"You don't say so!" exclaimed Maybe Dixon. "Then that man was a thief after all."
"We can be thankful he had to sneeze," remarked Mark. "That was worth our whole capital."
"I'd give ten dollars to know who it was," said Bob.
"I go in for warning the rest of the miners around here," declared Si. "If there is a thief around all the honest men ought to know it."
This was considered good reasoning, and after supper Si and Mark strolled around to the various tents dotting the gulch and told of what had occurred.
"Well! well! so it's got that far, sonny," cried one brawny miner. "I will be on my guard after this. If anybody comes near my tent he'll get a dose of cold lead that won't agree with his digestion." And he tapped his big pistol significantly. All of the miners were thankful for being warned, and each promised to be on guard.
"Of course the would-be thief may be among those we warned," said Mark, on returning to his own tent. "But if so, he'll realize that we will stand for no more such treachery."
Several days passed, including Sunday, which was spent in resting up and in looking over their clothing. The boys also took a bath, in a pool of spring water back of the camp, which was both healthful and refreshing.
Monday afternoon found Mark and Bob working at the bottom of a deep sand hole near the end of the gulch. Si and Maybe Dixon were not far away. Each of the party had found some small nuggets, but nothing of great value.
"We must be careful here," said Mark, as he got to the bottom of the hole. "This sand is none too firm."