Part 13 (1/2)

”Can I have the horns?” asked Jed.

”Of course, but you'll have a hard job carting them out to the mines with you. I'd leave 'em here. You can get a pair on your way back East.”

Jed decided this was good advice, though the antlers were a fine pair, and he hated to leave them.

Laden with choice pieces of the elk meat, the four hunters returned to camp, where they found Gabe peacefully smoking his pipe. In a little while they were sitting down to a meal of elk steaks, while recounting the adventures of the day.

It was so pleasant in camp, that, as the horses were a trifle tired with the journey so far, especially those from the farm, for they were not used to going so steadily, it was decided to remain there a few days. In that time Jed and Will went out hunting again, and this time luck was with the younger brother, for he bowled over a fine buck deer.

”Well,” remarked Gabe one morning, when they had finished breakfast, ”I don't know how you folks feel about it, but I seem to want to be getting on toward the gold mines. I'm afraid Ted Jordan and his crowd will get all the nuggets.”

”Yes, I guess we've had an easy time long enough,” admitted Mr. Hurd.

”We'll travel on a bit further with you, if you don't mind, Mr.

Harrison. I don't just know where me and my partner will begin to prospect yet. Maybe we'll go to Dizzy Gulch.”

”Come along,” invited Gabe heartily. ”I reckon there's room for all, and I'm sure me and the boys are glad of your company.”

”That's what we are,” said Jed, and Will agreed with him.

So, having struck camp, they placed their packs on their horses, and, having smoked some of the elk and deer meat for future use, they set off.

They were now getting into the mountain region, and it was not as easy traveling as it had been. The way became rougher and wilder, and the horses, especially those of Jed, Will and Mr. Harrison, felt the pace very much.

”Guess you don't find this much easier than cultivating corn, do you?”

asked the old miner one day, after a particularly hard bit of travel up a mountain side, and an equally difficult pa.s.sage down the corresponding slope.

”It isn't as easy as I thought it was,” admitted Jed. ”Still, it's more exciting. Farming is pretty dull.”

”Oh, you haven't begun to see excitement yet,” put in Mr. Hurd. ”Wait until you get to the new diggings, where the miners and gamblers are congregated.”

”Speaking of gamblers reminds me that I wish I could set eyes on Con Morton,” said Mr. Harrison. ”The more I get to thinking of how he swindled me out of the biggest part of my fortune, the angrier I am.”

”Do you think you'll ever see him again?” asked Jed.

”I certainly hope so. I shouldn't be surprised if he was out at the new diggings. He generally hustles to where the miners have plenty of money for him to swindle them out of. Once I get sight of him----”

Mr. Harrison did not finish, but the look on his face showed it would not be good for Con Morton if the old miner met him.

When the travelers got down into the valley, after climbing one chain of mountains, they found their further progress barred by a swift stream.

”Shall we ford it, or travel toward the head, where it isn't so wide?”

asked Mr. Hurd.

”I'm in favor of crossing here,” returned Gabe. ”We've lost considerable time as it is, and I don't fancy going fifty or a hundred miles out of my way because of a brook.”

”This is a pretty good-sized brook,” said Mr. Curtin. ”It looks dangerous. Suppose we wait until morning?”