nside
and see just where the avalanche of rocks and dirt had swept downward, a
portion halting here and there, and the remainder going clear to the
valley far below.

They had been resting about an hour when they saw a figure approaching
on foot. It was a man, hatless, and with half his clothes torn from his
back. As he came closer they recognized Larry Jaley.

"Jaley, where are you going?" demanded Tom Dillon.

At the sound of the miner's voice the man halted and then threw up his
hands. Then he staggered forward once more.

"Save me!" he yelled, wildly. "Save me! Don't shoot me! Save me from the
landslide!" And then stumbling, he fell at the feet of Dave and his
friends.

"Are you alone?" asked Abe Blower.

"Ye--yes! Save me! Oh, save me!" whined Jaley, and he turned a face full
of fear on those before him.

"Where are Merwell and Haskers and Blugg?" asked Dave.

"All gone--swept away by the landslide!" was the whining reply. "Oh, it
was awful! It smashed them all up--and smashed up the horses, too! Oh,
save me! Save me!" And then Larry Jaley gave a gasp and fell in a heap,
unable to say another word.

CHAPTER XXX

THE NEW CLAIM--CONCLUSION

"Poor fellow, he is scared stiff!" said Dave, as he bent over the
shrinking man.

"I reckon the landslide made him about loony--thet an' seein' them
others carried off to death," murmured Abe Blower.

"I wonder if they really were killed?" said Roger. "If it's true, what
an awful death to die!"

"Men before now have been killed by landslides," said Tom Dillon. "And
just remember, we ain't out of it ourselves, yet," he added, gravely.

Larry Jaley was cared for and given something to eat and to drink, and
then he told his story. The landslide had come upon his whole crowd
without warning and he had escaped by what was little short of a
miracle. The sight had so weakened and sickened him that he had rushed
away, not knowing in what direction, until he had come to our friends'
camp.

"Jest help me to git off o' this mountain an' I won't never follow ye
ag'in," he whined, to the miners and the boys. "Jest help me to git
away, thet's all!"

"You can take your chances with the rest of us, Jaley," answered Tom
Dillon, somewhat sternly. "And you mind how you behave yourself, too!"
he added, by way of a warning.

By the following morning the scare was over, and the boys took Abe
Blower and Tom Dillon into the upper entrance to the mine. Just a brief
examin