Tom makes a Find
"Gee! Come here, boys!"
It was a shout from Tom that broke the trying silence that had fallen
upon Jack and his comrades at their several troughs, and at the sound
they flung down their spades, or ceased rocking the cradles, and
hastened to the side of the hunter. Tom's face was flushed a brick red,
which extended under his sunburn down over neck and chest and arms. The
pipe gripped between his teeth was wabbling and trembling strangely,
while this habitually cool man was actually shivering with excitement.
"Boys," he said in a thin voice, as if he were dazed, "didn't we come
here fer gold, ter find somethin' to pay us fer all them weeks of
travel, fer fightin' with the Injuns, and fer all the labour we've put
in here? Say, ain't thet it?"
"Guess so," answered Steve laconically, while the others nodded, some
briskly, with a smile of expectation, others with a grin; for Tom's
obvious excitement was catching, while others again jerked their heads
in a curiously spasmodic manner, and stood looking at the scout
awkwardly, as if ashamed to show too much interest, and yet disclosing
by the brightness of their eyes the undoubted fact that they were eager
for his news.
"Wall!" asked Jacob. "You've struck it, eh? I ain't had time ter look
into my little lot, but others may have done."
"And I ain't had time to get searchin' in amongst all the stuff that's
left in my cradle," cried Tom, blurting the words out rapidly. "But yer
kin see whar I am. Top of the lot of yer, jest whar all the heavy stuff
is sure ter lie. Yer see, the fall is thet sharp that light stuff and
grit gets washed over the catch jest here. Only big stones and sichlike
gets caught. Wall, aer that a stone?"
His face was all wrinkled with smiles, as Tom flung out the hand which
up till that moment he had held behind him. In the open palm a dirty,
discoloured object of irregular shape was lying, and at a rough guess it
was nearly as large as a cricket ball. The scout turned it over, and
then moved his hand in a half-circle, bringing the object beneath the
eyes of each one of his partners in turn. Then Steve stepped forward,
and, taking the mass, as if it were actually only a common stone, threw
it up some few inches into the air, and repeated the process. Passing it
to his mouth he then tried his teeth on the surface, and finally, with a
quick stride, stepping to the side of the little stream which delivered
water to the washing troughs, he dipped the object in it, rinsed it
thoroughly, and then brought it into the strong sunlight again. And now
it had changed its character. The mass was no longer soiled and
discoloured. It was of a dull, golden colour, deeply scored here and
there where the shape was most irregular, and displaying a perfectly
smooth, rounded surface in other parts. In the very centre of this
rounded part, emerging half an inch from the golden mass was a splinter
of flint, firmly embedded in the metal.
"Boys," said Steve coolly, though the little scout's eyes were strangely
bright, "I 'low as this aer the evenin' when we kin have a picnic in the
camp. We ha' worked hard, and travelled far, and it aer gold we've come
fer. Wall, thar it is. Thar's a nugget, ef ever I saw one, and it's tidy
sartin it ain't the only one as we shall drop upon. Ef thet's the case,
me and you, mates, will have somethin' ter take back with us ter repay
us fer all the labour. Thet bein' so, it aer clear thet it aer Jacob's
duty ter bring out thet bottle of spirits ter-night. Abe, too, might get
to pretty soon and cook us a meal that'll lick anythin' we've touched
this many a month."
There was a roar of applause as the little scout finished, and then all
crowded round to examine the nugget which Tom had discovered.
"It war the fust thing my fingers hit upon when I got to search in the
trough," said Tom, "and I wouldn't be surprised ef I found more. Mates,
supposin' we gets back ter the business. That 'ere nugget ain't enough
in itself ter pay us back fer all the outlay we've put into the plant,
sayin' nothin' of the labour."
It was with a feeling of eager expectation that all went back to their
troughs, and recommenced throwing dirt into them and rocking. At the end
of three hours, when they ceased work for the night, it was found that
Tom's bulkhead had indeed caught the richest harvest. There were a
dozen nuggets to be seen, though not of the same size as that which he
had first discovered. Three more, about the size of a bean, were
unearthed from the next two troughs, while the washings of the troughs
below were without nuggets. But the harvest of gold dust was plentiful,
so good, indeed, that it became obvious at once that if only such
fortune could continue for a week, the party would pay all outgoings,
the expenses of their return to New York, if need be, and still leave a
sum in reserve which, when divided, would give each member of the firm a
handsome sum to bank.
"But we ain't goin' ter leave in a week," said Tom with a grin of
exultation, as he sat hugging the camp fire that night and nursing a
pannikin of spirits. "There's dirt enough between them cliffs ter keep
us going fer a year, and I looks at it this way: Ef it's rich out here,
at the end of the stream, so to speak, it'll be richer still the farther
in we goes; 'cos the stream will have been more sluggish. That will have
allowed the gold ter settle, and whar thar's been big rocks and
boulders, with holes and pockets in 'em, the chances aer we shall hit
upon more nuggets. Of course we shan't get all the gold thar is, by a
heap. Some'll be washed through the troughs, and the catch tank we've
made won't hold it all. But, ef it's thar, as I ain't a doubt, why,
we'll get enough and ter spare of it."
As the days went on it became evident that the little party had become
possessed of a veritable gold mine, for their takings at the end of each
day were greater than those on the first occasion. But they were not all
the while engaged in rocking the cradles. There was much hard work to
be accomplished, and in this Jack took a fair share. Indeed, he worked
for hours at his anvil, forging new iron bands to bind extensions of
their wooden waterway, or making various fittings for other parts of the
plant. There were spades and picks to be repaired now and again, though
not so often as would have been the case had they not pressed water into
their service.
When he had a few idle moments, nothing delighted him more than to
clamber towards the point where the gigantic nozzle was secured in its
wooden cradle, to watch the jet of water surging from it, and to see the
stream splay out as it leaped into the open, and then dash itself into
thousands and thousands of the minutest drops as it struck the trembling
gravel. There was something wonderfully fascinating about the iridescent
colours which played to and fro in the spray, as the sun's rays
flickered and poured upon it. There was a note which was almost musical
coming from the very lip of the nozzle, while without cessation there
was the slither of loosened stones and dirt, the thud of heavier pieces
and of boulders, and, on occasion, when the jet had undermined the
gravel to some great extent, a mighty, awe-inspiring commotion, as tons
upon tons of material came thundering down.
If he tired of the neighbourhood of the jet, of that fascinating gush
and gurgle of water, and of the rainbow colours which played about the
spray so long as the sun's rays fell, he had merely to step down a few
paces, and there was more to interest him. For, from the point where the
water played, a surging stream tumbled and roared downhill in the huge
channel prepared for it--a yellow, dirty flood, as if the water came
from a river after heavy falls of rain. Who would have thought to look
at that yellow stream that it contained riches, riches long hidden in
the gravel, scoured from the rocks of past ages, and lying for many a
century undisturbed in the river bed? Riches, too, which man's industry
and courage and astuteness were now bringing to light, and separating
from its grosser surroundings.
"Though I don't know as it aer always fer the best," soliloquized Steve
one day, as he stood watching the scene with Jack beside him. "This here
hunt fer gold don't always lead ter goodness. Thar's a sight of bad
blood made over it, either here, at the diggin's, or way back in the
settlements. In the first place, it seems ter me that the scum of the
earth collects whar the men aer at work, lookin' ter make their
fortunes--thieves, and gamblers, and sichlike--hangin' about like a set
of jackals, ter take the stuff from the men who find it. Thar's murders
been committed, Jack."
"I know, to my cost," answered our hero after a while; for up till now
he had never ventured to tell his comrades that his own father had lost
his life at the diggings. "A--a relative of mine was shot in one of the
saloons out in California. He was murdered."
There was silence between them for a while, and then Steve spoke.
"Ah!" he said, as if he had been thinking deeply and looking back into
the distance; "them murders was frequent some ten years ago. Out here in
Californy thar was the biggest set of blackguards round the camps that
was ever ter be met with. They ran saloons, and robbed the men as went
thar, robbed 'em not only by providin' spirits that were so bad that
they pisoned a fellow, while the price was that big it frightened yer,
but robbed them at cards and games of chance. Then thar was bands that
held up the gold trains makin' fer Sacramento and other cities, to bank
the riches thar. And thar was scoundrels that looked like ordinary
miners, and acted the part, but all the while they was ready fer murder,
so long as they could steal the gold which others had made. I could tell
yer a yarn about one of that sort, only jest now it wouldn't kinder suit
this here place, it's that peaceful; and when I get to think of that
'ere ruffian, and tell of his treachery, why, it brings a bad taste
inter the mouth, and one seems ter see quite different. One of these
days I'll tell yer about him, and, ef yer like, yer can give me your
yarn."
The very mention of such a matter sent Jack's thoughts back to the time
when he was but a little fellow. He could remember his mother's grief
when his father left for the diggings, and the great hope which he and
his wife had that the trip he was about to make would prove successful
and help them out of their troubles. He could cast his mind back, too,
to that fatal day when the news came that Tom Kingsley had been killed
in a brawl with his partner; that he had, in fact, been murdered. But he
was too young at the time to feel the loss so greatly, though the tale
had never escaped his memory. And then his thoughts wandered to his own
troubles.
"They seem as far off almost as Father's death," he said to himself. "I
never thought, when I stood in the prisoner's dock at Hopeville, that I
should ever be happy again. Yet I have had a thoroughly jolly time, and
I feel somehow as if the future would be clear, as if I should get to
the bottom of the matter."
To look at our hero no one would for a moment have thought him capable
of any criminal act. A tall, stout, sunburned young fellow he looked,
and as he stood beside the stream there, his sleeves rolled to his
elbow, his wide-brimmed hat tilted back till his red hair shone in the
sun, one could not but admit that he looked happy, that he carried
himself as every young fellow should, with that appearance of
self-assurance and happiness which is common to youth, and with a steady
look in his blue eyes and a fine poise of his head which spoke of
resolution, of a conscience clear of all guilt. When he took himself to
his anvil, and made the sparks fly, why, even Tom would come along and
watch him.
"Gee!" he had exclaimed more than once. "He's as mild-lookin' as milk.
Who would ha' thought as that 'ere young chap could ha' took Steve in
hand! But Steve says himself as he felt like a chicken, and had ter do
as he war bid. That jest goes ter show that it ain't always wise to
judge by appearances. I mind a young chap, with stoopy shoulders and a
bit of fluff on his lips, as looked as ef he couldn't do more than say
'boo!' to a goose. But when one of the rough chaps we has now and agin
out on the plains set in ter play larks with him, why, that 'ere young
fellow kinder shook off his soft looks and went in and hammered the chap
as was playin' larks. Jack's one of them sort, only he don't never look
soft. And, gee! he can work, kin thet young feller."
Our hero did indeed earn a fair share of the reward the party was
gaining, and, being a jovial fellow, ready to listen to all the yarns
that were going, and not anxious to pose as being better than his
comrades, it followed that he was immensely popular, particularly when
Steve, a well-known scout, had spoken so warmly as to his grit and
courage.
"There's jest one thing that ain't right about that 'ere young Carrots,"
he had observed more than once in his hard, dry-as-dust manner. "Jack
aer got something up agin him, and it has made a heap of play on his
mind. Reckon he got into a muss 'way back in the settlements, and
couldn't clear hisself. But he will. That chap sticks to things he takes
up, and ef he wants ter clear hisself of that muss, why, guess he'll do
it. Tom, jest pass along that 'ere keg of 'bacca. Yer ain't the only one
as smokes."
Good friends they all were, though not often given to much conversation.
They worked at the cradles or at repairing their plant from sunrise in
the morning, and only broke off at evening, save for a few moments which
were devoted to meals. It was when they had eaten their supper, and
pipes were going, that the natural silence and taciturnity of the scout
was broken before the warmth of the camp fire. Then, as the darkness got
deeper, first Tom perhaps, then Steve, or Jacob, or Abe, or one of the
others, would tell some tale of their experiences--experiences which
dealt for the most part with Indians, with thieves, or with some hunting
expedition.
"Boys," said Tom one evening, having puffed clouds of smoke from his
lips, "we ha' been at this here place jest a couple of months, and me
and Steve has been thinkin'. It aer time we weighed up that 'ere gold,
and sent it down to the town. Yer see, one never knows when thieves
won't come along, and, though they ain't likely ter touch sich a strong
party as we aer, still they might get the stuff by a bit of cheek and
daring. What say, Jacob?"
"I'm with you, Tom. The bank's the best place fer the gold, and the
sooner we send it thar the better. Supposin' we weigh out now."
It required a full hour to weigh carefully their gains, and when the
work was completed Jack understood, to his amazement, that a sum was due
to him which would enable him to live in comfort for a dozen years. The
share of Jacob and the other hunters was less: but it was by no means an
inconsiderable sum, for the mine had proved most rich.
"Now we have another proposition," said Tom, grinning at the circle
around him. "Thar's heaps of gold fer us all in this here place. I
believe that we ain't yet a while struck the richest spot, so thar's
likely enough more ter come. Now me and Steve and Carrots thar ha' had
another jaw. We aer prepared ter let you six chaps buy up even shares
with us. Jack'll have to pay something, fer he ain't got quite an equal
share with us, and in course yer will have ter pay a heap more. But
ye've the stuff here, and when ye've paid thar'll be still a goodish
pile fer each man to bank. How do yer look at the proposition?"
It required no discussion to induce the six scouts to do as Tom had
proposed. Indeed, the proposition was extremely handsome. And when the
terms were finally fixed, Jack found himself with still more to his
credit.
"Now we'll fix about taking the stuff," said Tom. "Steve here'll boss
the party; and, sence we ain't got no need fer an anvil jest now, why,
Carrots had best go with him. Reckon two more had better volunteer, and
that'll be sufficient."
The following day the gold was divided up and placed in sacks, which
were lashed across the backs of two of the horses. Then the party set
out from the camp, and turned their faces towards the nearest town.
"Now we've got ter fix up some sort of arrangement as ter watchin',"
said Steve, once the mine was left behind. "Thar's me, and Jack, and
Abe, and old Tom ter do the work; and though I don't fear that anyone'll
attempt ter take this stuff from us, still they ain't all gentlemen in
these here parts, and it aer jest as well ter be careful. See?"
"You bet!" exclaimed Abe. "When I was down in the settlements last week,
buying pork and flour and sichlike, thar war a tale that a band of
light-fingered gentry was out and had held up more'n one convoy with
gold. That was up Sacramento way. But them thieves shift their ground
when things get warm, and always when they hear that a party aer gettin'
gold."
"Which they ain't done in our case," asserted Steve. "Thar's not a one
of us as has blabbed about the gold; and though men has come along and
watched us fer a time, they aer gone away again every time thinkin' us
fools fer our pains most likely. Still, there ain't never no sayin'.
Someone may have been watchin' and spyin'."
Had the little band of friends but known it, this was a method employed
by a party of rascals who had infested the goldfields for some little
while. Separating, and each dressed as a miner, the members of this band
had kept watch at the various diggings; and whenever information had
reached one that a convoy of gold was to leave the particular place he
was observing, a message brought together all his comrades, and in many
cases a seizure of the gold resulted. One such individual had for the
past week lain at the top of the cliff, keeping watch on Tom and his
comrades; and though he had never been sure that they were gathering
gold from the dirt washed out of the cliff, still their obvious
cheerfulness, their untiring industry and labour, more than half
convinced him. And at length the preparations for Steve's departure
carried conviction to his mind.
"That's gold, sure, in them sacks they're putting on the hosses," he
said to himself. "Time I was movin'."
He retreated from the cliff stealthily, gained a spot some two miles
away, where he had secured his horse beneath a tree, and, mounting
rapidly, galloped off to take the news to his comrades.
"You kin never be sure," repeated Steve; "and, thet bein' the case,
we'll march as ef we was in the enemy's country, as ef Injun varmint was
skirmishin' round us. Jack and Tom'll ride beside the hosses, while me
and Abe'll scout about."
"While I suggest something likely to help," cried Jack. "We've got three
horses with us, two of which carry the gold, while the third has our
grub and blankets strapped to his back. Now, if we change the loads, and
make the grub and blankets look as if they were the gold, then, in case
of a surprise, we might still manage to beat any who happened to attack
us."
"Gee! That aer a bright idea!" cried Steve. "Carrots, fer all yer
quietness, you ha' got somethin' in yer. In course we can swap the
things around, and sence it don't make no odds ef gold dust aer put in
bags or in blankets, supposin' we pack it in the blankets and fill the
bags that aer got the gold now with grub and other things."
The precaution was one which might be useful in case of an attack, and
in consequence a halt was made and the change effected. Then they
pressed on, Jack and Tom riding beside the loaded animals, while the
horse which from outward appearance carried their swags--by which term
miners generally understood their personal belongings and food was
meant--bore in fact the wealth of gold gathered from the mine. Nor was
it long before Jack and his friends had cause to congratulate themselves
on their foresight; for they were to meet with trouble before they
completed their journey.