“I am finding a little gold,” replied Gunson, quietly; “and Quong is too.”
“Eh? Me findee gole?” cried Quong, looking up from the half-boiling kettle, and hastily-made cakes which he had thrust in the embers to bake. “Yes; findee lil bit, and put um in littlee bottle.”
“But these men—will they attack you?” I said, anxiously.
“Yes, if they find that I have a good claim. More than two, you say?”
I told him all about the coming to the Fort, and how we had passed them down below. Gunson looked very serious for a while; then with a smile he said quietly—
“Well, union is strength. Now you two lads have come, my force is doubled. You will stay with me now?”
“No,” I said, firmly. “As soon as it is light I must go back to the Fort to our friends.”
“But you have quarrelled with Mr Raydon, and after this night’s business he will not have you back.”
“No,” cried Esau, eagerly. “Let’s stop and wash gold.”
“And leave your mother,” I said, “for the sake of that.”