A GLOOMY OUTLOOK
New Year's day found the young pioneers located in the valley of the Yuba River, in a rude cabin which it had cost them a good deal of time and trouble to erect. They had come across the continent in safety, and now they were impatient for the winter to go away that they might start their hunt for gold dust and nuggets.
"Good-by to 1848!" sang out Mark. "May the year 1849 prove a fortunate one for all of us."
"Amen to that," came from Maybe Dixon, who sat by the rude fire-place, boiling a pot of coffee. They had very little coffee left and so had to boil it a good while, to get some strength out of the small quantity used at a time.
"I wouldn't mind it so much if we weren't so shy of provisions," said Bob. "But I can tell you what, boys, things are getting mighty low."
They all knew that without being told, yet the saying of it made the crowd look sober.
"Do you know what I am going to do?" said Maybe Dixon. "I'm going out to-morrow and see if I can't bring down game of some sort."
"Let me go with you!" exclaimed Si, eagerly.
"All right, Si, you can go,—with the shotgun. We ought to be able to scare up some rabbits if nothin' else."
Close at hand was another log cabin, occupied by the Sockets. They too were short of provisions and had been over several times to borrow things to eat.