“What! One hundred silver and one hundred and fifty gold? And two hundred, and three hundred and fifty? But that is enormous for surface rock.”
The miners laughed. The oldest said:
“And the ledge is so wide that it almost takes the half of the hill. We took two claims and put our prospect shaft in the middle.”
“Did you make your locations in good legal form?” was the next question.
“Yes sir, we have our papers,” said the spokesman, handing to Clarence some papers.
“I see you are four partners, where is the other?”
“He is at the mine, working at the shaft.”
“Well gentlemen,” Clarence said, “I have just come, an hour ago. I don't know how soon I will find an expert, but I think I will do so between now and to-morrow by mid-day. I will consult with him and see how soon he can go to look at your mines. Meantime I'll have some of the rock assayed. From what depth was the rock assayed taken?”
“From fifty, seventy and ninety feet. We have some few pieces from the last we took the day we left, at a depth of one hundred feet.” So saying, he handed to Clarence other pieces of rock which looked much richer, adding, “This is the ore we have not had assayed yet. My opinion is that the rock hasn't changed much.”
It was agreed that Clarence would meet them at eleven next morning and notify them if he had found an expert. When they had left the room Clarence asked Hubert where his brother Fred was.