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deposited his blanket。 Placing his pack for a pillow； he curled
himself up in his blanket； and speedily fell asleep。
He awoke at sunrise； refreshed； invigorated； and hungry。 But he
was forced to defer his first self…prepared breakfast until he had
reached water； and a less dangerous place than the wild…oat field
to build his first camp fire。 This he found a mile further on；
near some dwarf willows on the bank of a half…dry stream。 Of his
various efforts to prepare his first meal； the fire was the most
successful； the coffee was somewhat too substantially thick； and
the bacon and herring lacked definiteness of quality from having
been cooked in the same vessel。 In this boyish picnic he missed
Susy； and recalled； perhaps a little bitterly； her coldness at
parting。 But the novelty of his situation； the brilliant sunshine
and sense of freedom； and the road already awakening to dusty life
with passing teams； dismissed everything but the future from his
mind。 Readjusting his pack； he stepped on cheerily。 At noon he
was overtaken by a teamster； who in return for a match to light his
pipe gave him a lift of a dozen miles。 It is to be feared that
Clarence's account of himself was equally fanciful with his
previous story； and that the teamster parted from him with a
genuine regret； and a hope that he would soon be overtaken by his
friends along the road。 〃And mind that you ain't such a fool agin
to let 'em make you tote their dod…blasted tools fur them！〃 he
added unsuspectingly； pointing to Clarence's mining outfit。 Thus
saved the heaviest part of the day's journey； for the road was
continually rising from the plains during the last six miles；
Clarence was yet able to cover a considerable distance on foot
before he halted for supper。 Here he was again fortunate。 An
empty lumber team watering at the same spring； its driver offered
to take Clarence's purchasesfor the boy had profited by his late
friend's suggestion to personally detach himself from his
equipmentto Buckeye Mills for a dollar； which would also include
a 〃shakedown passage〃 for himself on the floor of the wagon。 〃I
reckon you've been foolin' away in Sacramento the money yer parents
give yer for return stage fare； eh？ Don't lie； sonny；〃 he added
grimly； as the now artful Clarence smiled diplomatically； 〃I've
been thar myself！〃 Luckily； the excuse that he was 〃tired and
sleepy〃 prevented further dangerous questioning； and the boy was
soon really in deep slumber on the wagon floor。
He awoke betimes to find himself already in the mountains。 Buckeye
Mills was a straggling settlement； and Clarence prudently stopped
any embarrassing inquiry from his friend by dropping off the wagon
with his equipment as they entered it； and hurriedly saying 〃Good…
by〃 from a crossroad through the woods。 He had learned that the
nearest mining camp was five miles away； and its direction was
indicated by a long wooden 〃flume；〃 or water…way； that alternately
appeared and disappeared on the flank of the mountain opposite。
The cooler and drier air； the grateful shadow of pine and bay； and
the spicy balsamic odors that everywhere greeted him； thrilled and
exhilarated him。 The trail plunging sometimes into an undisturbed
forest； he started the birds before him like a flight of arrows
through its dim recesses； at times he hung breathlessly over the
blue depths of canyons where the same forests were repeated a
thousand feet below。 Towards noon he struck into a rude road
evidently the thoroughfare of the localityand was surprised to
find that it； as well as the adjacent soil wherever disturbed； was
a deep Indian red。 Everywhere； along its sides； powdering the
banks and boles of trees with its ruddy stain； in mounds and
hillocks of piled dirt on the road； or in liquid paint…like pools；
when a trickling stream had formed a gutter across it； there was
always the same deep sanguinary color。 Once or twice it became
more vivid in contrast with the white teeth of quartz that peeped
through it from the hillside or crossed the road in crumbled
strata。 One of those pieces Clarence picked up with a quickening
pulse。 It was veined and streaked with shining mica and tiny
glittering cubes of mineral that LOOKED like gold！
The road now began to descend towards a winding stream； shrunken by
drought and ditching； that glared dazzingly in the sunlight from
its white bars of sand； or glistened in shining sheets and
channels。 Along its banks； and even encroaching upon its bed； were
scattered a few mud cabins； strange…looking wooden troughs and
gutters； and here and there； glancing through the leaves； the white
canvas of tents。 The stumps of felled trees and blackened spaces；
as of recent fires； marked the stream on either side。 A sudden
sense of disappointment overcame Clarence。 It looked vulgar；
common； and worse than allFAMILIAR。 It was like the unlovely
outskirts of a dozen other prosaic settlements he had seen in less
romantic localities。 In that muddy red stream； pouring out of a
wooden gutter； in which three or four bearded； slouching； half…
naked figures were raking like chiffonniers； there was nothing to
suggest the royal metal。 Yet he was so absorbed in gazing at the
scene； and had walked so rapidly during the past few minutes； that
he was startled； on turning a sharp corner of the road； to come
abruptly upon an outlying dwelling。
It was a nondescript building； half canvas and half boards。 The
interior seen through the open door was fitted up with side
shelves； a counter carelessly piled with provisions； groceries；
clothing； and hardwarewith no attempt at display or even ordinary
selectionand a table； on which stood a demijohn and three or four
dirty glasses。 Two roughly dressed men； whose long； matted beards
and hair left only their eyes and lips visible in the tangled
hirsute wilderness below their slouched hats； were leaning against
the opposite sides of the doorway； smoking。 Almost thrown against
them in the rapid momentum of his descent； Clarence halted
violently。
〃Well； sonny； you needn't capsize the shanty；〃 said the first man；
without taking his pipe from his lips。
〃If yer looking fur yer ma； she and yer Aunt Jane hev jest gone
over to Parson Doolittle's to take tea；〃 observed the second man
lazily。 〃She allowed that you'd wait。〃
〃I'mI'mgoing toto the mines；〃 explained Clarence； with some
hesitation。 〃I suppose this is the way。〃
The two men took their pipes from their lips； looked at each other；
completely wiped every vestige of expression from their faces with
the back of their hands； turned their eyes into the interior of the
cabin； and said； 〃Will yer come yer； now WILL yer？〃 Thus adjured；
half a dozen men； also bearded and carrying pipes in their mouths；
straggled out of the shanty； and； filing in front of it； squatted
down； with their backs against the boards； and gazed comfortably at
the boy。 Clarence began to feel uneasy。
〃I'll give；〃 said one； taking out his pipe and grimly eying
Clarence； 〃a hundred dollars for him as he stands。〃
〃And seein' as he's got that bran…new rig…out o' tools；〃 said
another； 〃I'll give a hundred and fiftyand the drinks。 I've
been；〃 he added apologetically； 〃wantin' sunthin' like this a long
time。〃
〃Well； gen'lemen；〃 said the man who had first spoken to him；
〃lookin' at him by and large； takin' in； so to speak； the gin'ral
gait of him in single harness； bearin' in mind the perfect
freshness of him； and the coolness and size of his cheekthe easy
downyness； previousness； and utter don't…care…a…damnativeness of
his coming yer； I think two hundred ain't too much for him； and
we'll call it a bargain。〃
Clarence's previous experience of this grim； smileless Californian
chaff was not calculated to restore his confidence。 He drew away
from the cabin； and repeated doggedly； 〃I asked you if this was the
way to the mines。〃
〃It ARE the mines； and these yere are the miners；〃 said the first
speaker gravely。 〃Permit me to interdoose 'em。 This yere's Shasta
Jim； this yere's Shotcard Billy； this is Nasty Bob； and this
Slumgullion Dick。 This yere's the Dook o' Chatham Street； the
Livin' Skeleton； and me！〃
〃May we ask； fair young sir；〃 said the Living Skeleton； who；
however； seemed in fairly robust condition； 〃whence came ye on the
wings of the morning； and whose Marble Halls ye hev left desolate？〃
〃I came across the plains； and got into Stockton two days ago on
Mr。 Peyton's train；〃 said Clarence； indignantly； seeing no reason
now to conceal anything。 〃I came to Sacramento to find my cousin；
who isn't living there any more。 I don't see anything funny in
THAT！ I came here to the mines to dig goldbecause…because Mr。
Silsbee； the man who was to bring me here and might have found my
cousin for me； was killed by Indians。〃
〃Hold up； sonny。 Let me help ye；〃 said the first speaker； rising
to his feet。 〃YOU didn't get killed by Injins because you got lost
out of a train with Silsbee's infant darter。 Peyton picked you up
while you was takin' care of her； and two days arter you kem up to
the broken…down Silsbee wagons； with all the folks lyin' there
slartered。〃
〃Yes； sir；〃 said Clarence； breathl