Part 24 (1/2)

The in ith upon the ham he had laid upon the table, and sat down

”I wondered all the time as the matter with Elam's hand,” said he

”I hope the Indians didn't shoot hih?” said Elam ”You just wait and hear Uncle Ezra tell the story”

It was a long narrative that the old frontiersman had to tell, and I saw that Elaot all about the supper, and I got up and assisted him; and that was all he wanted He left me to do the work, and sat down The foreh without interruption, and then turned and gave Elaot up and assisted ot a et is hid?”

were the first words he uttered He didn't seem to care a straw about the Indians, but he did care about the gold ”I wish I knew thewas just what you would expect of one spent in a hunter's camp, or one passed in a sheep-herder's ranch, which was the sa We ate supper; then those ere inclined to the weed enjoyed their good-night shosts, Indians, and sheep-herder's life until ere all tired out and went to bed We had regular bunks to sleep in, and could thrash around all we had a ot up once to replenish the fire and take a look at the weather, and I heard him say, when he crawled back into his bunk, that it was a clear, cold night--just the one that sheep enjoy

When I awoke I found the fore up our threebreakfast Ben was seated at one end of the table, engaged in writing a letter to his father, and Elaone out after a certain stockman to carry it to the fort for hi

”I think it best to let the boy's father knohen he is well off,” said Uncle Ezra, returning o to that trouble, I confess--sending a lone man off in a country that has been infested with Indians But I kno it is ot one,” I said ”There's Elam”

”Elam!” said the frontiersot hi a word to ot a old is hidden”

”But don't you think there is so hidden there?” asked Ben

”Noait till I tell you I don't know; but every scrap he gets hold of he thinks it is a one you! You have got better sense than that”

I had heard all I wanted to out of Uncle Ezra It was plain that he didn't think there was anything in that map Well, as Elam said, it was all in a lifeti to me, for I had men to do the work, and if I ging up that gully, there was one thing out of the way Ela failed He was detero to Texas, for he couldn't live there and have that nugget thrown at hio with hi to leave sheep-herding on account of the wolves, and invest all his extraturned out a failure he could have them and welcome I would be as deep in thethrown up at me all the time Texas was the land of proot into the way of driving cattle to northernthem, and in that e could at least see our friends once every year So I didn't care what Uncle Ezra said about it

In about an hour Elam came back with the stockman of whom he had been in search His name was Sandy; I never heard him called by any other name, and if his pluck only equalled his red hair and whiskers he certainly had lots of it Of course we had to go through with the Red Ghost and To lost, the discovery of the map and Elam's escape from the Indians, but Sandy never said a word about it He just sat on his ca on his knees, and looked up at Uncle Ezra When the latter got through with his story he simply said:

”Where's the letter?”

Of course it was arranged that Sandy should go with us as far as the canyon that led to the springs, and beyond that he was to take care of himself With his letter tucked away in his pocket, he shook Ben by the hand, and told him that his father would receive what he had written by noon the next day; and then we all mounted and rode off Tom had been supplied with a pair of boots to take the place of his ed to Uncle Ezra We had twothe one and I the other, which carried our supplies and also our digging tools; for we intended to dig as no people had ever dug before for that nugget

”I hope you will get it, boys,” said Sandy, as he lifted his hat to us e reached the canyon that branched off from his trail ”But I have my doubts”

”Oh, of course we're cranks!” said Elam

”I never said that of you,” said Sandy reproachfully ”I always said that if the nugget was there you'd get it”

”And how aet is unless I have a ot one now, and if Ito Texas When you see et

Good-by”

We saw no Indians, although we kept a bright lookout for them, and about three o'clock in the afternoon arrived at the springs, for I do not knohat else to call theot to our ca place, and while Tom and I unsaddled and staked out the horses, Elam strolled aith his rifle on his shoulder to look up the springs He was gone fully an hour, and when he came back he set his rifle down and never said a word I knew that soot ready to tell it He ate his dinner; he ate a good hearty one, too, so that the news he had brought did not interfere with his appetite, and filled his pipe; and then I knew that so

”Carlos,” said he, as he stretched his legs out in front of his have all been tampered with”