w it began to look as if they might complete the dam on
the morrow, and this was doing better by a day or two than they had
expected to do.

"I reckon we had better bring along the pails and the pans to-morrow,"
Mr. Conroyal said, as he paused with Ham and Mr. Randolph for a last
calculating look at the dam, before starting for the log house that
night. "Looks now as if we might complete the dam and turn the water a
little before night; and, if we do, we will want to get right to work at
the hole. It sure looks as if we had struck a good thing here, boys,"
and his face lighted, as his eyes turned toward the elbow. "If this
stream has been carrying down gold the way some of the streams have in
this section, we'll have Dickson beat by a wagon load or two of gold a
day. I can't see how it can help turning out something big," and the
gold-fever light that shone in his eyes began to sparkle in the eyes of
the others.

"It shore otter turn out big tew pay us for all this work," and Ham's
glance slowly wandered over the huge piles of rocks and dirt that their
shovels and strong arms had reared, "but thar's no countin' on what
it'll do. 'Twouldn't s'prise me none, if we took out a wagon load of
gold; an', ag'in, 'twouldn't s'prise me none, if we didn't take out a
thimble load. Gold is 'bout as unsart'in an' queer as women. When you
think you've got it shore, gosh, it ain't thar at all! But, I reckon
you're right 'bout th' pans an' pails; an' I shore hopes you're right
'bout th' wagon loads of gold."

After supper that night Mr. and Mrs. Dickson came over and joined the
circle around the big camp-fire that Thure and Bud had kindled in front
of the log house. There was no need to be saving of wood, when all one
had to do to get it was to cut it. Wood was the one thing that was free
and plentiful in Hangtown.

"How did she pan out tew-day, Dick?" queried Ham, as Dickson seated
himself on a log.

"Well," and Dickson hesitated and glanced swiftly and just a little
suspiciously around the circle of faces. Already the possession of much
gold was robbing him of some of his open, free-hearted confidence in his
fellow men, was drawing tight the strings of caution. "Well," he
continued, after a swift warning glance into the face of his wife, "I
fear that we have about come to the bottom of the pocket. Not much doing
to-day," but the light in his eyes seemed to belie his statement.

"Oh, Dick," and Mrs. Dickson turned a reproving fa