CHAPTER XIX. — BEN'S MIDNIGHT EXCURSION.
When Jack Carter went downstairs it was his intention to wait from half an hour to an hour, and then to make another visit to his lodgers. This would allow time for Ben to fall asleep, and, although Jack would have had no difficulty in overcoming his resistance, he preferred to commit the robbery when both the travelers were in a state of unconsciousness.
But he overestimated his ability to keep awake. Usually he was a sound sleeper, and during the day preceding he had taken a long walk across the mountains. The natural result followed. While he was waiting for Ben to fall asleep, he fell asleep himself. Ben was not long in ascertaining this welcome fact. A series of noises, not very musical, announced that Jack was asleep. He had a confirmed habit of snoring, to which, fortunately, his wife had become accustomed, so that it did not disturb her rest.
Ben crept near the edge of the loft and looked over. The bed on which his amiable host reposed was in full view. Both husband and wife were fast asleep, and their sleep was likely to be protracted.
Under this change of circumstances, what was Ben to do?
This was the question which he anxiously asked himself.
Now there would be no difficulty in escaping, if he saw fit. But here there was a difficulty. Jake could not be roused, and, if he could, it would not be very agreeable to lose a night's sleep, for Ben, as well as his host, felt very sleepy. Yet if he allowed himself to remain in the loft, the danger of robbery would recur in the morning, for Jack would be sure to wake earlier than Bradley, who had been drugged, as Ben was convinced.
Sometimes, in the midst of perplexity, a way of relief is suddenly opened. A lucky suggestion, sent, perhaps, by an overruling Providence, provides a path of escape from some menacing evil. This happened in the present instance.
"Why," thought Ben, "can't I take our money, steal downstairs and out of the cabin, and hide it in some secure place where we can find it in the morning? Then I can sleep in security for the remainder of the night, and my thievish friend will be disappointed."
No sooner did the idea occur to Ben than he prepared to carry it out.
As has already been said, Bradley had about a hundred dollars in gold pieces, and Ben as much more. This would have made a very good haul for Jack, who did not anticipate obtaining so much. It was more than our young hero felt willing to lose, and he was prepared to run a large risk in the effort to save it.
The risk, of course, was that he might wake Jack or his wife in coming downstairs. There would be no difficulty in opening the door, for it was not fastened in any way. As to the danger of rousing his entertainers, Ben was not much afraid of waking Jack, for he was evidently in a sound sleep. His wife was more likely to be disturbed, and, in that case, Ben was provided with an excuse. He would say that he was thirsty, and in search of some water, which would have been true enough, though this was not the main object of his expedition.
Ben had not taken off his shoes and stockings, and began to descend the ladder with his shoes on, but it occurred to him that his steps might be audible, and he quietly removed both shoes and stockings. He had previously taken Bradley's money, with the exception of a few dollars, without in the least arousing his sleepy comrade, who, in consequence of the potion he had unsuspiciously taken, was still wrapped in unconscious slumber.
"Now," thought Ben, "I must do my work as quickly as I can."
He was not insensible to the risk he ran, and it was not without a thrill of excitement that he set foot on the floor of the cabin, and looked at the sleeping faces of Jack Carter and his wife. But there was no time to waste. He stepped softly to the door and opened it.
Just then the woman stirred in her sleep, and uttered something unintelligible. Ben was alarmed lest she were about to wake up, and stood stock-still, with his fingers on the latch. But there was no further sound. The woman partially turned over, and soon her quiet, regular breathing notified Ben that sleep had resumed its power over her. Probably she had stirred in consequence of some uneasy dream.
With a deep breath of relief, Ben opened the door, passed out, and closed it softly after him.
He was out of the house, and in the freedom of the woods. Before morning he might have put fifteen miles between him and the cabin of his foes. He would have felt disposed to do so, and avoid all further trouble, if Bradley had been with him, and in condition to travel. As this was not to be thought of, he proceeded to search for a suitable place to secrete his troublesome treasure.
The cabin stood in a valley, or canon, in the shadow of gigantic pine-trees, rising straight as a flagpole to the altitude of nearly two hundred feet. They were forest giants, impressive in their lofty stature, and Ben regarded them with wonder and awe. They were much smaller in every way than the so-called big trees to be found in the Calaveras and Mariposa groves; but these had not at that time been discovered, and the pines were the largest trees our hero had ever encountered.
Ben looked about him in vain to find a suitable hiding-place in the immediate neighborhood of the cabin. If there had been a large flat rock under which he could have placed the gold pieces, that would have suited him; but there was absolutely nothing of the kind in sight.
So Ben wandered away, hardly knowing whither his steps were carrying him, till he must have been at least a quarter of a mile distant from the cabin.
Here his attention was attracted by a tree of larger circumference than any he had seen nearer, which showed the ravages of time. The bark was partly worn away, and, approaching nearer, Ben saw that it had begun to decay from within. There was an aperture about a foot above the ground through which he could readily thrust his hand.
"That's the very thing!" exclaimed Ben, his eyes lighting up with pleasure. "Nobody would ever think of looking for money there. Here I can hide our gold, and to-morrow, when we set out on our journey, we can take this tree on our way."
Ben took from his pockets the gold which belonged to Bradley and himself, and wrapping them securely in a paper which he happened to have with him, he thrust the whole into the cavity in the tree.
"There!" said he, "our treasure is much safer there than it would be in our possession, for to-night, at least."
Ben carefully took the bearings of the tree, that he might not forget it. There was little difficulty about this, as it was larger than any of its neighbors, not so tall, perhaps, but of greater circumference.
"I shall remember it now," he said to himself.
As Ben walked back to the humble cabin he became very drowsy. He was quite fatigued with his day's march, and it was now nearly or quite two hours since his companion had fallen asleep.
It was fortunate for him that Ben had been more wakeful.
"I shall be glad enough to sleep now," thought Ben. "I don't know when I have felt more tired."
He reached the cabin door, and listened outside to learn whether any one were stirring. He could still hear the sonorous snore of Jack, and could distinguish the deep breathing of his hostess. All seemed to be safe.
He softly opened the door, and closed it after him. Without arousing any one, he made his way up the ladder to the loft, where Bradley lay precisely as he had left him.
Ben threw himself down beside him with a deep sigh of satisfaction, and in ten minutes he, too, was sound asleep.
CHAPTER XX. — A THIEF'S DISAPPOINTMENT.
Jack Garter, regardless of his plans respecting his guests, slept through the night, and it was not till after the sun rose that he opened his eyes. His wife was already up and moving about the room.
Jack stretched himself negligently, but all at once his purpose flashed upon him.
"Bess, what time is it?" he demanded.
"Past six o'clock, as you can see by the sun."
"Curse it! what made me fall asleep?" ejaculated Jack, with an oath. "Now it may be too late."
"How long have you been awake, Bess?" he asked.
"An hour or more."
"Why didn't you wake me up?" demanded Jack sharply.
"I didn't know you wanted me to," answered his wife. "Only yesterday you swore at me for waking you up an hour later."
"Yesterday isn't to-day, and I had something to do," said Jack, looking significantly upward.
"Didn't you attend to it last night?"
"No; curse my drowsiness! I fell asleep like a natural-born fool that I was."
"How could I know that? I was asleep myself."
"You always have some excuse," said Jack, rather unreasonably. "Just quit movin' round and makin' a noise. It may not be too late yet."
No sound was heard in the loft above. Happily, the two lodgers might still be asleep, so Jack said to himself, and in that case he might still be able to carry out his plan. At any rate, there was no time to lose, and he began softly to ascend the ladder.
When his head reached the level of the flooring he looked eagerly at the rude couch where his guests lay. Both were fast asleep. Bradley was still held in the power of the powerful drug which had been mingled with his wine, and Ben had yielded to the sound and healthful slumber which at his age follows fatigue. His boyish face lay on his hand, and he looked innocent and happy. There was a smile about his lips, for he was dreaming of his far-away home.
The sight might have appealed to any one less hardened than Jack Carter, calling up memories of his own dead boy, and powerfully appealing to what heart he had left. But Jack felt simply relieved to find that the boy, whose wakefulness he had feared, was sound asleep.
"All the better," he muttered. "It isn't too late, after all. Now, Jack Carter, is your time. I hope you'll make a good haul."
Treading softly, Jack stepped to the side of Bradley. He thought it best to rid him first, for there was no danger of his waking up.
But he was destined to disappointment. The most thorough search brought to light only five dollars in gold.
"What has he done with his money?" muttered the thief, with a frown. "Of course, he must have more."
The idea came to him that the bulk of the money might have been given to the boy, who was less likely to attract the notice of plunderers. This was a point easily settled, and Jack turned his attention to Ben.
Ben was asleep when the search commenced, but his sleep was not as profound as Bradley's, and he woke up. But, luckily, recollection came with consciousness, and summoning all his self-command, he counterfeited sleep, not interfering with Jack or his designs. He was willing to lose the little he had in his pocket, and, besides, he was curious to hear what Jack would say when he found out how inconsiderable was the booty which he secured.
It must be admitted that Ben found it difficult to restrain himself from some movement which would have betrayed to the thief that he was awake. Jack, however, being fully convinced that Ben was asleep, did not fix his eyes upon the countenance of his young lodger, and so remained ignorant of his wakefulness.
The second search proved no more satisfactory than the first. The boy was no richer than the man.
In a low voice Jack indulged in an oath indicating his deep disgust.
"I didn't think they were such poor tramps," he said to himself, "or I wouldn't have taken all this trouble. Only ten dollars between the two of them! Why, they're little more than beggars?"
Stay! They might have concealed their money. There was no place in the loft, for it was wholly bare of furniture, but their luggage was thrown down carelessly. There were no lodes, and Jack was able to extend his search to their knapsacks; but he found nothing that repaid him. He was forced finally to the conclusion that they were as poor as they seemed.
Had Jack Carter been one of those generous highwaymen, of whom we sometimes read, he would have disdained to rob Ben and his friend of their little all. But indeed that was not his style.
He coolly pocketed the two gold pieces, which were all he had been able to find, and sullenly descended the ladder.
His wife looked at him inquiringly.
"Look at that!" he said grumblingly, as he displayed the two gold pieces.
"Was it all you could find?"
"Yes."
"They must be poor."
"Poor! They are beggars."
The woman, who was not as hard as she looked, was struck with compassion.
"Give it back to them, Jack," she entreated. "It is little enough, and they will have need of it."
"So do I have need of it," growled her lord and master.
"No, you don't, Jack. It isn't worth your taking."
"I'm the best judge of that, woman."
"They will suffer. I can't bear to have that boy suffer. He reminds me so of our dead son."
"You're a fool!" said her husband roughly.
"And you have no heart!" said his wife bitterly.
"I don't want one if it's going to make a fool of me. Come, hurry up the breakfast, for I must be out of the way before they come down. They'll miss their money, and I don't want to be asked any questions."
"What shall I say if they ask me where it is, Jack?"
"Anything you like," he answered impatiently. "Say the cat did it, or anything else. Do you think a woman needs teachin' what she is to say?"
"They will think we did it," persisted his wife.
"Let them. They can't prove anything. Just hurry up that breakfast, I tell you."
The wife did as she was ordered, and Jack sat down to his breakfast. He ate heartily, having a conscience that did not trouble him about such trifles as plundering the guests who had slept beneath his roof, and rose to leave the house.
"Give 'em some breakfast," he said, as he opened the door; "and tell 'em you won't take no pay on account of their loss. That'll about make things square, I reckon. I've taken my pay in advance."
He shouldered his gun and went out into the woods.
CHAPTER XXI. — BEN'S SAVINGS-BANK.
It was not till an hour afterward that Ben rose from his lowly couch, and, by dint of violent shaking, succeeded in rousing Bradley.
"Come, Bradley, wake up!" he cried. "The sun is high, and it is time we were on our way."
Bradley stretched himself, took a long breath, and said:
"I must have had a long sleep."
"Yes, you dropped off as soon as you lay down, and have slept ever since."
"And did you sleep as soundly?"
"No, I was awake twice during the night," answered Ben.
"I don't know how it is, but I am sleepy still. Seems to me I don't stand fatigue as well as you. I am sleepy yet, and feel as if I could sleep all the forenoon."
"The effects of the drug," thought Ben.
Ben considered whether he should tell Bradley what had happened during the night. He decided briefly to say a few words about it in a whisper, and postpone a full explanation till later, for their hostess was below, and could hear any loud word that might be uttered. Bradley was instructed that he must claim to have lost five dollars.
"But I had a hundred," said Bradley, feeling in his pockets.
"It's all right," whispered Ben. "I'll explain by and by. Not a word of the loss till after breakfast."
Bradley was quite bewildered, and utterly failed to understand the situation. But he had considerable faith in his young companion, and was willing to follow Ben's instructions. They descended the ladder, Ben in advance.
The woman looked at them sharply, to see if they had yet discovered the robbery, but each seemed unconcerned.
"They don't know it yet," she said to herself.
"Madam, can you give us some breakfast?" asked Ben politely.
"I'll give you such as I have," said Mrs. Carter, feeling a little remorse for her husband's theft, and pity for what she supposed their penniless condition.
"That will be perfectly satisfactory, and we shall be much obliged to you."
The breakfast was nearly ready in anticipation of their needs, and they partook of it heartily.
Now came the critical moment.
Ben thrust his hand into his pocket, appearing to search for his money, and, after a brief space, withdrew it in apparent dismay.
"I can't find my money," he said.
Mrs. Carter's face flushed, but she said nothing. She anticipated their suspicion, and was ashamed.
"Bradley," said Ben, "have you your money?"
Jake Bradley repeated the search, and he, too, expressed surprise.
"I had it when I went to bed," he added.
"What is it?" asked the woman slowly, turning to them a troubled face. "Have you lost anything?"
"I don't seem to find my money, ma'am," answered Bradley.
"Nor I mine," said Ben. "It's curious."
Mrs. Carter could not tell by their manner whether they suspected anything, but she had her story ready. It was an invention, but life with Jack Carter had left her few compunctions about such a simple matter as telling a lie.
"I missed something myself," she said. "We don't lock our door of nights, and I reckon some tramp got in last night, when we were asleep, and robbed us all. Have you lost much, you two?"
"Not much, ma'am. There wasn't much to take."
"It's a pity. I am sorry it happened under my roof. But we slept very sound last night, Jack and me, and that's the way it must have come."
She looked at them critically, to detect, if she could, whether they suspected her husband or herself, but both the travelers were on their guard.
"Did you have much taken, ma'am?" asked Bradley.
"No," she answered hurriedly, rather ashamed of the imposture. "We ain't rich, Jack nor I."
"What I am most sorry for," said Ben, "is that we have nothing to pay for our accommodations."
"You're welcome to your lodging and what you've ate," said the woman sincerely. "And, if you like, I'll put up some luncheon for you to eat by and by."
"Thank you, ma'am, it will be very acceptable," answered Bradley.
"She's better than her husband," thought Ben.
"After all, we haven't lost much, for we shall get nearly the worth of our lost money."
The woman remarked, with some surprise, that they did not take their loss much to heart.
"How do you expect to get along without money?" she could not help asking.
"We're used to roughing it, ma'am," said Bradley. "I'm an old miner, and I think I can find some of my old chums before long."
By this time luncheon was ready, and they soon left the cabin.
Bradley could no longer repress his curiosity.
"Now, Ben, tell me all about it," he said. "Where is our money?"
Ben looked back, to make sure that he would not be overheard, and answered: "I put it in the bank for security, Jake."
"What do you mean?"
"If I am not very much mistaken, we shall find it hidden in a hole in a tree, quarter of a mile away."
"Who put it there?" asked his companion, in surprise.
"I did."
"When?"
"Last night, about midnight, as near as I can guess."
Ben laughed at his companion's evident perplexity, and told him in detail the story of the night's adventure.
"Ben, I'm proud of you," said Bradley, slapping our hero on the back. "There are not many grown men that would have known what to do under the circumstances."
"I confess that I was very much puzzled myself," said Ben modestly. "I could have done nothing if our honest host hadn't fallen asleep."
"He would feel rather provoked if he knew that nearly all of our money is untouched," said Bradley; "that is, if we find it again."
"There's no fear of that," said Ben. "Do you see that tree yonder?"
"The large one?"
"Yes."
"That is my savings-bank."
They quickened their steps till they reached the stately monarch of the forest. Ben quickly thrust his hand into the cavity and drew out the precious parcel which he had committed to it during the night. It was precisely as he had placed it there. No one had touched it.
"Now," said Ben, "I will give you ninety-five dollars. That is the amount of which I picked your pocket last night."
"You are a pickpocket of the right sort," said his companion. "You took my money in order to save it."
Their money recovered, they started on their day's march, and nightfall found them twenty miles nearer their destination.
CHAPTER XXII. — THE ARRIVAL AT MURPHY'S.
One morning about eleven o'clock they came in sight of Murphy's. It was only a mining-settlement of the most primitive description. A few tents and cabins, with rough, bearded men scattered here and there, intent upon working their claims, gave it a picturesque appearance, which it has lost now. It was then a more important place than at present, however, for the surface diggings are exhausted, and it is best known-to-day by its vicinity to the famous Calaveras grove of big trees.
"So this is Murphy's?" said Ben, rather disappointed. "It doesn't seem to be much of a place."
"You didn't expect to see a regular town, did you?" asked Bradley.
"I don't know. I hardly knew what to expect. It seems a rough place."
"And I suppose the people seem rough, too?"
"Yes."
"So they are in appearance; but you can't tell what a man has been, by his looks here. Why, the man that worked the next claim to me was a college graduate, and not far away was another who had been mayor of a Western city."
"And were they dressed like these men here?" asked Ben.
"Quite as roughly. It won't do to wear store-clothes at the mines."
"No, I suppose not; but these men look like immigrants just come over."
Bradley laughed.
"Wait till we have been at work a little while, and we shall look no better," he said, laughing.
"What is that?" asked Ben suddenly, stopping short while an expression of horror came over his face.
Bradley followed the direction of his finger, and saw suspended from a tree the inanimate body of a man, the features livid and distorted, and wearing an expression of terror and dismay, as if his fate had come upon him without time for preparation.
"I reckon that's a thief," answered Bradley unconcernedly.
"A thief! Do they hang people for stealing out here?"
"Yes, they have to. You see, my lad, there ain't any laws here, nor courts. If a man steals, the miners just take the matter into their own hands, and if there ain't a doubt of it, they hang him as soon as they catch him."
"It's horrible!" said Ben, who had never before seen the victim of a violent death.
"Maybe it is, but what can we do?"
"Put him in prison," suggested Ben.
"There ain't any prisons, and, if there were, there would be nobody to keep them."
Just then Bradley was hailed by a rough-looking man, whom at home Ben would have taken for a tramp.
"What, Bradley, back again? I didn't expect to see you here?"
"I didn't expect to come, Hunter, but I fooled away my money in 'Frisco, and have come back for more."
"And who's this boy-your son, or nephew?"
"No; he's no kin to me. I ran across him down to 'Frisco. Ben, let me make you acquainted with my old chum, Frank Hunter. He isn't much to look at, but-"
"I have seen better days," interrupted Hunter, smiling. "I was rather a dandy in my college days at old Yale, though I don't look like it now."
Ben regarded him with surprise. He had not dreamed that this sun-brown, bearded man, in the roughest of mining-garbs, had ever seen the inside of a college.
Hunter smiled at the boy's evident surprise.
"I don't look like a college graduate, do I? But I assure you I am not the worst-dressed man in camp. My friend, the mayor, is rougher-looking than I. Some time I hope to return to the haunts of civilization, and then I will try to conform to habits which I have almost forgotten."
"How are you making out, Hunter?" asked Bradley.
"Pretty well. I have made more here in six months than I did by three years' practise of law before I came out here."
"Do you like it as well, Mr. Hunter?" Ben could not help asking curiously.
"No, I don't; but then, it's only for a time, as I say to myself when I get tired of the rough life I am leading. When I've made a respectable pile I shall start for 'Frisco, and take passage home, put up my shingle again, and wait for clients with money enough to pay my board while I'm waiting. A young lawyer needs that always."
"Perhaps you'll be Judge Hunter, in time," said Bradley.
"I've served in that capacity already," said Hunter unexpectedly, "and that not longer ago than yesterday. Do you see that poor wretch up there?" and he pointed to the suspended body already referred to.
"Yes; what did he do?"
"He was a notorious thief-served a term in the penitentiary East for stealing, and came out here to practise his profession. But this climate is unhealthy for gentlemen in that line of business."
"Did he rob anybody here?"
"Yes; you remember Johnson?"
"Is he still here?"
"He is about ready to go home, with money enough to lift the mortgage from his farm. We all knew it, for Johnson was so happy that he took everybody into his confidence. He had all his money tied up in a bag which he kept in his tent.
"Imprudent, of course, but we haven't any banks or safes here," added Hunter, meeting the question in Ben's eyes. "Well, this rascal, Ross, wormed himself into his confidence, found out exactly where the bag was kept, and night before last, in the middle of the night, he crept to the tent, and was in the act of carrying off the bag, when, as luck would have it, my friend, the mayor, who was taking a night walk in the hope of curing a severe headache, came upon him.
"Ross showed fight, but was overpowered, and tied securely till morning. When morning came we tried him, I being judge. He was found guilty, and sentenced to be hung. The sentence was carried into effect in the afternoon. He won't steal any more, I reckon."
Ben took another hasty look at the dangling criminal whose end had been so sudden and horrible, and he shuddered.
"Why don't you take him down?" he asked.
"It was ordered that he hang for twenty-four hours, as a warning to any others in camp who might be tempted to steal. The time isn't up yet.
"You are a young gold-hunter," said Hunter, scanning over hero's youthful face.
"Yes, I am," Ben confessed; "but I had to earn a living, and I thought I could do it better here than at home."
"Are you from the East?"
"I am from Hampton, in New York State."
"I know something of Hampton," said Hunter. "I have never been there; but I have a distant relative living there."
"Who is it?" asked Ben, with interest. "I know everybody there."
"I dare say you know my relative, for I am given to understand that he is the great man of Hampton."
"Mayor Sturgis?"
"Yes, that is his name. He married a cousin of my mother, so the relationship is not very close. He is rich, isn't he?"
"He is the richest man in Hampton."
"I suppose he is aware of that fact," said Hunter, laughing.
"If he isn't, his son, Sam, is," replied Ben. "Sam wanted to engage me as his servant before I came away. He wanted me to black his boots."
"And you objected, I suppose?"
"I wouldn't work for Sam Sturgis for a hundred dollars a month!" said Ben emphatically.
"Then you don't like him?"
"He is very big-feeling," said Ben, using a boy's word, "and likes to boss all the rest of the boys. He thinks he is far above us all."
"He ought to come out here. California takes the airs out of a man if he has any. We are all on an equality here, and the best man wins-I mean the man of the most pluck-for success doesn't depend on moral excellence exactly. Well, old friend, are you going to settle down among us again?"
It was to Bradley this question was addressed.
"I don't know. I'm here on a little matter of business, along of this boy. Is Richard Dewey here now?"
"Dewey? No. He had poor luck, and he dusted a month ago."
Ben and his companion exchanged glances of disappointment.
"Where did he go?" asked Bradley, who was evidently getting discouraged.
"He was going to the mountains," he said. "He had been studying up something about minerals, and he had an idea that he'd find a rich ledge among the Sierras that would pay better than this surface-mining."
"Is there anybody that knows what direction he took?"
"My friend, the mayor, knows as well as any man. Dewey was his next neighbor, and often talked over his plans with him."
"Then we will go and see the mayor."
"No need of going, here he comes."
CHAPTER XXIII. — AMONG THE SIERRAS.
Ben had heard of mayors, and once he had seen one, a pompous-looking man who had once served in that capacity in an inland city of some twenty thousand inhabitants, and he supposed that all mayors were alike. He could hardly believe his eyes, therefore, when he saw before him a man of medium height, dressed in a ragged shirt and trousers, and wearing a hat once white, but now dirt-begrimed.
"Friends of yours, judge?" said the newcomer, speaking to Hunter, and indicating by a nod Ben and his companion.
"You ought to know one of them, mayor," said Hunter.
"Why, it's Bradley," said the mayor, extending his hand cordially. "Glad to see you back again."
Bradley shook hands, and introduced Ben.
"I'm told you can tell me where to find Richard Dewey, colonel," said Bradley, employing another title of the mayor.
"I can't just say where he is," said the mayor; "but I can tell you where he meant to go."
"That will help us."
"You don't mean him any harm?" asked the mayor quickly.
"Far from it. We have the best news for him."
"Because Dick Dewey is a friend of mine, and I wouldn't bring him into trouble for the richest claim in Californy."
"That's where we agree, colonel. The fact is, there's a young lady in 'Frisco who has come out on purpose to find him-his sweetheart, and an heiress, at that. Me and Ben have agreed to find him for her, and that's the long and short of it."
"Then I'm with you, Bradley. I've seen the girl's picture. Dick showed it to me one day, and she does credit to his taste. He's had bad luck at the mines; but-"
"That won't matter when them two meet," said Bradley. "She's better than any claim he can find this side the mountains."
Bradley and our young hero spent the remainder of the day and the night at Murphy's, hospitably provided for by the judge and the mayor, and Ben listened with avidity to the stories of the miners and their varying luck. If he had not been in search of Richard Dewey, he would have tarried at Murphy's, selected a claim, and gone to work the very next day. He was anxious to have his share in the rough but fascinating life which these men were leading. To him it seemed like a constant picnic, with the prospect of drawing a golden prize any day, provided you attended to business.
"That will come by and by," he thought to himself. "We must find Cousin Ida's beau, and then we can attend to business."
Somehow, it seemed more natural to use the first name by which he had known the young lady who employed him than the real name which he had learned later. It may be necessary to remind the reader that her name was Florence Douglas.
The next morning, after breakfast, the two friends left Murphy's, and bent their course toward the mountains where they were told that Richard Dewey was likely to be found. The direction given them was, it must be confessed, not very definite, and the chances seemed very much against their succeeding in the object of their search.
A week later we will look in upon them toward nightfall. They were among the mountains now.
After the close of a laborious day they had tethered their animals to a tree, and were considering a very important subject, namely, where to find anything that would serve for supper. Their supply of provisions was exhausted, and there was no means of purchasing a fresh supply.
Bradley took out his supply of gold, and surveyed it ruefully.
"Ben," said he, "I never knew before how little good there is in bein' rich. Here we've both got money, and we can't get anything for it. It's cheap traveling for we haven't spent anything sence we've left Murphy's."
"I wish we could spend some of our money," said Ben uneasily. "If there was only a baker's, or an eating-house here, I'd be willing to pay five dollars for a good square meal."
"So would I. Somehow, gold don't look as good to me as it used to. We may starve to death with money in our pockets."
Ben's eyes were fixed upon a slender brook not far away that threaded its silvery way down a gentle incline from the midst of underbrush.
"I wonder if we can't catch some trout," he said. "Don't they have trout in these mountains?"
"To be sure they do; and the best in the world," said Bradley briskly. "The California mountain trout can't be beat."
"But we have no fishing-tackle," suggested Ben.
"Never mind, we have our guns."
"How will that help us?"
"We can shoot them, to be sure."
Ben looked surprised.
"Didn't you ever shoot pickerel? We can shoot trout in the same way. Come, Ben, follow me, and we'll see if we can't have a good supper, after all."
Leaving their mustangs to gather a supper from the scanty herbage in their neighborhood, the two friends made their way to the brook. It had seemed very near, but proved to be fully a quarter of a mile away. When they reached it they brought their guns into requisition, and soon obtained an appetizing mess of trout, which only needed the service of fire to make a meal fit for an epicure.
"I can hardly wait to have them cooked," sard Ben. "I'm as hungry as a hunter. I understand what that means now."
"I sha'n't have any trouble in keeping up with you, Ben," said his companion. "We'll have a supper fit for a king."
They gathered some dry sticks, and soon a fire was blazing, which, in the cool night air, sent out a welcome heat.
After supper they lay down on their backs and looked up into the darkening sky. Ben felt that it was a strange situation. They were in the heart of the Sierras, miles, perhaps many miles, away from any human being, thousands of miles away from the quiet village where Ben had first seen the light. Yet he did not feel disturbed or alarmed. His wanderings had inspired self-reliance, and he did not allow himself to be troubled with anxious cares about the future. If by a wish he could have been conveyed back to his uncle's house in the far East, he would have declined to avail himself of the privilege. He had started out to make a living for himself, and he was satisfied that if he persevered he would succeed in the end.
"What are you thinking about, Ben?" asked Bradley, after a long pause.
"I was thinking how strange it seems to be out here among the mountains," answered Ben, still gazing on the scenery around him.
"I don't see anything strange about it," said his less imaginative comrade. "Seein' we came here on our horses, it would be strange to be anywhere else."
"I mean it is strange to think we are so far away from everybody."
"I don't foller you, Ben. I suppose it's sorter lonelylike, but that ain't new to me."
"I never realized how big the world was when I lived at home," said Ben, in a slow, thoughtful way.
"Yes, it's a pretty largish place, that's a fact."
"What were you thinking of, Jake?" asked Ben, in his turn.
"I was thinkin' of two things: whereabouts Dewey has managed to hide himself, and then it occurred to me how consolin' it would be to me if I could light on a pound of smokin'-tobacco. I've got a pipe, but it ain't no good without tobacco."
"That don't trouble me much, Jake," said Ben, with a smile.
"It's the next thing to a good supper, Ben," said Bradley; "but I might as well wish for the moon."
"You needn't wish in vain for that," said Ben, pointing out the orb of evening, with its pale-yellow light peeping over the tall tree-tops, and irradiating the scene with its pensive shimmer.
"I can see it, but that don't help me any," said Bradley. "If I saw a world made of tobacco up in yonder sky, it would only make me feel worse because I couldn't get any."
"What was it you was a-wishin' for, friend?" asked an unfamiliar voice.
Bradley sprang to his feet, and Ben followed suit.
They saw two strange figures, clad in Spanish style, with large, napping sombreros on their heads, who unheard, had descended the mountains, and were now close upon them.
"Who are you?" asked Bradley doubtfully.
"Friends," was the reassuring reply. "We'll join your little party if you have no objection. I'd invite you to take a drink if there was any saloon handy. As there isn't, jest help yourself to this," and he drew out a pouch of smoking-tobacco.
"Just what I was wantin'," said Bradley, delighted. "You're welcome, whoever you are."
"Ben, can't you get together some sticks and light the fire? It's coolish."