Part 23 (1/2)

”Well, To to be proud of,” said Ezra ”Let's go in and take a sht”

CHAPTER XVI

A NEW EXPEDITION

There wasn't ht, there was so much to talk about To say that the hunters were very much pleased over the success of To it very mildly Elam was much elated to knoas a cahost, who had stood between hiet He was not satisfied until he had burned up three or four brands in going out to see the object to make sure it was there yet To tell the truth, this Red Ghost had often stood between Elam and the accomplishment of his hopes; and as et he did not dare face it alone

”It is there yet,” said Ela a half-burned chunk upon the fire ”To debtor Now I hope the finding of the nugget will go the same way”

”I hope I can have the same effect upon your other work,” said Tom modestly ”If I do, you will call me a lucky omen”

”What is an 'omen'?” asked Elam, who had never heard the word before

”Why, it is an occurrence supposed to show the character of some future event That is about as near as I can coet without the least trouble: if I aet very far fro hidden there, and I know it”

It hile ere talking in this way that daylight ca breakfast while Ela up the skins which had fallen to Ben's rifle during the hunt I could see that Ben was sadly disappointed in not being peret, but like the soldier he was, he gave right up He knew that his father did not believe in such things anyway, and very likely his refusal would have been more pointed than Uncle Ezra's When the breakfast was over all hands turned to and washed the dishes and put the the winter, and, if we did, anted to knoe had to go on Then ent out to saddle our horses and take a last look at the Red Ghost

”Are we going to leave this thing here?” asked Ben

”Sure!” replied Uncle Ezra ”We can't carry it with us”

”I'll bet I don't leave it all here,” said Ela with an axe in his hand ”The folks down there won't believe that we killed anything, and I a was hideous e careat hoofs hich it had tramped so far They were lacerated in every direction, and one cut had hardly had tiorously, and in a fewto show to the people ”down there” Finally Uncle Ezra said he would take the head It was scarred and seaht that anyone who had seen a caht up the horses, but I tell you it took two men to saddle them They couldn't bear the scent of the caht of it, and it was a long tiot the ood-by to our cao and then ere aain

”Say,” said Elaet so far ahead that there was no danger of their overhearing our conversation, ”I don't think I ah I knew there had been soet was there you would find it I shouldn't have offered to go with you if I had thought you were crazy”

”You have seen the map and know just what there is onto it?” continued Elam

”I certainly have”

”And you know the place where it starts is over there by those springs?”

”I do certainly”

”And do you think that those men would carry around aon it?” said Elaht before with Uncle Ezra

”No, I don't think they would And it's your ditty-bag that they took from you when you were shot”

”I know it; and ht of it, too, and never expected to see it again Thank goodness, I have two men with me who don't think I aive it up again until I have that nugget inplace Now, that is all I have to say If you want to know anything more, now is the time to ask me”

”Don't you think that there are other parties up there, hunting for it?”