uriosity to have a
squint at Old Montresor's Mine. But human nature is human nature,
girls,' says Ah, so when they get that squint, they may forget one of
the Ten Commandments and want to covet their neighbor's property. And
seeing how they have lost a good night's sleep through climbing the Top
Notch Trail just to arrive early to have that squint, they will sort of
feel justified in stealing an acre, or so, of gold-land. That would make
them break another Commandment; so Ah felt it a duty, Hank, to send on a
regiment in advance, to save the souls of such curious sightseers." Sam
Brewster never changed a muscle of his serious face nor did his voice
have the slightest sign of any other feeling than a reverent desire to
help his fellow-man. But the two men knew Sam Brewster by experience as
well as from hearsay.

"Right-o! Hank told me what a good man you war," said the miner who
accompanied Hank. But his shifty eyes belied the tone.

Mr. Brewster smiled. "Yes. Ah did hate to see any one lose a good
night's sleep and then get thus far only to be mistaken for
claim-jumpers by the Sheriff's men up yonder. Of course, Hank and
you-all aren't going to take such chances with the law."

The miner glanced about uneasily but only saw two girls sitting on their
horses a short distance away. Hank's face lowered, however, and he
growled forth: "Ah don't see whose business it is whether we break the
Sheriff's law or not."

"Perhaps _you_ don't see--but Ah do, Hank. And when the Sheriff says,
'Keep the trail free from all trespassers till my posse can take
charge,' you know me--Ah'll see that his orders are carried out,"
returned Mr. Brewster sternly, his pockets moving suspiciously.

"You-all hain't got no orders, and thar hain't no posse up yander,
neither, 'cause they hain't a-comin' till after Simms leaves," exclaimed
Hank, unguardedly.

"Ah! So you and your man thought you'd get a lead on the Sheriff, eh?"
laughed Mr. Brewster. "Oh, but you are an easy tenderfoot to stuff,
Hank! Did you-all really believe such a story would have been told at
Oak Creek if the posse planned to wait for morning? Why, man, that is
just what they wanted to do--to catch a lot of rascals red-handed and
clean Oak Creek out, once for all! How do you know that there is a real
claim staked out up there--or whether it is the Sheriff's joke to land
a ring of crooks?"

Eleanor and Barbara were so interested in the way Mr. Brewster handled
the two rasca