him a year to do that, and then I will write to
him."

On the third night after we camped at the springs we drew up before the
door of Uncle Ezra's sheep ranch. Boy-like, we had already made up our
minds that we would not acknowledge to anything; if Uncle Ezra wanted to
look into our pack-saddles and see what sort of luck we had had, he
could examine them himself. Uncle Ezra was alone. When he was in the
woods a more devoted follower of the gun could not be found; but he
always liked the heat of the fire and preferred a comfortable bunk to
sleep in, when he was within reach of the home ranch. Ben Hastings had
gone back to the fort. His father always liked to have him around when
there was danger in the air, and he had sent a sergeant and two men
after him.

"Halloa, boys!" said Uncle Ezra, "what sort of luck have you met with? I
think the last time I saw you, you told me that the next time I saw your
smiling faces you would have the nugget with you. I don't see any
nugget."

"We haven't had any luck at all," said Elam. "We ate up the grub, and
now I am going to cattle-herding."

"Elam," said Uncle Ezra severely, "you are not telling me the truth!
There is something back of this."

"All right. Come out and see for yourself."

Tom and I removed the saddles from our horses, and at the same time
Uncle Ezra came out and began his examination. With the very first move
he made he hit the nugget. I never saw a man more completely taken aback
than he was.

"Hoop-pe!" was the yell he sent up which awoke the echoes far and near.
"By gum, if you haven't got it. I don't want a cent!"

In less time than it takes to tell it Uncle Ezra had lifted out the
nugget and carried it into the cabin beside the fire, so that he could
have a light to see by. When we got in there he had the nugget on the
floor, and was pawing it over to see if it was that or something else
which we had tried to palm off on him. When he saw Elam he got up and
gave his hand a good hearty shake. I looked at Tom and I saw him put his
hands into his pocket. I will bet you he would not have had that shake
for his share of the nugget.

"Well, sir, you got it," said Uncle Ezra. "I declare if it don't beat
the world!"

"Now, while you are shaking me up you don't want to forget Tom," said
Elam. "If it hadn't been for him I shouldn't have found it at all."

"Do you mean to say that Tom found it?"

"Certainly, for he found the trail that led to it," replied El