d I
wanted all hands to have a chance to get over their disappointment.
Jim, this snow-crust will bear the weight of a pony, won't it?"

"Why?"

"I must get to Dugout City."

"For what?"

"We haven't a big enough ore dump on which to borrow any money.
but I've an idea I can sell this nugget for enough to get another
good stock of dynamite."

"You don't want to try to get to Dugout today or tomorrow," replied
Ferrers slowly.

"But I must," Tom insisted. "Every hour's delay is worse than
wasted time. I must get to Dugout and back again as speedily
as possible."

"Hotel living is expensive in Dugout," remarked Jim.

"But I don't intend to stop at a hotel for more than one meal."

"Have you looked at the sky?"

It was Reade's turn to ask:

"Why?"

"Just go to the door and take a look at the sky," suggested Ferrers.

Tom swung the door open and looked.

"Well?" he asked.

"What do you think of the sky?" Jim persisted.

"It looks as though we might have a little snow," Tom admitted.

"A little, and then a whole lot more," nodded Ferrers. "Notice
how still the air is? We're going to have a howling blizzard,
and I believe it will start in before night."

"Then we'd better turn the men out to fell and chop firewood,"
declared Harry, jumping up. "We haven't enough on hand to last
through a few days of blizzard."

"Will you look after the wood, Harry?" asked Tom. "I want to
keep my mind on getting to Dugout."

"We'll knock over a lot of trees between now and dinner-time,"
promised Hazelton, as he hurried away.

"Now, Reade, you'd better give up your idea of getting to Dugout
for the present," resumed Jim Ferrers.

"But the work? We've got to keep the men busy, and we must keep
the blasts a-going."

"You'll have to forget it for a week or so," insisted the Nevadan.
"Your freezing to death in a gale of snow wouldn't help matters any."

"But I must get to Dugout," Tom pleaded.

"You won't try it unless you're crazy," Jim retorted. "If you
make an attempt to stir from camp this afternoon, Reade, I'll
call on the men to hold you down until I can tie you. Do you
think I've waited, Reade, all these years to find a partner like
you, and then allow him to go off in a blizzard that would sure
finish him?"

"Then, if you're sure about this, Jim, I won't attempt to go until
the weather moderates."

"When the time's right I'll go," proposed Ferrers. "A pony is
no good on this white stuff. From