"No," I said; "they've been too much scared as it is."
"Not they. Of course they run when they saw the rifles. I shouldn't
wonder if we have a really big fight like you've read of in books."
"You are talking nonsense," I said. "But look here, Esau. About that
gold?"
"Yes," he cried eagerly; "going to have a try for it?"
"No."
"Oh," said Esau, gloomily. "Thought you were coming to your senses. I
don't see why other folks should get it all, and us left nowhere."
"Esau!" I said, as I caught him by the sleeve, "you see how I am being
suspected of all this. Mr Raydon still thinks I told Mr Gunson."
"Well, so you did, didn't you?" he replied, with a curiously sly look.
"No," I cried, fiercely; "and you know I did not. But did you?"
Esau looked me full in the face for a few moments, before turning his
eyes away, and beginning to whistle softly.
"Do you hear what I say?" I cried, angrily. "Course I do," he replied,
with a mocking laugh.
"Then tell me--at once--the truth. Did you give Mr Gunson to
understand where this gold was?"
"Let's see: you asked me before, didn't you?" said Esau, coolly.
"You know I did."
"Well, then, don't ask no questions, and nobody won't tell you no lies."
"Then it was you," I cried; "and it was a mean, cowardly, cruel trick to
let me be suspected and treated as I have been here. I have always been
fair and open with you."
Esau whistled again in a low soft way, giving me a sidelong glance
again, and then taking out his great knife and making a pretence of
cutting his nails, for which task the knife was about as suitable as a
billhook.
"Are you going to own it?"
No answer.
"Are you going to own to it?" I said, more loudly.
"No, I ain't," he cried, angrily, "and I don't want to be bothered about
it no more. Wish I'd gone after the gold myself. I could ha' made
mother rich and comfortable all her life. What business had he to
interfere and keep it all from us? Meant to have the place to himself,
and now somebody else has got it, and serve him right."
I turned away from him angrily, but I was too much worried to be able to
do without advice, and I walked back to where he was still chopping at
his nails.
"Esau," I said; "you saw that big fellow with the gang?"
"Easy enough to see," he replied, sulkily.
"You saw who it was?"
"Yes. Chap Gunson pitched over that day aboard the steamer."
"Yes. And you remember how he threatened Mr Gunson?"
"Course I do."
"Well, they're going up the little valley to where Mr Gunson is."
"And if old Gunson meets him he'll send him back with a flea in his
ear."
"One man against a party of twelve all well armed, Esau?" I whispered.
"I'm afraid about Mr Gunson. Suppose he is up there somewhere alone,
and has found a great deal of gold?"
"What!" cried Esau, excitedly, for my words had moved him now.
"I say, suppose he has collected a lot of gold, and those rough fellows
know of it?"
"Why, they'd kill him, and take every scrap," cried Esau. "Here, let's
go and tell Mr Raydon."
"He would not stir to help, I am sure. Mr Raydon does not want Gunson
there, and he would be glad if he was driven away."
"Think old Gunson knows of those chaps coming?"
"I don't know. I should think not."
"Let's go and see."
"Yes?"
"And if he don't know, tell him."
"Yes; that is what I should like to do," I said. "We ought to warn
him."
"Course we ought. He helped us."
"But how can we manage it?"
"Go. We know the way."