the sage and sand the Desert Rat was standing with upraised arm, as a
signal for them to halt and wait for him. For nearly half an hour he
circled around, stepping off distances and building monuments.
Presently, apparently having completed his investigations, he beckoned
the rest of his party to approach.

"What's up?" demanded the Boston man the moment he and the Indian
arrived.

"I've just found Jake Revenner's lost claim. It's one of these
marvelously rich ledges that have been discovered and located and lost
and found and lost again, and cost scores of human lives. The
sandstorms expose them and cover them up again, and after a storm--as
now--the contour of the desert is so changed that a man, having staked
his claim and gone out for grub, can't find the claim when he comes
back. It was that way with the Nigger Ben placer. It's been found and
lost half a dozen times. There was a claim discovered out here by a man
named Jake Revenner, but he lost it and blew out his brains in sheer
disgust. I have just stumbled across one of his monuments with his old
location notices buried in a can. The late sandstorm uncovered the
ledge, and it looks 'fat' enough for yours truly. _Mira?_"

He tossed a sample to the Indian, and another of about the same size to
the white man. The latter lifted it, examined it closely and sat down.
He was quite excited.

"By thunder!" he managed to say. "We're in luck."

A slight smile flickered across the face of the Desert Rat, but his
voice was as calm and grave as usual.