<p>"Great God, if 'tain't th' Leetle Woman!" and Ham bent excitedly and +with his knife began cutting the thongs, which bound Mrs. Dickson, head +and all, in her own blanket as tightly as an Egyptian mummy.</p> + +<p>In a moment her body was free; but, when the blanket was lifted from her +face, her mouth was found to be so tightly stuffed, with a piece of +cloth torn from her own dress, that she could not utter an audible +sound. Dickson's strong fingers quickly pulled the cloth out of her +mouth; and she lay, white and gasping for breath, but apparently unhurt, +staring up wildly into the faces of the excited men.</p> + +<p>"Take her into the tent, Dick, until she recovers from her fright and +rough usage," whispered Mr. Conroyal, bending close to Dickson's ear.</p> + +<p>Dickson quickly lifted his wife into his arms and carried her into the +tent.</p> + +<p>"Who did it?" and Mr. Conroyal's eyes searched anxiously the angry and +mystified faces of the men, the moment Mr. Dickson vanished with his +burden in the tent.</p> + +<p>"Th' Lord alone knows for sart'in," answered Ham. "But, I reckon, 'twas +one of them durned skunks. Jest wait 'til th' Leetle Woman gits tew +feelin' like herself ag'in an' maybe she can give us some useful +information."</p> + +<p>But, in this conjecture, Ham was wrong; for, when something like half an +hour later, Mrs. Dickson came out the tent, leaning on her husband's arm +and looking very white, but otherwise little the worse for her +experience, all the information she could give only added to the +mystery.</p> + +<p>She had been sound asleep when the attack was made. The first thing she +knew a hand held her by the throat, so tightly that she could not utter +a sound; and, when she opened her mouth, gasping vainly for breath, it +was instantly stuffed full of rags, so firmly that she could not utter a +loud sound. Then the hand was taken from her throat, her arms pressed +closely to her sides, and she was tightly rolled up in her own blanket, +head and all, and tied the way they had found her. For some little time +after that she heard her assailant cautiously searching the tent. He +appeared to be exceedingly anxious to find something; for every possible +hiding-place in the tent had been thoroughly searched and every package +or bundle had been opened. When the search was over, she heard the +intruder creep softly out of the tent. Then had followed a few minutes +of silence broken suddenly by Pedro's yells and shot. Owing to the +darkness and to the fact that her eyes had been covered as quickly as +possible, she could not give any idea of what her assailant looked like, +only she did not think he was a large man.</p> + +<p>This was all the information that Mrs. Dicksom could give; and a +thorough search of the tent with a torch added nothing to it.</p> + +<p>Thure and Pedro were again examined; but they could give no definite +information. Thure had only caught a glimpse of the man, as he had +rushed by him in the darkness; and Pedro appeared to have been too +nearly frightened out of his wits to have seen anything correctly, even +if it had been clear daylight, instead of the black night that it was. +However both disagreed with Mrs. Dickson in one particular. Thure felt +quite sure that the man who rushed by him was a large man; and Pedro was +positive that he was a giant in size. Dickson had not seen the man at +all. The horses and the packs, indeed the whole camp, were thoroughly +examined with lighted torches; but nothing was found missing, nothing +had even been disturbed outside of Mrs. Dickson's tent, and from here, +so far as they could discover, not a thing had been taken.</p> + +<p>"It's 'bout as plain as th' nose on a man's face that he was after th' +skin map," Ham commented, when all had again gathered around the +camp-fire to consider the mystery; "but, why should he look for it in +th' tent? an' how did he git in thar? that's what gits me," and Ham +shook his head. "Wal, thar is no use figgerin' on it any longer +tew-night. Let's git back intew our blankets; an' maybe we can see +things clearer in th' mornin'. It's tew tarnel dark even tew think," and +Ham laid down on his blanket and rolled himself up in it and refused to +have another word to say about the mystery that night.</p> + +<p>"Reckon Ham is right," Mr. Conroyal declared, as that worthy disappeared +in his blanket. "But I sure would like to have a look at the man, who +can creep into our camp at night, right under the noses of the guards, +and tie one of us up in a blanket, and search a tent, and make a clean +getaway. I sure would like to have a look at that man."</p> + +<p>"I'd want more than a look," and Mr. Dickson clenched both his hands. +"I'd just like to get hold of him for about five minutes, the +scoundrel!"</p> + +<p>"And you are not the only one, Dick," and an angry light flashed into +Mr. Conroyal's eyes. "But, what's the use! He's got away; and without +leaving a clue, so far as I can see. Let's get into our blankets. Maybe, +as Ham says, we can see clearer in the morning. Good night," and Mr. +Conroyal turned to his blanket, followed by all the others, except Bud +and Mr. Randolph, who were to act as guards during the remainder of the +night.</p> + + + +<hr style="width: 65%;" /> +<h2><a name="CHAPTER_XXIII" id="CHAPTER_XXIII"></a>CHAPTER XXIII</h2> + +<h3>ON THE SHORE OF GOOSE NECK LAKE</h3> + + +<p>The next morning the camp was again thoroughly examined; but no clues to +the identity of the intruder of the night before could be found, nor +could they follow his trail beyond the spot where he had apparently +stumbled over Pedro. Here the ground, which happened to be a little +soft, plainly showed where he had fallen and jumped to his feet and +leaped off in the direction of the point of rocks, but farther than this +it was impossible to trail him on account of the hardness of the ground. +There was absolutely nothing more that they could do; for it would be +useless to attempt to run him down in that wilderness of mountains; and +they were obliged to leave the mystery of the tent; it was a great +mystery to those strong watchful men how the gagging and the binding of +Mrs. Dickson had been so quietly and effectively accomplished, unsolved +for the present.</p> + +<p>"Don't look much as if we'd thrown th' cunnin' devils off our trail, +does it?" Ham grumbled, as our little company again started on their +journey. "'Pears like as if we'd had all our trouble for our pains so +far. Wal, they didn't git th' skin map; but it shows they shore could +have got it, if they'd knowed whar it was," and his face clouded. "They +might have sneaked up ahind Dickson or Thure jest as easy an' knocked +'em senseless an' bound an' gagged 'em. Reckon we've got tew be more +keerful or they'll git th' map yit. 'Bout how much longer will it take +us tew git tew that thar canyon?" and he turned anxiously to Mr. +Dickson.</p> + +<p>"We ought to make it in three days sure," answered Dickson. "Stackpole +and I did it in a little over two days from here; but, on account of the +pack-horses, it will probably take us a little longer."</p> + +<p>"Shore you remember th' trail?"</p> + +<p>"Yes," and Dickson's eyes turned northward. "Now that I am on the +ground, things come back to me. See that opening between those two +mountains?" and Dickson pointed to a ravine-like depression between two +mountains some four or five miles away. "Well, I know we went up that +ravine, because Stackpole pointed it out to me right from here, just as +I am pointing it out to you; and that ravine, after a couple of miles, +widens out into quite a little valley, with the mountain, called Three +Tree Mountain on the map, near its upper end."</p> + +<p>"Wal, we shore was in luck, Dick, when we took you intew th' +partnership," Ham declared heartily; "for, I reckon, we'd had a durned +long hunt a-findin' our way jest by that map, but now all we've got tew +do is jest tew foller y'ur lead. Wal, lead on," and he grinned.</p> + +<p>Dickson proved that his memory of the trail was correct; for, after they +had entered the ravine between the two mountains and had gone up it for +a couple of miles, it opened out into a beautiful little valley; and +there, near its upper end, stood a huge round-topped mountain, bald of +head, except for three tall trees that stood out against the horizon +like three lonely sentinels.</p> + +<p>"Hurrah!" yelled Thure, the moment his eyes caught sight of this +mountain. "There is Three Tree Mountain! We sure are on the right trail. +Bully for Dickson!"</p> + +<p>Our friends now had passed beyond the realm of the hitherto ubiquitous +miner. The wilderness was supreme. Everywhere around them mountains and +forests and valleys and streams stood unchanged, as they came from the +hand of God.</p> + +<p>Game of all kinds was abundant. Bud shot a young buck elk, which they +ate for supper, when they went into camp for the night at the foot of +Three Tree Mountain.</p> + +<p>The guard was doubled that night and the camp-fire was kept blazing +brightly, so that no one could creep into camp unseen under cover of the +darkness. These precautions proved effectual; and the night was passed +without alarm.</p> + +<p>Dickson found no trouble in following the trail during the day. At every +turning point some remembered landmark would show him the right way to +go. A short time before night they passed over a ridge of rocks and +looked down into a quiet little valley, near the center of which lay a +beautiful little lake.</p> + +<p>"Behold!" cried Dickson, pointing to the water, that shone like red gold +in the red rays of the setting sun. "Behold, Goose Neck Lake! It was +while standing at this very spot and looking down on the peculiar +necklike bend of the lake, that Stackpole gave it the name, Goose Neck +Lake. There is a little grove of trees on its north shore that will make +us a fine camping place. And tomorrow afternoon sometime we should be in +Lot's Canyon! Come on," and he hurried down the ridge toward the lake.</p> + +<p>It was dark when they reached the north shore of the lake and pitched +their camp in the little grove of trees. All were in high spirits; for +on the morrow they would be in Lot's Canyon, almost at their journey's +end, almost within reach of the Cave of Gold!</p> + +<p>For the last two days they had not seen nor heard a sign of their +enemies and they were beginning to hope that, in the maze of deep +gulches and ravines and little mountain-enclosed valleys through which +they had been passing, they had given them the slip, and this hope added +to their cheer. Consequently the little group that gathered around the +camp-fire that night was unusually merry—all except Pedro, who went +about his camp duties with a sullen troubled look on his face. Ever +since the night Mrs. Dickson had been found tightly bound in her tent, +his face had worn a troubled expression and his eyes were continually +turning to Thure, with a wondering questioning look in them, as if there +were something about the boy that he could not understand; and every +time he had heard the name of the skin map mentioned he had become +instantly alert, but always in such a way as not to attract attention in +his direction. Now, on this night, his was the only gloomy face in the +company.</p> + +<p>"Looks as if we had given th' skunks th' slip at last," Ham said, as he +seated himself on his blanket, spread near the blazing fire, and leaned +back comfortably on his elbow. "An' I don't wonder; for I don't believe +even Kit Carson himself could have kept on our trail through all them +short twistin' gulches an' thick woods, through which we've ben passin' +for th' past tew days. Howsomever, I reckon, we hadn't better let up +none on th' caution bus'ness—But, let us forgit them skunks an' turn +our minds tew more pleasant things, like a song from th' Leetle Woman," +and he turned to Mrs. Dickson. "I jest sorter feel hungry for music +tonight. Please sing 'Old Dan Tucker,' an' Th' Emergrants Lament' an'—"</p> + +<p>"'Ben Bolt,'" laughed Thure.</p> + +<p>"Shore," grinned Ham. "I couldn't go tew sleep without hearin' 'Ben +Bolt,' but let us have 'Old Dan Tucker' first."</p> + +<p>Mrs. Dickson was in splendid voice that night and sang with unusual +fervor, even for her; and the men kept begging her for "just one more +song," until, at last, with a laugh, she declared she just couldn't sing +another song, and, bidding them all good night, hurried into her tent.</p> + +<p>The guard was again doubled that night and instructed to keep the +camp-fire blazing brightly. Hammer Jones, Frank Holt, Mr. Randolph, and +Dill Conroyal, were to keep the first watch, through the darkest hours +of the night, before the moon came up. The night was clear and the +starlight bright enough to make objects dimly visible a few rods away. +The grove where they were encamped was not large and the guards were +stationed in its outskirts, where they could patrol all around it.</p> + +<p>Hammer Jones' post was near the horses, on the opposite side of the +grove from the lake. About twenty rods from him, out on the open valley +stood a large tree, with three or four smaller trees growing around it. +In the starlight he could see the outlines of these trees dimly. He +stationed himself in the dark shadows of a large tree, where he could +keep one eye on the horses and the camp, illuminated by the blazing +camp-fire, and the other on the surrounding valley.</p> + +<p>For a couple of hours he neither saw nor heard a suspicious sign or +sound. Then from the little clump of trees came the hoot of an owl that +caused him to straighten up quickly and to listen intently. Ham had +spent the greater part of his life in the wilderness; and the voices of +its wild dwellers were as familiar to him as were the voices of his +fellow men; and something in the first hoot of that owl had awakened his +suspicions. It did not sound exactly right. There was a false quaver at +the end. In a minute the hoot was repeated, still with that unnatural +quaver at its end.</p> + +<p>Along the outskirts of the grove grew a thin line of short bushes. Ham +now bent down until his form was hidden by these bushes, and began +creeping slowly and very cautiously toward the clump of trees. In this +way he was able to get some three or four rods nearer to the spot that +had awakened his suspicions. During this cautious forward movement the +hoot of the owl had been repeated three times, at intervals of about a +minute, and the same false note had been sounded each time.</p> + +<p>"I'd bet th' last coonskin in my pack that that's no owl hootin'," Ham +muttered softly to himself, fixing his eyes intently on the dark shadows +underneath the trees.</p> + +<p>Suddenly he fancied he saw one of the shadows move.</p> + +<p>"By gum, I'll chance a shot!" and swiftly throwing his rifle to his +shoulder, he fired at the spot where he thought he had seen the shadow +move.</p> + +<p>There was a faint sound, like a smothered exclamation; and then all was +still in the little grove of trees, nor could Ham's straining eyes +detect any further movements.</p> + +<p>But his shot had aroused the camp; and now all the men, except the +guard, came running to him, their rifles in their hands, excitedly +calling to know what was the matter.</p> + +<p>"Jest a suspicious hoot of an owl an' a movin' shader," answered Ham. "I +reckon thar was one of them durned skunks a-hidin' in that clump of +trees, a-callin' out some signal; an' I shouldn't be none s'prised if my +bullet pinked him. Leastwise I thought I heer'd a smothered cry."</p> + +<p>"Get torches and we will see," cried Mr. Conroyal excitedly. "Maybe you +got him, Ham."</p> + +<p>Thure and Bud hurried to the camp-fire and soon were back with blazing +pine torches in their hands.</p> + +<p>There were no hostile Indians in that part of the country, and they knew +that Ugger and his gang could not be there yet in sufficient force to +dare venture to attack them, so they did not fear to advance on the +little clump of trees with lighted torches in their hands.</p> + +<p>There were three small trees and the one large tree and a few low bushes +in the clump. The ground around these was as carefully searched as was +possible by the light of the torches; but not a sign of Ham's human owl +did they find.</p> + +<p>"Must have been a real owl after all, Ham," Mr. Conroyal said, as he was +about to give up the search and to return to the camp.</p> + +<p>But, at this moment, Thure uttered a startled exclamation and, bending +quickly, picked up something from the ground and held it up where the +light of the torches showed it plainly to all.</p> + +<p>It was a little finger freshly severed from a left hand!</p> + +<p>"Marked him! By gum, I marked him!" cried Ham exultingly.</p> + +<p>"You sure did, Ham," and Mr. Conroyal bent hastily and examined the +finger carefully. "It came from the hand of a white man all right," he +declared. "And the hand of rather a small man, the left hand. Well, you +will know your man the next time you see him, Ham."</p> + +<p>"I shore will," grinned Ham. "An', if I dew, I wants tew return him his +finger; so I'll jest take charge of that leetle bit of anatominy," and, +reaching out, he took the finger from Thure, and, carefully wrapping it +up in a piece of buckskin, thrust it into one of his pockets. "Wal, th' +excitement is all over now, boys, an' you can return tew y'ur downy +couches an' soft pillers. I reckon thar won't be no more owl hootin' +tew-night, leastwise not from that bird," and Ham chuckled.</p> + +<p>All now returned to the camp and to their blankets; and Ham resumed his +watch in the dark shadows under the big tree.</p> + +<p>Ham was right. There was no more owl hooting that night. But the finding +of that finger had brought uneasy thoughts to all. Evidently they had +not succeeded in throwing their cunning enemies off the trail. And now, +here they were within a few hours' march of Lot's Canyon, of the Cave of +Gold, and with the scoundrels still hot on their track! What was to be +done? How could they now hope to throw Ugger and his men off their +trail, when all their efforts so far had been in vain? Indeed, how had +Ugger and his men been able to keep on their trail, through all the maze +of mountains and forests and winding gulches and twisting ravines +through which they had been passing? That was a great mystery to all—to +all, except Pedro.</p> + + + +<hr style="width: 65%;" /> +<h2><a name="CHAPTER_XXIV" id="CHAPTER_XXIV"></a>CHAPTER XXIV</h2> + +<h3>IN LOT'S CANYON</h3> + + +<p>The next morning, just as they were about to start on their way Mr. +Conroyal called the little company together.</p> + +<p>"You all know what happened last night, and what it means," he said. "In +spite of all our efforts to throw them off, that Ugger gang apparently +are still on our trail. Now, Dickson says that we can make Lot's Canyon +this afternoon; but, if we do, them skunks will be sure to follow us and +to find it, too. Under such circumstances what shall we do? Shall we try +again to fool them, by not going straight to the canyon to-day and see +if we can't slip into it to-night without being seen? Or, shall we defy +them, and march straight for the canyon, without any effort to hide our +trail?"</p> + +<p>"That last plan hits my bull's-eye," declared Ham emphatically. "If they +want tew foller, let 'em foller. If they want tew fight, we'll give 'em +all th' fight they want," and Ham's lips closed grimly. "I'm tired of +tryin' tew dodge th' dirty sneakin' murderin' pack of cowards any +longer. I gives my vote for marchin' as straight tew Lot's Canyon as th' +good Lord an' Dickson can take us."</p> + +<p>"Bully for Ham!" shouted Bud enthusiastically. "I vote with Ham," and he +sprang to Ham's side.</p> + +<p>"So do I," and Thure followed him.</p> + +<p>"Me, too," and, with a laugh, Mrs. Dickson took her stand by the side of +the boys.</p> + +<p>And, with a cheer, all the others joined her.</p> + +<p>"Reckon that means, straight for Lot's Canyon. Lead on," and Mr. +Conroyal turned to Dickson.</p> + +<p>Until about noon the trail wound around great hills of rocks, and in and +out of deep gulches and rocky defiles, and over high ridges of rock; and +then, just as the sun was nearing the meridian, it entered a broad +mountain-enclosed valley, some six or seven miles long by about two +miles wide. Near the upper end of the valley a tall pinnacle of rocks +shot up into the sky, like a church steeple, at the head of what looked +like an almost precipitous mass of rocks that rose many hundreds of feet +above the level of the valley.</p> + +<p>"See that rock?" and Dickson pointed triumphantly to the steeple-like +rock at the head of the valley.</p> + +<p>"Shore, not bein' blind," Ham answered. "What might it be doin' thar?" +and he grinned.</p> + +<p>"That rock," and Dickson paused to glance around the circle of faces +that now surrounded him, "stands within half a mile of the Devil's +Slide, which is the only way down into Lot's Canyon. Boys, we should be +in Lot's Canyon in two hours!"</p> + +<p>"Hurrah!" yelled Thure.</p> + +<p>"Hurrah!" echoed Bud.</p> + +<p>"Come on," cried Mr. Conroyal. "The sooner we get there the better. +Pedro, see if you can't liven up them pack-horses a little."</p> + +<p>"Si, si, señor," and Pedro began hurling volleys of Mexican oaths at the +pack-horses and running from one to another of them, striking with his +whip and urging with his voice, until the patient animals were moving as +fast as the safety of their packs would permit.</p> + +<p>Pedro appeared to be in unusually good spirits that day. All the gloom +of the day before had vanished with the dawning of the morning of the +night of the hooting owl.</p> + +<p>In an hour and a half, so eagerly did they press forward, our little +company had passed the steeple-like pinnacle of rocks; and in another +fifteen minutes they had climbed to the top of a ridge of rocks, and +were looking down a steep, narrow declivity, cut by the wonderous hand +of nature, in a precipitous wall of solid rock that rose from the bottom +of a canyon five hundred feet below them. The smooth floor of the +declivity was not over a dozen feet wide and shot downward at an angle +of about forty-five degrees.</p> + +<p>"Gosh! I don't wonder Stackpole called that Th' Devil's Slide," and +Ham's eyes stared down the steep slope of the declivity. "Ain't thar no +other way of gettin' down thar intew that thar canyon?" and he turned to +Dickson.</p> + +<p>"Not that I know of," Dickson answered. "That was the way Stackpole and +I went. It is not as difficult as it looks. The rock is not slippery, +and, by being careful, a man can get down all right. But the horses! I +don't know about them," and he glanced a little dubiously toward the six +horses.</p> + +<p>"We'll have to use ropes on them," declared Mr. Conroyal. "Two men to a +horse. Get out the ropes."</p> + +<p>In a few minutes five strong ropes had been secured from the packs, and +preparations were immediately begun for helping the horses down the +slide.</p> + +<p>There were ten men in the company, including Pedro, and this enabled +them to start all the pack-horses at the same time down the declivity. +The method of procedure was simple. The middle of a strong rope some +thirty feet long was placed under the neck of a horse and across the +breast and fastened there, so that it could not slip down. Then two men +took hold of the rope, one at each end, and, by walking a little behind +and on opposite sides of the horse, they were in position to hold back +the animal, should he start to slide or get to going too fast. In this +way and with very little trouble, for the footing down the declivity was +much better than they expected it would be, they soon had the six horses +safely down the Devil's Slide.</p> + +<p>All now stood at the bottom of a deep canyon, with walls of nearly +perpendicular rock rising on both sides from five hundred to a thousand +feet above their heads. The bottom was strewn with rocks of all shapes +and sizes, and little clumps of trees and bushes grew here and there.</p> + +<p>"This," and Dickson glanced a bit dramatically around him, "is Lot's +Canyon. The white pillar of rock, called Lot's Wife on the map, is about +a couple of miles farther up the canyon, and near it stands the Big +Tree, and close by that tree, according to the map, should be the hidden +entrance to Crooked Arm Gulch. And it must be well-hidden too; for, when +I was with Stackpole, we couldn't find a sign of a gulch near the Big +Tree, although I remember we looked especially sharp for it right there, +because the Indian had told Stackpole that it was near a big tree and +that was the biggest tree we could find in the canyon. I hope we have +better luck."</p> + +<p>"Let us hurry and get to the Big Tree," cried Thure impatiently. "I am +sure that, if there is any entrance to any gulch there, some of us can +find it. Come on," and the excited boy, with Bud by his side, started up +the canyon.</p> + +<p>Rex and Dill and Mr. Dickson at once joined the two boys, and the five +hurried eagerly forward, leaving the others to come on more slowly with +Pedro and the horses.</p> + +<p>The canyon was from one hundred to two hundred feet wide at the bottom, +and twisted and wound along between its gigantic walls of rock, like a +huge serpent. Doubtless in some far distant age it had been the course +of a mighty river; but now not a drop of water flowed along its rocky +bottom and evidently had not for hundreds of years.</p> + +<p>"Looks like a mighty good place for grizzlies," commented Rex, as they +hurried along over the rough rocks of the bottom.</p> + +<p>"And there has been one here not many minutes ago," supplemented Dill, +pointing to the bark of a tree that had been freshly torn by the sharp +claws of some powerful animal.</p> + +<p>"And there he is!" cried Thure, as they made a sudden turn around a huge +point of rocks, projecting a few feet out into the canyon, and came face +to face with a huge male grizzly not a hundred feet away.</p> + +<p>The grizzly appeared to be very greatly astonished at this sudden +invasion of man into his hitherto undisputed realm of rocks, and a +little offended. With a deep bass-drum-like "huff, huff," he reared his +huge body up on his hind legs, and, turning his wicked little eyes on +them, uttered a deep warning growl, as much as to say: "Now, if you men +will turn right around and go back, I will not harm you."</p> + +<p>"Shall we shoot?" asked Thure, cocking his rifle.</p> + +<p>"No, not if the brute will get out of our way," answered Rex. "We have +no time to fool with grizzlies," and, cocking his own rifle, he started +straight toward the grizzly.</p> + +<p>The growl of the bear deepened, and he made no sign of giving way to the +intruders.</p> + +<p>"All right, old man," and Rex stopped and threw his rifle to his +shoulder. "Stand ready to fire, if my bullet fails to bring him down," +he warned, as his eye glanced swiftly along the rifle barrel.</p> + +<p>But Rex Holt was one of the best rifle shots in California, and knew +exactly where to send his bullet in order to make it instantly fatal; +and there was no need of a second shot, for almost at the instant of the +crack of his rifle, the huge beast, with a deep startled, "huff," and a +staggering leap toward them, tumbled sprawlingly to the ground, as if +all his tough muscles had been suddenly turned to hot tallow, and with a +few quiverings, the great frame lay still.</p> + +<p>"No time to bother with him now. Let him lay there for the present. Come +on," and Rex, pausing by the side of the grizzly only long enough to +assure himself that the monster was dead, hurried on up the canyon.</p> + +<p>For half an hour longer they struggled on over the broken rocks that +covered the bottom of the canyon; and then they came to where the canyon +made an abrupt turn, and, widening out a little, ran straight ahead for +half a mile or more.</p> + +<p>The moment they made this turn and looked up the clear stretch of +canyon, all uttered a shout of triumph. Some two hundred yards from them +and near the east wall of the canyon grew a huge oak tree; and, perhaps +a hundred yards farther up the canyon, stood a tall pillar of white +rock.</p> + +<p>"The Big Tree!" yelled Thure exultingly, starting on the run for the +tree.</p> + +<p>"Lot's Wife!" shouted Bud, racing along after Thure.</p> + +<p>Rex and Dill and Dickson hastened after the excited boys; and, in a few +minutes, all stood beneath the giant branches of the great oak.</p> + +<p>The tree was some seventy-five feet high and nearly as broad as it was +high; and its huge trunk grew so close to the wall of the canyon that +the ends of its great limbs on that side had been pressed tight up +against the rocks.</p> + +<p>"Well, we are here at last!" Thure's face was flushed and his eyes were +sparkling with excitement. "Now, for the hidden entrance to Crooked Arm +Gulch!" and his eyes turned eagerly to the walls of the canyon.</p> + +<p>The wall of the canyon near the tree, so far as their eyes could judge, +was a solid mass of cracked and seamed rocks, that sprang from the +bottom of the canyon almost straight upward for five hundred or more +feet. There did not appear to be break or opening of any kind, nor did +it look as if there ever had been such an opening.</p> + +<p>For half an hour the two boys and Rex and Dill and Mr. Dickson searched +excitedly up and down the wall of the canyon near the tree, without one +of them finding the first sign of an entrance to the hidden gulch.</p> + +<p>"Great Moses, but this is exasperating!" complained Thure, staring +indignantly at the blank walls of rock. "To be held up like this, when +almost at the entrance to the Cave of Gold! But we have got to find it," +and the heat of his excitement having cooled down a little, he began a +more careful and systematic search of the face of the wall of rock.</p> + +<p>"Found it?" yelled Ham, who at this moment came round the turn in the +canyon at the head of the remainder of the company.</p> + +<p>"No," Dickson called back. "Not a sign of an opening anywhere in sight."</p> + +<p>"I reckon this is where our trouble begins," Ham declared a few minutes +later, when he stood near the Big Tree and searched the precipitous side +of the wall of rock vainly with his keen eyes. "It shore don't look as +if there ever had ben any gulch entrance thar."</p> + +<p>"Let us have another look at the map," suggested Mr. Conroyal, after all +had searched the face of the wall of rock in vain for some time. +"Possibly we have overlooked some little point of guidance on it."</p> + +<p>Thure at once procured the map and handed it to his father; and all +crowded anxiously around him, as he seated himself on a rock and spread +the map out on his knees.</p> + +<p>"This sure must be the right place," he declared, as he glanced down at +the map and then up and down the canyon; "for here is the Big Tree and +there," and he pointed to the white pillar, "is Lot's Wife, and that +slide down there must surely have been the Devil's Slide; and, if this +is the right place, then the entrance to Crooked Arm Gulch must be right +there, according to this map," and he pointed to the wall of rock +against which the great limbs of the tree were pressing.</p> + +<p>"Wai, it ain't thar," and Ham turned away disgustedly from the map. "Any +fool with eyes in his head can see that it ain't thar. I reckon we've +come on a wild-goose chase. Let's go intew camp an' git some grub down +us. I'm allfired hungry, an' it's tew late tew look any more tew-day," +and he glanced toward the west wall of the canyon, up the side of which +the shadows of night were already beginning to creep. "Possibly we can +dew better in th' mornin', though it's more'n I can see how, seem' that +thar's nuthin' but th' face of a solid wall of rock tew search; an' +we've searched 'bout every inch of that that we can a'ready," and he +threw his big frame down on the ground and stared at the wall of rock +wrathfully.</p> + +<p>And much of the same disappointment and disgust that troubled Ham was +troubling the hearts of all; for it did not seem possible that there +could be any entrance to any gulch anywhere near the Big Tree. The wall +of rock was too steep to climb, but the eye could search its entire +face, except where the limbs of the giant oak hid a few square yards of +the surface, and nowhere was there a break in the wall nor the least +sign of an opening of any sort, let alone the entrance to a gulch. This +was so plainly evident, so easily and so quickly to be seen, for the +smooth face of the wall of a canyon offers few opportunities of +concealment, that the gloom of bitter disappointment deadened the +spirits of all; and, consequently, it was a very downhearted and +discouraged company of men that now started to make ready for the night +under the overhanging branches of the Big Tree.</p> + +<p>All the next day the search was continued, but without any results.</p> + +<p>"Durn th' old map! Let's throw it intew th' fire an' git back tew th' +diggin's," Ham declared wrathfully, as they gathered for the night under +the Big Tree. "Stackpole shore must have been loony when he made that +map."</p> + +<p>"Reckon you are right," agreed Mr. Conroyal. "Well, we'll have another +look at the map; and, if we can't get any new ideas from it, we will do +as you say and start back for the diggings in the morning."</p> + +<p>"No; no! Just one more day! Let us look one more day!" pleaded Thure. "I +can't believe that Stackpole did not find that Cave of Gold. He was so +sure of it, so earnest about it—and there is the nugget and the gold he +had with him when murdered! Let us look just one more day!"</p> + +<p>"Well, son, I am sure that we all are just as anxious to find that Cave +of Gold as you can possibly be; but, where can we look that we have not +already looked? What is the use of going over exactly the same ground +that we have already been over many times? It isn't a question of +sticking. I'd say stick as long as there was any hope. But, as Ham says, +any fool with eyes in his head can see that there is no gulch opening +here. Either Stackpole was crazy, or we've struck the wrong canyon; and, +in either case, we might just as well give up the search and get back +where we know there is gold. However, I will put the matter to a vote; +and we will do as the majority wishes. Shall we start back for the +diggings in the morning? All in favor of starting back in the morning +stand up," and Mr. Conroyal's eyes glanced over the little company +seated around him.</p> + +<p>All arose slowly to their feet, except Thure and Bud, who looked almost +ready to cry at this untimely ending of all their romantic dreams.</p> + +<p>"I know it is hard, hard on us all, and especially hard on you two +boys," Mr. Conroyal said, turning sympathetically to the lads. "But it +would be foolish to waste any more time here. Now, let us have a last +look at that map, before we fling the cussed thing into the fire," and +he motioned Thure to hand him the skin map. "We don't want it to fool +anybody else."</p> + +<p>Thure slowly took the map from its place of concealment in his shirt +bosom and reluctantly handed it to his father. Then all bent their heads +over it; but there was little interest in their faces. They had examined +the map too often and too closely to hope to find anything new in it +now.</p> + +<p>Suddenly Mrs. Dickson uttered a little exclamation and pointed with her +finger to the roughly drawn tree in the left hand corner of the map.</p> + +<p>"I wonder if that tree, with the arrow pointing downward toward the east +point of the cross, does not mean something," she said.</p> + +<p>"Moses!" yelled Thure, jumping to his feet excitedly. "It does! It's the +key to the whole secret! I remember now! The miner said the gulch was +blocked by great rocks, that we must climb the Big Tree to the third +limb. You remember, don't you, Bud?" and he turned excitedly to Bud.</p> + +<p>"Yes," answered Bud, now as greatly excited as was Thure himself. "He +said, 'Climb to the third limb. Remember, climb to the third +limb—third—third—' and then he choked all up. Come! It is yet light +enough to see!" and both boys made a jump for the huge trunk of the +great oak tree and began climbing up it almost with the agility of two +squirrels.</p> + +<p>"Gosh! Thar might be somethin' in that!" and Ham, and all the others, +jumped to their feet and followed the movements of the two boys with +deeply interested eyes.</p> + +<p>The third limb was about twenty feet from the ground, of huge size and +thrust itself straight out to the rocky wall of the canyon, against +which its end appeared to be tightly pressed.</p> + +<p>Along this limb Thure and Bud now scrambled, as swiftly as hands and +feet and body could propel them, Thure in the lead. The limb was +sufficiently large and strong to make this neither difficult nor +dangerous. In a few minutes they were at the face of the wall of rock. +Here Thure paused for a moment, then he was seen to rise on his feet, +push a few branches aside, and, with a yell, disappear. The next moment +he was followed by Bud.</p> + +<p>"Wal, I'll be teetotally durned!" and Ham and the others stared blankly +at the spot where the two boys had disappeared.</p> + +<p>For five minutes they stood staring at the spot, without speaking a +word, so intense was their interest. Then the heads of the two boys +appeared through the branches almost simultaneously; and a loud yell of +triumph broke wildly from the mouth of each.</p> + +<p>"Found! Found!" yelled Thure.</p> + +<p>"We've found the gulch! Crooked Arm Gulch!" cried Bud. "Come up and +see."</p> + +<p>"Durned if I don't!" and Ham leaped for the trunk of the tree, followed +by every other man in the company, except Pedro, who, together with Mrs. +Dickson, remained below.</p> + +<p>"Not too many on the limb at a time," cautioned Rex, who had succeeded +in reaching the third limb first. "It might break," and he began working +his way along it, closely followed by Dill.</p> + +<p>In a couple of minutes he had reached the opening in the wall of rock, a +jagged hole some four or five feet in diameter, into which the sturdy +limb had thrust itself in such a manner that its branches completely +concealed all signs of the opening from below.</p> + +<p>"Great! This is great!" Rex exclaimed, as he pushed his way through the +branches into the hole.</p> + +<p>In a few minutes more all were through the hole, and were standing on a +narrow shelf of rock, looking down into a deep, narrow gulch, whose +bottom was considerably below the level of the bottom of Lot's Canyon.</p> + +<p>"By gum! if we ain't struck th' right spot at last!" and Ham stared in +astonishment up the gulch to where it made a bend, like a crook at the +elbow in a man's bent arm. "Thar's th' Golden Elbow," and he pointed to +the bend; "an' this shore must be Crooked Arm Gulch. Wal, this is what I +call luck! Hurra!" and he swung his hat around his head and yelled at +the very top of his strong lungs; and every man there joined with him in +the yell; and the rocky walls of the narrow gulch echoed and reëchoed +the sound, until it seemed as if a hundred men were shouting their +joyous yells of triumph.</p> + +<p>"Too bad it is so late in the day that we must put off exploring the +gulch until to-morrow," Mr. Conroyal lamented, when the excitement had +somewhat quieted down.</p> + +<p>"Oh, dad, just let us see if the cave is really there!" begged Thure.</p> + +<p>"Impossible. See how swiftly the dark shadows of night are gathering. We +must hasten back to Lot's Canyon at once. In fifteen minutes it will be +too dark to see our way plainly. Come on, everybody. I reckon the Little +Woman is some curious to know what has been happening up here," and, +smiling happily, he started back toward the opening, followed by all the +others.</p> + +<p>When they again reached the ground at the bottom of the Big Tree, they +found Mrs. Dickson alone. She said that Pedro had asked permission to go +back to where the grizzly bear had been filled to get a chunk of bear +steak for their supper, and had hurried off, taking one of their rifles +with him, as soon as she had said yes. She was nearly wild with joy, +when told of the find they had made, and vowed that she would go with +them in the morning, when they started out to look for the Cave of Gold, +in spite of the seemingly dangerous climb along the big limb of the Big +Tree.</p> + +<p>Half an hour later Pedro returned with a big chunk of bear meat, which +was soon roasting on wooden spits placed around the blazing camp-fire.</p> + +<p>That was as joyful an evening as the night before had been gloomy. Even +the saturnine spirits of Pedro seemed greatly affected by the general +hilarity; for his sallow face was all smiles and his little black eyes +snapped and twinkled, as he passed hither and thither among the men, and +he was very careful to place the pan in which he washed the dishes +within easy hearing distance of every word they might utter. Indeed, it +seemed almost impossible for him to tear himself away from the sound of +their voices; and, when he was compelled to go to the little spring they +had discovered some twenty rods distant from the Big Tree, after water, +he had gone there and back on the run, as if he was fearful that +something might be said while he was away that he ought to hear. But, to +all this, our friends gave no heed, save that Ham once or twice turned +his eyes on Pedro's excited face, with just a flicker of suspicion in +them.</p> + +<p>"Wal, I don't wonder he's some excited, seein' us so upset," he thought. +"Still thar won't be no harm in keepin' as much as possible from him. I +don't believe in trustin' a Mexican nohow, any more than you've got +tew," and Ham lowered his own voice and cautioned the others to do +likewise, when Pedro was near. "Jest tew be on the safe side," he +explained.</p> + +<p>"We must de doubly cautious now," warned Mr. Conroyal, when they made +ready for bed, "and keep somebody on guard night and day all the time; +for now that we have found the secret of Crooked Arm Gulch them devils +are likely to be down upon us at the first unguarded moment. We will put +four men on guard again to-night. Rex, you and Dill and Bud and his +father can stand guard for the first half of the night; and you can call +Ham and Frank and Thure and me to relieve you about one o'clock. Now, +get to your stations and we will get to our blankets. Good night, +everybody," and he began rolling himself up in his blanket.</p> + +<p>An example that all except the guards followed very speedily.</p> + + + +<hr style="width: 65%;" /> +<h2><a name="CHAPTER_XXV" id="CHAPTER_XXV"></a>CHAPTER XXV</h2> + +<h3>THE CAVE OF GOLD</h3> + + +<p>There were no disturbances during the night; and the dawn of the next +morning found everybody up and awaiting eagerly the moment when there +would be sufficient light in the canyon to make the climbing of the Big +Tree and the entrance into Crooked Arm Gulch safe. At last Mr. Conroyal +declared that the great moment had come.</p> + +<p>"But," and he glanced around the little group of eager faces, "Ham and I +think, and I am sure you will all agree with us when you stop to +consider the matter, that we ought to leave at least one man here to +stand guard with Pedro. Now, under the circumstances, I had rather not +say who that man shall be, but will ask for a volunteer. Who is willing +to offer himself up as a sacrifice to the good of the public?" and Mr. +Conroyal smiled.</p> + +<p>For a moment all stood staring blankly into one another's faces. No one +appeared to be in the least anxious to make this sacrifice. And no +wonder! For, now at the very moment they were about to explore the +mysteries of the dead miner's wonderful Cave of Gold, who would care to +be left behind? Then, with a smile on his face, Frank Holt stepped +forth.</p> + +<p>"Reckon I'll stay and keep company with Pedro," he said. "I'm not as +young as I once was, and crawling along that limb some twenty feet above +the ground looks some dangerous to legs as old as mine. But I'd like to +have one of you, if you find the cave all right, come and let me know," +and the sparkle in his eyes told how great was his interest in the +result.</p> + +<p>"I'll come right back and relieve you, dad, just as soon as we find the +cave and see what it is like," Rex Holt promised. "Then you can go and +see for yourself. It was great of you to offer to stay. I'll be back +soon. Good-by," and he hurried after the others, who were already +climbing the Big Tree.</p> + +<p>Pedro, all the morning, had been as feverish with excitement as had any +of the others, and had watched their every movement, as a cat watches a +caught mouse, and had tried to overhear every word uttered; but, at the +first mention of a guard being left with him, he had muttered a Mexican +oath and had turned angrily and sullenly away, all his excitement gone. +Evidently he had counted a great deal on being left alone with the +horses and the camp supplies, when the search for the Cave of Gold was +made; and, consequently, the leaving of a guard with him had been a very +great disappointment. But he was too cunning to allow this +disappointment to be seen by his employers, and had turned quickly away +to hide his feelings, until he was again his usual suave self; and so he +did not hear the promise of Rex to hasten back as soon as the cave was +found and relieve his father.</p> + +<p>You may be sure that there were no laggards among the climbers up the +Big Tree and along the limb and through the entrance into Crooked Arm +Gulch; and soon all stood on the little shelf of rock, from which they +had had their first view of the gulch the night before.</p> + +<p>"Now, th' first thing tew dew is tew git down tew th' bottom," commented +Ham, as the eyes of all eagerly searched the walls of the gulch.</p> + +<p>"That looks easy! Right this way!" and Thure began excitedly clambering +down the rocks.</p> + +<p>The shelf of rock on which they stood was some fifty feet above the +bottom of the gulch; and from it a series of shelves and jutting rocks +made an easy pathway downward, for mountaineers as experienced as they +were, and soon all our friends stood at the bottom of Crooked Arm Gulch.</p> + +<p>"Now for the Golden Elbow!" shouted Thure. "I want to be the first one +in the Cave of Gold," and he started up the gulch as fast as he could +go, jumping and climbing over the rocks that nearly covered its bottom.</p> + +<p>"Same here!" and, with a yell, Bud started after him.</p> + +<p>In a moment all, even the gray-haired men, had joined madly in the race. +Evidently Thure was not the only one who wished to be the first in the +Cave of Gold.</p> + +<p>The gulch was narrow, only about a couple of rods wide at the place +where our friends had reached the bottom, and, some three hundred yards +from here, it made a turn, like the crook in a man's bent arm. This was +evidently the Golden Elbow, and the point for which all were racing.</p> + +<p>Thure, owing to his start and his long legs, was the first to reach this +spot, but Bud was not six feet behind him. Then came Rex and Dill and +the others, with Dickson and his wife pantingly bringing up the rear. +All had stopped directly in front of the point of the turn, and now +stood staring excitedly around them, looking for the entrance to the +Cave of Gold and looking in vain.</p> + +<p>In front of them the wall of the gulch had been hollowed out into a +great overhanging arch, seventy-five or more feet in height and some +fifteen feet deep.</p> + +<p>Could this be the miner's Cave of Gold?</p> + +<p>Surely not; for there was no need of torch here, and the bottom +certainly was not covered with gold nuggets, but with hundreds of pieces +of broken rock, some of them as large as two strong men could lift.</p> + +<p>"Wal, I swun, if it don't look as if we was up ag'in it ag'in," and Ham +stared excitedly around. "But, if thar is any cave here, it must be +right in thar. Come, git busy," and he began clambering over the rocks +toward the back wall of the arch. "I'll bet a coonskin that I can find +it first."</p> + +<p>"Take you!" shouted Thure and Bud, both clambering swiftly after him.</p> + +<p>In a minute more all were searching excitedly for the hidden entrance to +the cave, along the entire back wall of the arch; but the rocks of the +bottom seemed to meet a solid wall of rock at the back.</p> + +<p>"Say, but isn't it enough to make even a Job swear to be held up like +this, right at the most exciting moment!" and Thure stopped in front of +a large flat rock, that had fallen so that it stood nearly on edge, +leaning against the back wall of the arch. "Come, give me a hand; and +let's see what is behind this rock," and he turned to Bud, who stood +near him. "It looks almost as if it might have been stood up there on +purpose."</p> + +<p>In a moment the strong arms of the two boys were tugging at the huge +slab of rock; and, at last, with a mighty effort, they pulled it away +from the wall and toppled it over backward, and it fell, with a crash, +on the rocks between them, revealing a black opening in the solid rock.</p> + +<p>"Hurrah!" yelled Bud.</p> + +<p>"Found!" shouted Thure; and both excited boys made a dive for the hole, +with the result that their bodies stuck tightly in the opening, the hole +not being large enough to accommodate the entrance of both of them at +the same time.</p> + +<p>Ham and Mr. Conroyal pulled them out; and then Ham thrust his big body +into the opening—he could just squeeze in—and began cautiously working +his way forward. It was not a venture for an excited boy to make, the +entrance into that black hole without a light.</p> + +<p>In about five minutes Ham came backing hurriedly out.</p> + +<p>"Who's got th' candles?" he cried excitedly. "Thar sart'in is a cave in +thar; but it is as dark as the bottomless pit. We must have lights +before we can enter. Give me a candle."</p> + +<p>"Here, here they are!" and Mr. Conroyal who in the excitement of the +moment had forgotten the package of a couple of dozen candles he had +tied up and slung over his back just before climbing the tree that +morning, quickly swung the package down on a rock in front of him and +cut the strings.</p> + +<p>Ham caught up one of the candles, and, hurriedly lighting it, again +crawled into the hole, holding the candle out in front of him.</p> + +<p>Thure and Bud both caught up candles and lighting them, looked +imploringly at their fathers.</p> + +<p>Both men nodded, and the boys dove into the hole; but this time +separately.</p> + +<p>"The rest of us had better wait outside until we hear from Ham and the +boys," Mr. Conroyal said, staring anxiously into the hole.</p> + +<p>For perhaps ten minutes, although to the anxious and excited watchers +outside it seemed more like an hour, not a sound came from the hole into +whose black depths the three men had vanished. Even the lights of their +candles had disappeared. Then, suddenly, the excited voice of Thure was +heard, booming out through the hole.</p> + +<p>"It's the cave, the Cave of Gold!" he cried exultantly, his voice +trembling with excitement. "Come in, all of you. There is room for all. +I will hold my candle so that you can see."</p> + +<p>"Here, Dickson, you go first, and, Mollie, you follow right behind him," +and Mr. Conroyal pushed Mr. and Mrs. Dickson excitedly toward the cave +opening, and motioned Rex and Dill and Mr. Randolph to follow them, he +himself entering last.</p> + +<p>The hole slanted downward for some ten feet, then, enlarging a little, +turned to the right and ran straight ahead for some thirty feet, still +slanting quite steeply downward, when it suddenly opened out into a +large chamber, worn by the action of water, apparently, out of the solid +rock.</p> + +<p>In five minutes all our excited friends stood in this chamber or cave +and were staring wonderingly around them. They found themselves in a +room, some thirty feet long by twenty feet wide at the widest, with an +oval slanting roof, shaped something like the inverted quarter of an +egg-shell. The bottom of the cave was level and composed of a very +coarse gravel, mixed with little rounded chunks of a yellowish metal, +that glowed in the light of the candles like thousands of dull yellow +coals of fire.</p> + +<p>In an instant everybody was down on their knees examining these chunks +of metal. For a couple of minutes no one spoke. Then Ham lifted his head +and looked slowly around him, as if he were trying to convince himself +that he was really awake.</p> + +<p>"Gosh!" he said, in a voice hardly above a whisper. "It is gold!"</p> + +<p>"It is gold!" and Mr. Conroyal looked up, his face white and his eyes +shining. "It is gold; and enough of it to make us all rich beyond our +fondest dreams. No wonder the miner called it the Cave of Gold."</p> + +<hr style="width: 65%;" /> + +<div class="figcenter"> +<a name="illus373" id="illus373"></a> +<img src="images/illus373.jpg" alt=""/> +</div> + +<h3>"IT IS GOLD! IT IS GOLD! AND ENOUGH OF IT TO MAKE US ALL +RICH BEYOND OUR FONDEST DREAMS." +</h3> + +<hr style="width: 65%;" /> + + + +<p>"Gold! Gold! Now Ruth shall have her breastpin nugget and gold +necklace!" and Thure, with hands that trembled so that he could hardly +hold the candle, began an excited search for the largest chunk of gold +that he could find. In two minutes he had found one about the size and +the shape of a robin's egg. "The very thing!" he cried. "That will make +a magnificent breastpin," and he quickly picked it up and began +searching for the nuggets to go into the promised necklace.</p> + +<p>During this time Bud was quickly gathering up the largest nuggets he +could find; for a similar purpose but for a different girl; and the +fingers of all the others were busy in the same exciting way.</p> + +<p>For half an hour all forgot everything, but the shining pellets that +covered the bottom of the cave. Then Rex suddenly straightened up.</p> + +<p>"Great Washington! I'm forgetting dad!" he exclaimed. "I must go to dad +at once," and he started for the hole that gave passageway to the outer +world.</p> + +<p>Naturally Rex was greatly excited and made all possible haste to get +back to his father with the good news. The distance was not great, and +in ten minutes he had reached the hidden entrance to Crooked Arm Gulch, +and, hurriedly crawling through the narrow opening, he pushed the +concealing branches aside—and found himself looking directly into the +red face of Bill Ugger.</p> + +<p>"God in heaven!" and Rex struck out with all the strength of his strong +right arm.</p> + +<p>The face was not three feet away and the blow landed squarely on the +broken nose. There was a low cry, the crash of broken branches, and the +huge body of Bill Ugger plunged downward from the limb.</p> + +<p>For an instant Rex stared blankly after the body; and then, suddenly +realizing the value of every moment, if they would not all be caught in +a trap from which there would be no escape, he whirled about and raced +back to the Cave of Gold, almost wild with the thought of what might +happen, if the gang of robbers should capture their horses and supplies +and hold them captive in Crooked Arm Gulch, as they could easily do, +once they secured possession of the Big Tree. Then there was his father. +What had happened to him? No wonder his face went white, and he risked +limb and life a dozen times in his mad scramble down the rocks and up +the gulch and into the opening of the Cave of Gold.</p> + +<p>"Quick! Everybody, back to the Big Tree!" he shouted, as he plunged into +the cave, where our excited friends were still busily picking up the +nuggets. "The robbers! They have got dad! Quick!" and he whirled about +and rushed back.</p> + +<p>In an instant the gold was forgotten. Every man jumped for his rifle, +which had been left near the entrance to the cave, and sprang after Rex, +leaving the startled and frightened Mrs. Dickson to follow as best she +could.</p> + +<p>There was not one of them but understood on the instant the seriousness +of their peril. If the robbers secured their horses and supplies and +held the entrance to Crooked Arm Gulch, they would be absolutely at +their mercy; for, so far as they knew, the only way out of the gulch was +by way of the Big Tree, and half a dozen men, armed with rifles, could +hold this narrow opening against their most desperate efforts to get +out, and in a few days, could starve them into surrender, for they had +no food with them. They must at all costs, if it was not already too +late, keep the entrance to Crooked Arm Gulch from falling into the hands +of the robbers.</p> + +<p>Hammer Jones, by desperate efforts, reached the side of Rex, just as he +was about to plunge into the passageway between Crooked Arm Gulch and +Lot's Canyon; and one of his great hands closed down on the excited +man's shoulder just in time to stop the reckless act.</p> + +<p>"Cautious! Cautious!" warned Ham, as he jerked Rex back. "If them skunks +have got th' camp, 'twill be death to sot foot on that big limb."</p> + +<p>"But, dad—"</p> + +<p>"'Twon't help him none for you tew git killed. I'll take a look first," +and the great strength of Ham forced Rex back, while he himself began +cautiously, yet rapidly, crawling through the narrow opening.</p> + +<p>In a moment he had reached the limb of the Big Tree, and, carefully +parting the branches so as to make no noise, he cautiously looked down.</p> + +<p>The camp had been pitched under the Big Tree almost directly beneath +him; and the first look showed him everything apparently safe and +undisturbed. The next look—and, with the cry: "Come on, everybody, as +quick as th' Lord will let you," he sprang out on the limb and began +working his way down the tree so recklessly that more than once he was +in danger of falling. The moment he reached the ground he leaped toward +an object that lay tightly bound up in a blanket on the ground near the +trunk of the tree; and, with a swift hand began cutting the ropes that +were tightly wound around it from head to foot, in a manner exactly +similar to that in which they had found Mrs. Dickson on the night she +had been so mysteriously bound in her tent.</p> + +<p>By the time Rex had reached his side he had uncovered Frank Holt, with +his hands bound behind him and a gag in his mouth, but otherwise unhurt, +except for a big lump on the back of his head. In a moment more Rex had +pulled the gag out of his father's mouth and Ham had freed his hands.</p> + +<p>"Pedro!" Holt gasped and staggered a little dizzily to his feet. "He +struck me down from behind, and tied and gagged me, as you found me. +Where is Pedro?" and he looked excitedly and a bit wildly around. "Ah, +now I remember," and his face cleared. "He has gone for the rest of the +gang. I overheard him and another man, after I had recovered my senses +and lay tightly bound up in the blanket, planning how he would go and +get the rest of the gang, while the other man climbed the tree and kept +guard over the narrow opening. Their plan was to capture the camp and +hold the Big Tree, so that none of you could get out of Crooked Arm +Gulch, and then starve you into surrendering everything; and they came +mighty nigh doing it," and he glanced anxiously down the canyon. +"They'll be due in about half an hour, I judge from what I overheard. +They were not calculating on any of you getting back so soon," and he +smiled grimly.</p> + +<p>"But that other man? Where is that other man?" and Mr. Conroyal—by this +time all, even Mrs. Dickson, had made their way down the Big +Tree—looked anxiously around.</p> + +<p>Rex started and glanced quickly toward the wall of the canyon, directly +under the opening to Crooked Arm Gulch; and then his face cleared.</p> + +<p>"I reckon that's him," and he pointed to a huddled heap that lay on the +rocks. "I knocked him off the limb of the Big Tree. But, we had better +make sure he is where he can do no harm," and he hurried to the body. +"Dead as a stone. Neck broken," he declared, as he turned the corpse +over.</p> + +<p>"Broken-nose! It's Broken-nose!" and Thure, who had hurried up with Rex, +started back, as the man's face came into view.</p> + +<p>"Wal, th' world's better off by havin' one less scoundrel in it," and +Ham scowled down on the face of Bill Ugger, ugly and repulsive even in +death. "Now," and he turned quickly to Holt, "didn't you say that thar +Mexican skunk, Pedro, had gone tew git th' rest of th' gang?"</p> + +<p>"Yes," answered Holt; "and we must be ready for them, when they get +here. They are camped down near the Devil's Slide; and I calculate it +will take them about half an hour yet to get here."</p> + +<p>"An' the skunks are a-calculatin' on findin' th' camp unguarded?" and +Ham's eyes began to twinkle brightly.</p> + +<p>"Yes, I heard Pedro tell the other fellow that he felt quite sure none +of us would be back for two hours or more; but, to make things safe, +Brokennose, as Thure calls him, said he'd climb the tree and knock the +head off anyone that tried to come through the narrow opening into +Crooked Arm Gulch. I reckon Rex got there just at the right moment to +spoil that little game."</p> + +<p>"I certainly did," and Rex smiled grimly. "A minute later, and he would +have got me, instead of my getting him. But, we must be getting ready +for the return of Pedro," and his eyes glanced anxiously down the +canyon.</p> + +<p>"Say," and Ham turned to Conroyal, "why can't we give them th' same kind +of a s'prise they was a-calculatin' on givin' us? They ain't expectin' +tew find us here, an' will come a rushin' up unsuspicious-like, an', if +we hide, we can give 'em a mighty warm reception a-fore they know what's +happenin'."</p> + +<p>"Bully! Where'll we hide?" and Mr. Conroyal glanced eagerly around. +"There, those rocks will be just the place," and he pointed up the +canyon to where a row of big rocks stood up, almost like a rampart, +something like a hundred feet from the Big Tree. "Now we must leave the +camp looking just as it was when Pedro left it. Here, somebody, quick, +we'll tie the body of Ugger up in the blanket, and leave it where we +found Frank. That will sure fool them," and he hurried to where the +corpse of Ugger lay; and, in a few minutes, the body was tightly bound +up in a blanket and laid down on the exact spot where Ham had found +Holt.</p> + +<p>"All got plenty of powder and lead?" and Mr. Conroyal glanced swiftly +from man to man.</p> + +<p>All answered in the affirmative.</p> + +<p>"Then get behind the rocks," and, with a final look around the camp to +see that every suspicious sign had been removed, Mr. Conroyal led his +little company to the rocky rampart to await the coming of Pedro and the +band of robbers; and soon all had vanished from the sight of anyone +coming up the canyon.</p> + +<p>In front of them and the Big Tree there was a space some three hundred +feet wide, clear of trees or underbrush or rocks large enough to shield +a man.</p> + +<p>"We will wait for them until they get out into the open," Mr. Conroyal +said, pointing to this space. "Now everybody see that his rifle and +pistols and knife are ready; and remember to keep down out of sight and +on no account to fire until I give the word."</p> + +<p>They did not have long to wait; for hardly had Mr. Conroyal uttered his +last words of warning, when they saw Pedro coming around the bend in the +canyon some two hundred yards below them. At first Pedro advanced very +cautiously, darting from rock to rock and keeping his body concealed as +much as possible; but, at last, coming to where he could get a clear +view of the camp and seeing nothing to awaken his suspicions, he +appeared to be satisfied that all was safe and turned and began +beckoning excitedly with both his hands. In response a little company of +heavily armed men instantly sprang into sight, coming from around the +bend in the canyon, and hurried up to where Pedro stood awaiting them.</p> + +<p>For two or three minutes they stood there, while Pedro, gesticulating +excitedly and frequently pointing toward the quiet-seeming little camp +under the Big Tree, appeared to be explaining the situation to them. +Then all began advancing cautiously, yet rapidly toward the Big Tree, +taking advantage of the rocks and trees and bushes to conceal their +movements as much as possible.</p> + +<p>"Here they come!" whispered Thure excitedly to Bud, as the men began +their advance. He had his eye to a little opening between the two +adjoining rocks behind which the boys were crouching. "I counted twenty +of them and I think there are one or two more. Say, but won't we give +them a big surprise?"</p> + +<p>"You bet!" and Bud's jaws came together grimly.</p> + +<p>"Keep down! Everybody keep down!" warned Mr. Conroyal in a whisper. +"Don't shoot, until I give the order; and then jump to your feet and +pick your man and fire as quick as the Lord will let you; but, be sure +you have got the bead on the man before you pull the trigger. We must +down as many of them as possible at the first volley. Now, everybody get +ready. They will be out in the open in a minute or two," and he turned +to give his attention to the advancing robbers.</p> + +<p>By this time Pedro and his men had reached the line of rocks and bushes +that faced the opening in front of the rocks behind which our friends +lay concealed; and here they paused for a moment, each man behind a +rock, and searched with careful eyes the camp under the Big Tree.</p> + +<p>"There's Pockface!" excitedly whispered Bud, who now had his eye to the +crack between the two stones, "behind that big rock straight in front of +us, the skunk. Now, just wait, until we get the order to fire," and his +lips closed tightly.</p> + +<p>At this moment Ham, who crouched behind a rock by the side of Mr. +Conroyal, whispered:</p> + +<p>"I'll be durned if I don't believe we can capture the hull caboodle, if +we jest wait 'til they git 'most up tew us, an' then jump up sudden an' +point our guns at them an' yell, 'hands up!' an' that'll be a heap +better'n tew let half on 'em git away tew bother us all the way back tew +civilerzation."</p> + +<p>"Right, I believe you are right. Anyway we will try it. Watch them, +while I give the right instructions," and Mr. Conroyal crept swiftly to +near the center of the little group behind the rampart of rocks.</p> + +<p>"Men," he said, speaking low, yet loud enough for all to hear, "we are +going to try to capture the whole bunch of scoundrels. At the word, +every one of you jump to his feet and point his rifle at the skunks and +yell 'Hands UP!' I reckon that will bring every hand up; but, if it +don't and any of them act suspicious or make a break, shoot quick, and +shoot to kill. Do you all understand?"</p> + +<p>All nodded and Mr. Conroyal returned at once to his place by the side of +Ham.</p> + +<p>At this moment the robbers broke from the rocks and ran swiftly out into +the open toward the Big Tree.</p> + +<p>"Ready, everybody ready!" whispered Mr. Conroyal.</p> + +<p>On came the robbers, until they were within seventy-five feet of the +rocks behind which our friends were hiding.</p> + +<p>"Now!" yelled Mr. Conroyal, and leaped to his feet, and leveled his +rifle. "Hands UP!" he commanded.</p> + +<p>And almost at the same moment all the others,—even Mrs. Dickson—leaped +to their feet, and leveled their rifles, and yelled: "Hands UP!"</p> + +<p>The robbers stopped, as if they had suddenly run into a stone wall, +turned their startled eyes on the leveled rifles and the stern-faced men +back of them—and then, every hand went up, as if worked by one shaft of +machinery, every hand except the hands of Pockface, who, doubtless +thinking that his capture would mean death anyway, whirled about +suddenly and leaped toward the rocks behind him.</p> + +<p>At the same instant Ham's rifle cracked; and the legs of Pockface +doubled up under him, and he went down, like a shot rabbit.</p> + +<p>That was enough for the rest of the men.</p> + +<p>"Don't shoot. We surrender," they all yelled, holding their hands as +high as they could above their heads.</p> + +<p>"Rex, you and Dill get their guns and knives. The rest of you keep them +covered with your rifles," commanded Mr. Conroyal.</p> + +<p>Rex and Dill, with broad grins on their faces, instantly stepped forth, +and soon had all the weapons of the robbers safely confiscated.</p> + +<p>Fifteen minutes later, every robber lay on his back under the Big Tree, +his hands and feet firmly bound with strong ropes. There were twenty-one +of them; and our friends were too wise to take any needless chances.</p> + + + +<hr style="width: 65%;" /> +<h2><a name="CHAPTER_XXVI" id="CHAPTER_XXVI"></a>CHAPTER XXVI</h2> + +<h3>THE CATASTROPHE</h3> + + +<p>"Now, the question is, what shall we do with our captives?" and Mr. +Conroyal glanced a little anxiously around the circle of faces that had +gathered about him, a short time after all the robbers had been safely +bound. "We cannot hang them, as they deserve, and we have not food +enough to keep them, and it will be hardly safe to turn them loose. What +do you think we had better do, Ham?" and he turned to Hammer Jones.</p> + +<p>"First off," answered Ham, "we'd better make a raid on their camp an' +git all their hosses an' supplies. Maybe that'll answer th' food +question; for, I reckon, they must have come well supplied, seein' that +Ugger an' Quinley would have plenty of gold-dust tew buy with."</p> + +<p>"Good," promptly declared Mr. Conroyal. "You and Rex and Dill and +Dickson make that raid at once on their camp, which, I fancy, you will +find somewhere near the Devil's Slide."</p> + +<p>Ham proved to be right; for, when he and the men who went with him, +returned from the raid, some two hours later, they had with them fifteen +horses, ten of which were heavily laden with food and other camp +supplies, and one prisoner, the man who had been left to guard the camp.</p> + +<p>"Now, I reckon, we've got them all, twenty-tew livin' an' tew dead," Ham +declared, as he bound his prisoner and placed him with the other +captives: "an' right whar we can keep them out of mischief. Thar's +plenty of food for all, Con," and he turned to Conroyal, "leastwise for +a few days, so th' food problem is settled. Now, what are you proposin' +of dewin'? We want tew git th' gold an' git out of here as soon as we +can," and he lowered his voice.</p> + +<p>"I can't see but one thing for us to do, Ham," Mr. Conroyal answered, +"and that is to keep a guard over the prisoners, while the rest of us +get the gold out; and then, when we've got the gold, to turn them loose +in the mountains, without weapons or horses, and make for home as fast +as we can. We've been considering the problem, while you were after the +horses and camp supplies, and that is the conclusion that we have come +to. How does it strike you?"</p> + +<p>"'Bout right, under th' circumstances," answered Ham. "An' th' sooner we +git things a-goin' ag'in th' better. I'm gettin' some anxious tew git +back intew that cave."</p> + +<p>"We'll get busy at once," declared Mr. Conroyal. "But first, I reckon, +we ought to bury them two corpses. 'Twouldn't be Christian to leave them +to rot a-top the ground or to be ate up by wolves."</p> + +<p>"Shore," agreed Ham. "Come on, Rex. We're th' responsible fellers, an', +I reckon, it's up tew us tew dig th' grave. We'll put 'em both in one +grave," and he picked up a pick and shovel and started to where the body +of Quinley lay.</p> + +<p>In a short time the two men had the grave dug.</p> + +<p>"Now for the bodies," and Ham caught hold of Quinley and turned the body +over. "Wal, I swun!" and he stared down at the left hand. The little +finger had been recently shot away and the wound was still roughly +bandaged. "So y'ur th' feller that I owe a finger tew. Wal, here it is," +and he thrust his hand into his pocket and pulled out the little +buckskin-wrapped parcel, containing the little finger that he had shot +from the unknown hand the night they were encamped on the shore of Goose +Neck Lake, and laid it down on the corpse.</p> + +<p>"Now, I reckon, we'll have to see if you have any of that stolen +gold-dust left," and Ham began a search of the body, which resulted in +the finding of a heavily laden gold-belt buckled around the waist, next +to the skin.</p> + +<p>Ham at once appropriated this; and then the two men lowered the body +into the grave. A similar belt, also well-filled with gold-dust, was +found around the body of Bill Ugger. Ham unbuckled this belt and placed +it with the other. Then he and Rex lifted the body of Ugger and carried +it to the grave and lowered it down on top of the body of Quinley; and +then filled the grave with broken pieces of rocks and dirt, to prevent +the wolves from digging up the bodies.</p> + +<p>"Th' way of th' transgresser is hard, accordin' tew th' good book," and +Ham's eyes rested thoughtfully on that lonely new-made grave. "An' shore +th' end of them tew 'pears tew bear out th' good book. Wal, th' dead is +dead, an' that's all thar is tew it. Now, for th' livin'," and he turned +from the grave and walked up to where Mr. and Mrs. Dickson were +standing, the two confiscated gold-belts in his hand.</p> + +<p>"Here, Dick, I reckon, is a part of th' gold them skunks got from you," +and he handed the two belts to Dickson. "Leastwise we got them from +their bodies."</p> + +<p>But Mr. and Mrs. Dickson refused to take the gold and insisted that it +be placed in the common fund, to be shared by all alike, so Ham turned +the two gold-belts over to Mr. Conroyal.</p> + +<p>The camp was now placed under the strictest discipline. Ten of the +prisoners were compelled to assist in getting the gold from the cave. +The others were kept bound and under constant guard, night and day, all +except Pedro, who, during the day, was forced to do the cooking and the +camp work for all, while at night he was securely bound and returned to +his place with the other prisoners.</p> + +<p>Thus the work of getting the gold out of the cave went steadily on for +five days, every one, even Mrs. Dickson, working to the very limit of +his or her endurance. Then came the night of the catastrophe.</p> + +<p>The gold, as fast as it was taken out of the cave, was carried, in sacks +made from blankets, to the opening in the wall of rock that gave +entrance to Crooked Arm Gulch, and from there lowered to the ground with +ropes. Each night all the workers returned to the camp under the Big +Tree. On this night, the sixth night from the day of the finding of the +Cave of Gold, about midnight, there suddenly swept through the air above +them one of those rare, for that time of the year, but often very +violent, mountain storms.</p> + +<p>For an hour the water fell out of the skies, as if poured from an +enormous bucket. The wind blew, until it seemed almost to shake the +solid mountains themselves, while vivid glares of lightning blinded the +eyes and heavy peals of thunder deafened the ears. Then came a lull in +the violence of the storm, as if the elements had paused to gather +themselves for a last supreme effort, followed almost instantly by a +glare of lightning so vivid, that, for the moment, it seemed as if the +whole world was ablaze, and a shock of thunder, so appalling, that +everyone leaped from his blanket and stood staring with blanched face +and frightened eyes around him, not knowing what awful thing was +happening. For two or three minutes the dreadful sounds continued, as if +mountains were being torn up by the roots and thrown crashing to the +earth again, while the ground shook and trembled beneath their feet, as +if the earth had the ague. Then, only the roar of the falling rain and +the rushing of the wind through the limbs of the Big Tree above their +heads, was heard. Fifteen minutes later the rain had ceased, the wind +had died down, the clouds had swept by, and the stars were shining again +in a clear sky.</p> + +<p>The next morning, when our friends, on their way to the Cave of Gold, +reached the narrow shelf of rock in Crooked Arm Gulch, from which they +had had their first view of the Golden Elbow, an astonishing sight met +their eyes.</p> + +<p>The great arch, overhanging the entrance to the Cave of Gold, with its +millions of tons of superincumbent rocks, had given away, and the whole +of that side of the gulch, nearly a thousand feet high and for a couple +of hundred feet on either side, had split off and fallen in a great mass +of rocks, hundreds of feet high, where the day before had been the +entrance to the dead miner's marvelous Cave of Gold.</p> + +<p>For a number of minutes all stood staring at this unexpected and +astounding sight in awed silence. No wonder it had sounded the night +before as if mountains were being torn up and thrown down again! No +wonder the ground beneath them had shook and trembled from the impact of +those millions of tons of rocks!</p> + +<p>"Gosh! I'm glad I ain't in that Cave of Gold!" and Ham turned an awed +face to the others. "If that storm had comed up in th' daytime, some on +us might be in thar right now. I reckon we've got all th' gold th' Lord +intended us tew git, an' now we'd better git for home."</p> + +<p>"Well, if that was the Lord's work, He has been mighty accommodating to +wait until we got all the gold we need," and Mr. Conroyal smiled. "I was +thinking last night that we had about enough, and had better be starting +for home. Mighty curious place, that Cave of Gold; and I have been +wondering quite a bit how the gold got into it; and this is about the +way I figure it out:</p> + +<p>"Thousands of years ago, how many thousands God alone knows, there must +have been a great river pouring through Lot's Canyon, with its bed +hundreds of feet below the present bottom of the canyon; and, at that +time, there must also have been a powerful stream of water flowing +through this gulch, and emptying into the river in Lot's Canyon, through +a great hole worn through the solid wall of rock, which is now +completely hidden under the rocks that have fallen down into the gulch +during the ages since both rivers dried up. Now, in making that turn," +and he pointed to where the Golden Elbow had been, "I figure that the +water struck a soft ledge of gold-bearing rock, and gradually scooped +out a big cave right in the point of the turn, and, of course, as the +gold was washed out of the rock, it would fall to the bottom of the +cave, and, being in quite large chunks, it was too heavy for the action +of the water to carry it out of the cave, while the water would carry +out nearly all the other dirt and gravel, thus leaving the bottom of the +cave covered with gold nuggets, the way we found it. And, after the +river had dried up, rocks from the arch at the entrance to the cave +would fall off, and little by little fill up the entrance and form the +big arch we found. Now, that's about the way the gold came into the +cave, according to my figureing. What's your idea, Rad?" and Mr. +Conroyal turned to Rad Randolph.</p> + +<p>"I think that you've hit it about right, Con," answered Mr. Randolph. +"But, now that there is no hope of getting any more gold out of that +cave, I am getting powerful anxious to make a start for home with what +we have got. Let's go back to the Big Tree at once and get agoing +homeward as soon as we can."</p> + +<p>"Hurrah for home!" yelled Thure, starting for the opening out of Crooked +Arm Gulch. "I'd rather see home now than another Cave of Gold."</p> + +<p>In a few minutes all were back in the camp under the Big Tree; and +preparations for the start homeward were begun at once.</p> + +<p>In three hours everything was ready for the journey. The gold, there was +fifty bags of it, each weighing about one hundred pounds, was packed on +the fifteen horses they had secured from the robbers. Mrs. Dickson was +given one of the other horses to ride, and the food and the camp +supplies were packed on the remaining five horses.</p> + +<p>The twenty-two prisoners were now all gathered in a bunch under the Big +Tree, and the hands of each man strongly tied behind his back. Then Mr. +Conroyal stepped out in front of them.</p> + +<p>"You cowardly pack of scoundrels," he said, "if we could, we would +gladly take you to where we could deliver you up to the justice you so +richly deserve; but, under existing circumstances, that is impossible; +and so we have decided to leave you here, bound as you now are, without +weapons of any kind, but with food enough to last you three days, which +ought to be enough to keep you until you can get to one of the +mining-camps. Doubtless, by working real hard, you can manage to get the +hands of one of you untied in course of the next two or three hours, and +then he can soon untie the hands of the others, and you can start for +one of the mining-camps as soon as you please. But," Mr. Conroyal spoke +slowly, so that every man could understand every word that he uttered, +"do not, if you value your lives, follow our trail. We will shoot, and +shoot to kill, on sight. Now, that is all I have to say to you, except," +and he grinned joyously, "to thank you for bringing us those fifteen +horses and for your help in getting out the gold. I do not know what we +would have done without the horses and without your help. Hope this will +learn you to give up trying to steal gold and start you to digging for +it," and he turned and led the little company down the canyon, bound, at +last, for home.</p> + + + +<hr style="width: 65%;" /> +<h2><a name="CHAPTER_XXVII" id="CHAPTER_XXVII"></a>CHAPTER XXVII</h2> + +<h3>HOME</h3> + + +<p>Ten days later than the events just recorded in the last chapter, Iola +Conroyal and Ruth Randolph sat swinging in a hammock, stretched under +the broad porch that shaded the front of the Conroyal house.</p> + +<p>"I wish we could hear from our dads and the boys," Iola said, as the two +girls swung gently back and forth. "It seems like a long time now since +Thure and Bud left us; and we haven't heard a word from them since they +went away; and so many things might have happened to them. Why, they may +already have found the Cave of Gold, and right at this moment they may +be picking up gold nuggets by the basketful!" and her dark eyes sparkled +at the thought.</p> + +<p>"Yes, it has been a long time since we heard from the mines," answered +Ruth; "and our mothers are beginning to worry, more than they let us +know. They are afraid that the hunt for the Cave of Gold will get them +into some kind of trouble with the men who murdered the old miner for +the skin map, and then failed to get it. And—and not to hear a word +from them, when so many things might happen, is terrible worrying. Oh, I +do hope they find that Cave of Gold, and get enough gold to make us rich +all the rest of our lives!" and her face brightened. "That is the way it +would come out in a story book; and I can't see why it can't happen that +way in real life, just this once. I dreamt, only last night, that they +came back with a string of horses a mile long and all of them loaded +down with gold. And—and," and her face flushed a little, "Thure brought +me a nugget as big as my head, and a necklace of nuggets that reached to +the ground, when he threw it around my neck. Oh, if something like that +would only happen in real life!" and she laughed merrily at her own +extravagant conceit.</p> + +<p>"And I dreamt—" and then Iola stopped abruptly.</p> + +<p>A faint halloo, coming from far-off, at this moment had reached the ears +of both girls, and brought them out of the hammock in one jump, and +turned their two pairs of eyes to staring excitedly across the level of +the valley in front of the house.</p> + +<p>A mile away they saw two horsemen, swinging their hats around their +heads and hallooing loudly, riding excitedly toward the house; and back +of them came a long train of horses and men.</p> + +<p>For a minute the two girls stood, as if turned to stone, staring with +widening eyes at those two horsemen, at the train of horses and men +behind them; and then, with a yell that made their mothers jump from the +chairs where they were sitting in the cool of the house and rush to the +door, they leaped off the porch and ran toward the two horsemen.</p> + +<p>"It's Thure and Bud! It's dad and the rest!" they shouted, as they ran.</p> + +<p>In a few minutes the racing boys—for the two horsemen were Thure and +Bud—and the running girls met.</p> + +<p>The boys jumped from their saddles, and, the next instant, they were in +the arms of the girls.</p> + +<p>"We found it! We found it!" shouted Thure, a moment later, dancing up +and down with excitement. "We found the Cave of Gold! And here," and he +thrust one of his hands into his pocket, "is your breastpin nugget!" and +he handed the big gold nugget he had found to Ruth. "And here is your +necklace of gold nuggets!" and he threw over the happy girl's head and +around her neck a long string of gold nuggets that he had strung on a +deer sinew, during the homeward journey.</p> + +<p>Bud, during this time, had been going through the same delightful +performance with Iola.</p> + +<p>That was the most wonderful night in the history of the Conroyal and the +Randolph households!</p> + +<p>First, of course, after the greetings were over, the gold had to be +taken off the horses and carried into the house and piled up in the +center of the floor of the big room; and then, with all of the two +families and all of the friends who took part in the search for the Cave +of Gold, not forgetting you may be sure Mr. and Mrs. Dickson, seated in +a circle around the piled-up bags of gold, the story of the adventures +of Thure and Bud and the finding of the dead miner's marvelous Cave of +Gold had to be told.</p> + +<p>"Oh, dear! Oh, dear!" sighed Iola happily, when, at last, the tale was +ended. "It is just like a story out of a book; and I wouldn't believe it +at all, if I couldn't see the gold piled up right in front of me. Now," +and her eyes looked wonderingly at the bags of gold, "how much is all +that gold worth? Is it worth a Hundred Thousand Dollars?" and her eyes +grew big with the thought of the enormous wealth that lay within touch +of her hand.</p> + +<p>"I reckon it is," laughed Mr. Conroyal. "But, supposing we see just +about how much it is worth. Thure, you and Bud go and get the big +scales, and we will weigh it."</p> + +<p>In a few minutes the two boys returned, carrying between them a small +platform scales, capable of weighing a few hundred pounds at a time, and +set it down by the side of the pile of bags of gold.</p> + +<p>Mr. Conroyal now placed the bags of gold, four at a time, on the scales, +and announced their weights; and Thure and Bud, pencils and paper in +their hands, set down the amounts. When the last bag had been weighed, +all waited anxiously while the two boys added up the various amounts. +Thure was the first to finish the addition.</p> + +<p>"Five thousand one hundred and three and a half pounds!" he yelled.</p> + +<p>"Exactly what I got," announced Bud a moment later.</p> + +<p>"Give me the pencil and paper," and Mr. Conroyal caught the pencil and +paper from Thure's hands. "I'll see about what that amount of gold is +worth," and he began figuring on the paper, with hands that trembled +just a little with excitement. Presently he looked up, his face flushed +and his eyes shining.</p> + +<p>"Of course I can't tell exactly how much the gold is worth," he said, +"not knowing exactly how much it will bring an ounce; but, I am sure we +can count on its bringing a Million Dollars, a Million Dollars, boys! +And that, since there were ten in the company, will give each one of us +at least One Hundred Thousand Dollars!"</p> + +<p>"Great Moses! That means that we are all rich! Hurrah!" and Thure jumped +to his feet and yelled so loudly that Iola thrust her mantilla over his +mouth, fearing that the glad noise might bring the roof down on their +heads.</p> + +<p>"And that we can now go to our dear home in New York," Mrs. Dickson said +softly, pressing the hand she held of her husband and looking happily +into his eyes.</p> + +<p> </p> +<p> </p> + +<div class="footnote"><p><a name="Footnote_1_1" id="Footnote_1_1"></a><a href="#FNanchor_1_1"><span class="label">[1]</span></a> For an account of this adventure, see <i>Fighting With +Fremont</i>, the preceding book of this series.</p></div> + +<div class="footnote"><p><a name="Footnote_2_2" id="Footnote_2_2"></a><a href="#FNanchor_2_2"><span class="label">[2]</span></a> A full account of this incident, the saving of Fremont's +life by Thure, is given in the preceding book of this series, <i>Fighting +with Fremont</i>.</p></div> + +<p> </p> +<p> </p> +<hr class="full" /> +<p>***END OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK THE CAVE OF GOLD***</p> +<p>******* This file should be named 20126-h.txt or 20126-h.zip *******</p> +<p>This and all associated files of various formats will be found in:<br /> +<a href="http://www.gutenberg.org/dirs/2/0/1/2/20126">http://www.gutenberg.org/2/0/1/2/20126</a></p> +<p>Updated editions will replace the previous one--the old editions +will be renamed.</p> + +<p>Creating the works from public domain print editions means that no +one owns a United States copyright in these works, so the Foundation +(and you!) can copy and distribute it in the United States without +permission and without paying copyright royalties. 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You may copy it, give it away or +re-use it under the terms of the Project Gutenberg License included +with this eBook or online at www.gutenberg.org + + + + + +Title: The Cave of Gold + A Tale of California in '49 + + +Author: Everett McNeil + + + +Release Date: December 17, 2006 [eBook #20126] + +Language: English + +Character set encoding: ISO-646-US (US-ASCII) + + +***START OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK THE CAVE OF GOLD*** + + +E-text prepared by the Project Gutenberg Online Distributed Proofreading +Team (https://www.pgdp.net/) from material generously made available by +Internet Archive/American Libraries +(http://www.archive.org/details/americana) + + + +Note: Project Gutenberg also has an HTML version of this + file which includes the original illustrations. + See 20126-h.htm or 20126-h.zip: + (https://www.gutenberg.org/dirs/2/0/1/2/20126/20126-h/20126-h.htm) + or + (https://www.gutenberg.org/dirs/2/0/1/2/20126/20126-h.zip) + + + The source of this e-book and images of the original pages are + available through Internet Archive/American Libraries. See + http://www.archive.org/details/caveofgold00mcnerich + + + + + +THE CAVE OF GOLD + +A Tale of California in '49 + +by + +EVERETT McNEIL + +Author of "Fighting with Fremont," "In Texas with Davy Crockett," "With +Kit Carson in the Rockies," Etc. + + + + + + + +New York +E. P. Dutton & Company +681 Fifth Ave. + +First Printing, January, 1911 +Second Printing, August. 1919 +Third Printing, June, 1926 +Printed in the U.S.A. + + + + +TO THE DESCENDANTS YOUNG OR OLD OF THE HARDY FORTY-NINERS THIS STORY OF +THE EXCITING DAYS OF THE DISCOVERY OF GOLD IN CALIFORNIA IS HOPEFULLY +DEDICATED + + + + +[Illustration: "YOU LIE!" AND THE HARD FIST LANDED SQUARELY ON THE MAN'S +CHIN.] + + + + +FOREWORD + + +On a cold January morning of 1848, James Wilson Marshall picked up two +yellow bits of metal, about the size and the shape of split peas, from +the tail-race of the sawmill he was building on the South Fork of the +American River, some forty-five miles northeast of Sutter's Fort, now +Sacramento City. These two yellow pellets proved to be gold; and soon it +was discovered that all the region thereabouts was thickly sown with +shining particles of the same precious yellow metal. A few months later +and all the world was pouring its most adventurous spirits into the +wilderness of California. + +This discovery of gold in California and the remarkable inpouring of men +that followed, meant very much to the United States. In a few months it +cleared a wilderness and built up a great state. In one step it advanced +the interests and the importance of the United States half a century in +the policies and the commerce of the Pacific. It threw wide open the +great doors of the West and invited the world to enter. It poured into +the pockets of the people and into the treasury of the United States a +vast amount of gold--alas! soon to be sorely needed to defray the +expenses of the most costly war of the ages. Indeed, when the length and +the breadth of its influence is considered, this discovery of gold in +California becomes one of the most important factors in the developing +of our nation, the great corner-stone in the upbuilding of the West; +and, as such, it deserves a much more important place in the history of +the United States than any historian has yet given to it. + +In the present story an attempt has been made, not only to tell an +interesting tale, but to interest the younger generation in this +remarkable and dramatic phase of our national development, possibly the +most picturesque and dramatic period in the history of the nation: to +picture to them how these knights of the pick and the shovel lived and +worked, how they found and wrested the gold from the hard hand of +nature, and to give to them something of an idea of the hardships and +the perils they were obliged to endure while doing it. + +The period was a dramatic period, crowded with unusual and startling +happenings, as far removed as possible from the quiet commonplaceness +and routine life of the average boy and girl of to-day; and the reader +is cautioned to remember this--if disposed at any time to think the +incidents narrated in the present tale too improbable or too startling +to have ever happened--that they could not happen to-day, even in +California; but they might have all happened then and there in +California. + +The author is one of those who believe that the boys and the girls of +to-day should know something of the foundation stones on which the +superstructure of our national greatness rests, and how and with what +toils and perils they were laid; and, it is in the hope that the reading +of this story will interest them in this, the laying of the great +corner-stone in the upbuilding of the West, that this tale of the +Discovery of Gold in California has been written. + +No nation can afford to forget its builders. + + + + +CONTENTS + + CHAPTER + + I. El Feroz + + II. Death of the Miner + + III. The Skin Map + + IV. At the Conroyal Rancho + + V. Off for the Gold-Mines + + VI. The Sign of the Two Red Thumbs + + VII. Caught in the Flood + + VIII. Accused of Murder + + IX. The Testimony of Bill Ugger + + X. The Missing Button + + XI. An Unexpected Witness + + XII. Hammer Jones + + XIII. Explanations + + XIV. The Luck of Dickson + + XV. Around the Supper Table + + XVI. Unexpected Company + + XVII. Pockface Again + + XVIII. Story of the Great Discovery + + XIX. Some Exciting Moments + + XX. Robbed + + XXI. Pedro + + XXII. The Mystery of the Tent + + XXIII. On the Shore of Goose Neck Lake + + XXIV. In Lot's Canyon + + XXV. The Cave of Gold + + XXVI. The Catastrophe + + XXVII. Home + + + + +ILLUSTRATIONS + + "You lie!" and the hard fist landed squarely on the man's chin + + The skin map + + "You can turn your horses around and ride back the way you + came" + + "Is there any! just look there! and there! and there!" + + Bud bent and stretched his free hand down to Marshall + + "It is gold! it is gold! and enough of it to make us all + rich beyond our fondest dreams" + + + + +The Cave of Gold + + + + +CHAPTER I + +EL FEROZ + + +"Whoa!"--"whoa!" With quick jerks on their bridle reins Thure Conroyal +and Bud Randolph pulled up their horses and listened shiveringly. + +Again that same shrill whistling scream of dreadful agony and fear, that +had caused them to rein up their horses so suddenly a moment before, +came from the valley beyond the brow of the little hill up which they +had been slowly riding, and chilled the very marrow in their bones with +the terrible intensity of its fear and anguish. Then all was still. + +"What--what was it?" and Thure turned a startled face to Bud. "It didn't +sound human and I never heard an animal scream like that before. What +can it be?" + +"I don't know," Bud answered, his face whitening a little; "but I am +going to find out. Come on," and, swinging his rifle into position where +it would be ready for instant use, he started up the hill, his eyes +fixed in the direction whence had come those fearful screams. + +"We'd better go a little slow, until we find out what it is," cautioned +Thure, as he quickly fell in by the side of Bud, his own rifle held +ready for instant use. "It might be Indian devilment of some kind. You +know dad's last letter from the mines said that the Indians were getting +ugly; and if it is hostile Indians, we want to see them first." + +"You bet we do," was Bud's emphatic rejoinder, as he again pulled up his +horse. "Now, just hold Gray Cloud and I'll scout on ahead and see what's +going on down there in the valley before we show ourselves," and, +sliding swiftly from Gray Cloud's back, he tossed his bridle rein to +Thure, and, rifle in hand, started swiftly and as silently as an Indian +toward a thick clump of bushes that grew directly on the top of the +little hill. + +Thure deftly caught the bridle rein; and then sat silent and motionless +on the back of his horse, his eyes on his comrade, waiting in tense +expectancy for the moment when he would reach the clump of bushes and +look down into the valley beyond and see the cause of those strange and +terrible cries that had so suddenly and so fearfully startled them. + +Bud, carrying his cocked rifle at trail, his form bent so that the least +possible part of his body showed above the grass of the hillside, ran +swiftly until he had almost reached the brow of the hill and the clump +of bushes. Then, crouching closer to the ground, he crept cautiously and +slowly to the bushes and, gently working himself into their midst, +carefully parted the branches in front of his face until he had a clear +view of the little valley below. At the first sight he uttered an +exclamation of surprise and wrath and threw his rifle to his shoulder; +but, with a regretful shake of his head, he almost instantly lowered the +gun, and, turning quickly about, motioned excitedly for Thure to advance +with the horses and started on the run to meet him. + +"Indians! Is it Indians?" Thure cried anxiously, the moment Bud was at +his side. + +"No," panted the boy, as he leaped into his saddle. "It's _El Feroz_; +and if I've got anything to say about it, he has made his last kill. +Come on," and his eyes glinted with wrath and excitement, as he dug his +spurs into the flanks of Gray Cloud and galloped furiously up the hill. + +"_El Feroz!_ Bully!" and Thure, with an exultant yell, struck the spurs +into his horse and galloped along by his side. + +At the top of the hill both boys pulled up their horses and looked down +into the valley. The valley was small, not more than half a mile across, +and through its center ran a little stream of water, fringed with bushes +and small trees. On the near side of this fringe of trees and bushes and +only a short distance from where our two young friends sat on the backs +of their horses, crouched a huge grizzly bear over the body of a horse +that was still quivering in the death agony. + +"The brute!" exclaimed Thure angrily, the moment his eyes had taken in +this scene of violence. "So that was the death scream of a horse we +heard! Well, I never want to hear another! But, we've got you now, you +old villain!" and his eyes swept over the little valley, free, except +for the fringe of trees and bushes, of all obstructions, exultingly. "If +we let you get away from this, we'll both deserve to be shot. Now," and +he turned to Bud, "you ride to the right and I'll go to the left and we +will have the brute between us, so that if he charges either of us, the +other can take after him and shoot or rope him." + +"Good!" agreed Bud. "But, say, let's rope him first. Just shooting is +too good for _El Feroz_. Remember Manuel and Old Pedro, whom he killed, +and Jim Bevins, whom he tore nearly to pieces and crippled for life, to +say nothing of the cattle and the horses he has killed. And now that we +have him where he can't get away, I am for showing him that man is his +master, strong and ferocious as he is, before killing him. We could not +have picked out a better place for roping him, if we had been doing the +picking," and his eyes glanced over the smooth level of the little +valley. "We'll let him chase us until we get him away from the trees and +bushes along the creek, and then we'll have some fun with the big brute +with our ropes, before sending him to Kingdom Come with our bullets. +What do you say, Thure?" + +"Well," grinned Thure reminiscently, "if it don't turn out better than +did our attempt to rope a grizzly when I was with Fremont, I say shoot +the grizzly first and rope him afterward. Now, it won't be no joke +roping _El Feroz_, even if everything is in our favor," and his face +sobered. "Still, I reckon, our horses can keep us at a safe distance +from his ugly claws and teeth; and it will be all right to have a try +with the ropes before we use bullets, but we've got to be careful. _El +Feroz_ is the largest and ugliest grizzly ever seen anywhere around +here, and could kill one of our horses with one blow of his huge paw. +Mexican Juan says that an Indian devil has taken possession of the big +brute and that only a silver bullet blessed by a priest can kill him; +and, in proof of his belief, he told me that he himself had shot five +lead bullets at _El Feroz_ and that he had heard the devil laugh when +the bullets struck and fell hot and flattened to the ground. Now he +always carries a silver bullet with him that he had a priest bless when +he was down to San Francisco last fall; and the next time he meets _El +Feroz_ he expects to kill him with the holy bullet. He showed me the +silver bullet," and Thure laughed. "But I'm willing to put my trust in +lead, if it hits the right spot, Indian devil or no devil. Now, look at +_El Feroz_. He doesn't seem to be worrying none over our presence. +Appears to think the filling of his greedy belly too important an +operation to be interrupted by us," and Thure's eyes turned to where the +huge grizzly was tearing with teeth and claws the carcass of the horse, +his wicked little eyes turned in their direction, but otherwise giving +them not the slightest attention. Evidently _El Feroz_ had only contempt +for the puny prowess of man. + +"Well, we'll soon teach him better manners, the ugly brute! Come on," +and Bud Randolph and Thure Conroyal both started slowly toward the +grizzly, loosening the strong ropes that hung from the pommels of their +saddles as they rode. + +There was no need of haste. _El Feroz_ would not run away--not from a +good dinner like that he was now eating--for all the men in California. +For four years he had terrorized this part of California, had never once +turned his back to a man, but had seen the backs of many men turned to +him; and now the killing of the horse had aroused all the ferocity of +his savage nature, and he was ready to fight anything and everything +that threatened to rob him of his prey. + +Thure Conroyal and Bud Randolph did not for a moment expect _El Feroz_ +to run, when they rode toward him. They knew grizzly nature, especially +the ferocious nature of _El Feroz_, too well to dream of such a thing. +They knew he would fight; and, if they had been afoot, they would not +have dared to attack the evil monster, armed though they were with +rifles and so skilful in their use that they could cut the head off a +wild goose at a hundred yards. But, seated on the backs of their fleet +and well-trained horses and on a smooth and open field like the one +before them, they did not fear even _El Feroz_ himself. If their ropes +did not hold or their bullets kill at once, the swift legs of their +horses could be counted on to keep them out of danger, unless some +unforeseen mischance happened. + +The lassoing or roping of grizzly bears was a sport often indulged in by +the native Californians, who were among the most skilful horsemen in the +world and marvelously expert with their lassos or reatas, as they called +the long rope, usually made of hide or woven horsehair, which they used +to catch their horses and cattle; and Thure Conroyal and Bud Randolph +had become as expert as any native with their reatas, and, consequently, +felt equal to the roping of even as ferocious and as huge a beast as _El +Feroz_ himself, the most dreaded grizzly in the California mountains. + +Thure and Bud rode slowly toward the grizzly, one turning a little to +the left and the other to the right as he advanced, so that when they +drew near to _El Feroz_ there were some five rods of space between them. +They had fastened their rifles to the saddles in front of them, to hold +them safe and yet have them where they could be quickly seized in case +of sudden need and to give them free use of both of their hands in +throwing their ropes and in managing their horses; and now, as they +advanced toward the bear, they uncoiled their reatas and began slowly +swinging the loops around their heads in readiness for the throw, while +every faculty of their minds quickened and every muscle of their young +bodies tightened in expectation of the coming battle that might mean +death to one or both, if either blundered. + +The grizzly glared furiously, first at one horseman then at the other, +and tore more savagely than ever at the flesh of the horse, until both +boys were almost upon him. Then, with a roar so savage and fearful that +both horses, well-trained as they were, jumped violently, he reared up +suddenly on his hind legs, the blood of the horse dripping from his +reddened teeth, and, growling ferociously and swaying his huge head from +side to side, he stood, for a moment, apparently trying to decide which +one of those two venturesome humans he should tear to pieces first. + +"Quick! Rope him around the neck before he charges!" yelled Thure. "I'll +try to get one of his hind legs." + +As Thure spoke Bud's lasso shot through the air; and the loop glided +swiftly over the great head and tightened suddenly around the hairy +neck, just at the moment the bear came to the decision to charge Thure +and sprang toward him, with the result that the sudden unexpectedness of +the jerk of Bud's rope yanked him off his feet and hurled him on his +back. + +Thure instantly saw his opportunity and before the huge beast could +right himself, he had swiftly cast the loop of his rope around one of +the sprawling hind legs and drawn it tight. + +"Hurrah! We've got him!" yelled Bud triumphantly, as Gray Cloud whirled +about and stood facing the grizzly, his strong body braced backward so +that he held the rope taut, as all well-broken California horses were +trained to do the moment the thrown rope caught its victim. + +"Got him! You bet we've got him!" echoed Thure, as his own horse whirled +into position, with both front legs strongly braced, and drew the lasso +tight about bruin's hind leg, thus stretching him out between the ends +of the two reatas. + +But they had not "got him"--not yet; for, just at that moment, all the +ferocious bulk of raging bone and muscle that had given _El Feroz_ his +name of terror, gave a tremendous heave, whirled over on its feet; and, +before either boy knew what was happening, Bud's lasso broke and about a +ton of angry bear was hurling itself toward Thure. + +The unforeseen mischance had happened with a vengeance! + +Bud uttered a yell of warning and horror and caught at his rifle; but, +almost before his hands could touch the gun, _El Feroz_ was upon Thure +and only a tremendous jump sideways of his brave little horse saved him +from the sweep of one of those saber-armed paws. + +The grizzly bear, for an animal of his huge bulk, is astonishingly agile +and speedy, when once his fighting blood is aroused; and, if ever a +grizzly was fighting mad, that grizzly was now _El Feroz_. The instant +he saw that he had missed the horse and man, he whirled about and was +after them again; and, so swift was his turn and so sudden his charge, +that, once again, only the superior horsemanship of Thure and the +agility of the horse saved them from a sweeping blow of one of the great +paws that came so close that Thure could feel the rush of its wind +against his face. + +"Out run him! Out run him!" yelled Bud excitedly. "Try to throw him with +your rope; and I'll see if I can get a bullet in him," and he suddenly +jerked up Gray Cloud, so that he could make his aim more sure, threw his +rifle to his shoulder, and fired. + +The ball struck the grizzly, but did not disable him. Indeed, the wound +seemed rather to increase the terrible energy and rage with which he was +striving to reach Thure and his horse with one of those powerful paws; +and, for a dreadful moment, it appeared to Bud as if the huge beast +might even overtake the speedy horse. Then he saw that Thure was slowly +gaining, that the rope, which still clutched the hind leg of the +grizzly, was slowly tightening; and, with breathless haste, he began +reloading his rifle. He had had all the roping of _El Feroz_ he wanted; +and now his only desire was to get a bullet into the huge body, where it +would kill quickly, as speedily as possible. Suddenly, just as he was +driving the bullet down into the barrel of his rifle, he heard a wild +yell of exultation from Thure, and looked up just in time to see the +hind part of the grizzly shoot upward into the air; and the next moment +his astonished eyes saw the huge body dangling from a strong limb of an +old oak tree, that thrust itself out from the sturdy trunk some fifteen +feet above the ground, and held there by the grip of Thure's rope around +one of the hind legs. + +It needed but a glance for Bud to understand how this seemingly +marvelous feat had been accomplished. The quick eyes of Thure had seen +the tree, with its sturdy limb thrust out some fifteen feet above the +ground, almost directly in the line of his flight; and, swerving a +little to one side, so as to pass close to it, and slowing up his horse +a bit, he had gathered up the slack of the rope in his hand, and, as he +passed the tree, he had thrown it so that the middle of the rope had +fallen over the top of the limb not far from the trunk; and then, of +course, the rope had jerked the bear up into the air, and Thure had +whirled his horse about, and now the well-trained animal stood, his fore +legs braced, holding the struggling grizzly up to the limb. + +"Shoot, shoot him quick, before the limb or the rope breaks!" yelled +Bud, the moment his eyes had taken in the situation, and, ramming the +bullet swiftly home, he spurred Gray Cloud toward the dangling bear. + +Thure at once seized his rifle; but so furious were the struggles of the +grizzly--he hung just so that his fore paws touched the ground--as he +twisted and turned and frantically pawed up the dirt, insane with rage, +that it was impossible to get accurate aim from where he sat on his +horse; and Thure jumped from his saddle and ran quickly close up to the +swinging grizzly, now struggling more furiously than ever at the near +approach of his hated enemy. + +"Don't! Look out! Can't you see how the limb is bending and shaking?" +yelled Bud excitedly. "The limb or the rope might break at any moment!" +and Bud shuddered at the horror of the thought of what then might happen +and urged his horse more desperately than ever toward the scene. + +And, indeed, the huge body of the grizzly, twisting and swinging at the +end of the rope, the blood flowing from the wound made by Bud's bullet, +his little red eyes glowing like coals of fire, his strong jaws snapping +and growling, and his huge paws striking furiously in the direction of +Thure, did make a sight to chill the marrow in the bones of any man. + +Thure, now that he was so close to the bear that he could have touched +him with the muzzle of his rifle, realized that, in his haste, he had +done a fool-hardy thing; but he was not the kind of a lad to back down +from a position once taken, not until he had to do so, and, quickly +bringing his rifle to his shoulder, he waited until the swaying body +presented a fatal spot to his aim, pulled the trigger, and leaped +backward from the bear. + +It was fortunate for Thure that he made that backward jump; for, at the +crack of his rifle, _El Feroz_ made such a tremendous lunge toward him, +that the creaking limb bent nearly double, and, with a sound like the +report of a gun, broke off close to the trunk and crashed to the ground +on top of the grizzly. + +For a moment _El Feroz_ lay stunned by his wounds and fall and the crash +of the heavy limb; and then, with a roar, he struggled to his feet, just +as Bud jerked Gray Cloud to a halt not a rod away, and, instantly +throwing his rifle to his shoulder, fired. Even then the ferocious beast +plunged desperately toward his new enemy, staggering blindly, and fell +dead on the exact spot where Thure had stood. + +"Jumping buffaloes, but that was a narrow escape for you, Thure!" and, +throwing himself out of his saddle, Bud rushed up to where Thure stood, +white and trembling, now that the danger was over, not ten feet from +where the bear lay dead. + +"But, we've got him! Got _El Feroz_ himself!" and the blood surged back +to Thure's face. "The biggest grizzly in all California! Say, but won't +the Mexicans and the Indians think we are great hunters now? And won't +Ruth and Iola stare, when we throw down the hide of _El Feroz_ in front +of them to-night?" + +No wonder Thure felt a little vainglorious over their achievement; for +there was not a hunter in all that country who would not have considered +the killing of _El Feroz_ the crowning exploit of his life, so great had +become the monster grizzly's reputation for savage ferocity and +fearlessness of man. + +"Well, I reckon we won't do any more hunting to-day," Bud declared, as +he began swiftly reloading his rifle. In that country at that time no +experienced hunter ever allowed his rifle to remain unloaded a moment +longer than was necessary. "When we get the hide off that monster, it +will be time to be starting for home," and his eyes turned to the dead +grizzly. "Whew, but isn't he a whopper! I'll bet that he will weigh +nearly a ton! You are right, the girls will be surprised some, when we +throw down that hide in front of them," and his face flushed a little at +the thought of the glory that would soon be theirs. "But, come, now that +our guns are loaded, let's get busy with our knives and get this big +hide off," and, pulling out his hunting-knife from its sheath, he bent +over the huge carcass of _El Feroz_. + +"I'll be with you as soon as I free Buck," and Thure, slipping the noose +of his reata off the hind leg of the dead grizzly and coiling it around +his arm, hastened to where his gallant little horse still stood; and, +after fastening the rope in its place on the pommel of the saddle, he +hurried back to where Bud was bending over the grizzly. + +There was no need of tying their horses. All the rope required to hold +them fast was the rope of love they bore their young masters, and so the +two animals were left free, while the two boys busied themselves getting +the pelt off the bear. + +The skinning of a grizzly bear, especially when the bear is as huge and +as tough as was _El Feroz_, is no light undertaking; but Thure and Bud +were no novices at this kind of labor, and, after half an hour's hard +work, the great pelt was off and stretched out on the ground, skin side +up. + +"There, I am glad that job is done!" Thure exclaimed, with satisfaction, +as he wiped his bloody knife on the grass. "Say, but he sure was a +whopper!" and his eyes glanced exultantly over the great hide, now +looking larger than ever as it lay spread out on the grass. "Great +Moses, look at all those old bullet marks!--Fifteen of them! No wonder +that Mexican Juan thought _El Feroz_ was protected by the devil!--Hello, +what is the matter now?" and Thure jumped up quickly from the hide, over +which he had been bending counting _El Feroz's_ old bullet wounds, at a +sudden exclamation of alarm from Bud. + +"There! There! Look there!" Bud was pointing excitedly up the valley. + +"Mother of men, they are murdering him!" "Come on!" and Thure, grabbing +up his rifle, made a jump for his horse, followed by Bud. + +Three-quarters of a mile up the valley from where our young friends had +slain the big grizzly, a spur of rocks projected down into the valley, +reaching like a long finger almost to the fringe of trees along the +creek; and around this spur of rocks three men had slowly ridden, and, +just as they had come in sight from where the boys stood, Bud, whose +eyes had happened to be turned in that direction, had seen two of the +men suddenly and apparently without warning set upon the third man and, +after a short struggle, knock him off his horse. It was this sight that +had caused his sudden cry of alarm, followed by Thure's exclamation of +horror, "They are murdering him!" and the quick jump of both boys for +their horses. + +It took Thure and Bud less than a minute to reach their horses and to +spring up into their saddles; but, in that brief time, the unequal +struggle up the valley was over, and the two men were bending over the +prostrate body of their victim, apparently searching for valuables, when +the two boys, with loud yells, spurred their horses at full speed toward +them. + +At the sound of their voices, the two men looked suddenly up, saw them +coming, hastily grabbed up a few things from the ground, evidently taken +from the man they were robbing, jumped to their feet, sprang on the +backs of their horses, and, before either boy was near enough to shoot, +both had disappeared around the spur of rocks, lashing and spurring +their horses frantically. + +Thure and Bud jerked up their horses by the side of the fallen man and, +jumping from their saddles, bent quickly over him. + +"They've murdered him!" cried Bud, the moment his horrified eyes saw the +white face and the bloodstained breast of the stricken man. "They have +stabbed him! The cowardly curs!" + +"No, he is not dead! I can feel his heart beat. The stab was too low to +reach his heart. Quick, we must do something to stop this flow of blood, +or he soon will be dead," and Thure tore open the bosom of the rough +flannel shirt, exposing the red mouth of a knife wound from which the +blood was flowing freely. + +Thure and Bud were both familiar with the rough surgery of the plains +and the mountains; and soon their deft hands had swiftly untied the silk +scarfs from around their necks, plugged the wound with one of them and +used the other to tightly bind and hold it in place. + +"There, I think that will stop the blood! Now, let's see what other +hurts he has," and Thure passed his hands gently over the man's head. +"Two bumps--whoppers! Either enough to knock the senses out of an ox; +but, I reckon, they've done no mortal damage. It's the stab wound that I +am most afraid of. What do you make out of it all anyway?" and Thure +turned to Bud. + +"Plain robbery and attempted murder," Bud answered gravely. "The man is +evidently a miner," and his eyes rested on the long unkempt hair and +beard, the weather-bronzed skin, and the rough worn clothing of the +wounded man; "and was, probably, on his way from the mines to San +Francisco with his gold-dust, when those two cowardly curs met him and, +finding out that he was from the mines, attempted to murder him for his +gold." + +"Reckon you're right," agreed Thure. "Leastwise there's no use of +speculating over it longer now. The thing to do is to get him home as +soon as we can. Mother is powerful good doctoring hurts. Just see if you +can get him up on the saddle in front of me. I reckon that'll be the +safest way to carry him," and Thure mounted his horse, while Bud thrust +his sturdy young arms under the body of the insensible man and, as +gently as possible, lifted him to the saddle, where the strong arms of +Thure held him as comfortably as possible. + +"Now, I'll strike out straight for home," Thure said, as he started Buck +off on a walk with his double burden; "and you can ride back and get the +hide of _El Feroz_, and soon catch up with me." + +"All right. I'll be with you again as soon as I can," and Bud sprang on +the back of Gray Cloud and started off on a gallop for the scene of the +contest with the grizzly. + +How wonderful it is that the tenor of our whole after lives may be, nay, +frequently is, completely changed by some seemingly unimportant +circumstance or unexpected happening. If Thure Conroyal and Bud Randolph +had not heard the death-cry of that horse and had not turned aside to +see what had caused those agonizing sounds, they would not have been +delayed, by their contest with the grizzly, until the coming of the +three men, nor have witnessed the attack on the miner; and, if they had +not seen this attack on the miner and hurried to his rescue, they never +would have heard the miner's marvelous tale, nor have secured the skin +map; and, if they had not heard the miner's tale and secured the skin +map--But, I must let the story itself tell you all that resulted from +these unexpected and seemingly unimportant happenings. + + + + +CHAPTER II + +DEATH OF THE MINER + + +California and 1849! Magical combination of Place and Date! The Land of +Gold and the Time of Gold! The Date and the Place of the opening of +Nature's richest treasure-house! Gold--free for all who would stoop and +pick or dig it out of the rocks and the dirt! The beginning of the most +wonderful exodus of gold-mad men in the history of the world! "Gold! +Gold!! GOLD!!! CALIFORNIA GOLD!" The nations of the world heard the cry; +and the most enterprising and daring and venturesome--the wicked as well +as the good--of the nations of the world started straightway for +California. Towns and cities sprang up, like mushrooms, in a night, +where the day before the grizzly bear had hunted. In a year a wilderness +became a populous state. A marvelous work to accomplish, even for an +Anglo-Saxon-American nation; but, get down your histories of California, +boys, and you will learn that we did accomplish that very thing--built a +great state out of a wilderness in some twelve months of time! + +Of course, Thure and Bud (Bud with the grizzly's hide had soon overtaken +Thure), as they rode along over the soft grass of the Sacramento Valley, +on this clear July afternoon of the eventful year of 1849, did not +realize that all these wonderful things were happening or were about to +happen in their loved California. They knew that a great gold discovery +had been made in the region of the American River some forty miles +northeast of Sutter's Fort. Indeed, for the last year, all California +had gone gold-mad over this same discovery; and now every able-bodied +man in the country, who could possibly get there, was at the mines. +Stores, ranches, ships, pulpits, all businesses and all professions had +been deserted for the alluring smiles of the yellow god, gold, until it +might be truthfully said, that in all California there was but one +business and that one business was gold-digging. + +The devastating gold-fever had swept over the Conroyal and the Randolph +ranchos; and had left, of all the grown-up males, only Thure and Bud, +who, not yet being of age, had been compelled to stay, much against +their wills, to care for the women folks and the ranchos, while their +fathers and brothers and all the able-bodied help had rushed off, like +madmen, to the mines; and only their loyalty to their loved mothers and +fathers had kept them from following. Now, the one great hope of their +lives was to win permission to go to the mines, where men were winning +fortunes in a day, and try their luck at gold-digging. + +The Conroyal rancho, the Randolph and the Conroyal families had united, +when the men went to the mines, and both families were now living at the +Conroyal rancho, was some five miles from the scene of the robbery and +attempted murder of the miner; and, for the first two miles of the +homeward ride, the wounded man lay unconscious and motionless in Thure's +arms. Then he began to move restlessly and to mutter unintelligible +things. + +"He sure isn't dead," Thure declared, as the struggles of the man nearly +pitched both of them out of the saddle. "Just give me a hand, Bud; for, +I reckon, we'll have to lower him to the ground until he gets his right +senses back or quits this twitching and jerking. I am afraid he will +start the wound to bleeding again." + +Bud quickly sprang off the back of his horse; and together and as gently +as possible the two boys lowered the wounded miner from the saddle and +laid him down on a little mound of grass. A few rods away a small stream +of water wound its way, half-hidden by tall grass and bushes and low +trees, through the little valley where they had stopped. + +"Get your hat full of water," Thure said, as he bent down to see if the +bandage over the wound was still in its place. "Seems to me he ought to +be getting his senses back by this time." + +Bud at once started off on the run for the water and soon was back with +his broad-brimmed felt hat full of the cooling fluid; and, kneeling down +by the side of the wounded man, who now lay quiet, with eyes closed, +although he was still muttering incoherently, he bathed the hot forehead +and the swollen lumps on the back of his head. + +Suddenly the miner's eyes opened and stared wonderingly around him and +up into the faces of the two boys. For a minute he did not seem to be +able to comprehend what had happened. Then the blank wondering look +suddenly left his eyes. + +"Did they get the gold?" and his hand went quickly to his waist. There +was no belt there. "Gone! A good twenty pounds of as fine gold as was +ever dug from the earth, gone!--Gods, if they had but given me any kind +of a show, they would not have got it so easily!" and his eyes flamed +and he attempted to sit up, but fell back with a groan and a whitening +face. + +For a minute or two he lay with eyes closed, breathing heavily. +Evidently he was trying to collect his thoughts, to realize his +situation. When he opened his eyes again there was a solemn, an awed +look in them that had not been there before, and the anger had gone. + +"I have been stabbed," he said slowly, "and I am dying." + +"No, no. The knife did not go near your heart. It struck too low. You +will soon be all right again. Wait until we get you home and mother will +soon make a whole man of you. Mother is about the best nurse in all +California," and Thure gripped one of the hard toil-worn hands and +smiled encouragingly. + +"No." As the man spoke his eyes never once left Thure's face. "No, I am +dying. I know. I was once a surgeon, an army surgeon." For a moment his +eyes darkened, as if with bitter recollections. "But, what matters the +past now? Let it bury its dead," and he smiled grimly. "This is death. +I know. I have seen many die just this way. Internal hemorrhage, we +doctors called it. The blood from the wound is flowing into my body. +I can feel it. I have half an hour, possibly an hour to live; and +then--" The awed look in the eyes deepened, and, for a couple of minutes, +he did not speak, but lay staring straight up into the blue skies. +Suddenly his white lips tightened and he turned to Thure. + +"How far is it to your home and to your mother?" he asked abruptly. + +"About three miles; but I can carry you so easily that I am sure--" + +"Too far," the wounded man broke in impatiently. "I might die before I +got there. No, this shall be my deathbed--the soft green grass, canopied +by the blue skies--a fitting end, a fitting end," he added gloomily. + +"Come, come," and Thure tried to make his voice sound cheery and full of +hope. "Never say die, until you are dead. Just wait until we get home +and mother will put new life into you. Now, I'll get on my horse, and +Bud will lift you up into my arms, and we'll be home before you know +it," and Thure jumped to his feet and started toward his horse. + +"No, come back," and the miner impatiently lifted himself up on one +elbow. "Come back. I have no time to waste riding three miles for a +deathbed. I--" Again the keen eyes searched the faces of the two boys. +"I have much to say and little time in which to say it. Get that +bearskin off your horse and make me as comfortable as possible on it. +And be quick about it; for I am going fast, and, before I go, I want to +make you two boys my heirs for saving me from those two villains. The +cowardly curs! They hit me from behind!" and again the eyes flamed with +anger. "They got the gold I had with me and they got me; but they did +not get the secret of Crooked Arm Gulch, nor learn how to find its +Golden Elbow. Curse them! If I could but live, I'd--But, what's the +use?" and he sank back white-lipped on the grass. "That knife stab in +the breast has done for me. And just when the golden key that unlocks +all the doors of pleasure and power was tight-gripped in my very +fingers! Just my luck! But," and the look of somber resignation came +back into the pain-racked eyes, "I'll not die like a snarling, whining +coyote. I'll meet death, as I have met life--face to face, with both +eyes wide open. Now," and he turned to Bud, who had hurried to his horse +and, unloosening the bear-skin, had hastened back with it and spread it +out on the grass, soft hair up, by the side of the wounded man, "lay me +on the skin and stuff something under my head and shoulders, so as to +keep the blood from flooding my lungs and heart as long as possible; for +I have that to tell that must not wait, even for death," and the white +lips tightened firmly. + +Thure and Bud, anxious to do everything possible to ease the last +moments of the dying man, now carefully lifted him and laid him down on +the skin of the grizzly bear as gently as possible. Then, taking off one +of the saddles and their own coats, they placed the saddle, softened by +the folded coats and the bearskin, under the head and the shoulders of +the miner; and only the white tight-drawn lips and the burning eyes told +of the intense pain that he must have suffered while the change was +being made. + +For a couple of minutes the wounded man lay silent on the bearskin, with +closed eyes, breathing heavily. Then he suddenly opened his eyes and +turned them resolutely on the two boys, who stood, one on each side, +bending anxiously over him. + +"There, that is better," he said. "That is all you can do for me. Now, +sit down close to my head, so that you can hear every word that I say; +for never did dying lips have a more important message to utter, never +did mortal leave a richer inheritance to mortal than I am about to leave +to you. Gold--a cave paved with gold! Gold--a cave walled with seams of +gold! Gold--bushels, barrels of gold nuggets, to be picked up, as you +pick up pebbles from the stony bed of a river! Gods, if I could but +live!" Again the blood flushed back into the white cheeks and the eyes +glowed with feverish excitement. + +"There! There!" and Thure laid a cool hand on the hot forehead. "Never +mind the gold now. When you have rested a bit and have recovered some of +your strength, Bud and I will rig up a stretcher out of the bearskin and +carry you home between us; and then, when you are comfortably fixed in a +soft bed, you can tell us all about this wonderful cave of gold." + +No wonder Thure thought all this wild talk about the marvelous cave of +gold but the delirium of a dying man and tried to quiet the sufferer; +but the miner would not be quieted, and, roughly brushing the hand from +his forehead, he turned his glowing eyes full on Thure's face. + +"You think I am raving," he said, "that this cave of gold exists only in +the disordered fancy of a dying man. Well, I will show you. Thrust your +hand under my shirt, beneath my right shoulder, and pull out the small +bag you will find there. Quick!" he cried impatiently, as Thure +hesitated. "You forget that I am a dying man and have not a minute of +time to waste." + +Thus admonished, Thure hastily thrust his right hand under the miner's +shirt, as directed, and pulled out a small buckskin bag, fastened by a +buckskin thong about the miner's shoulder. The weight of the bag, for it +was only some seven inches long by three inches wide, surprised him. + +"Cut the strings and open the bag," commanded the miner. + +Thure quickly did as bidden. + +"Now, see what is inside of the bag." + +Thure thrust his hand into the bag and drew out a long, tightly rolled +piece of white parchment-like skin. + +"That is the skin map. Never mind that now. Turn the bag bottom side up +and shake it." + +Thure caught hold of the bottom of the bag with his fingers, turned it +over and gave it a vigorous shake; and then sat staring wildly at the +object that had fallen, with a thud, on the bearskin by his side. He was +looking at a solid nugget of gold nearly as large as, and shaped very +much like his fist! + +"Pick it up! Lift it!" urged the miner, his eyes shining with +excitement. "It is gold, pure, virgin gold, just as God made it! I +picked it up off the bottom of the cave, where there are thousands of +other smaller nuggets. In the light of my torch they sparkled and shone +until the floor of the cave seemed flooded with golden light. In the two +hours I was there I gathered up the Five Thousand Dollars' worth of gold +nuggets the robbers stole from me and that nugget, all that I dared take +with me; for the way out of Crooked Arm Gulch is not a road over which a +man more heavily burdened would care to venture. I had no food with me, +no horses; and I must hurry back, where food, on which to live, and +horses, on which to carry my supplies to the cave and the gold away from +it, could be bought. I--" + +"And you found this hunk of gold on the floor of that cave?" Thure who +had been lifting and examining the nugget with widening eyes, could +control his excitement no longer. "And you say that there are thousands +of other nuggets where this came from?" + +"Yes, yes! I have been telling you God's truth," and the face grew white +and drawn with pain again. "But, don't interrupt me. I--I have only a +few minutes left. The nugget, the gold, all is yours. I--I bequeath it +to you with my dying breath. The map--the skin map--will tell you where +to find it--North--northeast from Hangtown--a good five days' tramp--No +miners there yet--Deep--steep canyon--Lot's Canyon--Tall white pillar of +rock standing near Crooked Arm Gulch--Must look--sharp--to find gulch +opening--Blocked by great--rocks--Big tree--Climb to third limb. +Remember--climb to third limb--third limb--third--My God!--My God!" and +both hands clutched madly at his throat. + +His breath was now coming in quick heaving gasps; and only by a supreme +effort of will was he able longer to command his wavering reason. + +"Quick--quick," he gasped, his voice coming in a hoarse whisper. "Bend +your heads close. Beware of the two men who robbed and murdered me--I--I +told--them of the cave of gold; but I did--did not tell them where it +is; and--and they--can--cannot find it without the skin map--They--they +murdered me for--for that map; but they did not get it--It--it was not +in--in my money-belt, as they thought. Guard that map--They--they would +kill--kill you to get it. One is a huge red-haired man with a broken +nose--The other is--is small, with pock-marked face--Beware--beware +pock--pock-marked face and--and broken nose--I--God--I--" + +Again he clutched violently at his throat; and then a great wondering +look of awe came into his eyes, now staring straight up into the blue +skies, and his form stiffened suddenly. + +Thure and Bud could endure the dreadful sight no longer and turned their +horrified eyes away; and, when, a couple of minutes later, they again +looked on the face of the miner, he was dead, with a smile on his grim +lips and a look of peace on his face, as if the coming of Death, at the +very last, had been a most pleasant and joyous event. + + + + +CHAPTER III + +THE SKIN MAP + + +No mortal can look on death unmoved. Savage or civilized, Christian or +pagan, a great awe, a questioning wonder thrills the spirits of all who +stand in the presence of the dread, unsolvable mystery, death. The soul +asks questions that cannot be answered, that the ages have left +unanswered. And, as Thure and Bud now stood, with uncovered heads, +looking down on the quiet, peaceful face and the motionless, rigid form +of the dead miner, the world-old awe and wondering concerning death +thrilled their hearts. For a couple of minutes neither spoke, neither +moved. Then Thure's eyes sought the face of Bud. + +"He is dead," he said solemnly. + +"He is dead," answered Bud, not moving his awed eyes from the still +face. + +"Dead!" and Thure bent and reverently straightened out the bent legs and +arms and smoothed back the matted hair from the forehead. "Dead, yes, as +dead as a stone; and yet a few minutes ago he was breathing and talking! +What a queer thing life is anyhow! Well, it won't do neither him nor us +any good to stand here thinking and talking about it. Now we must get +the body to the house and give it as decent a burial as possible. I'll +carry the body across the saddle in front of me. Come, let's hurry. I am +getting anxious to have it over." + +For the moment, so great had been the shock of the miner's sudden death, +Thure and Bud had forgotten all about the dead man's marvelous tale of +the Cave of Gold; but now, as Bud stooped to help lift the body from the +bearskin, his eyes caught the yellow glow of the gold nugget, which lay +on the skin by the side of its unfortunate finder, and the sight +recalled the wondrous tale. + +"What do you think of his story about finding that nugget in a cave +where the floor is covered with gold nuggets as thickly as pebbles on +the bed of a stony river? Do you suppose it is true or, just one of the +queer notions that sometimes come to the dying?" and Bud looked +wonderingly from the nugget to Thure's face. + +"Great Moses, I forgot all about the gold!" and Thure's face flushed +with excitement. "Quick, let's get the body on the grass and then we'll +have another look at the nugget. That was a powerful queer story he +told; but it might be true. And if it is true," and his eyes sparkled, +"then we've just got to go to the mines and hunt up our dads and the +others and get them to help us find that cave." + +In a moment more they had lifted the body off the bearskin and had laid +it down on the grass; and the gold nugget was in their hands. + +"Glory! But isn't it heavy?" and Bud balanced the nugget in one hand. +"And it looks and feels and weighs like gold! It must be gold." + +"It sure does look like gold," agreed Thure. "It looks and feels just +like the nuggets dad sent home, only larger. Oh, if we only could find +the cave where it came from! Let me see, he said that it was in the +Golden Elbow of Crooked Arm Gulch, in Lot's Canyon, near a white pillar +of rock and a big tree that we must climb to the third limb--a mighty +queer place I call that to find a cave! I reckon he must have been +lunaticy," and Thure turned a disappointed face to Bud. + +"Well, he certainly found gold, and this proves it," and Bud tossed the +big nugget up in the air and caught it as it came down, "to say nothing +of the five thousand dollars' worth of gold nuggets that he claims his +murderers stole from him. But, didn't he say something about a map, a +skin map, that would tell us how to find the cave?" and his face +lighted. + +"Yes, yes, that was the little roll of white skin I pulled first out of +the bag," and Thure's eyes searched eagerly the ground. "Here it is!" +and, stooping quickly, he picked up the little roll of white +parchment-like skin that he had pulled out of the little bag and dropped +on the ground, and began unrolling it with fingers that trembled with +excitement, while Bud crowded close to his side, his eyes on the +unrolling piece of tanned skin. + +The skin was some ten inches long by seven inches wide, of a somewhat +stiff texture, and tanned so that it was nearly white. On the inner side +an unskilled hand had rudely drawn a map; and beneath the map was +written the words: + + Map, showing the location of the Cave of Gold in the Golden Elbow + of Crooked Arm Gulch, which opens into Lot's Canyon near the white + pillar of rock and the big tree, made by John Stackpole, the + discoverer of the Cave of Gold.--1849. + +In the lower left-hand corner of the map was a rudely drawn tree, with +three huge limbs, and, from near the end of the upper and third limb, an +arrow pointed slantingly downward, away from the trunk of the tree. In +the lower right-hand corner was a hand holding a flaming torch. Between +the tree and the torch was a cross, marked with the four main points of +the compass. In the lower left-hand corner of the map itself was a small +circle, marked "Hangtown"; and from there a crooked line trailed in a +northeasterly direction to the upper right-hand quarter of the skin, +where a map of Lot's Canyon and Crooked Arm Gulch was drawn with +considerable detail. + +[Illustration: THE SKIN MAP.] + +For a couple of minutes the two boys studied this map in silence, while +the conviction that the Cave of Gold was no deathbed hallucination, but +a wonderful reality, grew upon them; or else, how came the skin map, +which evidently had been made many days ago? + +"Hangtown!" and Thure pointed excitedly to the name on the map. "That's +the name of the mining camp where dad was when he wrote last. And here," +and his finger followed up the trail marked on the map, "is Lot's +Canyon! and the Big Tree! and Crooked Arm Gulch! and the Golden Elbow! +and--and this black spot, marked 'cave,' right at the point of the +Golden Elbow, must be the Cave of Gold! Great Moses, but I believe the +miner did actually find that Cave of Gold, just as he said he did!" and +Thure's eyes and face glowed with excitement. + +"So do I," Bud agreed emphatically. "The skin map, the gold nugget--why, +even his murder! all go to prove the truth of his tale. The robbers +killed him to get this map. They could have got the gold without killing +and got away all right; but they knew of the Cave of Gold and the +map--the miner said he told them--and, expecting to get the map along +with the gold, they killed him to get him out of the way, so that they +could have all the gold in the cave to themselves. Say, but let's hurry +home and tell our mothers. They can't refuse to let us go to the mines +now! And we must start just as soon as possible. Come," and, for the +moment, in his excitement, forgetting the dead body of the miner, he +started to mount his horse. + +"But, we can't leave him there!" and Thure pointed to the body. "Just +help me to get him up on the horse in front of me and then we'll get +home as soon as possible," and, picking up the little buckskin bag, he +slipped the nugget and the map back into it, thrust it into his pocket, +and soon, with the help of Bud, was on his horse, with the body of the +dead miner in front of him. + +Bud now quickly threw the grizzly bearskin back on his horse, jumped +into his saddle, and the homeward journey was resumed. + + + + +CHAPTER IV + +AT THE CONROYAL RANCHO + + +When Thure, bearing in his arms the dead body of a man, and Bud, with +the huge skin of a grizzly bear hanging across the back of his horse +behind the saddle, rode into the open court in front of the Conroyal +rancho, there was great excitement; and, even before they could +dismount, they were surrounded by a crowd of gesticulating, +question-shouting women and children and old decrepit men, all wild with +curiosity to know what had happened. In the midst of all this +excitement, the door of the house was flung open and two young ladies +catapulted themselves through the crowd to where Thure and Bud sat on +their horses. + +"Mercy! What has happened?" and Iola Conroyal, her horrified eyes fixed +on the face of the dead miner, came to a sudden halt by the side of +Thure, with Ruth Randolph, round-eyed and white-faced, clinging to one +of her arms. "Is--is he dead?" + +"Yes, he is dead," Thure answered gravely. "Murdered for his gold." +Then, seeing how white the faces of the two girls had suddenly grown, he +added quickly: "You girls hurry right back into the house and tell your +mothers that we found a miner, who had been robbed and stabbed, and +started to bring him home with us, but that he died before we got here; +and ask them to have some blankets laid on the floor of the sala for the +body to lie on and a sheet to cover it. Now, hurry. We'll tell you how +it all happened later," and not until the two girls were back in the +house did Thure make a move to get rid of his ghastly burden. Then, +reverently the body of the dead miner was lowered from the horse, and +borne into the large hall-like room of the house known as the sala, and +laid down on the blankets there prepared for it, and covered over with a +sheet. + +In the meantime Bud had thrown the great hide of the grizzly to the +ground with the information that it was the skin of _El Feroz_ himself. + +"How did you kill him?" "Who shot him?" and, with shouts of wonder and +delight, all the men and the boys, who had not gone into the sala with +the body of the dead miner, crowded around the skin of the fallen +monarch. + +"Thure and I found the old villain just after he had killed a horse, and +shot him," Bud answered hastily, anxious to get to his mother with the +wonderful news of the Cave of Gold as quickly as possible. "Here, +Angelo!" and he turned to a young Mexican boy standing near, "Take my +horse and see that he is properly cared for. And you, Juan, take the +hide of _El Feroz_ and let us see how fine a robe you can make out of +it." + +"Si, si, senor," answered the old Mexican exultingly. "He, the ugly +brute, kill my wife's brother, Pedro, whom I, like my own brother, +loved, and 'twill give my soul peace one fine robe to make out of his +big skin. A great glory, the killing of _El Feroz_, senor," and his old +eyes kindled. "Your fame like a swift horse will travel." + +"Shucks! Any hunter could have got him the same as we did," and Bud +hurried into the house, all care for the glory of killing _El Feroz_ +having been driven out of his head by the dying miner's remarkable +revelations. + +At the door of the house Bud was met by his mother and Mrs. Conroyal, +with Ruth and Iola close behind them. The bringing of the dead body of +the murdered miner into the house had greatly excited both women. + +"My son," Mrs. Randolph cried the moment she caught sight of Bud, "what +means this tale of murder and robbery and the bringing of the dead body +of a strange man into the house?" + +"Oh, mother, mother," and Bud excitedly caught hold of his mother's +hand, "the most wonderful, the most marvelous thing has happened!" + +"What?" and the astonished and horrified woman caught hold of both of +his shoulders and shook him. "Have you gone clean crazy, Bud Randolph, +to speak of murder and robbery like that?" + +"I--I," stammered Bud, "I forgot the dead miner. We were too late to +save him; but he lived long enough to tell us--" He stopped abruptly and +glanced swiftly around the room. The secret of the Cave of Gold must not +be proclaimed from the housetops! There was no one in the room with +himself, but the two women and the two girls. "Mother, Mrs. Conroyal," +he continued, lowering his voice, "the old miner before he died told +Thure and me of a wonderful Cave of Gold that he had discovered in a +gulch somewhere in the mountains; and he made Thure and me his heirs, +and gave us a map, showing the way to the cave, and a huge gold nugget, +which the robbers did not get, that he said he had found in the cave, +and he--But here is Thure! He has the--" + +"Hush! Not so loud!" and Thure, who at that moment stepped into the room +from the sala, where the body of the dead miner lay, lifted a warning +hand. "There are many ears in there," and he pointed to the door he had +just closed behind him, "that must not hear what we have to tell. Come, +let us go to your room, mother, where there won't be any danger of what +we have to tell you being overheard," and he started for Mrs. Conroyal's +private room, followed by Bud and the two wondering women and the girls. + +"I--I," and Thure stopped at the door of his mother's room and looked +hesitatingly at Iola and Ruth, "I--I reckon it is too great a secret to +tell you two girls just now. You had better wait--" + +"No!"--"No!" broke in both girls indignantly, while Ruth, looking as if +she would like to box Thure's ears, declared: + +"We girls can keep a secret just as well as you boys can, and you know +it; for, haven't we saved you from many a licking by not telling your +dads what you had been up to? But if this is the way you are going to +treat us, we'll fix you next time," and she shook her head +threateningly. + +"Besides," supplemented Iola triumphantly, "we know most of the secret +already. It's about a Cave of Gold and a map and--" + +"Oh, Christmas! You couldn't keep nothing from the girls!" and the face +Thure turned to Bud showed his disgust. + +"Well, I reckon the secret is just as safe with them as it is with us," +protested Bud stoutly, flushing a little, "especially when they know how +important it is to keep it secret. You will never tell a word of it to +anybody, will you girls? It--it might mean murder, if you did." + +"No, no," affirmed Iola emphatically. "We'll not breathe a word of it to +a living human being. We'll die first. We'll not disappoint your trust +in us, Bud," and she glanced a bit scornfully from Bud to her brother. +"Will we, Ruth?" + +"Never," and Ruth's red lips closed tightly over her pearly teeth. "Do +you suppose we'd betray those we love?" and her eyes flashed +indignantly. + +"All right. See that you don't, then," and Thure's face cleared. To tell +the truth he was just a little ashamed of the lack of confidence he had +shown in his sister and Ruth. "Anyhow, you know so much now that you +might as well be told the rest, so come on," and he opened the door and +carefully closed and locked it, when all had entered the room. + +It did not take many minutes for the two eager boys to tell the story of +the day's remarkable experiences, from the killing of the great grizzly +to the death of the old miner; for the narrative, under the lash of +their active tongues, proceeded in running jumps, from the beginning to +the end and was never allowed to lag an instant. + +"And now," concluded Thure excitedly, when the last of the wonderful +tale had been told, "Bud and I must both start for the mines just as +soon as we can get ready; and get father and Rex and Dill and Uncle +Frank and Hammer Jones to help us find this Cave of Gold; and when we +have found it--" + +"But," broke in Mrs. Conroyal, smiling at Thure's enthusiasm, although +her own face was flushed and her eyes were sparkling with excitement, +"where is this wonderful gold nugget and skin map, that you tell us the +miner gave you in proof of his remarkable story? You seem to forget that +you have not yet shown us your proof." + +"Here, here it is!" and the excited boy thrust one hand into his pocket +and triumphantly pulled out the small buckskin bag; and, swiftly turning +the bag bottom side up, dumped its contents into his mother's lap; and +the next moment, the two women and the two girls were as excitedly +examining the big nugget and the rude skin map as ever they had been +examined by the two boys. + +"And the miner told you that the bottom of the cave was covered with +gold nuggets like this?" queried Mrs. Randolph, her eyes shining, as she +held up the nugget. + +"Yes, yes," answered Bud. "Thousands of them, only smaller. Of course he +picked up the biggest that he could see. We can go to the mines now, +can't we, mother?" + +"And this queer skin map tells you how to find this wonderful Cave of +Gold?" and Mrs. Conroyal spread out the map on her lap and stared +wonderingly at it. "I can't see how all this jumble of crooked lines and +letters can tell you anything." + +"Why, it's easy, mother," and Thure bent eagerly over the map. "You see +you start from Hangtown and go in a northeasterly direction to Humbug +Canyon and Three Tree Mountain and Goose Neck Lake and the Devil's Slide +to Lot's Canyon; and then up Lot's Canyon until you come to Crooked Arm +Gulch, and then up Crooked Arm Gulch until you come to the Golden Elbow; +and the cave, you see, is right in the point of the elbow," and Thure's +finger rested excitedly on the black spot on the map marked "cave." "The +cave is about five days from Hangtown, the miner said. We can go to the +mines now, can't we, mother?" + +"Hangtown! What a horrid name!" and Mrs. Conroyal shuddered. "But," and +she started to her feet excitedly, "wasn't your father's last letter +sent from Hangtown? I am sure it was," and she hurried to her writing +desk, picked up a letter and glanced eagerly at its heading. "See! It +was! Here is the name," and she pointed triumphantly to the letter. + +"You see, it won't be difficult to find the Cave of Gold from the map, +mother, not with dad's help. And, mother, we must start for the mines +just as soon as we can get ready to go. You surely will let us go now!" +and Thure caught hold of his mother's hand. "Say, yes, mother, now; +because Bud and I want to start to-morrow morning, and there is much to +be done before we go." + +"My boy," and Mrs. Conroyal's face sobered, "you are all the man that +the mines have left me. Husband, son, servants, all have gone to the +mines, until now you and Bud are the only able-bodied men left on the +rancho--and now the mines are calling you!" + +"But, mother, think of what the finding of such a mine means to us all! +And father and Mr. Randolph, if they knew about the Cave of Gold and the +skin map, I am sure would want us to come; and Old Juan and Manuel and +the boys can take care of the rancho; and, you know, if we find the Cave +of Gold and get the gold, then all of us, father and the rest, will be +back soon; and we will be rich; and dad can build you the new house that +you want and furnish it the way that you want it furnished; and Bud and +I can go East and get the education that we need to fit us to do a man's +work in the great new State of California that is bound to be made out +of this country, now that it has become a part of the United States. It +is yes, isn't it, mother? And we can start, can't we, to-morrow +morning?" and Thure's arm went round his mother and he drew her +appealingly to him. + +For a minute or two Mrs. Conroyal did not answer. She was battling with +her mother-love. She knew what this quest of the Cave of Gold might +mean--hardships, dangers, even death for those she loved. But she was of +pioneer stock, had often seen her dearest go forth to face the dangers +of the unknown wilderness; and, at last, with something of Spartan-like +fortitude, she turned to Thure. + +"Yes, my son, you may go," she said. "You may go to your father and tell +him all; and he will decide about the search for the Cave of Gold." + +"Hurrah! We can go! Mother says I can go!" and Thure swung his free hand +around his head. + +"And mother says I can go! Hurrah for the gold-mines!" and Bud clapped +his sister on the back, by way of letting off some of the surplus steam +of his enthusiasm. "It will be great! And I'll bring you back a necklace +of gold nuggets, sister mine. Now, we must be getting ready." + +"But, first we all have a solemn duty to perform," Mrs. Conroyal said +gravely. "We must give the dead miner decent burial, as we would wish +our own dear ones buried, should they die amongst strangers. See that +the grave is dug, my son; and notify all that the funeral will be held +in the house-sala at the going down of the sun. Come, we will make ready +the house for the funeral," and, followed by Mrs. Randolph and the two +girls, she hurried from the room. + +A half an hour later, all who were left on the rancho gathered in the +sala to pay the last respects of the living, who soon must die, to the +dead, who but a short time before lived. There was no minister, no +priest to be had. Mrs. Conroyal read the church service for the dead +over the body of the unfortunate miner; and then six of the oldest and +strongest boys gently lifted the boards on which the corpse lay to their +shoulders and, just as the rays of the setting sun redden the tops of +the western mountains, bore the body slowly to its last resting place, +beneath the outstretched arms of a sturdy oak, on the top of a little +hillock, near the murmuring waters of a small stream that flowed close +by the house. + +That night was a busy night at the Conroyal rancho. Everything must be +got ready for the going of Thure and Bud in the morning; and it was +surprising how many things there were that needed doing. But, at length, +long after midnight, everything was in readiness and the two boys +entered their sleeping room for their last night's rest, for they knew +not how long, in the dear old home-house. + +"I can hardly realize that we are to start for the mines in the +morning," Thure said, as he quickly undressed and jumped into bed. "All +that has happened to-day seems more like a dream than the reality; and I +am almost afraid that I will wake up in the morning and find that I have +been only dreaming." + +"Well," declared Bud, "if it's only dreaming, I'm going to get into bed +and dream some more as quick as I can; so, not meaning to be impolite, +shut up and good night," and he settled himself down comfortably in the +bed and closed his eyes. And, in five minutes, in spite of the feverish +excitements of the day, the two tired boys were sound asleep. + + + + +CHAPTER V + +OFF FOR THE GOLD-MINES + + +The next morning when the sun rose, in all the golden glory of dawning +day in beautiful California, above the tops of the eastern mountains and +shone down into the Valley of the Sacramento, its rays fell on an +interesting scene in front of the Conroyal house, where nearly all the +men, women and children of the place had gathered about two heavily +laden pack-horses, four saddled horses, and two boys, and two girls. The +two boys were Thure and Bud, ready to start for the mines, the two girls +were Iola and Ruth, who were to ride with the boys for an hour or so on +their way, the four saddled horses were their riding horses, and the two +pack-horses bore the outfits of the young miners, as well as sundry +tokens of love and affection sent to the dear ones at the mines. The +boys stood at their horses' heads, ready to mount. The very moment of +departure had come. + +"Well, I reckon we must be going now. Good-by, mother," and Thure turned +for a last embrace in those dear arms, and then swung himself up into +his saddle. + +"God bless you, and protect you, and bring you safe home, my son," and +Mrs. Conroyal, trying in vain to keep back the tears from her eyes and +the sobs from her voice, embraced and kissed Thure farewell and bravely +saw him mount. + +Bud tried very hard to control his feelings, but his voice choked a +little and there were tears in his eyes, as he kissed his mother good-by +and jumped into his saddle; and then, just to break the gloom that +seemed to be gathering too thickly about the parting, he jerked off his +hat, and, swinging it around his head, shouted: "Hurrah, for the +gold-mines! Hurrah, we're off for the mines!" + +And everybody shouted with him; and, in the midst of the shouting, the +two boys, leading their pack-horses and with Iola and Ruth on their +horses by their sides, rode out of the house-court and started across +the valley toward the distant eastern mountains. + +The search for the dead miner's Cave of Gold had begun. + +Iola Conroyal and Ruth Randolph were two very lively and high-spirited +girls, just old enough to see all the romance and little of the rough +reality and danger of such a quest as their two brothers had begun. The +wonderful tale of the dying miner, with its Cave of Gold, its +rough-drawn map and its big gold nugget, had appealed very strongly to +their vivid and romantic imaginations; and the starting of Thure and Bud +in search of this marvelous cave had surrounded them, in their eyes, +with something of the glamour that gilds the heroes of romance. They +envied them their quest; they would have gone joyfully with them, if +they could; and now, as they rode along by their sides in the cool +morning air, they could think or talk of little else than this wonderful +quest and of what would happen, if the boys should really and truly find +that marvelous Cave of Gold. + +"Will you--will you promise to give me the first gold nugget you pick up +in this wonderful cave?" Ruth said, after they had been riding and +talking for some little while, glancing up a bit shyly into Thure's +face. "I will have a breastpin made out of it and always wear it in +remembrance of that great event--and--and of you," she added in a lower +voice, her face flushing a little. + +"Sure I will! I--that is exactly what I had planned to do anyhow," Thure +declared. "And I'll see that it is a big one, Ruth, the biggest that I +can find. And the next nugget I pick up you shall have for a ring; and +then I'll pick up a lot of little nuggets and make you a gold necklace +out of them." + +"That will be glorious," and Ruth's eyes shone. "And--and I shall prize +them all very much. Oh, dear, I don't see why we girls were just born +girls and not boys! I never wanted to do anything as much as I want to +go with you and Bud, and help hunt for this Cave of Gold. I'd go anyway, +if mother would let me." + +"So would I," Iola declared, her dark eyes and cheeks glowing at the +thought. "It is terrible to be just a girl, when there is anything like +this to be done. We, at least Ruth and I, do not want to be put in a +cage and fed, like canary birds. We want to do things, too; and we could +do things, too, if folks would only let us." + +"Hoity-toity!" laughed Thure. "I reckon God knew what He was about when +He made you 'just girls'--just sisters, sweethearts, wives, mothers, the +dearest words spoken in every language the world over; and, for one, I +am powerful glad that He did make you 'just girls.'" + +"So am I," Bud agreed, so emphatically that all laughed. + +"But, it really does seem too bad that Iola and I have got to stay at +home with our mothers, where nothing exciting ever happens," persisted +Ruth, "while you two, just because you are boys, can go hunting caves of +gold and have all sorts of wonderful adventures--not that I really and +truly would like to be a boy," she added hastily and a little +contradictorily. "Boys are so awkward and have such big feet and hands, +and--and--" + +"And are such good fellows to wait on girls," grinned Bud provokingly. + +"Which shows girls' real superiority," smiled back Ruth. + +"Well, if you are satisfied, what are you kicking for? You haven't heard +Thure and me wishing that we were girls, have you?" queried Bud +triumphantly. + +"Well, I should say not, not when you are off on a hunt like this +anyhow!" Ruth rejoined. "Oh, but I do hope you will find that Cave of +Gold! And come back covered with gold nuggets and glory!" + +By this time our young friends had reached the foot of the ridge, on +whose top it had been agreed they were to say farewell to one another; +and the thought of the nearness of the parting was suddenly pressed home +to each heart, and they rode to the top of the ridge without speaking a +word. Here they pulled up their horses; and, for a moment, their eyes +looked wistfully into one another's faces, while they sat silent in +their saddles. + +"Oh, come, let's have the agony over!" and Bud tried to make his voice +sound cheery and unconcerned. "Good-by, Ruth," and, urging his horse up +close to the side of his sister's horse, he leaned over, threw his arms +around her neck and kissed her. Then he turned and quickly served Iola +in the same way; and, striking spurs into his horse, started off, his +pack-horse tugging at the rope behind him. + +Thure hesitated a moment; and then, following Bud's example, quickly +kissed Iola and Ruth good-by, and started after Bud. + +"Don't forget that you have promised me the first gold nugget that you +pick up in the cave!" called Ruth. + +"Nor the gold necklace!" warned Iola. + +Thure and Bud waved their hands and shouted in reply; but rode steadily +on. + +The two girls sat on their horses and watched them, until, with final +shouts and the waving of their hats, they passed over the top of a +distant ridge and vanished from sight. Then Iola and Ruth turned their +horses homeward and rode silently down the other side of the ridge. They +did not care to talk, even about the wonderful Cave of Gold, just then. + +They had ridden something like a couple of miles on their way homeward +and their tongues were just beginning to wag, girl-like, again, when +both were considerably startled by a loud hallo, coming from behind. +They turned quickly and saw two horsemen, who had just ridden out from +behind a small grove of trees, some twenty rods back and to the right, +and who were now riding toward them. + +"I wonder who they can be!" exclaimed Ruth. "I am sure that I never saw +them before; but I suppose we had better wait and find out what they +want. They might be lost. They look like strangers to this part of the +country," and she pulled up her horse. + +"Yes," agreed Iola, halting her horse by the side of Ruth. "They are +probably foreigners on their way to the mines; and we had better wait to +see if we can be of any help to them." + +In the holster that hung from the pommel of the saddle of each girl +there was a double-barreled pistol, loaded and ready for instant use; +and it was not there for ornament. Both girls had been trained to use +the rifle and the pistol; and never, since Iola's frightful experience +with the Mexican desperado, Padilla, some three years before,[1] had +either girl been permitted to ride, even a short distance from the +house, without having one or both of these weapons with her. +Consequently, trained and armed as they were, they saw nothing to fear +in meeting the two strange horsemen, although they were alone in a +little valley and out of sight and hearing of every other human being, +so far as they knew. + +[Footnote 1: For an account of this adventure, see _Fighting With +Fremont_, the preceding book of this series.] + +The two horsemen came up on a slow gallop; and pulled up their horses a +dozen feet from the girls. + +"We asks your pardon, ladies," said the larger of the two men--a big +red-headed man with a broken nose--as he awkwardly doffed his hat. "But, +seein' you ridin' by, an' thinkin' you might be able tew give us sum +information, we bein' strangers in this part of Californy, we made bold +tew hallo tew you," and he paused, his bold eyes staring admiringly into +the dark face of Iola. + +"We will be very glad to help you, if we can," answered Iola, a bit +shortly, for she did not like the looks of the big man with the broken +nose. "What is it you would like to know?" + +"Wal," answered the man, glancing toward his companion, "me an' my +pardner was tew meet a man over yonder by that big rock that sticks +itself out of th' ground, like a nose on a man's face," and he pointed +to a huge rock a mile or more away that shot up out of the level of the +valley, not unlike the nose on a man's face. "He was tew git thar 'bout +noon yisterday; an' we haven't seen hide nor ha'r of him yit; an', +gittin' powerful tired of waitin' an' thinkin' you ladies might have +seen him, we stops you tew ask." + +"An' bein' a leetle afeared he might have come tew harm," the other +horseman, a small man with a pock-marked face, here broke in, "seein' +that he was a comin' from th' diggin's an' was supposed tew have +considerable gold-dust with him, we makes bold tew stop you ladies tew +ask about him, jest as my pardner says, thinkin' you might have seen +him." + +"What--what did he look like?" Iola asked anxiously, the moment the man +paused; for her thoughts had gone instantly to the dead man they had +buried last night, when he had spoken of the man they were looking for +as being on his way back from the diggings. + +"Wal, he won't exactly what you ladies would call a beauty," answered +the big man, grinning, "seein' that he'd let his whiskers an' ha'r grow +long an' scraggly all over his face an' head; but you'd a-knowed him, if +you'd a-seen him, by a peecoolyer scar over his left eye, shaped +sumthin' like a hoss-shoe, with th' ends of th' shoe pointin' t'ord th' +corners of th' eye." + +"Why," and Iola's face whitened, "he must have been the man our +brothers, Thure and Bud, brought home with them yesterday afternoon! He +had a scar on his forehead like that. Didn't you notice it?" and she +turned to Ruth. + +"Yes," Ruth answered, "and he was from the mines." + +"Wal, now, that's good news," declared the big man, glancing out of the +corners of his eyes at his companion. "We was afeared sum harm had come +tew him. An' so he's restin' safe an' easy at your home. Now, whar might +that be, if I may be so bold as tew ask?" + +"But, he'd been robbed--murdered!" exclaimed Iola. "And it was his dead +body that had been brought to our house. We buried him last night." + +"Robbed! Murdered!" almost yelled the big man. "Do you hear that, +Spike?" and he turned excitedly to his companion. "Sumone got him for +his gold, jest as he was afeared they would. An' you say 'twas your +brothers who found him, an' took th' body home with them, an' gave it +decent burial. Now I call that decent, don't you, Spike?" and he glanced +sharply at his companion. + +"White an' decent," agreed Spike. "But," and his small snake-like eyes +shifted swiftly from face to face of the two girls, as he spoke, "did +he--did he leave any message for his friends; or, was he dead when your +brothers found him?" + +"He lived only a little while," answered Iola. "He had been stabbed by +one of the cowards, and he died before they could get him to the house. +I don't think he left any message. I don't remember of hearing our +brothers say anything about a message, do you?" and she turned to Ruth. + +"No," replied Ruth. "He--he left no word for any friend. He only--" she +stopped abruptly, and just in time; for, unthinkingly, she had been +about to speak of the skin map and the Cave of Gold. + +Both men started slightly at her words and abrupt stop and flashed swift +glances into each other's eyes. + +"Now, that's tew bad," declared the big man. "We sure thought he would +leave a message for us, seein' that he knowed we was here a-waitin' for +him. But, I reckon, we'd better ride on tew th' house with you ladies +an' see them brothers of your'n personal. You see we wants tew make +sart'in 'twas our friend that was robbed and murdered, besides he might +have left sum word for Spike an' me, an' your brothers not have +mentioned it, bein' naturally excited-like over th' robbery an' murder." + +"But, you can't see them now!" exclaimed Iola, impulsively. "They left +for the mines this very morning. Why, we parted from them not more than +an hour ago." + +Both men started violently at this news, and again the swift suspicious +glances flashed from eyes to eyes, and an ugly threatening look came +into their faces. + +"Gone tew th' mines! An' started sudden, this very mornin'!" exclaimed +Spike excitedly. "Did--Did th' old miner say an'thing 'bout whar he +found his gold afore he died?" and his beady black eyes glowed angrily +into the faces of the two girls. "We're his friends, an' have a right +tew know, an' we want tew know, an' we're goin' tew know," and he urged +his horse nearer to the girls. + +Both girls were badly frightened by this sudden and unexpected change in +the two men; for there was no mistaking the ugly and dangerous look on +their faces; but neither girl lost her head. + +"You will not come a step closer than you now are," and the white hand +of Iola flashed to the pistol in her holster; and Spike, to his evident +horror, suddenly found himself looking straight down into two little +round holes that seemed to his startled eyes as big as the mouths of +cannons. + +"And you, too, stay right where you are," and Ruth's pistol suddenly +turned the big man with a broken nose into a wildly staring equestrian +statue. "We two girls are not going to take any chances with you two +men; and--and now that we have given you all the information that we +have for you, you can turn your horses around and ride back the way you +came." + +[Illustration: "YOU CAN TURN YOUR HORSES AROUND AND RIDE BACK THE WAY +YOU CAME."] + +The faces of both girls had suddenly grown as white as milk; for, almost +at the same moment, each had remembered that the dying miner had +described his two murderers as a big red-headed man with a broken nose +and a small man with a pock-marked face--and they were now looking +straight into the faces of two such men. But the hands that held the +pistols did not tremble; and there was no mistaking the look in the +shining eyes back of the little round holes. They would shoot; and, if +they shot, they would not miss; and it did not take the two men two +seconds to discover these facts. + +"Oh, come, this ain't no hold up game, is it, ladies?" and the big man +tried to look as if he considered the whole affair a huge joke; but he +was very careful not to make a threatening move; and he kept his eyes +fixed on the two little round holes of Ruth's pistol, in a horrible +staring way that Ruth never forgot. + +"No," Ruth answered shortly. "It is not a hold up; and there is going to +be no hold up in this case," she added significantly; "so just turn your +horses around and gallop back the way you came; and be very careful not +to let your hands go near your belts or to look back while doing it," +she warned. + +"Oh, say, now," began the small man. "This ain't hospital-like. We ain't +meanin' you ladies no harm. We--" + +"Drop the talk and turn your horses around and get," Iola commanded so +imperatively, so threateningly that both men, in a sudden panic of +fear--like nearly all rascals they were cowards and those two pistols in +those two girlish hands might go off at any instant--whirled their +horses around and galloped off, while a bullet from one of the barrels +of Iola's pistol, whistling between their heads, added to their panic +and speed. + +"Do you," and Ruth turned her white face to Iola, the moment the two men +were at a safe distance, "do you really think they were the two men who +murdered the miner?" + +"Yes," answered Iola, as she began reloading her pistol, with hands that +trembled now so that she could hardly pour the powder into the barrel. +"I am sure they were. Ugh! But what a dreadful fright they gave me! I +felt certain they were going to murder us, when they started toward us." + +"And--and do you suppose they were trying to find out about that skin +map and the Cave of Gold?" and Ruth's face again began whitening. + +"Yes, that is it!" and Iola started. "That was what made them so angry +and ugly, when we told them that Thure and Bud had already started for +the mines. They at once suspicioned that the boys had the map and that +they had started out to find the Cave of Gold. Oh, Ruth," and a look of +horror came into Iola's face, "do you suppose they will start on the +trail of Thure and Bud and try to get the map from them? Why, they might +murder them!" + +"That is exactly what I am afraid they will do," declared Ruth, her own +face reflecting the horror in Iola's face. "But you may be sure that two +cowards like them will never get the best of our brothers, unless they +do it in some sneaking underhanded way; and the boys have been warned to +look out for them. It won't take Thure and Bud as long to discover who +they are, as it did us. The instant they see that broken nose and +pock-marked face, they will be on their guard. But I do wish we had said +nothing about the boys starting for the mines. Anyhow that is about all +the information they did get from us that will do them any good, thank +goodness! And they will have a mighty hard time finding and following +their trail, unless they are old hunters and trappers; and they did not +look as if they were. Anyhow it can't be helped now; and the best thing +that we can do is to get back home as quickly as we can." + +"I don't think we had better say anything to our mothers about meeting +the two men," Iola said, as with a final look in the direction of the +two horsemen, who were still galloping up the valley, they turned their +horses homeward. "It wouldn't do any good to tell them and they'd worry +a lot." + +"You're right. Mum's the word," agreed Ruth; and then both girls struck +their horses sharply and started on a swift gallop for the Conroyal +rancho, where we must leave them for the present and return to Thure and +Bud. + + + + +CHAPTER VI + +THE SIGN OF THE TWO RED THUMBS + + +At the date of the happenings here recorded, 1849, the greater part of +California was still an unbroken wilderness, inhabited only by scattered +tribes of Indians and the wild beasts. For some three hundred years the +Spaniards and the Mexicans had occupied a few choice spots along the +coast, with now and then an isolated ranchero in the great interior +valleys of the Sacramento and the San Joaquin Rivers. Then, in 1846, had +come the War with Mexico and the Conquest of California by the +Americans, swiftly followed by the discovery of gold in 1848 and the +great inflow of gold-seekers from all parts of the world of 1849 and +later, who, of course, all rushed pell-mell to the gold regions, leaving +the rest of California more thinly populated than ever. Indeed, in 1849, +all California, except the gold regions, was practically deserted; and, +since the gold regions were located in what had been, a few weeks +before, a mountainous wilderness, nearly everybody in California was +living in the wilderness, and, necessarily, living under primitive +wilderness conditions--a wild, free, independent sort of a life that +quickly brought to the surface the real character of each individual. + +Such, then, was the California of 1849, the California of Thure and Bud; +and such were the conditions of the life, the wild romantic life of the +wilderness mining camps, toward which we left our young friends +hastening, their unwilling pack-horses pulling and tugging on the ropes +which were dragging them away from the home-pastures, when we rode a +little way on the homeward journey with Iola and Ruth. + +Now, to return to Thure and Bud. + +The Conroyal rancho was situated in the Lower Sacramento Valley, some +two-days' journey from Sutter's Fort, near which the City of Sacramento +on the Sacramento River had sprung into a sudden and marvelous +existence; and, as Sacramento City was then the final rendezvous of all +those bound for the mines, some forty miles in the wilderness of +mountains to the east, Thure and Bud, naturally, had headed straight for +this town, intending, when there, to find someone going to Hangtown, +with whom they might journey to this mining camp, where they hoped to +find their fathers and their friends. Both boys were well acquainted +with the trail to Sutter's Fort, having been there frequently with their +fathers; and, since Sacramento City was only a couple of miles or so +from Sutter's Fort, they would have no difficulty in finding their way +thither. The trail, for the greater part of the distance, ran through +beautiful valleys and over low-lying hills, where nature still reigned +unfretted by man and where a human being was seldom seen, consequently +Thure and Bud expected to have a lonely ride to Sacramento City. + +For some little while after the departure of the two girls neither boy +spoke. Somehow they did not feel like talking, not even about the +wonderful Cave of Gold, nor the skin map, nor the death of the old +miner. They were thinking of home and the dear ones from whom they had +parted for they knew not how long; and, when boys are thinking deeply of +such things, they do not like talking. But, gloom and sadness cannot +long conquer the spirits of any normal boy; and, at the end of an hour's +riding they were their own lively and talkative selves again. + +"I wonder if we can make our old camping-ground to-night?" Thure +questioned doubtfully, as they came to a halt, a little before noon, on +the top of a steep ridge to give their horses a short rest. "If I +remember right, this ridge is not nearly half-way to the place where dad +and I always camped when we went to Sutter's Fort; and it must be nearly +noon now," and he glanced upward at the sun, which was fast nearing the +zenith. "Say, but these old pack-horses are as slow as oxen. I wonder if +we can't do something to hurry them up?" + +"We've got to make the old camping-ground tonight, if it takes us till +midnight," Bud answered emphatically. "That is, we've got to, if we +expect to get to Sacramento City to-morrow; and that's where I, for one, +expect to be sometime to-morrow night. I reckon, we'll have to drive +them pack-horses in front of us and use the whip a little." + +"A bully idea," Thure agreed. "I wonder why we did not think of it +before. Here, you old slowpoke, get up!" and, whirling his horse around, +he suddenly rode up behind his pack-horse and gave that animal a quick +blow with his whip. + +The scheme worked splendidly; and the two boys were soon on their way +again and moving at a considerably increased speed. But, notwithstanding +their accelerated motion, it was not until some three hours after sunset +that the two tired boys and the four tired horses reached the old +camping-grounds, where there was an abundance of water for themselves +and horses and fuel for the camp-fire. + +"Well, I swun I am tired!" Thure exclaimed, as he threw himself down +with a sigh of satisfaction on his blanket before the camp-fire, when, +at last, the horses had been unsaddled and unbridled and unpacked and +picketed where they could feed on the rich grass, and the two boys had +eaten their rude meal of broiled venison--they had shot a young deer on +their way--and homemade bread, washed down by a huge tin cup full of +coffee of their own brewing. + +"I reckon you are not the only tired boy in this camp to-night," and Bud +spread out his blanket on the ground by the side of Thure's and +stretched himself out on it. "Every bone and muscle in my body has been +just a-teasing me for the last two hours to let up and give them a rest. +Well, we got here anyhow; and I guess we can now make Sacramento City +all right to-morrow night. Say," and he sat up on his blanket with a +jerk at the thought that had suddenly come to him, "do you suppose those +two villains, who robbed and killed the old miner, have found out that +we have the skin map that they committed murder in vain to get? If they +have, I reckon we'll have to be on the lookout for them good and sharp. +Why, they might be on our trail even now!" + +"You are right," and Thure sat up quickly. "But I can't see just how +they could know that we have the map. They certainly didn't wait for +introductions when we charged down upon them; and I don't believe they +followed us home--they were too scart, the cowards! But, as Kit Carson +says: 'The time to be cautious is before the Indians get your scalp--not +afterwards.' I reckon that means that we've got to keep guard to-night; +and I don't believe I ever felt more sleepy," and Thure sighed. "But, if +Brokennose and Pockface should happen to be on our trail, they couldn't +ask for anything better than to get us two here alone and asleep +to-night. They sure would have the skin map in the morning, and, +probably, our horses and supplies, and, possibly, our lives. Say, but I +just would like to meet them two cowards when I am awake!" and Thure's +eyes glinted wrathfully. + +"Well, I should not be surprised if we had that pleasure before long," +and Bud's face hardened. "If the old miner told them of the Cave of Gold +and the skin map, and he said he did, they sure will be on the lookout +for the party with the map; and it wouldn't take much inquiring for them +to find out that it was us that brought the dead miner home; and then, I +reckon, it won't take them two minutes to guess what started us so +sudden-like for the mines. I sure hope they won't find us until we get +to our dads and Rex and Dill and Hammer Jones. I'd feel safe enough +then. You see, we are guarding not only our lives, but also the Cave of +Gold; and the finding of that cave means a lot to all of us." + +"It sure does," Thure agreed. "Luck has been against both of our dads +lately; and, well, we've just got to find that Cave of Gold; and we are +going to find it, in spite of all the broken noses and pockmarked faces +in the world. But, it won't do to sit here talking all night. We must +get all the sleep we can. Who will stand guard first?" + +"I will," Bud answered, picking up his rifle and rising; "so get into +your blanket and asleep as quick as you can. It must be almost midnight +now." + +"All right," and Thure began rolling himself up in his blanket. "Wake me +in about two hours, and I'll stand guard the rest of the night. We want +to be on our way as soon as it is light enough to see. Good night," and +in five minutes Thure was as dead to his surroundings as the log near +which he lay. + +Bud picked up his blanket and moved off into the dark shadows of the +low-hanging branches of an evergreen oak and out of the light of the +camp-fire, where he could watch, seeing but unseen. + +The night had grown dark and cool--all California nights are chilly; and +Bud wrapped his blanket around him and, leaning up against the trunk of +the tree, looked out into the darkness surrounding the lone camp-fire. +In the distance a coyote was making the night hideous with his +demoniacal howlings. From a near tree came the lonesome hoot of an owl. +All else was still, save from all around came the mysterious sounds of +the wilderness at night, suggestive of the low whisperings and talking +of uneasy spirits. + +But all this was commonplace to Bud. He had often spent the night out in +the open, had often stood guard by a lonely camp-fire, when darkness was +all around and only the weird voices of the night were heard; and he +gave little thought to these things. He was very tired and very sleepy +and it took about all the thought power he had to compel himself to stay +awake. + +An hour past. There had not been a suspicious sound nor movement; and +Bud began to feel more secure, began to relax some of his vigilance, +began to close his eyes now and then for a brief moment, began to lean +more comfortably against the trunk of the tree--then, suddenly, he +straightened himself up with a jerk, his eyes wide open, his cocked +rifle held ready for instant use. Sure he had heard a sound, a sound +that did not belong to the night, a thud like the fall of some heavy +body on soft ground, and coming from the direction of the camp-fire! For +a moment he stared, tense with excitement, toward the camp-fire, now +glowing dully; but he saw nothing unusual, heard nothing unusual. Thure +still lay by the side of the log, his form showing faintly in the dull +light. The horses were grazing quietly--he could just distinguish their +forms through the darkness. They showed no alarm. + +"Queer! I certainly heard something fall; and right near! Well, I reckon +I had better make sure that everything is all right with Thure," and Bud +very cautiously stepped out from the shadows of the tree and, moving +softly, crept up to where Thure lay. His deep regular breathing told him +that he was sound asleep and that all was well with him. + +"Must have been dreaming," he muttered in disgust, and returned to his +station under the tree; but he did not close his eyes again. + +There were no other suspicious sounds during the remainder of his watch, +nor during the watch of Thure; and the dawning of morning found both +boys and all their belongings safe and sound. + +"Did you see or hear anything suspicious during your watch?" was Bud's +first query, when Thure awoke him the next morning. + +"No. Why?" answered Thure. "Did you?" + +"Well, I--I don't know," and Bud jumped to his feet and began looking +sharply around over the ground near the camp-fire. + +Suddenly he uttered an exclamation and, bending quickly down, picked up +a large flat stone that was lying between the log, near which Thure had +slept, and the camp-fire. + +"I--I don't remember of seeing this stone here last night," and he +turned it over curiously; and then uttered another exclamation that +brought Thure to his side on the jump. + +The stone was flat, some three inches thick, nearly round, and, +possibly, a foot in diameter. One side was nearly white and smooth; and +the astonished eyes of the boys read, rudely written on this side, +evidently with a piece of charred coal, these ominous words: + + LEVE THE MAP TO THE MINERS CAVE UNDER THIS STON NEAR YOUR CAMP FIRE + WHEN YOU BRAKE CAMP IN THE MORNING AND NEVER TELL NOBODY WHAT THE + MINER TOLD YOU ABOUT THE CAVE--OR WELL GIT YOU THE SAME AS WE GOT + THE MINER--LIFE IS WURTH MOREN GOLD AND YOULL NEVER LIVE TO GIT THE + GOLD. + +Under these words were the red prints of two thumbs--one the mark of a +huge thumb and the other the mark of a much smaller thumb--as if their +owners had covered their thumbs with blood and then pressed them against +the stone, in lieu of signatures. + +For a full two minutes the two boys stood staring at these words, their +faces whitening and their eyes widening. + +"How--how did this get here?" Thure was the first to speak. + +For answer Bud leaped to the log, by the side of which Thure had slept, +and, bending over it, looked closely at the ground on the other side. + +"Right from behind this log!" he exclaimed, after a moment's scrutiny of +the ground. "The fellow that threw that stone crept up behind this log +and then got up on his knees and tossed the rock to where we found it. +You can still see the prints of his knees and toes in the ground. I +thought I heard a sound like the fall of something heavy during my +watch; but I was half asleep when I heard it," and Bud's face flushed a +little; "and when I couldn't see anything suspicious or find anything +suspicious or hear any more suspicious sounds, I concluded I had only +fancied I had heard the sound. But that is sure no fancy," and his eyes +glared at the stone, which Thure still held. + +"And I was sound asleep right on the other side of that log at that very +moment!" and Thure's weather-bronzed face whitened a little. "No more +logs for bedfellows for me!" + +"Yes, and he must have been lying right on the other side of that log, +when I bent over you to see if you were all right," added Bud. "If I'd +been only smart enough to look, it might have saved us from a lot of +trouble," and Bud's lips tightened grimly. + +"Better as it is," Thure declared. "Now, we've had our warning and +nobody hurt; but, if you had discovered the fellow behind the log, +they'd have got you, sure, and, probably, me, too. Both were doubtless +on hand; and would have shot you before you could have done anything, if +you had discovered one of them. Now, I reckon, if they had found the +camp unguarded, they were intending to have a try for the map then and +there--and they would have got it! Well, what do you think about doing +as they ask, and leaving the map under the stone? It seems from what +that stone says--" + +"What!" and Bud turned in astonishment to Thure. "Give up that map to a +couple of the biggest cowards and cut-throats in California? I'd sooner +give them every drop of blood in my body. I--" + +"Well, you need not get so rambunctuous over it," laughed Thure. "But," +and his face sobered, "I reckon that that there is no idle threat," and +he pointed to the flat stone, which now lay on the ground at his feet; +"and I fancy the sooner we get to our dads the better it will be for us. +Not that I'd be afraid of those two skunks," he added hastily, "if +they'd come out in the open, where one could see them; but I do not care +for any more creeping upon a fellow in the dark, when he's asleep," and +he glanced shudderingly toward the log. "But, there is no use of talking +any more about it. Let's get busy. We must make Sacramento City to-night +sure." + +In a very short time breakfast was eaten, the horses saddled and bridled +and packed, and the two boys ready to mount and to start on their way +again. + +"Now, for our answer to that there message," and Thure picked up the +flat stone and dropped it into the camp-fire. "I reckon that will tell +them what we think of their threat; and that we're too old to be scart +like little school boys," and he sprang on the back of his horse. "Now +for Sacramento City!" and the two boys, with watchful eyes glancing all +around them, resumed their lonely journey toward the new city on the +Sacramento. + + + + +CHAPTER VII + +CAUGHT IN THE FLOOD + + +In July, 1849, the tide of gold-seekers had not yet set in at its +greatest flow. It was too early in the year for the thousands of +emigrants coming across the plains and the mountains to the east or for +those journeying by ship from the more distant parts of the world to +have reached the Eldorado of their golden hopes; but from every +inhabited part of California and the region to the north, from Mexico +and the Pacific coast southward and from the nearer islands of the +Pacific a constant stream of gold-seekers had been flowing into the gold +regions for nearly a year. Those coming by ship landed at San Francisco; +and from there reembarked in smaller boats and were carried up the +Sacramento River to Sacramento City, the nearest point to the mines +reached by boat, or made the journey overland on horseback, or with +mule- or horse- or oxen-drawn wagons, or even on foot. Many of the +Mexicans and a few of the South Americans came overland, while nearly +all of those coming from Oregon territory, whither many emigrants had +gone from the States during the past few years, made the journey +southward to Sacramento City the same way they had crossed the great +plains and the mountains, when they had sought new homes in the Great +Northwest a few years before--that is, by way of the prairie-schooner, +afoot and on horseback, traveling in small companies for mutual +protection. + +All of these different streams of inflowing gold-seekers were too far +south for Thure and Bud to strike until they were nearly to Sacramento +City, except that from Oregon, flowing from the north; and they hardly +expected to find this stream still flowing, since those regions were +supposed to have been already drained of all their gold-seeking +inhabitants. But, hardly had they ridden an hour on their way that +morning, when, on coming to the top of a low ridge of hills and looking +down into the valley beyond, they saw half a dozen white-topped wagons, +accompanied by a number of men, some on horseback and some afoot, a +couple of miles ahead of them and about to pass over another ridge of +hills. + +"Hurrah!" yelled Thure, at sight of the wagons and the men. "I'll bet a +coon skin that they are bound for Sacramento City and the gold-diggings, +too. Come, let's hurry up our horses and see if we can't overtake them. +I'll feel a lot safer when we're in with that crowd," and his keen eyes +glanced swiftly over the valley in front of them. "There are too many +places along this trail, where them skunks could hide and shoot us +without our getting a shot back at them, to suit me. But they will +hardly venture to take a shot at us, while we are with a crowd of armed +men like that. Hurrah! Come on!" and, striking his pack-horse with his +whip, Thure hurried on down the hill. + +A couple of hours later the two boys overtook the slower-moving train of +wagons; and were given a hearty welcome by the gaunt, roughly dressed +and rougher-looking men, who, as they had surmised, were bound for the +gold-mines. + +Thure, as they joined the little company of prospective miners, turned +and looked backward, just in time to see two horsemen appear on the brow +of a distant hill, halt their horses and sit staring in their direction +for a couple of minutes; and then, wheeling their horses about disappear +down the other side of the hill. + +"Queer!" thought Thure. "I should think they'd be only too glad to join +us, unless," and his heart gave a jump at the thought, "unless they were +Brokennose and Pockface following on our trail! I wonder--" + +But here the men of the wagon-train, gathering excitedly about him and +all eagerly asking questions, drove all further thoughts of the two +solitary horsemen out of his head. + +There were fifteen men, two women, and three children--a girl of +fourteen and two boys thirteen years old--in the company; and all had +come from the great wilderness to the north, whither they had gone from +the States some three years before. They had been traveling for many +days southward, through a wilderness inhabited only by wild beasts and +Indians, without seeing a human being, except a few Indians, although +they had passed a number of deserted ranchos on their way down the +Sacramento Valley, until Thure and Bud rode into their midst. All the +men were armed with long-barreled rifles, huge knives, and some of them, +in addition, carried a pistol or a revolver. They were dressed for the +most part in deerskins and their hair and beards had grown so long, that +only their bright eyes and bronzed noses and gleaming white teeth, when +they smiled or opened their mouths, were visible. All the other features +of their faces were hidden behind matted locks of hair. The faces of the +women and the children had been browned by the sun, until they were +nearly of the color of Indians, and their clothing was soiled and worn; +but all were clear-eyed and looked as if they did not know what a bodily +ache or pain was. + +Thure and Bud were too familiar with this type of wilderness manhood to +be worried in the least over their rough looks and dress. They knew +something of the real men that usually dwelt within these rough +exteriors--the men who hewed the way for civilization through the +wilderness, the men of the rifle, the trap, and the ax, strong and +sturdy and as gnarled and knotted as the oaks of their own forests, yet +as true to a friend or to the right as they saw it, as the balls in +their rifles were to their sights--and neither boy hesitated an instant +to accept their invitation to "jog along" with them to Sacramento City. + +For a few minutes the whole company halted and crowded excitedly around +Thure and Bud. They had heard no news of the world outside of their +little company for many days; and they were especially anxious to hear +the latest news from the diggings. + +"Sure th' gold ain't petered out yit?" queried one of the men anxiously. + +"No," answered Thure, smiling. "According to dad's last letter they were +discovering new diggings almost every day and all the old diggings were +still panning out well. Why, he wrote that the fellow who had the claim +right next to his claim had found a pocket the day before, out of which +he had taken in one day one thousand dollars' worth of gold nuggets!" + +"Say, young man," and a great, huge-boned, lank man crowded eagerly up +to Thure's side, "jest say them words over ag'in; an' say 'em loud, so +that Sal can hear. She's bin callin' me a fool regular 'bout every hour +since we started for th' diggings. Says she'll eat all th' gold I find +an' won't have no stumick-ake neither. Now, listen, Sal," and he turned +excitedly to one of the two women, who stood together on the outskirts +of the little crowd of men around Thure and Bud. "Jest listen tew what +this boy's own dad rit home," and again he turned his eager eyes on +Thure's face. + +Thure laughed and repeated, in a louder voice, the story of the miner's +good luck. + +"Did you hear that, Sal?" and again the big man turned excitedly to the +woman. "One Thousand Dollars' wurth of gold nuggets picked right up out +of a hole in th' ground in one day! Gosh, that's more gold than we ever +seed in our lives! An' he found it all in one day! Good lord! in ten +days he'd have Ten Thousand Dollars! An' in one hundred days he'd have +One Hundred Thousand Dollars!" he almost shouted. + +"Well, what if he did have one hundred thousand dollars! What good would +that do you? That's what I'd like tew know, Tim Perkins? He'd have th' +gold, not you, wouldn't he?" and the woman turned a thin care-worn face +to her big husband. + +"But," and the big fellow's eyes fairly shone with enthusiasm, "can't +you see, Sal, that that proves that th' gold is thar; an', th' gold +bein' thar, I stand as good a chance as anybody else of runnin' ontew a +pocket like that. Good lord, a Thousand Dollars in One Day! Think of +what that would mean tew us, Sal! Edication for th' boy an' gal, a +comfortable home for us as long as we live! If we could only have sech +luck! An' I've bin dreamin' of findin' gold almost every night since we +hooked up an' started for th' diggin's!" + +"An' your dreamin' always comes true!" replied Mrs. Perkins scornfully. +"Well, I've only got this tew say, an', if I've sed it onct, I've sed it +a hundred times, this is our last wild-goose chasin' trip. You'll settle +down for keeps, th' next time you settle down, Tim Perkins, gold or no +gold; or you'll do your chasin' alone," and she turned and climbed back +into one of the wagons, not at all moved by her big husband's +enthusiasm. + +"Sal's some downhearted," the big fellow explained to Thure, "'cause +things ain't turned out for us like we expected since comin' tew Oregon. +But," and his face lighted up again, "jest wait till I make my strike in +th' diggings an' nuthin' 'll be tew good for her an' th' yunks." + +"Do you reckon we can make Sacramento City tew-night?" here broke in one +of the men anxiously. "We was a calculatin' that we might." + +"Yes," answered Thure, "if you are willing to travel late; but you'll +have to hustle to do it." + +"Then we'll hustle," declared the man, who appeared to be the captain of +the little company. "Everybody who wants tew git to Sacramento City +tew-night git a-goin'," he shouted. "Th' gold stories'll keep till we +git thar," and he hurried away to his own wagon, which was in the van; +and soon, with much loud shouting and the cracking of the long lashes of +whips, the little train of wagons was again in motion. + +Thure and Bud fell in at once by the side of the leader, who, learning +that they were familiar with the trail to Sacramento City, had asked +them to act as guides. + +All the wagons were drawn by big raw-boned and long-legged mules; and +the two boys soon found that they had to use their whips freely on their +sturdy little pack-horses in order to hold their places in the train. + +All day long they pressed steadily forward, as fast as mule legs could +drag the heavy wagons; and, a little before night, they struck the +northern trail from San Francisco to Sacramento City, now a +well-traveled road. Here, for the first time, Thure and Bud began to get +something of an idea of what the rush to the gold-mines was like. There +were some twenty-five wagons, a hundred or more horsemen, and many men +on foot in sight of their eyes, when their wagons swung around a small +hill and on to the trail, now hardened into a road by the thousands of +wheels and hoofs that had recently passed over it; and all were hurrying +forward, as if they were fearful they would be too late to reap any of +the golden harvest. + +"Great buffaloes!" and Tim Perkins turned anxiously to Thure, by whose +side he was riding, "dew you reckon all them folks are bound for the +diggin's?" + +"Yes," answered Thure. "Can't you see that everyone is armed with a pick +and shovel and gold-pan? Why, even the men on foot are lugging picks and +shovels and gold-pans on their backs!" + +"An'," continued Tim, the anxious look on his face deepening, "dew you +reckon they've bin a-tearin' over th' trail tew th' diggin's like this +for long; or is this jest a stampede we have struck?" + +"A ship has probably landed at San Francisco lately," Thure replied; +"and these are some of the gold-seekers who came in it. But I don't +think from what I have heard that what we are seeing is an unusual sight +along this trail. They've been rushing to the mines like a herd of +stampeding cattle for months." + +"Gosh! I'm afeard they'll find all th' gold afore we git thar! If +'twon't for Sal an' th yunks I'd hurry on ahead. Dang it, if I was only +thar right now I might be discoverin' a pocket full of gold, like that +miner aside your dad did, at this identical moment! Hi, thar, Jud," and +he turned his eyes glowing with excitement to the face of the +train-captain, "let's see if we can't git ahead of some of this tarnel +crowd; or they'll be a-landin' on all the good spots afore we git thar." + +"Now, jest keep a tight rein on your hosses, Perkins," grinned Jud +Smith, the leader of the little company of Oregon gold-seekers; "an' +rekerleck th' old sayin' 'th' more haste th' less speed,' But," and an +uneasy look came into his own eyes, "it sure does look like all creation +had started for th' diggin's. See, they're still a-comin' as far back as +th' eyes can reach! I reckon we had better try an' hit up a leetle +livelier gait. G'lang, thar, you long-eared repteels!" and the long lash +of his whip hissed through the air and cracked, like the report of a +pistol, over the heads of his leading mules. + +Indeed, it seemed to be impossible for even the sanest of men to mingle +long with a crowd of hurrying gold-seekers and think of what they were +hurrying for, and not catch the fever of unreasoning haste. The thought +that they might be too late, that each moment they might be missing a +golden opportunity by not being on the spot, seemed to obsess all minds; +and the nearer they got to the gold-fields the greater became this +excitement and hurry, until it degenerated into little more than a wild +stampede of gold-mad men. + +And no wonder! for the nearer they got to the mines the bigger the +stories seemed to grow of the wonderful gold finds that were being made. +Nay, more than this! They now sometimes actually saw the gold and +actually met the men who had found it, as they were returning to the +comforts and pleasures of civilization, actually burdened down with the +weight of the precious metal they were carrying! And, what if all this +gold should all be dug up before they got to the mines! The thought was +enough to put the fever of haste into the blood of any man. + +The knowledge of having the skin map and the thought of the Cave of Gold +to which it pointed the way, did not keep Thure and Bud from feeling +this excitement, this wild desire to hurry, as their little company +swung into line on the trail and rushed madly on with the rest. True the +skin map and the gold nugget, still in the miner's buckskin bag, hung, +safely hidden, under the armpit of Thure's left shoulder; but the old +miner himself had found the Cave of Gold, and, if he had found it, why +might not some other man find it? That was the disturbing thought that +had troubled the two boys all along; and now, when they began to realize +how great was the flood of gold-seekers constantly pouring into the +mining regions and how their keen eyes would be searching everywhere, +their anxiety to get to their fathers as quickly as possible grew apace, +until they were almost as eager to reach the mines as was Tim Perkins +himself; and, by a constant urging of their pack-horses, managed to keep +their places with Jud Smith and his company. + +However, in spite of all their hurrying, it was after nine o'clock at +night and dark before they reached the west bank of the Sacramento River +opposite Sacramento City. Here they found a hundred wagons and many +animals and men ahead of them, waiting to be ferried across the river; +and, to their very great disappointment, they were obliged to wait until +the next morning before crossing over to Sacramento City. + +"Well, we are within sight of Sacramento City anyhow," declared Thure, +when Jud Smith returned from the ferry with the news that they would be +obliged to camp on that side of the river for the night; "and, I reckon, +it is just as well that we don't cross over to-night. I'll feel just a +little better entering a town like that in the clear light of day," and +his eyes looked in astonishment and wonder across the dark waters of the +river to where the myriad lights of Sacramento City shone along the +opposite bank. + +The last time Thure had stood where he was now standing, only a little +over a year ago, and looked across the Sacramento River, not a sign of a +human habitation was in sight where now shone the thousands of lights of +a busy city! + +"Isn't it a wonderful sight!" exclaimed Bud, as the two boys stood a +little later on the river bank, staring, with fascinated eyes, across +the water. "Looks more like a dream-city, or a scene in fairyland, than +it does like a real town inhabited by real people." + +And Bud was right. It was a marvelous sight that the two boys were +looking at, a sight the like of which, probably, no human eye will ever +look upon again. + +Along the river bank for a mile or more and stretching back from the +water's edge up the slope of the low-lying hills, glowed and sparkled a +city of tents, pitched in the midst of a virgin forest of huge oak and +sycamore trees. It is impossible for words to convey to the mind the +mystic charm of this wonderful city of light, when seen by night across +the dark waters of the river. Nearly all the houses were but rude frames +walled with canvas, or merely tents; and, in the darkness, the lights +within transformed these into dwellings of solid light, that glowed in +rows along the river front, their lights reflected in the water, and +straggled in glowing rows of light up the hillsides and underneath the +dark overhanging branches of great trees, while here and there through +the general glow shone out brilliant points of light, the decoy-lamps of +the gambling-houses and the saloons. And, for a background to all this, +the shadowy darkness of the surrounding night! + +Thure and Bud were very tired; but they stood for many minutes looking +on this wondrous and fairylike scene, half expecting to see it all +vanish instantly at the wave of some magician's wand, before they turned +to prepare for the night. On their way back to camp and just as they +were passing a large camp-fire, they met two horsemen riding down toward +the ferry. + +"No crossing to-night!" called out Thure. + +The two horsemen turned their faces in their direction; and both boys +started, for, by the light of the camp-fire, they saw that one of the +men was large and the other was small and that the nose of the large man +had been broken, and then the darkness hid their faces from their sight, +as the two horsemen hurried on without uttering a word in reply. + + + + +CHAPTER VIII + +ACCUSED OF MURDER + + +There were no laggards in the camp on the west side of the Sacramento +River the next morning. Long before sun-up a line of wagons and animals +and men stood waiting at the ferry, ready to be carried across the +river; and among the first of these were our anxious young friends, +Thure and Bud. They had pushed on ahead of their fellow travelers of the +day before, the little company of Oregon gold-seekers, who had been +delayed in getting into the line on account of their wagons, and were +fortunate enough to get near the ferry; and, just as the first rays of +the morning's sun looked down on the novel and interesting scene, they +led their animals on board the ferry-boat. + +The boat was jammed with men and wagons and horses and mules and oxen. +The men were all talking excitedly of the mines, the animals were +frightened and restless--indeed, all living beings seemed to breathe in +excitement and restlessness and anxiety out of the very air, with every +breath they drew into their bodies. + +"Glory be!" commented Bud, as his eyes looked over the motley gathering +of men that crowded every available spot on the boat, "but this is a +queer-looking lot of men to see in the wilds of California! Looks like +every nation in the world was represented right here in this one boat +load and sounds like the confusion of tongues at the tower of Babel. +There sure has got to be a lot of gold, if everybody gets a share!" and +his face clouded. "Say, but this boat is slow!" and he turned his +impatient eyes toward the shore, where, in the garish light of day, the +city of canvas seemed real enough, but not a whit less wonderful, only +in an entirely different way, than had the magic city of light the night +before. + +A forest of masts grew from a multitude of boats strung along the river +front, and stood out in striking contrast against the leaved branches of +the trees on the shore. The boats were moored to strong trunks and huge +sinewy roots; and the larger number of them turned out "to grass," that +is, leased as shops and dwelling houses. Signboards and figure-heads +from the boats were set up along the shore, facing the levee; and back +of them, up the gentle slopes of the hills lying between the Sacramento +and the American Rivers, for the town was built at the junction of these +two rivers, ran the streets of this novel city, lined with their +odd-looking canvas houses and tents. Great forest-trees, some of them +six feet in diameter, towered here and there above the houses and the +streets, their huge column-like trunks and outspreading boughs, clothed +with green leaves, adding the needed touch of romanticism to complete +the unique picturesqueness of the scene. Everywhere was bustle and +excitement. Men were hurrying in and out of the doors of the shops and +of the saloons and up and down the streets. Drivers were shouting and +cursing at their horses, mules, or oxen; whips were cracking; and wheels +were rumbling and creaking. Parties of miners here and there, with loud +shouts of farewell, were starting off for the mines, loaded down with +pickaxes and shovels, with gold-pans and frying-pans, and other +equipments of the rude camp-life they were preparing to live. Sun-up, +everybody up, seemed to be the motto of all Sacramento City. + +Into the midst of this wild hurly-burly Thure and Bud plunged directly +from the ferry-boat. At first they hardly knew what to do with +themselves and horses. Never had they been in a scene of such excitement +and confusion before. It fairly made their heads whirl; but, boy-like, +they enjoyed every bit of it, as, with their keen young eyes glancing in +every direction, they rode, holding their frightened pack-horses close +to their sides, slowly up what seemed to be the main street of the city. + +"Say," and Bud pointed to a large sign on the front of one of the few +frame buildings, which read "City Hotel," "that looks like a place to +eat. Let's tie our horses outside and go in and get our breakfast. I'm +as hungry as a bear; and--and--well we can talk over what we had better +do next while we are eating. Glory be, I did not suppose Sacramento City +was like this!" and he grinned. + +The boys had been in too much of a hurry to get across the river to stop +to prepare their own breakfast that morning, consequently Thure at once +welcomed Bud's suggestion; and, jumping off their horses, the two lads +tied their animals to near-by trees and walked into the City Hotel, +bravely trying to look and act as if they were accustomed to living at +hotels all their lives, although, to tell the truth, neither boy had +even seen a hotel before for ten years. + +They found the dining-room and seats at one of the tables without much +difficulty; and after some little study of the bill-of-fare, during +which they forgot to look at the prices, they gave their order to the +waiter--God save the mark! no, to the steward; for there the word +"waiter," was never used, it not being considered a sufficiently +respectable calling for a man who a few months before might have been a +lawyer, a doctor, a merchant, or even a minister. The food was soon set +before them; and, as they ate, they talked over the situation. + +"The first thing for us to do," declared Thure, "is to find some miners +bound for Hangtown, and then make arrangements to go with them; and the +only way to do this is to start out and ask everyone who looks as if he +was going to the diggings, if he is going to Hangtown, or knows of +anyone who is. I reckon it won't take us long to find someone; and, if +possible, we want to get on our way to-day." + +Bud promptly sanctioned this plan; and, accordingly, it was agreed that, +as soon as they finished their breakfast, they would start out to find +someone bound for Hangtown. + +"I'll pay the bill," magnanimously announced Thure, when the last morsel +of food and the last swallow of coffee had vanished down their throats, +and he turned to the smiling steward. + +The steward wrote for a minute or so on a little pad of paper; and then, +tearing off a sheet, handed it to Thure. It was the bill for their +breakfast and read: + + 4 fried eggs $6.00 + 1 leg of mutton (with potatoes) 2.25 + 1 leg of veal (with potatoes) 2.25 + 2 cups of coffee (with milk) 1.50 + Bread (with butter) for two 2.00 + 2 pieces of pie 1.50 + ------ + Total $15.50 + +"Great Moses!" and Thure stared in the utmost astonishment at the piece +of paper he held in his hand, "does this mean that we are to pay Fifteen +Dollars and a Half for what we have just eaten?" + +"Yes," smiled the steward, who had evidently been a lawyer before he +became a steward, "fifteen dollars and fifty cents is all. Eggs and +butter came down a little to-day; and we always give our patrons the +benefit of a fall in prices at once. You will see that your bill is +correct by glancing at the prices on the bill-of-fare." + +Thure transferred his stare, for a moment, to the face of the smiling +steward; and then, picking up the bill-of-fare, he saw that the prices +were correct, and paid the bill. + +"I see that you have already found your goldmine," he remarked, as he +handed the cashier the money. + +"And without digging in mud and gravel for the gold," the cashier +replied, with a grin and a wink. "But, there is not as much gold in it +as you might think. Now, how much do you suppose those eggs cost me a +dozen?" and he pointed to the egg item on the bill-of-fare. + +"Never sold any," smiled back Thure. "We always gave them away." + +"Huh! I'll take a car load at that price. Now, them identical eggs that +you ate this morning cost me at the rate of Thirteen Dollars and +Seventy-five cents a dozen, wholesale! I reckon you are new to the +diggings, or you would know that prices on everything have gone soaring +up like skyrockets," and the cashier, who happened also to be the +proprietor, threw up both hands despairingly toward the ceiling. "Say, +what do you suppose I have to pay the fellow who washes the dishes? +Seventy-five Dollars a week and keep! And the cook, Mother of men! he +gets One Hundred and Eighty-five Dollars a week! Got to pay it, or +they'll go to the diggings." + +"Excuse me," broke in Bud, who at this moment suddenly thought that no +one would be apt to know more about the goings and the comings of the +miners, than the hotelkeeper, himself. "But, do you happen to know of +any miners in town who are going to Hangtown? We expect to find our dads +there; and want to get away from here as soon as we can." + +"Now," and the broad forehead wrinkled, "let me think. Sure!" and the +wrinkles vanished. "Yankee Tom and his company were to start for +Hangtown this morning; and, I reckon, if you hustle, you can yet get to +them before they start. You see--" + +"Where'll we find them?" broke in Thure eagerly. He was too anxious to +be off to care to listen longer to the talkative landlord. + +"See that big sycamore over yonder?" and the landlord pointed through +the open door to where a giant tree lifted its head far above its +surroundings. + +"Yes." + +"Well, Yankee Tom's camp is under that tree. Just head for that tree, +and you will sure hit his camp, if he is still there; but you'd better +hustle," and the landlord turned to attend to other guests. + +Thure and Bud at once hurried out to where they had left their horses; +and were soon mounted and hastening toward the big tree. Their route, +for a short distance, lay through a very busy street, with shops of all +kinds and innumerable gambling--and drinking-hells on both sides. Great +crowds of men were hurrying in and out of these places; and the street +was so jammed with wagons and horses and mules and oxen and men that +Thure and Bud found considerable difficulty in making their way through +it. + +"No more hotel eating for me," declared Thure, with a grimace, as they +made their way as speedily as possible through this crowded street. "A +Dollar and a Half for an Egg! But won't mother's eyes open when she +hears that?" + +"Well, eggs are not the only things that are high. Just look at that +sign there," and Bud pointed to a large sign in front of one of the +stores, on which the storekeeper had recorded the day's bargains. The +sign read: + + THE BEST AND THE CHEAPEST PLACE + + TO BUY YOUR OUTFITS A FEW OF TO-DAY'S SPECIAL BARGAINS THAT CANT BE + BEAT ANYWHERE IN THE CITY + + Best flour ten pounds for only $15.00 + Rice, five pounds for only 5.00 + Potatoes, a heaped-up bushel, only 35.00 + Good butter only 2.00 per pound + Barley only 1.00 per quart + Best white beans only 6.50 + Candles only 1.00 each. + Best Salaratus only 14.50 per pound + Hip boots, warranted waterproof 100.00 + Pair of pantaloons, good quality 36.00 + Sugar--good--only 2.00 per pound + Coffee, five pounds for 9.00 + Good picks, shovels, tin-pans at only 57.00 each. + +"Whew!" and Thure drew in a long breath, when he had finished reading +the sign. "It's lucky we brought our outfits along with us, or we'd be +bankrupt before we could get out of Sacramento City. Well, those prices +certainly prove that the gold is here. Nobody could live if it wasn't. +And, when you stop to think that most of the stuff has to be brought +thousands of miles and then packed for some two hundred miles more into +a roadless wilderness, the prices don't look so high--Well, what's the +rumpus now?" and Thure whirled partly around on his horse to look back +to where a huge red-headed man had suddenly jumped up on top of a barrel +in front of one of the stores, and was yelling something, just what he +could not understand, and pointing excitedly in his direction. + +A sound, like a growl from the throats of a hundred angry wolves, went +up from the surrounding crowd, and a great wave, headed by the +red-headed man, rolled threateningly toward the two wondering boys. + +"What--what can be the trouble?" and Bud turned an anxious face to +Thure. "They look mad; and they are coming straight toward us! What can +have happened? Who are they after?" and he looked confusedly around. + +"Pull them off their horses!" + +"Hang them!" + +"The murderers!" + +The air was now filled with these and similar dreadful cries and men +came running toward them from all directions; and, before the two boys +could fairly realize what was happening, they found themselves the +center of a seething crowd of excited and angry men, while a hundred +armed hands were lifted threateningly toward them. + +"God in heaven, they are after us!" and Thure, too utterly astounded for +the moment to realize the terrible nature of their situation, stared +wildly into the surrounding angry faces. "What--what--" + +But, before he could put his stammering dumbfounded query, strong hands +seized and jerked him roughly from his horse, while other hands at the +same moment jerked Bud off his horse. One of the men who seized and +pulled Thure from his horse was the big red-headed man, who had jumped +up on top of the barrel and who had led the rush against the two boys. +The moment Thure looked into his face he started back in horror. The man +had a broken nose! + +At this moment and before either boy had collected his startled wits +sufficiently to even offer a protest or to demand what this rough laying +on of hands meant, a big man drove, like a sharpened wedge, through the +crowd, and halted, with a hand tightly gripping the coat collar of each +terrified lad. + +"What is the trouble?" he demanded authoritatively. "What have the young +men done?" + +"The sheriff!" yelled someone in the crowd. "It's Turner, the sheriff!" + +"Yes, it's Turner, the sheriff," and the man tightened his grips on +Thure's and Bud's collars. "Hands off. They are my prisoners now," and +he turned a bit impatiently to the men, whose hands still had hold of +the boys. "Well, what have they done?" + +"Murder!" "Murder!" yelled a dozen voices from the crowd. + +"Why, they are little more than boys!" and the sheriff turned his eyes +in astonished horror on Thure and Bud. "Who accuses them?" + +"Me an' my pard do," and the big red-headed man with a broken nose, who +had let go of Thure the moment the sheriff had him safely by the collar, +stepped up in front of Turner. "We accuses them of murderin' an' robbin' +John Stackpole, an old miner, who was on his way tew San Francisco from +th' diggin's; an' what's more, we saw 'em do it with our own eyes; an' +are ready tew swear tew th' same afore any judge an' jury. Ain't we +Spike?" and he turned to a small man, with a pockmarked face, who was +standing close to Bud. + +"True as preachin'," declared the small man. "With my own eyes I saw 'em +knock th' miner off his hoss with their guns, an' then jump on him, an' +run a knife through his heart, an' jerk off his gold-belt, an'--" + +"You lie!" and the hard fist of Bud's sturdy right arm landed squarely +on the chin of the man, with such force that he was knocked backward, +senseless, into the arms of a man standing behind him. "You and +Brokennose killed him yourselves. We--" + +"Shut up!" and the sheriff whirled Bud violently around in front of him. +"Now, young man, another move like that and I will put you in irons. +Here, Dave," and he turned to a roughly dressed miner standing near, +"just pull their teeth, while I hold them. They're beginning to look +some rambunctuous." + +And, indeed, Thure and Bud did look "rambunctuous"; for by now both boys +were beginning to get an inkling of the game that was being played on +them by the two scoundrels. But, what could they do? Everything had +happened so suddenly and unexpectedly, that they were in the hands of +the sheriff before either of them had recovered his wits sufficiently to +even open his mouth in protest or defense. + +"Quiet, quiet," cautioned the roughly dressed miner, whom the sheriff +had summoned to his aid, in a low voice, as he swiftly pulled the boys' +knives and pistols from their belts. "Don't let your tempers git tew +buckin'. You're a sight better off in th' hands of th' sheriff, who will +see that you git a fair trial, than you would be in the hands of the +mob, who sometimes string a feller up first an' try him afterwards." + +Thure and Bud promptly saw the wisdom of this counsel and allowed the +miner to disarm them without protest. + +"Now, Dave, I'll make you my deputy until this little matter is settled. +Bring along the animals and I'll see that these two young--" The sheriff +paused and looked curiously into the faces of Thure and Bud. "I'll be +hanged, if you look much like murderers!" he declared frankly. +"Howsomever, I am not the judge; and you can't always tell whether or +not a dog has got fleas by his looks." + +"We are innocent, absolutely innocent," began Thure excitedly. "We did +not kill the old miner. We--" + +"Save your talk," broke in the sheriff good-naturedly, glancing sharply +into the boy's face, "for the trial. I'll see that you get a fair trial; +and that's all that I can do. Now, you two men that make this accusation +of murder against the prisoners, come along," and he glanced keenly at +the two men. + +Brokennose still stood near Thure; and the one called Spike had +recovered sufficiently from his contact with Bud's fist to stand glaring +at Bud, with an ugly scowl on his pock-marked face. + +"Where are you goin' tew take 'em?" he demanded. "This ain't no jail +case. We wants them tried immejiate. Thar ain't no need of lawyers an' +jedges tew mix things up. We seed 'em kill th' miner, an' are willin' +tew swear tew it, an' that otter be enough tew have 'em danglin' by +their necks inside of half an hour." + +"They'll dangle, when they've been proven guilty, according to the laws +of this city; and not before," answered the sheriff dryly. "We'd give a +dog a fair trial in this town before we'd hang him. Come, you can tell +your stories to the alcalde," and, still keeping a tight grip on the +collars of Thure and Bud, he started down the street toward the office +of the alcalde, before whom all criminal cases were tried, followed by +Dave, the miner, with the horses of the boys, their two accusers, and +the crowd, which had made no move to dispute the authority of the +sheriff, although a little growling had been done. They knew that they +would not have long to wait. California justice in those days in the +mining towns and camps was sudden. + + + + +CHAPTER IX + +THE TESTIMONY OF BILL UGGER + + +Sacramento City at that date had a rude but effective government of its +own. An alcalde and other city officers had been elected; and certain +unwritten laws, for the protection of life and property, had been +promulgated and were strictly enforced. Lynching, in the sense that we +know it to-day, was almost unknown. There were no disorderly mobs, who, +under the spurs of their own brutal passions, strung up their victims +unheard and without even the semblance of a fair trial. Justice, if +sudden, was usually careful to see that it was justice and not brutality +that rendered the verdict. And yet, many of these early trials had the +outward semblance of lynching-bees in the swift severity of their +punishments. A murderer would be arrested, tried, convicted, and +decently hanged, all before sundown of the same day. The mob spirit was +there, but usually held in check by the sturdy manhood of the American +miners, who had nearly all come from law abiding and law respecting +communities. + +This swift severity of Justice was, in a sense, compelled by the +unusual, the almost unprecedented conditions surrounding life in a city +born suddenly in a wilderness. There were few locks and bars and bolts, +or, even, doors, in Sacramento City at that time; and large sums in gold +and great values in goods were often left exposed and almost +unprotected. The thief, under such circumstances, had to be dealt with +severely and promptly; or the property of no one would be safe. There +were no regularly established courts in the city to try criminals, no +written code of laws to dictate methods of procedure, no court officials +to enforce mandates, and no safe jails in which to confine prisoners. +Under such circumstances the people had to form their own courts, make +their own laws, and see that they were enforced; or have no laws; and +the criminal had to be dealt with summarily. The thief was sometimes +whipped, or, even, cropped, that is his ears were cut off, and he was +always driven from the city, and warned not to come back under penalty +of death. The murderer, when proven guilty to the satisfaction of the +people, was always hanged. No prisoners were held. They were proven +guilty and sentence pronounced and executed at once; or they were set +free. + +Such was Sacramento City in 1849, the Sacramento City in which Thure and +Bud now found themselves under arrest for the horrible crime of murder, +the most serious crime that can be charged against a human being +anywhere, but rendered especially serious in the present case by the +peculiar surrounding circumstances. In all the city, so far as either +boy knew, they did not have a friend, or even an acquaintance, who could +vouch for them--and yet, before the sun set that night, they must prove +themselves innocent of the crime charged, or, in all human probability, +be hanged! + +The alcalde's office was small, only a few of the great crowd of men who +had followed the sheriff and his prisoners could get inside of it; and, +when the alcalde saw the size of the gathering outside of his office and +learned the serious nature of the charge against the two boys, he at +once ordered the "court" to be held under the big oak in the +horse-market, where there would be room for all to see and hear how +justice was dispensed. Accordingly all started at once for the +horse-market, situated near the bottom of K Street, where an immense +evergreen oak stood in the middle of the street, furnishing an agreeable +shade for many feet around and a fittingly picturesque scene for the +holding of such a trial as was about to take place. + +The method of procedure, on arriving at the horse-market, was simple but +effective. The alcalde took his station near the trunk of the great oak, +and summoned the prisoners and their accusers before him, while the +crowd gathered in a grim and stern-faced circle around this improvised +courtroom. + +"What is the crime the prisoners are charged with?" and the alcalde +turned to the sheriff. + +"Murder!" answered the sheriff briefly. + +"Who makes the accusation?" + +"Those two men standing there," and the sheriff indicated the big +red-headed man with the broken nose and the small man with the +pock-marked face, who now stood just behind the sheriff and his two +prisoners. + +"Stand forth by the side of the prisoners," commanded the alcalde. + +The two men shuffled awkwardly forward and stood uneasily by the side of +Thure and Bud, their eyes shifting restlessly from the face of the +alcalde to the faces of the surrounding crowd. + +For a couple or more minutes the alcalde studied the faces of the two +boys and the faces of their two accusers in silence. Evidently he was +endeavoring to form an opinion of the characters of the prisoners and +their accusers; but, what that opinion was, his face did not betray. + +"Why do you accuse these two young men of murder?" and the alcalde +suddenly fixed his eyes upon the face of the man with a broken nose. + +"Because I seen 'em do it," answered the man. "Me an' my pard, Spike, +seen 'em do it. Ask him," and he turned to the small man, who stood +close by his side. + +"And you are both willing to make oath that you saw these two young men, +who are little more than boys, commit the awful crime of murder?" the +alcalde continued. + +"Yes," promptly responded both men. + +"Then, may God have mercy on your souls, if the accusations are false! +What have you to say to the accusation? Guilty; or, not guilty?" and the +alcalde turned abruptly to Thure and Bud. + +"Not guilty," answered Thure, his face very white. "We--" + +"That will do for the present," interrupted the alcalde. "Gentlemen, how +shall the case be tried?" and he turned to the surrounding crowd of +stern-faced men. + +"Give 'em a jury, an' git a-goin'," called a rough voice impatiently. + +"Do you wish a trial by jury?" and again the alcalde turned to Thure and +Bud. + +"Yes," answered both boys. + +"The trial will be by jury," announced the alcalde. "I summon to act as +this jury," and his eyes searched the circle of surrounding faces, as he +slowly called out the names of twelve men, who, as their names were +called, stepped forth and took their stations by the side of the alcalde +and in front of the prisoners and their accusers. + +When the twelve jurymen had been selected, all were solemnly sworn by +the alcalde to render a true and just verdict, according to the evidence +presented; and the trial of Thure and Bud for the murder of John +Stackpole, the miner, was ready to begin. + +During all this time Thure and Bud had been doing some very serious and +some very rapid thinking. At first the suddenness and the unexpectedness +of the rush of men upon them in the busy street, followed so swiftly by +their arrest and the dreadful accusations of the two men, whom they had +every reason to believe had committed the crime themselves, had almost +completely benumbed their faculties; but this condition of mind had +lasted only a short time, and long before they reached the place of +trial their minds were busy with the dreadful problem of how to prove +themselves innocent of the crime charged, when two men were ready to +swear that they saw them commit the crime, and when they did not have, +could not have, a single witness who could swear to the truthfulness of +their statements concerning the miner's death. No one but themselves had +seen him die; and, so far as they knew, no one but themselves and their +accusers knew the cause of his death. If they only had time to send +home--But, even if they had witnesses from home, what could they prove? +Only that the two boys had brought the dead miner home and had buried +him; and that would be no proof that they had not killed him and +invented the story of the two robbers. + +True, on their side, they could accuse the two men of committing the +murder themselves; but they had no positive proofs that they were guilty +of the crime, only the description of his assailants given them by the +dying miner. There might be other men with broken noses and pock-marked +faces. All that they could swear to of their own knowledge was that one +of the men they had seen murdering the old miner was larger than the +other. They had not got near enough to the murderers to be able to +recognize them again, even if they should see them, except by the +description given by the murdered man. And for them to accuse the two +men, who had caused their arrest, of the murder, in itself would look +suspicious to those who did not know the real facts and would have a +tendency to make them doubt their whole story of the death of the miner. + +Then there was another matter that troubled the two boys greatly. Why +had the two men accused them thus publicly of the murder of the miner? +Why had they run this risk of turning suspicion against themselves? They +must feel very certain that the "evidence" they would produce would +convict; or, they never would have dared to have chanced accusing them +of the crime; for their acquittal would be almost sure to turn suspicion +in their own direction. True, there was the skin map, and, possibly, the +accusation was some scheme to get the map into their possession; but, +how could their hanging bring this about? If they were hanged, the map +and its meaning would be almost sure to be made public; and then every +man in Sacramento City would have as good a chance of finding the Cave +of Gold as would the two scoundrels themselves, a condition of things +that both boys felt quite sure the two men were exceedingly anxious to +avoid, and the map itself would be almost certain to be kept from them. + +Then, again, the possession of the skin map itself was the cause of the +gravest anxiety and dread. If they confessed to its possession it would +reveal to all the secret of the Cave of Gold, something that they were +almost ready to give their lives to prevent, and would not help their +case in the least. Indeed, under the circumstances it would, probably, +be considered the strongest possible circumstantial evidence of their +guilt. + +But, what if the alcalde should order them searched and the map be +found? Or, what if the two men, becoming desperate, should ask that they +be searched, to see if anything that belonged to the miner could be +found in their possession, and the buckskin bag and the gold nugget and +the skin map should all be discovered in their place of concealment +under Thure's left shoulder? + +When the two horns of a dilemma are both equally long and sharp, how, +then, can the peril be avoided? + +Indeed, the longer and the closer Thure and Bud looked at their +situation, the more dreadful and impossible of remedy it appeared. How +could they prove their innocence, when they did not have a single +witness to appear in their defense? How could their youth and +inexperience, friendless and alone, hope to combat successfully with the +cunning and the experience of these two unprincipled men, who would stop +at nothing to accomplish their ends? But, they were not the kind of boys +to give up a fight for life, as long as they could strike back; and the +more difficult their situation appeared, the more grimly determined they +became to win out somehow, or, at least, to die fighting. + +"Not a word of the skin map and the Cave of Gold," hastily warned Thure +in a whisper to Bud, as the alcalde, having completed the tale of the +jury, again turned to them. "Tell everything just as it happened, but +that. The telling of that would not help us a bit; and, if it were known +that we had a map and a gold nugget that had belonged to the miner, it +would look suspicious and might hurt us a lot; and we don't want to give +away the Cave of Gold, not if we can help it." + +"Right," whispered back Bud. "It's got to be our word against the word +of those two cowardly villains, I reckon," and he glared furiously in +the direction of the two men. "We've just got to beat them some way," +and his young face grew grim and stern. + +By this time the jurymen had all seated themselves comfortably on the +ground on both sides of the alcalde, and were ready to hear the +testimony. + +"You may step forward and be sworn," and the alcalde's eyes signaled out +the big man with a broken nose. + +The man stepped up in front of the alcalde, who sat on a stump, with a +barrel standing on end in front of him and an old worn Bible lying on +top of the barrel. + +"Hold up your right hand," commanded the alcalde, his keen eyes fixing +themselves sternly on the red, brutal face; "and repeat the oath after +me." + +The man's right hand went up with a sort of spasmodic jerk. + +"I do solemnly swear," began the alcalde slowly, "that the testimony I +am about to give in the case now before the court, shall be the truth, +the whole truth, and nothing but the truth; and may God eternally damn +my soul, if I knowingly utter a false word." + +Hesitatingly and with a whitening face, the man slowly repeated this +oath. + +"Kiss the Bible," commanded the alcalde; "and may God blister the lips +that have touched His holy book, if they suffer a false word to pass +between them." + +The man hesitated a moment: and then, at a muttered objurgation from his +companion, he bent and hastily pressed his lips against the cover of the +holy book. + +"What is your name and business?" In this rude and informal court the +alcalde not only acted as judge, but also examined all witnesses. + +"William Ugger, Bill Ugger, for short," answered the man, his eyes +shifting restlessly from face to face as he spoke. "Me an' my pard are +bound for th' diggin's." + +"Now, remembering that you have sworn to speak nothing but the truth and +that your lips have just kissed the holiest of books, you may tell the +jury and the people here assembled what you know of this alleged murder +of the miner, John Stackpole. Be as brief as possible, please," and the +alcalde's eyes, as well as the eyes of every man gathered there, +fastened themselves on the face of Bill Ugger. + +"Wal," and the shifting eyes fixed themselves for a few brief moments on +the ground in front of the big feet, "it happened like this. Me an' my +pard, Spike, thar," and he nodded toward his companion, "was on our way +from San Francisco tew Sacramento City an' th' diggin's a-hossback. +Somehow we happened tew git off th' reg'lar trail, me an' Spike did; an' +'long 'bout noon, three days ago, we comed tew a leetle valley, with a +leetle stream of water a-runnin' through it, an' a string of trees an' +brush a-growin' 'longside th' water. Both on us bein' tired, we'd ben +a-goin' since sun-up, we found a nice shady spot 'longside th' water, +an', tyin' our hosses tew th' trees, both on us laid down for a short +snooze. Course I don't know how long we'd ben a-snoozin', but, I reckon, +'twas 'bout a couple of hours, when we was both jerked out of a sound +sleep by a yell of agony that sounded as if it comed from a man what had +ben struck a mortal blow. Nat'rally that yell startled me an' Spike sum, +bein' that we both had been sound asleep; an', maybe, for a minute we +sot a-lookin' intew each other's eyes, doin' nuthin'. Then Spike says: +'Sounded human, Bill. Like sumone had got his,' an' I seed that he was +a-shiverin'; for 'tain't none pleasant tew be waked out of a sound sleep +by th' death-cry of a human. 'An' it sounded as if it comed from right +ayond that leetle clump of bushes,' an' he pointed a shakin' finger +toward a leetle clump of bushes, 'bout a rod away, that shut out our +view of th' valley. 'I reckon we'd better investergate,' an' we both +began a-crawlin' toward that clump of bushes, not havin' heard no more +sounds. + +"Wal," and the shifty eyes shot swift glances from the face of the +alcalde to the faces of the jury and the surrounding crowd, to note the +effect of his words, "when we got tew them bushes an' looked through +'em--" He paused and laid a hand solemnly on the Bible lying on top of +the barrel in front of the alcalde--"so help me God! this is what we +saw. Th' valley in front of th' bushes was level an' open, so that we +could see clear 'cross it; an', 'bout twenty rods from whar we was, we +saw a man strugglin' violently on th' ground with two other men atop of +him, while three hosses stood a leetle ways off a lookin' at 'em; an', +even as we looked, we saw one of th' men flash a knife above his head +an' plunge it down, an' th' man on th' ground stopped strugglin'. + +"This was a leetle more'n Spike an' I was a-willin' tew stand for, an' +we both jumps up out of th' bushes, an', drawin' our pistols, we had no +rifles, we yells an' starts for them two men. Both on 'em jumps tew +their feet, an' grabs up their rifles, an', afore you could say Jack, +they had th' both on us covered, we not bein' near enough tew use +our pistols. But we was close enough tew see 'em plain; an', afore +God!--" The man stopped abruptly and, whirling suddenly about, pointed +a finger dramatically directly into the face of Thure--"it was that young +villain a-standin' thar what had his gun a-pointin' straight at me!" + +Thure, in utter astonishment, took a quick step backward; and then, +suddenly realizing what that pointing finger meant, backed by those +startling words, he lost all control of himself for the moment and +leaped straight toward Bill Ugger. + +"It's a lie! A lie!" he yelled, as with all his young strength he +struggled furiously with the great bulk of his antagonist. But, before +either could do the other any harm, the strong hands of the sheriff +seized Thure by the shoulders. + +"Here, you young catamount!" and he jerked Thure violently backward, and +lifted the butt of his heavy revolver threateningly, while his face +hardened. "Quit it, or--" and the heavy butt descended lightly on +Thure's head by way of warning. + +"But he lied! Every word that he uttered was a lie!" and tears of rage +gathered in Thure's eyes. + +"Young man," the alcalde was now standing on his feet, all the sympathy +gone from his face, "you will give me your word of honor not in any way +again to do violence to the decorum of this court during this trial, or +I shall order the sheriff to bind you hand and foot. Do I have your +promise?" and he fixed his eyes sternly on the white face of Thure. + +For a moment Thure stood silent. Then his young face hardened and his +lips tightened into two thin straight lines. Reason again had firm hold +of the helm. + +"I promise," he answered quietly; "and I ask the court's pardon for my +violent action. But the damnable lies told by that--" + +"That will do," interrupted the alcalde. "Sheriff, if either of the +prisoners forgets himself or our presence again, bind him hand and foot. +Now," and he turned to Bill Ugger, who, as soon as Thure had been torn +from him, had again returned quietly to his place before the official +barrel, his red face flushed and his little eyes shining with triumph, +"you may go on with your testimony, William Ugger. You were saying that +you recognized one of the prisoners as one of the murderers and that he +had you covered with his rifle. Remembering your oath and comprehending +fully what your dreadful accusation means to a fellow human being, you +still swear that the man who sprang up from the prostrate body and +leveled his rifle at you was this prisoner?" and the alcalde's lifted +hand indicated Thure. + +The interest of the crowd surrounding the court had by this time become +intense. Men were breathing heavily and their faces had hardened and an +ugly look had come into their eyes. All now stretched their heads +forward, as they listened almost breathlessly for the reply of Bill +Ugger. + +"I do," answered the man grimly. "I saw his face plain, a-lookin' at me +above th' top of his rifle." + +A deep growl went up from the surrounding crowd, a sound more like the +throat mutterings of a monstrous tiger than anything human. The sheriff +started and his keen eyes swiftly searched the circle of faces. + +"I reckon thar ain't no need of waitin' for more testimony," cried a +hoarse voice. "They was seen killin' th' man; an' that's all we wants +tew know. Let jedgement be pronounced, an' we'll 'tend tew th' ex'cutin' +of it." + +"Right!" yelled another. "There's no need of wasting more--" + +"Silence!" thundered the alcalde, leaping to his feet. "This court, a +court elected by your own authority, is trying the prisoners; and, by +the Eternal Andrew Jackson! they shall not be declared guilty until they +have been heard in their own defense, until they have been proven guilty +in full accordance with the laws of this city. William Ugger, you may go +on with your testimony. There will be no further interruptions," and the +alcalde quietly laid a couple of big revolvers down on top of the +barrel, one on each side of the Bible. + +At this moment and when all eyes were bent on the alcalde, Thure felt a +slight jerk on his coat sleeve, and, glancing down, saw that the smaller +of their accusers, the pock-marked man, had moved up close to his side +and that it had been his hand that had jerked his sleeve. + +"Read at once," and the man swiftly slipped a piece of paper into his +hand. "It is your only hope," and he moved away, not having once even +glanced toward Thure. + +Thure, stepping a little behind Bud and holding the paper so that no +eyes but his own could see it, cautiously opened the note and slowly +read these words: + + If you wil give us the miners map and promice tu say nuthin bout + the gold kave Bill and me wil sudenly diskuver that we is mistakin + in thinkin that you was the ones tu kil old Stakpole and you wil go + free. If you dont you wil both hang afore sun down tu nite and al + the gold in Caleforny aint wurth as much tu you as is yur lives. If + you agrees tu this nod yur hed 2 times. If you dont git redy tu + hang. + +The note was unsigned; and no signature was necessary. Its meaning was +plain. The two boys were to surrender the skin map to the two scoundrels +and say nothing about the Cave of Gold; or, the dreadful plot, in whose +meshes they found themselves so tightly ensnared, was to be followed out +to its horrible conclusion. The motive back of the two men's action now +stood revealed. They expected to frighten the two boys into giving up +the skin map and into keeping secret their knowledge of the Cave of +Gold. But, what a fiendish plot! And with what diabolical cunning it had +all been worked out and was being executed! + +Thure read the note through slowly; and, in a flash, he had comprehended +the whole atrocious, scheme and with what devilish cunning circumstances +had been manipulated to bring about their present terrible situation; +but, only the furious look in his eyes showed how the note had affected +him. + +"From Pockface," he whispered, as he quietly slipped the paper into +Bud's hand. "Read it on the sly; and then give me your answer." + +Bud cautiously took the note and opened it, wondering greatly at its +coming from Pockface. He read it through slowly, comprehendingly; and +then he turned and glanced into Thure's face. One look was sufficient. + +During all this time Pockface's eyes had been covertly watching the +boys. + +Bud now waited until he saw that the man's eyes were upon him, then he +deliberately raised the piece of paper to his mouth, spit on it, and, +bending down, placed it under the heel of his boot, ground it to pieces +in the ground, and, defiantly turning his back on the man, gave his +attention to the doings of the alcalde. + +The two scoundrels had misjudged the courage and the pluck of two +American boys like Thure Conroyal and Bud Randolph; and, judging from +the scowls that disfigured their faces and the ugly light that flashed +into their eyes, at the sight of Bud's actions, in their disappointment, +they would show them no mercy. They would get the map, or they would +hang the boys. Indeed, this action on their part now became almost +necessary; for, if they did not succeed in hanging the boys, the boys, +in all probability, would succeed in hanging them. + +This dramatic byplay had taken but a short time in the enacting and had +passed unnoticed in the excitement occasioned by the threats from the +surrounding crowd and the placing of the alcalde's two big revolvers by +the side of the Bible on top of the barrel standing in front of him. +When it was over and Thure and Bud again gave their attention to the +court, Bill Ugger was about to continue with his testimony, the majority +of the crowd having shown themselves so plainly in sympathy with the +actions of the alcalde that the rougher ones evidently thought it wise +to keep quiet. + +"As I was a-sayin'," continued Bill Ugger, when everything had quieted +down again, "afore we could git near enough tew th' murderers tew use +our pistols, they held us up with their rifles, an' ordered us tew git +an' git lively; an', by way of makin' plain their meaning that skunk," +and he glared at Thure, "sent a bullet a-whistlin' so close tew my ears +that it made this hole through th' brim of my hat," and the man held up +his wide-brimmed hat and pointed with his finger to a little round hole +in the brim close to the crown. "Three inches more tew one side an' he'd +a-got me, tew. + +"Wal, me an' Spike didn't stop tew argy none after that; but got back +ahind them bushes an' trees as sudden as our legs would take us. But," +and Ugger paused and glared at Thure and Bud, "if I knowed I was on my +deathbed an' a-goin' tew die in five minits, I'd be willin' tew swear +that th' tew murderers was them tew boys a-standin' thar. We saw their +faces plain an' thar ain't no mistake," and his eyes flashed an ugly +look in the direction of Thure and Bud. + +"Of course," continued Bill Ugger, "they didn't dare follow us, 'cause, +if they did, they knowed we could hide ahind a tree an' pot 'em, which +we'd ben sum glad tew do," and his eyes glowed vindictively. "Wal, we +waited, hid ahind th' bushes an' trees, not darin' tew show ourselves +an' bein' tew far off tew do any pistol shooting a-hopin' that they'd +ride off an' leave th' body of th' man they'd robbed an' probably +killed, but they was tew cunnin' tew do that; for, in a leetle while, +they throwed th' body, like it was a bag of grain, across th' back of +one of th' hosses an' tied it thar; an' then they rode off, a-leadin' +th' hoss with th' body on it ahind 'em. Me an' Spike waited 'til they'd +gone out of sight over th' top of a distant hill an' then we made for +th' spot of th' killin'. Th' grass was sum tread up an' bloody; an' +lyin' in th' blood an' partly tread intew th' ground, we found this," +and Ugger thrust his hand into one of his pockets and pulled out a small +daguerreotype-case, perhaps a couple of inches square, on which could be +plainly seen ominous stains of red. + +"This," and he held up the small case where all could see, "has inside +of it th' picter of as handsum a lady as I ever seed; an' under th' +picter is writ, in a woman's writin,' these words: Tew my beloved +husband, John Stackpole'; an' we reckoned, me an' Spike did, as how th' +murdered man's name must a-ben John Stackpole. See for yourselves," and +he handed the case to the alcalde, who, after opening it and looking at +the picture inside and the blood stains on the outside, passed it on to +the jury, who examined it carefully. + +"Of course," continued Ugger, after he had watched the effect of the +daguerreotype on the alcalde and the jury for a minute, "bein' bound for +th' diggin's an' knowin' 'twould be almost useless tew try an' trail th' +murderers, me an' Spike at once started on our way ag'in for Sacermento +City, not expectin' tew see them murderers ag'in, leastwise not so soon. +We got intew th' city this mornin'; an' was a-standin' on th' street +a-lookin' at th' humans a-passin' by, when who should come a-ridin' +along right afore our eyes, but them tew identickle young fellers what +we had seen kill that man; an', of course, bein' honest an' law-abidin' +men, me an' Spike seen tew it that they didn't git away a second time. +Now, I reckon, that's all I've got tew tell, only," and again his eyes +turned vindictively to Thure and Bud, "thar ain't ben no mistake made +an' you've got th' right men; an' if they don't hang afore night, then +thar ain't no justice in Sacermento City. I'm done." + +The alcalde sat for a moment looking straight in front of him. Evidently +he was swiftly reviewing the man's testimony to see if there were any +points that needed clearing up; but everything had been told, +apparently, in such a clear, straightforward manner that there seemed to +be nothing that needed explaining, and, with a sigh as he thought of the +youthfulness of the prisoners, the alcalde turned to the jury. + +"Would you like to ask the witness any questions?" he inquired. + +"No. Everything seems to have been told as clear and as straight as a +string," one of them replied, and all the others nodded their assent to +this, statement. + +"Have the prisoners any questions they wish to ask the witness?" and the +alcalde turned to Thure and Bud. + +For a moment the two boys consulted together. Then Thure said quietly: +"No, there is nothing that either of us would care to ask that man." + +"The prisoner is dismissed for the present," and the alcalde motioned +Bill Ugger to step back from in front of the barrel. + + + + +CHAPTER X + +THE MISSING BUTTON + + +"You may step forward and be sworn," and the alcalde turned his shrewd +eyes on the pockmarked face of the small man. + +The man stepped quickly forward; but, just before he reached the barrel, +a sudden gleam shot into his eyes, which at that moment happened to be +bent on the ground and looking at the spot where Thure and Ugger had had +their brief but vigorous struggle. The next instant his foot apparently +caught in a root that protruded above the ground; and he stumbled and +fell violently downward, both outstretched hands clutching at the +ground. As he jumped hastily to his feet, his face very red and his +mouth flowing with apologies to the alcalde for his clumsiness, he +glanced downward swiftly into one of his hands, and then, with another +quick gleam of cunning triumph in his eyes, he quickly slipped the hand +into one of his pockets, and, taking his place in front of the barrel, +faced the alcalde. + +"What is your name and present business?" the alcalde asked, when he had +sworn the witness, in the same manner Ugger had been sworn, to tell the +truth, the whole truth, and nothing but the truth. + +"Spikenard Quinley," the man answered, shifting his eyes quickly from +the face of the alcalde to the two big revolvers on top of the barrel; +"but most of my friends jest call me Spike, for short. I'm bound for th' +diggin's, 'long with my pard, Bill Ugger, him who jest testified." + +"Tell the jury all that you know about the case now before it; and make +your testimony as brief as possible, please," and the alcalde settled +back on his rude seat and fixed his eyes on the face of the witness. + +Quinley did not prove to be as dramatic a witness as Ugger had been; but +he told a seemingly straightforward and honest story of how he and his +partner had witnessed the killing of the man supposed to be John +Stackpole, that differed only in the manner of its telling from the one +already told by Ugger, and, consequently, need not be repeated here. He, +also, was very positive that the two men, who had jumped up from the +prostrate body of the man and had held them up with their rifles, were +the two prisoners; and right here he introduced a bit of new +corroborative evidence in a most effective and dramatic manner. + +He had completed his testimony and had been dismissed by the alcalde and +had started away from the court-barrel, when he suddenly stopped, as if +he had unexpectedly remembered something that might have a bearing on +the case, and turned to the alcalde. + +"Excuse me, y'ur honor," he said, as he thrust a hand into one of his +pockets, the same pocket into which he had thrust the same hand a moment +after his tumble over the root, "but I've jest reckerlected that I've +sumthin' right here in my pocket that might help tew identify the +prisoners as the murderers, an' ag'in it might not--not that me and Bill +needs any more identifin', but, naterly, you, not seem' 'em kill th' +man, ain't so sart'in an' wants all th' proof that you can git tew show +that you shore have got the right party; an' so, if y'ur honor don't +object, I've got a leetle sumthin' more that I'd like tew introduce as +testimony, that might, an' ag'in it might not, help tew make th' +identity of th' prisoners more shore," and he paused, still keeping his +hand in his pocket. + +"This court is always ready to hear any testimony that has any bearing +on the case before it," the alcalde said. "Take your place again on the +witness stand," and he nodded toward the barrel. + +Quinley at once returned to his place in front of the barrel. + +"Now, remembering that you are still under oath to tell God's truth, you +may introduce your evidence," and the alcalde half-arose from his seat +in his anxiety to see what this new evidence might be. + +"Of course, I'm none shore that it belongs tew either of th' prisoners," +Quinley began. "It might have come from th' clothes of th' murdered man, +an' ag'in it might have come from th' clothes of th' prisoners, an' +ag'in th' prisoners might not have on th' same clothes tew-day that they +did when they killed th' man, an' so it might prove nuthin'; but, right +whar th' grass was tread up th' worst on th' spot whar we saw th' man +killed, I found this--" and the hand came out of the pocket and was +extended toward the alcalde, holding on its palm a button. "Now I'd +plumb forgot all about th' findin' of this button, not settin' any store +on it, when, jest as I was a-leavin' th' witness stand, th' thought +popped intew my head, that, if th' prisoners happened tew have on th' +same clothes they had on when they murdered the man an' th' button came +from their clothes, then I had in my pocket important evidence, 'cause +th' button is a peekuler lookin' button, an', I reckon, thar must be +more buttons like it on th' clothes whar it come from. I asks that th' +clothes of th' prisoners be examined tew see if either on 'em has +buttons on like this," and he handed the button to the alcalde. + +The alcalde took the button and sat for a moment staring at it as it lay +on the palm of his hand--a small thing, but it might help to weave the +rope that would hang two human beings! + +"Git a-goin'," shouted someone impatiently from the surrounding crowd, +"an' see if either of th' prisoners has got any buttons on his clothes +like that you're a-holdin' in y'ur hand. If he has, I reckon, thar won't +be any need of takin' any more testimonies." + +A dozen voices shouted their approval of this statement. Evidently the +sympathies of the crowd were being fast turned from Thure and Bud. + +The alcalde arose slowly to his feet. + +"This court," he said sternly, "is here to see that the prisoners are +given a fair trial, guilty or not guilty; and judgment shall not be +pronounced until the case has been fairly tried and their innocence or +their guilt fully established. This cannot be done until the prisoners +themselves have been heard in their own defense. Let us hear no more +talk of mob judgment and mob execution. The court will pronounce +judgment, and the court will see that its judgment is promptly executed, +to the full satisfaction of every honest law-abiding man in the city." +He paused for a moment, while his keen eyes sternly searched the faces +of the surrounding crowd. There was no response to his words and +challenging glance. + +"This button," he continued quietly, holding up the button that Quinley +had handed him where all could see it, "the witness swears was picked up +by himself from the ground, where the struggle between the murdered man +and his murderers took place, and is presumed to have come either from +the clothing of the murdered man or from the clothing of his murderers; +and the witness asks that the clothing of the two prisoners be examined +to see if like buttons can be found on their clothing. The contentions +of the witness, regarding the value of this button as evidence in the +case before us, are just. Therefore his request is granted and the +prisoners are ordered to be examined. Young man," and he turned to Bud, +"you will please come forward; and allow the gentlemen of the jury to +compare this button with the buttons on your clothing," and he handed +the button he held in his hand to the foreman of the jury. + +The production of this button by Quinley was a surprise to Thure and +Bud. If it should prove to have come from the clothing of one of them, +it certainly would look suspicious; but, how could it have come from +their clothes, at least from the clothes they now had on, since neither +of them were now wearing the same garments that they had worn on the day +of the hunt, when they had found the murdered miner? Consequently the +introducing of the button as evidence by Quinley had caused both of them +more surprise than it had uneasiness, surprise that Quinley should care +to introduce such meaningless evidence as he must know the button to be, +since the examination of their clothing could only prove that the button +belonged to neither of them. The episode of Quinley's stumble, in the +excitement of the trial, had passed from both of their minds, as, +doubtless, it had from the minds of all the others; but, even if they +had remembered it, they would not have thought of connecting it in any +way with the finding of the button. Hence Bud, at the summons of the +alcalde, had stepped forward promptly and confidently. + +"We find two buttons missing from the prisoner's coat," announced the +foreman of the jury, when the examination of Bud had been completed. +"But, since the button offered in evidence bears no resemblance in +design or size to the buttons remaining on the coat, we declare that so +far as this prisoner is concerned the button in question proves +nothing." + +"You may return to your place by the side of the sheriff," and the +alcalde gave an almost audible sigh of relief, while something very near +like a cheer came from the crowd. It was hard to look into those two +young clear-eyed faces and believe that they masked the hearts of +murderers. + +Bud hurried back to his place by the side of the sheriff, with the first +smile on his lips that had so far brightened his face during the trial. + +"Now," and the alcalde turned to Thure, "let the jury compare the button +with the buttons on your clothing," and the anxious look came back on +his face. + +Thure, with the same promptness and confidence that Bud had displayed, +advanced and submitted to the examination; but, hardly had he reached +the foreman of the jury, when the excited actions of the jurymen told +all that an important discovery of some kind had been made; and their +report was awaited with almost breathless interest. + +"We find," began the foreman, speaking slowly, after every man on the +jury had carefully compared the button Quinley had handed to the alcalde +with the buttons on Thure's coat, "one button missing from the +prisoner's coat." He paused a moment, and then continued, raising his +voice a little: "We also find that the button handed to the alcalde by +the witness, Spikenard Quinley, and said to have been found by him on +the spot of ground where the struggle took place between the murdered +man and his murderers, to be exactly similar in design, size, and shape +to the remaining buttons on the prisoner's coat, and that it appears to +be the missing button." + +"But--but," stammered Thure, his face white and tense with excitement, +"that button, if it came from my clothes, could not have been found on +the ground where the miner was murdered. Why, I did not even have on the +same clothes that day that I have on now--" + +"What!" and the alcalde jumped to his feet, his face white and stern, +while again that deep-throated growl went up from the crowd, "What do +you mean by 'that day?' Do you realize that your expression amounts +almost to a confession of guilt?" + +"No," and Thure turned firmly to the alcalde. By a desperate effort he +had recovered his self-control. "It means, if that button was found on +the spot where the miner was murdered, that it did not come from my +clothes; for I did not have on the same clothes on the day we found the +wounded miner that I have on now. The button, if it came from my +clothes, and I confess that it looks as if it did, must have been got by +that man in some other way," and Thure's eyes flashed wrathfully in the +direction of Quinley, who grinned and touched his neck suggestively. + +A hoarse laugh, that had no sound of mirth in it, came from the +surrounding crowd, at this improbable explanation of Thure, an +explanation that strengthened rather than weakened their belief in the +testimony of Quinley; but a look of relief, as well as of surprise, came +on the face of the alcalde. + +"Ah, I forgot. We have not yet heard your story. You say that you found +the miner, John Stackpole, found him wounded?" he asked eagerly. "Then +he is still alive?" + +"Yes, we found him," Thure answered slowly, "found him in the hands of +his murderers, but not in time to save him. He died before we could get +him home." + +"Died! And in your hands!" and again the alcalde's face grew stern, and +again that hoarse unbelieving laugh came from the crowd. "Young man, do +you realize that you are telling a very improbable-sounding story? But," +and the alcalde resumed his judicial gravity of countenance, "I am +forgetting that you are not on the witness stand. The button, it appears +then, came from the prisoner's coat," and he turned to the foreman of +the jury. + +"It does," answered the foreman gravely. + +"The prisoner may return to his place by the side of the sheriff. Now," +and the alcalde's eyes searched the surrounding faces, "is there anyone +else present who has any testimony to give against the prisoners now on +trial before this court for the murder of John Stackpole?" and he +paused, to give anyone who wished to do so time to come forward. + +"I reckon the testimony is plenty sufficient as it now stands," and a +huge brutal-looking man pushed his way through the crowd and faced the +alcalde. "Haven't two reputable witnesses sworn that they saw the +prisoners kill the man? Didn't one of them find a buttom that has been +proven to belong to the coat of one of the prisoners on the very spot +where the man was killed? And what can be offered in disproof of all +this? Nothing but the word of the prisoners themselves, who certainly +would lie to save their necks, if they would kill a man to get his gold. +I move," and he whirled about and faced the crowd, now muttering and +growling like a huge beast, "that the jury be instructed to render their +verdict now, so that we can hang them two young devils and get about our +business. All in favor--" + +"Wait!" The alcalde's voice rang out clear and imperative; and, as he +spoke, he stepped out in front of the barrel, one of the big revolvers +held in each hand. "Before you put your motion I have a few words to +say; and, after I have said my few words, you can put your motion; and +we will see whether the men of Sacramento City stand for law and justice +or for mob brutality." + +"Hear! Hear!" shouted a number of voices. "The alcalde shall be heard!" + +"Men," continued the alcalde, his voice ringing with intense +earnestness, "I stand not here to plead for mercy in behalf of these two +young men, although their youth might almost justify such a plea. I am +here to demand justice. If this court, after fair trial shall find them +guilty of the brutal murder charged against them, then, in the name of +the same justice that I now invoke to protect them, they must hang; for, +in a community situated as we are, self-protection compels us to deal +with murderers with stern and relentless hands. But--Hear my words!--the +prisoners have not yet been proven guilty before this court. They have +not yet had fair trial. They have not yet even been heard in their own +defense. When I took my oath of office to serve you as alcalde, that +oath, the oath you yourselves compelled me to swear, bound me to see +that every prisoner brought before me had fair and speedy trial. I meant +to keep that oath then; and, by the Eternal Andrew Jackson! I mean to +keep it now, if need be with my life. Now, you can put your motion," +and, with a couple of quick strides, the alcalde placed himself by the +side of the sheriff, near the two prisoners, the two big revolvers held +ready for instant use. He knew that the only way to check mob violence +was to stop it before it gathered momentum. + +"Give the prisoners justice!" "They shall have justice!" "Hurrah, for +the alcalde!" shouted a hundred voices; and stern-faced men pushed +themselves through the crowd from every direction and formed a cordon +around the prisoners and the court. + +"Go on with the trial. We will see that the court is sustained," and a +man stepped out from the surrounding cordon and bowed to the alcalde. + +The mutterings and growlings suddenly ceased. The huge brutal-looking +man slunk back into the crowd, his motion unput. + +In the midst of these exciting moments, when the attention of all was +concentrated on the alcalde, Bud suddenly felt a hand thrust something +into his hand from behind. He turned quickly. Bill Ugger stood not four +feet behind him. + +"Read," and Ugger moved a couple of steps back and to one side. + +Bud glanced down at his hand and saw that he held a bit of folded paper. +Hastily, yet cautiously, he unfolded it and read these words scrawled on +it with a lead pencil: + + Me and Spike kan yit save you. Give up the miners map and promis to + tell nobudy of the kave of gold and we wil git you free. Refuse and + we wil let you hang and then git the map off yur ded bodies we wil + git the map anyway so whats the use of given up yur lives. Weve got + things fixed so that you kant eskape the rope unles we save you so + you've got to give us the map or hang. Make yur own choice taint + our funrel. + + If you agrees nod yur hed 2 times to Spike and you wil be free in + less than 10 minits. + + +Bud read these words through slowly; and then, moving up close to Thure, +he passed the paper to him. + +"Read it," he said, fixing his eyes anxiously on his comrade's face. + +By this time both boys saw plainly how strong was the web of evidence +that the two villains had so cunningly succeeded in throwing around +them; and how completely they appeared to have them in their power. And +what could they do or say to disprove their testimony? Their own tale, +looked at in the light of the evidence of the two men, would seem +improbable, would sound like a tale made up to fit the occasion. And +they could not bring forward a single witness to prove its truthfulness! +No wonder the unfortunate boys were tempted to give up the skin map; for +what is gold, when weighed in the balance against life? + +Thure read the note; and then turned to Bud, his face white and his +heart throbbing with anxiety. + +"What shall our answer be?" he asked in a whisper. "I hate like sin to +give up the skin map to them two scoundrels; but, I reckon, our fathers +and mothers would rather have our lives than the gold. But," and his +face brightened a little, "we have not yet given our testimony. I reckon +we had better wait until we see how the alcalde and the jury take our +stories before giving up the map." + +"Yes," agreed Bud, his own face brightening at the thought of putting +off the surrender a little longer, "we will wait and see what effect our +testimony has. But, I guess you are right, if it comes to hanging," and +he shuddered, "or giving up the map, we'll have to give up the map. But +we won't give up until we've got to," and his face hardened. "Who'd a +thought them two scoundrels could get us in such a terrible fix!" and he +glared wrathfully in the direction of the two men, who now stood close +together regarding Thure and Bud with furtive but anxious eyes. + +"Now to give them two skunks their answer," and Thure, holding the paper +out where the two men could see it, deliberately tore it to pieces and, +turning his back scornfully to them, gave his attention to the doings of +the court. + + + + +CHAPTER XI + +AN UNEXPECTED WITNESS + + +The alcalde, the moment he saw that the mob spirit had been subdued, had +returned quietly to his place behind the barrel; and, when the two boys +again gave their attention to him, he had just reached his rude seat of +judgment, and was about to speak. + +"I knew," he said, as his keen eyes searched the faces of the men, who +had so opportunely formed the cordon of safety around him and his court, +"that I could depend on the good sense and fair-mindedness of the people +of Sacramento City. We will now proceed with the trial," and he quietly +slipped back both of his revolvers into his coat pockets. + +"Once more," and the alcalde raised his voice so that all could hear, +"the court asks, is there any other witness to bear testimony against +the two prisoners, if so, let him now step forward." + +For a minute or two the alcalde waited. There was no movement, no word +from the surrounding crowd. + +"We will now proceed with the examination of the prisoners. Young man, +take your place on the witness stand," and the alcalde turned to Thure. + +"Don't get excited. Keep cool," cautioned Bud, as Thure hastened to take +his place in front of the barrel. + +A hush came over the great encircling crowd, as Thure stood before +the alcalde and was solemnly sworn to tell the truth, the whole truth, +and nothing but the truth. Many of those rough bearded men had sons +of their own back at home, hardly younger than was the prisoner, who +now stood before the bar of justice, with a rope dangling threateningly +above his head; and these men found it hard to believe that that +wholesome-looking, clear-eyed youth could be guilty of the atrocious +crime charged against him. But, there was the evidence; and the laws of +the city must be enforced; and their faces grew stern and sad. + +Thure told his story in a clear straightforward way; told how he and Bud +had gone out for a hunt on that day, how they had heard the death-cry of +the unfortunate horse and had slain the huge grizzly, how, just after +they had completed the skinning of the grizzly, they had seen the +struggle of the old miner with his two assailants and had rushed to his +rescue, how the robbers had fled, leaving the miner robbed and mortally +stabbed, how they had endeavored to get him to their home before he +died, but had failed, and, finally, how the miner had died and they had +borne his dead body home and had buried it. + +There was hardly a loud sound made while Thure was telling his story. +One could almost have heard the great crowd breathing. When he had +spoken of witnessing the struggle between the miner and his murderers +and of rushing to his rescue, there had been a great stir in the crowd, +but it had quickly subsided, so eager were all to hear every word that +he uttered. His manner and his story made a deep impression; but, alas, +it was soon seen that his evidence had introduced nothing to disprove +the testimony of his two accusers that had any stronger proof back of it +than his own word and the word of his fellow prisoner, while he had +admitted bringing the dead body of the murdered miner home and burying +it, admitted having the dead body of the miner in his possession. This, +at least, was in direct proof of what his accusers had testified; for +they had sworn that they had seen the two boys bear the dead body off +with them. It looked as if they had made their story up to fit in with +the accounts of the previous witnesses and yet disprove the story of +their accusers. + +Thure, so far in his testimony, had said nothing of the description the +old miner had given of his murderers. He was saving that for the last, +to be brought out by the questions of the alcalde, if possible. He +wished to make it as emphatic and striking as possible, and yet he did +not wish to appear to give it voluntarily; for he was wise enough to see +that for him and Bud to accuse their accusers might re-act back on +themselves. Fortunately the questions of the alcalde led directly to it. + +"You testify," began the alcalde, the moment Thure had apparently +completed his testimony, "that you drove the murderers away from the +body of the miner. Did you get near enough to them to recognize them +again, should you see them?" + +"No," Thure answered. "I could only swear that one was a large man and +that the other was small." + +"Did you discover anything that would lead you to surmise who committed +the crime?" again asked the alcalde. + +"No, not directly," answered Thure hesitatingly. "But the old miner, +just before he died, gave us a description of his two murderers," and he +stopped. + +"How did he describe them? Why do you hesitate?" asked the alcalde +sharply. + +"Because," answered Thure boldly, "the description the dying miner gave +of his two murderers appears to make us accuse our accusers, as if we +were trying to get back at them, when it is God's truth that we are +uttering." + +"Give us the description. We are the ones to judge of its merits," +commanded the alcalde, his face flushing with interest, while the +surrounding crowd became breathless. + +Bud was looking at the two men; and he saw both of them start at the +words of Thure and glance apprehensively into each other's eyes. + +"The miner said," and Thure turned his eyes full upon Bill Ugger, "that +one of his murderers was a large, red-headed man with a broken nose; and +that the other," and his eyes turned to the face of Spike Quinley, "was +a small man, with a pock-marked face." + +For a moment no one spoke. All eyes were bent on the faces of the two +men. There was no mistaking to whom the description applied. Then a +harsh laugh broke from Bill Ugger. + +"Tryin' to turn th' tables on us, be you?" and again he laughed. "Wal, I +reckon, ever'one here believes that yarn. It fits tew pat, not tew be +true. So me an' Spike are th' true murderers, be we? Wal, this is sum +unexpected an' s'prisin', ain't it Spike?" and he turned to his comrade, +grinning and glaring like a huge buffoon; but a close observer might +have noticed that his skin had whitened beneath its red beard. + +Quinley had started perceptibly at Thure's description of the miner's +murderers, but he had quickly controlled himself, and a deadly gleam had +come into his wicked little eyes and his thin lips had tightened, as, +unperceived by all eyes, except the eyes the movement was intended for, +he had turned and given a man standing in the edge of the circle a +signal. The man at once had slipped back in the crowd and vanished. + +"Powerful s'prisin'," and Quinley turned and grinned back into the face +of Ugger. "I reckon you can already feel th' rope a-tightenin' 'round +y'ur neck, can't you, Bill? That description sart'in fits us as pat as +an old shoe. But th' s'prisin'est thing 'bout it all is, that I don't +'pear tew have any rekerlections of a-committin' that murder. Must have +ben dreamin', when I done it." + +The eyes of the alcalde, during this brief byplay, had been closely +watching the faces of the two men. He now turned to Thure again. + +"Have you any witnesses, other than your fellow prisoner, to testify to +the truth of your statements?" he asked. + +"No," answered Thure; "except that our mothers and our sisters and the +folks at the rancho can testify to our bringing home the body of the +dead miner and that we told them that we had found him just as I have +said that we did." + +"That would prove nothing as to who committed the murder. Is there +anyone in Sacramento City that knows either of you two boys?" + +"No," again answered Thure. "Not that I know of, unless," and his face +brightened, "Captain Sutler is here. He knows both of us well. We are +expecting to find our dads at Hangtown." + +"Captain Sutter is not here," answered the alcalde, "as anyone in the +city might have told you; and it is impossible to send to Hangtown after +your fathers." + +"But, are we to be proven guilty on the evidence of those two men alone, +whom I am almost certain committed the crime themselves?" and Thure's +face flushed indignantly. "Is not our word, at least, as good as +theirs?" + +"Young man," replied the alcalde sternly, "that is for the jury to +decide. Have you any further evidence to give? If not, and the jury do +not wish to ask you any questions," he paused and glanced toward the +foreman, who shook his head, "you are dismissed, and the other prisoner +can take his place on the witness stand." + +For a moment Thure hesitated. He wanted to say something, to do +something to further disprove this horrible accusation--but, what could +he say or do that he had not already said or done? He had told his +story. There was nothing more for him to tell, nothing more for him to +do; and, with tightly compressed lips, he turned and walked from the +witness stand back to his place by the side of the sheriff, while Bud +took his place in front of the barrel. + +There was nothing new in Bud's testimony. He could only repeat, in +different words, what Thure had already told. + +While Bud was giving his testimony, Spike Quinley worked his way up +close to Thure; and again a piece of paper was slipped furtively into +his hand. + +Thure glanced down at the paper. At least here was a chance to escape +the worst. If Bud did not make a better impression than he apparently +had, then there would be nothing left but to surrender the map, that or +hanging. And it must be done soon now, or it would be too late. Thure +shuddered at the thought of the hanging; and, with fingers that trembled +a little, cautiously opened the paper and read these dreadful words: + + You have gone and done it now you infernal idjit by testifin' agin + us it is now yur necks or ourn al hel kant save you now you kan + keep the map and we wil git it off yur ded bodies and you kan have + the satisfackshun of noin that you might have ben alive and wel + when yur danglin ded at the end of a rope. + +The vindictive scrawl closed with a rude attempt to draw a rope, hanging +from a tree, with a man dangling from one end. + +Thure stared blankly at the paper for a moment after he had read the +words that appeared to close their last avenue of escape. He saw clearly +the force of their meaning. It had, indeed, now become a battle for life +between him and Bud and their two accusers. Their testimony, once they +were free, would turn suspicion directly upon Quinley and Ugger. It +would be suicidal for the two men now to attempt to do anything to free +them. Thure raised his eyes and looked wildly around, at the face of the +alcalde, the faces of the jury, and the faces of the surrounding crowd. +On all was a look of ominous sadness and sternness that made his heart +sink. Evidently the words and the actions of the cunning Ugger and the +crafty Quinley had again completely turned the tide against them. But +the worst blow was yet to come. + +Bud completed his testimony and, in an ominous silence, was dismissed. +The alcalde arose from his judgment-stump and turned to address a few +final words to the jury; but, as the first word left his mouth, a +commotion occurred in the crowd directly in front of him. + +"More testimony! Important testimony!" shouted a voice; and a man, with +his right arm done up in a sling, pushed his way through the encircling +crowd. + +The man hastily and keenly scrutinized the faces of the two prisoners. + +"Yes, them's sart'inly th' fellers," he said aloud; and turned his eyes +on the faces of their accusers. + +"Them's shore th' same two men I seed. Thar's no mistaking them faces," +he declared, with conviction. "Now," and he turned to the alcalde, "I +asks y'ur pardon, y'ur honor; but, bein' sum crippled with a broken arm, +as you can see, an', on that account, keepin' sum close in my tent, I +heared nuthin' of this trial 'til jest a few minits ago; but, when I did +hear of it, I felt mortally sart'in that it had tew do with th' same +murder that I witness in th' Sacermento Valley three days ago; an', +wantin' tew see that justice made no mistake, I got here as quick as I +could, tew give in my testimony. Hope I'm not tew late," and he fixed +his eyes anxiously on the face of the alcalde. + +"No; you are not too late," the alcalde answered, looking at the man +keenly, "if your evidence is of real importance." + +"I reckon it is of real importance," answered the man, "seein' that I +saw th' killin' done with my own two eyes; an' was close enough tew +reckernize th' killers plain." + +This statement caused a big sensation in the surrounding crowd. All +pressed nearer, and stretched their heads eagerly forward to get a sight +of this new witness, while, "Hush!" "Quiet!" "Shut your mouth!" and like +expressions, came from all around the crowding circle of men. + +Thure and Bud had both started with pleased surprise at the words of +this unexpected witness, and their faces lighted up with hope. Here, at +last, was a witness who would tell the truth, who would free them from +this horrible accusation of murder; for, evidently by his actions, he +was as much of a stranger to Ugger and Quinley as he was to themselves, +and, consequently, he could not be in league with their two cunning and +mendacious accusers. They glanced at the two men. Their surprise +appeared to be real; and the two boys thought they detected a look of +fearful consternation on each face. + +"Step forward and be sworn," commanded the alcalde, the moment the buzz +of the excitement caused by the words of the man with the broken arm had +ceased. + +The man stepped quickly in front of the barrel; and was sworn, in the +same manner the other witnesses had been sworn, to tell the truth. + +"What is your name and business?" demanded the alcalde. + +"John Skoonly," replied the man; "an' I'm bound for th' diggin's. Jest +got in from San Francisco this mornin'." + +"Now, John Skoonly," and the alcalde's eyes rested steadily on the +witness's face as he settled back on his stump, "kindly tell the jury +and the people gathered here, what you know of the case now being tried +before them." + +"I was on my way from San Francisco tew here," began the witness, "when +three days ago I wandered off th' main trail tew do a little huntin' an' +was throwed by my hoss an' broke my right arm. That took all th' hunt +out of me; an' I laid down under sum trees that growed 'long side a crik +tew try an' do sumthin' tew ease up th' pain an' tew git a little rest +afore I started back for th' trail. + +"Wal, I reckon I hadn't ben thar more'n half an hour, when I heared a +screech that fairly lifted my hat off my head, a-comin' from th' open +valley, jest beyont th' trees whar I was a-lyin' in th' shade, an' +a-soundin' like sum feller was gittin' hurt mortal bad. I jumps up quick +an' runs tew sum bushes that growed a-treen me an' th' sound, an' looks +through 'em, a little cautious-like on account of my broken arm, an' +seed three men a-strugglin' on th' ground not more'n forty rods from +whar I was; an' th' next I knowed I heared a lot of yellin', an' seen +tew men jump out of th' bushes sum twenty rods below me, an' start +runnin' for them fightin' men. But, afore they'd made a dozen jumps, tew +of them men springs up from th' ground, th' other man didn't 'pear tew +have any spring left in him, but lay still, grabs up their rifles an' +hollers tew them runnin' men tew stop sudden, or they'd shoot; an' th' +men stops sudden, they havin' only pistols. Then th' tew men with rifles +yells for them tew git an' git quick, an' one on 'em fires his rifle; +an', I reckon, th' bullet must have come close, for th' tew men whirled +'bout like they was sum scart an' started back for th' bushes. + +"Th' tew men now picks up th' body of th' third man, which hangs limp +like he was dead, an' flings it across th' back of one of their hosses +an' ties it thar. Then they mounts th' other tew hosses an' goes +a-ridin' off a-leadin' the hoss with th' dead body across its back ahind +'em; an' in ridin' off, they comes within a dozen rods of whar I was +a-hidin', an' I sees 'em plain, an' I was s'prised tew see that they +didn't look tew be much more'n boys; an' yit they 'peared tew have +killed a man! + +"Y'ur honor," and the man paused and whirled partly around, and when he +continued again his voice was very solemn, "as shore as thar is a God in +heaven, th' tew men that I saw a-ridin' by me, with that dead body on +th' hoss ahind them, are a-standin' right thar!" and he pointed straight +toward Thure and Bud. + +A sound of horror and of rage went up from the surrounding crowd, a +sound that had the promise of dreadful things to come in it. + +The alcalde leaped to his feet, his face looking white and drawn; for he +knew that now the two boys were doomed, and, somehow, in spite of all +the terrible evidence, he could not look into their clear-eyed faces and +believe them guilty of such a horrible crime. + +"Silence! Silence, men!" he commanded, stretching out both of his hands +imperatively. "Silence! I have questions, important questions to ask the +witness." + +Almost instantly the great crowd became still, so anxious were all now +to hear every word. + +"John Skoonly," and the alcalde turned to the witness, "you swear that +you saw two men start to the rescue of the murdered man. Did you see +these two men plainly enough to recognize them should you see them +again?" + +"Sart'in'," replied the man promptly, and, whirling about, he pointed to +Quinley and Ugger, "Thar they stand. I'd know them mugs ag'in anywhar," +and he grinned. + +"Why," continued the alcalde, "did you not make your presence known to +these two men, at least after the murderers had ridden off? There would +not have been any danger then," and he smiled scornfully; "and they +might have been of help to you in your crippled condition." + +"Wal," answered the man frankly, turning and looking squarely into the +faces of Ugger and Quinley, "tew be honest, I didn't like th' looks of +them tew faces none tew much; an', as I had consider'ble of money 'long +with me, I reckoned 'twould be safer for me tew travel alone jest then, +so I jest sneaked out 'tother side of th' trees an' rode back tew th' +trail alone." + +Quinley and Ugger scowled at this frank reference to their looks; and a +few in the encircling crowd laughed grimly. Plainly there could be no +collusion between this witness and Ugger and Quinley; and this apparent +fact gave almost the positiveness of proven truth to his testimony, in +the eyes of the crowd. + +"Then," and the alcalde looked sharply into the face of the witness, +"you never saw either William Ugger or Spikenard Quinley, until you saw +them, as described in your testimony, on the day of the murder?" + +"If y'ur meanin' that little pock-marked runt an' that big red-readed +feller with a smashed nose, a-standin' thar, I sart'inly never did see +them afore that identickle moment. Why, I didn't even know their names +'til you spoke 'em out." + +Again some of the crowd laughed in a grim sort of a way; and again Ugger +and Quinley scowled and glared wrathfully at the frank-spoken witness. + +"I am done," the alcalde said quietly, turning to the jury. "Do you, +gentlemen of the jury, wish to ask the witness any questions?" + +"No," replied the foreman, after a glance into the faces of his fellow +jurymen. "Your questions have brought out the only points we wished to +inquire about." + +"Do the prisoners wish to ask the witness any questions?" and the +alcalde turned to Thure and Bud. + +For a moment neither boy spoke, neither boy moved. The testimony of this +witness, so different from what they had expected, had dumfounded them. +They felt that he had knocked the last prop out from under their safety; +and all the horrors of their situation had dropped down on their spirits +with crushing, numbing force. Their minds, their nerves, their very +muscles were paralyzed, for the moment, by the sudden and awful +realization that now they must hang, must hang for a crime committed by +others! + +But a boy at eighteen can never be long absolutely without hope. Surely, +surely the jury, the alcalde must see that this witness had lied, that +all the witnesses against them had lied! They could not, they could not +bring in a verdict of guilty! They could not sentence them, Thure +Conroyal and Bud Randolph, to be hanged! Hanged! The thought stung them +into life; and Thure turned wildly to the alcalde. + +"It's a lie! a lie!" he cried. "It is all a lie! They know it is a lie! +You surely must believe us! We did not kill the miner! We tried to save +him! In spite of all their lies, you must believe us! We are only two +boys, two boys without a friend to help us! We can not fight against +their cunning! It is our word against their word! Look at us! Look into +our faces! Do we look like boys who would kill a man? Look into the +faces of our accusers! Think, we have fathers, mothers, brothers, +sisters! Oh, you can not hang us, you can not hang us! You must believe +us!" + +"My boy," there was a solemn sternness in the voice of the alcalde as he +spoke, "if you are guiltless of the crime charged against you, then, may +God have mercy on us and on you! But I, the jury, the men gathered here +can only judge of your guilt or innocence by the evidence presented +before us; and, according to that evidence, and not according to the +dictates of hearts that may be touched by your youth and seeming +innocence, must the verdict be rendered. Gentlemen of the jury," and he +turned to the jury, "the evidence has now all been laid before you; and +it now becomes your duty to determine the guilt or the innocence of the +prisoners. May the great God of justice and mercy direct your judgment +aright; and cause you to bring in a verdict in accordance with the real +truth!" + + + + +CHAPTER XII + +HAMMER JONES + + +The jurymen at once gathered about the foreman; but the consultation was +brief. In less than ten minutes the foreman signified that the verdict +was ready. + +"Sheriff," the alcalde's lips were tight-drawn and his face whitened as +he spoke, "bring the prisoners forward to hear the verdict of the jury." + +The jury now stood together in line, on the right of the alcalde. The +foreman stood a pace in front of this line. + +The sheriff led Thure and Bud directly up in front of the line and +within a couple of paces of the foreman; and there he halted the +prisoners to await the giving of the verdict. + +For a minute there was absolute silence, as the prisoners stood thus +before the jury. The surrounding crowd forgot to breathe. It seemed, for +a moment, as if the alcalde could not ask the fateful questions; but, at +last, his tight-drawn lips parted. + +"Gentlemen of the jury, are you ready to render your verdict?" he asked. + +"We are ready," answered the foreman. + +"Gentlemen of the jury, you may state your verdict." + +The foreman's eyes faltered and turned from the faces of the prisoners. + +"Guilty of the crime as charged," he said, and closed his lips tightly, +and turned his head away. + +The great crowd breathed again; and an ominous, deep-toned, shuddering +murmur arose from its depths, as all eyes turned toward the alcalde. It +now became his duty to sentence the prisoners; and, in accordance with +the verdict just rendered, he could pronounce but one sentence--hanging. + +For a full minute the alcalde stood straight and silent. He realized to +its full the awful irrevocableness of the sentence he was about to +pronounce, and a shuddering horror shook his soul. Never before had he +felt like this when pronouncing a similar sentence. The sight of those +two, white, staring, boyish faces had unmanned him--yet he must do his +duty. + +"Thure Conroyal, Bud Randolph--" His voice was clear and firm and the +eyes he turned on the prisoners stern and steady--"a just and impartial +jury have found you guilty of the horrible crime of murder; and it now +becomes my awful duty to pronounce your sentence. Stand forth and +receive your sentence." + +As Thure and Bud turned their white faces toward the alcalde and stepped +forth to receive their sentence, a man, almost a giant in size, who had +just pushed himself through the crowd to the inner edge of the circle, +uttered an exclamation of surprise and horror; and, the next instant, he +had flung the men still standing between him and the open space around +the alcalde and the prisoners violently to one side, and, almost in a +bound, had reached the side of the alcalde. + +"Great God in heaven, alcalde!" he roared. "What does this mean?" and he +stared from the face of the alcalde to the faces of the two boys, into +whose dulled eyes had suddenly leaped a great light at the sight of the +big man. + +"Murder and hanging," answered the alcalde sternly. "The prisoners have +had a fair trial; the jury have pronounced them guilty; and I am about +to sentence them to be hanged." + +"Murder! Hanged!" and the utter, unbelieving astonishment on the face of +the big man was good to see. + +"It's a lie, a lie! We never killed the man! Oh, Ham, we never killed +the man! You, surely, will believe us!" and Thure and Bud both, with +faces white with excitement and hope, sprang eagerly to the side of the +big fellow. + +"Shut up! Stand back!" and he pushed the boys away. "See here," and he +swung around in front of the alcalde, "you know me; an' you know I'd +never try tew save th' neck of no criminal. But I know them boys, know +their dads an' mas; an' I know they never committed no murder. Who seen +'em dew it? Whar are th' witnesses?" and his eyes glared around the +circle of tense faces. + +"There they stand, Ham," and the alcalde pointed to the three witnesses, +who at the sudden appearance of Hammer Jones, the big friend of the two +boys, had involuntarily come together, as if for mutual defense; "and +each one of the three swore positively that he saw the boys kill the +man." + +"Huh!" and, almost in a stride, Hammer Jones stood directly in front of +Bill Ugger; and, the instant his eyes looked closely into the face of +the man, his own face went white with wrath. + +"Hello, Greaser Smith!" and the great hand fell on the shrinking +shoulder and gripped the coat collar tightly. "So you're one of th' +skunks that's a-tryin' tew git them tew boys hanged, be you? Rekerlect +that time down in Sante Fe, when you was a-goin' tew skin a nigger +alive, an' wanted tew kill tew boys for interferin'? Still up tew yur +boyish tricks, I see. Wal, I've still got th' same big foot that kicked +you intew th' mudpuddle; an' th' same big fist that smashed that nose of +yourn when you was a-tryin' tew kiss a Mexican gal against her will. An' +now you're a-tryin' tew have tew innocent boys hanged for a murder that +you probably did yurself," and Ham's eyes flamed. "You cowardly skunk!" +and, suddenly letting go of the coat collar, he took a quick step +backward, and swung up his great fist with all the strength of his +powerful right arm, striking the man squarely under the chin. The force +of the blow lifted Ugger, alias Greaser Smith, off his feet and hurled +him to the ground as senseless as a log. + +"Now, we'll have a look at th' other witnesses," and Ham turned to the +cringing Quinley. + +"Never seed you afore," he declared, as he looked into the pock-marked +face of the trembling man, whose terrified eyes were fixed on the huge +fist that had so summarily dealt with his big partner. "Wal, you are a +likely lookin' cuss tew be th' side partner of Greaser Smith. I reckon +you tew pull tewgether like tew mules. I'll have sumthin' special tew +say tew you 'bout this case, when I see who t'other witness is," and he +turned to the man with the broken arm, who had been looking excitedly +around, as if he were searching for an opening in the crowd through +which to escape and who now stood with his back toward Hammer Jones. + +"Here, you," and Ham caught him by the shoulder and whirled him around, +"jest give me a sight of yur mug--wal, I'll be durned, if 'tain't +Skoonly!" and Ham's eyes widened with surprise and the angry glint in +them deepened, while the man under the grip of his big hand shook as if +he had an ague fit. "Here's matter for the alcalde. Come," and he +started toward the alcalde, dragging the man along with him. + +So sudden had been Ham's appearance and so swift and unexpected were his +actions, that, at first, the great surrounding crowd had stood and +stared at him in astonishment, making no move; but, by now, they were +beginning to wake up to the fact that here was a man evidently bent on +defeating the ends of justice; and an angry growl, the growl of a mob, a +sound once heard that is never forgotten, rolled out from its midst. But +there were many men in that crowd who knew Hammer Jones, who had hunted +and trapped and fought Indians with him, who had seen him risk his life +fearlessly to save a comrade's life, and who never yet had known him to +do a dishonorable deed; and these men knew, that, if Hammer Jones said +that the prisoners were innocent, he had good reasons for saying it, and +they were ready to see that he had a chance to prove his statement; and +cries of: "Hurrah for Ham Jones!" "Give him a chance to prove what he +says!" "Hear! Hear! Hear! Ham Jones!" "He shall be heard!" mingled with +yells of: "String him up along with the boys!" "Bust his head!" "He's +trying to rescue the murderers!" and like cries of rage at this +unexpected interference. + +But, before these two opposing forces could come to a clash, a tall +spare man, whose deep-set eyes, keen and piercing as a hawk's, shone out +of a weather-bronzed face, pushed himself hurriedly through the crowd +that was beginning to seethe around the open court-room beneath the +great evergreen oak, and hastened to the side of the alcalde. + +"What is the trouble?" he demanded in a quiet authoritative tone of +voice. + +The alcalde welcomed him with a glad smile of recognition; and, as +briefly as possible, told him what had occurred. + +The man turned quickly and the keen eyes glanced, with a violent start +of recognition, for a moment into the faces of the two boys. + +"My God, alcalde!" and he whirled about in front of the surprised +alcalde, "you were about to make a terrible mistake! I know these boys +well; and I know they never murdered a man. + +"Men! Men! Hear me!" and he leaped lightly up on top of the barrel that +stood in front of the alcalde, his singularly clear and penetrating +voice reaching every ear in the crowd. "Men! Men! Hear me! A terrible +mistake has--" + +"It's Fremont!" shouted someone. "Hurrah for Colonel Fremont! The man +who licked the Mexicans! The man who won California for us! Hurrah for +Colonel Fremont!" + +The name acted like magic in quieting the fast-growing turbulence of the +crowd. There was not a man present who had not heard of the dauntless +young explorer, the bold soldier, the recent conqueror of California, to +whom more than to any other one man they owed the fact that the +gold-diggings were in the territory of the United States; and all wished +to see this remarkable man, all were ready to hear what he had to say. +As suddenly as it had begun, the violence of the crowd ceased and all +eyes were turned toward Fremont. + +"Go ahead, Colonel!" shouted a rough voice. "Thar's enough of y'ur old +men here tew see that you git a fair hearin'." + +"Thank you, gentlemen," and Fremont bowed. "The alcalde tells me," he +continued, after a moment's pause, "that you have tried those two boys," +and he pointed to Thure and Bud, "for murder, have found them guilty, +and were about to hang them. I know these two young men, your prisoners, +well. I know their fathers, their brothers, have known them for years; +and so sure am I that you have made a terrible mistake, that I am ready, +personally, to stand accountable for them until their innocence has been +proven to your complete satisfaction." + +"But, three men swore that they saw the prisoners kill the man, +Colonel!" called someone from the crowd. "This has been no mob trial; +but a regular court trial by jury; and the jury found them guilty, +unanimous." + +"Where are those witnesses? Let us have a look at them?" demanded +Fremont. + +"Here's one on 'em, Colonel," and the huge frame of Hammer Jones loomed +up in front of Fremont, with the trembling Skoonly still in the grip of +his right hand. "I swun, but I am glad tew see you right now," and +quickly shifting Skoonly to his left hand, he extended his right to +Fremont. + +"Ham, Hammer Jones!" and Fremont gripped the extended hand with glad +cordiality. "It's like old times to see your face again. But this is no +time for idle talk," and his fine face hardened. "So that is one of the +witnesses against Thure and Bud," and his piercing eyes looked +searchingly into the face of Skoonly. "What did he swear to?" and +Fremont turned quickly to the alcalde. + +"He swore," answered the alcalde, "that he saw the prisoners kill the +man three days ago in the Sacramento Valley--" + +"Three days ago!" snorted Ham wrathfully. "He saw th' prisoners kill a +man three days ago in th' Sacermento Valley! Not unless he's got a +double-barreled long-shot gun ahind him that can shoot his body clean +from Hangtown tew th' Sacermento Valley in less time than I could take a +chaw of ter-backer; for three days ago I seen this identickle man, +Skoonly, run out of Hangtown for tryin' tew steal th' gold-dust of a +sick miner. S'cuse me for interrupting" and Ham turned his eyes, still +glinting with his honest wrath, to the alcalde. + +"What!" and the alcalde's eyes brightened and his whole face lightened, +as if a great load had been suddenly lifted off his soul. "You saw this +man run out of Hangtown three days ago! The very time that he swore he +was on his way from San Francisco to the diggings! The very day that he +swore he saw the prisoners kill the miner in the Sacramento Valley!" + +"Right. He sart'in was in Hangtown three days ago. I reckon I otter +know, seein' I was one on 'em tew help run him out. Ay, Skoonly," and +Ham jerked the cringing man around in front of the alcalde. "Now, what +might be th' trouble with that arm?" and he glared down at the bandaged +arm of Skoonly, who had submitted to all these indignities, almost +without a protest. He knew Hammer Jones. + +"He said," answered the alcalde, "that his horse threw him and broke his +arm a little while before he saw the murder committed and that that was +why he had not gone to the help of the miner." + +"Huh!" and again Ham snorted scornfully, then a sudden gleam came into +his eyes, and he turned quickly to the alcalde. "Supposing" he grinned, +"you have that broken arm investigated. 'Twouldn't s'prise me none tew +find it a durned good arm yit." + +"Good!" and the alcalde smiled. "Skoonly can't object, because it will +be a strong point in his favor, if we find the arm really broken." + +"But I do object," protested Skoonly emphatically, his face becoming +livid. "Th' pain'll be sumthin' awful; an' doc said that it mustn't be +taken out of the splints for a month on no account." + +"Objection overruled," declared the alcalde, who had been watching the +man's face. "Here," and he turned to the foreman of the jury, "this +appears like a proper point for you to investigate. I'll turn him over +to you. Be careful and not hurt the arm any more than you are compelled +to," and he smiled. + +The crowd, which by this time had formed a close and deeply interested +circle around the dramatic characters in the little drama that was here +being enacted, watched with tense and grim faces, the foreman, aided by +a couple of his fellow jurymen, slowly unwind the bandages from +Skoonly's arm. If they had been fooled, if they had been led by false +testimony almost to hang two innocent men, nay, boys, their wrath +against the false accusers would be sudden and terrible. + +Skoonly yelled and squirmed, when they began unwinding the bandages from +his arm, as if the action caused him the most intense pain, and begged +them to stop, while his face grew so white that even Ham himself began +to fear that the arm, at least, bore no false testimony; but the +unwinding went steadily on. + +And, lo and behold! when the last bandage was off, there lay the arm, +sound of bone, and without even a bruise or discoloration along its +whole length! + +"Wal, I'll be durned! Jest as I thought! The cur! An' that is th' kind +of evidence you was a-go-in' tew hang them boys on!" and Ham's angry +eyes swept the circle of surrounding faces. + +A murmur, that swiftly swelled into a roar of hundreds of angry voices, +broke from the surrounding crowd, when Ham's testimony and the result of +the examination of Skoonly's bandaged arm became known. + +"A rope! Get a rope! Hang him!" yelled a hoarse voice; and the cry was +taken up by hundreds of voices; and the jam of enraged men pressed +closer and closer to the cowering man, whose face grew livid with fear, +as he glared wildly around, seeking some means of escape. But there was +none; and despair and a great dread, the dread of a sudden and frightful +death, took possession of his soul. + +"Save me! Save me!" he yelled, throwing himself at Fremont's feet. "I +did not mean tew git th' boys hanged. They, Bill an' Spike, told me +'twas jest tew scare them. They was a-tryin' tew frighten th' boys intew +doin' sumthin' for them--Oh-h-h, don't let them git me! Save me!" and he +clutched Fremont's legs with both his quivering hands, as the roar of +the crowd became louder and more threatening. + +"Quick," and Fremont bent over him, "will you tell all, all that you +know of this horrible affair, if we will save your neck?" + +"Yes! Yes!" eagerly agreed the terror-stricken man. "I'll tell +ever'thing! Afore God I'll tell ever'thing! It's Bill an' Spike who is +responsible, not me. It's them you want." + +"Men," and Fremont again leaped up on top of the barrel, both hands +outstretched for silence. "Listen, men, listen!" + +For a minute the roar of the crowd continued, and then swiftly subsided, +as all eyes caught sight of the tall figure of Fremont standing on the +barrel top. + +"Make your words few and to the point, Colonel. This is no time for +speech-making," warned a voice from the crowd. "We want to get hold of +the skunk who was willing to falsely swear away the lives of two boys." + +"My words will be few and to the point," Fremont began, his clear +penetrating voice reaching every ear in the crowd. "Skoonly will confess +everything, if you will spare his neck. He appears to have been but the +tool of the other two men; and we will need his testimony to make out a +case against them and to prove to the satisfaction of all, the innocence +of the two boys. Under these circumstances, it would seem to be best to +allow him to go free, providing he makes a clean breast of everything he +knows concerning this case." + +"And further providin'," supplemented Ham, "that he be warned never +ag'in tew show his cowardly face in Sacermento City or any minin'-camp +in Calaforny, under penalty of instant hangin'." + +"An' that he be given a hoss-licken, jest afore lettin' him go," added a +roughly dressed miner, standing near the inner edge of the circle. + +Growlingly, like a hungry dog driven from a bone, the crowd at length +agreed to this disposal of Skoonly; and the wretched man, with much +faltering and many terrified glances around the enclosing circle of grim +faces, told how, for a thousand dollars in gold-dust, he had agreed to +help Quinley and Ugger out with his testimony, if they needed it; how he +and the two scoundrels had planned out the whole thing the night before +and were on the lookout for the boys that morning; how he had remained +in a near-by saloon, with his manufactured broken arm all ready, waiting +for a summons from the two men; and how, at last, the summons had come +and he had given in his testimony, according to agreement. He declared +that the two men had told him that they only wished to frighten the two +boys into giving up something, he did not know what, that really +belonged to them, and had assured him there would be no danger of +getting the boys hanged, that they would be sure to yield before it got +to that point. About the murder of the miner he knew nothing, except +that Spike Quinley and Bill Ugger had told him that they had killed the +man themselves, and had showed him the money-belt, still heavy with +gold-dust, that they had taken from him-- + +"Great guns!" broke in Ham excitedly, at this moment, "if we ain't plum +forgot them tew villains," and he made a mad break through the crowd in +the direction of the spot where he had left Quinley and Ugger. + +In an instant the wildest excitement prevailed; and hundreds of men were +rushing about excitedly, looking for the two scoundrels. But Quinley and +Ugger were wise in their wickedness, and seeing, with fear-enlightened +eyes, the results of the advent of Hammer Jones and Colonel Fremont, had +taken advantage of the excitement attending the examination of Skoonly, +to disappear so suddenly and completely, that, although Sacramento City +was searched all that day and that night, as with a fine-toothed comb, +not a sign nor hair of either man could be found; and the enraged crowd +had to be satisfied with giving Skoonly the promised "hoss-licken," and +running him out of town the next morning, with a warning never to show +his cowardly face on their streets again, unless he was looking for the +job of dancing the hangman's hornpipe at the end of a rope. + +The excitement and the confusion and the swift scattering of the crowd, +attending the search for the two scoundrels, of course ended the trial +of Thure Conroyal and Bud Randolph for the murder of John Stackpole; and +they stood free and worthy men in the sight of all people once more--and +with the skin map still in their possession. + +"Great Moses! but I was glad to see you, Ham!" declared Thure, as he +gripped his big friend's hand, after some of the excitement had quieted +down. + +"Glad! Glad is no name for my feelings, when I saw your great body loom +up by the side of the alcalde," and Bud gripped his other hand. + +"I reckon you was some pleased tew see me," grinned back Ham, "both on +you," and the hearty grip of his big hands made both boys wince. + +"Colonel, Colonel Fremont!" and Thure broke away from Ham's hand to rush +up to Fremont, who was talking with the alcalde. "I--we can never thank +you enough for coming so splendidly to our help." + +"Then do not try," smiled back Fremont. "My boy," and he gripped Thure's +hand, as his face sobered, "I have not forgotten a certain night, some +three years ago, near the shores of Lake Klamath, when an Indian stood +with bow bended and arrow aimed at my breast; nor the skill and +quickness of the boy, whose bullet struck and killed the Indian before +his fingers could loose the arrow.[2] I fancy that I have not yet +discharged my full debt to that boy." + +[Footnote 2: A full account of this incident, the saving of Fremont's +life by Thure, is given in the preceding book of this series, _Fighting +with Fremont_.] + +"That--that was nothing," stammered Thure, his face flushing with +pleasure to think that Fremont still remembered the incident. "But +this--Think of the terrible death you helped save us from!" and Thure +shuddered. + +"Yes, it was terrible," and Fremont's eyes rested kindly on the face of +the boy, "but, think no more about it now," he added quickly, as he saw +how swiftly the color had fled from his face at the thought of the +dreadful peril he had just escaped. "Come," and he turned briskly to +Ham, "I wish you, and the two boys, and the alcalde, if he will do us +the honor, to dine with me. I have an hour at my disposal before I must +leave the city; and I know of no better way of spending it than in your +company. Besides, I am hungry, and I am sure you are, also, after all +this excitement, now happily over. So, fall in," and he smiled, as he +gave the once familiar command. + +The alcalde begged to be excused, on account of other matters that +demanded his immediate attention; but Ham and the two boys, with +answering-smiles on their faces, "fell in"; and, under the command of +Fremont, charged down on the City Hotel, where their generous host +entertained them lavishly on the costly viands of that expensive +hostelry, while he and Ham talked of old times, of the perils and +hardships and joys they had shared on those wonderful exploring +expeditions that had brought a world-wide fame to the then young +lieutenant, and the two delighted boys listened, until it became time +for Colonel Fremont to go. + +"Our dads will never forget what you have done for us, Colonel," Thure +said, as he grasped Fremont's hand in farewell. + +"I may soon put them to the test," smiled back Fremont, "by giving them +an opportunity to vote for me, when we get our state goverment +organized." + +"You sure can count on all our votes," declared Thure eagerly; "that is, +as soon as Bud and I are old enough to vote." + +"Thank you," laughed Fremont, and added quickly, his face sobering. "And +it is an honor to any man to receive the votes of men like your fathers +and Ham here and you two boys, even in prospect, an honor, that, believe +me, I appreciate," and the light in his forceful eyes deepened, as if he +were seeing visions of the future. "But, I must be off. Remember me to +your fathers and to all the others," and he sprang lightly on to the +back of his horse, near which he had been standing during these words, +and galloped off down the street toward the ferry. + + + + +CHAPTER XIII + +EXPLANATIONS + + +"Wal, now," and Ham turned a puzzled and frowning face on the two boys, +the moment Colonel Fremont had vanished down the street, "what are you +tew yunks a-dewin' in Sacremento City? A-tryin' tew git yur necks +stretched, you blamed idgits? I'll be durned, if I wouldn't like tew +spank both on you!" and the frown on his face deepened. "I--" + +"Oh, Ham," broke in Thure excitedly, "we've got the most wonderful story +to tell! And it all comes from that murdered miner, who, before he died, +told us about a wonderfully rich mine that he had discovered; and it was +to get the map to this mine that those two dreadful men tried to get us +hanged--" + +"Whoa--up! Jest pull up y'ur hosses a bit," and Ham stared in +astonishment at the excited boy. "You're a-goin' tew fast for me tew +keep up. Come 'long back intew th' hotel, an' tell me y'ur story +straight, not in jerks an' chunks," and he led the way back into the +City Hotel, and to a quiet corner in the big waiting-room, where they +could talk undisturbed and unheard. + +Here, in low but excited voices and after exacting promises of the +utmost secrecy, Thure and Bud told their wonderful story to Ham. + +"Wal, I'll be tee-totally durned, if it don't sound good!" declared that +worthy, when, at last, the tale had been completed. "But thar's lots of +mighty good soundin' yarns goin' 'round camp, 'bout wonderful gold +mountains an' caves of gold. Howsomever, I never heer'd tell on +anybudy's really findin' any on 'em; an', I reckon, 'most on 'em is jest +lies. But that thar map seems tew give y'ur yarn a look like th' truth; +an', I reckon, them tew skunks must have believed th' yarn, or they +wouldn't have ben so pow'ful anxious tew git th' map. Gosh, if it should +prove true!" and Ham's eyes widened and his cheeks flushed and he drew +in a deep breath. "I'll be durned, if it should prove true, if I don't +go back tew my old home in Vermont, that I ain't seen since I was a yunk +'bout y'ur age, an' buy up th' old farm, an' build a big house on it, +an'--Gosh, a'mighty, if that yarn of y'urn ain't sot me tew dreamin'!" +and Ham came back to the earth, looking a bit foolish. "More'n likely +it's all a lie; an' thar I was a buyin' farms an' a-buildin' houses! +Queer how th' gold gits intew th' blood an' makes all humans tarnal +idgits, now ain't it?" and he shook his head wonderingly. + +"But, there's the map, and the big gold nugget, and all the gold that +the murderers got from him," protested Thure. "He must have found some +kind of a mine to have got that gold; and crazy folks wouldn't draw real +maps of the gold-diggings they only imagined they had discovered." + +"An' you've got that map, an' that hunk of gold with you?" and again the +eager light shone in Ham's eyes. "Wal, I reckon I'd like tew have a look +at that nugget an' map." + +"But, not here," interjected Bud anxiously, as he glanced suspiciously +around the big room at a number of roughly dressed men, who were +standing in front of the bar or seated at tables playing cards. "I think +that we had better wait until we get to our dads, before we show up the +map and the nugget. We can't be too careful. Now, how comes it that you +are in Sacramento City, Ham?" and the eyes of both boys turned +inquiringly to the face of their big friend. + +"Reckon you're right 'bout th' map an' nugget," admitted Ham +reluctantly. "Leastwise I don't blame you for bein' some keerful after +y'ur late experience," and his own eyes glanced sharply about the room. +"Now, as tew my bein' here, that's soon explained. Y'ur dads an' th' +rest sent me in tew git a load of camp-supplies--flour, bacon, sugar, +coffee an' sech like things tew eat, 'long with some diggin' tools an' +extra clothin'. Got in a leetle afore noon; an', heerin' thar was a +murder trial on in th' hoss-market, I hit th' trail for th' market tew +once, bein' some anxious tew see who was a-goin' tew have their necks +stretched. Wal, if I didn't 'most have tew push my heart back down my +throat with my fist, when I seed that you tew yunks was th' criminals!" + +"But you made things hum, when you got started," and the eyes of Bud +glowed with admiration, as they rested on the face of his big friend. +"You just straightened things out in no time. My, but it did do me good +to see you give Brokennose that punch on the jaw!" + +"Same here," grinned Ham. "But it riled me all up tew have them tew curs +git away. If ever I lay my eyes on either one on 'em ag'in," and his +eyes glinted savagely, "thar won't be no need of no rope tew hang 'em, +th' cowardly murderin' skunks!" and he banged his great fist down on the +table so hard that nearly every one in the room jumped and turned their +eyes curiously in his direction. + +For a few minutes longer Ham and the two boys sat talking together, then +Ham suddenly straightened up. + +"Wal, if I ain't forgettin' all 'bout them supplies in th' excitement," +he said, hurriedly rising. "Come on, yunks, I've got tew hustle an' make +all them purchases afore night; for we've got tew git out of here afore +sun-up tew-morrer," and Ham led the way out of the hotel, to where he +had left a couple of sturdy little pack-horses tied to the trees, when +he had rushed off to see the hanging. + +An open space, under the overhanging branches of a huge evergreen oak, +was now selected for the camp for the night; and hither Ham and the two +boys brought their horses, and, after unsaddling and unbridling them, +gave them a scanty supply of grass, bought at fifty cents a big hand +full, and a little barley, at a dollar a quart. Then Bud, the two boys +had drawn cuts to see who should stay, was left to watch the camp, and +Ham and Thure started out to make the needed purchases. + +The shops were crowded with men buying goods to take with them to the +gold-mines, or diggings, as the mines were almost universally called, +and paying for them with gold-dust, the name given to the fine particles +of rough gold dug out of the ground, at the rate of about sixteen +dollars to the ounce of gold. On every counter stood a pair of scales, +with which to weigh the gold; and it was a curious sight to Thure to see +these men, whenever they bought anything, pull out a little bag or other +receptacle, take out a few pinches of what looked like grains of coarse +yellow sand, and drop them on the scales, until the required weight was +reached, in payment for the purchase. Ham, himself, had only gold-dust +with which to make his payments; and it made Thure feel quite like a +real miner, when he handed the little gold-bag to him and told him to +attend to the paying, while he did the selecting of the goods needed. + +By sundown all the purchases were made and carried to the camp and +everything made ready for an early start in the morning. + +After supper--they got their own suppers, all deciding that the food at +the hotels was too rich for their blood, or, rather, pockets--Thure and +Bud, boy-like, notwithstanding their weariness, wanted to take a little +stroll about the town; but Ham promptly and emphatically vetoed any such +a move on their part. + +"I'll be durned if you dew!" he declared decisively, the instant the +subject was broached. "You'll stay right here in camp, an' crawl intew +y'ur blankets, an' git tew sleep jest as quick as th' good Lord'll let +you. You shore have had all th' excitement you need for one day; an' th' +devil only knows what trouble you'd be a-gettin' intew, if you was +allowed tew run loose, promiscus like, about th' streets of Sacermento +City at night. It's bad enough by day, as you sart'in otter know; but by +night! Not for tew yunks like you!" and Ham shook his head so decidedly +and frowningly that neither boy ventured even a word in protest against +his rather arbitrary decision. + +But, although they remained in camp, Thure and Bud never forgot that +first night in Sacramento City. The scenes about them were so unique, so +weirdly and romantically beautiful, so suggestive of dramatic +possibilities, that they impressed themselves indelibly on memories new +to such sensations. + +As the sun went down a gray chill fog arose from the river and the +lowlying shores and fell down over the little city like a thin wet veil, +blurring and softening and reddening the light from the innumerable +camp-fires, built under the dark shadows of overhanging trees, and the +broad glows coming from canvas houses and tents, lighted from within, +and the bright glares that poured through the doors and windows of the +more brilliantly illuminated dance-halls and gambling-hells, giving to +all a weird and dream-like aspect, fascinating, romantic, and beautiful. + +Their camp was situated some distance from the center of the city's +activities; but near enough for the sounds of its wild revelries to +reach their ears, softened a little by the distance. A dozen or more +bands were playing a dozen or more different tunes from a dozen or more +different dance-halls, all near together along the levee and the +neighboring streets; and, sometimes, high above even these discordant +sounds, rose the human voice, in loud song, or boisterous shout, or +peals of rough laughter. Around some of the near-by camp-fires men had +gathered and were singing the loved home melodies; and from one of these +groups came the voice of a woman in song, sounding singularly sweet and +entrancing in the midst of all those harsher sounds. Above their heads a +gentle wind blew murmuringly and whisperingly through the wide-spreading +branches of the evergreen oak; and, at their feet, snapped and crackled +the ruddy flames of their own camp-fire. + +By nine o'clock the lights of the surrounding camp-fires began to grow +dimmer, and the songs and the laughter and the talking of the groups +around them ceased. All these were seeking their beds or blankets; and +soon only the noise and the music, the songs and the shouts of the +revelers broke the stillness of the night. + +For a little while, before closing their eyes in sleep, Thure and Bud +lay in their blankets listening to these distant sounds of wild revelry. + +Suddenly, above the music, above the songs and the shouts and the +laughter, rang out the sharp--crack--crack--of two pistol shots, +followed by an instant's lull in the sounds; and then the music, the +songs, the shouts, and the laughter went on, louder and madder than +ever. + +At the sound of the pistol shots both boys had leaped out of their +blankets and stood listening intently; but Ham had only grunted and +rolled over in his blanket. + +"Ham! Ham! Did you hear that?" called Thure excitedly. "Someone must +have been shot!" + +"Shut up, an' crawl back intew y'ur blankets," growled Ham. "'Tain't +none of our bus'ness, if some fool did git shot. It's probably some +drunken row. Whiskey's 'most always back of every shootin' scrap. It +beats me," and the growl deepened, "how full-growed men, with +full-growed brains, can put a drop of that stuff intew their mouths, +after they've once seen what it does tew a feller's interlect, makin' a +man intew a bloody brute or a dirty beast or a grinnin' monkey; an' yit, +th' best an' th' wisest on 'em goes right on drinkin' it. It shore gits +me! Now," and he turned his wrath again on the two boys, "git right back +intew y'ur blankets, an' shut y'ur mouths an' y'ur eyes, an' keep 'em +shut till mornin'," and once again and with a final deep rumbling growl, +he rolled over in his blanket and lay still. + +Thure and Bud crawled slowly back into their blankets; and, at last, +with the sounds of the distant revelry still ringing in their ears, fell +asleep. + + + + +CHAPTER XIV + +THE LUCK OF DICKSON + + +The next morning, a good hour before sunrise, Thure and Bud found +themselves suddenly tumbled out of their blankets and the grinning face +of Ham bending over them. + +"Sleepyheads!" and, reaching down, he gripped each boy by his coat +collar, the night had been chilly and both had slept in their coats, +jerked him to his feet and shook him violently, "Wake up!" and, suddenly +letting go, he sent both boys staggering from him. "Thar, them's my +patented double-j'inted yunk-wakers," and he shook both of his big fists +in the faces of the two boys, "warranted tew wake th' soundest sleepin' +yunk that ever rolled himself up in a blanket, in seven an' +three-quarters seconds by th' watch, or money refunded. For +testimonials, see Bud Randolph and Thure Conroyal," and the grin +broadened on his face, until it threatened to engulf all his features. + +"It sure does the waking all right," laughed Thure; "and you can have my +testimony to that effect any time you wish it." + +For an hour all hands were busy, getting the breakfast, eating, packing +and saddling and bridling the horses; and then, just as the sun, like a +great globe of gold, rose above the gold-filled mountains of their hopes +to the east and shone down on the waters of the Sacramento, Ham gave the +word to start, and, leading one of his well-loaded pack-horses on either +side of him, he strode off, headed for the rough trail to Hangtown, +followed by Thure and Bud, driving their pack-horses before them. + +As they passed along by the various camps in the outskirts of the town, +a man, holding a long-handled frying-pan over the coals of his +camp-fire, looked up and then remarked casually: + +"Queer shootin' scrap that down on the levee last night!" + +"Heer'd th' shootin', but that's all I heer'd," answered Ham, halting +for a moment. "What might thar be queer 'bout it?" + +"Both on 'em bosum friends 'til they gits a lot of French Ike's whiskey +down 'em. Then one calls t'other a liar, an' both on 'em pulls their +guns an' shoots; an' both on 'em falls dead, th' bullets goin' through +th' heart of each one on 'em," answered the man. + +"Hump! Nuthin' queer 'bout that!" grunted Ham. "That's a common thing +for whiskey tew dew. Git up!" and he continued on his way. + +The trail to Hangtown, after leaving the Sacramento Valley, entered the +rough and picturesque regions of the western slopes of the Sierra Nevada +Mountains, where the traveling was slow and difficult, especially with +heavily loaded pack-horses; and, although the distance from Sacramento +City, as the crow flies, was scarcely more than forty miles, yet it was +not until near the middle of the afternoon of the third day that our +friends came in sight of the rude log cabins and tents of Hangtown. They +had climbed to the summit of a particularly rough hill and had just +rounded a huge pile of rocks, when Ham brought his pack-horses to a +sudden halt. + +"Thar's Hangtown," he said, and pointed down the steep side of the hill +into what was little more than a wide ravine, where a number of rudely +built log houses and dirty-looking tents lay scattered along the sides +and the bottom of the declivity and men could be seen at work with picks +and shovels, digging up the hard stony ground, or, with gold-pans in +their hands, washing the dirt thus dug in the waters of the little creek +that flowed through the bottom of the ravine. + +"Hurrah!" yelled both boys, taking off their hats and swinging them +around their heads the moment their eyes caught sight of the houses and +the tents. + +"At last we are where gold is being actually dug up out of the ground!" +exclaimed Thure enthusiastically, a moment later, as he sat on the back +of his horse, watching, with glowing face and eyes, the men of the pick +and the shovel toiling below. + +"It shore does have tew be dug up out of th' ground, at least th' most +on it," agreed Ham, grinning. "More diggin' than gold, th' most on us +find." + +"Oh, come! Let's hurry. I want to get to dad," and Bud started off down +the hill excitedly, with Thure and Ham hurrying along behind him. + +The side of the hill was seamed with small water worn gulches and strewn +with rocks and the logs of fallen trees; and the trail down to the +bottom wound and twisted and turned to avoid these obstructions, until +it seemed to the impatient boys, that, for every step downward, they had +to go a dozen steps to get around some gulch or huge rock or fallen +tree; but, at last, they reached the bottom, and were actually on the +very ground where men were digging gold out of the dirt. + +"Now, where are our dads and the rest?" and Thure looked curiously and +excitedly around him at the various groups of miners hard at work with +their picks or shovels or pans or other washing machines. "I can't see +anybody in sight that looks like them--Oh, there is Dick Dickson!" and +he jumped excitedly off his horse and ran up to a miner at work near by, +who was about to wash a pan of dirt, followed by Bud. + +"Hello, Dick! Didn't know you in them clothes," and Thure held out his +hand to the miner, whose only dress was a broad-brimmed hat, a red +woollen shirt, and a pair of trousers. + +"Glad to see you," and the miner set down the pan of dirt and gripped +the hands of both the boys. "Had to come to the diggings with the rest, +did you? Well, it's hard work; but the gold is here!" and his eyes +sparkled. + +"Are you going to wash that pan of dirt, Dick?" and the eyes of Thure +turned excitedly to the pan full of dirt that the miner had placed on +the ground at the sudden appearance of the boys. + +"Yes," answered Dickson, grinning; "and it's the first pan that looks +like pay-dirt that I've taken out of my new mine over yonder alongside +of that big rock," and he pointed to a huge rock that jutted up above +the ground a couple of rods away, where the boys could see a pile of +dirt that had been thrown out of a hole dug down close to the upper side +of the rock; "and so I am just a little anxious to see how it pans out." + +"Don't--don't let us keep you from washing it," and Bud's face flushed +with excitement. "We, too, would like to see how it pans out, wouldn't +we Thure?" + +"You bet!" was Thure's emphatic rejoinder. "I hope we bring you good +luck, Dick. Now, let's see how you do it." + +"All right. I sure need some good luck. Well, here goes," and with hands +that trembled a little with excitement, for the washing of that pan full +of dirt might mean a small fortune, he bent and picked up the gold-pan. + +The creek was only a few feet away and Dickson hurried thither, followed +by the two eager boys, while Ham, a good-natured grin on his face, stood +guard over the horses. + +Dickson first submerged the pan in the water and held it there until the +dirt was thoroughly soaked, while with one hand he crushed and broke the +larger lumps and stirred the mass with his fingers, until all the dirt +was dissolved, and a great deal of it had been borne away, in a thick +muddy cloud, by the current of the stream. He then tipped the pan a +little, at the same time giving it a slight whirling motion, holding it +with both his hands, which soon caused all the remaining dirt to float +away in the water, except a little coarse black gravel that covered the +bottom of the pan in a thin layer. + +"Now," and Dickson straightened up, the pan in his hands, his face +flushed with excitement, for already his eyes had caught the yellow +glitter of gold, shining amongst the coarse grains of gravel, "we'll see +how hard I've struck it," and he thrust his fingers down into the wet +black gravel that covered the bottom of the pan, and moved them slowly +about in it, bending his head down close to the pan, so that his eyes +could catch every gleam of gold. + +"Is there any? Is there any?" and Thure, in his anxiety to see, almost +bunted his head into the head of Dickson. + +"Is there any! Whoop!" and Dickson let out a yell that nearly startled +both boys off their feet. "Is there any! Just look there! And there! And +there!" and with a trembling finger he pointed, as he spoke, to little +rough bits of gold, a little larger than pin-heads, that fairly flecked +with yellow the bottommost layer of black gravel. + +[Illustration: "IS THERE ANY! JUST LOOK THERE! AND THERE! AND THERE!"] + +Thure and Bud shouted with delight; and Ham and half a dozen of the +miners at work near by came up on the run, the faces of all showing the +liveliest interest. + +"Whoop! I've struck it! Struck it rich, boys!" and the miner, almost +beside himself with excitement, swiftly gathered the golden bits out of +the pan and spread them out on the palm of his hand where all could see. +"A good ten ounces!" he almost shouted, as he tossed them up and down to +test their weight. "One hundred and sixty dollars! And out of the first +pan full of pay-dirt! Gee-wilikins, but won't this be good news for +Mollie!" + +"You shore have struck it, Dickson," declared Ham, who, with glowing +eyes, had been examining the bits of gold on the palm of the miner's +hand. "I reckon thar's a pocketful of it where that comed from," and he +glanced toward the big rock. "That thar rock acted like a big riffle an' +stopped th' gold a-comin' down th' stream that hit ag'in it. I'm mighty +glad you've hit y'ur luck at last," and the big hand of Ham went out in +a hearty grip of the miner's calloused palm. "You shore deserve it, +Dickson." + +The congratulations of all were equally hearty and apparently free from +envy; but Dickson was too eager to further test his discovery to wait +long to listen to congratulation; and, hurriedly pocketing the gold, he +grabbed up the pan and rushed back to his "mine" by the side of the big +rock. + +"Supposing we wait and see him wash out another pan of dirt," and Thure +turned his flushed face and glowing eyes eagerly to Ham. "I never was so +much interested in anything in my life." + +"You shore have got the gold-fever an' got it bad," laughed Ham. "An', I +reckon, you're not th' only boy hereabouts that is a-sufferin' with it," +and he glanced at Bud's flushed face. "Wal, I'm some interested myself +in seein' how Dickson's luck holds out; so we'll wait tew see the +washin' of another pan." + +In less than ten minutes the excited miner was back with another pan +full of the precious dirt, which he at once began to wash, his nervous +excitement being so great that the pan shook and trembled in his hands. +Suddenly, in the midst of his washing, he jumped to his feet with a wild +yell. + +"A nugget! A nugget!" and he held aloft in one hand a little chunk of +solid gold, about as large as an egg and nearly of the same shape, only +rougher in outline. + +By this time quite a little crowd of miners had gathered around the +lucky man; and handshakes and claps on the shoulders and verbal +congratulations were showered on him from all sides, while the nugget +was passed from hand to hand, with many wise and otherwise comments as +to its weight and probable value and the likelihood of there being +others like it where it came from. In the excitement caused by the +finding of the nugget, the remaining dirt in the pan was forgotten, +until Ham, suddenly remembering, turned to the excited Dickson. + +"Better finish cleanin' out th' pan, Dick," he said. "Thar's probably +more gold in it." + +"Gosh, if I didn't forget it!" and Dickson grabbed up the pan and began +washing its contents with feverish haste. + +In a few minutes he arose and held out the pan, his hands trembling. + +"There! Just look there!" he cried, pointing to the glitter of gold in +the black sand that covered the bottom of the pan. "If there isn't a +good fifteen ounces of gold there, then I miss my guess!" and he broke +into a happy laugh. "Well, boys, my luck has turned at last! And there +is a little woman up there in that little log cabin that has got to know +about it at once," and Dickson dropped the pan and started on the run up +the side of the hill toward a little log house that stood in a cluster +of pines halfway up its side, followed by cheers from the miners, who +appeared to be almost as rejoiced over his good fortune, as if it had +been their own. + +All this had been very interesting and very exciting to Thure and Bud; +but now that the climax had been passed their thoughts turned at once to +their fathers. + +"Now," and Thure caught hold of Ham's coat sleeve, "now that we have +seen how they get the gold from the ground, take us to our dads. We are +more anxious than ever to get to them as quickly as possible." + +"I'm pow'ful glad Dickson made that strike," Ham commented, when they +were again on their way. "He's been workin' like a hoss for months, +without hardly gittin' a sight of color; but he's had th' pluck tew keep +a-diggin'. I reckon it's th' Leetle Woman up in th' cabin that's kept +him a-goin'. She's pluck clean through an' has stood right by th' side +of Dick, no matter what sort of luck fate dished out tew him. I shore am +glad Dick has hit it for th' Leetle Woman's sake, as well as his own. +Now, 'bout y'ur dads. That's their house up thar, 'bout a dozen rods +beyond Dickson's. But, I reckon, we won't find none of 'em at home this +time of th' day," and he turned his horses into a rude trail that wound +up the side of the hill toward the little grove of pine trees, in which +the boys could see the little cabin where Dickson lived and beyond that +a larger log house. + +During this time Dickson had been speeding up the hill, shouting and +yelling the good news at the top of his voice as he ran. Suddenly the +boys saw the door of the cabin thrown open, and a woman rush out and run +madly down the rough trail toward the miner, her long unconfined hair +streaming out behind her. + +"Whoop! I've struck it! Struck it rich, Mollie!" they heard Dickson +yell, while from down the hill rang out cheer after cheer from the +little group of miners now gathered about Dickson's find and watching +the meeting between the lucky man and the "Little Woman," as nearly all +the miners in Hangtown called Mrs. Dickson. + +A few minutes later Dickson and the "Little Woman," hand in hand, like +two happy children, ran past them on their way down to the wonderful +find. + +Thure and Bud, and even Ham, cheered and yelled as they ran by; and the +woman turned her shining eyes in their direction and waved her free hand +and shouted a welcome to the two boys. + +"I shore am glad that Dickson made that strike," Ham again remarked, +with something that looked suspiciously like moisture in his eyes. "He's +a deservin' cuss; an' th' Leetle Woman's ben like a mother tew us all." + + + + +CHAPTER XV + +AROUND THE SUPPER TABLE + + +Ham's expectations were fulfilled; for they found the log house vacant, +with a sign on the door that read: "BACK ABOUT SUNDOWN." + +"Wal, jest dismount an' unpack an' make y'urselves tew home. We'll git +things all straightened out afore we start out tew hunt up th' +delinquents," and Ham began unpacking his horses. + +But Thure and Bud had to have a look inside the house, before they +untied a rope or unbuckled a strap; and, the moment they dismounted, +they rushed to the door and entered. + +The house was a very rude affair--just four walls of logs, roughly +fitted with an ax and laid one on top of the other to a height of seven +feet, enclosing a space some twenty-five feet long by eighteen feet +wide, with a bark roof, ground floor, a door cut through the logs in the +middle of one side, and three windows, one in each side and one in the +end opposite the fireplace. The fireplace was very roughly constructed +of stones and sticks, plastered together with a clay-like mud, and with +the chimney built entirely outside of the house. + +The furniture was in keeping with the house. The table was the split +halves of a log, cut about ten feet long and laid side by side, with +their flat sides up, supported by four short posts driven into the +ground near the center of the room. The chairs were blocks of wood, set +on end, reenforced by a couple of old boxes and two miners' easy chairs, +a unique production, made by cutting down an empty flour barrel to +something of the shape of an armed easy chair and attaching two rockers +to the bottom. The seats of these chairs were often lined and stuffed in +good shape and had the comfortable feel and rock of the more costly +chairs of civilization--and what more need a miner ask? Along the side +of the room opposite the door ran a double tier of rude bunks, one side +of the beds being supported by posts driven into the ground and the +other by the logs of the wall. On the wall near the fireplace hung the +frying-pans and the other rude cooking utensils; and in a corner were +piled the bags, barrels, kegs, and boxes containing their camp supplies. + +When you are told that this, at that time in Hangtown, was considered a +rather luxurious style of living, you may be able to form something of +an idea of the kind of style in which the average miner lived. + +"Well, they don't put on much style, do they?" and the eyes Thure turned +to Bud twinkled with excitement and interest. + +"Don't they! Just feast your eyes on this!" and Bud, dropping down into +the soft seat of one of the "easy" chairs, leaned back comfortably and +began rocking. "Now, if this isn't style and comfort, then I don't know +what style and comfort are. Better try it," and he winked toward the +other "easy" chair. + +Thure at once profited by the suggestion. + +"Well, I swun to goodness!" he declared, as he rocked back and forth in +the novel chair, "if this doesn't beat mother's easy rocker for comfort. +I reckon dad will have to make her one, when we get back home," and he +grinned. + +"Say," and Ham strode into the house, a bag of flour on one shoulder, a +box of canned stuff under one arm, and a grin all over his face, "if you +yunks think you've come up here tew dew nuthin' but tew set an' rock in +y'ur dads' easy chairs, you've got another think comin' an' comin' +quick. Now, git them packs off th' backs of y'ur hosses an' intew th' +house. This ain't no Home of Cumfort for lazy yunks. Out with you!" and, +dropping the bag of flour and the box in the corner, he started for the +two boys. + +Thure and Bud "outed" as fast as their four legs could take them; and +soon were busy getting the packs off their horses and the goods into the +house. When this had been done and the horses had been cared for, the +sun was nearing the tops of the western mountains; and it was decided +not to hunt up the "delinquents," as Ham called them, but to await their +return at the house; and, in the meantime, to prepare such a supper for +them as seldom blessed a miner's eyes and excited his appetite, from the +delicacies Mrs. Conroyal and Mrs. Randolph had sent in the packs of the +boys. Then, in addition, Thure and Bud determined to try and give their +fathers, who, of course, supposed the two boys were still at home with +their mothers and sisters on the rancho, a little surprise. By keeping a +sharp lookout down the trail they could be warned of the coming of the +men in sufficient time to put their surprise in operation. + +Accordingly they got everything in readiness, first by tying their +horses out of sight behind a clump of bushes and removing every outward +sign of their presence, and then by drawing the two easy chairs up close +together in front of the door and placing one of the blocks of wood used +as seats in front of each chair. When they saw their fathers coming, +they would take their places in these chairs, lean back comfortably in +them, place their feet at a comfortable angle on top of the blocks of +wood, and, thus sitting cozily in the two easy chairs, be the first +objects to meet their fathers' eyes on entering the house. They fancied +that this unexpected sight might surprise the two men some; and they +were not disappointed. + +Fortunately for the success of their "surprise," Mr. Conroyal and Mr. +Randolph led the little procession of miners that appeared a few minutes +after sundown, coming up the trail leading to the log house. + +"Here they come!" cried Bud, who was stationed at the window overlooking +the trail, the moment the men appeared in sight. "Hurry, Thure, and get +into your chair." + +The two boys quickly seated themselves in the barrel-rockers, perched +their feet comfortably on top of the blocks of wood, leaned back +comfortably into the hollows of their chairs, and fixed their eyes on +the door, their faces shining with excitement. + +At last the door was flung open and the big frame of Noel Conroyal, +backed by that of Rad Randolph, appeared in the doorway. + +For a moment both men stopped right where they were, and stood staring +in blank astonishment at the faces of the two boys sitting in the two +chairs. + +"Walk right in," invited Thure, his eyes dancing. + +"Yes, come right in and have supper with us," urged Bud. + +For an instant longer the two men stood staring; and then both of them +made a rush for the two boys; and, as they were almost instantly +followed by Dill Conroyal, Thure's older brother, Rex Holt, Thure's +cousin, and Frank Holt, Thure's uncle and the father of Rex Holt, you +can imagine the excitement and confusion that reigned in that log house +and how swiftly the questions flew back and forth for the next few +minutes. The men had been away from their homes and their dear ones for +nearly a year now; and, naturally, were exceedingly anxious to learn +what had been going on during their absence. Suddenly, when the +excitement had quieted down a little, Mr. Conroyal's face clouded and +something that looked very much like a frown gathered on his forehead, +as he turned to Thure. + +"But, young man," and the frown on his face deepened, "how comes it that +you are here, against my express commands? I left you at home to care +for your mother and sister and the rancho. Why have you deserted your +trust?" + +"Oh, dad," and Thure turned excitedly to his father, "the most wonderful +thing has happened! We found a dying miner, who had been robbed and +stabbed; and he, just before he died, gave us a map that tells us how to +find a Cave of Gold that he had discovered; and mother, our mothers, +thought you ought to know about it; and so we are here, to get you all +to help find this wonderful Cave of Gold. The miner said that the bottom +of the cave was covered with gold nuggets, just covered with them, dad." + +"And he gave us one of the nuggets, a whopper!" broke in Bud. + +"And your mothers were foolish enough to believe such an improbable tale +and to send you here on such a wildgoose chase!" and something that +began to look very much like anger darkened Mr. Conroyal's face. "Why, +the camp is full of such tales; but no sensible man ever pays any +attention to them." + +"But, dad, you haven't heard our story yet; and you haven't seen the map +and the nugget," insisted Thure eagerly. "I am sure you will not blame +us for coming when you know all." + +"Well, my son," and Mr. Conroyal's lips tightened grimly, "we'll have a +look at that map and nugget and hear that wonderful story of yours and +then, if it doesn't look as if it might pan out true, back you will +start for home at sun-up to-morrow morning. What do you say, Rad?" and +he turned to Mr. Randolph. "The boys must be made to understand that +they can't desert a trust like that at every wild tale they hear." + +"Right," agreed Mr. Randolph. "They start back for home to-morrow +morning, if their tale does not sound reasonable enough to make good +their coming. They were all the men folks left that the women could +depend on; and the reason must be a strong one to justify their +deserting them." + +"But, we did not desert them," expostulated Bud. "They gave us +permission to come, told us to come, because they thought you ought to +know about the Cave of Gold and the map, and there was no one else to +send," and Bud's cheeks flushed a little with disappointment and +indignation. + +"Wal, now," and the good-natured face of Ham loomed up between the two +boys, "I reckon, if you all will jest take a look at that thar table, +you'll stop y'ur talkin' and git tew eatin' some sudden. 'Tain't once in +a dog's age that a miner in Hangtown can sot down tew a table like +that," and Ham waved both hands proudly in the direction of the +split-log table, on which he had spread out, with lavish hands, the +cakes, pies, jellies, fruits, butter, eggs and the other good things +sent from home, together with the results of his own more substantial +cooking, fried bacon, nicely browned flapjacks, and steaming hot coffee. + +"Whoop!" yelled Rex. "Me for the eat!" and, grabbing up one of the +blocks of wood, he made a rush for the table, followed by all present. + +That was a jolly supper. The sight of the unaccustomed good things to +eat put everybody in good nature--and no wonder! for their eyes had not +seen an egg or a cake or a pie or a hunk of butter, to say nothing of +the jelly and the fruit, in Hangtown before for six months; and nobody +knows how good these things look and taste, until they have been without +even a smell of them for some months, and living on a steady diet of +salt pork and beans and man-made bread. But, at length, as all good +things will, the eating came to an end; and then, almost involuntarily, +all eyes turned toward Thure and Bud. Their stomachs were filled; and +now all were in the best possible condition to listen to their story. + +"Now, for that dead miner's wonderful tale," and Conroyal turned to +Thure. + +"Jest wait a minit afore you begin," and Ham arose suddenly from the +table. "We want no outside listeners tew this tale," and, hurrying +outside, he made a hasty circuit of the house, to assure himself that +there were no eavesdroppers. When he came in he remarked, by way of +answer to the inquiring glances turned in his direction: "You will know +why I'm so cautious-like afore th' yunks come tew th' end of their tale; +an', I reckon," and he glanced around the circle of somewhat startled +faces that surrounded the table, "afore they begin, we'd better have it +understood by all that thar is tew be no talkin' outside 'bout this +matter, that it's tew be kept as close as our own skins tew ourselves. +It has already caused th' death of th' old miner, an' mighty nigh th' +death of them yunks thar, as you'll soon larn, an' death is still hot on +th' trail, so it's jest good boss-sense for us tew be cautious-like. We +don't want no more killin's, if we can help it. Now, I reckon, you can +begin y'ur yarn," and, seating himself, he nodded his head to Thure and +Bud. + +You may be sure that, after these ominous actions and words of Ham, +there was no lack of interest in the faces now turned toward the two +boys. + +Thure began the story; and, helped here and there by Bud and often +interrupted by the angry exclamations of his excited hearers, he told +the remarkable tale, from the killing of _El Feroz_ and the death of the +old miner to their own startling arrest for murder in the streets of +Sacramento City and narrow rescue from the hangman's rope by the +providential coming of Hammer Jones and Colonel Fremont. + +"And those two cowardly skunks got away!" almost yelled Conroyal, as he +banged his big fist down on the table, his face white with wrath. "And +after they had almost succeeded in getting two innocent boys hanged for +a crime they committed themselves!" + +"They sart'in did," answered Ham grimly. "An' what's more th' cunnin' +devils like as not are still on th' trail of that thar skin map th' old +miner gave th' boys. That's why I reckon we'll need tew be some +cautious." + +"But, where is this wonderful skin map and that big gold nugget?" cried +Rex Holt, his eyes shining and his face flushing. "Let us have a look at +them," and he jumped to his feet and leaned across the table, so as to +be nearer to Thure. + +"Dill, you and Rex just take a run around the house to see that the +coast is still clear, before the boys show up the gold nugget and the +skin map," and Mr. Conroyal glanced sharply toward the door and the +windows. "As Ham says, we want no eavesdroppers in this case." + +Dill and Rex at once sprang to the door; and, moving in opposite +directions, each slowly made the circuit of the house, their keen eyes +searching the surrounding darkness. They neither saw nor heard anything +suspicious. + +"Now, we'll have a look at that map and gold nugget," Mr. Conroyal said, +as soon as Rex and Dill had returned and reported the coast clear. "Of +course," and he glanced around the circle of faces, "it is understood +that all that is said and seen here to-night is to be kept secret by +all, whether or not the search for the Cave of Gold is made." + +"Yes, yes!" cried Dill impatiently. "We're all in on it together and +must not breathe a word about it to an outsider. We all understand that, +don't we?" + +All the heads around the table quickly nodded assent. + +"Now, then, let us have that map and gold nugget," and he turned +excitedly to Thure and Bud. + +Thure at once thrust his hand under the bosom of his shirt and under his +left shoulder and pulled out the miner's little buckskin bag. Then he +opened the bag and pulled out the map. + +"The skin map," he said, and, laying it down on the table, he swiftly +turned the bag upside down and dumped the gold nugget down on top of it. +"And here is the gold nugget." + +For a moment no one moved; but all sat staring at the big yellow chunk +of metal, shining ruddily in the light of the flickering candles, as it +dropped from the bag and came to a rest on the skin map and lay there on +the table in front of Thure. + +"Gosh, that sart'in looks like th' real stuff!" and the big hand of Ham +reached out and picked up the nugget and hefted it critically. "Solid +gold!" he declared, his eyes shining. "Jest heft it, Con," and he passed +the nugget to Conroyal. "Wal, I reckon you yunks have made good. Now, +let's see what's on that thar piece of skin," and, picking up the map, +he smoothed it out on the table and stared down on it, while as many +heads as possible crowded close to his head and stared down on the map +with him. + +"John Stackpole, did anyone here ever hear of a feller by th' name of +John Stackpole?" and Ham raised his head and glanced around. + +"I know the man," declared Frank Holt, the father of Rex, whose snowy +white hair gave him a patriarchal appearance. "I remember now. That's +the name the fellow gave I saw in Coleman's store 'bout two weeks ago. +He had a peculiar scar, shaped something like a horseshoe over one of +his eyes." + +"That's the man! You remember that queer-shaped scar over one of his +eyes, don't you?" and Bud turned excitedly to Thure. + +"Yes," answered Thure. "He must have just got back from the cave. What +was he doing, Uncle Frank?" and he turned eagerly to Mr. Holt. + +"Well, he certainly looked as if he had just come out of a cave," +grinned Holt. "Clothes all in rags and dirty, and hair and beard all +over his head, except his eyes and nose and mouth. But," and his face +lighted up, "he seemed to have plenty of gold-dust; for, while I was +standing there watching him curiously, he picked out a good suit of +clothes and paid for them out of a bag heavy with gold, gold that was +mostly small nuggets. + +"'Struck it, pard,' and I saw Coleman's eyes glisten, as he gathered in +them small nuggets, for the gold wasn't no Hangtown gold. Anybody with +eyes could see that. + +"'Just a pocket,' answered the man. 'But good and rich, for a pocket.' + +"'Whereabouts might it be, if I ain't asking too much?' queried Coleman, +who I could see was some excited over that bag full of little gold +nuggets, as he placed the bundle of clothes down in front of the man. + +"'Thank you,' answered the man gruffly, and, picking up the bundle, he +hurried out of the store, considerably to the disappointment of Coleman. + +"Now, I calculate, that must have been our man, for he certainly told +Coleman that his name was John Stackpole, when he asked him if any +message had been left there for him. I remember it all plain, because I +got some excited over that bag full of little gold nuggets myself; but I +didn't call to mind the name until Ham called it out." + +For many minutes the map and the gold nugget were now passed from hand +to hand and thoroughly examined by all, while the tongues of all wagged +with excited comments and Thure and Bud were often called upon to repeat +parts of their story. But, at length, Noel Conroyal, who had been +elected President of the Never-Give-Up California Mining Company, into +which our good friends, the Conroyals, the Randolphs, the Holts, and +Hammer Jones, had organized themselves, stood up and pounded on the +table with his big fist. + +"The Never-Give-Up California Mining Company will come to order," he +said, the moment the talking ceased; "for the purpose of considering the +matter laid before it by Thure Conroyal and Bud Randolph and to +determine what action, if any, shall be taken." + +"Oh, cut out the big talk, dad, and just let's talk it over together," +protested Dill a bit impatiently; for, when Mr. Conroyal assumed the +office and the dignities of the President of the Never-Give-Up +California Mining Company, he was apt to be a little formal and +long-winded. "We don't need the formalities and they take up time." + +"All right, if that is the wish of the company," agreed Mr. Conroyal +good-naturedly. "I only wanted to get to doing something besides +talking." + +"I think," declared Ham, "that, now that we've heer'd th' story an' seen +th' skin map an' th' gold nugget, we'd better sleep on it afore we +decide anything, 'specially seein' that it's gittin' late, an' all on +us, I reckon, are plumb tired; an' tharfore, I move that this here +meetin' be adjourned 'til tew-morrer mornin', an' that all on us be +ordered tew git intew our bunks an' go tew sleep." + +Ham's suggestion sounded so sensible, for even the excitement could no +longer keep their tired bodies and brains from calling out for rest and +sleep, that it was adopted at once, with only a few feeble protests; +and, in fifteen minutes from the time it was made the lights were out +and all were in their bunks. + +"Say, dad," queried Thure a bit mischievously, as he and Bud crawled +under the blankets of one of the bunks, "do we have to start back for +home at sun-up?" + +"No, shut up and go to sleep," growled back Mr. Conroyal. + + + + +CHAPTER XVI + +UNEXPECTED COMPANY + + +The next morning everybody at the Headquarters of the Never-Give-Up +California Mining Company was up an hour before the sun flashed its +golden light over the tops of the eastern mountains and down on the log +cabins and tents of Hangtown. All the workers in the mining-camps went +to bed early, tired out with their hard day's work with pick and shovel, +slept soundly, and arose early the next morning to begin another day of +toil. Only the drones--the gamblers, the saloon-keepers, and their +foolish patrons--burned the midnight oil, or, rather in this case, the +midnight candle, for there was little oil to burn in these camps. Hence +it was that when Thure and Bud hurried out of the house to wash their +hands and faces in a near-by spring, they saw that they were far from +being the only early risers, that the smoke was rising from the chimneys +of nearly every log cabin in sight and that in front of nearly every +tent glowed a camp-fire, around which the cooks already could be seen +preparing breakfast. + +"Well, this is great!" declared Bud, as he dashed the cool, refreshing +water over his face. "I feel like a new man already. There must be +something in this mountain air that gets into the blood and puts new +life into a fellow. Say, but isn't this a beautiful sight, like--like a +picture painted by a great artist!" and his eyes swept over the +surrounding scene, now just becoming visible through the light of the +early dawn. + +"You are right, it is a beautiful scene," and Thure stood up and allowed +his eyes to drink in, with all the enthusiasm of youth, the beauties of +the scene; "but, I reckon, there is no artist that can paint a picture +the equal of that," and he pointed to the distant tops of the eastern +mountains. "It takes the brush of God to paint that kind of pictures!" + +And Thure was right. No artist's skill could transfer to canvas the full +glories of such a scene as now delighted the eyes of Thure and Bud. + +The first rays of the morning's sun flamed upon the snow-covered tops of +the mountains towering high above their heads to the eastward, while the +mountainsides and valleys were still dark with the shadows of night; and +everywhere the flaming light of morning struck the crystal-white of the +snow on mountain top and pinnacle, that peak was crowned with a glorious +halo that glowed, first with grayish violet lights, swiftly changing to +crimson and rose, and from rose to gold, until, suddenly, the whole peak +blazed forth in the glorious light of the full-risen sun. A vision for +an artist to rhapsodize over; but for a God to paint! + +"Bre'kfust! First an' last call tew bre'kfust!" yelled Ham from the open +door of the house, just as the sun burst over the tops of the mountains. + +"I feel as if I had just been to church," Thure said reverently, as the +two boys started back to the house. + +"So do I," agreed Bud. "Only no church or priest ever seem to bring God +as close to a fellow as such a scene as that does. I don't see how +anybody can live in the mountains and not believe in God." + +As soon as breakfast was eaten, Mr. Conroyal arose. + +"Now," he said, "that we have all had a night in which to think over the +tale of the dead miner we had better get together and decide on what we +had best do; and, as Dill suggested last night, we will first talk it +over in an informal way. Now, what do you think about the truth of the +miner's yarn? That, of course, is the first thing to settle; for there +is no need of bothering with the matter at all, unless we feel quite +sure that the miner really found a cave something like the one he +described to Thure and Bud." + +"Well, considering all things," and Frank Holt took the pipe he had lit +and was puffing on out of his mouth and laid it down on the table, "and +more especially considering the fact, that, when I saw him in Coleman's, +he appeared to have just got in from a long prospecting spell in the +mountains and to have plenty of gold along with him, and gold of a +different kind than is found anywhere around here, I feel quite certain +that Stackpole's yarn about finding that Cave of Gold comes pretty nigh +to being true, nigh enough at least to be worth investigating." + +"Them's my sentiments right down tew a T," declared Ham emphatically. +"Whar thar's ben so much smoke, thar's sart'in tew be some fire. I'm in +favor of makin' a hunt for th' Cave of Gold; but, afore doin' it, I'd +like tew know how that thar wing dam project over in Holt's Gulch is +promisin' tew pan out. If 'twon't take tew long, I'd like tew see that +job finished afore we have a try for th' Cave of Gold. I reckon we've +all put tew many backaches an' armaches intew that dam tew want tew see +'em wasted; an' thar might be a wagon load of gold thar, an', if thar +is, we want tew be th' ones tew git it, after all our work." + +"Right, Ham's right," asserted Mr. Randolph. "Now, supposing we all go +down and have a look at that dam, and try to figure out just about how +much longer it will take to finish it, before we decide anything +definitely about the hunt for the Cave of Gold. I feel almost sure that +we are going to strike it rich there, and I'd hate like sin to see any +one else reap where we've sown so many backaches, as Ham says." + +"I think Rad has it about right," declared Mr. Conroyal, "and, if there +are no objections, we'll all go down to Holt's Gulch and have a look at +the wing dam. I fancy it wouldn't please none of us much, after working +as hard as we have, to see somebody else step into our boots there and +reap a fortune, as like as not they'd do, if we deserted the dam now. I +reckon it won't take more than a week to finish the dam; and then a few +hours will show whether or not we've struck pay-dirt." + +There were no objections made to this proposition, although Rex and Dill +and Thure and Bud grumbled a little over the prospect of having the hunt +for the Cave of Gold delayed for a week; and, accordingly, all started +for Holt's Gulch, so named in honor of its discoverer, Rex Holt. + +The gulch was about two miles from Hangtown and was reached by passing +up a deep and steep ravine, that split the side of the hill a little +above Hangtown, for about a mile, and then up and over the side of the +ravine and down into a narrow little valley, into which a little stream +of water tumbled through a rent in the walls of rock that nearly +enclosed the valley. This rent in the rocks was the entrance to Holt's +Gulch; and the dam was being constructed something like half a mile +farther up, where the gulch crooked about, like a bent elbow, and +widened out a little. + +Many of the miners were already at work when our little company passed +up the ravine on their way to Holt's Gulch, presenting scenes of the +greatest interest and novelty to the unaccustomed eyes of Thure and Bud, +as they dug for the precious metal, sometimes up to their knees in mud +and water, sometimes so far away from the water that all the pay-dirt +had to be carried on their backs to the creek and there panned, but +always cheerful and hopeful that they "sure would strike it big soon." + +"Now, what might those fellows be doing there? They look as if they +might be winnowing wheat; but, of course, that can't be what they are +doing," and Thure turned a puzzled face to Ham, as he pointed to where a +small company of Mexicans, lank and skinny and black as Arabs of the +desert, were gathering the loose dry dirt in large wooden bowls, tossing +it up in the air, where the wind could blow away the lighter particles, +and dexterously catching it again in their bowls, as it came down, or +allowing it to fall on blankets or hides spread on the ground at their +feet, in a manner very similar to the ancient method of separating the +grain from the chaff. + +"Them are a breed of Mexies called Sonorans," answered Ham; "an' they +are a-throwin' that dirt up in th' air an' a-catchin' it ag'in tew git +th' gold out of it. You see th' wind keeps a-blowin' th' lighter dirt +out an' a-leavin' th' gold, 'cause it's heavier, until thar's nuthin' +left but th' dirt what's tew heavy for th' wind tew blow away an' th' +gold-dust, which is cleaned by blowing th' heavy dirt out of th' bowl +with th' breath. That way of gittin' gold is called dry-washin'; an' is +tew slow an' dirty for Americans or anybody else that's got much gump +tew 'em; but them tarnal Mexies seem tew thrive on it. I reckon th' good +Lord made 'em nearly black, jest so they could live an' work in dirt, +without th' dirt showin' through much. That sort of thing would kill a +white man in a week," and Ham looked his disgust. + +"Say, but this gold-digging is no fun, no matter how you do it, is it?" +and Thure's eyes swept up and down the ravine, where hundreds of men +were toiling like ditch-diggers. + +"Fun! Gold-diggin' fun!" and Ham grinned. "Th' feller what comes tew th' +diggin's a-thinkin' that th' gold is a-goin' tew jump up right out of +th' ground, 'cause it's so glad tew see him, is a-goin' tew git fooled +'bout as bad as Dutch Ike did, when he took a skunk for a new kind of an +American house cat an' tried tew pick it up in his arms. Fun! No; +gold-diggin' is jest grit an' j'int grease mixed tewgether an' kept +a-goin' with beans an' salt pork an' flapjacks. But, we're gettin' ahind +a-watchin' them dirty Sonorans. Come on," and the huge strides of Ham +made Thure and Bud both trot to keep up with him, as he hurried after +the others, to whom the dry-washing Mexicans were too common a sight to +be worthy a moment's pause for the purpose of watching. + +"Now, dad," and Thure turned inquiringly to his father, when, at length, +all stood together in Holt's Gulch on the mound of dirt that had been +already thrown up in building the wing dam, "I don't just see how this +dam is going to help you find the gold." + +"Well, my son," and Mr. Conroyal smiled, "it is not at all surprising to +find that you do not know all about mining, seeing that you have been in +the diggings only over night; but I'll give you the theory of the dam. +This little stream of water, as you can see from where we stand, makes +rather a sharp turn a few rods down, against an almost perpendicular +wall of rock, forming a curve in the stream that can be likened to the +crook in a bent arm, and leaving quite a little open space of ground +almost on a level with the water in the bend of the arm. Now we've +discovered that there is a deep hole right at the elbow joint, partly +filled with gravel and big enough to hold a good many tons of gold, but +too deep to get at through the water; and we've figured it out something +like this. The gold found in all the diggings along the beds of rivers +has been washed out of the rocks by the water and carried down by the +current, until stopped by its own weight or some obstruction; and we +calculate that most of the gold carried down by this stream would sink +down into this hole and stay there, because, gold being so heavy, it +would sure fall down into the hole, and, once there, the water would not +be strong enough to lift it out again. Now, that is the reason why we +think there might be gold and lots of it in that there hole," and he +pointed to the elbow made by the curve in the stream. + +"But, of course, not being fish, we cannot get down into the hole to see +whether or not there is gold in it, as long as the water runs over it; +and so we are making this wing dam up here above the elbow, to turn the +stream into a new channel and send it flowing kitti-corner-wise across +the opening between the two arms of the elbow and back into its own +channel below the elbow, which, of course, would leave the elbow dry and +give us a chance to clean out the hole and get all the gold there is in +it." + +"Oh, I see now!" exclaimed Thure, his eyes beginning to shine with +excitement. "And you call it a wing dam, because you have to make a sort +of a wing to the main dam, extending for quite a ways out on the dry +land, in order to give the water a sufficient turn to keep it from +flowing back into the old channel until you are ready to have it." + +"Exactly," and Mr. Conroyal smiled. "And, if the good Lord will only +keep it from raining until we get the dam finished, all of us might make +our fortunes right here; and, again, we might not find a cent's worth of +gold. It's all a speculation," and he shrugged his big shoulders. + +"But--but what difference could a little rain make? You are not afraid +of getting wet, are you?" and Thure smiled at the thought of these hardy +men standing in dread of a little rain. + +"No, son, we are not afraid of getting wet," and Mr. Conroyal smiled +grimly. "But a big rain up there in the mountains where this stream +comes from, would mean that in less than no time a flood of water would +come a-tearing down this narrow gulch that would sweep our dam off its +feet quicker than you could wink an eye--and us along with it, if we +didn't get out of here about as lively as the Lord would let us. +Howsomever we are not counting much on a rain, seeing that the dry +season has got a fairly good start; but it might come," and his eyes +turned a little anxiously toward the snow-covered mountains to the +northeast, whence came the little stream of water running through Holt's +Gulch. "But, come, we must get busy. Now, the first thing for us to do +is to figure out about how much longer it will take us to finish the +dam. I calculate that we have the dam about two-thirds done; and, since +we have now been at work twelve days, I think we can count on finishing +it in another six days." + +"That's 'bout my idee, Con," agreed Ham. "Another six days otter see th' +finish of th' job; an' then--maybe it will be gold an' maybe it will be +jest a lot of durned hard work for nothin'; but it shore looks good; an' +I'm in favor of seein' this dam through afore tacklin' th' Cave of Gold +propersition." + +For an hour or more our friends measured and figured and considered; and +then, all coming to the conclusion that Mr. Conroyal's estimate of the +time required to complete the dam was about right, the Never-Give-Up +California Mining Company went into executive session, and, after again +considering the marvelous tale of the dead miner and again examining the +gold nugget and the skin map and again carefully weighing their chances +of finding gold in the hollow of the stream's elbow after the turning of +the water aside by the dam, the Company finally decided that the dam +proposition looked too good to throw up, even for such an alluring +project as the hunt for the wonderful Cave of Gold, especially since the +Cave of Gold could not run away and would still be there waiting to be +found after the dam proposition had been thoroughly tried out. +Accordingly it was voted to first complete the dam and see if there was +any gold in the old bed of the stream; and then, if it was still the +wish of the Company, they would start on a hunt for the miner's Cave of +Gold. + +"That means for everybudy tew git busy tew once with pick or shovel," +and Ham jumped to his feet and seized a pick the moment the result of +the final vote was announced. "We want tew git this here dam built jest +as soon as we can, an' find out what's in that thar hole; an' then, I +reckon, we'll all want tew have a try for that thar gold cave, unless we +gits enough gold out of th' hole tew plumb fill us all up with gold," +and Ham grinned joyously, as he struck the sharp point of his pick down +deep into the hard dirt. + +There was always the prospect of a big find in the near future to keep +up the spirits of the gold-digger. What did his condition to-day matter +to him, when to-morrow he might fill his pockets full of gold! When all +he had to do was to shoulder his pick and shovel, pick up his gold-pan, +and go out almost anywhere and dig enough gold out of the ground at +least to live on! When every morning was cheered by the possibility of +striking it rich before night, and the discouragements of every night +were lightened by the thought that to-morrow might be his lucky day! The +star of hope always brightened his darkest skies; and so long as he kept +his health, he usually kept his courage and good-nature. Consequently +the reader need not wonder at the joyous grin on Ham's face, when he +began tearing up the earth with his pick; for every blow might be +bringing him a step nearer to a fortune! + +The building of a dam under any circumstances is hard and dirty work; +but, when the only tools are picks and shovels, when all the dirt that +cannot be thrown into place with the shovel, must be lugged there on the +backs of the laborers themselves, as was the case with our friends, +then, indeed, does the building of a dam become about as fatiguing work +as a human being can undertake to do, as Thure and Bud both discovered +long before the night of their first day's work in the goldmines of +California came to bring rest to their aching backs and arms and legs. +But that day saw the completion of the wing part of the dam and the new +channel so far as it was thought necessary to dig one and now all that +remained to be done was to extend the dam across the stream itself; and +this progress put all, even the two boys notwithstanding their +weariness, into splendid spirits. + +"I reckon it won't take us th' hull six days tew finish th' job," +commented Ham, as he threw down his pick and wiped his perspiring face +with a huge red handkerchief at the close of the day's work. "We didn't +calculate that you tew yunks was such hosses tew work," and he grinned +into the faces of Thure and Bud; and the two tired boys grinned bravely +back. They were not going to let anybody know just how very, very tired +they really were. + +That night, when the returning laborers came within sight of their log +house, they were greatly surprised to see the smoke pouring hospitably +out of its chimney and a light glowing a bright welcome through its +windows. + +"Now, who can it be!" exclaimed Ham, the moment his eyes caught sight of +the smoke and the light, while all quickened their steps and their faces +brightened; for company in that lonely log house was such a rarity as to +be most gladly welcomed. "Won't expectin' nobudy, was you, Con?" + +"No," answered Conroyal. "I can't imagine who it can be." + +"Maybe it's th' minister an' his wife come tew make us a social-like +call. Wal, he won't git no chicken dinner, if it is," and Ham grinned. + +At the door of the house the mystery was solved by the sudden appearance +in the doorway of the smiling face of Mrs. Dickson glowing with the heat +of the fire over which she had been cooking and her own happiness, +backed by the grinning countenance of her husband. + +"Dick and I felt just as if we had to celebrate our good fortune +someway, or bust," she explained, smiling and bowing to the astonished +men; "and, of course, we didn't want to celebrate it all alone, so we +just moved in here for the celebration, your house being larger than +ours. Now, get washed up as quick as you can and come right in. Supper +is almost ready; and Dick has bought out nearly all the stores in +Hangtown. Thought you men folks might enjoy a taste of woman's cooking +again," and her sweet laugh rang out joyously. + +"Got everything good to eat they had in Hangtown, boys," and Dickson +thrust his head out over one of his wife's shoulders; "and Mollie's +cooked a dinner that just fairly makes a fellow's insides jump to get a +whiff of. Whoop! I've taken a good Ten Thousand Dollars' worth of gold +out of that hole by the side of the big rock already! And there is more +left there, boys! There is more left there!" and the happy man caught +his wife around the waist and began waltzing with her around the table. + +"Wal, I'll be durned!" was the way Ham expressed his feelings at this +unexpected but most welcomed invasion of their home; and, judging from +the looks on the faces of the others, that was about the way all felt. + +Our friends promptly hurried away to the spring to "wash up," as the +Little Woman had commanded; and soon were back again, with, probably, +just a little cleaner faces and hands than they had had before in weeks. + +"Now, just sit right down to the table," Mrs. Dickson urged, the moment +they came filing in. "Everything is ready for you to begin eating right +away; and nobody is to wait on ceremony. I know you must be about as +hungry as bears. Dick and I have already eaten until we are both about +ready to bust, the things looked and smelled so good we couldn't wait no +how, so we've got nothing else to do but just to wait on you big hungry +men--There, sit right down there, Ham, in front of that gold-pan +full--but it is a surprise; and I won't tell you what is in that pan +yet," and she pushed the grinning Ham down on the block of wood that did +service in lieu of a dining chair in front of a steaming covered +gold-pan. + +One near whiff of the contents of this pan and Ham jumped to his feet. + +"Whoop, boys!" he yelled. "It's chicken! It's chicken pie! Whoop! Hurrah +for th' Leetle Woman!" and, whirling suddenly around, he threw one big +arm around Mrs. Dickson, drew her quickly to him, and gave her a smack +on one of her rosy cheeks that sounded like the report of a pistol. + +"And the only chickens in Hangtown are in that pie," declared Dickson +proudly. "When we saw those birds Mollie and I just couldn't keep our +hands off them. They seemed to be just a-begging us to buy them and make +them into a chicken pie. Now, fall to, boys; and, with every mouthful +that you eat, think of our good luck. It means a lot to us, boys, a +whole lot to the Little Woman and me. We are going back to our dear old +New York home on the beautiful banks of the Hudson--Hi, there, Ham! Just +start the chicken pie a-going round. You are not the only mouth at the +table," and Dickson, doubtless feeling that sentiment was beginning to +get a little the best of him, rushed excitedly about the table, as he +helped to pass the good things Mrs. Dickson had cooked from one to +another. + +That was a dinner to remember as long as one lived. The circumstances of +its giving were so unusual and so generous, its surroundings were so +unique, and its jolliness was so whole-hearted and spontaneous, that +ever afterwards it was one of the bright spots in the memories of all +who were present. + +When the eating was ended the men went outside and built a huge fire in +front of the house; and then sat down around it and smoked their pipes +and told stories and compared mining notes and discussed the +ever-present questions of where the gold came from and how it got there, +all of which would make interesting reading, but which, because of other +events that are crowding forward, must be passed over thus briefly. + +For a couple of hours the talk around the camp-fire continued; Mrs. +Dickson had joined the circle, and then Mr. and Mrs. Dickson both rose. + +"It's getting late and we must be going," declared Mrs. Dickson. + +"Not yit! Not yit! Not until you've sung for us!" cried Ham, jumping to +his feet. "We can't let her go without a song, can we, boys?" + +The reply was an unanimous demand for the song; and Mrs. Dickson, +smiling and bowing and blushing, like a happy schoolgirl, and declaring +that she was afraid she had eaten too much to sing, straightened up her +plump little body, threw back her head, and was about to begin to sing +in the dark shadows where she stood, when Ham caught her by both her +shoulders and gently pushed her out into the bright light of the +camp-fire. + +"Th' song wouldn't sound nigh as good, if we couldn't see th' singer +plain," he declared, his face seemingly one broad grin. "Thar, that's +'bout right," and he swung her around so that the brightest light shone +full on her face. "Now give us good old 'Ben Bolt,' Somehow that song +kinder seems tew sweeten me all up inside," and Ham sat down almost +directly in front of Mrs. Dickson. + +Mrs. Dickson had a sweet, clear, bird-like voice, and what she lacked in +training she more than made up in the feeling she put into the words she +sang; and her singing always touched the hearts of these lonely miners +deeply. But to-night, as she stood there, with the ruddy light of the +camp-fire shining on her face and dimly illuminating the surrounding +shadows of the lonely night and the towering mountains and the tall pine +trees, and sang the beautiful words and melody of "Sweet Alice, Ben +Bolt," she struck a deeper chord still, and all listened like men +entranced until the last note died away in the silence of the encircling +night. + +"I never knowed I liked music so well, 'til I heer'd th' Leetle Woman +sing," declared Ham the moment the sound of Mrs. Dickson's voice ceased. +"Her singin' seems tew come a-knockin' right at th' door of a feller's +heart. Now, dew sing us another one," and he turned pleadingly to Mrs. +Dickson. + +"Yes, I will sing you just one more song; and then we must be going. It +must be nearly ten o'clock; and those two tired boys have been nodding +their heads for the last half-hour." + +"Me!" "We!" and Thure and Bud both sat up very straight. "Oh, we were +just nodding our heads to keep time to your music. Please do sing +again." + +For answer Mrs. Dickson lifted her face to the sparkling skies; and +then, while the tears gathered in her own eyes and her sweet voice +trembled a little, she sang that song dear to the hearts of all +wanderers no matter where they roam, "Home, Sweet Home." + +"Now, good night, everybody. Come, Dick," and, turning quickly the +moment she stopped singing, Mrs. Dickson caught hold of her husband's +arm and hurried away before the spell of the song and the singer was +broken. + +A half an hour later the lights in both the houses were out and their +inmates sound asleep. + + + + +CHAPTER XVII + +POCKFACE AGAIN + + +Thure and Bud were very tired and very sleepy and both slept very +soundly; but, when the door of their house was suddenly flung violently +open some three hours after they had closed their eyes in sleep, and a +voice, hoarse with excitement, yelled: "Fire! Fire! Fire!" they found +themselves out of their bunks and on their feet and wide-awake almost +before the startling cry ceased to echo in the room. + +"Where, where is the fire?" they heard Conroyal asking excitedly, as +they hurried into their trousers and heavy boots--they had slept in +their shirts. A moment later came a cry of horror from Ham in reply. + +"God in heaven!" he yelled. "It's Dickson's! Th' Leetle Woman!" and he +plunged madly out through the door, followed by every other man in the +house. + +Thure and Bud were close behind the last man. The moment they were +outside their eyes caught the red glow of the fire shining wickedly +through the openings between the pine trees that surrounded Dickson's +little cabin, and raced madly toward it. The distance was not great, not +over twenty rods; and they soon found themselves in front of the burning +house. + +Dickson and his wife, half-dressed, were rushing madly about, empty +water-pails in their hands. Already the red flames were leaping through +one of the windows; and, as they looked, a heavy jet of black smoke, +swiftly followed by a long tongue of fire, shot out from the roof above +the flaming window. + +"Buckets! Buckets!" yelled Ham. "Form a line tew th' spring an' pass +buckets of water from it tew th' house. Here, you," he cried, as his +eyes caught sight of Thure and Bud, "back tew th' house an' git +everything in it that'll hold water--pails, gold-pans, kettles, +anything--Hurry!" + +Thure and Bud turned instantly and sped back to the house, their hearts +thumping with excitement. They knew the value of moments in a case like +this. Thure was a little longer-legged, a little the swifter runner, and +he reached the open door perhaps a rod ahead of Bud and sprang through +it, thinking only of how he could get hold of the kettles and the pails +and the pans in the quickest manner possible. + +The room was dimly lighted by a ruddy glow from the coals still burning +in the fireplace; and by this light, Thure, the moment he sprang through +the door, saw a figure start up suddenly from near the bunk where he +slept and turn a pock-marked, face, white with fear, toward him; and +then, as his momentum carried him into the room and before he could lift +a hand in self-defense, he saw the right hand suddenly swing up a heavy +club, as the figure leaped toward him, and--a blinding crash and he knew +no more for the present. + +Bud was more fortunate. He saw the figure, saw the blow hurriedly aimed +at him, in time to spring aside; and then, with a yell of rage, for he, +too, had caught sight of the pock-marked face of his assailant, he +hurled himself toward him. + +But Pockface had had all of the fight he wanted; for, the instant he +struck at Bud and failed to hit him, he sprang through the door. + +Bud, in his mad rush to get at the man, failed to see the body of Thure +sprawled out on the ground at his feet, and, as he sprang after the +fleeing scoundrel, his feet struck the body and pitched him head-first +to the ground, where he lay for an instant, stunned by the fall. When he +jumped to his feet and sprang excitedly to the door, Pockface had +vanished completely into the darkness of the night. + +There was no use now of trying to follow him. Besides, there was Thure! +What had happened to him? He--he might be dead! And, with fingers that +trembled with anxiety and dread, Bud hurriedly lit a candle and bent +over Thure, for the moment forgetful of the fire and of everything else +but the condition of his friend. + +A great bump on the top of Thure's head showed where the blow had +fallen; but he was breathing, and Bud's experience in such matters +quickly told him that he was only stunned. + +On a box in a corner of the room stood a pail, filled with water. Bud +quickly seized this pail, and, in his excitement, dumped its whole +contents directly down on the white face of Thure. + +A shiver ran through the still form, then both eyes opened and stared +wildly, blankly around for a moment. Suddenly the blank, wild look left +the eyes, and Thure struggled desperately to get on his feet. + +"Did he--did he get the skin map?" he cried excitedly, as Bud endeavored +to quiet him. "I--I left it under my pillow. Hurry! See if it is still +there. Never mind me. I'll be all right in a minute. Hurry and see if +the map is still where I left it," and he pushed Bud impatiently away +from him. + +Bud quickly caught up the candle and hurried to the bunk. Both pillows +lay on the floor, where some hurried hand had thrown them, and the +little buckskin bag, with its precious contents, was nowhere in sight. +Bud jerked off all the blankets and held the candle up high; but no +sight of the buckskin bag rewarded his efforts. + +"It is gone!" and he turned a despairing face to Thure. "He got the map! +And after all we have gone through!" + +"What!" Thure was now on his feet, all the dizziness gone, and rushing +toward the bunk. "The map gone!" and he seized the candle from Bud's +hand, and, holding it so that its light illuminated the whole bunk, +stared wildly down on the rumpled surface of the rude bedtick, which +now, the blankets having been thrown off, showed its entire surface to +the light of the candle. There could be no doubting his own eyes. The +buckskin bag was not there! + +"Gone! It is gone!" and Thure staggered back from the bunk, almost as if +he had received a blow. "But," and he straightened up suddenly, his face +white and his eyes sparkling with rage, "he has not had time to go far. +Get your rifle, your pistols," and he sprang to the rack where hung his +rifle and pistols. "We must catch him. Oh, if I could but just get hold +of him!" and, rifle and pistols in hands, he rushed to the door; and not +until the glare of the burning house met his eyes did he come to his +senses sufficiently to see the folly of rushing blindly out into the +darkness of the night and the wildness of the mountains after the +scoundrel who had fled he knew not whither, or to recall the purpose for +which he and Bud had been sent back to the house. + +"Mother of men! We are forgetting all about the fire!" and he stopped +abruptly. "Well, it would be useless to try to find him now," and his +eyes glared wrathfully out into the darkness of the night. "The buckets! +Hurry!" and he rushed back into the house. + +When, a few minutes later, Thure and Bud, loaded down with kettles, +pails, pans, and even frying-pans, rushed pantingly up to Ham, who stood +at the end of the long line of men, stretching from the house to the +spring, throwing the water, as it was passed to him, with his great +strong arms, on the fire, he turned angrily on them. + +"Git tew th' spring," he shouted, "with them kettles and pails, you +young--" Then, catching sight of their white faces, he stopped abruptly. +"What's happened?" + +"They've got the map!" + +"Burn th' map! Git tew th' spring with them pails an' git busy with th' +water," and, with a violent swing of his huge body, Ham flung a large +gold-pan full of water on top of the flaming roof. + +Thure and Bud at once hurried to the spring. + +By this time the alarm of fire had raced up and down the gulches and +ravines of Hangtown and men were running from every direction toward the +burning building. Already a hundred or more men were stretched in a long +line from the house to the spring; and down this line buckets and pails +and pans of water were passing as swiftly as strong and willing arms +could send them. The air was filled with the yells and cries of excited +men. + +Thure and Bud at once pushed their pails and buckets into service and +promptly joined a new line that was forming. + +Fortunately the spring was a large one and the water held out; and, in a +short time, a great shout went up from the house and rushed along the +two lines of bucket men up to the spring and echoed and reechoed +triumphantly up and down through the rocky gulches and canyons of +Hangtown. + +The fire had been conquered; but not until the larger part of the roof +had been burned and the greater part of the interior furnishings +destroyed. + +The cause of the fire was a mystery. Mr. and Mrs. Dickson were positive +that it did not come from the fireplace, that, in fact, it had started +in almost the opposite end of the house and nearly directly under their +bunk; for, when the heat and the smoke awoke them, the foot of the bunk +and the lower end of the bed-clothes were already ablaze. Everything +inside the house was too badly burnt to furnish any positive clues; but +it was the opinion of nearly all the excited men that the house had been +set on fire purposely; and, if they could have but laid their hands on +the miscreant, there would have been as speedy a hanging as the one had +been that had given the town its unsavory name. + +The moment the excitement of the fire was over, Thure and Bud hastened +to their fathers and hurriedly told them what had happened on their +return to the house and of the disappearance of the map. + +The two men at once quietly but quickly gathered the other members of +the company and soon all were back again in the house, with the door +tightly closed. + +"Now," and Mr. Conroyal turned to the two boys, "tell us exactly what +happened." + +Thure quickly told all that he knew up to the moment the club had +knocked him senseless and exhibited the bump, now as large as a goose +egg, on the top of his head in proof of the story; and then Bud related +his part in the adventure. Both boys were certain that the man they had +seen in the house was Quinley, or Pockface as they continued to call +him. + +"An' you say th' skunk got that thar skin map an' gold nugget!" and Ham +sprang excitedly to his feet. + +"Yes. I--I left it under my pillow. We found both pillows on the floor; +and the buckskin bag gone. The man was standing near my bunk when I +rushed in, and must have just found it. Oh, if I only could have got +hold of him before he hit me!" and tears of baffled rage filled Thure's +eyes. + +"You're sart'in th' bag ain't thar?" and Ham glanced at the dismantled +bunk and the disordered bed-clothes scattered about. + +"Look for yourself," and Thure sank down on one of the rude chairs and, +throwing his arms disconsolately on the table, laid his aching head down +on them. + +Ham seized a lighted candle and strode over to the bunk, followed by all +the other men. He held the candle over the bunk and his eyes swiftly +searched every inch of the surface of the bedtick. + +"Th' yunks are right! Th' bag's not here!" and, with an angry growl, he +seized the offending mattress and hurled it out on the floor. + +There was a soft thud, as of something small but heavy striking the +ground of the floor; and then, with a yell that caused Thure to jump +nearly a foot up in the air from his seat at the table, Ham dropped the +candle and caught up something from the floor. + +"Hal'lujah! Hurrah! Amen! Here it is!" yelled the excited man, as he +held up where all could see the missing buckskin bag. + +In his mad tumble out of the bunk at the alarm of fire, Thure must have +knocked the little bag down between the mattress and the side of the +bunk, whence the rude hands of Ham had dislodged it when he had jerked +the mattress off the bunk; and this, probably, was all that had saved it +from the fingers of Pockface, for the pillows lying on the floor showed +that he had evidently searched underneath them. + +There is no need of picturing the rejoicing in that log house for the +next few minutes; but, when all had quieted down and were beginning to +talk sensible again, Rex suddenly jumped to his feet with an exclamation +of horror and rage. + +"The curs! The cowards! The murderers!" he cried excitedly. + +"What's bitin' you?" demanded Ham in astonishment. + +"The fire! Can't you see the curs set Dickson's house on fire on purpose +to get us out of the way?" + +"Great guns! If I don't believe you are right!" and Ham leaped to his +feet, his face white with rage. "An' a woman asleep in th' house! They +might have burnt both on 'em tew death! They shore won't stop at nuthin' +tew git that map! An' tew think I had my grip on that red-headed skunk's +shoulder, an' I only knocked him down!" and Ham dropped back on his +seat, muttering wrathfully to himself. + +"I reckon Rex has the right of it," and Mr. Conroyal's lips tightened. +"But the devilish cunning of it! They knew that whoever had the buckskin +bag would not be apt to sleep with it on him; and they calculated that +the sudden alarm of fire, coming when all were sound asleep, would so +startle, that, for the moment, even the skin map would be forgotten and +all would rush out to help put out the fire, and give them a chance to +search the house. Cunning, but as devilish as it is cunning! Think of +how they might have burnt Dickson and the Little Woman in their bed! By +the good God, we would be justified in killing either one of them on +sight!" and his rugged face hardened. + +"We certainly would," agreed Mr. Randolph emphatically. "They have +forfeited all their rights of manhood. But, I fancy, the cunning devils +won't give us a chance for an open fight. They will always strike from +behind something; but now that we know they are on our trail, we've got +to be on the lookout for them." + +"'Pears tew me," and Ham held the buckskin bag up, "that it's this here +thing that needs special guardin'. It's th' map that they are after; an' +they don't 'pear tew be none particular how many or who they kill tew +git it, only so they save their own hides. Now, I reckon, we've got tew +keep an eye on this here map night an' day 'til we gits tew th' Cave of +Gold; an' then, like as not, we'll have tew fight for th' gold. First +off, it 'pears tew me, we otter git some better place tew hide th' map +since them curs seem tew know 'bout th' buckskin bag," and Ham took the +fateful map out of the little bag and spread it out on his knees. + +"I know," and, in his excitement, Thure jumped to his feet and caught up +the map. "I know a good way to hide the map, and, maybe, fool them. +We'll leave the gold nugget in the bag, and I'll sew the skin map on the +inside of my shirt bosom. Then, if they should somehow get hold of the +buckskin bag, they'd only get the gold nugget; but, to get the map, +they'd have to get me; and, I reckon, dad and the rest of you are able +to keep them from doing that!" + +"That sounds sensible," declared Ham. "Thure'll always have his shirt on +his back night an' day; an' so we'll jest have tew keep an eye on Thure. +I reckon that idee is 'bout as good as any we can think of--only, we +must be powerful careful tew keep it secret an' tew never let th' yunk +git out of our sight for an instant." + +After a little discussion all agreed that Thure's plan was a good one; +and, accordingly, Thure at once took off his shirt and carefully and +smoothly sewed the skin map on the inside of its bosom, the face of the +map toward the cloth; and then, over all, he sewed another piece of +cloth, so that the map was completely hidden between the two folds of +cloth. + +"There," he said, as he pulled the shirt back on his body, "I'd like to +see Pockface or Brokennose get the map now, without getting me; and, I +reckon, you fellers will see that they have their hands full if they +tackle that job," and his eyes glanced proudly around the little circle +of men, who had gathered close about him while he was performing his +interesting little feat in sewing. + +And Thure had good reasons for his pride and confidence in his comrades; +for his father and Frank Holt, his uncle, and Hammer Jones and Rex and +Dill and Mr. Randolph were all old trappers and hunters and Indian +fighters, who had been tried by every form of peril and had never been +found wanting. Indeed, the names of Hammer Jones and Noel Conroyal and +Steeltrap Smith, as Frank Holt was once called, were still famous +throughout all the Rocky Mountain region, for the deeds of daring and +skill that had made them comrades in fame, as they often had been in +fact, with trappers and Indian fighters like Kit Carson and Jim Bridger +and Old Bill Williams and half-a-dozen other fearless men, whose courage +and pluck and wonderful skill had made their names known wherever a +campfire blazed throughout all the great West. Yes, Thure had good +reasons to believe that Brokennose and Pockface, cunning as they were, +would certainly have their hands full, if they got the skin map away +from him, while he was watched by such men as these. + +"They'll have tew git all of us afore they git you, son," declared Ham, +in reply to Thure's assertion. "Now," and he stretched his big frame and +yawned, "seein' that we've 'tended tew all th' business that needs +'tendin' tew tew-night, we'd better try an' git a leetle more sleep +afore mornin'. Leastwise I'm a-goin' tew," and, after a glance through +the window to assure himself that everything was all safe and quiet +around the Dickson house, he slipped a loaded pistol under his pillow +and climbed into his bunk. + +Ham's advice, as usual, was too good to be neglected, and soon all were +in their bunks. But, just before each had climbed into his bunk, he, +like Ham, had slipped a loaded pistol under his pillow. They were not +the kind of men to go unprepared when danger threatened. + + + + +CHAPTER XVIII + +STORY OF THE GREAT DISCOVERY + + +A cheery call from Mr. and Mrs. Dickson greeted our friends the next +morning, as they started down the trail on their way to the wing dam. +Both were in the best of spirits and did not appear to be bothering +their heads in the least over their rather exciting and unfortunate +adventure of the night before. Indeed, what could the burning of a log +cabin more or less matter to a man who was digging out of the ground +from five to ten thousand dollars' worth of gold a day! They were busily +at work putting on a temporary roof in place of the one the fire had +destroyed. + +"Lose much?" queried Ham sympathetically, as the little company came to +a halt in front of the ruins. + +"Only a little worn-out clothing and some mighty poor furniture," +laughed Dickson. "Mollie and I calculate we can fix up the roof by noon +good enough to last the few days we are likely to remain here; and the +time it takes us to do that is our only real loss. You see, we've +decided, if we get as much as twenty thousand dollars' worth of gold out +of that hole, we'll get for New York as fast as the good Lord will let +us; and it looks now as if it was good for that much, at least, before +it gives out. Why, it won't take more than a couple of days more to fix +us all right, if the gold continues to turn up the way it did yesterday! +Hope it will be your turn next." + +"Same here," laughed Mrs. Dickson. "My, but it does seem good to be +digging real gold up out of the ground in handfuls. Hope that wing dam, +or whatever you call it, will be the golden key that will unlock the +door of fortune to you all." + +"We all shore agrees with you thar," grinned Ham. "An' we all hopes that +y'ur luck will continue, 'til you gits enough tew send you back home in +fine style--not that we're none anxious tew see you go," he added +hastily, "'cause 'twould be 'bout as painful an operation as bein' +seperated from a sore tooth, to be seperated from that singin' apperatus +of your'n. We'll be expectin' you tew come over an' sing some more for +us tew-night." + +"I certainly can't refuse, after such a compliment to my singing," she +laughed back. + +"It almost tempts me tew try hitchin' up myself, tew see them tew +a-workin' tewgether as happy as tew nestin' birds," grinned Ham, as our +friends, after a few minutes' longer talk with the joyful and fortunate +couple, continued on their way. "I reckon that's 'bout th' kind of +marriage th' feller meant, when he said they was made in heaven; for th' +t'other kind 'pear tew be made in t'other place," and Ham chuckled. + +That day they succeeded in building a wall of rocks, piled one on top of +the other and plastered together with clay and the branches of trees, +across the little stream itself and almost high enough to force the +water to flow in the new channel. Consequently night found them +jubilant; for now it began to look as if they might complete the dam on +the morrow, and this was doing better by a day or two than they had +expected to do. + +"I reckon we had better bring along the pails and the pans to-morrow," +Mr. Conroyal said, as he paused with Ham and Mr. Randolph for a last +calculating look at the dam, before starting for the log house that +night. "Looks now as if we might complete the dam and turn the water a +little before night; and, if we do, we will want to get right to work at +the hole. It sure looks as if we had struck a good thing here, boys," +and his face lighted, as his eyes turned toward the elbow. "If this +stream has been carrying down gold the way some of the streams have in +this section, we'll have Dickson beat by a wagon load or two of gold a +day. I can't see how it can help turning out something big," and the +gold-fever light that shone in his eyes began to sparkle in the eyes of +the others. + +"It shore otter turn out big tew pay us for all this work," and Ham's +glance slowly wandered over the huge piles of rocks and dirt that their +shovels and strong arms had reared, "but thar's no countin' on what +it'll do. 'Twouldn't s'prise me none, if we took out a wagon load of +gold; an', ag'in, 'twouldn't s'prise me none, if we didn't take out a +thimble load. Gold is 'bout as unsart'in an' queer as women. When you +think you've got it shore, gosh, it ain't thar at all! But, I reckon +you're right 'bout th' pans an' pails; an' I shore hopes you're right +'bout th' wagon loads of gold." + +After supper that night Mr. and Mrs. Dickson came over and joined the +circle around the big camp-fire that Thure and Bud had kindled in front +of the log house. There was no need to be saving of wood, when all one +had to do to get it was to cut it. Wood was the one thing that was free +and plentiful in Hangtown. + +"How did she pan out tew-day, Dick?" queried Ham, as Dickson seated +himself on a log. + +"Well," and Dickson hesitated and glanced swiftly and just a little +suspiciously around the circle of faces. Already the possession of much +gold was robbing him of some of his open, free-hearted confidence in his +fellow men, was drawing tight the strings of caution. "Well," he +continued, after a swift warning glance into the face of his wife, "I +fear that we have about come to the bottom of the pocket. Not much doing +to-day," but the light in his eyes seemed to belie his statement. + +"Oh, Dick," and Mrs. Dickson turned a reproving face to her husband, +"how can you say that, when we found this, and a lot of smaller nuggets, +and a good three thousand dollars' worth in gold-dust besides!" and she +held up before the astonished eyes of the circle a huge gold nugget. "It +weighs exactly five pounds and three and three-quarters ounces, and is +worth over a thousand dollars," and the Little Woman's face glowed with +triumph. "There," and she turned a pair of happy but defiant eyes on her +husband, "I just couldn't keep a thing like that to myself; and I +shouldn't want to, if I could; and I told Dick that I couldn't and I +wouldn't keep it from you and I didn't," and her eyes sparkled merrily. +"But Dick is getting a little afraid that, if it becomes known how big +our find really is it might tempt some scoundrel to try and get the gold +away from us." + +"Not meaning you fellows, of course," and Dickson's face flushed. + +"Shore, we understand an' without any explainin'," broke in Ham +heartily. "An', Leetle Woman, Dick's more'n half right 'bout bein' some +cautious who you tells y'ur good luck tew. Thar was a miner murdered for +his gold 'bout a week ago nigh Sacremento City; an' th' murderers worn't +caught an' might be a-snoopin' 'round Hangtown right now." + +"Mercy!" and Mrs. Dickson turned a whitening face to Ham. "Why, there is +hardly a lock on a door in all Hangtown; and most of the miners don't +even take the trouble to hide their gold-dust securely. I thought +everybody knew that the climate of Hangtown wasn't good for the health +of robbers." + +"An' so it ain't for them that gits caught," answered Ham. "But humans +will risk anything, even their lives for gold. Why, it wasn't more'n a +week ago that we run Skoonly out of town for stealin'! So, I reckon, +'tain't more'n good hoss-sense for you tew be some cautious now that you +are gittin' a fortune in gold. Not that thar's any harm in a-tellin' old +friends like us, 'cause we knows enough tew keep mum 'bout it," and Ham +glanced warningly around the circle of interested faces. "But 'twouldn't +be good sense tew let th' hull town know th' size of y'ur pile. It's tew +goll durned big an' temptin'. Not that I wants tew scare you, Leetle +Woman. Only it's jest good hoss-religion not tew tempt y'ur feller +mortals more'n it's necessary. Now forgit th' gold an' give us a song." + +Ham had not been without his reasons in thus trying to arouse the fears +of Mr. and Mrs. Dickson and in warning the others to keep their +knowledge of the amount of Dickson's find to themselves; for, since the +night adventure of Thure and Bud, he knew that Quinley and Ugger must be +lurking somewhere in the vicinity, and that, if these two scoundrels +should get knowledge of Dickson's great luck, neither their gold nor +their lives would be safe. + +Mrs. Dickson sang a number of the old songs, including Ham's favorite, +"Sweet Alice, Ben Bolt"; but her music lacked something of its usual +soul-fervor. Evidently the words of Ham had so aroused her fears that +she could not keep her mind from wandering to the little pile of gold +they had left almost unguarded in their lockless log cabin; and, in a +short time, both excused themselves on the plea of weariness, and +hurried home. + +"Tew bad tew scare th' Leetle Woman," Ham said regretfully; "but 'twould +be a heap worse tew have Quinley an' Ugger git that thar gold. I got +scart of them jest as soon as th' Leetle Woman showed up th' big nugget; +for they must be a-lurkin' 'round here somewhere, keepin' an eye on us; +an', if they heer'd of Dickson's gold, they shore would try an' git it. +Wal, we'd better follow their example an' git tew bed; for we've got a +hard day's work afore us, if we finish th' wing dam an' turn th' water +tew-morrer. I'm goin'," and Ham, knocking the ashes out of his pipe on +the log on which he was sitting, arose and went into the house, whither +he was soon followed by the others. + + * * * * * + +The next day as Thure and Bud were sitting in the shade of the cool side +of the gulch, a little apart from the others, eating their lunch and +discussing the great find they expected to make when they turned the +water of the little stream into the new channel, Thure, whose eyes +happened to be looking down the gulch at that moment, suddenly +exclaimed: + +"Hello, look who's coming!" and he pointed down the gulch to where a man +could be seen walking slowly toward them, a pick and shovel and gold-pan +slung across his broad shoulders, a Mexican sombrero on his head and the +rest of his body clothed in a blue flannel shirt and linen trousers that +had once been white, protected by deerskin leggings and thrust into the +tops of knee-boots. + +"Out prospecting, I reckon," and Bud glanced curiously at the advancing +stranger, for visitors had been rare in that lonely gulch. "Let's ask +him to dine with us," and he smiled as he glanced at the coarse but +abundant fare spread out on the ground between them. "He must be hungry, +if he has lugged those things on his back far. Hello!" and he turned to +the stranger, who by this time had come to within a couple of rods of +where the two boys sat, "You are just in time to help us finish up these +beans and pork. Come and have a seat at our table," and he grinned a +welcome, as he nodded toward the food. + +"I don't care if I do," smiled back the stranger, as he flung pick and +shovel and pan from his back and dropped down by the side of the boys, +"especially since I've got a little jerked venison here that I know will +taste good to you, if you've been living on salt pork as long as the +most of the miners have," and he began to undo a little bundle tied to +the end of his pick, and presently disclosed a chunk of dried venison +and a couple of ship-biscuits, wrapped up in a coarse but clean cloth. +This food he at once laid down on the cloth, which he had spread out on +Bud's table, and bade the boys help themselves, at the same time and +without any further invitation helping himself to the beans and pork. + +"Wait, and I'll get you a cup of hot coffee," and Bud jumped to his feet +and hurried to where Ham was superintending the boiling of a pot of +coffee over the camp-fire. + +"Say, dew you know who that feller is who has j'ined grub with you?" +queried Ham, grinning, as he filled a tin cup full of the coffee and +handed it to Bud. + +"Oh, just a miner out prospecting, I reckon," answered Bud, as he took +the coffee. "We thought we would be social and asked him to share our +meal," and he started back with the coffee. + +"Wal," and the grin on Ham's face broadened, "that feller is James W. +Marshall!" + +"What!" and Bud stopped so suddenly that he almost spilt the coffee. +"Not the James W. Marshall who discovered the first gold in California!" + +"Th' identicle cuss," laughed Ham. "But 'tain't done him much good so +far." + +"Glory be, we just thought he was an ordinary prospector, when we asked +him to share our lunch! And so he is the man that started all this mad +rush for California gold," and Bud's eyes turned curiously in the +direction of the stranger. "Well, he sure don't look as if the gold had +done him much good." + +"That's usually th' way on it," replied Ham. "Th' feller what finds it +only gits th' first smell, then 'long comes some other feller an' +gobbles it all up, leavin' th' finder nuthin' but th' glory." + +"Maybe we can get him to tell us the story of how he found the gold," +and Bud's face lighted up. "I'd like to hear it from his own lips." + +"Wal," grinned Ham, "jest tell him that he's 'bout th' most abused man +in all Californy, an', I reckon, he'll open his heart tew you. He's +pow'ful sore over everybudy else but he a-gettin' th' gold, an' he th' +discoverer." + +"Maybe the hot coffee will do as well," laughed Bud, as he hurried back +to his guest. + +The hot coffee, possibly even more the contagion of the joyous +enthusiasm of the two youths, did, indeed, seem to act like a charm on +Marshall's taciturn and soured disposition; for, before the meal was +half over, he was talking freely of his mining ventures with Thure and +Bud; and it needed but a few well-directed inquiries to bring the +desired story from his willing lips. + +"How did I happen to discover the gold?" he began, as if the boys had +asked him directly for the story, which they had not. "Well, it all came +about in this way," and he settled himself into a comfortable position. +"In May, 1847, Captain Sutter sent me up the American River to look for +a good site for a sawmill that he wished me to build for him; and, after +a number of days of fruitless search, I found what looked like the exact +spot I was hunting for on the South Fork of the American about +forty-five miles from Sutter's Fort. Captain Sutter, you may be sure, +was well pleased when I told him of my success; and we entered into a +partnership, according to which I was to build the mill and he was to +find provisions, tools, teams, and pay a part of the men's wages; and in +August, everything being ready, I started out with six men and two +wagons loaded with the tools and provisions. We first put up log houses +in which to live; for we expected to remain there all winter. But this +was done in no time for the men were great with the ax. Then we cut +timber and fell to work hewing it for the framework of the mill and to +building the dam, which, with the help of about forty Indians, who had +gathered around us in great numbers, we put up in a kind of a way in +four weeks. When the mill was nearly completed, it was my custom every +evening after the men had quit work to raise the gate in the mill-race +and allow the water to run all night, in order to wash as much sand and +gravel as possible out of the race during the night; and in the morning, +while the men were getting breakfast, I would go down and shut the gate +and walk along the race to see where the work needed to be done for the +day. + +"One clear cold morning in January--I shall never forget that morning. I +can see it all as I sit here--the nearly completed mill, the slopes of +the surrounding tree-covered hills, the water pouring over the dam, the +mill-race, a foot or so of water still rushing along over its bottom--I +can see it all--" + +Marshall paused, his eyes staring straight in front of him, a peculiar, +dreamy, wild look in them that sent uncanny chills to the hearts of both +boys as long as it lasted. What was he seeing? Visions?--Visions of what +that morning meant to a gold-mad world? + +"No, I can never forget that January morning," Marshall resumed, after +perhaps a minute, the normal look again coming back into his eyes; "for +on that morning I found the gold that has set the world crazy and proven +little more than a curse to me," and a gloomy bitter look clouded his +face. + +"On that morning, as usual, after having shut off the water, I started +to walk along the race, keeping my eyes pretty close to the ground, so +as to make a note of where the ditch needed more digging. There was +still about a foot of water running in the race. Suddenly my eyes caught +a glimpse of something shining through the water, just a bright little +gleam of yellow lying on the bottom of the ditch; but the first sight of +it made my heart jump, for I thought it might be gold; and I reached my +hand down quick through the water and picked it up and examined it +eagerly. The piece was about half the size, and of the shape of a pea; +and felt and looked like gold, only it did not seem to me to be exactly +the right color: all the gold coin I had seen was of a reddish tinge; +this looked more like brass. I looked again in the water and saw another +piece and picked that up. Then I sat down on the bank, with the little +pieces of shining metal on the palm of my hand, and began to think right +hard. Was it gold? I recalled to mind all the metals I had ever seen or +heard of, but I couldn't seem to think of any that looked like this, +that is, that looked enough like it to make me certain of what it was. +Suddenly the thought came to me that this was probably nothing but iron +pyrites, or fool's gold, that I had heard and read of, but had never +seen. I trembled at the thought; for by now I had become considerably +excited over the possibility of its being gold. But iron pyrites would +break when pounded! I jumped to my feet, getting more excited every +minute; and quickly found a couple of hard river stones, and, putting +the pieces on one, I pounded them with the other. It was soft, and +didn't break! It must be gold; but was probably largely mixed with some +other metal, possibly silver, for I thought that pure gold certainly +would have a brighter color. + +"I don't know just how long I sat there, looking at them two little bits +of yellow metal in my hand and thinking hard of all that it might mean +to me and the men with me, if it should really prove to be gold, for I +sure was some excited; but, when I got back to our cabin, the men had +finished their breakfast and were beginning to wonder a little what had +become of me. I showed them the two pieces, and told them where I had +found them, and that I thought they were gold. This excited the men a +good deal; and I had some trouble to keep them from dropping everything +and going to gold hunting, leaving me finish my job alone. However, I +told them that as soon as we had the mill finished we would give a week +or two to gold hunting and see what we could make out of it, and this +satisfied them for the time, none of them then dreaming there was enough +gold there to amount to much. + +"After this, while at work in the race, we all kept a sharp lookout, and +in the course of three or four days we had picked up about three ounces, +our work going on the same as usual; for none of us at that time +imagined that the whole country was sown with gold. If we had--that mill +sure would never have been completed," and Marshall smiled a little +bitterly. + +"Four or five days after I picked up those two little pieces of yellow +metal I had to go to Sutter's Fort; and, wishing to get all the +information I could respecting the real value of the metal, I took all +that we had collected with me, and showed it to Captain Sutter. He at +once declared that it was gold; but, like me, thought it was largely +mixed with some other metal. We now tried to hit upon some means of +telling the exact quantity of gold found in the alloy; but couldn't +figure out how to do it, until we stumbled upon an old American +cyclopedia, that gave the specific gravity of all the metals and rules +to find the quantity of each in a given bulk. We now wanted some silver, +with which to compare our metal; and, after hunting over the whole fort +and borrowing from some of the men, we managed to get three dollars and +a half in silver. Captain Sutter had a small pair of scales; and, with +the aid of these and the cyclopedia, we soon ciphered it out that there +was neither silver nor copper in the gold, but that it was entirely +pure. + +"This proof that the metal was real gold excited both of us +considerable; but, when we had cooled down a little and talked it over, +we concluded it would be our best policy to keep it as quiet as possible +until the mill was completed. Now, at this time, there was a great +number of disbanded Mormon soldiers in and about the fort, and, somehow, +they came to hear of it; and then the golden cat was out of the bag, for +the news that gold had been discovered just spread over the whole +country like wild-fire. Indeed, I had hardly got back to the mill, +before men with picks and pans and shovels and hoes and all sorts of +tools began coming in, all anxious to fall to work and dig up our mill +by the roots; but this, of course, we would not allow, although I +sometimes had the greatest trouble to get rid of them. I sent them all +off in different directions, telling them of such and such places where +I felt certain they would find gold, if they would only take the trouble +to dig for it. Not that I really thought they would find any gold, for +at that time I never imagined the gold was so abundant; but they would +dig nowhere but in such places as I pointed out and I had to get rid of +them someway. I believe if I had told them to dig on top of a mountain, +that, so great was their confidence in me, they would have climbed to +the top of the mountain and began picking away at the rocks," and +something, almost a twinkle, came into Marshall's eyes, brightening +their somber lights. + +"And did the parties you scattered through the country find any gold?" +inquired Thure eagerly. + +"Yes, many of them did, to my surprise," answered Marshall; "but the +second real discovery of gold was in a gulch on the road to Sacramento. +The third gold discovery was made on a bar of the South Fork of the +American River a little above the junction of the Middle and South +forks. The diggings over there where Hangtown is," and he flung up one +of his arms in the direction of Hangtown, "was discovered by myself; for +we all went gold hunting, as soon as the mill was finished. Some Indians +found the diggings down at Kelsey's; and thus in a short time we +discovered that the whole country hereabouts is sown with gold, thick in +spots but thin and scattering almost all over. Now that is the true +story of the gold discovery in California, right from the lips of the +man who picked up the first piece of gold, and who has had more cheating +and robbing than thanks from the men the discovery has helped most," and +the somber light deepened in the eyes of the disappointed and soured +man, who always laid the blame of the misfortunes that seemed to follow +him after the great discovery on the ingratitude of his fellow men, +rather than on his own inability to use the opportunities that a kindly +fate had thrust in his way. + +"Well, it sure does seem hard," sympathized Bud, "that you, who +discovered the gold, should be able to get so little of it. But," and +his face brightened, "your luck may change to-morrow, and you may yet +live to see yourself one of the richest men in California." + +Here the huge form of Hammer Jones broke in on the three. + +"How d'dew, Jim," and Ham reached down a big hand and gripped the hand +of Marshall. "Ben tellin' th' yunks all 'bout th' Great Discovery, I +reckon?" and he grinned. "Wal, if you'll jest sot down an' make y'urself +easy for 'bout three hours, 'til we puts the finishin' touches on this +here dam, I shouldn't be none s'prised if we was able tew show you +somethin' of a discovery ourselves," and Ham pointed to the now nearly +completed dam. + +Marshall at once became greatly interested, when Ham had explained to +him what they hoped the dam would do for them; and not only agreed to +wait until the completion of the dam, but to help in its completion; +and, in a few minutes more, all were again at work, spurred to +extraordinary exertions by the thought that a few short hours more would +tell the story of their success or failure. + + + + +CHAPTER XIX + +SOME EXCITING MOMENTS + + +Exactly at three o'clock, by Mr. Conroyal's big silver watch, the last +shovel of dirt and the last stone was thrown on the dam; and, with +cheers that echoed and reechoed up and down the narrow gulch, our +friends saw all the water of the little stream flowing into its new +channel. + +"Now get your pans and pails, and we'll hustle the water out of the +hole, so that we can get at the dirt," Mr. Conroyal cried excitedly, the +moment it was seen that the dam was working perfectly and that the old +bed of the stream below the dam was fast becoming dry. + +With another cheer, each grabbed up a pan or a pail, and all made a rush +for the hole in the elbow of the now nearly drained bed of the stream, +acting more like an excited troop of school boys than gray-haired and +long-bearded men, as some of them were. + +The old bed of the stream was solid rock, worn smooth by the action of +the water; and, as Thure and Bud, in their anxiety to be the first to +reach the hole, raced down this, Thure's feet suddenly slipped on the +wet rock and down he went, the gold-pan he was carrying flying from his +hands and banging loudly as it slid for a short distance over the hard +rock. He jumped quickly to his feet, fortunately unhurt, and bent +hastily to pick up the pan. As he lifted the pan, which had been stopped +by a bit of rock that projected a couple of inches above the level of +the bed, his eyes caught a bright gleam that came from the upper side of +the projecting rock. + +For an instant Thure stared wildly at the shining bit of metal lodged +against the rock; and then, with a yell that brought everybody to a +halt, he dropped the pan and grabbed the bit of metal. + +"Gold! Gold!" he shouted excitedly, as he held up between the thumb and +finger of his right hand the bit of metal he had picked up, which was +about the size and something the shape of his thumb. + +In a moment all were crowded around him, eagerly examining the nugget. + +"It certainly is gold!" declared Marshall, as he hefted the nugget on +the palm of his hand. + +"Hurra, that's a durned good sign that that thar hole is chuck full of +it!" cried Ham, excitedly swinging the gold-pan he held in his hand +around his head. "Come on! Let's git that water out of th' way an' down +tew pay-dirt, jest as quick as th' Lord'll let us," and he started on +the run for the hole, followed by all the others. + +The hole in the point of the elbow of the old channel of the stream was +about twenty feet across; and now, of course, was level full of water, +which had to be thrown out before any digging could be done. + +Ham, who had a long pair of rubber boots, bought on purpose for this +occasion, now slipped them on his feet, pulled the legs up to his waist, +where he fastened them to his belt, seized one of the pails, and stepped +into the hole. At the first step he went down to the knee, at the +second, nearly to the tops of his rubber boots, but the third step +lowered him in the water only a couple of inches. + +"Gosh, 'tain't deep! We can have th' water out of here in no time. Now, +jest git in line an' I'll pass th' water out tew you," and he plunged +the pail down into the water, and quickly passed it to the man standing +the nearest to him, who passed it on down a line that had been quickly +formed until the last man was far enough down for the water, when thrown +on the ground, to run off down the old channel. + +There were enough pans and pails to keep a constant stream of them +passing up and down the line; and, as everybody, under the spur of the +thought of what might lie hidden there in that hole, worked with +feverish haste, the water was speedily lowered, until after an hour of +as hard and tiresome work as was ever done by men, the bottom of the +hole was laid bare. + +"We'll dig a hole first off right in th' center of th' hole plumb down +to bed-rock," declared Ham, as he passed out the last pailful of water. +"Then, if thar's any gold here, we'll strike it shore. Throw me a +shovel!" Ham's face was flushed and his eyes were sparkling with +excitement; for now the great moment was near, the moment that would +tell whether or not all their labor had been in vain, whether or not +they were to find the expected gold. + +"Here! Here!" and Thure caught up a shovel and rushed to Ham; and almost +collided with Bud, who, shovel in hand, was also rushing to Ham. + +"Let us help you dig! Let us help you dig!" cried both boys, almost +beside themselves with excitement. + +"Now, jest hold y'ur hosses an' git out of here. This is men's work," +and Ham good-naturedly thrust the two boys aside, caught up a shovel, +and began throwing up the moist sand and gravel like an animated steam +shovel. + +The hole was partly filled with coarse sand and gravel; and, since gold +is so heavy that it will sink down through sand and gravel until it +comes to something more solid, all this had to be thrown off before they +could hope to come to pay-dirt, which is usually a thin layer of gravel +or clay lying on top of the bed-rock. Ham was now digging down to this +bed-rock; and, when he reached it, he would throw a few shovels of the +dirt directly on its top into a gold-pan, and then a few minutes' +washing of the dirt in the pan would show whether or not they had struck +gold. The hole he was digging was not large enough for more than one man +to work in it at a time, consequently the others formed a circle around +Ham and watched his progress with faces feverish with excitement, any +one of them ready the moment Ham tired to seize a shovel and jump into +the hole in his place. But the shoveling was not hard and the sturdy +muscles of Ham did not tire. + +In the excitement of these thrilling minutes nobody saw anything but +Ham, nobody heard anything but the push of his shovel through the moist +gravel and the thud of the dirt as it fell on top of the ground. It is +doubtful if a cannon fired within a rod of them, would have made one of +them jump. Hence it is not to be wondered at that none of them saw the +black clouds gathering about the tops of the mountains to the northeast +and swiftly sweeping down toward them, nor heard the peals of distant +thunder, sounding louder and nearer with the passing of each minute. The +gold-fever was hot in their blood; and they were deaf and blind to all +but the digging man. + +Ham's shovel bit swiftly down into the soft, moist sand. Now he is down +to his waist. Now only his shoulders show above the top of the hole. +Suddenly, with a violent grunt, he straightens up. + +"Bed-rock!" he yells, and begins digging again. + +The excitement is now intense. Nearly every one has a gold-pan in his +hand, and is holding it out toward Ham, ready to receive the first +shovel of pay-dirt. That first shovel of dirt means so much, possibly a +fortune for all! Even the graybeards, Mr. Conroyal and Rad Randolph and +Frank Holt, men who could, who often had faced death without the quiver +of a muscle, are now all of a tremble with excitement. Thure and Bud are +both bending forward so far that there is danger of their tumbling into +the hole on top of Ham. + +For a couple of minutes longer Ham shovels out the dirt, but more slowly +and carefully now. + +"Give me a pan," and he suddenly straightens up, seizes one of the pans, +and disappears in the hole. A moment later he jumps out of the hole, the +pan nearly filled with dirt in his hands, and races like a mad man with +it to the little stream of water, followed by all the others. + +In the excitement of the moment no one notices how dark it is becoming, +nor hears an ominous sound, a distant roar, each second growing louder, +and coming from far up the gulch. + +Ham reaches the water, and, plunging the pan down into it, begins +carefully stirring its contents with his big fingers. Around him bend +the others, regardless of wet feet. In a few minutes the larger part of +the sand and the gravel is washed out of the pan by the water. Now only +a thin layer of black sand remains on the bottom of the pan. The crucial +instant has come. Ham slowly straightens up, carefully pours all the +water out of the pan, bends his head down close over it, and begins +moving the thin layer of black sand about with his fingers. + +"Is there, is there any gold?" queries Thure, unable longer to keep +silent. + +Ham does not answer for a moment, but continues to stir the sand with +his big fingers, bending his head still closer to the pan. + +"Not a durned smell!" and he suddenly hurls the pan violently from him. + +At this moment Mr. Conroyal utters a startled exclamation and glances +quickly up the gulch. One look is sufficient to turn his face white. +From where he stands he can see straight up the gulch for nearly half a +mile; and half that distance up the gulch he sees a dark gray wall, ten +feet high, topped with white, rushing down toward him with the speed of +a race horse, and hears a roar like the rushing charge of a thousand +cavalrymen. + +"My God, a flood!" he yells. "Climb for your lives!" + +There was no need of a second warning. All could now see the advancing +flood, could hear the deafening roar, could feel the solid earth +beginning to tremble beneath their feet; and all began to climb for +their lives up the steep side of the gulch. There was no time to stop to +pick up anything. Pans, shovels, picks, and such parts of their clothes +as happened to be off their bodies they left where they lay. + +Thure and Bud happened to be climbing almost directly under Marshall. +Suddenly, before they were above the danger line and when the flood was +almost upon them, Marshall's feet slipped and he slid past the boys down +directly in front of the advancing flood. It looked like death to stop +to help him; but neither boy hesitated an instant. + +"Here, grip wrists!" yelled Thure, who was a little above Bud. "I will +hold you while you pull Marshall up." + +Bud instantly saw what was wanted; and, in another moment the two arms +of the boys were locked together in a grip almost impossible to break. + +"Now reach down and try and get hold of one of Marshall's hands. Quick!" +and Thure gripped, with the strength of desperation, the point of a +projecting rock with his free left hand and planted his feet firmly on +the narrow ledge where he stood. + +"Here, catch hold of my hand, quick," and Bud bent and stretched his +free hand down to Marshall, who, with a face as white as death, was +vainly struggling to climb up the almost perpendicular side of the rock +down which he had slid. + +[Illustration: BUD BENT AND STRETCHED HIS FREE HAND DOWN TO MARSHALL.] + +Marshall saw the hand and caught it, as a drowning man would grasp a +beam of wood floating within his reach. + +There was a terrible wrench on the arms and bodies of the two boys, but +neither broke his hold; and, with a tremendous pull, Marshall was jerked +up on the ledge of rock on which they were standing, and, in another +moment the three had climbed to safety, just as the flood swept by them, +so close that they were covered with the foam that rode on its top. + +For a minute the three stood panting and trembling where they were; and +then they climbed to the broad ledge where all had halted out of reach +of the flood. + +Mr. Conroyal gripped Thure's hand and held it warmly for a minute; but +he did not speak a word. There was no need; for Thure understood. + +Mr. Randolph was a little more demonstrative, but he said little. + +The two boys had done exactly what the two men expected their sons to +do; and the hearts of both were glad and proud, but neither man showed +his pride in their brave action, only his joy that they had escaped the +flood. + +Marshall, the moment their fathers dropped their hands, seized a hand of +each boy in each of his hands and started to thank them, with tears in +his eyes; but both boys quickly jerked their hands away. + +"Forget it," Thure said impatiently. "We only did what you or any other +man would have done under the same circumstances--Great Moses, just look +at that water!" and Thure's eyes turned to the flood that was now +foaming and boiling a few feet beneath them. + +At this moment the edge of the black clouds swept over them, and the +rain fell down in torrents; but in a quarter of an hour the clouds had +passed, and the sun was shining again, and the violence of the flood was +beginning to slacken. In half an hour the flood had swept by; and with +it had gone every vestige of the wing dam they had builded with so much +labor and with so many high hopes. + +"Durn th' durned dam!" and, without another word, Ham turned his back on +the scene of their fruitless labors, and strode off toward Hangtown, +followed by all the others, who fervently echoed his words in their +hearts. + + + + +CHAPTER XX + +ROBBED + + +"Now I'll say good-by to you men," Marshall said, when they reached the +outskirts of Hangtown. "I am real sorry that your venture turned out the +way that it did; but a man has got to expect any sort of luck in the +diggings, and usually it is the worst sort that he gets dealt out to +him, at least that has been my experience," and he smiled bitterly. + +Marshall now stood for a moment, irresolutely, his eyes fixed on Thure +and Bud; and then, suddenly, he thrust one of his hands deep into his +trousers pocket and drew out a little roll of buckskin, carefully folded +and tied. This little packet he at once untied and unrolled and brought +to light two small gold nuggets. With one of these in either hand he now +approached Thure and Bud. + +"My young friends," he said, "I do not know as the life you saved is of +much value; but still I prize it, being the only life I have; and I want +to show you that I appreciate the quickness and the bravery of your +action, and to leave with you some memento of the deed and of the man +you saved from a horrible death. I am poor, others have grown rich off +my misfortunes--" Again that bitter look of mingled discontent and +useless rebellion swept over his face--"but I still have left these two +little nuggets of gold, the very two pieces of gold that I picked up +from the mill-race on that cold January morning, the first two nuggets +of gold found in California! I prize them above everything else that I +possess; and, because they are so dear to me, I now most willingly give +them to you, to keep in memory of this day and of the unfortunate man +whose life you saved," and he handed one of the nuggets to Thure and the +other to Bud. "Keep them carefully. They will be valuable mementos some +day, Good-by," and without another word or waiting for a reply, he +whirled about and walked swiftly away. + +Thure and Bud both ran after him, and told him that, although they would +prize the nuggets above anything else he could give them, they did not +wish to take them from him, the one who first picked them up, that they +belonged to him, that he ought to keep them; but Marshall would not +listen to them, would not take the nuggets back, would not even stop to +hear the boys' thanks, and strode on down the trail to where the lights +of Hangtown were beginning to twinkle through the gathering shadows of +night. + +In after years these two little gold nuggets became the most valued +treasures in the possession of the families of our young heroes; and +their grandchildren still cherish them among their most prized +heirlooms. + +"I reckon thar's somethin' jest a leetle out of kilter in th' top of +Marshall's head," Ham commented, as he watched the man hurrying down the +trail. "He's smart enough when it comes tew th' use of tools; but +outside of them 'bout everything that he touches 'pears tew go wrong +with him, an' ginerally it goes wrong because of th' fool way he tackles +it, though he lays his bad luck all on th' ingratertude of his feller +mortals." + +Thure and Bud very carefully stowed away the two nuggets in their +pockets, and hurried on after their companions, who were hurrying up the +trail leading to the log house. + +As they passed the Dickson log cabin Mr. and Mrs. Dickson both came out. +Mrs. Dickson's eyes were red from crying, and the face of Dickson was +white and set, with a look of despair in his eyes not good to see. + +"Hello! What has happened?" and Mr. Conroyal, who was in the lead, +stopped suddenly and stared in astonishment at the woe-begone faces of +the erstwhile happy couple. + +"Robbed," Dickson answered sententiously. "Robbed and the mine has +played out." + +"Yes, robbed of all but about fifty dollars' worth of gold-dust that we +took out this afternoon before the mine gave out," and Mrs. Dickson's +voice trembled. "And not a thing to tell us who did the robbing. Robbed +of a good forty thousand dollors' worth of gold-dust! Enough to have +taken us both back to New York state and enabled us to have lived the +rest of our lives in comfort," and Mrs. Dickson's voice broke into sobs. + +"Robbed! Robbed of all your gold!" and our friends gather around them in +great excitement and indignation. + +"When?" + +"How?" + +"Who did it?" + +"Sometime this afternoon," answered Mr. Dickson, "as near as we can +figure it out just a little before the storm. But all that we really +know is, that, when we went to get the gold to-night, it was gone, and +without a sign left to tell who had taken it." + +"And we had it so well hidden," mourned Mrs. Dickson, "under a stone in +the fireplace. And then to think that the mine should give out at the +same time!" and again she burst into tears. + +"Wal, it shore is tough luck, Leetle Woman," sympathized Ham. "But we've +got tew take th' tough luck with th' tender an' make th' best on it. +Now, supposin' we have a look around. Maybe we can find some clue that +you missed, you being some excited. It'll go mighty hard with th' +robbers, if we catch them," and Ham's face hardened. "Now jest show us +where you had th' gold hidden," and he and the others followed Mr. and +Mrs. Dickson into the house. + +"We had the gold hid right there, under that stone," and Dickson pointed +to an upturned flat stone, about a foot square, that lay near a small +hole, excavated in the bed of the fireplace, which the stone had +evidently covered over and concealed. "When we got in to-night there was +not a suspicious sign anywhere; and it was not until I lifted the stone +off the hole to put the gold in that we'd taken out since noon that we +discovered that we had been robbed. I reckon there is no use of trying +to find the robbers. A hundred men could hide themselves in these +mountains in a couple of hours where ten thousand could not find them," +and the look of despair settled back on his face. "Nobody saw them come +and nobody saw them go and nobody has the least idea who did the +robbing. So, I guess, it is just up to Mollie and me to buckle down to +hard work and hard living again." + +"Now, don't git discourage. Maybe thar's better luck in store for you +than you dream of," and Ham's face lighted up, as if a pleasant idea had +suddenly come to him. "I want tew have a talk with th' rest of th' +members of th' Never-Give-Up California Mining Company; an' then, may be +we'll have a propersition tew make tew you, an', ag'in, maybe we won't," +and Ham grinned so good-naturedly that even Mrs. Dickson smiled wanly. + +"Come on, fellers, let's git tew th' office of th' Never-Give-Up +California Mining Company; an' go intew secret session tew consider +important matters," and he hurried out of the house, followed by all the +others, except Mr. and Mrs. Dickson, who stared after them with +something like hope mingled with the look of wonderment on their faces. +They knew that Hammer Jones never talked that way, under such serious +circumstances, without meaning something. But, what could he mean? + +Ham was the first to open the door of the log house and enter. The room +was dark and he struck a match and lit the candle, which had been left +on the table ready for lighting. The moment the light of the candle +illuminated the surface of the table, Ham uttered an exclamation and +stood staring blankly, for a moment, at something that glittered and +shimmered in the flickering candle light near the center of the table. + +"Wal, I'll be durned!" and he reached out one of his big hands and +gingerly drew from the table a small keen-bladed Mexican dagger, which, +with a strong blow, had been driven through a piece of paper deep into +the wood of the table. + +All the others were now crowding excitedly around the table; and Mr. +Conroyal quickly picked up the piece of paper and held it up to the +candlelight. On the paper were scrawled, with a piece of charred coal by +a hand unused to writing, the following words: + + WE ARE AGOIN TEW GIT THE MAP OR WE ARE A GOIN TEW GIT THE GOLD + AFTER YOU GIT IT IF WE HAVE TEW GIT YOU TEW DEW IT. SO TEW SAVE + YURSELFS TRUBLE AND TEW KEEP HUL SKINS ON YUR BONES YOUD BETER HAND + OVER THAT MAP. THARS ENUF ON US TEW WHIP THE HUL ON YOU OFF THE + FACE OF THE EARTH AND WE WIL DO IT IF YOU DONT GIVE UP THE MAP. A + WORD TEW THE WISE IS ENUF. LIFE IS WURTH MORN GOLD. TI THE MAP TEW + THE END OF THE STRING THAT YOU WIL FIND TIED TEW A STICK STUCK IN + THE GROUND RIGHT NEAR YUR DOOR AND WE WIL PUL THE MAP TEW US. IF + YOU TRI TEW FOLLOW THE MAP WE WIL SHOOT TEW KIL. IF YOU TRI TEW + ROUSE THE TOWN WE WIL VAMOSE. WE ARE ON THE WATCH. GIVE 3 JERKS ON + THE STRING WHEN YUR REDY FOR US TEW PUL THE MAP IN. IF WE DONT GIT + THE MAP BY MIDNIGHT TEWNIGHT WE WIL KNOW ITS TEW BE WAR TEW THE + DEATH. + +This ominous note was unsigned; but there was no need of any signature. + +For a moment after all had finished reading, no one spoke, but each +stood staring from the paper to the dagger in Ham's hand. Then Ham +suddenly straightened up with a growl of rage. + +"I thought it was them, an' this proves I was right. Th' durned skunks!" +and the righteous wrath in Ham's eyes was good to see. "Now, men," and +his glance swept swiftly the circle of excited faces, "this makes th' +offerin' of proof unnecessary. We know who robbed th' Dicksons! An' we +know, if they hadn't a-ben watchin' us an' a tryin' tew git hold of that +thar skin map, they wouldn't have found out 'bout Dickson's gold an' did +th' robbin'. This makes us sort of respons'ble for th' robbin'; an', I +reckon, it's up tew us tew try an' make good what th' Dicksons lost on +'count of our bringin' them skunks down on them, more special since +their mine's gin out, tew. Now, seein' that thar durned dam has played +out on us, I reckon we're all a-calculatin' on havin' a try for th' Cave +of Gold next; an' I figger 'twouldn't be more'n square for us tew ask +th' Dicksons tew go long with us on th' hunt for th' dead miner's +wonderful cave, an', if we find it, for them tew share in th' gold same +as us. How does th' propersition strike you, men?" + +"Bully!" exclaimed Thure enthusiastically. "Mrs. Dickson can beat dad +and the rest of you making flapjacks all hollow; and she can make +biscuits, real biscuits that a fellow can eat without cracking them +first with a hammer, the same as nuts!" + +"Wal, I reckon, that argyment settles it," grinned Ham. + +"Supposing we consider the Never-Give-Up California Mining Company in +session and put it to a vote," suggested Mr. Conroyal. + +All agreeing, Mr. Conroyal promptly put the matter to a vote; and Mr. +and Mrs. Dickson were duly elected members of the Never-Give-Up +California Mining Company, with all the rights and privileges +appertaining thereto, the vote being unanimous. + +"Now I'll appoint Hammer Jones and Rad Randolph a committee to notify +Mr. and Mrs. Dickson of their election and to escort them to the offices +of the Never-Give-Up California Mining Company," and Mr. Conroyal +smiled. + +Ham and Mr. Randolph at once caught up their hats and hurried off to +perform their pleasant mission; and in five minutes were back with the +wondering man and woman on their arms between them. + +As briefly as possible Mr. Conroyal now told the story of the skin map +and the Cave of Gold; and how they had every reason to believe that the +men who had robbed them were the same men who had murdered the miner, +and who now were striving so desperately to secure the skin map; and in +proof that the robbers and the murderers were the same, he showed the +note and the dagger, which they had found on the table, in evidence that +the men had been there that afternoon. + +"Now," he concluded, "Ham thinks, and we all agree with him most +emphatically, that, since we are in a way responsible for bringing the +robbers down upon you, it would be no more than fair for us to invite +you to join with us in our search for this Cave of Gold, understanding, +of course, that, if the gold is found, all are to share alike, as all +will have to share alike the dangers and the difficulties of finding and +keeping it; and, judging by the note we found on the table, the dangers +will be real enough. Of course we are not sure that the cave really +exists, nor, if it does exist, that we will be able to find it; but we +have faith enough in it to give it a try. We plan to start on the hunt +just as soon as we can get ready, probably sometime tomorrow. This I +think explains the matter sufficiently for you to come to a decision. +Are you with us?" + +"Yes! Yes!" exclaimed both Mr. and Mrs. Dickson eagerly. + +"In to the death, as the note says," added Mrs. Dickson, smiling. "And +we thank you from the bottoms of our hearts for the chance." + +"Do you know this murdered miner's name?" Dickson asked, his eyes +sparkling with excitement. "I think I know the man." + +"John Stackpole, the map says," answered Mr. Conroyal. + +"That's the man!" declared Dickson excitedly. "The very man I went +prospecting with last fall. He had some crazy idea in his head then +about a Cave of Gold that an old Indian whom he had cured of some +disease, he had been an army doctor once, had told him he had found in a +hidden gulch that opened into a canyon. We hunted all up and down the +canyon, into which the Indian said the gulch opened, but we couldn't +find no such gulch as the Indian described, and had to give it up. You +remember my telling you all about it, don't you, Mollie?" and Dickson +turned to his wife. + +"Yes, yes," assented Mrs. Dickson eagerly. "You went on the trip while I +was away to Sacramento City and you told me all about it, when I got +back. Queer how things do turn out!" + +"And so Stackpole really found the cave at last; but at the cost of his +life," and Dickson's face saddened. "Too bad!--I mean his murder; for he +was a good sort of a fellow, when he was away from liquor, but, let him +get a little whiskey down him, and he was as ugly as the devil. I reckon +that it was drink that drove him out of the army in disgrace; and I +reckon it was drink that caused his murder; for he was a very cautious +man and would have said nothing about his discovering the Cave of Gold, +especially to strangers, if he had been in his right senses--Can I, can +I see that map?" and Dickson's face suddenly lighted up. "Possibly I +know the place." + +"Sure," and Mr. Conroyal turned to Thure. "Get out the map, Thure." + +Thure's face reddened a little, but, turning his back to Mrs. Dickson, +he quickly, with the aid of his knife, ripped open the bosom of his +shirt, and, pulling out the map, handed it to his father, who at once +spread it out on the table in front of Dickson. + +"Lot's Canyon!" Dickson cried excitedly, almost the moment his eyes fell +on the map. "Why, that's the very name we gave the canyon where we tried +to find the hidden gulch, on account of a white pillar of rock, that +Stackpole said might have been Lot's wife. And here is the very pillar +itself!" and he pointed to the little square on the map marked Lot's +Wife. "And the Big Tree! And the Devil's Slide! And Goose Neck Lake! +Every one of them names that we gave to places! I am sure that that is +the same canyon that Stackpole searched for the Cave of Gold when I was +with him," and Dickson turned an excited face to Mr. Conroyal. "It's +about a five days' tramp from here." + +"That's what the dying miner said," broke in Bud eagerly. + +"And do you think you can find that canyon again?" asked Mr. Conroyal +anxiously. "The trail on the map is none too clear; and I reckon we'd +have to do some hunting before we found it, with only the map to guide +us." + +"I am sure I can," answered Dickson, his eyes still on the map. + +"Well, then, we are in great luck," declared Mr. Conroyal. "I--Jumping +grasshoppers, if we are not forgetting all about that polite note!" he +exclaimed, as his eyes happened suddenly to fall on the dagger and the +bit of paper, which, during all this time, had lain on the table +neglected. "Now, what shall we do about that?" and his eyes flashed +around the circle of faces. + +"Let's first see if the string is really there," proposed Thure. + +"Good idee," and Ham caught up the candle and started for the door, +followed by all the others, Thure and Bud at his heels. + +Within six feet of the door they found a sharpened stick thrust into the +ground, with the end of a strong string tied to it. The string ran along +the ground as far as the eye could see and disappeared in the darkness +of the night, in the direction of a thick clump of trees forty rods +away. + +"Wal, now, they shore are cunnin' cusses!" and Ham's eyes followed the +string admiringly until it was lost in the darkness. "Jest tie th' map +tew th' end of this string, an' somebudy out thar somewhere in th' +darkness will pull it tew him, without nobudy here bein' th' wiser for +it. Not a durned bit of use tew follow up th' string neither. They could +shoot an' cut an' run long afore we could see them in th' darkness. They +shore are good at planning th' durned skunks! Say, jest supposin' we +send 'em a leetle message, jest tew see how th' string works," and Ham +turned to the others, a broad grin on his face. + +This impressed all as a good idea, and they hurried back into the house +to prepare the message. In a few minutes the message, written on the +back of the piece of paper which they had found on the table, was ready. +It was brief, but to the point, and read: + + If you want the map, come and get it. There are nine men and one + woman, worth any two men, who will be glad to welcome you. + +The paper, with the message on it, was now rolled up tightly, and all +hurried out to the string. + +Mr. Conroyal took the paper, and, kneeling down by the side of the +stick, untied the string, tied the little packet of paper strongly to +it, and then gave the string three sharp, strong jerks. + +The response was prompt. Hardly had he given the last jerk, when the +string was pulled out of his hand, and the little packet of paper +started bobbing along over the ground toward the distant clump of trees, +with all watching its progress with fascinated eyes, until it +disappeared in the darkness. + +For, perhaps, ten minutes they stood there, no one speaking a word, and +all eyes turned in the direction whither the little packet of paper had +disappeared. Then they saw a faint glow in the little clump of trees, as +if someone had struck a match. + +"I reckon they're readin' it," grinned Ham. "Wonder how they like it?" + +Ham did not have to wonder long; for, almost as he uttered the last +word, a spurt of flame leaped out from the dark shadows of the distant +clump of trees, and a rifle bullet whistled so close by his face that it +burnt the end of his nose, and buried itself in the logs of the house. + +"Gosh A'mighty, he's got my nose!" and Ham made a break for the door of +the house, one big hand holding on to the end of his nose. + +In two seconds all were in the house and the door shut. + +"How much on it did he git? Not enough tew spoil my beauty, I hopes," +and Ham held a lighted candle in front of his face before a small mirror +hanging on the wall. "Wal, I'll be durned! Jest burnt th' tip end on +it!" and he set the candle down on the table in disgust. + +The darkness of the night and the wilderness of the surrounding +mountains made absolutely useless any attempt to follow up their +enemies; and, after an hour spent in discussing plans, Mr. and Mrs. +Dickson returned to their house, and our friends hurried into their +bunks, to get the rest needed to fit them for a busy morrow. + + + + +CHAPTER XXI + +PEDRO + + +The next morning all our friends were up an hour before sunrise; for the +Never-Give-Up California Mining Company had much to do that morning, if +they started on the hunt for the Cave of Gold that day, as they hoped to +do. The horses had to be brought from the little valley five miles away, +where they had been turned out to pasture, needed supplies of food and +clothing and tools had to be procured at the stores of Hangtown, and +everything had to be made ready for the rough journey through the +wilderness of mountains and forests to the northeast. But nine men and +one woman can accomplish much in a few hours; and by noon everything was +in readiness for the start, and the horses stood saddled and bridled and +packed, ready for the journey, before the door of the log house, while +our friends gathered around the rough table inside for their last meal +in the house that had sheltered them for so long. + +"Seems almost like leaving home," declared Mr. Conroyal, as his eyes +glanced slowly around the familiar room. + +"It shore does," agreed Ham. "We've had some mighty good times in the +old house; an' I hopes th' fellers who move in when we're out, will be +sort of gentle tew things. Somehow it seems a leetle cruel tew desert +them tew friendly old rockers thar, that have so often given ease an' +comfort tew our tired bodies, not knowin' what sort of critters will +next sot down in 'em," and his eyes rested on the two barrel-rockers. +"They seem tew be a lookin' at me right now, sort of forlorn an' +reproachful-like," and a smile lighted his face at the whimsical +thought. "Wal, that kind of philosophizin' won't dig no gold. Now, dew +you reckon them skunks are on th' watch an' will try tew foller us?" and +the smile left his face. + +"Yes," answered Mr. Conroyal. "They have probably been watching us all +the morning. When Frank and I started out as soon as it was light enough +to see to try and trace the string and maybe get onto the trail of the +scoundrels, we both feel certain that we were watched and that somebody +was warned of our coming, because, before we'd gone a dozen rods, we +heard a coyotelike bark, coming from way up the mountain-side and ending +in a howl that we are sure never came from a coyote's throat; and, when +we got to the clump of trees, we found signs of someone having been +there only a few minutes before, and followed the trail to a rocky gulch +a dozen rods beyond the trees, where we lost the trail on the hard +rocks. Yes, they sure will try to follow us; for now, I fancy, their +plan is, since they can't get hold of the map, to let us find the gold +and then to try and get it away from us. At least that is the way Frank +and I figure it out; and we've got to give them the slip somehow +somewhere between here and Lot's Canyon, or fight for the gold. Quinley +and Ugger have probably gathered together a band of cut-throats, and +figure on being able to get the gold away from us after we have found +it." + +"And we calculate," continued Frank Holt, "that the best way to try and +give them the slip will be to go into camp early to-night; and then +about midnight to suddenly and quietly break camp and steal away under +cover of the darkness, hoping to get away without their knowing it." + +"I reckon they're tew cute tew be fooled that easy," and Ham shook his +head. + +"And so do we," grinned back Holt. "But we calculate that it will make +them think that we think that we have fooled them, and so they won't +consider it necessary to keep so close watch on us, and we can try to +make our real getaway the next night or the night after." + +"That sounds more like it," and Ham grinned his approval. "Wal, since we +all 'pear tew be through eatin', let's git a-goin'," and he jumped up +from the table and hurried out doors, nearly stumbling over a thin, +sallow-faced, middle-aged Mexican, who stood near the door apparently +waiting for someone to come out. + +"Hello, Pedro! What you doin' here?" and Ham scowled down on the little +Mexican, whom he had often seen working about Coleman's store. "Coleman +send you for something?" + +"No, senor," answered the Mexican. "Coleman kick me this morning; and +now I no longer work for Coleman. I now would cook and keep camp for +senors," and he bowed, with a flourish of both his thin arms. "Get wood, +make fire, cook, carry water, clean dish, all I do for senors. I very +good cook. Coleman say I make best flapjacks in Hangtown. All I do for +senors for one ounce gold-dust a week. Si, senors?" and his bright black +eyes flashed questioningly around the circle of faces that, by this +time, had gathered around him. + +"But, see, our hosses are packed. We're 'bout tew break camp," and Ham +pointed to the horses. + +"Si, senor," answered Pedro, smiling. "I know how pack horse, so pack no +slip under belly. I go where senors go. I do good work, kind, faithful, +honest," and again he smiled, until his teeth showed like two rows of +yellow ivory in his mouth. + +"Now," and Ham turned questioningly to the others. "I wonder if +'twouldn't be a good thing tew take Pedro 'long? He could help a lot +'bout hoss-packin' an' cookin' an' things, an' could dew all th' dirty +heavy work for th' Leetle Woman." + +"Reckon you're right, Ham," declared Mr. Conroyal. "Shall we take the +Mexican on his own terms?" and he glanced inquiringly around. + +"Yes, and a good bargain I call it," assented Mr. Randolph. "Pedro +couldn't have staid as long as he did with Coleman, if he hadn't been a +pretty decent sort of a Mexican; and he can help a lot about camp." + +And thus it came about that Pedro, the Mexican, entered the service of +our friends, without a thought of suspicion that he might be other than +what he seemed coming into the head of one of them. If they had not seen +him so often working about Coleman's store and felt sure that he was +only an ignorant Mexican menial, they probably would have been a little +more cautious about taking him with them on such a venture as they were +about to undertake. + +Mrs. Dickson was given one of the horses to ride, although she protested +that she was just as able to walk as anybody; but the other five horses +were all loaded with the packs containing the supplies for the journey +and the mining tools, the men, of course, all walking. The five +pack-horses were placed in charge of Pedro and brought up the rear of +the little column of men that now marched slowly over the hill that +flanked Hangtown and off toward the unknown wilderness of mountains and +forests to the northeast, Ham and Dickson and Mr. Conroyal in the lead. + +For the first two or three days' march, or until they had passed beyond +the region where the miners were at work, their way would be plain. They +had only to follow the trail of the miners to Humbug Canyon, the last +known place marked down on the skin map. But from Humbug Canyon on there +would be no trail to follow and they would be obliged to trust to the +guidance of Mr. Dickson and the skin map to bring them into Lot's +Canyon. After that they would have to depend entirely on the map and +their own skill to discover the hidden opening into Crooked Arm Gulch. + +Naturally Thure and Bud were in high spirits, now that they were +actually on their way to the marvelous Cave of Gold; and, boylike, they +allowed no thoughts of the threatening perils from Ugger and Quinley and +their band of cut-throats to trouble their minds or to distract their +attention from the wonderful scenes constantly unfolding before them, as +they advanced along the trail leading to Humbug Canyon, where something +interesting or beautiful or both met their eyes each moment, no matter +in what direction they looked. Now it was some wonderful formation of +nature--great masses of rocks towering thousands of feet above their +heads, picturesque little mountain-surrounded valleys, deep canyons and +gulches and ravines and chasms, beautiful cascades of water plunging +over precipitous cliffs to fall in a stream of sparkling jewels on the +rocks at their base, or great forests of columnlike trees, or winding, +murmuring, plunging, seething, turbulent little streams of water rushing +furiously toward some far-off valley, and like marvels and beauties of +nature. Again, in entering some little valley or ravine, they would come +suddenly upon a picturesque little company of miners hard at work with +picks and shovels and pans and cradles, searching for the elusive yellow +grains of gold. Indeed, during that first afternoon, they found the +miners everywhere, in the valleys, in the gulches and the ravines, along +the streams, wherever there seemed the least prospect of finding gold, +there these wild knights of the pick and the shovel were sure to be +found; and, as they passed, the latest mining news would be shouted back +and forth, enlivened with rude sallies of wit and merry well-wishes. + +Sometimes they would pause for a few minutes to talk with the miners and +to watch them at their work; and, on one of these occasions, Thure and +Bud saw, for the first time, a couple of miners at work with a cradle, +as this queer machine used to separate the gold from the dirt is called. + +"I don't wonder it is called a cradle," Thure exclaimed, the moment he +caught sight of the odd-looking contrivance. "Why, if it wasn't for that +hopper on the upper end and the man shoveling dirt and pouring water +into it, one would surely think that fellow was rocking his baby to +sleep in its cradle. Can't we wait here a little while and watch them +work it?" and Thure turned to his father. "The horses need a rest +anyway." + +"Going to clean up soon?" Mr. Conroyal called to the men. + +"In about ten minutes," answered the shoveler. "And, I reckon, we can +show some gold when we do. Won't you wait and see how it pans out?" he +invited cordially. + +"Oh, do, please!" cried both the boys. + +"All right," assented Mr. Conroyal. "A rest won't hurt the horses, and I +am sure the clean up will interest you boys." + +"Bully! Come on. Let's get closer," and Thure started on the run for the +spot where the two men were working. + +The men had placed the cradle within a few feet of where they were +digging up the pay-dirt, and near the cradle they had dug a small +reservoir, which was kept constantly filled with water by means of a +small trench dug from the little mountain stream a dozen rods away, so +that they had both the water and the dirt handy, two very necessary +things to make cradling successful, unless the pay-dirt is very rich. +The machine itself, as Thure said, looked very much like a rudely made, +baby's cradle. The body was about the same size and shape as the +ordinary homemade box cradle seen in the homes of thousands in those +days and underneath it were two similar rockers, but here the +resemblance ended. One end of the cradle-box was a little higher than +the other end, which was left open, so that the water loaded with the +waste dirt could run out; and on the upper end stood a hopper, or +riddle-box, as it was frequently called, about twenty inches square, +with sides four inches high and a bottom made of sheet-iron, pierced +with holes half an inch in diameter. Directly under the hopper, which +was not nailed to the cradle-box, was an apron of wood, fastened to the +sides of the cradle-box and sloping down from the lower end of the +hopper to the upper end of the cradle-box. Two strips of wood, about an +inch square, called riffle-bars, were nailed across the bottom of the +cradle-box, one at the middle and the other near the lower end. An +upright piece of wood, nailed to one side of the cradle-box, furnished a +convenient handle for the man who did the rocking. Such, briefly +described, was the make of the curious machine that had so aroused the +interest of Thure and Bud. + +"Ever see a cradle work before?" asked the man who was shoveling the +dirt and pouring the water into the hopper, as Thure and Bud came +running up, their eyes shining with interest. + +"No," answered Thure. "It sure is a funny looking machine." + +"It sure is," agreed the man. "But a fellow can clean two or three times +as much dirt with it as he can with a pan and do it better. This is the +philosophy of it," and he shoveled the pay-dirt into the hopper until it +was a little over half filled, and then, picking up a long-handled +dipper, began dipping water out of the reservoir and pouring it on the +dirt in the hopper, while the other man constantly kept the cradle +rocking back and forth. "You see," continued the man, "the motion and +the water loosens and softens the dirt until all of it, except the +larger stones, falls through the holes in the bottom of the hopper and +runs down the apron to the upper end of the cradle and then down the +bottom of the cradle and over the riffle-bars and out the lower end, +leaving the gold and the heavier particles of sand and gravel behind the +riffle-bars. But a fellow has to keep the cradle in constant motion, or +the sand will pack and harden behind the riffle-bars and allow the gold +to slide over it, instead of sinking down through it, as gold always +will when sand or gravel is loose or in motion," as he spoke, he thrust +his hand into the hopper and picked out a couple of stones too large to +pass through the holes in the bottom of the hopper, and, after closely +examining them to see that there was no gold clinging to their sides, +threw them away. + +"But, how do you get the gold out of the cradle?" queried Bud. "It seems +to be mixed all up with a lot of heavy sand and gravel behind the +riffle-bars." + +"We will show you, just as soon as we wash out this hopper full of +dirt," replied the man. "Ay, Hank?" and he turned to his companion, the +rocker. + +"I reckon it is about time to make a clean up, Dave," assented Hank, +shifting the other hand to the cradle handle. "Anyhow both my arms are +about plumb tired out." + +After about ten minutes of this vigorous rocking all the dirt had been +dissolved and nothing remained in the hopper except a number of stones, +too large to fall through the holes in its bottom, which had been washed +clean by the water and the shaking they had received. + +"There, I calculate that will do the business," and the man addressed as +Dave, dropped the dipper, with which he had been pouring the water into +the hopper, while Hank stopped rocking the cradle and, rising to his +feet, stretched up both arms over his head with a sigh of relief. + +"Say, but this gold-digging is darned hard work," and he grinned down at +the two boys. + +"A darned sight harder than measuring cloth behind a counter," laughed +Dave, as he lifted the hopper off the cradle and with a quick jerk threw +the stones out of it and laid it down on the ground. "But a fellow gets +something for his hard work--that is, he does if he is lucky," he added, +as he picked up a large iron spoon from the ground near the cradle. "Now +we'll see how the gold pans out," and bending over the cradle he began +digging out the gravel and sand behind the riffle-bars with the spoon +and throwing it into a gold-pan, which Hank held. + +By this time all the company, except Pedro, who had been left in charge +of the pack-horses, had gathered around the two men and were watching +the cleaning up process with the greatest interest. + +"'Bout how much dew you expect she'll pan out?" queried Ham, as Dave +scraped out the last spoonful of sand and gravel and threw it into the +pan. + +"Somewhere between three and four ounces," answered Dave. "At least that +is about what we usually clean out. How does she feel, Hank?" and he +turned to his partner, who was running his fingers speculatively through +the wet sand in the pan. + +"I'll bet you an ounce of dust that there is a good five ounces of gold +in this pan right now," declared the man, his eyes shining. + +Before replying Dave took the pan and ran his fingers a few times +through the sand. + +"I'll go you. Wash her out," and he handed the pan back to Hank. + +Hank now took the pan to the little stream of water, where the swift +current would help in separating the gold from the sand; and in a few +minutes his skilful hands had succeeded in washing out of the pan all +the sand and gravel, except a thin layer of black sand, that was too +heavy to wash out without danger of washing out the gold with it, which +now could be seen sparkling here and there in the sand. + +"Want to back out?" and Hank held the pan up in triumph in front of +Dave's face. + +"Sure not. There is not over four ounces there," answered Dave, after a +moment's close examination of the sand. "Get out your magnet." + +Hank now thrust one of his hands into his pocket and pulled out a large +horseshoe magnet, the ends of which he at once began passing over the +black sand in the bottom of the pan; and, since the black sand was +nearly all iron, the magnet force caused it to cling to the horseshoe +and in this ingenious manner the remaining sand was quickly drawn from +the pan, leaving a thin, a very thin layer of gold-dust lying on its +bottom. + +Dave now produced a small balance from one of his pockets and the +gold-dust was quickly gathered up and weighed. + +"I win! Five ounces and a half!" shouted Hank triumphantly, at the same +time giving Dave a resounding whack on his back with the flat of his +hand. "That's the best clean up we've had since we started digging here. +I reckon you boys brought us good luck," and he grinned joyously into +the faces of Thure and Bud. + +"Five an' a half ounces! That's a mighty good clean up," declared Ham, +critically eyeing the little pile of gold-dust on the scale. "How often +dew you clean up a day?" + +"Usually about four times," answered one of the men. "But sometimes, +when the shoveling is good, we get in another clean up or two by working +a little late." + +"Wal, tew hundred an' fifty or three hundred dollars' worth of gold a +day is shore dewin' pretty well for tew men; an' I hopes y'ur good luck +continues." + +"No more measuring cloth behind a counter for me, if it does," laughed +Dave. "You see Hank and I were both clerks in a drygoods store back +East; but we will both be proprietors when we get back, if our good luck +holds out only a few months longer," and the look on the faces of the +two men told how much they were counting on that proprietorship. + +"I am sure your good luck will continue," smiled Mr. Conroyal +encouragingly. "But now we must be on our way," and he led the way back +to where Pedro was waiting with the horses. + +That night our friends made their camp in a little grove of trees that +grew on the bank of a streamlet flowing through a small mountain valley, +where there was an abundance of water, wood, and grass. + +Pedro proved himself so great a success at unpacking the horses and +attending to the rougher camp duties that all felt like congratulating +themselves on having secured his service. He was willing and cleanly, +two rather rare qualities in the Mexican camp menial, who was usually +sullen in disposition and dirty in person and habits. He also proved to +the satisfaction of all that his flapjacks deserved all the praises that +Coleman had given them. + +"He's a jewel," declared Mrs. Dickson enthusiastically. "And, if it +wasn't for something snaky and creepy-crawly looking in his eyes, I had +rather have his help than that of most women's. But I guess that queer +look and the way he has of watching all of us comes from his being +Mexican. Now," and she lowered her voice, "are you still planning to +break camp sometime during the night and try to fool Ugger and his men, +if they are trying to keep watch of us?" + +"Yes," replied Mr. Conroyal. "The moon will be up about midnight; and, I +reckon, that will be about the best time for us to try to make our +getaway. So the sooner we all get to sleep the more rest we will get. +Now, how about the guard?" and he turned inquiringly to the circle of +men who had gathered around the camp-fire for a quiet little talk, after +the supper had been eaten and all the camp duties had been attended to. +"Do you think it necessary for us to post guards over the camp nights?" + +"Sart'in," declared Ham. "Them skunks would be shore tew be up tew some +devilment, like stealin' our hosses or something if we didn't; an' I +don't calculate on lettin' 'em git th' start on us, if watchin' will +prevent it. I'm for havin' a guard every night, until we git safe back +tew civilerzation ag'in. Them's uncommon cunnin' scoundrels what's on +our trail, an' we don't want tew take no chances with them." + +"That's exactly the way I feel about it," agreed Mr. Conroyal. "Twould +be foolish to run any needless chances. Rex, you will stand guard for +the first two hours. Then you can awaken Dill, who will keep guard until +it is time to arouse the camp, which will be just as soon as the moon +rises, somewhere around midnight. Now everybody but Rex get into their +blankets." + +A small tent had been secured for the use of Mrs. Dickson, into which +she now retired; but the men found "soft" spots of ground near the +camp-fire, spread out their blankets on them, and, rolling themselves up +in the blankets, lay down to as sound a sleep as ever blessed a man in +the most comfortable of beds. + +A little after midnight, just as the white disk of the moon rose above +the tops of the mountains to the east, Dill quietly awoke his father; +and then the two quietly, and cautioning all to make as little noise as +possible, awoke the others. + +Pedro, who had lain down near the horses, was at first inclined to be +surly, when aroused from a sound sleep and told to pack the horses as +quickly and as quietly as possible; but in a few minutes all his +surliness had vanished and he was doing the work with a swift and +skilful dexterity that showed long practice. + +In half an hour the horses were packed and everything was ready to +start. + +"Now," and Mr. Conroyal lowered his voice almost to a whisper, "there +must be no talking and everyone must move quietly, so as to make as +little noise as possible, until we have put a couple of miles between us +and the camp. I'll go on ahead and the others can follow in single file. +Rex, you and Dill and Thure and Bud help Pedro with the horses. You had +better lead them for awhile. We will leave the camp-fire burning. +Everybody ready?" + +"Yes"--"Yes," came in whispers. + +"All right. Come on," and Mr. Conroyal, walking carefully so as to make +as little noise as possible, moved off down the trail that showed +faintly in the moonlight. + +In the excitement of the moment no one saw Pedro bend quickly down to +the ground, just before starting, and swiftly slip a piece of paper on +which was written the two words, "Humbug Canyon," under a stone that lay +near the camp-fire, and then, with a cunning gleam in his snaky black +eyes straighten up and give all his attention to the horse he was to +lead. + +All now fell into line and followed close behind Mr. Conroyal, Thure and +Bud and Rex and Dill and Pedro each leading one of the pack-horses. + +For a mile the trail was over the soft grass-covered sod of the valley, +which muffled the sounds made by their moving feet, so that they might +have passed within half a dozen rods of a camp without a man in it +dreaming that a little company of men and horses were passing, unless he +chanced to see them. Then the trail again entered the defiles of the +mountains, where the going was rough and difficult and sometimes +dangerous, on account of their not being able to see clearly in the dim +light of the moon; but Mr. Conroyal kept pressing steadily and silently +onward, and as steadily and as silently all the others followed. + +There was no talking, even after they had passed the danger zone. No one +seemed to care to talk. There was something in the mystery of the night +and the wilderness, in the white light of the moon falling on tree and +rock and mountain and valley, in the silence of the vast surrounding +forests and mighty piles of towering rocks that stilled the tongue. + +For a couple of hours they journeyed steadily and silently on through +the moonlit wilderness; and then Mr. Conroyal came to a halt in a narrow +little valley. + +"I reckon we've thrown the scoundrels off the trail by now, if we are +going to to-night," he said; "and so we might as well go into camp again +and rest up until sunrise; and as this looks like a good place we will +go into camp right there under those trees," and he pointed toward a +little grove of evergreen oaks that grew a few rods away. + +All were tired and all were sleepy; and, consequently, all welcomed the +decision to go into camp, and acted on it so promptly that, in fifteen +minutes, all, except the guard, were rolled up in their blankets and +soon were sound asleep. + + + + +CHAPTER XXII + +THE MYSTERY OF THE TENT + + +"I reckon we otter make Humbug Canyon afore dark tew-night," Ham +declared, as our friends, notwithstanding the break in their rest of the +night before, moved out of the little valley, where they had camped, as +soon as it became light enough to see the trail the next morning. + +"Yes," assented Mr. Conroyal, "but we will have to keep going to do it. +Do you suppose we fooled Ugger and his gang and threw them off our trail +last night?" and he turned a little anxiously to Ham and Frank Holt, who +were walking by his side. + +"If they didn't have no one on watch, I reckon we did," answered Ham; +"but it's more'n likely they're cunnin' enough tew be on th' lookout for +jest such tricks an' that they know right now where we be. They know it +wouldn't dew for them tew lose track of us in this here wilderness of +mountains, where 'twould be like tryin' tew find a needle in a haystack +tew try tew hit our trail ag'in, once it was lost; an' so, I reckon, +some on 'em has got an eye on us right now, an' that we'll have tew play +a shrewder trick than that tew fool 'em. But, maybe, 'twill work all +right as a sort of a blind, an' make them think that we think that we +have fooled them, an' so make 'em keerless, so that we can fool 'em th' +next time. What dew you think, Steeltrap?" Ham still frequently called +Frank Holt by his old name, Steeltrap Smith, a name that had been given +to him on account of his skill as a trapper, when his own name was +unknown even to himself, as the readers of this series of books will +remember. + +"I think you are about right, Ham," replied Holt, "although I should not +be much surprised if we gave them the slip last night. I kept watch all +the time that we were on the move yesterday, but nary a sign of anybody +following our trail could I discover. They sure must have a cunning +trailer, or else they're not depending on keeping us in sight. Perhaps +they got more about the trail from the old miner than we think they did, +and are on the watch for us at some point ahead, which they know we must +pass." + +"That's a shrewd guess, Frank," declared Mr. Conroyal. "Now," and his +face brightened, "why wouldn't it be a good plan for us not to pass +through Humbug Canyon at all; but to go around it and to try to hit the +trail again on the other side? If there is any place ahead where they +would be likely to be on the watch for us, it is at Humbug Canyon, +because that is the last place on the trail they could be sure of +without the map. The trouble will be to get around Humbug Canyon. Maybe +there is no trail that we can follow but the one running through the +canyon. Anybody here know anything about the region around Humbug +Canyon?" and, raising his voice, he stopped and looked inquiringly +around. + +"Yes, a little," answered Dickson, quickly coming forward. "I spent +about two weeks last fall prospecting in the mountains around it. What +would you like to know?" + +"Can we go to one side of Humbug Canyon and hit the trail to the Cave of +Gold again beyond?" inquired Conroyal eagerly. "If there has been +anybody stationed in Humbug Canyon to look out for us, we would like to +fool them by not passing through it at all." + +"I think we might do it by working around through Owl Gulch about five +miles to the east of Humbug Canyon," Dickson answered thoughtfully: "but +it will be considerable out of our way and the trail won't be nigh as +good. I am not absolutely sure, but I think we could get through all +right that way and not go nigh Humbug Canyon." + +"Shall we risk it?" and Mr. Conroyal turned to the men, all of whom had +been interested listeners to his query and to Dickson's answer. + +"I think the idea a good one," declared Mr. Randolph, "because, if the +old miner told them that the trail to the cave passed through Humbug +Canyon, they'd be sure to have someone on the watch for us there; and, I +reckon, we are good enough mountaineers to find the trail on the other +side without much trouble." + +"My sentiments tew a ha'r," agreed Ham emphatically. "Let's hit for Owl +Gulch. 'Twould be worth goin' a hundred miles out of th' way tew shake +them skunks." + +"All right," and Mr. Conroyal turned to Dickson. "You are the guide from +now on, Dick, so step to the front and we will follow." + +This plan appeared to please all except Pedro, who, bending down by the +side of one of the horses and pretending to tighten a rope holding the +pack, scowled furiously and swore violently, under his breath, in +Mexican; and the scowl was still on his face, when he again straightened +up and prepared to follow along with the pack-horses. + +"What's the trouble, Pedro? Flapjacks getting busy?" and Thure turned a +grinning face to the Mexican. + +"No. Pack slip and pinch finger in rope. Now all right," and the smile +came back on Pedro's face. + +But Thure noticed that the scowl returned again and again to his face +that forenoon, as he walked along by the side of the pack-horses. + +"Reckon the break in his sleep has made him cross," he thought, and gave +the matter no more attention. + +At noon, when they stopped to give horses and selves a short rest and a +chance to eat their dinners, Pedro slipped off behind a rock for some +ten minutes; and, when the journey was resumed, he lagged a little +behind the others, pretending to be tightening one of the packs, and, +once again, managed to slip, unseen, a little piece of paper under a +stone and leave it near the camp-fire over which Mrs. Dickson had heated +the coffee. This little feat seemed to fully restore his good-nature; +for there were no more scowls on his face that day. + +About the middle of the afternoon Dickson halted, where the stream along +whose bank they had been walking for the last two hours forked, one +branch flowing almost directly from the north and the other coming from +the east, with a huge triangle of mountains widening out between them. + +"Thither runs the trail to Humbug Canyon," and he pointed to the +northern stream; "and thither runs the trail to Owl Gulch," and his +finger turned to the eastern branch. "We are now about two hours from +Humbug Canyon and some four hours from Owl Gulch. Remember I am not +absolutely sure I can find the trail the other side of Humbug Canyon; +but I think I can. Stackpole and I went by way of the canyon. Now, which +shall it be?" + +"Owl Gulch," answered Mr. Conroyal promptly. "I reckon we can find the +trail all right again--Hi, there, Pedro, what sort of a heathenish charm +is that you are making?" and he turned abruptly to Pedro, who the moment +they had stopped had begun scratching curious lines with his knife on +the face of a soft rock, by the side of which they had halted. + +"Si, senor," and Pedro turned a solemn face to Mr. Conroyal, "'tis but a +holy cross I am cutting to scare the devils away from following us up +that evil-smelling stream," and he pointed to the east fork of the +little river, from which arose a faint odor. + +"Wal," grinned Ham, "I shore dew hope that you scare 'em away; for thar +shore is devils a-follerin' us," and his grin broadened at sight of the +startled look that came into Pedro's face. + +"_Madre de Dios!_" and Pedro crossed himself swiftly. + +"But, even a devil must cotch a feller afore he can run his pitchfork +intew him," and Ham chuckled; "an' we ain't cotched yit. As for that +thar stream," and he chuckled again, "th' devil once took a drink out of +it, an' it's smelt of his breath ever since." + +"There, that will do, Ham," laughed Mr. Conroyal. "Come on," and he +started up the east fork of the river. + +Pedro, the snaky look in his eyes showing more plainly than ever, +swiftly cut a small arrow, with its head pointing up the east fork of +the rivulet, underneath the cross, slipped the knife back into its +sheath, and followed with the pack-horses, his sallow face now all +smiles. Evidently he had explicit faith in the power of his charm to +keep the devils from following them up the evil-smelling stream. + +That night our friends camped in Owl Gulch, a steep, narrow defile, +little more than a crack in the huge walls of surrounding rock; and the +next day, after much arduous and violent climbing for horses and men up +the gulch and over the low back of a mountain, they passed down into a +quiet little valley, just as the sun sank behind the tops of the +mountains to the west. + +The moment Dickson entered the valley he uttered an exclamation of +pleasure. + +"Hurrah!" he cried. "We've hit the trail again! I am sure this is the +little valley where Stackpole and I camped the first night out from +Humbug Canyon. There should be a spring bubbling out of the ground at +the point of that spur of rocks where you see that little grove of +trees," and he pointed to a small grove of trees that clustered about +the point of a ridge of rocks that projected, like a long bony finger, +from the side of the surrounding mountains down into the little valley. +"We made our camp in the grove. I'll know the place for sure when we get +there by a tree that Stackpole girdled," and, accompanied by Thure and +Bud, he started on the run for the little grove of trees now about half +a mile away. + +In a few minutes the three reached the trees. The spring was there! By +its side stood a tall sycamore tree, dead, its trunk having been girdled +by an ax, as the deep scars in its bark still plainly showed. + +"There," and Dickson pointed triumphantly to the tree, "there is my +witness, the very tree that Stackpole girdled, in order that he might +have plenty of dry wood the next time that he camped here. And see," and +he pointed excitedly to the blackened remains of a camp-fire that did +not look to be many weeks old, "there is where he camped on his way back +from the Cave of Gold. We sure are in luck!" and he turned to shout the +good news to the others, who were now pushing their way eagerly through +the trees. + +"Here is where we camp for the night," declared Mr. Conroyal, when the +excitement and the jubilation of the discovery that they were surely on +the right trail again had somewhat quieted down; and all at once began +joyfully preparing the camp for the night. + +"It's queer how things dew turn out sometimes," philosophized Ham, when +all were seated around a blazing camp-fire, built from the limbs of the +dead sycamore, after the supper had been eaten and all the camp duties +attended to. "Th' miner that murdered that tree, jest so that he might +have dry wood, was murdered himself, jest for his gold; an' here we be +a-settin' around an' takin' comfort from a camp-fire built from th' dead +limbs of th' dead miner's dead tree, an' bound on a hunt for th' dead +miner's gold. Wal, I shore hopes we have better luck than he did." + +"Oh, shut up, Ham!" and Rex threw a discarded flapjack at Ham's head, +with such good aim that it landed squarely over his big mouth. "You are +enough to give the dumps to a man with the tooth-ache." + +When the laugh that followed this admirable use of valuable ammunition +had quieted down, Dickson turned to Mr. Conroyal. + +"I think I would like to have another look at that skin map," he said. + +"Certain, get the map, Thure," and Mr. Conroyal turned to Thure. + +Thure hesitated a moment, and then, catching sight of Mrs. Dickson's +little tent and receiving a smiling nod from her, he quickly entered the +tent, and a few minutes later came out with the skin map in his hand, +and handed it to Mr. Dickson. + +Pedro, who was standing near, washing the few supper dishes in a +gold-pan, started a little and almost visibly pricked up his ears at the +first mention of the skin map, and his evil eyes followed Thure into the +tent, with an intensity of look that was well for him was unseen by his +employers. + +Dickson took the map and spread it out on his knees, where the light of +the camp-fire shone full upon it; and soon all were gathered around him, +yes, all, even Pedro, who had softly left his dish washing and +tip-toeing up to the heads bending absorbedly over the map, was now +striving to secure a glimpse of the skin map directly from over the big +shoulders of Ham. + +Suddenly Ham straightened up his huge frame, with such a sudden jerk, +that one of his shoulders came in so violent a contact with the point of +Pedro's chin that the Mexican was lifted off his feet and thrown flat on +his back to the ground. + +"Wal, I'll be durned!" and Ham stared down in astonishment on the fallen +Mexican. "Thought I heer'd someone breathin' over my shoulder. Now what +might you be dewin' down thar?" and the eyes that glared down into +Pedro's face began to glow angrily. + +"I--I" stammered Pedro, as he staggered a little dizzily to his feet, +both hands holding onto his head. "I but try to see what make so great +interest to senors, when sudden up comes that great body and hit chin, +like bunt of big bull, and knock head to ground. I did but follow my +head, senor." + +"Jest follered y'ur head, did you?" and Ham's anger vanished in roars of +laughter, at the words of the unfortunate Mexican and the looks on his +face, in which he was heartily joined by all the others, all except Mrs. +Dickson, who inquired solicitously of Pedro if he was much hurt. + +But Pedro's curiosity for the moment was fully satisfied, and, without +making any reply, except to mutter something about American bulls under +his breath, he retreated to his dish washing. + +"Sarved him right," declared Ham emphatically, as all again resumed +their examination of the skin map. + +When the map had been sufficiently examined, Thure again retired into +Mrs. Dickson's tent, where he again concealed the map in the bosom of +his shirt; and when he came out again, apparently without the map, Pedro +smiled knowingly. + +Before going to her tent that night Mrs. Dickson sang a number of songs, +and almost weirdly beautiful her voice sounded in the still night air of +that little wilderness valley, concluding with Ham's favorite "Ben +Bolt." Then she bade them all good-night and disappeared into her little +tent. + +Mr. Dickson and Thure were to stand guard that night until the moon came +up, which would be about one o'clock in the morning. Consequently, as +soon as Mrs. Dickson retired, all but these two rolled themselves up in +their blankets near the camp-fire and were soon sound asleep. Thure and +Dickson each picked up his rifle and took his station on opposite sides +of the camp and began his long silent vigil. + +The skies were overcast with clouds and the darkness was so dense that +the watchers could not see six feet outside of the constantly dimming +circle of the firelight. In a couple of hours the fire had burnt down so +low, that, from where Thure stood near the horses, he could not even see +the white of Mrs. Dickson's tent, although it was not over ten yards +from where he stood; and he was about to step forward to replenish it, +when a dark object leaped by him, so close that he could have touched it +with his outstretched rifle, and disappeared in the darkness before he +could utter a word or throw his gun to his shoulder, and the next +instant the air was rent by a piercing shriek from Pedro, followed by +the flash and the report of his pistol and his yells of fright. + +In an instant every man in the camp was on his feet, his rifle in his +hands, calling excitedly: "What is the trouble?" "What has happened?" +and running to where Pedro was rolling about on the ground, calling on +all the saints in the Mexican calendar to protect him, seemingly frantic +with fear. + +"Stop that yellin', you Mexican coyote, an' tell us what has happened, +quick," and Ham bent down and, seizing the squirming Pedro by the +shoulders, jerked him to his feet and dragged him unceremoniously to the +camp-fire, which an armful of dry fuel caused to blaze up brightly. + +"_Madre de Dios!_ I know not! I know not!" cried the man, glaring +wildly about him and clinging to Ham. "Unless it was the devil of +these evil mountains. I lay sleeping, rolled up in my blanket, +when,--poof!--something hit my side and something big and ugly tumble +all over me and I see something black and awful jump in the darkness and +I grab my pistol I always sleep with me in blanket and shoot--bang!--and +the big black thing give one great jump and vanish, just like a black +devil, in the darkness. _Santissima!_ I know not what he was, if he was +not the devil! I--" + +"I saw him rush by me so close that I might have touched him with my +rifle," here broke in Thure; "but, before I could speak or shoot, he had +disappeared in the darkness, and then came Pedro's shot and yells." + +"Look to the horses!" cried Mr. Conroyal. "See that everything is safe!" + +At that moment Dickson appeared in the circle of light made by the +camp-fire. + +"All the horses are safe," he said. "Nothing appears to be missing. What +does all this excitement mean? I saw nothing, heard nothing, until the +shooting and yelling began--" He stopped abruptly and glanced swiftly +around. "Mollie! Where's Mollie?" and he sprang toward the tent. + +"Gosh! I plumb forgot th' Leetle Woman! She shore otter have showed up +afore this," and Ham's face whitened, as his eyes followed Dickson into +the little tent. + +The fire was now burning so brightly that the tent showed plainly in its +ruddy light; and the eyes of all fixed themselves on it, a look of +dreadful apprehension on each whitening face. + +For a moment all was silent after Dickson disappeared in the tent; and +then came a yell of horror that made every man jump for the tent, just +as Dickson staggered out with a squirming bundle in his arms, that he +quickly laid down on the ground and began frantically untying the +deerskin thongs with which it was tightly bound. + +"Great God, if 'tain't th' Leetle Woman!" and Ham bent excitedly and +with his knife began cutting the thongs, which bound Mrs. Dickson, head +and all, in her own blanket as tightly as an Egyptian mummy. + +In a moment her body was free; but, when the blanket was lifted from her +face, her mouth was found to be so tightly stuffed, with a piece of +cloth torn from her own dress, that she could not utter an audible +sound. Dickson's strong fingers quickly pulled the cloth out of her +mouth; and she lay, white and gasping for breath, but apparently unhurt, +staring up wildly into the faces of the excited men. + +"Take her into the tent, Dick, until she recovers from her fright and +rough usage," whispered Mr. Conroyal, bending close to Dickson's ear. + +Dickson quickly lifted his wife into his arms and carried her into the +tent. + +"Who did it?" and Mr. Conroyal's eyes searched anxiously the angry and +mystified faces of the men, the moment Mr. Dickson vanished with his +burden in the tent. + +"Th' Lord alone knows for sart'in," answered Ham. "But, I reckon, 'twas +one of them durned skunks. Jest wait 'til th' Leetle Woman gits tew +feelin' like herself ag'in an' maybe she can give us some useful +information." + +But, in this conjecture, Ham was wrong; for, when something like half an +hour later, Mrs. Dickson came out the tent, leaning on her husband's arm +and looking very white, but otherwise little the worse for her +experience, all the information she could give only added to the +mystery. + +She had been sound asleep when the attack was made. The first thing she +knew a hand held her by the throat, so tightly that she could not utter +a sound; and, when she opened her mouth, gasping vainly for breath, it +was instantly stuffed full of rags, so firmly that she could not utter a +loud sound. Then the hand was taken from her throat, her arms pressed +closely to her sides, and she was tightly rolled up in her own blanket, +head and all, and tied the way they had found her. For some little time +after that she heard her assailant cautiously searching the tent. He +appeared to be exceedingly anxious to find something; for every possible +hiding-place in the tent had been thoroughly searched and every package +or bundle had been opened. When the search was over, she heard the +intruder creep softly out of the tent. Then had followed a few minutes +of silence broken suddenly by Pedro's yells and shot. Owing to the +darkness and to the fact that her eyes had been covered as quickly as +possible, she could not give any idea of what her assailant looked like, +only she did not think he was a large man. + +This was all the information that Mrs. Dicksom could give; and a +thorough search of the tent with a torch added nothing to it. + +Thure and Pedro were again examined; but they could give no definite +information. Thure had only caught a glimpse of the man, as he had +rushed by him in the darkness; and Pedro appeared to have been too +nearly frightened out of his wits to have seen anything correctly, even +if it had been clear daylight, instead of the black night that it was. +However both disagreed with Mrs. Dickson in one particular. Thure felt +quite sure that the man who rushed by him was a large man; and Pedro was +positive that he was a giant in size. Dickson had not seen the man at +all. The horses and the packs, indeed the whole camp, were thoroughly +examined with lighted torches; but nothing was found missing, nothing +had even been disturbed outside of Mrs. Dickson's tent, and from here, +so far as they could discover, not a thing had been taken. + +"It's 'bout as plain as th' nose on a man's face that he was after th' +skin map," Ham commented, when all had again gathered around the +camp-fire to consider the mystery; "but, why should he look for it in +th' tent? an' how did he git in thar? that's what gits me," and Ham +shook his head. "Wal, thar is no use figgerin' on it any longer +tew-night. Let's git back intew our blankets; an' maybe we can see +things clearer in th' mornin'. It's tew tarnel dark even tew think," and +Ham laid down on his blanket and rolled himself up in it and refused to +have another word to say about the mystery that night. + +"Reckon Ham is right," Mr. Conroyal declared, as that worthy disappeared +in his blanket. "But I sure would like to have a look at the man, who +can creep into our camp at night, right under the noses of the guards, +and tie one of us up in a blanket, and search a tent, and make a clean +getaway. I sure would like to have a look at that man." + +"I'd want more than a look," and Mr. Dickson clenched both his hands. +"I'd just like to get hold of him for about five minutes, the +scoundrel!" + +"And you are not the only one, Dick," and an angry light flashed into +Mr. Conroyal's eyes. "But, what's the use! He's got away; and without +leaving a clue, so far as I can see. Let's get into our blankets. Maybe, +as Ham says, we can see clearer in the morning. Good night," and Mr. +Conroyal turned to his blanket, followed by all the others, except Bud +and Mr. Randolph, who were to act as guards during the remainder of the +night. + + + + +CHAPTER XXIII + +ON THE SHORE OF GOOSE NECK LAKE + + +The next morning the camp was again thoroughly examined; but no clues to +the identity of the intruder of the night before could be found, nor +could they follow his trail beyond the spot where he had apparently +stumbled over Pedro. Here the ground, which happened to be a little +soft, plainly showed where he had fallen and jumped to his feet and +leaped off in the direction of the point of rocks, but farther than this +it was impossible to trail him on account of the hardness of the ground. +There was absolutely nothing more that they could do; for it would be +useless to attempt to run him down in that wilderness of mountains; and +they were obliged to leave the mystery of the tent; it was a great +mystery to those strong watchful men how the gagging and the binding of +Mrs. Dickson had been so quietly and effectively accomplished, unsolved +for the present. + +"Don't look much as if we'd thrown th' cunnin' devils off our trail, +does it?" Ham grumbled, as our little company again started on their +journey. "'Pears like as if we'd had all our trouble for our pains so +far. Wal, they didn't git th' skin map; but it shows they shore could +have got it, if they'd knowed whar it was," and his face clouded. "They +might have sneaked up ahind Dickson or Thure jest as easy an' knocked +'em senseless an' bound an' gagged 'em. Reckon we've got tew be more +keerful or they'll git th' map yit. 'Bout how much longer will it take +us tew git tew that thar canyon?" and he turned anxiously to Mr. +Dickson. + +"We ought to make it in three days sure," answered Dickson. "Stackpole +and I did it in a little over two days from here; but, on account of the +pack-horses, it will probably take us a little longer." + +"Shore you remember th' trail?" + +"Yes," and Dickson's eyes turned northward. "Now that I am on the +ground, things come back to me. See that opening between those two +mountains?" and Dickson pointed to a ravine-like depression between two +mountains some four or five miles away. "Well, I know we went up that +ravine, because Stackpole pointed it out to me right from here, just as +I am pointing it out to you; and that ravine, after a couple of miles, +widens out into quite a little valley, with the mountain, called Three +Tree Mountain on the map, near its upper end." + +"Wal, we shore was in luck, Dick, when we took you intew th' +partnership," Ham declared heartily; "for, I reckon, we'd had a durned +long hunt a-findin' our way jest by that map, but now all we've got tew +do is jest tew foller y'ur lead. Wal, lead on," and he grinned. + +Dickson proved that his memory of the trail was correct; for, after they +had entered the ravine between the two mountains and had gone up it for +a couple of miles, it opened out into a beautiful little valley; and +there, near its upper end, stood a huge round-topped mountain, bald of +head, except for three tall trees that stood out against the horizon +like three lonely sentinels. + +"Hurrah!" yelled Thure, the moment his eyes caught sight of this +mountain. "There is Three Tree Mountain! We sure are on the right trail. +Bully for Dickson!" + +Our friends now had passed beyond the realm of the hitherto ubiquitous +miner. The wilderness was supreme. Everywhere around them mountains and +forests and valleys and streams stood unchanged, as they came from the +hand of God. + +Game of all kinds was abundant. Bud shot a young buck elk, which they +ate for supper, when they went into camp for the night at the foot of +Three Tree Mountain. + +The guard was doubled that night and the camp-fire was kept blazing +brightly, so that no one could creep into camp unseen under cover of the +darkness. These precautions proved effectual; and the night was passed +without alarm. + +Dickson found no trouble in following the trail during the day. At every +turning point some remembered landmark would show him the right way to +go. A short time before night they passed over a ridge of rocks and +looked down into a quiet little valley, near the center of which lay a +beautiful little lake. + +"Behold!" cried Dickson, pointing to the water, that shone like red gold +in the red rays of the setting sun. "Behold, Goose Neck Lake! It was +while standing at this very spot and looking down on the peculiar +necklike bend of the lake, that Stackpole gave it the name, Goose Neck +Lake. There is a little grove of trees on its north shore that will make +us a fine camping place. And tomorrow afternoon sometime we should be in +Lot's Canyon! Come on," and he hurried down the ridge toward the lake. + +It was dark when they reached the north shore of the lake and pitched +their camp in the little grove of trees. All were in high spirits; for +on the morrow they would be in Lot's Canyon, almost at their journey's +end, almost within reach of the Cave of Gold! + +For the last two days they had not seen nor heard a sign of their +enemies and they were beginning to hope that, in the maze of deep +gulches and ravines and little mountain-enclosed valleys through which +they had been passing, they had given them the slip, and this hope added +to their cheer. Consequently the little group that gathered around the +camp-fire that night was unusually merry--all except Pedro, who went +about his camp duties with a sullen troubled look on his face. Ever +since the night Mrs. Dickson had been found tightly bound in her tent, +his face had worn a troubled expression and his eyes were continually +turning to Thure, with a wondering questioning look in them, as if there +were something about the boy that he could not understand; and every +time he had heard the name of the skin map mentioned he had become +instantly alert, but always in such a way as not to attract attention in +his direction. Now, on this night, his was the only gloomy face in the +company. + +"Looks as if we had given th' skunks th' slip at last," Ham said, as he +seated himself on his blanket, spread near the blazing fire, and leaned +back comfortably on his elbow. "An' I don't wonder; for I don't believe +even Kit Carson himself could have kept on our trail through all them +short twistin' gulches an' thick woods, through which we've ben passin' +for th' past tew days. Howsomever, I reckon, we hadn't better let up +none on th' caution bus'ness--But, let us forgit them skunks an' turn +our minds tew more pleasant things, like a song from th' Leetle Woman," +and he turned to Mrs. Dickson. "I jest sorter feel hungry for music +tonight. Please sing 'Old Dan Tucker,' an' Th' Emergrants Lament' an'--" + +"'Ben Bolt,'" laughed Thure. + +"Shore," grinned Ham. "I couldn't go tew sleep without hearin' 'Ben +Bolt,' but let us have 'Old Dan Tucker' first." + +Mrs. Dickson was in splendid voice that night and sang with unusual +fervor, even for her; and the men kept begging her for "just one more +song," until, at last, with a laugh, she declared she just couldn't sing +another song, and, bidding them all good night, hurried into her tent. + +The guard was again doubled that night and instructed to keep the +camp-fire blazing brightly. Hammer Jones, Frank Holt, Mr. Randolph, and +Dill Conroyal, were to keep the first watch, through the darkest hours +of the night, before the moon came up. The night was clear and the +starlight bright enough to make objects dimly visible a few rods away. +The grove where they were encamped was not large and the guards were +stationed in its outskirts, where they could patrol all around it. + +Hammer Jones' post was near the horses, on the opposite side of the +grove from the lake. About twenty rods from him, out on the open valley +stood a large tree, with three or four smaller trees growing around it. +In the starlight he could see the outlines of these trees dimly. He +stationed himself in the dark shadows of a large tree, where he could +keep one eye on the horses and the camp, illuminated by the blazing +camp-fire, and the other on the surrounding valley. + +For a couple of hours he neither saw nor heard a suspicious sign or +sound. Then from the little clump of trees came the hoot of an owl that +caused him to straighten up quickly and to listen intently. Ham had +spent the greater part of his life in the wilderness; and the voices of +its wild dwellers were as familiar to him as were the voices of his +fellow men; and something in the first hoot of that owl had awakened his +suspicions. It did not sound exactly right. There was a false quaver at +the end. In a minute the hoot was repeated, still with that unnatural +quaver at its end. + +Along the outskirts of the grove grew a thin line of short bushes. Ham +now bent down until his form was hidden by these bushes, and began +creeping slowly and very cautiously toward the clump of trees. In this +way he was able to get some three or four rods nearer to the spot that +had awakened his suspicions. During this cautious forward movement the +hoot of the owl had been repeated three times, at intervals of about a +minute, and the same false note had been sounded each time. + +"I'd bet th' last coonskin in my pack that that's no owl hootin'," Ham +muttered softly to himself, fixing his eyes intently on the dark shadows +underneath the trees. + +Suddenly he fancied he saw one of the shadows move. + +"By gum, I'll chance a shot!" and swiftly throwing his rifle to his +shoulder, he fired at the spot where he thought he had seen the shadow +move. + +There was a faint sound, like a smothered exclamation; and then all was +still in the little grove of trees, nor could Ham's straining eyes +detect any further movements. + +But his shot had aroused the camp; and now all the men, except the +guard, came running to him, their rifles in their hands, excitedly +calling to know what was the matter. + +"Jest a suspicious hoot of an owl an' a movin' shader," answered Ham. "I +reckon thar was one of them durned skunks a-hidin' in that clump of +trees, a-callin' out some signal; an' I shouldn't be none s'prised if my +bullet pinked him. Leastwise I thought I heer'd a smothered cry." + +"Get torches and we will see," cried Mr. Conroyal excitedly. "Maybe you +got him, Ham." + +Thure and Bud hurried to the camp-fire and soon were back with blazing +pine torches in their hands. + +There were no hostile Indians in that part of the country, and they knew +that Ugger and his gang could not be there yet in sufficient force to +dare venture to attack them, so they did not fear to advance on the +little clump of trees with lighted torches in their hands. + +There were three small trees and the one large tree and a few low bushes +in the clump. The ground around these was as carefully searched as was +possible by the light of the torches; but not a sign of Ham's human owl +did they find. + +"Must have been a real owl after all, Ham," Mr. Conroyal said, as he was +about to give up the search and to return to the camp. + +But, at this moment, Thure uttered a startled exclamation and, bending +quickly, picked up something from the ground and held it up where the +light of the torches showed it plainly to all. + +It was a little finger freshly severed from a left hand! + +"Marked him! By gum, I marked him!" cried Ham exultingly. + +"You sure did, Ham," and Mr. Conroyal bent hastily and examined the +finger carefully. "It came from the hand of a white man all right," he +declared. "And the hand of rather a small man, the left hand. Well, you +will know your man the next time you see him, Ham." + +"I shore will," grinned Ham. "An', if I dew, I wants tew return him his +finger; so I'll jest take charge of that leetle bit of anatominy," and, +reaching out, he took the finger from Thure, and, carefully wrapping it +up in a piece of buckskin, thrust it into one of his pockets. "Wal, th' +excitement is all over now, boys, an' you can return tew y'ur downy +couches an' soft pillers. I reckon thar won't be no more owl hootin' +tew-night, leastwise not from that bird," and Ham chuckled. + +All now returned to the camp and to their blankets; and Ham resumed his +watch in the dark shadows under the big tree. + +Ham was right. There was no more owl hooting that night. But the finding +of that finger had brought uneasy thoughts to all. Evidently they had +not succeeded in throwing their cunning enemies off the trail. And now, +here they were within a few hours' march of Lot's Canyon, of the Cave of +Gold, and with the scoundrels still hot on their track! What was to be +done? How could they now hope to throw Ugger and his men off their +trail, when all their efforts so far had been in vain? Indeed, how had +Ugger and his men been able to keep on their trail, through all the maze +of mountains and forests and winding gulches and twisting ravines +through which they had been passing? That was a great mystery to all--to +all, except Pedro. + + + + +CHAPTER XXIV + +IN LOT'S CANYON + + +The next morning, just as they were about to start on their way Mr. +Conroyal called the little company together. + +"You all know what happened last night, and what it means," he said. "In +spite of all our efforts to throw them off, that Ugger gang apparently +are still on our trail. Now, Dickson says that we can make Lot's Canyon +this afternoon; but, if we do, them skunks will be sure to follow us and +to find it, too. Under such circumstances what shall we do? Shall we try +again to fool them, by not going straight to the canyon to-day and see +if we can't slip into it to-night without being seen? Or, shall we defy +them, and march straight for the canyon, without any effort to hide our +trail?" + +"That last plan hits my bull's-eye," declared Ham emphatically. "If they +want tew foller, let 'em foller. If they want tew fight, we'll give 'em +all th' fight they want," and Ham's lips closed grimly. "I'm tired of +tryin' tew dodge th' dirty sneakin' murderin' pack of cowards any +longer. I gives my vote for marchin' as straight tew Lot's Canyon as th' +good Lord an' Dickson can take us." + +"Bully for Ham!" shouted Bud enthusiastically. "I vote with Ham," and he +sprang to Ham's side. + +"So do I," and Thure followed him. + +"Me, too," and, with a laugh, Mrs. Dickson took her stand by the side of +the boys. + +And, with a cheer, all the others joined her. + +"Reckon that means, straight for Lot's Canyon. Lead on," and Mr. +Conroyal turned to Dickson. + +Until about noon the trail wound around great hills of rocks, and in and +out of deep gulches and rocky defiles, and over high ridges of rock; and +then, just as the sun was nearing the meridian, it entered a broad +mountain-enclosed valley, some six or seven miles long by about two +miles wide. Near the upper end of the valley a tall pinnacle of rocks +shot up into the sky, like a church steeple, at the head of what looked +like an almost precipitous mass of rocks that rose many hundreds of feet +above the level of the valley. + +"See that rock?" and Dickson pointed triumphantly to the steeple-like +rock at the head of the valley. + +"Shore, not bein' blind," Ham answered. "What might it be doin' thar?" +and he grinned. + +"That rock," and Dickson paused to glance around the circle of faces +that now surrounded him, "stands within half a mile of the Devil's +Slide, which is the only way down into Lot's Canyon. Boys, we should be +in Lot's Canyon in two hours!" + +"Hurrah!" yelled Thure. + +"Hurrah!" echoed Bud. + +"Come on," cried Mr. Conroyal. "The sooner we get there the better. +Pedro, see if you can't liven up them pack-horses a little." + +"Si, si, senor," and Pedro began hurling volleys of Mexican oaths at the +pack-horses and running from one to another of them, striking with his +whip and urging with his voice, until the patient animals were moving as +fast as the safety of their packs would permit. + +Pedro appeared to be in unusually good spirits that day. All the gloom +of the day before had vanished with the dawning of the morning of the +night of the hooting owl. + +In an hour and a half, so eagerly did they press forward, our little +company had passed the steeple-like pinnacle of rocks; and in another +fifteen minutes they had climbed to the top of a ridge of rocks, and +were looking down a steep, narrow declivity, cut by the wonderous hand +of nature, in a precipitous wall of solid rock that rose from the bottom +of a canyon five hundred feet below them. The smooth floor of the +declivity was not over a dozen feet wide and shot downward at an angle +of about forty-five degrees. + +"Gosh! I don't wonder Stackpole called that Th' Devil's Slide," and +Ham's eyes stared down the steep slope of the declivity. "Ain't thar no +other way of gettin' down thar intew that thar canyon?" and he turned to +Dickson. + +"Not that I know of," Dickson answered. "That was the way Stackpole and +I went. It is not as difficult as it looks. The rock is not slippery, +and, by being careful, a man can get down all right. But the horses! I +don't know about them," and he glanced a little dubiously toward the six +horses. + +"We'll have to use ropes on them," declared Mr. Conroyal. "Two men to a +horse. Get out the ropes." + +In a few minutes five strong ropes had been secured from the packs, and +preparations were immediately begun for helping the horses down the +slide. + +There were ten men in the company, including Pedro, and this enabled +them to start all the pack-horses at the same time down the declivity. +The method of procedure was simple. The middle of a strong rope some +thirty feet long was placed under the neck of a horse and across the +breast and fastened there, so that it could not slip down. Then two men +took hold of the rope, one at each end, and, by walking a little behind +and on opposite sides of the horse, they were in position to hold back +the animal, should he start to slide or get to going too fast. In this +way and with very little trouble, for the footing down the declivity was +much better than they expected it would be, they soon had the six horses +safely down the Devil's Slide. + +All now stood at the bottom of a deep canyon, with walls of nearly +perpendicular rock rising on both sides from five hundred to a thousand +feet above their heads. The bottom was strewn with rocks of all shapes +and sizes, and little clumps of trees and bushes grew here and there. + +"This," and Dickson glanced a bit dramatically around him, "is Lot's +Canyon. The white pillar of rock, called Lot's Wife on the map, is about +a couple of miles farther up the canyon, and near it stands the Big +Tree, and close by that tree, according to the map, should be the hidden +entrance to Crooked Arm Gulch. And it must be well-hidden too; for, when +I was with Stackpole, we couldn't find a sign of a gulch near the Big +Tree, although I remember we looked especially sharp for it right there, +because the Indian had told Stackpole that it was near a big tree and +that was the biggest tree we could find in the canyon. I hope we have +better luck." + +"Let us hurry and get to the Big Tree," cried Thure impatiently. "I am +sure that, if there is any entrance to any gulch there, some of us can +find it. Come on," and the excited boy, with Bud by his side, started up +the canyon. + +Rex and Dill and Mr. Dickson at once joined the two boys, and the five +hurried eagerly forward, leaving the others to come on more slowly with +Pedro and the horses. + +The canyon was from one hundred to two hundred feet wide at the bottom, +and twisted and wound along between its gigantic walls of rock, like a +huge serpent. Doubtless in some far distant age it had been the course +of a mighty river; but now not a drop of water flowed along its rocky +bottom and evidently had not for hundreds of years. + +"Looks like a mighty good place for grizzlies," commented Rex, as they +hurried along over the rough rocks of the bottom. + +"And there has been one here not many minutes ago," supplemented Dill, +pointing to the bark of a tree that had been freshly torn by the sharp +claws of some powerful animal. + +"And there he is!" cried Thure, as they made a sudden turn around a huge +point of rocks, projecting a few feet out into the canyon, and came face +to face with a huge male grizzly not a hundred feet away. + +The grizzly appeared to be very greatly astonished at this sudden +invasion of man into his hitherto undisputed realm of rocks, and a +little offended. With a deep bass-drum-like "huff, huff," he reared his +huge body up on his hind legs, and, turning his wicked little eyes on +them, uttered a deep warning growl, as much as to say: "Now, if you men +will turn right around and go back, I will not harm you." + +"Shall we shoot?" asked Thure, cocking his rifle. + +"No, not if the brute will get out of our way," answered Rex. "We have +no time to fool with grizzlies," and, cocking his own rifle, he started +straight toward the grizzly. + +The growl of the bear deepened, and he made no sign of giving way to the +intruders. + +"All right, old man," and Rex stopped and threw his rifle to his +shoulder. "Stand ready to fire, if my bullet fails to bring him down," +he warned, as his eye glanced swiftly along the rifle barrel. + +But Rex Holt was one of the best rifle shots in California, and knew +exactly where to send his bullet in order to make it instantly fatal; +and there was no need of a second shot, for almost at the instant of the +crack of his rifle, the huge beast, with a deep startled, "huff," and a +staggering leap toward them, tumbled sprawlingly to the ground, as if +all his tough muscles had been suddenly turned to hot tallow, and with a +few quiverings, the great frame lay still. + +"No time to bother with him now. Let him lay there for the present. Come +on," and Rex, pausing by the side of the grizzly only long enough to +assure himself that the monster was dead, hurried on up the canyon. + +For half an hour longer they struggled on over the broken rocks that +covered the bottom of the canyon; and then they came to where the canyon +made an abrupt turn, and, widening out a little, ran straight ahead for +half a mile or more. + +The moment they made this turn and looked up the clear stretch of +canyon, all uttered a shout of triumph. Some two hundred yards from them +and near the east wall of the canyon grew a huge oak tree; and, perhaps +a hundred yards farther up the canyon, stood a tall pillar of white +rock. + +"The Big Tree!" yelled Thure exultingly, starting on the run for the +tree. + +"Lot's Wife!" shouted Bud, racing along after Thure. + +Rex and Dill and Dickson hastened after the excited boys; and, in a few +minutes, all stood beneath the giant branches of the great oak. + +The tree was some seventy-five feet high and nearly as broad as it was +high; and its huge trunk grew so close to the wall of the canyon that +the ends of its great limbs on that side had been pressed tight up +against the rocks. + +"Well, we are here at last!" Thure's face was flushed and his eyes were +sparkling with excitement. "Now, for the hidden entrance to Crooked Arm +Gulch!" and his eyes turned eagerly to the walls of the canyon. + +The wall of the canyon near the tree, so far as their eyes could judge, +was a solid mass of cracked and seamed rocks, that sprang from the +bottom of the canyon almost straight upward for five hundred or more +feet. There did not appear to be break or opening of any kind, nor did +it look as if there ever had been such an opening. + +For half an hour the two boys and Rex and Dill and Mr. Dickson searched +excitedly up and down the wall of the canyon near the tree, without one +of them finding the first sign of an entrance to the hidden gulch. + +"Great Moses, but this is exasperating!" complained Thure, staring +indignantly at the blank walls of rock. "To be held up like this, when +almost at the entrance to the Cave of Gold! But we have got to find it," +and the heat of his excitement having cooled down a little, he began a +more careful and systematic search of the face of the wall of rock. + +"Found it?" yelled Ham, who at this moment came round the turn in the +canyon at the head of the remainder of the company. + +"No," Dickson called back. "Not a sign of an opening anywhere in sight." + +"I reckon this is where our trouble begins," Ham declared a few minutes +later, when he stood near the Big Tree and searched the precipitous side +of the wall of rock vainly with his keen eyes. "It shore don't look as +if there ever had ben any gulch entrance thar." + +"Let us have another look at the map," suggested Mr. Conroyal, after all +had searched the face of the wall of rock in vain for some time. +"Possibly we have overlooked some little point of guidance on it." + +Thure at once procured the map and handed it to his father; and all +crowded anxiously around him, as he seated himself on a rock and spread +the map out on his knees. + +"This sure must be the right place," he declared, as he glanced down at +the map and then up and down the canyon; "for here is the Big Tree and +there," and he pointed to the white pillar, "is Lot's Wife, and that +slide down there must surely have been the Devil's Slide; and, if this +is the right place, then the entrance to Crooked Arm Gulch must be right +there, according to this map," and he pointed to the wall of rock +against which the great limbs of the tree were pressing. + +"Wai, it ain't thar," and Ham turned away disgustedly from the map. "Any +fool with eyes in his head can see that it ain't thar. I reckon we've +come on a wild-goose chase. Let's go intew camp an' git some grub down +us. I'm allfired hungry, an' it's tew late tew look any more tew-day," +and he glanced toward the west wall of the canyon, up the side of which +the shadows of night were already beginning to creep. "Possibly we can +dew better in th' mornin', though it's more'n I can see how, seem' that +thar's nuthin' but th' face of a solid wall of rock tew search; an' +we've searched 'bout every inch of that that we can a'ready," and he +threw his big frame down on the ground and stared at the wall of rock +wrathfully. + +And much of the same disappointment and disgust that troubled Ham was +troubling the hearts of all; for it did not seem possible that there +could be any entrance to any gulch anywhere near the Big Tree. The wall +of rock was too steep to climb, but the eye could search its entire +face, except where the limbs of the giant oak hid a few square yards of +the surface, and nowhere was there a break in the wall nor the least +sign of an opening of any sort, let alone the entrance to a gulch. This +was so plainly evident, so easily and so quickly to be seen, for the +smooth face of the wall of a canyon offers few opportunities of +concealment, that the gloom of bitter disappointment deadened the +spirits of all; and, consequently, it was a very downhearted and +discouraged company of men that now started to make ready for the night +under the overhanging branches of the Big Tree. + +All the next day the search was continued, but without any results. + +"Durn th' old map! Let's throw it intew th' fire an' git back tew th' +diggin's," Ham declared wrathfully, as they gathered for the night under +the Big Tree. "Stackpole shore must have been loony when he made that +map." + +"Reckon you are right," agreed Mr. Conroyal. "Well, we'll have another +look at the map; and, if we can't get any new ideas from it, we will do +as you say and start back for the diggings in the morning." + +"No; no! Just one more day! Let us look one more day!" pleaded Thure. "I +can't believe that Stackpole did not find that Cave of Gold. He was so +sure of it, so earnest about it--and there is the nugget and the gold he +had with him when murdered! Let us look just one more day!" + +"Well, son, I am sure that we all are just as anxious to find that Cave +of Gold as you can possibly be; but, where can we look that we have not +already looked? What is the use of going over exactly the same ground +that we have already been over many times? It isn't a question of +sticking. I'd say stick as long as there was any hope. But, as Ham says, +any fool with eyes in his head can see that there is no gulch opening +here. Either Stackpole was crazy, or we've struck the wrong canyon; and, +in either case, we might just as well give up the search and get back +where we know there is gold. However, I will put the matter to a vote; +and we will do as the majority wishes. Shall we start back for the +diggings in the morning? All in favor of starting back in the morning +stand up," and Mr. Conroyal's eyes glanced over the little company +seated around him. + +All arose slowly to their feet, except Thure and Bud, who looked almost +ready to cry at this untimely ending of all their romantic dreams. + +"I know it is hard, hard on us all, and especially hard on you two +boys," Mr. Conroyal said, turning sympathetically to the lads. "But it +would be foolish to waste any more time here. Now, let us have a last +look at that map, before we fling the cussed thing into the fire," and +he motioned Thure to hand him the skin map. "We don't want it to fool +anybody else." + +Thure slowly took the map from its place of concealment in his shirt +bosom and reluctantly handed it to his father. Then all bent their heads +over it; but there was little interest in their faces. They had examined +the map too often and too closely to hope to find anything new in it +now. + +Suddenly Mrs. Dickson uttered a little exclamation and pointed with her +finger to the roughly drawn tree in the left hand corner of the map. + +"I wonder if that tree, with the arrow pointing downward toward the east +point of the cross, does not mean something," she said. + +"Moses!" yelled Thure, jumping to his feet excitedly. "It does! It's the +key to the whole secret! I remember now! The miner said the gulch was +blocked by great rocks, that we must climb the Big Tree to the third +limb. You remember, don't you, Bud?" and he turned excitedly to Bud. + +"Yes," answered Bud, now as greatly excited as was Thure himself. "He +said, 'Climb to the third limb. Remember, climb to the third +limb--third--third--' and then he choked all up. Come! It is yet light +enough to see!" and both boys made a jump for the huge trunk of the +great oak tree and began climbing up it almost with the agility of two +squirrels. + +"Gosh! Thar might be somethin' in that!" and Ham, and all the others, +jumped to their feet and followed the movements of the two boys with +deeply interested eyes. + +The third limb was about twenty feet from the ground, of huge size and +thrust itself straight out to the rocky wall of the canyon, against +which its end appeared to be tightly pressed. + +Along this limb Thure and Bud now scrambled, as swiftly as hands and +feet and body could propel them, Thure in the lead. The limb was +sufficiently large and strong to make this neither difficult nor +dangerous. In a few minutes they were at the face of the wall of rock. +Here Thure paused for a moment, then he was seen to rise on his feet, +push a few branches aside, and, with a yell, disappear. The next moment +he was followed by Bud. + +"Wal, I'll be teetotally durned!" and Ham and the others stared blankly +at the spot where the two boys had disappeared. + +For five minutes they stood staring at the spot, without speaking a +word, so intense was their interest. Then the heads of the two boys +appeared through the branches almost simultaneously; and a loud yell of +triumph broke wildly from the mouth of each. + +"Found! Found!" yelled Thure. + +"We've found the gulch! Crooked Arm Gulch!" cried Bud. "Come up and +see." + +"Durned if I don't!" and Ham leaped for the trunk of the tree, followed +by every other man in the company, except Pedro, who, together with Mrs. +Dickson, remained below. + +"Not too many on the limb at a time," cautioned Rex, who had succeeded +in reaching the third limb first. "It might break," and he began working +his way along it, closely followed by Dill. + +In a couple of minutes he had reached the opening in the wall of rock, a +jagged hole some four or five feet in diameter, into which the sturdy +limb had thrust itself in such a manner that its branches completely +concealed all signs of the opening from below. + +"Great! This is great!" Rex exclaimed, as he pushed his way through the +branches into the hole. + +In a few minutes more all were through the hole, and were standing on a +narrow shelf of rock, looking down into a deep, narrow gulch, whose +bottom was considerably below the level of the bottom of Lot's Canyon. + +"By gum! if we ain't struck th' right spot at last!" and Ham stared in +astonishment up the gulch to where it made a bend, like a crook at the +elbow in a man's bent arm. "Thar's th' Golden Elbow," and he pointed to +the bend; "an' this shore must be Crooked Arm Gulch. Wal, this is what I +call luck! Hurra!" and he swung his hat around his head and yelled at +the very top of his strong lungs; and every man there joined with him in +the yell; and the rocky walls of the narrow gulch echoed and reechoed +the sound, until it seemed as if a hundred men were shouting their +joyous yells of triumph. + +"Too bad it is so late in the day that we must put off exploring the +gulch until to-morrow," Mr. Conroyal lamented, when the excitement had +somewhat quieted down. + +"Oh, dad, just let us see if the cave is really there!" begged Thure. + +"Impossible. See how swiftly the dark shadows of night are gathering. We +must hasten back to Lot's Canyon at once. In fifteen minutes it will be +too dark to see our way plainly. Come on, everybody. I reckon the Little +Woman is some curious to know what has been happening up here," and, +smiling happily, he started back toward the opening, followed by all the +others. + +When they again reached the ground at the bottom of the Big Tree, they +found Mrs. Dickson alone. She said that Pedro had asked permission to go +back to where the grizzly bear had been filled to get a chunk of bear +steak for their supper, and had hurried off, taking one of their rifles +with him, as soon as she had said yes. She was nearly wild with joy, +when told of the find they had made, and vowed that she would go with +them in the morning, when they started out to look for the Cave of Gold, +in spite of the seemingly dangerous climb along the big limb of the Big +Tree. + +Half an hour later Pedro returned with a big chunk of bear meat, which +was soon roasting on wooden spits placed around the blazing camp-fire. + +That was as joyful an evening as the night before had been gloomy. Even +the saturnine spirits of Pedro seemed greatly affected by the general +hilarity; for his sallow face was all smiles and his little black eyes +snapped and twinkled, as he passed hither and thither among the men, and +he was very careful to place the pan in which he washed the dishes +within easy hearing distance of every word they might utter. Indeed, it +seemed almost impossible for him to tear himself away from the sound of +their voices; and, when he was compelled to go to the little spring they +had discovered some twenty rods distant from the Big Tree, after water, +he had gone there and back on the run, as if he was fearful that +something might be said while he was away that he ought to hear. But, to +all this, our friends gave no heed, save that Ham once or twice turned +his eyes on Pedro's excited face, with just a flicker of suspicion in +them. + +"Wal, I don't wonder he's some excited, seein' us so upset," he thought. +"Still thar won't be no harm in keepin' as much as possible from him. I +don't believe in trustin' a Mexican nohow, any more than you've got +tew," and Ham lowered his own voice and cautioned the others to do +likewise, when Pedro was near. "Jest tew be on the safe side," he +explained. + +"We must de doubly cautious now," warned Mr. Conroyal, when they made +ready for bed, "and keep somebody on guard night and day all the time; +for now that we have found the secret of Crooked Arm Gulch them devils +are likely to be down upon us at the first unguarded moment. We will put +four men on guard again to-night. Rex, you and Dill and Bud and his +father can stand guard for the first half of the night; and you can call +Ham and Frank and Thure and me to relieve you about one o'clock. Now, +get to your stations and we will get to our blankets. Good night, +everybody," and he began rolling himself up in his blanket. + +An example that all except the guards followed very speedily. + + + + +CHAPTER XXV + +THE CAVE OF GOLD + + +There were no disturbances during the night; and the dawn of the next +morning found everybody up and awaiting eagerly the moment when there +would be sufficient light in the canyon to make the climbing of the Big +Tree and the entrance into Crooked Arm Gulch safe. At last Mr. Conroyal +declared that the great moment had come. + +"But," and he glanced around the little group of eager faces, "Ham and I +think, and I am sure you will all agree with us when you stop to +consider the matter, that we ought to leave at least one man here to +stand guard with Pedro. Now, under the circumstances, I had rather not +say who that man shall be, but will ask for a volunteer. Who is willing +to offer himself up as a sacrifice to the good of the public?" and Mr. +Conroyal smiled. + +For a moment all stood staring blankly into one another's faces. No one +appeared to be in the least anxious to make this sacrifice. And no +wonder! For, now at the very moment they were about to explore the +mysteries of the dead miner's wonderful Cave of Gold, who would care to +be left behind? Then, with a smile on his face, Frank Holt stepped +forth. + +"Reckon I'll stay and keep company with Pedro," he said. "I'm not as +young as I once was, and crawling along that limb some twenty feet above +the ground looks some dangerous to legs as old as mine. But I'd like to +have one of you, if you find the cave all right, come and let me know," +and the sparkle in his eyes told how great was his interest in the +result. + +"I'll come right back and relieve you, dad, just as soon as we find the +cave and see what it is like," Rex Holt promised. "Then you can go and +see for yourself. It was great of you to offer to stay. I'll be back +soon. Good-by," and he hurried after the others, who were already +climbing the Big Tree. + +Pedro, all the morning, had been as feverish with excitement as had any +of the others, and had watched their every movement, as a cat watches a +caught mouse, and had tried to overhear every word uttered; but, at the +first mention of a guard being left with him, he had muttered a Mexican +oath and had turned angrily and sullenly away, all his excitement gone. +Evidently he had counted a great deal on being left alone with the +horses and the camp supplies, when the search for the Cave of Gold was +made; and, consequently, the leaving of a guard with him had been a very +great disappointment. But he was too cunning to allow this +disappointment to be seen by his employers, and had turned quickly away +to hide his feelings, until he was again his usual suave self; and so he +did not hear the promise of Rex to hasten back as soon as the cave was +found and relieve his father. + +You may be sure that there were no laggards among the climbers up the +Big Tree and along the limb and through the entrance into Crooked Arm +Gulch; and soon all stood on the little shelf of rock, from which they +had had their first view of the gulch the night before. + +"Now, th' first thing tew dew is tew git down tew th' bottom," commented +Ham, as the eyes of all eagerly searched the walls of the gulch. + +"That looks easy! Right this way!" and Thure began excitedly clambering +down the rocks. + +The shelf of rock on which they stood was some fifty feet above the +bottom of the gulch; and from it a series of shelves and jutting rocks +made an easy pathway downward, for mountaineers as experienced as they +were, and soon all our friends stood at the bottom of Crooked Arm Gulch. + +"Now for the Golden Elbow!" shouted Thure. "I want to be the first one +in the Cave of Gold," and he started up the gulch as fast as he could +go, jumping and climbing over the rocks that nearly covered its bottom. + +"Same here!" and, with a yell, Bud started after him. + +In a moment all, even the gray-haired men, had joined madly in the race. +Evidently Thure was not the only one who wished to be the first in the +Cave of Gold. + +The gulch was narrow, only about a couple of rods wide at the place +where our friends had reached the bottom, and, some three hundred yards +from here, it made a turn, like the crook in a man's bent arm. This was +evidently the Golden Elbow, and the point for which all were racing. + +Thure, owing to his start and his long legs, was the first to reach this +spot, but Bud was not six feet behind him. Then came Rex and Dill and +the others, with Dickson and his wife pantingly bringing up the rear. +All had stopped directly in front of the point of the turn, and now +stood staring excitedly around them, looking for the entrance to the +Cave of Gold and looking in vain. + +In front of them the wall of the gulch had been hollowed out into a +great overhanging arch, seventy-five or more feet in height and some +fifteen feet deep. + +Could this be the miner's Cave of Gold? + +Surely not; for there was no need of torch here, and the bottom +certainly was not covered with gold nuggets, but with hundreds of pieces +of broken rock, some of them as large as two strong men could lift. + +"Wal, I swun, if it don't look as if we was up ag'in it ag'in," and Ham +stared excitedly around. "But, if thar is any cave here, it must be +right in thar. Come, git busy," and he began clambering over the rocks +toward the back wall of the arch. "I'll bet a coonskin that I can find +it first." + +"Take you!" shouted Thure and Bud, both clambering swiftly after him. + +In a minute more all were searching excitedly for the hidden entrance to +the cave, along the entire back wall of the arch; but the rocks of the +bottom seemed to meet a solid wall of rock at the back. + +"Say, but isn't it enough to make even a Job swear to be held up like +this, right at the most exciting moment!" and Thure stopped in front of +a large flat rock, that had fallen so that it stood nearly on edge, +leaning against the back wall of the arch. "Come, give me a hand; and +let's see what is behind this rock," and he turned to Bud, who stood +near him. "It looks almost as if it might have been stood up there on +purpose." + +In a moment the strong arms of the two boys were tugging at the huge +slab of rock; and, at last, with a mighty effort, they pulled it away +from the wall and toppled it over backward, and it fell, with a crash, +on the rocks between them, revealing a black opening in the solid rock. + +"Hurrah!" yelled Bud. + +"Found!" shouted Thure; and both excited boys made a dive for the hole, +with the result that their bodies stuck tightly in the opening, the hole +not being large enough to accommodate the entrance of both of them at +the same time. + +Ham and Mr. Conroyal pulled them out; and then Ham thrust his big body +into the opening--he could just squeeze in--and began cautiously working +his way forward. It was not a venture for an excited boy to make, the +entrance into that black hole without a light. + +In about five minutes Ham came backing hurriedly out. + +"Who's got th' candles?" he cried excitedly. "Thar sart'in is a cave in +thar; but it is as dark as the bottomless pit. We must have lights +before we can enter. Give me a candle." + +"Here, here they are!" and Mr. Conroyal who in the excitement of the +moment had forgotten the package of a couple of dozen candles he had +tied up and slung over his back just before climbing the tree that +morning, quickly swung the package down on a rock in front of him and +cut the strings. + +Ham caught up one of the candles, and, hurriedly lighting it, again +crawled into the hole, holding the candle out in front of him. + +Thure and Bud both caught up candles and lighting them, looked +imploringly at their fathers. + +Both men nodded, and the boys dove into the hole; but this time +separately. + +"The rest of us had better wait outside until we hear from Ham and the +boys," Mr. Conroyal said, staring anxiously into the hole. + +For perhaps ten minutes, although to the anxious and excited watchers +outside it seemed more like an hour, not a sound came from the hole into +whose black depths the three men had vanished. Even the lights of their +candles had disappeared. Then, suddenly, the excited voice of Thure was +heard, booming out through the hole. + +"It's the cave, the Cave of Gold!" he cried exultantly, his voice +trembling with excitement. "Come in, all of you. There is room for all. +I will hold my candle so that you can see." + +"Here, Dickson, you go first, and, Mollie, you follow right behind him," +and Mr. Conroyal pushed Mr. and Mrs. Dickson excitedly toward the cave +opening, and motioned Rex and Dill and Mr. Randolph to follow them, he +himself entering last. + +The hole slanted downward for some ten feet, then, enlarging a little, +turned to the right and ran straight ahead for some thirty feet, still +slanting quite steeply downward, when it suddenly opened out into a +large chamber, worn by the action of water, apparently, out of the solid +rock. + +In five minutes all our excited friends stood in this chamber or cave +and were staring wonderingly around them. They found themselves in a +room, some thirty feet long by twenty feet wide at the widest, with an +oval slanting roof, shaped something like the inverted quarter of an +egg-shell. The bottom of the cave was level and composed of a very +coarse gravel, mixed with little rounded chunks of a yellowish metal, +that glowed in the light of the candles like thousands of dull yellow +coals of fire. + +In an instant everybody was down on their knees examining these chunks +of metal. For a couple of minutes no one spoke. Then Ham lifted his head +and looked slowly around him, as if he were trying to convince himself +that he was really awake. + +"Gosh!" he said, in a voice hardly above a whisper. "It is gold!" + +"It is gold!" and Mr. Conroyal looked up, his face white and his eyes +shining. "It is gold; and enough of it to make us all rich beyond our +fondest dreams. No wonder the miner called it the Cave of Gold." + +[Illustration: "IT IS GOLD! IT IS GOLD! AND ENOUGH OF IT TO MAKE US ALL +RICH BEYOND OUR FONDEST DREAMS."] + +"Gold! Gold! Now Ruth shall have her breastpin nugget and gold +necklace!" and Thure, with hands that trembled so that he could hardly +hold the candle, began an excited search for the largest chunk of gold +that he could find. In two minutes he had found one about the size and +the shape of a robin's egg. "The very thing!" he cried. "That will make +a magnificent breastpin," and he quickly picked it up and began +searching for the nuggets to go into the promised necklace. + +During this time Bud was quickly gathering up the largest nuggets he +could find; for a similar purpose but for a different girl; and the +fingers of all the others were busy in the same exciting way. + +For half an hour all forgot everything, but the shining pellets that +covered the bottom of the cave. Then Rex suddenly straightened up. + +"Great Washington! I'm forgetting dad!" he exclaimed. "I must go to dad +at once," and he started for the hole that gave passageway to the outer +world. + +Naturally Rex was greatly excited and made all possible haste to get +back to his father with the good news. The distance was not great, and +in ten minutes he had reached the hidden entrance to Crooked Arm Gulch, +and, hurriedly crawling through the narrow opening, he pushed the +concealing branches aside--and found himself looking directly into the +red face of Bill Ugger. + +"God in heaven!" and Rex struck out with all the strength of his strong +right arm. + +The face was not three feet away and the blow landed squarely on the +broken nose. There was a low cry, the crash of broken branches, and the +huge body of Bill Ugger plunged downward from the limb. + +For an instant Rex stared blankly after the body; and then, suddenly +realizing the value of every moment, if they would not all be caught in +a trap from which there would be no escape, he whirled about and raced +back to the Cave of Gold, almost wild with the thought of what might +happen, if the gang of robbers should capture their horses and supplies +and hold them captive in Crooked Arm Gulch, as they could easily do, +once they secured possession of the Big Tree. Then there was his father. +What had happened to him? No wonder his face went white, and he risked +limb and life a dozen times in his mad scramble down the rocks and up +the gulch and into the opening of the Cave of Gold. + +"Quick! Everybody, back to the Big Tree!" he shouted, as he plunged into +the cave, where our excited friends were still busily picking up the +nuggets. "The robbers! They have got dad! Quick!" and he whirled about +and rushed back. + +In an instant the gold was forgotten. Every man jumped for his rifle, +which had been left near the entrance to the cave, and sprang after Rex, +leaving the startled and frightened Mrs. Dickson to follow as best she +could. + +There was not one of them but understood on the instant the seriousness +of their peril. If the robbers secured their horses and supplies and +held the entrance to Crooked Arm Gulch, they would be absolutely at +their mercy; for, so far as they knew, the only way out of the gulch was +by way of the Big Tree, and half a dozen men, armed with rifles, could +hold this narrow opening against their most desperate efforts to get +out, and in a few days, could starve them into surrender, for they had +no food with them. They must at all costs, if it was not already too +late, keep the entrance to Crooked Arm Gulch from falling into the hands +of the robbers. + +Hammer Jones, by desperate efforts, reached the side of Rex, just as he +was about to plunge into the passageway between Crooked Arm Gulch and +Lot's Canyon; and one of his great hands closed down on the excited +man's shoulder just in time to stop the reckless act. + +"Cautious! Cautious!" warned Ham, as he jerked Rex back. "If them skunks +have got th' camp, 'twill be death to sot foot on that big limb." + +"But, dad--" + +"'Twon't help him none for you tew git killed. I'll take a look first," +and the great strength of Ham forced Rex back, while he himself began +cautiously, yet rapidly, crawling through the narrow opening. + +In a moment he had reached the limb of the Big Tree, and, carefully +parting the branches so as to make no noise, he cautiously looked down. + +The camp had been pitched under the Big Tree almost directly beneath +him; and the first look showed him everything apparently safe and +undisturbed. The next look--and, with the cry: "Come on, everybody, as +quick as th' Lord will let you," he sprang out on the limb and began +working his way down the tree so recklessly that more than once he was +in danger of falling. The moment he reached the ground he leaped toward +an object that lay tightly bound up in a blanket on the ground near the +trunk of the tree; and, with a swift hand began cutting the ropes that +were tightly wound around it from head to foot, in a manner exactly +similar to that in which they had found Mrs. Dickson on the night she +had been so mysteriously bound in her tent. + +By the time Rex had reached his side he had uncovered Frank Holt, with +his hands bound behind him and a gag in his mouth, but otherwise unhurt, +except for a big lump on the back of his head. In a moment more Rex had +pulled the gag out of his father's mouth and Ham had freed his hands. + +"Pedro!" Holt gasped and staggered a little dizzily to his feet. "He +struck me down from behind, and tied and gagged me, as you found me. +Where is Pedro?" and he looked excitedly and a bit wildly around. "Ah, +now I remember," and his face cleared. "He has gone for the rest of the +gang. I overheard him and another man, after I had recovered my senses +and lay tightly bound up in the blanket, planning how he would go and +get the rest of the gang, while the other man climbed the tree and kept +guard over the narrow opening. Their plan was to capture the camp and +hold the Big Tree, so that none of you could get out of Crooked Arm +Gulch, and then starve you into surrendering everything; and they came +mighty nigh doing it," and he glanced anxiously down the canyon. +"They'll be due in about half an hour, I judge from what I overheard. +They were not calculating on any of you getting back so soon," and he +smiled grimly. + +"But that other man? Where is that other man?" and Mr. Conroyal--by this +time all, even Mrs. Dickson, had made their way down the Big +Tree--looked anxiously around. + +Rex started and glanced quickly toward the wall of the canyon, directly +under the opening to Crooked Arm Gulch; and then his face cleared. + +"I reckon that's him," and he pointed to a huddled heap that lay on the +rocks. "I knocked him off the limb of the Big Tree. But, we had better +make sure he is where he can do no harm," and he hurried to the body. +"Dead as a stone. Neck broken," he declared, as he turned the corpse +over. + +"Broken-nose! It's Broken-nose!" and Thure, who had hurried up with Rex, +started back, as the man's face came into view. + +"Wal, th' world's better off by havin' one less scoundrel in it," and +Ham scowled down on the face of Bill Ugger, ugly and repulsive even in +death. "Now," and he turned quickly to Holt, "didn't you say that thar +Mexican skunk, Pedro, had gone tew git th' rest of th' gang?" + +"Yes," answered Holt; "and we must be ready for them, when they get +here. They are camped down near the Devil's Slide; and I calculate it +will take them about half an hour yet to get here." + +"An' the skunks are a-calculatin' on findin' th' camp unguarded?" and +Ham's eyes began to twinkle brightly. + +"Yes, I heard Pedro tell the other fellow that he felt quite sure none +of us would be back for two hours or more; but, to make things safe, +Brokennose, as Thure calls him, said he'd climb the tree and knock the +head off anyone that tried to come through the narrow opening into +Crooked Arm Gulch. I reckon Rex got there just at the right moment to +spoil that little game." + +"I certainly did," and Rex smiled grimly. "A minute later, and he would +have got me, instead of my getting him. But, we must be getting ready +for the return of Pedro," and his eyes glanced anxiously down the +canyon. + +"Say," and Ham turned to Conroyal, "why can't we give them th' same kind +of a s'prise they was a-calculatin' on givin' us? They ain't expectin' +tew find us here, an' will come a rushin' up unsuspicious-like, an', if +we hide, we can give 'em a mighty warm reception a-fore they know what's +happenin'." + +"Bully! Where'll we hide?" and Mr. Conroyal glanced eagerly around. +"There, those rocks will be just the place," and he pointed up the +canyon to where a row of big rocks stood up, almost like a rampart, +something like a hundred feet from the Big Tree. "Now we must leave the +camp looking just as it was when Pedro left it. Here, somebody, quick, +we'll tie the body of Ugger up in the blanket, and leave it where we +found Frank. That will sure fool them," and he hurried to where the +corpse of Ugger lay; and, in a few minutes, the body was tightly bound +up in a blanket and laid down on the exact spot where Ham had found +Holt. + +"All got plenty of powder and lead?" and Mr. Conroyal glanced swiftly +from man to man. + +All answered in the affirmative. + +"Then get behind the rocks," and, with a final look around the camp to +see that every suspicious sign had been removed, Mr. Conroyal led his +little company to the rocky rampart to await the coming of Pedro and the +band of robbers; and soon all had vanished from the sight of anyone +coming up the canyon. + +In front of them and the Big Tree there was a space some three hundred +feet wide, clear of trees or underbrush or rocks large enough to shield +a man. + +"We will wait for them until they get out into the open," Mr. Conroyal +said, pointing to this space. "Now everybody see that his rifle and +pistols and knife are ready; and remember to keep down out of sight and +on no account to fire until I give the word." + +They did not have long to wait; for hardly had Mr. Conroyal uttered his +last words of warning, when they saw Pedro coming around the bend in the +canyon some two hundred yards below them. At first Pedro advanced very +cautiously, darting from rock to rock and keeping his body concealed as +much as possible; but, at last, coming to where he could get a clear +view of the camp and seeing nothing to awaken his suspicions, he +appeared to be satisfied that all was safe and turned and began +beckoning excitedly with both his hands. In response a little company of +heavily armed men instantly sprang into sight, coming from around the +bend in the canyon, and hurried up to where Pedro stood awaiting them. + +For two or three minutes they stood there, while Pedro, gesticulating +excitedly and frequently pointing toward the quiet-seeming little camp +under the Big Tree, appeared to be explaining the situation to them. +Then all began advancing cautiously, yet rapidly toward the Big Tree, +taking advantage of the rocks and trees and bushes to conceal their +movements as much as possible. + +"Here they come!" whispered Thure excitedly to Bud, as the men began +their advance. He had his eye to a little opening between the two +adjoining rocks behind which the boys were crouching. "I counted twenty +of them and I think there are one or two more. Say, but won't we give +them a big surprise?" + +"You bet!" and Bud's jaws came together grimly. + +"Keep down! Everybody keep down!" warned Mr. Conroyal in a whisper. +"Don't shoot, until I give the order; and then jump to your feet and +pick your man and fire as quick as the Lord will let you; but, be sure +you have got the bead on the man before you pull the trigger. We must +down as many of them as possible at the first volley. Now, everybody get +ready. They will be out in the open in a minute or two," and he turned +to give his attention to the advancing robbers. + +By this time Pedro and his men had reached the line of rocks and bushes +that faced the opening in front of the rocks behind which our friends +lay concealed; and here they paused for a moment, each man behind a +rock, and searched with careful eyes the camp under the Big Tree. + +"There's Pockface!" excitedly whispered Bud, who now had his eye to the +crack between the two stones, "behind that big rock straight in front of +us, the skunk. Now, just wait, until we get the order to fire," and his +lips closed tightly. + +At this moment Ham, who crouched behind a rock by the side of Mr. +Conroyal, whispered: + +"I'll be durned if I don't believe we can capture the hull caboodle, if +we jest wait 'til they git 'most up tew us, an' then jump up sudden an' +point our guns at them an' yell, 'hands up!' an' that'll be a heap +better'n tew let half on 'em git away tew bother us all the way back tew +civilerzation." + +"Right, I believe you are right. Anyway we will try it. Watch them, +while I give the right instructions," and Mr. Conroyal crept swiftly to +near the center of the little group behind the rampart of rocks. + +"Men," he said, speaking low, yet loud enough for all to hear, "we are +going to try to capture the whole bunch of scoundrels. At the word, +every one of you jump to his feet and point his rifle at the skunks and +yell 'Hands UP!' I reckon that will bring every hand up; but, if it +don't and any of them act suspicious or make a break, shoot quick, and +shoot to kill. Do you all understand?" + +All nodded and Mr. Conroyal returned at once to his place by the side of +Ham. + +At this moment the robbers broke from the rocks and ran swiftly out into +the open toward the Big Tree. + +"Ready, everybody ready!" whispered Mr. Conroyal. + +On came the robbers, until they were within seventy-five feet of the +rocks behind which our friends were hiding. + +"Now!" yelled Mr. Conroyal, and leaped to his feet, and leveled his +rifle. "Hands UP!" he commanded. + +And almost at the same moment all the others,--even Mrs. Dickson--leaped +to their feet, and leveled their rifles, and yelled: "Hands UP!" + +The robbers stopped, as if they had suddenly run into a stone wall, +turned their startled eyes on the leveled rifles and the stern-faced men +back of them--and then, every hand went up, as if worked by one shaft of +machinery, every hand except the hands of Pockface, who, doubtless +thinking that his capture would mean death anyway, whirled about +suddenly and leaped toward the rocks behind him. + +At the same instant Ham's rifle cracked; and the legs of Pockface +doubled up under him, and he went down, like a shot rabbit. + +That was enough for the rest of the men. + +"Don't shoot. We surrender," they all yelled, holding their hands as +high as they could above their heads. + +"Rex, you and Dill get their guns and knives. The rest of you keep them +covered with your rifles," commanded Mr. Conroyal. + +Rex and Dill, with broad grins on their faces, instantly stepped forth, +and soon had all the weapons of the robbers safely confiscated. + +Fifteen minutes later, every robber lay on his back under the Big Tree, +his hands and feet firmly bound with strong ropes. There were twenty-one +of them; and our friends were too wise to take any needless chances. + + + + +CHAPTER XXVI + +THE CATASTROPHE + + +"Now, the question is, what shall we do with our captives?" and Mr. +Conroyal glanced a little anxiously around the circle of faces that had +gathered about him, a short time after all the robbers had been safely +bound. "We cannot hang them, as they deserve, and we have not food +enough to keep them, and it will be hardly safe to turn them loose. What +do you think we had better do, Ham?" and he turned to Hammer Jones. + +"First off," answered Ham, "we'd better make a raid on their camp an' +git all their hosses an' supplies. Maybe that'll answer th' food +question; for, I reckon, they must have come well supplied, seein' that +Ugger an' Quinley would have plenty of gold-dust tew buy with." + +"Good," promptly declared Mr. Conroyal. "You and Rex and Dill and +Dickson make that raid at once on their camp, which, I fancy, you will +find somewhere near the Devil's Slide." + +Ham proved to be right; for, when he and the men who went with him, +returned from the raid, some two hours later, they had with them fifteen +horses, ten of which were heavily laden with food and other camp +supplies, and one prisoner, the man who had been left to guard the camp. + +"Now, I reckon, we've got them all, twenty-tew livin' an' tew dead," Ham +declared, as he bound his prisoner and placed him with the other +captives: "an' right whar we can keep them out of mischief. Thar's +plenty of food for all, Con," and he turned to Conroyal, "leastwise for +a few days, so th' food problem is settled. Now, what are you proposin' +of dewin'? We want tew git th' gold an' git out of here as soon as we +can," and he lowered his voice. + +"I can't see but one thing for us to do, Ham," Mr. Conroyal answered, +"and that is to keep a guard over the prisoners, while the rest of us +get the gold out; and then, when we've got the gold, to turn them loose +in the mountains, without weapons or horses, and make for home as fast +as we can. We've been considering the problem, while you were after the +horses and camp supplies, and that is the conclusion that we have come +to. How does it strike you?" + +"'Bout right, under th' circumstances," answered Ham. "An' th' sooner we +git things a-goin' ag'in th' better. I'm gettin' some anxious tew git +back intew that cave." + +"We'll get busy at once," declared Mr. Conroyal. "But first, I reckon, +we ought to bury them two corpses. 'Twouldn't be Christian to leave them +to rot a-top the ground or to be ate up by wolves." + +"Shore," agreed Ham. "Come on, Rex. We're th' responsible fellers, an', +I reckon, it's up tew us tew dig th' grave. We'll put 'em both in one +grave," and he picked up a pick and shovel and started to where the body +of Quinley lay. + +In a short time the two men had the grave dug. + +"Now for the bodies," and Ham caught hold of Quinley and turned the body +over. "Wal, I swun!" and he stared down at the left hand. The little +finger had been recently shot away and the wound was still roughly +bandaged. "So y'ur th' feller that I owe a finger tew. Wal, here it is," +and he thrust his hand into his pocket and pulled out the little +buckskin-wrapped parcel, containing the little finger that he had shot +from the unknown hand the night they were encamped on the shore of Goose +Neck Lake, and laid it down on the corpse. + +"Now, I reckon, we'll have to see if you have any of that stolen +gold-dust left," and Ham began a search of the body, which resulted in +the finding of a heavily laden gold-belt buckled around the waist, next +to the skin. + +Ham at once appropriated this; and then the two men lowered the body +into the grave. A similar belt, also well-filled with gold-dust, was +found around the body of Bill Ugger. Ham unbuckled this belt and placed +it with the other. Then he and Rex lifted the body of Ugger and carried +it to the grave and lowered it down on top of the body of Quinley; and +then filled the grave with broken pieces of rocks and dirt, to prevent +the wolves from digging up the bodies. + +"Th' way of th' transgresser is hard, accordin' tew th' good book," and +Ham's eyes rested thoughtfully on that lonely new-made grave. "An' shore +th' end of them tew 'pears tew bear out th' good book. Wal, th' dead is +dead, an' that's all thar is tew it. Now, for th' livin'," and he turned +from the grave and walked up to where Mr. and Mrs. Dickson were +standing, the two confiscated gold-belts in his hand. + +"Here, Dick, I reckon, is a part of th' gold them skunks got from you," +and he handed the two belts to Dickson. "Leastwise we got them from +their bodies." + +But Mr. and Mrs. Dickson refused to take the gold and insisted that it +be placed in the common fund, to be shared by all alike, so Ham turned +the two gold-belts over to Mr. Conroyal. + +The camp was now placed under the strictest discipline. Ten of the +prisoners were compelled to assist in getting the gold from the cave. +The others were kept bound and under constant guard, night and day, all +except Pedro, who, during the day, was forced to do the cooking and the +camp work for all, while at night he was securely bound and returned to +his place with the other prisoners. + +Thus the work of getting the gold out of the cave went steadily on for +five days, every one, even Mrs. Dickson, working to the very limit of +his or her endurance. Then came the night of the catastrophe. + +The gold, as fast as it was taken out of the cave, was carried, in sacks +made from blankets, to the opening in the wall of rock that gave +entrance to Crooked Arm Gulch, and from there lowered to the ground with +ropes. Each night all the workers returned to the camp under the Big +Tree. On this night, the sixth night from the day of the finding of the +Cave of Gold, about midnight, there suddenly swept through the air above +them one of those rare, for that time of the year, but often very +violent, mountain storms. + +For an hour the water fell out of the skies, as if poured from an +enormous bucket. The wind blew, until it seemed almost to shake the +solid mountains themselves, while vivid glares of lightning blinded the +eyes and heavy peals of thunder deafened the ears. Then came a lull in +the violence of the storm, as if the elements had paused to gather +themselves for a last supreme effort, followed almost instantly by a +glare of lightning so vivid, that, for the moment, it seemed as if the +whole world was ablaze, and a shock of thunder, so appalling, that +everyone leaped from his blanket and stood staring with blanched face +and frightened eyes around him, not knowing what awful thing was +happening. For two or three minutes the dreadful sounds continued, as if +mountains were being torn up by the roots and thrown crashing to the +earth again, while the ground shook and trembled beneath their feet, as +if the earth had the ague. Then, only the roar of the falling rain and +the rushing of the wind through the limbs of the Big Tree above their +heads, was heard. Fifteen minutes later the rain had ceased, the wind +had died down, the clouds had swept by, and the stars were shining again +in a clear sky. + +The next morning, when our friends, on their way to the Cave of Gold, +reached the narrow shelf of rock in Crooked Arm Gulch, from which they +had had their first view of the Golden Elbow, an astonishing sight met +their eyes. + +The great arch, overhanging the entrance to the Cave of Gold, with its +millions of tons of superincumbent rocks, had given away, and the whole +of that side of the gulch, nearly a thousand feet high and for a couple +of hundred feet on either side, had split off and fallen in a great mass +of rocks, hundreds of feet high, where the day before had been the +entrance to the dead miner's marvelous Cave of Gold. + +For a number of minutes all stood staring at this unexpected and +astounding sight in awed silence. No wonder it had sounded the night +before as if mountains were being torn up and thrown down again! No +wonder the ground beneath them had shook and trembled from the impact of +those millions of tons of rocks! + +"Gosh! I'm glad I ain't in that Cave of Gold!" and Ham turned an awed +face to the others. "If that storm had comed up in th' daytime, some on +us might be in thar right now. I reckon we've got all th' gold th' Lord +intended us tew git, an' now we'd better git for home." + +"Well, if that was the Lord's work, He has been mighty accommodating to +wait until we got all the gold we need," and Mr. Conroyal smiled. "I was +thinking last night that we had about enough, and had better be starting +for home. Mighty curious place, that Cave of Gold; and I have been +wondering quite a bit how the gold got into it; and this is about the +way I figure it out: + +"Thousands of years ago, how many thousands God alone knows, there must +have been a great river pouring through Lot's Canyon, with its bed +hundreds of feet below the present bottom of the canyon; and, at that +time, there must also have been a powerful stream of water flowing +through this gulch, and emptying into the river in Lot's Canyon, through +a great hole worn through the solid wall of rock, which is now +completely hidden under the rocks that have fallen down into the gulch +during the ages since both rivers dried up. Now, in making that turn," +and he pointed to where the Golden Elbow had been, "I figure that the +water struck a soft ledge of gold-bearing rock, and gradually scooped +out a big cave right in the point of the turn, and, of course, as the +gold was washed out of the rock, it would fall to the bottom of the +cave, and, being in quite large chunks, it was too heavy for the action +of the water to carry it out of the cave, while the water would carry +out nearly all the other dirt and gravel, thus leaving the bottom of the +cave covered with gold nuggets, the way we found it. And, after the +river had dried up, rocks from the arch at the entrance to the cave +would fall off, and little by little fill up the entrance and form the +big arch we found. Now, that's about the way the gold came into the +cave, according to my figureing. What's your idea, Rad?" and Mr. +Conroyal turned to Rad Randolph. + +"I think that you've hit it about right, Con," answered Mr. Randolph. +"But, now that there is no hope of getting any more gold out of that +cave, I am getting powerful anxious to make a start for home with what +we have got. Let's go back to the Big Tree at once and get agoing +homeward as soon as we can." + +"Hurrah for home!" yelled Thure, starting for the opening out of Crooked +Arm Gulch. "I'd rather see home now than another Cave of Gold." + +In a few minutes all were back in the camp under the Big Tree; and +preparations for the start homeward were begun at once. + +In three hours everything was ready for the journey. The gold, there was +fifty bags of it, each weighing about one hundred pounds, was packed on +the fifteen horses they had secured from the robbers. Mrs. Dickson was +given one of the other horses to ride, and the food and the camp +supplies were packed on the remaining five horses. + +The twenty-two prisoners were now all gathered in a bunch under the Big +Tree, and the hands of each man strongly tied behind his back. Then Mr. +Conroyal stepped out in front of them. + +"You cowardly pack of scoundrels," he said, "if we could, we would +gladly take you to where we could deliver you up to the justice you so +richly deserve; but, under existing circumstances, that is impossible; +and so we have decided to leave you here, bound as you now are, without +weapons of any kind, but with food enough to last you three days, which +ought to be enough to keep you until you can get to one of the +mining-camps. Doubtless, by working real hard, you can manage to get the +hands of one of you untied in course of the next two or three hours, and +then he can soon untie the hands of the others, and you can start for +one of the mining-camps as soon as you please. But," Mr. Conroyal spoke +slowly, so that every man could understand every word that he uttered, +"do not, if you value your lives, follow our trail. We will shoot, and +shoot to kill, on sight. Now, that is all I have to say to you, except," +and he grinned joyously, "to thank you for bringing us those fifteen +horses and for your help in getting out the gold. I do not know what we +would have done without the horses and without your help. Hope this will +learn you to give up trying to steal gold and start you to digging for +it," and he turned and led the little company down the canyon, bound, at +last, for home. + + + + +CHAPTER XXVII + +HOME + + +Ten days later than the events just recorded in the last chapter, Iola +Conroyal and Ruth Randolph sat swinging in a hammock, stretched under +the broad porch that shaded the front of the Conroyal house. + +"I wish we could hear from our dads and the boys," Iola said, as the two +girls swung gently back and forth. "It seems like a long time now since +Thure and Bud left us; and we haven't heard a word from them since they +went away; and so many things might have happened to them. Why, they may +already have found the Cave of Gold, and right at this moment they may +be picking up gold nuggets by the basketful!" and her dark eyes sparkled +at the thought. + +"Yes, it has been a long time since we heard from the mines," answered +Ruth; "and our mothers are beginning to worry, more than they let us +know. They are afraid that the hunt for the Cave of Gold will get them +into some kind of trouble with the men who murdered the old miner for +the skin map, and then failed to get it. And--and not to hear a word +from them, when so many things might happen, is terrible worrying. Oh, I +do hope they find that Cave of Gold, and get enough gold to make us rich +all the rest of our lives!" and her face brightened. "That is the way it +would come out in a story book; and I can't see why it can't happen that +way in real life, just this once. I dreamt, only last night, that they +came back with a string of horses a mile long and all of them loaded +down with gold. And--and," and her face flushed a little, "Thure brought +me a nugget as big as my head, and a necklace of nuggets that reached to +the ground, when he threw it around my neck. Oh, if something like that +would only happen in real life!" and she laughed merrily at her own +extravagant conceit. + +"And I dreamt--" and then Iola stopped abruptly. + +A faint halloo, coming from far-off, at this moment had reached the ears +of both girls, and brought them out of the hammock in one jump, and +turned their two pairs of eyes to staring excitedly across the level of +the valley in front of the house. + +A mile away they saw two horsemen, swinging their hats around their +heads and hallooing loudly, riding excitedly toward the house; and back +of them came a long train of horses and men. + +For a minute the two girls stood, as if turned to stone, staring with +widening eyes at those two horsemen, at the train of horses and men +behind them; and then, with a yell that made their mothers jump from the +chairs where they were sitting in the cool of the house and rush to the +door, they leaped off the porch and ran toward the two horsemen. + +"It's Thure and Bud! It's dad and the rest!" they shouted, as they ran. + +In a few minutes the racing boys--for the two horsemen were Thure and +Bud--and the running girls met. + +The boys jumped from their saddles, and, the next instant, they were in +the arms of the girls. + +"We found it! We found it!" shouted Thure, a moment later, dancing up +and down with excitement. "We found the Cave of Gold! And here," and he +thrust one of his hands into his pocket, "is your breastpin nugget!" and +he handed the big gold nugget he had found to Ruth. "And here is your +necklace of gold nuggets!" and he threw over the happy girl's head and +around her neck a long string of gold nuggets that he had strung on a +deer sinew, during the homeward journey. + +Bud, during this time, had been going through the same delightful +performance with Iola. + +That was the most wonderful night in the history of the Conroyal and the +Randolph households! + +First, of course, after the greetings were over, the gold had to be +taken off the horses and carried into the house and piled up in the +center of the floor of the big room; and then, with all of the two +families and all of the friends who took part in the search for the Cave +of Gold, not forgetting you may be sure Mr. and Mrs. Dickson, seated in +a circle around the piled-up bags of gold, the story of the adventures +of Thure and Bud and the finding of the dead miner's marvelous Cave of +Gold had to be told. + +"Oh, dear! Oh, dear!" sighed Iola happily, when, at last, the tale was +ended. "It is just like a story out of a book; and I wouldn't believe it +at all, if I couldn't see the gold piled up right in front of me. Now," +and her eyes looked wonderingly at the bags of gold, "how much is all +that gold worth? Is it worth a Hundred Thousand Dollars?" and her eyes +grew big with the thought of the enormous wealth that lay within touch +of her hand. + +"I reckon it is," laughed Mr. Conroyal. "But, supposing we see just +about how much it is worth. Thure, you and Bud go and get the big +scales, and we will weigh it." + +In a few minutes the two boys returned, carrying between them a small +platform scales, capable of weighing a few hundred pounds at a time, and +set it down by the side of the pile of bags of gold. + +Mr. Conroyal now placed the bags of gold, four at a time, on the scales, +and announced their weights; and Thure and Bud, pencils and paper in +their hands, set down the amounts. When the last bag had been weighed, +all waited anxiously while the two boys added up the various amounts. +Thure was the first to finish the addition. + +"Five thousand one hundred and three and a half pounds!" he yelled. + +"Exactly what I got," announced Bud a moment later. + +"Give me the pencil and paper," and Mr. Conroyal caught the pencil and +paper from Thure's hands. "I'll see about what that amount of gold is +worth," and he began figuring on the paper, with hands that trembled +just a little with excitement. Presently he looked up, his face flushed +and his eyes shining. + +"Of course I can't tell exactly how much the gold is worth," he said, +"not knowing exactly how much it will bring an ounce; but, I am sure we +can count on its bringing a Million Dollars, a Million Dollars, boys! +And that, since there were ten in the company, will give each one of us +at least One Hundred Thousand Dollars!" + +"Great Moses! That means that we are all rich! Hurrah!" and Thure jumped +to his feet and yelled so loudly that Iola thrust her mantilla over his +mouth, fearing that the glad noise might bring the roof down on their +heads. + +"And that we can now go to our dear home in New York," Mrs. Dickson said +softly, pressing the hand she held of her husband and looking happily +into his eyes. + + + +***END OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK THE CAVE OF GOLD*** + + +******* This file should be named 20126.txt or 20126.zip ******* + + +This and all associated files of various formats will be found in: +https://www.gutenberg.org/dirs/2/0/1/2/20126 + + + +Updated editions will replace the previous one--the old editions +will be renamed. + +Creating the works from public domain print editions means that no +one owns a United States copyright in these works, so the Foundation +(and you!) can copy and distribute it in the United States without +permission and without paying copyright royalties. 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