"'Cause he had no business to make the arrests, an' if it was proved Gus an' Tim stole it, he'd be in a bad mess with all hands."
"Look here, Joe"—and Bill spoke very earnestly—"it don't make any difference how tired you an' Fred are, you must go to Blacktown this very night. That lawyer will tell us jest what oughter be done, an' we've got to fight this thing tooth an' nail, now all hands are agin us."
Joe realized that this was good advice, and went at once to confer with Mrs. Byram and Fred.
The result of this last interview was that an hour after midnight the miner and the boy left the house quietly, and walked at a rapid pace directly across the mountain.
"This is pretty tough, lad," Joe said, when they were some distance from the town. "It seems as if I'd done nothin' but tramp for the last month."
"I won't grumble if this matter is straightened out finally, but just now it looks as though all hands would have been better off to let things go as they might."
"Don't get downhearted. When our mine is open you can afford to laugh at this little fracas."
Although Joe spoke so cheerily he was far from feeling comfortable in mind, as was apparent when they visited the lawyer's house at a very early hour next morning.
The mental anxiety could be plainly read on his face as he waited to receive the legal opinion after telling his story.
"I don't think you need fear any serious trouble, although matters may be very disagreeable for a while," that gentleman said. "It will be well for us to make complaint against the Dobson boy, and by causing his arrest be certain of having him here when he is wanted. I will attend to it at once."