with Jack and Mike along; that ain't no kind of a
job I'm hankerin' after."

"You damned fool!" said the first speaker, "who's said anything 'bout
Jack and Mike? They'll come back the way they've went, and them others
will start up the canyon for the house, and if we three can't hold
'em up, my name ain't Pete Brody; now git!"

Jack and his partner had met Houston in the Yankee Boy mine. As they
emerged from the shaft a little later, the piercing eyes of Jack and
Houston caught a glimpse of two figures skulking among the rocks at a
distance. Van Dorn was at a slight disadvantage, being somewhat
near-sighted, and having been obliged to take off his glasses when
donning Mike's costume.

"I know them," said Jack, "they are two of the three that were outside
the cabin, and one of them is about the biggest coward that breathes;
we could dispose of a regiment of such men, but I prefer to get along
without trouble if we can."

They started for the other mine, Houston taking the lead and Van Dorn
following, while Jack brought up the rear.

"They are following us," said Jack, after two or three quick glances
behind him, "but at a distance; we will probably have a nearer view of
them later, when we leave the mine."

As they proceeded through the tunnel of the Lucky Chance mine, they
met very few of the miners; they touched their caps to Houston with a
sort of sullen civility, and greeted his companions with rough jests,
which Jack received with his usual taciturn manner, but to which Van
Dorn, from underneath his disguise, responded with bits of Irish
blarney and wit, which greatly amused his associates.

Meanwhile, Pete Brody, as he kept his solitary watch before the cabin,
was surprised by the sudden return of Jake.

"Have ye found 'im?" he inquired eagerly, "Is he down there with the
boss?"

"No, he's not there."

"Then, what in hell are you back here for?"

"Bud sent me," answered Jake; "he said to tell ye they've gone into
the Lucky Chance, and what do ye be thinkin' o' that?"

"The Lucky Chance!" exclaimed Pete, "then there's some diviltry a
goin' sure, for the old man, he don't let nobody into that mine
'thout he's along; and if that Van-what's-his-name ain't down there
he's right here, that's all, and here I stays."

"And me and Bud, we're to watch out for the boss?"

"Yes, lay for 'im and overhaul 'im, and find out what the divil is
goin' on."

"I guess he's a pretty tough feller to handle, from all I