“Yea, that’s about it. She ain’t been worked much, has she? Well, that’s Maryland. Now, boys, I tell you. This here camp has been quieter than I thought it would be, an’ I reckon that’s because the news hasn’t really got around yet. But somethin’ tells me that to-morrow or next day you’ll see plenty of excitement near here.”
“So we better get located quick, hey?” Nick said.
“That’s it. Here! How about taking a claim right next to mine?”
“Sure! That’s a good idea,” Roy agreed. “How do you stake it?”
“Just like I staked mine. Take stones or stakes an’ set ’em out. Make it just the size of mine—that’s regulation. Come on, let’s go.”
They dismounted and tied the ponies to a tree.
“You pace it off, Teddy,” Roy suggested. “In line with Gus’s.”
The claim was paced and stones placed at each corner. Suddenly Gus exclaimed:
“Hey, I forgot! Don’t you want four claims, one for each? Sure you do! Then we’ll incorporate it—wow, that’s a word for you!—we’ll incorporate it in one big claim. That’s legal. Here, I’ll pace it for you.”
This was done.