"Well, he may assert you abandoned the claims, but Sol knows all the mining laws and we've got right on our side," consoled his father.
When they arrived at the spot, Sol and the Pine Knot Ike party were hotly arguing.
CHAPTER XXII
THE "VIRGINIA CONSOLIDATED"
"According to miners' law of this gulch or any other district," was declaring Sol, "when a party can't work a lode claim by reason of lack of water or proper machinery, they've a right to let it lie a certain length of time; can go out, and come back to it again, in the meanwhile."
"Yes, mebbe so," returned the giant. "But they got to give their intentions to the recorder, an' there ain't any such intentions on file."
"There are, too—or there ought to be," contradicted Terry, freshly excited. "I told the recorder myself—didn't I, George? I told him what was the matter, and that we were going away, and I told him to record the claims, and he said he would till we got back."
"Oh, you did, did you!" rasped the giant. "That'll do for talk, but whar's the proof?"
"When did you see the recorder, Terry?" asked his father.