ng for uppermost place in his mind.

"Pretty strong stuff they have here," he said, after Harris and Allan
had "set 'er up" in turn. "Keel you over if you don't watch it."

"Does taste kind o' snakey," said Harris. "Guess that's enough for
this time. Now come upstairs and tell us all about this deal you have
on."

When the travellers had thrown off their coats and vests, and all
were seated in the little bedroom, Riles cleared his throat.

"Well, there ain't much t' tell yuh, more'n I said in m' letter," he
started. "As I said, it's Gard'ner you'll have t' thank for this
thing, good or bad. I ain't a coal miner, an' I told him that, an' I
told him you wasn't neither, but he says that don't make no
difference. He says there's all kinds o' money in it, an' I reckon
that's what we came out here for, ain't it?"

"Yes, provided the tiling's sound," said Harris. "Anyone can see with
half an eye that there's easier ways of makin' money than bustin' up
this prairie sod for it. But you and me've worked hard for what we've
got, Hiram, and we want t' go mighty careful about spendin' it."

"I suppose you've sent home word to sell your farm, have you?" put in
Allan. "You'll be chipping in at the same time?"

"Oh, yes, I'll be chippin' in. Of course. But I didn't just say to
sell the farm yet. I'll have t' get back an' straighten things up
some first. You see, I thought you'd get my letter before you left,
an' you could kind o' make your deal then, an' your payment would
hold the bargain bound until I could sell mine, y' see, Harris?"
Riles was beginning to address himself mainly to the older man.

"Don't take me up wrong," said Allan. "I'm in on this along with Dad,
if he's in; an' if he's out, I'm out. But I was just kind o' curious
about it."

"It's all right, it's all right," assured Riles, with great
magnanimity. Inwardly he was cursing Gardiner for having left this
task to him. He was suspicious of a trap in the simplest question,
and feared that any minute he might find himself floundering in a
mesh of contradictions.

"Where is this coal mine, and who's got it?" said Harris.

"I ain't saw it myself," admitted Riles. "They're awful p'tic'lar
about lettin' people see it," he continued, with a sudden flash of
inspiration. "It's so valu'ble, y' know."

"'Fraid somebody'll bring it home in their pocket, I suppose," said
Allan.

Riles pretended to laugh heartily.

"But where is it?" insisted Harris. "Is there a ra