d doubtfully at each
other. "We owe it all to you, for when you threw in your lot with us we
were desperate and starving."

"Wall, if you put it in that way, I don't see that we can say no, mate,"
Abe said, "though we are well content with our look-out, I can tell you,
and could get a biggish sum for our claims to-night if we were disposed
to sell them. Still, what you says is true, though it isn't every one
who makes a good thing out of a bargain as is ready to go beyond it. It
was a fortunate day for you may be that you fell in with my mate here,
and it was a fortunate day for us when he fell in with you. When I goes
back east and settles down on a farm I has got my eyes on, I shall
always say as I owed my luck to my mate strolling over to talk to the
two men as was working what seemed a hopeless claim in Cedar Camp.

"Wall, I suppose you are going back with your pile to the old country. I
can only say as we wish you good luck thar, and plenty of enjoyment out
of your money. Here's luck."

The miners all emptied their glasses, and then, shaking hands with
father and son, filed out of the tent. Frank was about to follow them
when he was stopped by a gesture from the old man. He had not liked
accepting the present, but he did not wish to act differently from his
comrades, and he saw that his refusal would really hurt the donor.

"Sit down a bit, lad," he said; "James is going to the camp to get a few
things for our journey to-morrow, and I shall be alone, and now that
it's all over I feel the reaction. It has been an exciting time the last
month."

"It has indeed," Frank agreed, "and I have often thought to myself what
a comfort it was that they had established a regular way of sending down
gold twice a week with an escort; it would have been terrible if you had
had to keep all that gold by you."

"Yes, I often thought so myself, and your offer to keep the gold in your
tent on the days when the escort wasn't going was a great relief to me."

"It was safe enough with us," Frank said. "No one would venture to try a
tent with a pretty strong party; but with only your son and yourself
there might have been a temptation to some broken-down gambler to carry
it off. Besides, we have Turk as a guard, and I don't fancy any one
would venture to try any tricks with our tent while he is inside it."

"Well, I hope it will be your turn now," the old man said, "and that
before another two months are over you too will be settin