on Gaspar and Vasquez. I do not remember who
proposed the arrangement; indeed, I am inclined to think it just came
about naturally from our many discussions on the subject. Under the
terms of it we appointed Vasquez to cook all the meals, take full care
of the horses, chop the wood, draw the water, and keep camp generally.
The rest of us worked in couples at the bar. We divided the gold into
five equal parts.

Our production at this time ran from five to seven ounces a day, which
was, of course, good wages, but would not make our fortunes. We soon
fell into a rut, working cheerfully and interestedly, but without
excitement. The nature of our produce kept our attention. We should long
since have wearied of any other job requiring an equal amount of work,
but there was a never-ending fascination in blowing away the debris from
the virgin gold. And one day, not far from us, two Hollanders--"Dutch
Charleys," as the miners called that nationality--scooped from a
depression in the bedrock mixed coarse gold thirty odd pounds in
weight--over $5,000! That revived our interest, you may be sure.

Most of the miners seemed content to stick to panning. Their argument
was that by this method they could accumulate a fair amount of dust, and
ran just as good chances of a "strike" as the next fellow. Furthermore,
they had no tools, no knowledge and no time to make cradles. Those
implements had to be very accurately constructed.

We discussed this matter almost every evening. Yank was a great believer
in improving the efficiency of our equipment.

"It'll handle four or five times the dirt," said he "and that means four
or five times the dust."

"There's no lumber to be had anywhere," I objected.

"I know where there's three good stout boxes made of real lumber that we
can get for forty dollars," said Yank.

"You can't cut that stuff up with an axe."

"John Semple has a saw, a plane, and a hammer; he's a carpenter."

"You bet he is!" agreed Johnny. "I was talking to him last night. He
won't lend his tools; and he won't hire them. He'll come with them for
fifty dollars a day."

"All right," said Yank, "let's hire him. I'm pretty handy, and I'll stay
right in camp and help him. Vasquez can go dig instead of me. We can get
'em cut out and fitted in two days, anyway. We've got the money!"

I think none of us was very enthusiastic on this subject except Yank;
but he finally carried the day. Vasquez, somewhat to his chagrin, I
thou