“Well, gents, here’s hoping things are comin’ your way,” said Coffey, as the three touched glasses.
“They’ll come our way all right if that Mongolian of yours brings back the paper we want,” said Clymer, setting down his glass.
“He’ll get it if the thing is to be found,” replied Coffey, confidently. “I’ve seen many slick Chinamen in my time, gents, but Meen Fun can give ’em all cards and spades, and beat ’em out every time; take my word on it.”
“I hope so! but I want you to understand that he isn’t up against such an easy proposition. That prospector is a hard old nut to bamboozle, while two of those boys at least are as bright as you find them. If they catch your Chinaman up to any tricks it will go hard with him.”
“They’re welcome, to handle Meen Fun as roughly as they please if they detect him; but that they’ll never do.”
“I’d like to feel as sure about it as you do,” said Clymer, anxiously.
“One would think you gents had struck a lead down at the creek, you’re so desperately in earnest to get your flukes on that claim,” said Coffey, pointedly.
“It isn’t that,” replied Plunkett, quickly; “we’ve another reason for wantin’ to get hold of it.”
“There must be somethin’ worth findin’ there,” persisted Coffey, “or those chaps wouldn’t go into camp on that spot. Looks rather suspicious to me. Instead of coming by the short route through the Gulch here you tell me they have gone around by water. It doesn’t seem to me they would have done that if they didn’t aim to keep their presence there a secret as long as possible. I think you gents will find it to your interest to let me in on this thing, or I may take it into my head to do a little investigating on my own hook. Beaver Creek ain’t so far away but I could run down there in an hour or two, and there isn’t any law against a man using his eyes, or askin’ questions about matters that interest him.”
Coffey’s unexpected attitude disconcerted the two schemers.