"Charley," said Pop. "This cow-puncher's aimin' to change his spots. He's a amatchure prospector an' wants us to pick out his outfit."
"I can believe that he's an amatchure if he's goin' to try it in this part of th' country," smiled Charley. "Nobody's ever tried it down here before."
Johnny was about to mention the two prospectors referred to by Mr. Quigley, but thought better of it.
"Oh, it's been tried," said Pop casually. "But they didn't stay long. What you got in that line, Charley?"
"I ain't shore; but first you want an axe. Come on; we'll saunter aroun' an' pick things out as they hit our eye. Here's th' axe—double bitted, six-pounder."
"Too big," chuckled Pop. "There ain't none of them there redwood trees out here; they're in Californy."
"Huh!" grunted Charley. "Mebbyso; but that's a good axe."
"Pop's right; it's too heavy," decided Johnny. "An' I don't want it double bitted because I may want to drive stakes with it."
"All right," said Charley, who had hoped to at last get rid of the big axe. "Here's a three-pounder—'Little Gem'—an' it shore is. All right; now for th' next article."