“Uh-huh.”
“I saw some rabbits on it as I drove in.”
“Quite a few rabbits. I get a meal from ’em once in a while.” He jerked his head to indicate a rusted twenty-two calibre rifle which hung on the wall. “She doesn’t look like much outside, but she’s smooth as a mirror inside.”
“Who owns the land?”
His eyes glittered. “I do.”
“Makes it nice,” I said. “It’s better living this way than in town.”
“It is for a fact. The town’s dead. This place is all right. How’d you happen to find it?”
“Someone in town told me you were down here and could tell me something about the gold-dredging.”
“What do you want to know?”
“Oh, just general facts.”