They're altogether too
much for us three men to be left alone with."
"You don't mean that you think that anybody would attempt"--said
Demorest.
Stacy curled a fighting lip rather superciliously. "No; I don't think
THAT--I rather wish I did. It's the blessed chunks of solid gold that
seem to have got US fast, don't you know, and are going to stick to us
for good or ill. A sort of Frankenstein monster that we've picked out of
a hole from below."
"I know just what Stacy means," said Barker breathlessly, rounding
his gray eyes. "I've felt it, too. Couldn't we make a sort of cache of
it--bury it just outside the cabin for to-night? It would be sort of
putting it back into its old place, you know, for the time being. IT
might like it."
The other two laughed. "Rather rough on Providence, Barker boy," said
Stacy, "handing back the Heaven-sent gift so soon! Besides, what's to
keep any prospector from coming along and making a strike of it? You
know that's mining law--if you haven't preempted the spot as a claim."
But Barker was too staggered by this material statement to make any
reply, and Demorest arose. "And I feel that you'd both better be turning
in, as we've got to get up early." He went to the corner of the cabin,
and threw the blanket back over the pan and its treasure. "There
that'll keep the chunks from getting up to ride astride of you like a
nightmare.
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