dub," Ezram informed his
young partner, when the latter accused him of profiteering.

After the sale was made Ezram and the stranger soon got on the intimate
terms that almost invariably follow a mutually satisfactory business
deal, and in the talk that ensued the old man learned a fact of the most
vital importance to their venture. And it came like a bolt from the
blue.

"So you don't know any folks in Snowy Gulch, then?" the stranger had
asked politely. "But you'll get acquainted soon enough--"

"I've got a letter to a feller named Morris," Ezram replied. "And I've
heard of one or two more men too--Jeffery Neilson was one of 'em--"

"You'll find Morris in town all right," the stranger ventured to assure
him. "He lives right next to Neilson's. And--say--what do you know about
this man Neilson?"

"Oh, nothin' at all. Why?"

"If you fellows is prospectin', Jeffery Neilson is a first-class man to
stay away from--and his understrapers, too--Ray Brent and Chan Heminway.
But they're out of town right now. They skinned out all in a bunch a
few weeks ago--and I can't tell you what kind of a scent they got."

Ezram felt cold to the marrow of his bones. He glanced covertly at Ben;
fortunately his partner was busy among the supplies and was not
listening to this conversation. Yet likely enough it was a false alarm!
Doubtless the ugly possibility that occurred to him had no justification
whatever in fact. Nevertheless, he couldn't restrain the question that
was at his lips.

"You don't know where they went, do you?" he asked.

"Not exactly. They took up this creek here a ways, through Spruce Pass,
and over to Yuga River--the country that kind of a crazy old chap named
Hiram Melville, who died here a few weeks ago, has always prospected."

The stranger marvelled that his old listener should have suddenly gone
quite pale.

VIII

Ezram had only a moment's further conversation with his new friend. He
put two or three questions--in a rather curious, hushed voice--and got
his answer. Yes, it was true that the shortest way to go to the Yuga
River was to follow up the creek by which he was now standing. It was
only out of the way to go into Snowy Gulch: they would have to come back
to this very point. And yes, a pedestrian, carrying a light pack, could
make much better time than a horseman with pack animals. The horses
could go no faster than a walk, and the time required to sling packs and
care for the animals cut do