Close-up encounters with bears, rattle-snakes, and land-slides, were passed off as mere trifles by him. But the problems of getting enough good things to eat, now and then a dance at some school-house, or finding a pretty girl one could talk to—these were awful!
When dinner was out of the way, the four young people started to walk to Rainbow Cliffs, as that was the show-spot of all the countryside. Having so many unique features and winding walks made it a delightful place for quiet little chats or tête-à-têtes.
"I never saw anything like those great masses of color," said Kenneth, as they drew near the sparkling walls.
"I told Ken when we rode past here to-day, that Tom wanted your father to sell out the cliffs on a royalty basis, but he refused to. Now that Tom is here again with John, and the gold mine is caved in with that land-slide, maybe he will listen, eh?" asked Jim, eagerly.
Polly shook her head. "I don't believe he will, but we can't find out why he is so stubborn about it."
"Jim, I don't believe our gold mine has caved in, at all. It's only temporarily buried, up there. If there is any way it can be located again, I'm going to insist upon having it worked!" declared Eleanor.
"Why? You don't need the money," laughed Jim.
"How do you know what I need!" retorted Eleanor. "Polly and I need money this Fall, as we are going to go away to school together—somewhere. And she can't go unless she has her own money, 'cause her father won't consent to her leaving home, but her mother will—so she will have to have her own money to get away with, see?"
"No, I don't see that that will work," Kenneth interpolated.
"Why not? If Mr. Brewster finds Polly is going, anyway, he will soon enough give his consent," argued Eleanor.