“What luck, friends?” he asked.
“Same as usual,” answered Obed, shrugging his shoulders. “Don’t you want to buy the claim?”
“Not I,”—and the tramp, quite deceived by his manner, kept on his round.
“It’s lucky we covered up the gold,” said Obed, in a low voice. “That’s the last man I wanted to discover our good luck.”
“Shan’t we keep on working?” asked Harry, in excitement.
“I will just probe a little to form some idea of the size of the nugget,” answered Obed.
“Then you think it is a nugget?” asked Jack eagerly.
“Yes, I think our luck has come at last, boys. I think we will be able to pull stakes and go back home. But about keeping on now, we shall need to be cautious. Some one might come by, and see what we are about.”
Then Harry made a suggestion.
“Let Jack go up to the top, and if any one comes he can whistle. That will put us on our guard.”