section of the slope each particular lot of rock comes."

Dinner was eaten in silence. For one thing the campers were
ravenously hungry. In the second place, though each kept as quiet
as possible, he was deep in the thrall of the fever to dig up
hidden gold.

The meal was nearly over when Alf Drew came into camp.

"Are you leaving anything to eat?" he asked.

"Maybe," said Jim Ferrers grimly, "but you were left to wash the
breakfast dishes, and you haven't done it yet. Now, you'll wash the
breakfast things, and then the dinner things, before you get even a
cold bite to eat."

Alf didn't protest. Now that he was back safe in camp he felt
much ashamed of himself for having run away and left the camp
unwatched.

As soon as he had eaten his dinner Tom Reade went back to the
assay furnace to improve the fire.

"Now, Harry, we'll get the powdered stuff ready to roast," Reade
remarked. "We've a lot of it to rush through this afternoon."

"And we want to be sure to finish it at least two hours before
dark, too," Larry nodded. "If we decide to file a claim Jim ought
to be riding for Dugout City by dark, ready to file the papers
the first thing in the morning."