"With all that, this is easier than farming," went on Jed.
"Don't be too sure of that," cautioned the old miner. "You haven't half begun yet."
And it was not long after this that Jed changed his mind about thinking it was easy to hunt for gold.
"That looks like a place where there was a spring," said Will, a little later, as they advanced around a turn in the road, and saw several horses, with men standing beside them, halted in the shade of a big tree.
"Guess you're right," admitted Gabe, "We're in luck."
It was a wayside spring, and the thirsty horses, scenting the water, hastened their pace. The gold-seekers found five men gathered around the drinking trough, into which the spring emptied through a wooden pipe. Four of the men were middle-aged, and one was quite young. They were all smoking, the older men using pipes, while the younger was rolling a cigarette with one hand, an operation at which he seemed quite adept.
"Howdy, strangers," greeted Mr. Harrison genially, as he alighted from his horse. "How's the water?"
"Nice and sweet," replied one of the men. "Come far?"
"We've done forty miles to-day."
"That's pretty good. Going far?"