“So it seems,” said the judge. “Well, I congratulate you two young fellows on your escape last night. Those scoundrels have got away; and if they turn up again, lawyer though I am, I should advise you both to shoot on sight. If you are brought before me, I’ll promise you I will bring it in justifiable homicide.”
A couple of hours later they had parted from Tregelly and his companions, with a hearty shake of the hand and a promise to keep to their agreement about the gold.
“If we discover a good place.”
Chapter Twenty.
Norton’s idea of a good spot.
It was a long, weary tramp up by the higher waters of the huge Yukon River towards its sources in the neighbourhood of the Pelly Lakes, where sharp rapids and torrents were succeeded by small, shallow lakes; and wherever they halted, shovel and pan were set to work, and, as their guide Norton termed it, the granite and sand were tasted, and gold in exceedingly small quantities was found.
“It’s so ’most everywhere,” said Norton; “and I don’t say but what you might find a rich spot at any time; but if you take my advice you’ll come straight on with me to where a few of us are settled down. It’s regularly into the wilds. I don’t suppose even an Indian has been there before; but we chaps went up.”
“But there are Indians about, I suppose?” said Abel.