"I'll willingly pay for them," said Josiah Socket, who had brought considerable money with him. "I'd give a good bit to have a general store handy."
"So would we, even though we haven't much money," said Mark.
They let the Sockets have what they thought they could possibly spare. But it was very little, and everybody at both cabins was put, for the time being, on half rations or less. At this the smaller Socket children set up a protest, which went straight to their mother's heart.
"Oh, Josiah, we must do something," sighed Mrs. Socket. "Isn't there any store at all around here?"
Her husband said no, but two days later a miner came along who said some provisions could be had at a camp known as the Four Monkeys. The camp was forty miles away. Prices were frightfully high, but the goods were to be had, if a man wanted to pay for them.
After talking the matter over with Maybe Dixon and the boys, it was decided that Socket and Mark should pay a visit to Four Monkeys, taking Socket's two horses for the journey. They were given minute directions regarding the trail to follow, and started away at the same time that Maybe Dixon and Si went on a hunt.
"How long will you be gone, Josiah?" asked his wife.
"Not more than four days—unless the trail is very bad," answered the husband.
As soon as Mark and Socket had departed for the distant camp, Maybe Dixon and Si went out on the hunt. This left Bob, Mrs. Socket, and the children in the two cabins alone.
Maybe Dixon and Si were full of expectations, but after tramping around for several hours without seeing game of any kind the face of each took on a gloomy look.