But building does not take long under such circumstances. Wood had been brought up from out of a valley a few miles lower down, and in the shelter of a dense patch of scrub pine in a side gully, where the new-comers found the gold promising to their hearts’ content, they were ready to defy the keenest weather that might come.
Two years had elapsed, and winter was once more expected, for the days were shortening fast, when three men sat together in their humble hut, discussing the question of going home; and the thought of once more meeting one whose last letter had told of her longings to see her boys again, brought a flush to the young men’s cheeks and a bright light to their eyes.
They had been talking long and loudly, those two, while Tregelly had sat smoking his pipe and saying nothing, till Dallas turned to him sharply.
“Say something, my son?” the big fellow cried. “Of course I will. Here it is. I’ve been thinking of all that gold we’ve sent safely home through the banks, and I’ve been thinking of what our claim’s worth, and what that there company’s willing to give.”
“Well,” said Abel, “go on.”
“Give a man time, my son. I warn’t brought up to the law. What I was thinking is this: we three working chaps in our shabby clothes are rich men as we stand now.”
“Very,” said Dallas.
“And if we were to sell our claim now we should be very, very rich.”
“Very—very—very rich,” said Abel, laughing as a man laughs who is in high spirits produced by vigorous health.
“Well, go on,” said Dallas.