Edward Stratemeyer

“ A single slip of a horse's hoof and the rider would have been thrown down a distance of a hundred feet or more.
"This is the kind of traveling I don't like," remarked Si, as he looked down to the rocks below and shivered.
"Don't look down—keep your eyes on the trail," said Andrew West. "If you look down you may get dizzy and fall out of the saddle."
Near the top of the cliffs the way was worse than ever. The man passed in safety and then came Bob. Si's horse came to a halt.
"I can't make that!" cried the former farm lad, in dismay. "If the horse tries it we'll go over, sure!" ”

“ The first Mexican had been captured by Andrew West, Si, and Bob, but the other fellow had fired on them, and now Sag Ruff and Morgan Fitzsimmons were in the mix-up, each on horseback.
"We must ride for it!" cried Sag Ruff, as the party from below came into view. "They are too many for us!"
"Ride it is," answered Morgan Fitzsimmons.
Both men struck their steeds fiercely, to force them into a gallop, and over the rocks they clattered. Maybe Dixon saw this, took aim at them, and fired four times. Mark also fired, and with a wild leap Sag Ruff's animal went down, throwing his rider over his head. ”

“ And he was right, for gambling flourished vigorously in those days on all the boats of the Mississippi and the Missouri. The game went on day and night, and many a fortune was lost. The great majority of the gamblers were tricksters, and sometimes, when one was caught at his tricks, he was shot or run off the boat.
"What a life to lead!" said Bob. "I can tell you, no gambling for me!"
"Nor for me," answered Mark. "The fellow who gambles deserves to lose; and I guess he generally does, too, unless he's a sharp." ”

“ The question came from Maybe Dixon. He was up to his knees in loose dirt.
"I am all right," answered Mark.
"A small rock hit me on the shoulder, but the hurt doesn't count," returned Bob. "Where is Si?"
"I think he got out," said Mark. "But I am not certain."
"If he did get out maybe he is worse off than we are," said Maybe Dixon. "The landslide must have carried him down to the valley, or killed him."
For several minutes the three inside the cavern did not know what to do.
"One thing is certain," said Mark. "If we don't want to be smothered we'll have to dig our way out." ”

“ That evening Bob looked into the hollow tree and then burst into the tent in excitement.
"It's gone!"
"What?" asked Si, who was frying some fish Mark had brought in.
"The bag we put in the hollow tree."
"You don't say so!" exclaimed Maybe Dixon. "Then that man was a thief after all."
"We can be thankful he had to sneeze," remarked Mark. "That was worth our whole capital."
"I'd give ten dollars to know who it was," said Bob.
"I go in for warning the rest of the miners around here," declared Si. "If there is a thief around all the honest men ought to know it." ”

“ A big haunch of venison was roasted, some turnips cooked and beans baked, and Mrs. Socket made some biscuits and some "real downright coffee," as Maybe Dixon named it. They feasted for over an hour, and never did a meal taste better to any of them. A good appetite and a touch of hunger are always the best sauce in the world for a square meal. ”

“ They followed the deer, that was too tired to do more than lope along at a slow gait. The chase led around a small hillock and then to where some distant trees were growing.
"I believe it is going for water!" cried Mark. "If so, we are in luck."
Soon they were within two hundred feet of the clump of trees, which, they now saw, were backed up by a series of rocks. ”

“ I've got an old aunt living at Hopeville and I allowed I'd pay her a visit. My name is Bob Billings. Who are you?"
"I am Mark Radley."
"And I am Jed Dickson. Don't you want to go after that rascal?"
"I don't reckon we can catch him, for he'll do his best to keep out of sight," answered Bob Billings. "I was a fool to let him know what money I was carrying with me. I got paid off four days ago, and I thought if my aunt needed anything I'd let her have some of the cash. She's the only relative I've got in the world." ”

“ As soon as Mark and Socket had departed for the distant camp, Maybe Dixon and Si went out on the hunt. This left Bob, Mrs. Socket, and the children in the two cabins alone.
Maybe Dixon and Si were full of expectations, but after tramping around for several hours without seeing game of any kind the face of each took on a gloomy look.
"We ain't doing much, that's sure," grumbled the man, as they paused near a series of rocks to rest. "Not a smell o' even a rabbit. It does beat all, don't it?" ”

“ CHAPTER XXIV THE RESULTS OF A CAVE-IN
"That proves one thing," said Mark, after the brief excitement was at an end. "Some folks in this camp are pretty nosy."
"Maybe it will prove more'n that," returned Maybe Dixon.
"You think there are thieves around?" asked Bob, quickly.
"Would it be something to wonder at, lad—with so much gold in the hands of the miners? Some men would rather steal than work."
"That's a fact," said Si. "And we'll have to be careful of what we have." ”

“ He had heard before of outfits being stolen along the trail, and knew that some men guarded their horses night and day. At one place they had heard of a man being hung up on a tree for stealing a horse. There were no prisons and no courts, and the pioneers had to take the law into their own hands for self-protection. Any serious crime was punishable by death.
Neither Si nor Maybe Dixon knew exactly what to do, but at last they hit on a plan they thought was best. They put up a stick and in a slit at the top left a note for Bob and Mark, explaining the situation so far as they knew it. ”

“ Rich and poor alike read the wonderful accounts, and day after day men streamed westward overland, or departed by vessel for Panama, or for the longer trip around Cape Horn.
"What a trip it would be!" murmured Mark, after the reading of the account was finished. "I declare, I do feel like going. And what's to hinder me?"
He straightened up and a strange look filled his face. Mark was naturally impulsive, but when he made up his mind to do a thing he usually did it.
"Mr. Powers doesn't care for me, and there is nothing to hold me back," he told himself. ”

“ As it grew towards night they could think of nothing but water. Nobody wanted to rest without a drink of something, no matter how bad. Their tongues were swollen and all were "spitting cotton" as Bob put it. Even poor Darling's tongue hung out and the mule looked the picture of suffering.
"He can't drag the load much further," said Mark. "For two pins I'd cut him loose and let him go on alone."
"If we did that, somebody would come along and steal our outfit," said Si. ”

“ One day Mark took the mule and rode off to a fair-sized settlement known as Bender's because the chief storekeeper was Captain Samuel Bender. This place was twelve miles from where the camp of our friends was located, and it took the youth and the animal three hours to cover the distance over the uneven hilly trail.
Mark spent two hours in doing some trading and in seeing the sights. At one spot was an amusement hall, and he stopped for a few minutes to listen to some music on a banjo and watch a colored man dance a breakdown. Near at hand was an open bar at which several men were drinking. ”

“ The Indians looked disappointed and their painted faces grew dark.
"No give poor Indians nothing?" asked the fellow who had first spoken.
"We haven't anything to spare," said Bob. He and the others had already learned that the more the red men got from the white travelers the more they wanted.
The Indians continued to beg for something and at last were given some beans and a small bit of venison. Then they turned their ponies and galloped away over the rocks.
"We are well rid of them," said Mark, with a sigh of relief.
"That is, if they don't come back," returned Maybe Dixon, dryly. ”

“ He was certain that two of the men in the next room were Sag Ruff and Soapy Gannon, his tool. The other man had been called Fitzsimmons.
"He must be the gambler Mark told about," said Bob to himself. "A fine trio they make! Every one of them ought to be in jail."
He tried his best to catch more of what was said, but a noise on the street made it next to impossible. He heard one man speak of some gold and another of horses, and then mention was made of pistols and the new trail, and that was all, a jumble out of which he could make neither head nor tail. ”

“ It was learned that there was, or had been, a small creek six miles further along the trail, but whether this was still running or had dried up during the summer nobody could tell.
"Well, we may as well go on," said Mark. "Every minute wasted here only makes matters worse. The quicker we get to some kind of water the better it will be for us."
"That's true," said Bob. "Forward it is," and he led the mule around half a dozen turnouts ahead of them.
"You'll die on the trail!" cried several. "Better turn back to where you came from."
"No, we are bound for California," cried Si. ”

“ The first people on the ground are sure to get the richest nuggets! Who knows but what I may make my fortune! Ho, for the West!"
A smile of enthusiasm broke out on his face and he quickened his pace. But then he grew thoughtful. He had only seven dollars that he could call his own and six dollars of the amount was at his home, two miles away.
"I'd better get my money and some clothes before Mr. Powers goes home," he reasoned. "If he catches me, there'll be too much music to suit me!"
In those days there were no trolley cars, only dingy stages running to where Mark wished to go. ”

“ They listened and heard Sag Ruff and Soapy Gannon talking at a distance. Soon they heard a splash, as the two men plunged into the river, and then all became silent.
"They have run for it," said Bob. "And I must say I am glad of it." He was pale from excitement.
"It was all my fault," said Si, as soon as the crowd had calmed down a little. "I went to sleep when I had no business to," and then he told his story.
"We can be thankful we got the outfit back so quickly," said Maybe Dixon. "Had they gotten away for thirty or forty miles maybe we'd never have seen this mule an' wagon ag'in." ”

“ The gaming tables had a great fascination for Maybe Dixon, and soon he was putting up what little money he possessed, much to the boys' distress, for they thought a good deal of the man "from everywhere."
"Better give it up," said Bob to Dixon. "You are bound to lose."
"Not if they play fair," answered Maybe Dixon. "But maybe they don't give a feller a square deal. ”

“ They gazed in the direction pointed out and saw a small deer running among the sage bushes. Its tongue was hanging from its mouth and it looked hot and thirsty.
"I believe that deer is looking for water!" cried Mark.
"More'n likely, lad," answered Maybe Dixon. "Maybe we'd better follow the critter up instead of shootin' it down."
"A deer ought to be able to scent water a long way off," said Bob. "Let us follow the animal by all means. Even if it wants to run away, it will go towards the water first." ”

“ I am going elsewhere," and the old miner slouched off with his pick, shovel, and pan over his shoulder.
"That's where he is missing it," whispered Si. "But we can't tell him the truth—he'd come down on us and so would a hundred others, in no time. We want to keep as much of this gulch to ourselves as we can. We've got too many neighbors already."
"Si, you're gittin' to be a wise boy," remarked Maybe Dixon, with an approving nod of his head. "When you spot a good thing, be sure an' keep it to yourself, is my motto." ”

“ Then the captain had died and Bob had shipped for the whaling voyage just mentioned. But whaling had not suited him and he said he was now going to stay ashore for some time and perhaps for good.
"Sailoring isn't what it is cracked up to be," said he. "The grub is poor and the hands are sometimes treated like dogs. I'll have to get the fever pretty bad before I go to sea again."
"I never had any desire to go to sea," said Mark. "I'd rather make my fortune on land."
"Where are you bound?"
"I've got a notion to strike out for California. But it's a long journey." ”