ded one thing, and that was
that when I reached Virginia City I would possibly find him gone so I
couldn't trace him."

"You had no money, so took your chances on the freight trains and
reached Virginia City at last?" said Harry, who was listening with both
interest and admiration.

"Yes; and he was gone."

"Oh, dear!" was Harry's fervent comment. "But you have pluck, Bill."

"Bulldog kind," laughed Bill. "I know how to stick to a thing when I get
hold. I did to him. If he'd been the right sort, though, I'd never have
found him again. He's an awful gambler. Oh, he gambled everywhere he
stopped! He seemed to know just where to find the places. I'll bet
anything that he's lost a big pile of money. Anyhow, he'd gambled in
Virginia City till everybody in that line knew him, and it was from some
of them that I found out where he'd gone."

"Then," said Harry, "the trouble was to get here yourself."

"You bet! But I got here last night. The very first places I went to
were the gambling-houses, and mighty surprised I was to find he hadn't
been to any of them. I couldn't understand that."

"Afraid I'd see him," suggested Harry.

"Of course that was it. I couldn't find him last night, and I was afraid
he hadn't come here, after all; for there wasn't a sign of him having
been here. The next thing that occurred to me was the mine; but, to save
me, I couldn't remember the name, having only half heard it through the
window. All I could think of was that it was some kind of a gold mine,
and I groaned at that, for I'd been out here long enough to know that
they don't find much but silver here generally. However, I asked a man
if there were any gold mines around here, and he said no, and never was
and never would be."

"That is true, I know, for my partner, Missoo--"

"Your partner, Missoo!" cried Bill, his eyes starting in amazement.

"Yes, my partner, Missoo," repeated Harry, wondering what was the
matter.

"They don't happen to call you Gent out here, do they?"

"That's my name."

"Harry," said Bill, actually winking away a tear. "I'm the proudest chap
that ever walked to think that I know you. Will you shake hands?"

Harry blushed as he gave him his hand, knowing that Bill must have heard
the story of the burning mine.

Bill shook his hand as if he had never had such a treat before.

"And you," said he, his eyes shining, "are Gent, that went down that
shaft. Harry, I don't believe there is another boy in the who