e know. But it's here
now, isn't it?"

"It looks very much like it," and Reynolds laughed.

"Wall, that's jist the way with many other things. It's allus the
unexpected that happens, an' thar are surprises on every trail, as
ye'll larn if ye haven't done so already. Meetin' me here is one of
'em, an' my movements are jist as unsartin an' mysterious as were them
of that bird which is now sizzlin' over this fire."

"But with not such an unhappy ending, I hope," and again Reynolds
smiled.

The prospector's eyes twinkled as he drew the bird from the fire, and
laid it carefully in the frying-pan.

"Guess it's done all right this time," he remarked. "Now fer supper.
I'm most starved."

Reynolds was hungry, and he did full justice to the meal. Samson had
some excellent sour-dough bread of which he was very proud.

"Made it last night," he explained, "an' it turned out better'n usual.
Thought mebbe I'd have company before long."

"Did you meet the others?" Reynolds asked.

"Oh, yes, I met 'em," Samson chuckled.

"Were they far ahead?"

"Y' bet, an' chatterin' like a bunch of monkeys. Guess they're thar by
now."

"Were they surprised to see you?"

"H'm, they didn't see me. I was settin' under a tree well out of
sight. I didn't want to meet that crowd; they're not to my likin'. I
jist wished to see if Curly was along."

"You seem to be keepin' a sharp eye on that fellow still," Reynolds
remarked. He was anxious to draw the prospector out. Perhaps he might
learn something about Curly's acquaintance with Glen.

"Yes, I do keep me eyes peeled fer Curly," Samson drawled, as he
finished his supper and pulled out his pipe. "It's necessary, let me
tell ye that. He ain't safe nohow."

"You have known him for some time, then?"

"Long enough to be suspicious of the skunk."

"He seems to be very friendly with you, though."

"Oh, he's got sense enough not to buck up aginst me. An' besides, I've
yanked him out of many a nasty fix. Most likely he'd been planted long
before this if I hadn't been around at the right moment."

"He's up here for more than gold, so I understand."

"How did ye larn that, young man?" There was a sharp note in Samson's
voice.

"Oh, I merely overheard your conversation with him in the smoking-room
of the _Northern Light_. That was all, but I drew my own conclusion."

"An' what was that?"

"Nothing very definite. I simply inferred that he is after a girl
somewhere here