“What d'you think you saw—anybody on the claim?”
“I didn't see anything. I didn't hear anything either. I had an idea, that's all; came all of a sudden, like that. Something, I don' know what.”
“I guess you just imagined something. There ain't anybody within twenty miles of us, I guess.”
“Yes, I guess so, just imagined it, that's the word.”
Half an hour later they had the fire going. McTeague was frying strips of bacon over the coals, and Cribbens was still chattering and exclaiming over their great strike. All at once McTeague put down the frying-pan.
“What's that?” he growled.
“Hey? What's what?” exclaimed Cribbens, getting up.
“Didn't you notice something?”
“Where?”
“Off there.” The dentist made a vague gesture toward the eastern horizon. “Didn't you hear something—I mean see something—I mean—”