The gang was thoroughly broken up with the death of Costello, and they dispersed to the settlements a hundred miles south.
No further trouble in working the gold claims was to be apprehended.
The prospectors from Saint’s Repose at once staked out their claims and began to sink a shaft.
Harvey Montaine had no trouble in finding plenty of men who were willing to take hold with him in opening up his own claim.
His predictions proved true, and he eventually reaped a large fortune from his claim.
Frank and Barney were escorted down the pass to the place where they had left Pomp and the Steam Man by Silver Sam, Diamond Jake and a party of the prospectors.
Pomp, as we have seen in a preceding chapter, had released himself from his bonds after being captured by the greasers, had got aboard the Steam Man and taken to the plain for safety.
All that night he kept on the move in the vicinity, taking care to guard against a second surprise.
But he was not attacked again, and some time after daylight he ventured to return to the spot where Barney and Frank upon returning would expect to find him.
He had hardly done so when they appeared accompanied by Silver Sam and his crowd.