auty of a weapon like this is, that the very sight of its
barrel will keep most men at a distance; and if they come I hope it will
these."

"Did yesterday, didn't it?" said Esau, laughingly, to me.

"Now," said Gunson, "about your rifle, Mayne; can you manage it?"

"I think so," I said; and I handled it in a way which satisfied my
master.

"That's right," he said. "Never mind about hitting. To fire is the
thing; the noise will, I hope, scare enemies. Now if Quong could be of
some use, it would make a show of four defenders; but we know of old his
strong point."

"Getting up a tree," I said, laughing.

"Exactly. Perhaps he could throw boiling water, but I shall not ask him
to do that. There, we are all right; every force must have a
commissariat department, and some general once said that an army fights
upon its stomach. We'll have him to feed us, while we keep guard about
the place."

"And won't you wash for gold at all?" said Esau, in a disappointed tone
of voice.

"No, nor yet mention it," said Gunson, firmly. "To all intents and
purposes there is no gold here whatever. We are settlers, and we are
going to hold this spot. You see, there is our brand on that tree."

As he spoke he pointed to the mark we had cut on the great fir-tree hard
by, and I could not help a shudder as I recollected the events of that
day.

The morning passed, and the afternoon came without our hearing a sound
but those made by the birds and squirrels, and after partaking of a meal
we began to look anxiously for the night as the time of danger; but we
saw the ruddy blaze of light die out on snow-topped peaks, and then the
pale stars begin to appear.

"This place is wonderfully like Switzerland in parts," said Gunson, as
we sat near the fire always on the _qui vive_ for danger; and in a low
voice he chatted to us till it was quite night, and the sky was a blaze
of stars.

"I think we may sleep in peace to-night," said Gunson, and he was a true
prophet, for, though I woke twice with a start of fear, the noise which
had wakened me was only caused by Quong going to throw some wood upon
the fire, which he never suffered to die out, but coaxed on so as to
have a plentiful heap of hot ashes in which to bake.

Two days passed in peace, and then a third, with the inaction telling
upon us all. For we were constantly on the strain, and the slightest
sound suggested the coming of an enemy.

"You see we cannot stir," Gunson said t