"But of what use is the flume, if there isn't any more gold?" continued
Christie, almost angrily.

"That's good from YOU, miss," said Dick, giving way to a fit of
hilarity. "That's good for a fash'nable young lady--own daughter of
Philip Carr. She sez, says she," continued Dick, appealing to the sedate
pines for appreciation of Christie's rare humor, "'Wot's the use of a
flume, when gold ain't there?' I must tell that to the boys."

"And what's the use of the gold in the ground when the flume isn't there
to work it out?" said Jessie to her sister, with a cautioning glance
towards Dick.

But Dick did not notice the look that passed between the sisters. The
richer humor of Jessie's retort had thrown him into convulsions of
laughter.

"And now SHE says, wot's the use o' the gold without the flume? 'Xcuse
me, ladies, but that's just puttin' the hull question that's agitatin'
this yer camp inter two speeches as clear as crystal. There's the
hull crowd outside--and some on 'em inside, like Fairfax, hez their
doubts--ez says with Miss Christie; and there's all of us inside, ez
holds Miss Jessie's views."

"I never heard Mr. Munroe say that the flume was wrong," said Jessie
quickly.

"Not to you, nat'rally," said Dick, with a confidential look at
Christie; "but I reckon he'd like some of the money it cost laid out for
suthin' else. But what's the odds? The gold is there, and WE'RE bound to