“But we left him pretty well satisfied. We didn’t treat him as the gentleman from Pike treated us.”
“No—I wouldn’t be so mean as that darned skunk. It makes me mad whenever I look at this consumptive hoss he’s left behind.”
“You didn’t make much out of that horse trade, Mr. Bickford.”
“I didn’t, but I’ll get even with him some time if we ever meet again.”
“Do you know where he was bound?”
“No—he didn’t say.”
“I dare say it’ll all come right in the end. At any rate, we shan’t starve for the next forty-eight hours.”
So in better spirits the two companions kept on their way.
CHAPTER XXX
ON THE YUBA RIVER
On the following day Joe and his comrade fell in with a party of men who, like themselves, were on their way to the Yuba River. They were permitted to join them, and made an arrangement for a share of the provisions. This removed all anxiety and insured their reaching their destination without further adventure.