“Yep. Out on the trail to Kaster.”
“Yes,” said “the hermit.”
“Oh!” ejaculated Ruth, suddenly. “Was his rural delivery box number twenty-four?”
“What?” asked “the hermit.” “Yes, it was.”
Ruth opened her lips again; then she shut them tightly. She would not speak further of this subject before Flapjack and Min.
“Well,” the latter said irritably. “No use standin’ here all day. We’re goin’ to stake out them claims and put up notices. And we don’t want ’em teched, neither.”
“If mine are not touched you may be sure I shall not interfere with yours,” said the young man stiffly, turning his back on them and hobbling to his waiting pony.
Ruth wanted to say something else to him; then she hesitated. Then the young man rode away, the crutches dangling over his shoulder by a cord.
She left Peters and Min to stake out the claims, having written the notices for her own, and for Helen’s and Jennie’s and Rebecca Frayne’s claims as well. It was agreed that nothing was to be said at the camp about the find. As soon as she arrived she took Helen and Jennie aside and warned them.
“As Min says, we’ll ‘button up our lips,’” Jennie said. “Oh, I can keep a secret! But who will go to Kingman to file on the claims?”