y got out all they could. There may be a little dust of it
left though. Mr. Templeton says the folks in 'Frisco that own the mine
think there's _some_ left, and the tailings ought to be sent to San
Diego and worked over."

Jimmy took up another handful. Yes, there was a faint shine to it; it
began to look precious.

"Well, there's a heap of it anyway. It goes ever so far down," said he,
thrusting in a stick.

"It's from ten to twelve feet deep," replied Nate, proud of his
knowledge; "and see how long and wide!"

"_I_ don't see how they ever ground up rocks so fine," said Kyzie.
"Exactly like sand. And it stretches out so far that you'd think 'twas a
sand beach by the sea,--only there isn't any sea."

"Well, it's just as good as a beach anyway," said Nate. "Just as good
for picnics and the like of that. When there's anything going on, they
get out the brass band and have fireworks and bring chairs and benches
and sit round here. I tell you it's great!"

"There are lots of benches here now," remarked Edith. "And what's that
long wooden thing?"

"That's a staging. That's where they have the brass band sit; that's
where they send up the fireworks."

"Oh, I hope they'll have fireworks while we're here, and picnics."

"Of course they will. They're always having 'em. And I heard somebody
say they're talking of a barbecue."

Edith clapped her hands. She did not know what a barbecue might be, but
it sounded wild and jolly.

"What a long stretch of mud-puddle right here by the tailings," said
Kyzie.

Nate laughed. "It _is_ a damp spot, that's a fact!"

They all wondered what he was laughing at. "I guess there used to be
water here once," said Jimmy at a venture. "There's water here now
standing round in spots. And,--why, it's _fishes_!"

Lucy stooped all of a sudden and picked up a dead fish.

"Ugh! I never caught a fish before!" But next moment she threw it away
in disgust.

"How did dead fishes ever get into this mud-puddle?" queried Edith.

"Well, they used to live in it before it dried up," replied Nate. "Fact
is, this is a _lake_!"

Everybody exclaimed in surprise; and Kyzie said:--

"It doesn't seem possible; but then things are so queer up here that you
can believe almost anything."

"Really it is a lake. It's all right in the winter, and swells
tremendously then; but this is a dry year, you know, and it's all dried
up." Kyzie forgave the lake for drying up, but pitied the fishes. Edith
thought C