"Haf you peen up to dat tunnel, hein?" demanded Weimer with a triumphant glance at Ross.
The stranger nodded, "Yep. Didn’t see no signs of livin’ here and I did see some signs up t’ the mouth of the tunnel, but I didn’t see no good way of gittin’ up t’ it. When I got there I was over t’ other side of the dump and when I got up on top of it I heard voices down here, so down here I put agin!"
"Did you come up from Miners’ Camp?" asked Ross eagerly.
The stranger shook his head. "No, I live toward the Divide on––" The stranger interrupted himself to ask, "Know the country over there, do you?"
Weimer shook his head. "Only py hearsay."
"Well, we located on Sagewood Run, my pal and me, and––"
"Didn’t know dere vas a soul livin’ in dem parts," exclaimed Weimer.
"Me and my pal," returned the stranger. "We hain’t got no neighbor near enough to throw kisses to, that’s sartain. You’re the nighest."
"Prospector?" asked Weimer.
"Coal," returned the stranger. "We’re tryin’ to hold down half a dozen claims."