ierra, for the Carson River, but we struck up the
Truckee and over to the American River this way. Don't know what dad
and I'll do now. We ought to get some grub and other stuff. I'd give
ten dollars for a loaf of bread."

"Huh, I guess you would," retorted Charley. "Do you know what flour's
selling at, in California? Sixty dollars a barrel. Besides, we don't
eat _bread_, up here. We eat flapjacks."

"Jiminy!" sighed Billy, his mouth watering as he smacked his dry lips.
"That sounds mighty good, just the same. Honest, I've been living on
old ox so long I've nearly forgotten what flapjack tastes like. I used
to have 'em back home, though. Remember those old Liz, our cook, made?
Yum! Just the same," he added, defiantly, "I'm glad I came. I
wouldn't have missed that trip for anything."

"You bunk in along with us, and we'll give you all the flapjacks you
can eat," urged Charley. "Dad can make the best you ever tasted. And
I'll show you how to pan out the gold, too. Shucks! It's easy. Some
days you'll just simply scoop it up, and think you're going to be rich
right away--and next day you won't find color, even. But it's fun.
Wish you and your father _would_ throw in with us. There's no use in
going on down to Sacramento; prices of everything are awful, there, and
at San Francisco, too. Ask him, won't you?"

But Billy didn't need to ask, for Mr. Grigsby had been introduced to
Mr. Walker by Charley's father, and they three were talking together
earnestly. The upshot was (to Charley's and Billy's delight) that the
two parties joined.

"I've told Mr. Walker that we're on the search for a certain quartz
proposition," announced Charley's father, to his partner Charley, "and
if we find it we'll probably need good help to develop it. And there's
nobody we'd rather have in with us than him and Billy. Now if we five
can't make our way, I'll miss my guess. What do you think about it?"

Think about it? Charley and Billy uttered another war-whoop, together,
and in a mutual hug gave a kick-up Indian dance--but Shirt-tail
Diggin's was used to this sort of thing.

"I'd better hustle out and see what I can add to the outfit," said Mr.
Walker; and accompanied by Mr. Grigsby, away he went.

He succeeded in buying a horse from one of the emigrants, and in
picking up here and there a few supplies. By the time that the horse
and burro were packed, and the start onward might be made, the emigrant
train also was