Part 16 (1/2)

A NEW SETTLEMENT

There is nothing else like enthusiasm That band of beardeda snow fort Ha-ha-pah-no and Na-tee-kah took full possession of the cae Parks and Yellow Pine finished their inspection of the hole in the rock and of the ore which had been dug out of it, and then they went to help Sile and Two Arrows care for the horses and mules

”We won't unpack e

”You're satisfied with the outcrop, are ye?” asked Pine, a little proudly

”It's all you said it was, and that is all I could ask for We can run a tunnel right in now, so we can work straight along, under cover, in bad weather”

”That's the thing to do I believe it will pay for itself froe, ”it will be an uncoold-mine Not one in ten but what empties the pocket of its first owner”

”This one won't, then It's as good a property as there is, and we can cover all the ledge with clairound, and no kind of interference--”

”Unless the Apaches interfere”

”They don't often come east so far as this, 'specially now thatin these parts isn't the risky kind of business it used to be Must say, though, that I felt kind o' streaked sometimes, last year, when I was a prospectin'”

”There was risk in it, all alone; but nine rifles and a good breastill make a tremendous difference”

”They will that, and there's no sech thing as takin' us in the rear

They can't clie, nor that one”

It was later than usual when anybody lay down that evening Two Arrows and his sister had heard of mines before, but they had never seen one, and the whole reat curiosity

These unco a hole into the side of thatto build a stone ”lodge” and stay there Sile explained to thereat fars to feed thea town there, with schools and churches for the Indians, and a public library and a saw-rist-mill and a blacksmith-shop and a hotel The main idea obtained by Two Arroas that in a little while the valley would be full of horses of the best kinds Na-tee-kah went beyond that and got a picture into her e, where a trader would live and have for sale a wonderful heap of all such things as the white squaws dressed themselves up with She went to sleep at last, with her black eyes half dazzled by a vision of bright colors and glitterings, and had a dream that the trader had corisly bear As for Two Arrows, not all that could be said about rand ambition, that had taken deep root as he studied the many possessions of those pale-faces Soood one, and so had each of the acknowledged warriors of his band, but all the boys were as yet forced to put up with bows and arrows So had been so poor that they ell supplied with ammunition

Two Arrows had learned from Sile that there were extra rifles and pistols, and no end of cartridges, in those wagons, but everybody knew that all that sort of thing had to be paid for, and Two Arrows lay awake a long ti those mountains to buy a rifle with, and a revolver and some ammunition He felt that he should be a rown brave, until he could exchange his bow and arrows for weapons which would kill a bear at long range He wished never to have to wait for another on the top of any rock It was the only point in which he could see that Sile had any real advantage over hi a pale-face instead of the son of a Nez Perce chief He was cootten the fishi+ng-rods and hooks and lines, and Sile was up before it was light, ready to begin his duty of keeping the camp supplied with provisions

”We won't walk this time,” he said, in a very business-like way ”We'll just ride across to the river and catch enough for breakfast and hurry back None of the randly over the es, but he showed the for provisions for his father's ht of rifles and pistols every tiht upon hisso at the earliest opportunity It was al to an opento pay for them As fast as a line could be thrown, and its little silvery trap set a whirling, the hook was seized by soe or shness of the upper joints of the rods, and noo Arrows made a discovery He had watched Sile work his reel until he had caught the secret of it, and could let a strong fish run a little before he drew him in It was an idea that suited hi

”I say,” exclaireat while, ”they're awful eaters, but they can't use up all we've got now Let's just string 'em, and ride back to ca with his words, explained his h! good,” for answer

He was doing one thing uist,” as reat rate He was not sure he could yet utter correctly quite a nu them, and his pride forbade hiue and not with his ears, as many an older fellow has found when he undertook to make a speech before critical people

The camp was all astir when they rode in, and the coffee-pot was already upon the fire

”That's the checker, my boy,” said Yellow Pine, when he saw the fish