They left the cabin with Ralph between them, and proceeded at once to the store kept by Joe Loche.
In five minutes their numbers were increased till the original two had swelled to twenty-five or thirty.
"What has he done?" asked one of the new members.
"Been stealing gold from old man Nixon. We caught him in the act."
"It's mighty dangerous for a thief round here, stranger," said Joe Loche. "What have you got to say for yourself?"
"He can't say anything. We found the gold in his pocket."
"Boys," said Chris Nelson, who was generally looked up to as a leader in the settlement, "you hear what is said against this man. What shall be his fate?"
"Hang him!" was the laconic response of half a dozen.
"No, no!" shrieked the affrighted wretch, "I only took the gold in joke."
"Then we'll hang you in joke."