r lives in this far away
corner of the earth. Only four of the miners had come on
uncertainty,--the four guided by Indian Pete three years before,--the
others had known why they came, how far the distance, how cold it grew,
and many other points of which it is well to be advised before
venturing; but they had come, and here they were.

Not a man regretted his coming. Not even old Charlie, after breaking his
leg and having to wait for days while two Indians "mushed" southward to
the Fort, four hundred miles away, for Father Petrof to come and set it
right again.

None heard him complain; though some of the "boys" tried to force him to
confess that he wished himself back in Dawson.

"Not by a jugful! I don't give in like a baby," said he, stoutly,
although the pain in his limb must have been considerable. "There aint
no whiskey in me system, either, to keep me leg from healin' when it's
once put right (though I'll admit there is some tobac), and I'll be in
trim again presently," declared the gritty old miner.

Having nothing better to do while in his bunk he talked on, addressing
the camp cook who had a few leisure moments from the kitchen.

"I've seed many a gold camp in me day, boy, and plenty as good as the
Klondyke before I ever struck that Canadian bird; but I never got into
ground so rich as this. I tell you, boy, it not only makes me eyes bug
out, but it makes me hair stand on end, fur it's a whale of a gold
creek! When I lay here studyin' the old tin cans and grub boxes full of
gold under these bunks, and get to computin' what's in 'em, I feel like
hollerin' for joy!"

"But its all Mac's gold, you know," said the cook regretfully.

"Yes, but you and me are gettin' the biggest wages we ever got in our
lives, and Mac never squirms at payin' either. Then we have a reasonable
hope that Sister Creek is as good as this one, and we boys have got it
all staked,--that's where we're comin' in at. See?"

"I hope to. How much do you calculate there is under the bunks in this
room, Charlie? I'd just like to know."

"There's about half a million dollars in this cabin and as much in the
dumps as they stand-now. By cleanin' up time next summer there'll be
half a million more at least; judgin' from indications. That aint half
bad, eh?" and Charlie's eyes shone as he talked.

"By George! It's great, and no mistake; but a fellow can't spend any of
it here," said the cook ruefully.

"All the better for us. We've got to s