“But there is a store lower down, Quong told me.”
“Yes, and to buy off the people at their exorbitant prices, I shall have to pay with gold, and for the present I wish to avoid showing that there is any here.”
The next day dawned, and was passing as the others had passed, for Mr Gunson was hesitating still about sending Quong for provisions, that little gentleman having announced that there would be “plenty bread, plenty tea, plenty bacon for another day.”
“Mayne,” said Mr Gunson, as the sun was getting low, “I think I shall go down the stream to-night, and see if those men are there. Perhaps, after all, we are scared about nothing; they may have gone up another of the valleys instead of this, and found gold in abundance—who knows? But I must end this suspense some—”
He started, for I was pointing down stream at something moving.
“Is that a deer?” I whispered; and before he could answer a voice cried—
“Come on, lads, it’s more open up here, and it looks a likely spot.”