“Choose well between the two and both shall be yours. But if you choose unwisely, then both will be lost and you will suffer humiliation and shame.”
“Say,” blurted out Denver, “your claims are all silver–haven’t you got a gold prospect anywhere?”
“No, I haven’t,” answered Old Bunk, his eye on the bank-roll, “but I’ll accept a deposit on that offer. Any claim I’ve got–except the Lost Burro itself–for five hundred dollars, cash.”
52“How long is that good for?” enquired Russell cautiously and Bunker slapped his leg for action.
“It’s good for right now,” he said, “and not a minute after!”
“But I’ve got to look around,” pleaded Denver desperately, “I’ve got to find both these treasures–one of silver and one of gold–and make my choice between them.”
“Well, that’s your business,” said Bunker rising up abruptly. “Will you take that offer or not?”
“No,” replied Denver, putting up his purse and Old Bunk glanced at him shrewdly.
“Well, I’ll give you a week on it,” he said, smiling grimly, and stood up to look down the trail. Denver looked out after him and there, puffing up the slope, came Professor Diffenderfer, the eminent buttinsky and geologist.