I tell you,
we were making a sight of money, all of us. Well now, somehow or other,
our good luck got to the ears of George Dexter and his men, who have
been at work for some time past upon old Johnson's diggings about
fourteen miles up on the Sokee river. They could never make much out of
the place, I know; for what it had good in it was pretty much cleaned
out of it when I was there, and I know it can't get better, seeing that
gold is not like trees, to grow out every year. Well, as I say, George
Dexter, who would just as lief do wrong as right, and a great deal
rather, got tired, as well as all his boys, of working for the fun of
the thing only; and so, hearing as I say of our good luck, what did they
do but last night come quietly down upon our trace, and when Jones, the
old man we kept there as a kind of safeguard, tried to stop 'em, they
shot him through the body as if he had been a pig. His son got away when
his father was shot, though they did try to shoot him too, and come post
haste to tell us of the transaction. There stands the lad, his clothes
all bloody and ragged. He's had a good run of it through the bushes, I
reckon."

"And they are now in possession of your lands?"

"Every fellow of 'em, holding on with gun in hand, and swearing to be
the death of us, if we try for our own. But we'll show them what's what,
or I can't fling a hatchet or aim a rifle. This, now, Master Colleton,
is the long and the short of the matter."

"And what do you propose to do?" asked Ralph, of his informant.

"Why, what should we do, do you think, but find out who the best men
are, and put them in possession. There's not a two-legged creature among
us that won't be willing to try that question, any how, and at any time,
but more particularly now, when everything depends upon it."

"And when do you move, Forrester?"

"Now, directly--this very minute. The boys have just sent for some more
powder, and are putting things in readiness for a brush."

The resolution of Ralph was at once adopted. He had nothing, it is true,
to do with the matter--no interest at stake, and certainly no sympathy
with the lawless men who went forth to fight for a property, to which
they had not a jot more of right than had those who usurped it from
them. But here was a scene--here was incident, excitement--and with all
the enthusiasm of the southern temper, and with that uncalculating
warmth which so much distinguishes it, he determined, without muc