Then Douglas
and Meyer ought to stick to us, 'cause we have for so long stuck to
them, an' they ought to stick to one another 'cause they're mootooally
fond o' misty-physical jabberin' on religious subjects, which is greatly
to our edification, seein' that we don't onderstand it, and finds it
highly amoosin' while we smoke our pipes after a hard day's work, d'ye
see? So, on them grounds, I votes that we j'ine company an' go to work
at seven o'clock to-morrow mornin'."

"Das ist goot advise," said the German, slapping Joe on the shoulder,
"an' I vould add mine vott, vich is, to make you commandair of de
forces."

"Very good, then I command you to shut your mouth, and go to bed."

"Unpossabil," replied Meyer, "for I do snor, an' always do him troo de
mout'."

"I prefers to do it through the nose," remarked Joe, rolling his blanket
round him and lying down on the hard boards with his head on a sack.

Expressing a hope that they would restrain their snoring propensities as
much as possible, the remaining members of the new co-partnery lay down
beside them, and were speedily in the land of dreams. Need we add that
their dreams that night were of gold? Surely not, and perhaps it were
equally unnecessary to observe that their slumbers were profound.

CHAPTER SEVEN.

GIVES THE RESULT OF THE FIRST DAY'S DIGGING, AND SHOWS THE POWERFUL
EFFECT OF LYNCH-LAW.

Next morning Frank and his friends went out to choose their claim. As
we have said, the Bigbear Gully was not at that time generally known. A
comparatively small number of diggers had set to work in it, and they
were careful to avoid giving much information to "prospecting," or
searching parties, because they knew that if the richness of the soil
were known, there would be a general rush to it from all quarters.
There was therefore no lack of unoccupied ground.

A suitable spot was chosen in a pleasant grove on the banks of the
stream where it swept round the base of a magnificent precipice, not far
from Jeffson's store. Here Douglas, Meyer, and Joe set to work to build
a kind of hut of logs, branches, and mud, while Frank returned to the
store to purchase the necessary tools. Having little money left, he was
compelled to take credit, which Jeffson readily granted to him, knowing
full well that there was little fear of the account remaining long
unpaid.

In order that the reader may have an idea of the charges made at the
diggings in those days, we su