The Princeton union. [volume] (Princeton, Minn.) 1876-1976, 1899-06-29


orous attacks Of the men, while Hank
Bowers'dng manfully by himself a,short
distance away, apparently satisfied to-
take them at their word He was an
experienced miner, and his little pile
of dust grew steadily,
That night the result Of their COM
bined efforts was nearly $1,000, and
Tom Scott could hardly be content to
take the necessary time for sleep. It
seemed to him that his fortune was al
ready made.
Three days of unremitting toll fol-
lowed, the average being a little less
than the first day, Then Avery said,
as they were starting out the fourth
morning:
Taylor, we are digging in the wrong
place altogether"
1.-The wrong placer"
Eyes, that's what l said. I've waited
to see how rich this dirt is and am not
satisfied. Don't you see, Dick, you have
been digging here by stream that runs
now, but it isn't the stream that cut
that big hole through the face Of the
cliff. That goes off in another direc-
tion altogether, you see
"Perhaps hundred or a thousand
years ago this stream wasn't running
at all. Now, where must the bed of the
stream have been that did cut it's way
through that rock? You can see it must
have been over there on the other side
of the ridge. III bet that old stream
ran thousands of years before it dried
up. It must have"
How do you know" asked Tom, in
wonder.
Because it. would take that long to
wear through the rock as it did. twas
bigger stream than this by good
deal. See those big stones scattered all
around in it's bed. It must have been
powerful stream to start them, and
there they are everywhere"
by thunder, I.believe you're right"
cried Taylor, excitedly. II can see it
now. I ought to have known it at first,
but we struck good paying dirt on this
side, and didn't prospect any further.
Come on, let's try over there!"
Hold on a bit," replied Avery.
|
The others looked at him to see if he
was joking, but his face was very
earnest, and he went on:
ut makes lots of difference where
we dig. We may be surprised here any
day and can't hope to keep this place to
ourselves a great while. We don't want
to waste a day. Just look at that bend
| VIII ha +oI
There was strong eddy just there In
der the ridge of such place is apt to
be more gold than anywhere else. Let's
try there first, and if we don't find gold
I'm no prophet"
His words carried conviction, and the
party seized their shovels and hurried
to the spot at once. They found it COW
cred with single, the debris of CEN
turtles. Below was little dirt, and then
they struck layer of gravel.
Tom Scott was working with all his
might He had taken about foot Of
gravel from the place about a yard
square, when, as he drove his shovel
down, it struck something which felt
like rock. A moment later he had laid
bare a few inches Of rough, shady sur
face, just as the others also struck the
same obstruction.
Il guess I've struck bottom" he said
ruefully. "We can't dig here"
AS he spoke he scraped the surface
of the rock under his feet carelessly
with his shovel
Something yellow caught his eye, and,
with little exclamation of surprise,
he dropped on his knees and brushed
away the dirt about it.
His heart seemed fairly to stand still
as he grasped an oblong lump of dirt
on the side of which his shovel had left
a yellow scratch. AS he lifted it it's
great weight told him the truth, and he
sprang erect, shouting:
Its nugget! It's nugget"
LET me see!'
Avery's voice trembled as he held
out his hand.
tits heavy as lead!" cried Tom, as he
laid lump of virgin gold, weighing
nearly a pound, in the old miners
extended palm.
Its gold, my lad," said Avery, after
one glance. II knew was making no
mistake. We must take no more
chances. Let each man stake out a
claim along this old river bed before
anyone arrives. We are all rich men,
1t seemed impossible to leave at that
time, but the old miners advice was
good and they followed it, while Hank
Bowers, who had not been aware of
their discovery, soon understood that
they were stalking out claims formally
and proceeded to do likewise on his
side Of the ridge.
When this had been accomplished
Avery said:
Nov, we must each work on his OWL
claim to hold it. A claim can't 90 idl,
u hours on Canadian soil without for
feiting it. Of course as long as we ar.
alone here it doesn't matter, but at any
moment some one may come. Tha,
chap over there might jump claim j.
we didn't work it, and he would have
the law behind him"
AS Tom had made the first discovery
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