e partnership business seemed to make them all at outs
with each other. After they had been out awhile prospecting, Ben West
found out that two of his partners were tender-footed men, never having
had any experience as miners, though they at first tried to make Ben
think they had.

"I have got through with partners," said Ben West, "and from this time
on I will prospect alone; then what I find will belong to me, and no
second party can claim a share and growl because he can't have it all.
Besides, this partnership is a failure after all. There is more or less
trouble all the time about cooking, packing, getting the fuel for fire,
cleaning up, and putting the things away afterwards. Then how will it
be if a good prospect is found? I shall have all the work to do and only
get half." This resolve was made after a long hard journey of several
days, over a rough slippery trail with now and then deep snow to wade
through, and also over rocky points that one is almost sure to find in
the mountains.

The two tender-footed men were good fellows, but, like too many others,
when the novelty of the enterprise began to develop into a stern
reality, and there was manual labor to be performed, and hardships to be
endured, and some personal sacrifices to be made, they began to lose
heart, get homesick and weary, and to shirk their part; also to be surly
and disagreeable. "We won't quarrel," said Ben West, "but when we get to
Antelope Springs we will divide our stores and then each one will 'shift
for himself,' as the saying is."

In a few days they arrived at the Springs and at once divided the
supplies. After a couple of days' stay, Ben West started out again
prospecting, and slow tedious work he found it. He toiled day after day,
tired and weary at night, but blessed with a night of sweet sound sleep
so that in the morning he was fresh and ready for another day's work.
Things went on in this way for awhile, then he came to a place that had
been tried but abandoned. Here he worked for about two days and found
what he was looking for. But it was not rich, though his hopes seemed to
revive once more. Here he brought his camping outfit and went to work in
good earnest for about ten days. He took out from fifteen to thirty
dollars per day, and the prospect looked favorable. A party offered him
twenty thousand dollars for his claim, but he refused it, and after some
bargaining he sold it for thirty thousand dollars.

He decided now to