Even in the short time that they had been absent the Gulch had improved—for now on Gregory Point stood the preacher's church. However, they might not stop to congratulate him and to explain why they had not helped. All this fuss and furor in Gregory diggin's seemed small business to anybody who knew just where not merely one pound a day but several pounds a day were to be made easy.
If Harry hasn't come we'll sell to the Ike crowd, anyway, declared Terry.
He told us to—he said we might, if we needed it. Then one of us can rustle back to that other gulch and the other can stay for Harry, planned George.
Somebody's there, all right. The chimney's smoking.
Must be Harry getting breakfast.
Jiminy Christmas, though! cried Terry, as now they neared the cabin. "What's going on? Looks as if he'd brought in my dad and your dad, and they're working the claims!"
Sure enough: the sluice had been moved and slanted in another direction, water was pouring from the lower end again, and two figures were busy beside it, with spade and pick.
Well, they won't want to work it long, when they know what we know, vaunted George.
The two figures were engaged across from the cabin, shoveling and pecking, stooped over, and apparently did not notice the Jenny outfit. So the home-comers aimed straight for the cabin, and were just about to whoop to surprise Harry, when Harry stepped out. But no, not Harry!
It was Pine Knot Ike! He emptied a dish-pan of water, and surveyed Terry, George, Jenny and Shep. They stopped short and surveyed him.
Say! What are you doing in that cabin? accused Terry, so much astounded that his voice cracked on him.
Those aren't our dads, either, over there, whispered George.
I air livin' hyar, I reckon, but 'tain't your cabin, replied Ike, calmly, and chewing his tobacco.
I'd like to know why it isn't our cabin, and our land, too! retorted Terry.
'Cause you moved off an' we moved on. When one party doesn't develop a prospect, an' doesn't record it, an' quits, an' another party takes it up an' perceeds to develop, I reckon fust party loses out, drawled Ike.
But it is recorded. We recorded it before we left. And the only reason we didn't develop it was because you took our water, furiously answered Terry. "And we didn't move off. We went away for a day or two, that is all."
That's right, blustered George. "I heard him tell the recorder. And you'd better move off, yourselves, or we'll have you put off!"
Pine Knot Ike squirted a prodigious stream of filthy tobacco juice.
Waal, now, the books don't show, he asserted. "We're hyar, with our improvements, workin' a claim that looked to be abandoned, an' I reckon that'll count. We take our water off an' what's your prospect wuth to you, anyhow?"
He's a big bully, whispered George.
We want to sell, though, reminded Terry. Ike seemed to be giving them the opportunity. So—"It's worth more than nothing, just the same," he replied. "That's our cabin and our sluice and our ground. You needn't think you can come over and jump things this way. We've got plenty of friends right in this gulch, and down at Denver, too."
Reckon that sort o' talk doesn't amount to much. Possession air nine points o' the law, young feller, sneered Ike. "I air a man o' peace, but when anybody says 'fight,' I can riz on my hind legs as quick as ary b'ar."
You won't amount to much, either, accused Terry, with sudden thought, "after I tell people how you got that Injun head and how you shot your own barrel full of holes, and how you skedaddled out of that tent in Auraria and how Harry made you dance at Manhattan last summer!"
Pine Knot Ike stared and glared and ruminated.
Mebbe you know somethin' an' mebbe you don't, he admitted. "But I air a man o' peace an' so air my pardners. To save hard feelin's, an' argufyin', how'll you sell what you call your rights in this hyar property, dust paid down on the spot?"
We'll sell for a hundred dollars, offered Terry.
Whar's your pardner—that lame feller?
He'll be here; but he told me I could sell. Didn't he, George?
Yes, he did. I heard him. He said to sell if we wanted to, confirmed George.
Whoop-ee! summoned Ike, to the two men at the sluice. They dropped their tools and crossed over. One was the giant, before encountered. With an occasional side glance at George and Terry, they and Ike consulted together in low tones for a minute or so. Ike disappeared into the cabin, came out and, advancing a few steps, tossed a limp buckskin bag at Terry.
Thar's your hundred dollars in dust, he said, "'cordin' to agreement. You stick your name an' your pardner's on a bill o' sale, an' that other boy'll be witness, an' no hard feelin's."
How do we know this is $100? challenged Terry, suspicious, and resolved upon being businesslike. One hundred dollars they had to have. But what luck!
Take it to some scales and weigh it, and have it certified to, fust, then, rapped the giant. "You won't find us gone when you come back. We're hyar to stay."
That sounded like a fair proposition.
We can get it weighed at a store, prompted Terry to George. "Come on."
Quick work, boy! praised George, as with Shep and with Jenny (who had been waiting to be unpacked) faithfully shambling after, they hastened for the nearest store. "One of us can skip out with it for Dutchman's Gulch and close our deal there, and the other can stay for Harry. Wish he'd turn up."
There he is now! See? Good!
Where? He sure is! Riding horseback! And my dad and your dad and Virgie and Duke! He's got Duke!
Yes, and Sol! That other man's Sol Judy! cried Terry, rejoicing. "They've all come in! Bully for them! We can all go to Dutchman's Gulch—work our claim and find others—just pile up the dust! Hi-oh! Hurrah!"
They shouted and waved, and cut down farther into the gulch to head off Harry's party, now filing up as if for the cabin.
Hello!
Hello yourselves!
Hello, Dad! Hello, Sol!
There was a great shaking of hands all around.
Where you going? How's Duke? Hello, Duke!
Going to our mines, of course, answered Mr. Stanton.
Where are you going? demanded Harry. "What's Jenny packed for?"
We're going out, informed George. "We've made the biggest strike you ever heard of—pounds a day—in another place, and we've bought tons of pay dirt for only $100, and we've sold the Golden Prize to the Ike crowd, and we're going to that other place just as quick as we can get there, and so are you, all of you, too!"
Sold that other property? What for? chorused the men.
To pay for the new one. We hustled back on purpose. Just got in, and now all we have to do is weigh Ike's dust to make sure he isn't cheating us, and give him a bill of sale, and then we'll show you the other place. George and Harry and I have six hundred feet already, but there'll be more, and anyway we can all work, bubbled Terry.
How do you know what's in those other diggin's? queried Sol.
Because we saw it! We washed out over ten dollars in two pans, and the German we bought from has sacks full! proclaimed George. "Regular sacks full!"
He's the Lightning Express German, added Terry. "Harry knows him. He's there all by himself. He wants us to watch his diggin's while he takes his gold out and comes back. That's why he sold so cheap."
Great Cæsar! murmured Harry. "Sacks full? Thought we'd bought all his sacks and he'd turned home?"
So he had, but he changed his mind. And he's struck it rich, rich!
Where are those new diggin's? Have you got any of the dust with you that you say you washed out? invited Sol.
They're over near Tarryall or Grab-all, in the South Park; only about fifty miles, answered Terry.
And here's our dust, too, proffered George.
Sol opened the little sack and fingered the contents.
Gold! he snorted. "Yes, fool's gold. That's nothing but iron pyrites—'tisn't worth a cent a ton! Don't you know the difference between gold and iron pyrites yet? Thought you were miners."
But it's from the German's diggin's, stammered Terry—for George appeared staggered out of his wits. "He said it was gold and he's got sacks full, right in his wagon."
Sol laughed.
Sacks full, eh? Did anybody ever see gold dust by the gunny sack full? He's the same crazy German who was washing fool's gold from the Platte, I reckon—thought he had the real stuff and wouldn't believe otherwise. I met him, myself, when he was traveling on in for fear somebody'd rob him.
Oh! groaned George. "We thought——"
Have you closed the sale of that property yonder? Haven't given a transfer yet, have you? sharply demanded Terry's father.
N-no; we've got the money, though. We were going to weigh it. They're waiting—they're there, working.
Who?
Ike and two other men. We found 'em there when we came back.
By ginger! Jumped it, did they? ejaculated Sol. "Looks like we were just in time." He spurred on, Harry after.
You boys don't go a step farther, ordered Mr. Richards. "You come along with us. Lucky you didn't give any bill of sale, or we might have serious trouble."
But Harry told us we might sell, faltered Terry.
Harry didn't know, either. Why, there are thousands of dollars in those claims, according to Sol. The Ike crowd know, all right. Where you're to blame is for having gone off on a wild-goose chase and left the claims and then been bamboozled by such nonsense as sacks full of iron pyrites. Gold dust is soft and dull; pyrites are hard and bright.
What makes you think the Golden Prize is so rich, though? stammered Terry, as he and George tried to keep up with the horses.
The Golden Prize is liable to be a fortune, but we're banking on that other claim, the one you gave to Virgie. She happened to show Sol the piece of rock she brought down, and he says it's the best kind of gold quartz—fairly oozing.
And not float, either. It's from a surface lode close at hand, put in Mr. Stanton.
Aw, shucks! sheepishly said Terry to George. "Guess we weren't so smart as we thought we were. Now Pine Knot Ike's there and maybe we can't get him off."
Well, he may assert you abandoned the claims, but Sol knows all the mining laws and we've got right on our side, consoled his father.
When they arrived at the spot, Sol and the Pine Knot Ike party were hotly arguing.
According to miners' law of this gulch or any other district, was declaring Sol, "when a party can't work a lode claim by reason of lack of water or proper machinery, they've a right to let it lie a certain length of time; can go out, and come back to it again, in the meanwhile."
Yes, mebbe so, returned the giant. "But they got to give their intentions to the recorder, an' there ain't any such intentions on file."
There are, too—or there ought to be, contradicted Terry, freshly excited. "I told the recorder myself—didn't I, George? I told him what was the matter, and that we were going away, and I told him to record the claims, and he said he would till we got back."
Oh, you did, did you! rasped the giant. "That'll do for talk, but whar's the proof?"
When did you see the recorder, Terry? asked his father.
The very night before we left. He said the books were locked up, but he'd remember.
Sure he was the recorder?
Of course he was. He'd just been elected. He's the 'Root Hog or Die' professor. I know him and so does Harry.
That's the man! exclaimed Harry. "I'll go and get him." And away sped Harry.
Furthermore and besides and notwithstanding, we've regularly bought this hyar property, and thar's the witness to the transaction, continued the giant, pointing to George. "We paid the price and it's been accepted, and when money has changed hands, that settles things."
Attracted by the dispute, other gulch people had begun to gather.
That's right, pronounced two or three.
Terry felt his heart sink. Had he made a botch of the matter, with his hurry? George also was frightened, for he had paled.
What property do you think you've bought, then? demanded Sol.
Everything: cabin and sluice and all. And you can't touch 'em.
Where's the bill of sale?
We don't need any bill o' sale to put us in possession. We've paid the money, an' hyar we air, replied Pine Knot Ike. "An' we're bad when we're riled. Nothin' riles us like bein' robbed, an' thar's nobody as bad as a man o' peace when once he's riled, stranger."
But you couldn't buy that True Blue prospect, rapped Sol.
Why not? We took what was offered. The two claims go together. Nothin' was said different.
Why not? Because the Golden Prize and the True Blue aren't owned by the same party; that's why. The True Blue's the property of this girl here—has been transferred to her in due legal form, and her father holds it in trust for her, and these boys couldn't have sold it if they'd wanted to!
It is mine, piped Virgie. "It's been given to me and it's written down and those mean men sha'n't touch it. They're getting it all wet!"
Whar are your papers an' whar are your witnesses? challenged the giant.
There's one witness, and Mr. Stanton pointed at George. "You heard the words when the claim was given to Virgie, didn't you?" he asked.
Yes, I did, affirmed George.
And that other boy was one of the owners who agreed, and here comes the second former owner who signed the transfer for both.
Down at Denver, before a notary public, panted Harry, arriving with the "Root Hog or Die" professor. "And it's been recorded."
That is true, nodded the "Root Hog or Die" professor. "And I do acknowledge that I was asked to record this other claim also, and that I was told of the intentions and reasons when it was temporarily left unoccupied. I am responsible for there being no official memorandum, but I entirely forgot. However, the verbal agreement is sufficient. I remember perfectly."
That remains to be seen, growled the giant—who seemed to be the spokesman for the Pine Knot Ike party. "As for that other prospect, we don't fight gals. It's a dry claim, anyhow; hasn't any water of its own an' never will have. As for this claim we're standin' on, we'll keep it. It's been duly bought, paid for, an' it's workable, an' that's enough. Ain't I right, boys?" he appealed to the gathering crowd. "When money's passed an' accepted, that binds the sale."
The crowd shifted and murmured. Plainly, they were not very approving of the Pine Knot Ike party methods, but they had a strong sense of legal rights.
'Pears like it was a deal in good faith, remarked somebody.
You claim that cabin and everything in it, do you? inquired Sol.
Yes, sir! Everything on this hyar ground—fixtures an' improvements, an' don't you touch a finger to 'em, boomed the giant. "You an' your gal have got that dry prospect. Go over an' mine. Mebbe you can mine an' mebbe you can't, for you'll be drier'n ever as soon as we move that sluice to whar it belongs."
Haw, haw! gibed Ike and the other man. "You can wait for a dew."
No! You can wait for that sluice! retorted Sol. He spurred his horse and in a jiffy was beside it. "You dare to lay hand on this or interfere in any way and I'll show you what a Californy Forty-niner knows about protecting property."
Ain't that our sluice?
Not an inch, now. You claim the cabin and all improvements on that other prospect—we claim the sluice and all improvements on this prospect. I reckon what is sauce for the goose is sauce for the gander. This sluice is all on the True Blue ground.
Hooray! cheered the willing crowd.
You'll have a sluice without water. Mebbe that's how they mine in Californy! jeered Pine Knot Ike. "That thar water's ourn as soon as it comes down the leetle draw ag'in. So we'll jest natterly turn it off on you."
Not by a jugful! objected Sol. "That girl's filed on her water rights in this little draw, when her claim was recorded." He ran rapid eye along the Golden Prize surface. "And I reckon there doesn't any water go with that other prospect, anyhow! I've an idee the hundred feet ends short of the water."
So have I, asserted Harry. "Give me room, gentlemen. Just to prove that my notion's correct I'll measure. That claim was only stepped off, in the beginning."
Harry fished a surveyor's tape from his pocket (evidently he had come prepared) and from the first claim stake, near the cabin, measured the length of the Golden Prize ground. The one hundred feet ended three yards away from the little stream course!
The two properties join, so that puts the natural water on the True Blue ground, triumphantly proclaimed Sol.
Mebbe, when thar is water; but thar won't be any after we've started to use again on our other workin's up at the head, retorted the giant.
You tried that once, but you can't do it a second time. We've filed our rights on the water coming down this draw, and here it is, and by miners' law we're entitled to our share.
So are we, then, by thunder! shouted the giant. "As long as there's water flowin' past, we're goin' to have some of it. That's miners' law, too. We can ditch some of it over——"
No, you can't! A new voice struck in, and a new figure appeared. Archie Smith! He held his side and panted for breath.
What you got to do with it? Why can't we?
Because you couldn't have bought this claim even if you paid over the money. Do you want to sell? Do you want them for neighbors? demanded Archie of Harry.
We should say not!
Well, then, resumed Archie, panting, and addressing the Pine Knot Ike party, "you didn't buy the Golden Prize, because you couldn't. The boys didn't own it. They wouldn't take it from me; they said they'd work it while I was gone, and now I'm back and I won't sell—to you. And I order you to get off."
Terry looked blankly at Harry, Harry smiled at Terry.
That's so. And it was so, now that they thought.
B' gorry, the same thing happened to me, announced the voice of Pat Casey, "an' Oi lost me diggin's. Sure, it doesn't seem fair play—though Oi'm a friend to the boys."
It is fair play, in this case, asserted Sol. "You see, gentlemen," he said to the crowd, "these two boys, Harry and Terry, came in here and proceeded to work this ground. They had the water and they hustled to put in a sluice, and were beginning to wash out pay dirt, when those mean whelps, suspecting these prospects were richer than they looked to be, turned off the water to which this ground naturally was entitled—just hogged it, made the waste run the other way, to render these claims useless so they might either be jumped or bought for a song. The same whelps sneaked around, prospecting, until they located some of the richest gold quartz you ever laid your eyes on; then they told the boys the ground was no good, anyway—mostly pockets and barren bed-rock, had no water, and all that sort of thing—and tried to get 'em to move, for $100. But the boys stuck, so as to pay off a debt. One of them sold pies and the other worked for a dollar and a half a day. Then, while they were temporarily absent, these whelps jumped both claims—and look at the rock they've already taken out!"
B' gorry, they ought to be hanged! declared Pat Casey. "The lads are honest lads, Oi'll say that for 'em. An' if somebody'll fetch a rope——"
No, no, gentlemen, appealed Sol, as the crowd began to surge angrily. "When the dirty deal was started there was no law in the camp; but you have laws now, and if those fellows want to fight we'll fight them with law. But they're licked, and they know it."
Waal, conceded Pine Knot Ike, "if we're licked I reckon we're licked, an' no hard feelin's. We air men o' peace. We bought this hyar property in good faith, but bein' as the other party ain't satisfied we'll take our hundred dollars in dust an' move off."
Where's their dust, Terry? asked Harry.
Hold on a bit, objected Mr. Richards. "Hold on! How much gold have they taken out already, since they jumped these prospects? They've been running that sluice for at least a couple of days."
We'll leave you that thar pile o' sluice tailin's; it's too coarse for washin', replied the giant. "And thar's a clean-up waitin', in the sluice. But you got to give us back the hundred dollars' purchase price, an' do it mighty quick."
Don't rile us, warned Ike.
I'll tell you what I'll do, Ike, spoke Harry. "We'll be fair. I'll wrestle you for that $100. If you throw me, you can have it, and if I throw you we can keep it. You've already got more than that out of this ground—but we want to be fair."
Don't you do it, Harry! protested Father Richards. "There's no need of such foolishness."
That's what I say, added Mr. Stanton. "We won't allow it."
I know what I'm about, replied Harry, with a wink at Terry and George and the breathless Archie.
Young feller, solemnly said Ike, "I ekcept, ketch as ketch can, but keep back your dog. I air a tough proposition in a wrestle, but I don't aim to come to grips with man and dog at the same time."
Harry alertly threw aside his hat and stepped forward; Ike did the like.
David an' Goliath! cheered the crowd; and indeed the match did resemble that, with Harry so slight and slim and the shaggy Ike appearing to be a foot taller and a foot broader.
Has he any show? Do you think he can throw him? whispered Archie—referring, of course, to Harry.
Sure he can, asserted Terry. "Can't he, George?"
He usually does what he sets out to do, agreed George.
Now, arms half out-stretched and shoulders forward, Harry and Ike were circling each other, in watchful, eager fashion. Ike rushed—"Look out, Harry!"—but Harry dodged. Ike rushed again; this time, quick as light, Harry darted to meet him, and they were locked—locked with arms and legs, while they tugged and swayed and Ike grunted, and their boots crunched upon the rocks and gravel.
Harry's got the under hold! gasped Terry.
Yes, but Ike'll break him in two! gasped George.
Virgie was crying and calling, Shep was barking, the spectators were shouting all sorts of advice. And swallowed in Ike's great arms, Harry seemed quite helpless, simply clinging to Ike's waist, with his face pressed against Ike's shirt, and letting Ike dash him hither-thither, trying to upset him.
But somehow, Harry always landed on his feet. Once he was lifted clear in air—only to come down again with a thump. Twice he was lifted—this time actually by the seat of the trousers! Ike tried to pull him in and bend him backwards, but Harry stiffened and bowed his back. Then suddenly he did come in—but lightning fast, he side-stepped a little, thrust himself part way past Ike, stopped farther, and, shifting his grip to Ike's thighs, tilted and heaved.
Up rose Ike, pawing and kicking—up, a foot off the ground, and over Harry he shot, almost horizontal, like a diver from a spring-board, to plough the ground beyond with his shoulder.
Ah!
Ah!
That war a trick! scolded Ike, sitting up and rubbing his tousled head.
All right, answered Harry, panting and laughing. "We'll make it two falls out of three, then. I've a couple more tricks."
No, young feller, grumbled Ike, still rubbing his head. "I can wrestle a b'ar, but I ain't built for wrestlin' ary combination of eel an' alligator tail. If you're a schoolmaster, what'll you take to teach me that holt?"
That's not for sale, either, laughed Harry. "But here's your sack of dust. We don't want it, after all." Thus saying, he tossed over the buckskin sack, and limped to get his hat from Terry.
So the result was that the Pine Knot Ike party left good-naturedly, and the crowd dispersed good-naturedly, and the Golden Prize and the True Blue claims remained in undisputed possession of the victors; all of which was better than threats of further row.
Harry shook hands with Archie. It was his first opportunity.
Have you come back to stay? Hope so. It's your mine, you know—and it's going to be a rich one; richer than you ever imagined, if that vein from the True Blue extends through. We'll help you work it while we're working the True Blue, but the True Blue's enough for us.
I don't care. It's yours, just the same. I gave it to you once and I give it to you again, insisted Archie. "This time I'll make out a regular transfer. I'm here just for a little visit, and then I'm going back East to stay a while."
Where'd you find Sol, Harry? asked George.
Down in Denver and Auraria. While I was dickering for Duke he turned up. He'd been at Pike's Peak, and everywhere else. He turned up just in time.
Isn't Mother coming? Don't I see Mother? queried Terry of his father.
We may send for her and George's mother after we get things straightened out here. But you'll see her in Denver, anyway. You and Harry'll have to go down there for some clothes pretty soon. She wants to see you mighty bad.
Is this rock gold rock? Doesn't look so. How do you know?
Sol says it is. Some of it, I mean. He knew as soon as he saw that piece Virgie brought down. And we're lucky that he's with us. He's an expert.
Sol had been tramping about with a spade, scraping here and there on both claims, and examining. He joined the group.
There's considerable rotten quartz that can be sluiced, and probably some loose dirt to be washed; but there's a thundering fine vein or lode running right across. The best surface showing is on the True Blue, where that piece of rock came from, but I reckon that when we get down into what those fellows pretended was the bed-rock on the Golden Prize we'll find it just as rich. So part of us can be sluicing, while the rest of us rig some sort of a contrivance to crush the quartz and wash it with mercury, till a regular quartz mill is 'stablished near us. And Sol continued, using words and terms that only the men understood.
Shucks! acknowledged Terry. "We were looking for dirt; we didn't count the rock." So he turned to George, who was lifting Virgie from her pony.
You did it, Virgie, with your piece of quartz. Now you're going to be rich.
I don't want to be rich all alone, objected Virgie. "I don't want to be any richer than you or George or Harry or Sol or—or anybody of us."
She looked as if she were about to weep over it!
Of course not, Virgie, called Harry. "You won't have to be rich all alone. That's a miserable state. But you can share with your father and Sol, and Terry and Father Richards and I have a mine, too, you know; and just to make sure that nobody'll be any richer than anybody else in the crowd, we'll all join together and we'll name the company the Virginia Consolidated!"