o solution to offer this company," said he, "but I am, or was,
a New York lawyer; and if my knowledge of partnerships will help any,
this is the New York law." He sketched briefly the New York rulings on
partnerships, and sat down.

"Much obliged, I'm sure," said Semple cordially. "We're glad to know how
they've figgered it out down thar. Only trouble, as far as I see, is
that they ain't usually findin' many nuggets down that neck of the
woods; so they ain't precisely fitted the case. Anybody know anything
nearer to home?"

"I panned in Shirttail Bar last two months," blurted a hoarse and
embarrassed individual, without rising, "and down thar they had a
reg'lation that airy nugget that weighs over a half ounce that is found
before the dirt is thrown in the cradle belongs to the man that finds
it, and not to the company. Of course this here is a pan, and not a
cradle."

"That's more like business. Anybody know if anywhar they do it the other
way around?"

Apparently nobody did.

"Anybody got any idees as to why we shouldn't follow Shirttail in this
matter? Dog-gone you! _Set down!_ You ain't got nothin' to say
here."

The man appealed to the crowd.

"Ain't I got a right to be heard in my own case?" he demanded.

"This ain't your case," persisted John Semple stoutly; "it's decidin'
what the policy of this camp is goin' to be regardin' nuggets. Your
dog-gone case is mighty unimportant and you're a prejudiced party. And
if you don't set down, I'll come down there and argue with you! If none
of you other fellows has anything to say, we'll vote on it."

We then and there decided, almost unanimously, to follow Shirttail.

"Now," resumed Semple, after this matter had been disposed of, "there's
a bunch of these yere keskydees around throwin' assorted duckfits all
this morning; and as near as I can make out they say somebody's jumped
their claim or their camp, or something. Jim, supposin' you and your tin
star saunter down and eject these jumpers."

A very tall, quiet, slow moving man arose, aimed his tobacco juice at a
small tree, drawled out the words, "All right, Jedge," and departed,
trailed by a half dozen jabbering keskydees, to whom he paid not the
slightest attention.

"Now," said Semple, "we got a couple of Greasers yere caught stealin'.
Buck Barry and Missouri Jones caught them at it, so there ain't much use
hearin' witnesses as to the fact. Question is: what do we want to do
with them?"

"What did the