“I just want to give it back–and have it over with!” she exclaimed with an embittered smile. “I’ve practiced and I’ve practiced but it doesn’t do any good, and now I’m going to quit.”
“Oh, if that’s all,” jeered Denver, “I’ll locate another claim, and let you give that back. What good would it do him if you did give it back–he’d just sit in the shade and tell stories.”
“Don’t you talk that way about my father!” she exclaimed, “he’s the nicest, kindest man that ever lived! He’s not strong enough to work in this 105awful hot weather but he intended to open this up in the fall.”
“Well, it’s opened up already,” announced Denver grimly. “You just show him that piece of rock.”
“Oh, have you found something?” she cried snatching up the chunk of ore. “Why, this doesn’t look like silver!”
“No, it isn’t,” he said, and at the look in his eyes she leapt up and ran down the trail.
She came back immediately with her father and mother and, after a moment of pop-eyed staring, the Professor came waddling along behind.
“Where’d you get this?” called Bunker as he strode up the trail and Denver jerked his thumb towards the tunnel.
“At the breast,” he said. “Looks pretty good, don’t it? I thought it would run into copper!”
“Vot’s dat? Vot’s dat?” clamored the Professor from the fork of the trail and Bunker gave Denver the wink.