CHAPTER XXVIII
After that the old miner told his story in detail, how he had wandered around the mountain for three days, trying several spots that held out a promise of gold. Some were fair, but the last spot he had visited had every indication of being a bonanza. He had marked it and then come away, thinking to take the news back to camp. On the way he had met an old prospector and had said he had found something quite good. He thought the old prospector, who could talk Spanish, must have told the two Mexicans. The Mexicans were nothing but brigands, and they had followed and waylaid him and dragged him to the shack. There they had tried by every means in their power to make Maybe Dixon reveal his secret, starving him and giving him no water, and hitting him with their pistols.
"The last thing they did was to promise to bring a rattlesnake to the shack. Then, if I didn't promise to lead them to the find, they would let the rattler bite me."
"What awful wretches!" gasped Si. "No wonder you feel like shooting them on sight."
As soon as Maybe Dixon felt strong enough, they left the shack. Scarcely had they gotten outside than Si gave a cry:
"There they are now!"
"Where?"
"Up on yonder rocks!"
Maybe Dixon looked in the direction, and catching sight of one of the Mexicans fired the pistol at him. At once the man and his companion fired in return and then disappeared up the mountain trail, running as hard as they could.
"They won't come back now," said Si, after the momentary excitement was over. None of the shots had taken effect.
"They had better not," answered Maybe Dixon. "I am going armed after this, every day, so they had better beware."
Dixon was so weak that the two had to take their time about returning to the gulch. The want of water had almost driven him crazy, and he was more than bitter against the Mexicans every time he thought of them.
"I couldn't have held out much longer," he said. "I would have had to give in, if you hadn't 'a' come along."
"I am mighty glad I did," answered Si. "But I guess those greasers will be mad at me now too."
"Yes, you watch out that you don't git into trouble. Don't trust 'em an inch."
"I won't."
The return to camp was hailed with delight by Bob and Mark, who listened in amazement to the tale the old miner had to tell. They all agreed that they must go armed in the future, and two good pistols were purchased without delay. More than this, the boys spent some time in shooting at a mark, doing very well after a little practice.
"After this we'll have to go on the principle that every man is an enemy until he proves himself a friend," said Bob. "It's a hard way to do, but it can't be helped."
As soon as Mark felt strong enough for the journey, they moved their camp up the mountain-side. Tillie West went with them, and so did her father and mother and two miners named Dawson and Keith. The boys and Maybe Dixon were glad to have the others in the colony, as it would have been lonely otherwise. Besides, Si wanted Tillie to go along, and the young housekeeper would not go without her father and mother.
It was a clear and rather cool, breezy day when Maybe Dixon led the boys to the new diggings and staked out his claim. Mr. West staked a claim close by, and the other miners did the same. Then all began to work, anxious to see what the "bonanza," as Maybe Dixon termed it, would bring forth.
The spot was between two hills of rocks and dirt. There had once been a stream there, but this had long since dried up. The place had a low growth of bushes which were cleared away after some labor. It was not long after this that they got down to pay dirt.
"Ten dollars at least to a panful," announced Maybe Dixon. "Ain't that rich?"
"It's fine!" declared Mark, who was looking on. He did not feel strong enough as yet to go to work.
The others were more than satisfied, especially as some small nuggets were found, and all went to work with a will. The claims of the other miners were also satisfactory, and soon more men drifted to the spot until the colony numbered a score or more. It was called the Maybe Hill settlement, after Maybe Dixon, much to that individual's satisfaction.
"Never thought as how I'd have a village named after me," said he. "Hope she proves a buster."
"It looks as if she might," answered Bob, with a laugh.
A week passed and Mark grew steadily stronger. He wanted to go to work again, but the others thought he had best wait a few days longer.
"You don't want a relapse," said Bob. "It might prove worse than the original attack."
As they would not let him work, Mark spent the time in roaming around the mountain-side, looking at the various diggings and prospects. He kept his eyes wide open for the two villainous Mexicans, but they did not appear.
Since his sickness Mark had asked several times about Morgan Fitzsimmons, Sag Ruff, and Soapy Gannon. Then Si went to the settlement for a new pick and a washing pan and came back with the announcement that the three men had left for parts unknown.
"They were wanted too—by some men who were swindled at cards—but nobody knew when they got out, or how," said Si.
Mark had written a long letter to his step-father, explaining the situation. The letter was sent to San Francisco, but there was no telling when it would get to Philadelphia or when an answer could be expected.
On the second day of his journeying around the mountain Mark came to a particularly deep gully, located at the bottom of what had once been a landslide. Great rocks were on both sides of the opening and also the remains of some large trees.
"There may be gold down here," thought the youth, and resolved to investigate. It was no easy matter to reach the bottom of the gully, and he had to make use of a rope for that purpose. Then traveling along the bottom of the opening proved laborious and his progress was necessarily slow.
Mark had been hunting around a good two hours when he came to a spot where a large and somewhat flat rock had blocked a portion of the landslide. Under the flat rock was an opening several feet wide and almost as high as his head. How deep it was he could not tell from the outside.
His curiosity was excited, and he lit a bit of tallow candle he carried and walked into the opening a distance of several yards. It was smaller inside and he had to walk along with bent head. Then he came to where several sharp rocks stuck out in a semicircle, with a good deal of sand and dirt underneath.
He placed his candle on a rock and began to examine the interior of the cavern. The sand looked as if it contained gold, and he took some in his hand and held it close to the light.
"Gold, beyond a doubt!" he murmured. "This spot ought to pay very well. It may be every bit as good as the spot the others are now working. No use of talking, California is certainly the land of gold!"
He continued to hunt around the cavern, finding evidences of loose gold on all sides of him. Then, with a small crowbar he was carrying, he pried up several of the rocks, taking care not to disturb any which might bring the roof down on his head.
One rock in particular was hard to move, but Mark kept at it, and presently it fell away, revealing a dark pocket several feet in depth. The young gold hunter took his candle and held it down in front of him.
"Eureka!"
Mark gasped out the word, as a dull, yellowish lump lying on some sand below caught his eye. His hand began to tremble so that he let the tallow candle fall into the hole. It went out, leaving him in darkness.
"A nugget, I'll wager my head!" he murmured and reached down into the hole. Soon he had hold of the lump and with an effort he raised it up and placed it on the floor of the cavern. Then he took it in both hands and stumbled to the outer air with his find.
The sight before him almost took away his breath. He held in his hand a nugget that was almost pure gold. It was of good size and heavy, and he knew it must be worth at least five thousand dollars, if not much more!