lifornia. This requires expensive
machinery, and little necessity for it seems to exist in the Klondike.
In placer mining the pay dirt is washed by the simplest methods, such
as were practised in California during the pioneer days.

Everything was hurry and bustle at Dawson City on that day, late in
May, when our friends arrived. It was a noticeable fact that the date
of their arrival was exactly two months after the boys kissed their
parents good-by in San Francisco.

Tim McCabe had gathered much practical knowledge during his experience
in this region, while Jeff had not forgotten what he passed through "in
the days of '49," to which wisdom he had added, as opportunity
presented, while on the way to the Klondike. When the party had eaten
together at the principal hotel and the men had lit their pipes in a
group by themselves, a surprise came. The old miner smoked a minute or
two in silence, and then turned to Hardman, who was sitting a little
apart, moody and reserved.

"Ike," said he, "I've stood by you all the way from Juneau, hain't I?"

The fellow looked wonderingly at him, as did the others, none
suspecting what was coming.

"In course," was the gruff reply of Hardman; "we all stood by one
another, fur if we hadn't we wouldn't stood at all."

"You've got to Dawson City without it costing you a penny, haven't
you?"

"There hain't been much chance to spend money since we left Dyea,"
replied Hardman with a grin.

Jeff was nettled by this dodging of the issue; but he kept his temper.

"And if there had been you hadn't a dollar to spend onless you kept
back some of that which you stole from Tim."

"I don't see the use of your harping on that affair," said Hardman
angrily. "I've owned up, and am going to make it all right with Tim.
It's none of your business, anyway, and I don't want to hear any more
of it."

[Illustration: "I DON'T SEE THE USE OF YOUR HARPING ON THAT AFFAIR,"
SAID HARDMAN.]

"Well, what I'm getting at is this: if it hadn't been for me you'd
never got to this place. You're here, and now you must look out for
yourself; I won't have you an hour longer in the party; we part; get
away as soon as you can!"

Hardman looked savagely at the old miner, as if suspecting he had not
heard aright. But a moment's reflection convinced him there was no
mistake. With a muttered imprecation he rose to his feet and left. But
it was by no means the last of him.

CHAPTER XIV.

PROSPECTING.

A