They worked steadily until evening. They staked out their respective and adjoining claims, dropped the rusted tools in a bottomless crevice, and removed the last shred and vestige of a previous occupancy.
"This here's been too easy," said Overland, as he sliced bacon for the evening meal. "When things comes as easy as this, you want to watch out for a change in the weather. We ain't through with the bunch yet."
The Easterner, making the evening fire, nodded. "How are we to get provisions?" he asked.
"First, I was thinkin' of packin' 'em in from Gophertown, over yonder. She's about thirty miles from here, across the alkali. 'T aint a regular town, but they got grub. But if we got to comin' in regular, they'd smell gold quicker than bees findin' orange-blossoms. They got my number, likewise."
"How's that?"
"They know I been standin' out on the edge ever since I had a little fuss with some folks over at Yuma, quite a spell ago."
"Won't you tell me about it?"
"Sure! They was three parties interested—me and another gent and a hoss. I guess the hoss is still alive."
Winthrop laughed. "That's a pretty brief epic," he said.