“There is a man among a thousand,” he thought as he walked away, “a man of honor, in whom one could place unbounded confidence; no wonder Lyle has found him such a friend!”
At the next pause in their work, Mike’s feelings found expression:
“Begorra! but the young mon is progressin’ foinely, to be put over the loikes of us, and bein’ as how most loikely he niver sit foot in a moine, till comin’ out into this counthry!”
Jack’s face had grown strangely set and white: “We are to be his friends, remember that, Mike,” he said, in a voice unnaturally stern.
“Frinds!” exclaimed the astonished Mike, “Be-dad! and whin did I iver know ye to make frinds with ony of owld Blaisdell’s men befoor?”
“Keep your eyes open and your mouth shut, Mike,” was Jack’s only reply as he again began work, and Mike had nothing to do but to follow his example.
CHAPTER XXVI.
In a short time Houston had become perfectly familiar with his new surroundings. He was thoroughly at home in the underground workings, readily finding his way in the labyrinth of shafts, tunnels and cross-cuts extending for miles in all directions, and connecting the various mining claims one with another.