“Here’s a bird for you,� he said, taking one at random.
Dick stood a minute with the caged pigeon in his hand, then said abruptly: “Cousin Mayo, you told me that you were going in the army. When?�
“Hey?� Black Mayo gave a start.
Dick repeated his question.
His cousin frowned. “I don’t know,� he said. “I don’t know. There are things here. I don’t see how I can get away.�
Couldn’t get away! Why, Cousin Mayo had always been footloose; he picked up, on a day’s notice, and went to Alaska or Mexico or the South Sea Islands, for a month or two, or a year or two. And now to say he couldn’t get away! People were saying he stayed at home because he was a coward and a slacker. It was not true. And why were they saying it about Cousin Mayo and not about other men who didn’t go to war?
Dick went on toward the mine, feeling mystified and worried. He proceeded cautiously as usual, varying his route and making cut-offs and circuits to avoid possible observation and pursuit. The door of Solomon Gabe’s cabin was open, as it often was, revealing nothing in the gloomy interior. Dick circled behind the hovel, going rather close to keep away from a little swamp. The place was usually as silent as the grave. But now he heard two voices—Solomon Gabe’s old monotone and another voice that he felt he might have recognized if it had been a little louder. He scurried along the edge of the swamp, and in a minute he was out of sight and hearing.
He paused at Mine Creek as usual to set free his bird. It perched on his shoulder a moment; then it soared up and wheeled and was off.
Dick went on to the mine and stood several minutes on the lookout before he put his ladder into the hole and descended. He always took precautions against stray passers-by, although in all these months he had never seen any one thereabouts.
Down in the mine, he lighted a candle and went to one of the lower spurs and set to work, following the line between a layer of clay and rock. After a while he came to a projecting ledge of rock and, using pick and sledge hammer with difficulty, he broke off a piece. He picked it up—it was very heavy—and looked at it. On the broken surface there were bright specks and streaks. How they shone and sparkled in the candlelight! Silver! Ah, he had found it at last!