interesting feature of the stay of our friends in the
gold region was their dwelling during those memorable days. The rocks
came so nearly together that an irregular open space was left, which
averaged a width of twenty feet with a depth slightly less. Thus three
sides and the floor were composed of solid stone. When the roof, as
described, was put in place, the dwelling had the appearance of a
cavern fully open at the front. There the canvas composing the tent was
stretched, and so arranged that the dwelling, as it may be called, was
completed. It was inclosed on all sides, with the door composed of the
flaps of the tent, which could be lowered at night, so that the inmates
were effectually protected against the weather, though had there been
any prowling wild animals or intruding white men near, they would have
had little difficulty in forcing an entrance. It has been explained how
all trouble from the smoke of a fire was avoided.

One of the peculiarities of this primitive house was its interior
arrangement. There were so many projecting points on the walls that
they were utilized as pegs upon which to hang the extra garments. A
ledge a couple of feet above the floor served as a couch, upon which
the boys spread their blankets, while the men laid theirs on the floor
itself. The mining and cooking utensils were neatly arranged against
the rear wall, where were piled the small canvas bags intended to
contain the gold dust and nuggets that were to be gathered.

Jeff expressed the truth when he said:

"This will sarve us well while the weather is moderate; but if we
should be here when the thermometer goes down to fifty or sixty degrees
below zero, we'd turn into icicles before we could say Jack Robinson."

Hardly pausing to place their house in order, the party set out to
investigate the find which Jeff hoped he had made.

Going up the stream for a short distance, they turned off into a narrow
valley, which never would have attracted the attention of the boys.

The old miner stood for some minutes attentively studying his
surroundings, and then, instead of beginning to dig, as his companions
expected him to do, he said with an expression of disgust:

"Boys, I've made a mistake; there's no gold here."

"How can you tell until you search?" asked the astonished Roswell.

"It ain't what I thought it was; you don't find the stuff in places
like this. There's no use of wasting time; come on."

Wondering at his acti