The Daily Alaska empire., 1931-07-29
Chapter % THE LAST CANTEEN

AS jimmie HarrlSdn haS ex- plained to Pierre, the Blackwater Tanks were small natural hollowS or basins in the rocks at the foot of Mother Mountain where, for uncertain periods of time follow ing the infrequent desert rains, water might be found
 There were no signs of living springs or underground moisture anywhere in the vicinity-no trees or bushes or grass other than the usual sparse desert vegetation
 The country round about, includ- ing the long sloping rise of Moth CT Mountain, was cut by gulches, scared u with dykes and lodges tumble of various colored rocks spotted here and there with patches Of thin gravelly soil.
 It was midday when the man, called Colorado Bill and Bruce Carey returned from their morn ing's work at prospecting to their camp at the foot of high, over hanging cliff near the Tanks.
 It was frightfully hot. Not breath of air stirred over the vast expanse of desert and the two men showed the effects of their long hours of tramping over the burning slopes of the mountain.
 In the thin strip of shade afford ed by the cliff they dropped their picks and in turn drank long and deep from a large cloth-covered canteen which hung from small scrubby bush in a crevice in the wall Then removing their hats and throwing aside the smaller empty canteens which they carried they seated themselves wearily up- on convenient rocks.
 Dad said Bruce. I've been thinking"
 You'd better not" returned Cal orado. You're liable to overheat yourself"
 Disregarding the pleasa mt ", Bruce continued: If that old boy who left his bones and a bag of gold in Skeleton Sink really made his rich strike in this neighbor- hood, why didn't he mark out his claim with monuments of piled up rocks and a location notice as pros pectors always do?"
 ''Prospectors don't always stake out their claims when they make a rich strike in some wild country like this" colorado answered. Sometimes a man will hide his find and hotfoot it to the settle ment to tip off few of his close friends before he makes his dis covery known generally.
 Then this bunch of insiders will stake out their claims together and help protect each others interests when the big rush comes. In this case, it is generally believed that the fellow who made the strike didn't have time enough to do his locating on account of the water in the Tanks givin' out He simply had to leave m hurry.
 .As we'll have to do in the next day or two, I suppose said Bruce moodily.
 T figure we can stay tomorrow, returned Colorado. If we hadn't turned the burros adrift we could not have held out this long. About day after tomorrow morning we'll cache our outfit here and hit the trail for Drippin Spring. At the Spring we'll find our burros and make it back to Red Butte, where we can lay up until it rains. Then, with another load of supplies, we'll come back here and be good for two or three months. While we are here, though, we'll sure hang on as long as we can, because you never can tell-we might find that rich lode the very last minute "Yeah, we might" drawled Bruce hopelessly. Might" retorted the other; we will! There's not doubt in the world about that rich vein of gold