now."

"Were they surprised to see you?"

"H'm, they didn't see me. I was settin' under a tree well out of
sight. I didn't want to meet that crowd; they're not to my likin'. I
jist wished to see if Curly was along."

"You seem to be keepin' a sharp eye on that fellow still," Reynolds
remarked. He was anxious to draw the prospector out. Perhaps he might
learn something about Curly's acquaintance with Glen.

"Yes, I do keep me eyes peeled fer Curly," Samson drawled, as he
finished his supper and pulled out his pipe. "It's necessary, let me
tell ye that. He ain't safe nohow."

"You have known him for some time, then?"

"Long enough to be suspicious of the skunk."

"He seems to be very friendly with you, though."

"Oh, he's got sense enough not to buck up aginst me. An' besides, I've
yanked him out of many a nasty fix. Most likely he'd been planted long
before this if I hadn't been around at the right moment."

"He's up here for more than gold, so I understand."

"How did ye larn that, young man?" There was a sharp note in Samson's
voice.