you that there was gold there?"

"Melican man come down, show bit gold to Melican man. Big man you
chuckee chuckee down in boat."

Gunson looked disturbed, but he made no remark then, and at last I said
to him--

"I suppose we shall part company to-day, Mr Gunson?"

"What for? Like your friend there, Esau--tired of me?"

"No," I said; "but we are going on tramp now up to Fort Elk."

"Yes," said Esau, "that's what we're going to do; but I don't quite see
what we're to do with our boxes."

"Leave them in charge, as I shall mine, at this settlement," said
Gunson. "You'll have just to make a bundle in your blanket that you can
carry easily. I shall do the same, and we may as well go on together,
and protect one another as we did last night."

He laughed and looked at Esau, who coloured up. "But we are going to
Fort Elk," I said.

"So am _I_," said Gunson, coolly; and I saw Esau give quite a start, and
look at me with a countenance full of dismay.

Gunson saw it, and went on quietly--

"I did not mean to go on there, only up this river for some distance,
and then off here or there toward the sources of one or other of the
streams that run into it from the mountains; but as I have run up
against you two, why we may as well go on together; it will give me a
chance to knock you both on the head, and then come back here, and get
your chests, as well as the money you have in your belts under your
clothes."

I stared at him in a horrified way for a moment, and then, as I seemed
to understand him, I burst out laughing.

"Nonsense!" I said.

"Oh no. That's the idea of me your companion here has taken."

"Never said nothing of the sort," cried Esau, defiantly, and with his
face scarlet.

"Your face says you thought so, my lad."

"Well, a chap can think what he likes, can't he?"

"No, boy," said Gunson, and his one eye seemed to blaze; "not of a man
who has done nothing but kindness for you ever since we met, even if it
was in a rough way."

"How was I to know you didn't mean artful, and it was all a trick?" said
Esau sourly.

"Ah, how indeed?"

"Everybody out here's been trying to get the better of us, and rob us.
I couldn't tell you wasn't one of 'em."

"Why, you ill-conditioned cub!" cried Gunson, angrily, "you make me feel
as if I should like to thrash you till you could not stand."

"Better not try it," grumbled Esau; "you go your way, and let us go
ours. We told you all about ourselves, an