down the
mountain all right."

It was true that Tom made extraordinary time, for he was desperately
afraid lest his comrades-in-arms would get all the nuggets, but he
need not have been so worried, for the boys worked busily night and
day for the greater part of a week before Jim gave the orders to break
camp. There was bitter rebellion on the part of Tom, and he was backed
by Jo.

"You can stay," Jim said finally. "We have enough, and more than
enough. If we don't pull up stakes now, we will be snowed under. A
storm will strike us at this altitude any time at this season. We did
not come here to spend the winter and we are not prepared for it.
What's the use of the gold? It won't buy us anything if we are nothing
but beautiful frozen corpses."

"You hit the nail on the head that time, Skipper," said Jeems Howell,
the philosopher. "Gold is no good if you are dead. Men kill their
souls getting it, too, pretty often in this world." Tom had to give
in, but he kept growling under his breath, and Jim turned on him
fiercely.

"Another growl out of you, Tom Darlington, and I'll give you a sound
thrashing. I'm using my best judgment and I am not going to be
pestered from here to the coast with your growling sulks. That's
straight. You cheer up." Tom cheered.

They got an early start one morning and turned their horses' heads
southward. The gold was evenly divided, and the burden imposed equally
upon the three mules. The triumphant procession started, with Jim
mounted jauntily on his white charger, Caliente, followed by Juarez
and the rest in order.

It was certainly a happy crowd when they had finally started on their
return trip to the coast. The talk was all of their plans for the
future, about their home-going, all of which is related in the
"Frontier Boys in the Saddle," for it was a longish journey and a
thrilling one, and then home. Juarez did not say much, but it was
evident that his mind was busy thinking of his people on the Kansas
farm outside of River Bend.

"It will be too late in the season when we get to your place, Juarez,
for a game of baseball," remarked Jo.

"It's too bad," replied Juarez. "It would be fine sport to beat those
Hughsonville fellows again."

"I'm not so sure that I could pitch a baseball now," said Jo. "It's a
long time since I have had one in my hand."

"That would be all right," said Jim easily. "We would have Jeems for
umpire, and he would help us out."

"Now, boys, don't you