"Say, the placer where I found my nugget is just above Grant's!" exclaimed Harden. "Why don't you placer fans start on west and we'll all try to meet there in a week's time. I couldn't tell Field where it was in a hundred years."
"Suits me!" exclaimed Curly.
"Me too!" echoed Mack.
"Then," said Enoch, "will you take Jonas along as cook, Mack?"
"You bet!" cried Mack.
"Does that suit you, Jonas?" asked Enoch.
"No, boss, it don't suit me. I've gotta go with you. I ain't never going to live through it, but I'll die praying."
A shout went up of laughter and expostulation, but Jonas, though grim with terror, was entirely unmoved. Nothing, not even mortal horror of the Colorado could break his determination never to be separated from Enoch again. His agitation was so deep and so obvious that Enoch and Milton finally gave in to him.
"All right!" said Milton. "A daylight start will about suit us all, I guess. I don't think I can give you much previous instruction, Judge, that will help you. We'll put Jonas in Harden's boat and you in mine. You must wear your life preserver all the time that we are on the water. When we are in the boat, do as I tell you, instantly, and you'll soon pick up what small technique we have. It's mostly horse sense and brute strength that we use. No two rapids are alike and the portages are nearly all difficult beyond words."
"My Gawd!" muttered Jonas.