“But, shall we meet Indians, Griggs?” cried Chris excitedly.
“Not we. Sooner go miles round; but they’ll meet us, I expect.”
“Oh!” said Chris thoughtfully. “But what for?”
“To get our mules and carts, and all we have with us.”
“But what about ourselves?”
“Oh, we’re no use to them,” said the American dryly. “They’ll pitch us aside as so much rubbish—if we’ll let ’em.”
“Get on!” cried Ned. “He’s talking like that to frighten us. But I say, Griggs, what about the gold?”
“Well, what about it?”
“If there’s tons upon tons of it, how are we going to bring it away?”
“Ah, yes. I’ve been thinking about that,” said the American dryly, “and I’ve settled upon this.”