“Well, after losing one canoe and two of the Indians, Old Hal hit his trail and led us up toward the mountains.
“All of that short summer was passed in the usual work of prospecting: digging, panning, washing, or testing for gold. Permanent camp had been built by the men, and a number of Indian servants took precaution that every emergency should be provided for in case of a hard, long winter. Every kind of edible bird or beast was trapped and prepared for food, while the skins and pelts of animals were cured and made into garments and covers.
“I was the youngest in camp, so I was known as the ‘Kid,’ and Old Hal took the office of guardian toward me from the first and ordered me about—always for my good, be it known—and kept a watchful eye over my doings and the men I happened to work with.
“Toward the end of the short summer we struck a rich vein of gold!
“I shall never forget the change in everyone’s character the moment the gold was discovered in the shining sand. Some became savages, others grew crafty and cunning, and Old Hal had his hands full to keep discipline in the camp. Dwight and Herrick saw the tendency of their hired men to mutiny against Hal and themselves, and perhaps jump the claim when the owners were out of the way, but they were farsighted men, and Hal was no greenhorn in handling Esquimo and half-breed Indians.
“A large tract of land on both sides of the creek was staked off and a diagram of the area carefully drawn by Herrick, to be filed in the office at Forty-Mile Station, where a legal land-office was maintained by the government.
“As it was most necessary to file this claim before winter came on, a conference was held between Hal and the two engineers. Hal said he could easily make the trip to Forty-Mile and back again before winter froze everything solid, so he was ordered to take a canoe, with two of the mutinous men, and start immediately. Two dogs were placed in the canoe, in case they would be needed for sledging, and a store of food and pelts were packed under the seats. At the last moment, Hal was led to take his own canoe, which he had made that summer, and ask for my company. I was delighted to know I could accompany my old friend, so one of the dogs and a sledge were placed in Hal’s canoe, and but one of the men got in, while I was placed in the other canoe, with the other man.
“We started in good order and made quick time. We had no route, map, or survey, for there were none in those days, but Hal knew every foot of the way, unless unusual conditions prevailed. We made camp that night, and rested, all unmindful of the plot the two mutinous men were hatching against us to get possession of the claim papers.
“In the morning, after an early breakfast, we started, and had gone but a short distance before our canoes ran out of the stream into a broad expanse of water that was unfamiliar to Hal.
“He looked carefully around for some landmark to guide him, and saw, some miles further on, what he believed to be a blazed spot. So he directed his man to paddle for that place.