Andy met the trio about noon. Dr. Shonto took the seat in the tonneau with the stern-faced Mary Temple, and Charmian rode in front with Andy. The handsome big car purred along through the solemn redwoods, following the level valley which paralleled the coast, with a range of wooded mountains between. Gray squirrels scurried across the narrow road, to scamper up lofty trees and bark at them mockingly. The streams that they crossed were riotous and roared about the huge boulders in their courses. The sun scarcely penetrated the dark avenues of the forest. Huckleberry bushes lined the road, the berries ripe and coloured like grapes.
They estimated that the prospectors would not make over twenty miles a day with their slow-moving burros, and maybe less. It was about fifty miles from the North Fork of the Lizard to the outskirts of the Catfish Country; so, as they were virtually two days and a half behind the men, Andy pushed the big car at every opportunity. But the road was so narrow, and there were so many abrupt turns in it, made necessary by gigantic trees, that the driver averaged little better than fifteen miles an hour.
But they reached Jorny Springs, at the gateway to the Catfish Country, before four o’clock that afternoon. And there, to their great satisfaction, they found the prospectors in camp. One of the burros had gone lame on them, and they were resting the little animal before beginning the rough journey into the wilds that lay before them.
Jorny Springs was a backwoods resort conducted by an old man and his wife. They bottled the effervescent water that bubbled up in a dozen places from the ground, and shipped it to San Francisco, where it was known in cafes and soft-drink establishments as Jorny Water. Every house in that country was, on occasion, a hotel and summer resort, and such places were known as stations.
Smith Morley and Omar Leach were camped under the big trees by one of the springs. Shonto went over and talked with them a little, while Charmian and Andy ordered lunch at the house. The doctor returned to them before lunch was ready and made his report of the preliminary conference.
“They are willing enough to drop their present prospecting project right now,” he began. “They have gold claims up in the Catfish Country, but their importance is more or less problematical. However, they had enough capital to make this trip, they say, but could not rake up enough for the Shinbone expedition. So they will be only too glad to deal with us.”
“What do they want?” asked Charmian.
“I didn’t go into that with them,” replied Shonto. “But I imagine they prefer to sell the claims outright rather than to take in partners. If you’ll accept my advice, Mrs. Reemy, you’ll be mighty careful what kind of a deal you make with these boys. They may be all right, and their claims may be all that they say, but, somehow or other, I don’t just fancy their looks.”
“The one you pointed out to me as Morley,” said Charmian, “is a delightful looking villain. I like to deal with villains. That is, I think I should. I’ve never had an opportunity. I do hope they try to put something over on us.”
Shonto and Andy laughed heartily at this, but the austere Mary Temple tightened her thin lips and glared at the young widow.