CHAPTER XIV.
PUT ON THEIR GUARD.
The saloonkeeper was the first to recover from the general disappointment.
“Well, gents, it appears the paper we expected to find in this pocketbook isn’t here at all. What are we goin’ to do about it?”
“The Chinaman has made a botch of the job,” said Clymer, furiously.
Coffey didn’t seem to take this view of the case.
“It’s my opinion, gents, that fellow Prawle, as you call him, was just a little mite too smart for us. I’m afraid, seein’ he knew you two were in a sweat over that claim, and might be expected to make some move after that document, that he went and deposited it in the bank at Trinity, where it naturally would be safe.”
“If he’s done that the game is up,” said Plunkett, with a look of intense chagrin. “I might as well make tracks for Sackville right away.”
“Pooh! Where’s your sand?” said Coffey, who didn’t wish to lose his new acquaintances while they had a dollar to spend on his premises. “Don’t get discouraged all at once. There’s more ways than one of killin’ a cat.”
“Well, you’re one of us, now. What do you propose?” asked Clymer.
“How many are there in that party all told?”
“Four—Prawle and the three boys. One of them is a Dutch boy.”
“You think the claim is valuable enough to fight for, do you?”
“I’m certain of it. Prawle, who ought to know, said the rock would turn out ninety per cent. copper.”
“He said that, did he? Is he an expert?”
“I should judge he knows what he’s talking about.”
“I opine nobody hereaways knows that party is at the creek but us three and the Chinaman. As soon as the fact leaks out, though, a good many of the boys will hustle down there to see what’s goin’ on. We must get ahead of ’em. Now, gents, what kind of a dockument did you make Jim Sanders sign here yesterday?”
“A duplicate bill of sale of his claim,” said Clymer.
“When did he give the original bill of sale?”
“A week ago.”
“Well, gents, I tell you what we’ll do. You date that duplicate paper back, then we’ll just go down to the creek and tell those chaps we bought the property first. Of course there’ll be a kick. Then we’ll sail in and clean ’em out. If somebody gets hurt, it mustn’t be us.”
“Do you mean to kill the four of them?” asked Plunkett, not exactly relishing the scheme.
“It won’t do to take any half measures, gents, for in that case the Vigilance Committee in the Gulch here would be bound to hear about the affair, and things would be made kind of unpleasant for us if the investigation went against us.”
Neither Clymer nor Plunkett were in favor of such a radical move, especially, in view of the probable consequences.
“Well, gents, if you’ve got a better plan to propose I’ll listen to you,” said the saloonkeeper.
The conference ended, however, without any definite plan being adopted by the trio of rascals.
At the creek the next morning the disappearance of Meen Fun was generally regarded as a suspicious circumstance.
Prawle did not immediately miss his jacket, and a close examination of their portable property failed to show that the Mongolian had carried off anything belonging to them.
When they began work again in the mine, Jack and Charlie took turns wheeling the loads of ore outside.
Occasionally one or the other of the boys sent Meyer inside to take his place for a spell with the pick and shovel, while he stayed out on the bank of the creek and took up the German lad’s job.
Half-past eleven came around, and Meyer was glad to turn in and cook dinner.
On his way back from a near-by spring with a pail full of water he ran foul of Prawle’s jacket where Meen Fun had cast it aside.
“Off dis don’d look exactly like Mr. Prawle’s yackets I’m a liar,” he muttered. “Vot a funny spots to hung it ub. Off I vanted to lose id, dese are der blaces I would leaf id. Maybe id don’d peen any bizness off mine to took it back mit me, but all der same I done it yust for der fun off der t’ing.”
When Meyer called the rest of the party to dinner he exhibited the jacket he had picked up.
“That’s mine,” said Gideon Prawle. “What are you doing with it, Meyer?”
“Vot I am doing mit id?”
“That’s what I said,” returned the prospector. “I left it hanging from a nail in my tent pole.”
“Is dot so-o?” replied the German boy. “You are sure off dot?”
“Certainly I am. I haven’t worn it for a couple of days.”
“Vere you s’pose I found dot yackets?”
“Where I left it, of course.”
“Und you say you left id py a nail in der tent, ain’t id?”
“Yes,” said Prawle, growing tired of the argument.
“Vell, den, I found dot yackets on der bushes ub der road a liddle vhiles ago. Vot you haf to said to dot?”
“On the bushes up the road!” exclaimed Prawle, in surprise.
“I guess you’re dreaming, Meyer,” said Jack with a laugh.
“Don’d talk foolishness.”
Prawle thrust his hand into the various pockets of the garment in quick succession, but each time drew it out empty.
“Boys,” he said at last, “my pocketbook is gone.”
“What!” exclaimed Jack and Charlie in a breath.
“Off id vos gone den I ped you dot Shinamans dook id,” said Meyer, positively.
“Was there anything important in it?” asked Jack, a bit anxiously.
“Nothing more than $25 in bills.”
“It’s lucky you deposited that bill of sale in the bank at Trinity,” Charlie spoke up. “It would be kind of awkward to have lost that.”
“Do you want to know what I think?” asked Prawle, reflectively.
“What?” queried Jack.
“Why, that Chinaman was sent down here from Rocky Gulch by Clymer and his associate Plunkett on purpose to try and steal that bill of sale away from me.”
“I shouldn’t wonder if you are right,” nodded Jack.
“If that’s so, then they have got beautifully left,” grinned Charlie.
“That’s some comfort,” agreed the prospector, beginning to eat his dinner.
“Whether it’s so or not,” said Jack, with a sagacious wag of the head, “I think we’d better keep a brighter lookout while we’re here. No telling what piece of rascality those men may put up against us. The possession of this mine, of whose richness Clymer is assured, is temptation enough for scoundrels like them even to attempt our lives. I move we each stand watch so many hours every night.”
“Second der motions,” shouted Meyer, with his mouth full of food.
Jack’s proposition being deemed a prudent one it was adopted.