fe, by thunder. You come along to
Rough an' Ready, an' we'll see if 't isn't time for law an' order to
take a hand in this game. Yore claim won't peter out while you're
gone--not if it's any good; an' whilst I believe in fightin' when you
have to, thar's no use sheddin' blood if thar's an easier way 'round to
get the same thing."

"What do you say?" invited Mr. Adams, of the two other men. As for
Charley, he saw that his father was ready to fight or not; he wasn't
afraid, was this tall, soldierly veteran who had served with Scott in
Mexico.

"I prefer getting our rights without any blood on them, if we can, of
course," answered Mr. Walker. "I hate to start in in a new country
with a fight of any kind. But you can count on me, whatever you decide
to do."

"Let's try miners' law, first, then," spoke Mr. Grigsby, shortly. "If
that doesn't help, we'll have to protect ourselves the next best way,
even to shooting. But our rights we'll have, or bust."

"Very well," said Mr. Adams. "Rough and Ready's four miles. I'll take
the boys, so they can tell their story, and our friend here; and you
and Walker stay with the animals and keep an eye on the ridge. We'll
be back as soon as we can. Come on, lads," and away he strode, with
the miner, and with Charley and Billy working hard to keep up.

They passed between the Golden West ridge and another, and emerged into
a wide pleasant valley which the miner said was called Grass Valley.
Down the valley they hastened, and in about an hour the miner, who
acted as guide, pointed ahead, with the remark:

"Thar's Rough an' Ready--the best camp in the hills. Now we'll see
what's what."

Miners were busily at work, digging and heaping piles of dirt from the
ravines and the flats; and before, against a hill slope, partly in the
pines and partly in the open, were tents and huts. As they hustled up,
the miner was greeted right and left.

"Hello, Eph. What's your hurry?"

"Injuns after you?"

"What's the news from yonder?"

"Thought you'd left the country."

"How are things at your diggin's?"

"Cleaned up your pile already?"

"By the way you're travelin' you must have made a strike, or else
you're after grub!"

"Strike!" growled Eph. "You bet thar is, an' somethin' to pay, too.
Come on, you fellows. I want everybody in the camp. We're goin' to
hold a regular town meetin'."

Rough and Ready was another conglomeration of tents new and old, bough
lean-tos, and sh