whose purpose he suspected was not honest nor
friendly, would become tired and would give up the quest.

He did not, however, understand the perseverance of Mosely when he felt
that he was on the scent of gold.

Finally, Mosely spoke. "John," he said, "is the cabin near by?"

Ki Sing shook his head. "Long way," he answered.

"How did you happen to get so far away from it, then, I should like to
know?" and he examined the face of his guide sharply.

But Ki Sing's broad face seemed utterly void of expression as,
neglecting to answer the question, he reiterated his statement, "Housee
long way."

"The man's a fool, Tom," said Mosely, turning to his companion.

"I should say so," was all the help he got from Hadley.

"Do you know what I mean to do, Hadley?--Here, you yellow mummy, go a
little ahead." (The Chinaman did so.)--"There's a bonanza up there in
that cabin, wherever it is. The Chinaman says that this man with the
queer name had got out a good deal of gold before he met with an
accident--broke his leg, likely. Well, it stands to reason he's got the
gold now. There ain't no chance here of sendin' off the dust, and of
course he's got it hid somewhere in his cabin. Do you see the point,
Tom?"

"I should say so."

"And I should say so too. It strikes me as a particularly good chance.
This man is disabled and helpless. He can't prevent us walking off with
his gold, can he?"

"Suppose he won't tell us where it is?" suggested Tom Hadley with
extraordinary mental acuteness.

"Why, we'll knock him on the head or put a bullet in him, Hadley. It's
a pity if two fire-eaters like us can't tackle a man with a broken leg.
What do you say?"

"I should say so."

Fifteen minutes more passed, and they seemed to be getting no nearer
their destination. At any rate, no cabin was in sight. Ki Sing only
answered, when interrogated, "Long way."

"Hadley," said Bill Mosely, "I begin to believe that heathen's
misleading us. What do you say?"

"I should say so."

"Then I'll attend to his case.--Here, you heathen!"

"Whatee want?"

Bill Mosely sprang from his mustang, seized Ki Sing, and, in spite of
howls, with Hadley's assistance tied him to a small tree with a strong
cord he had in his pocket.

"That disposes of you, my friend," he said, mounting his mustang. "I
think we shall find the cabin better without you."

The two men rode off, leaving poor Ki Sing in what appeared, considering
the loneliness of the spot,