Gold Part 12

"Try ahead, boys," said the proprietor quite good-naturedly. "You'll find her the same over there; and everywhere else." He arose. "Best leave your plunder here until you find out. Come down and have a drink?"

We found the City Hotel offered exactly the same conditions as did the Parker House; except that the proprietor was curt and had no time for us at all. From that point, still dissatisfied, we extended our investigations beyond the Plaza. We found ourselves ankle deep in sandhills on which grew coa.r.s.e gra.s.s and a sort of sage. Crazy, ramshackle huts made of all sorts of material were perched in all sorts of places. Hundreds of tents had been pitched, beneath which and in front of which an extremely simple housekeeping was going on. Hunt as we might we could find no place that looked as though it would take lodgers. Most of even the better looking houses were simply tiny skeletons covered with paper, cloth or paint. By painstaking persistence we kept at it until we had enquired of every building of any pretensions. Then, somewhat discouraged, we picked our way back to the sh.o.r.e after our heavier goods.

The proprietor of the Parker House greeted us with unabated good nature.

"I know how you boys feel," said he. "There's lots in your fix. You'd better stick here to-night and then get organized to camp out, if you're going to be here long. I suppose, though, you're going to the mines?

Well, it'll take you several days to make your plans and get ready. When you get back from the mines you won't have to think about these things."

"There's plenty of gold?" ventured Johnny.

"Bushels."

"I should think you'd be up there."

"I don't want any better gold mine than the old Parker House," said he comfortably.

We paid him twenty-four dollars.

By now it was late in the afternoon. The wind had dropped, but over the hills to seaward rolled a soft beautiful bank of fog. The sun was blotted out behind it and a chill fell. The crowds about the Plaza thinned.

We economized our best at supper, but had to pay some eight dollars for the four of us. The bill was a la carte and contained such items as grizzly steak, antelope, elk, and wild duck and goose. Grizzly steak, I remember, cost a dollar and a quarter. By the time we had finished, it had grown dark. The lamps were alight, and the crowds were beginning to gather. All the buildings and the big tent next door were a blaze of illumination. The sounds of music and singing came from every side. A holiday spirit was in the air.

Johnny and I were crazy to be up and doing, but Talbot sternly repressed us, and Yank agreed with his decision by an unusually emphatic nod.

"It is all a lot of fun, I'll admit," said he; "but this is business.

And we've got to face it. Sit down here on the edge of this veranda, and let's talk things over. How much money have you got, Yank?"

"Two hundred and twenty dollars," replied Yank promptly.

"You're partners with me, Frank, so I know our a.s.sets," said Talbot with tact. "Johnny?"

"Hanged if I know," replied that youth. "I've got quite a lot. I keep it in my pack."

"Well, go find out," advised Talbot.

Johnny was gone for some time. We smoked and listened to the rather blatantly mingled strains of music, and watched the figures of men hurrying by in the spangled darkness.

Johnny returned very much excited.

"I've been robbed!" he cried.

"Robbed? Is your money all gone?"

"No, there's a little left, but----"

Talbot laughed quietly.

"Sit down, Johnny, and cool off," he advised. "If anybody had robbed you, they'd have taken the whole kit and kaboodle. Did you come out ahead on those _monte_ games?"

Johnny blushed, and laughed a little.

"I see what you're at, but you're away off there. I just played for small stakes."

"And lost a lot of them. I sort of look-out your game. But that's all right. How much did the 'robbers' leave you?"

"Twelve dollars, besides what I have in my clothes--twenty-one dollars in all," said Johnny.

"Well, that's pretty good. You beat Frank and me to death. There's our total a.s.sets," said Talbot, and laid a ten-dollar gold piece and a dime on his knee.

"We'll call that dime a curiosity," said he, "for I notice a quarter is the smallest coin they use out here. Now you see that we've got to talk business. Frank and I haven't got enough to live on for one more day."

"There's enough among us----" began Yank.

"You mean you already have your share of the partners.h.i.+p finances,"

corrected Talbot, quickly. "If we're going to be partners--and that's desired and understood, I suppose?" We all nodded emphatic agreement. "We must all put in the same amount. I move that said amount be two hundred and twenty dollars apiece. Yank, you can loaf to-morrow; you've got your share all made up. You can put in the day finding out all about getting to the mines, and how much it costs, and what we will need."

"All right; I'll do it," said Yank.

"As for the rest of us," cried Talbot, "we've got to rustle up two hundred and twenty dollars each before to-morrow evening!"

"How?" I asked blankly

"How should I know? Out there" he waved his hand abroad at the flickering lights. "There is the Golden City, challenging every man as he enters her gates. She offers opportunity and fortune. All a man has to do is go and take them! Accept the challenge!"

"The only way I could take them would be to lift them off some other fellow at the point of a gun," said Johnny gloomily.

CHAPTER XI

I MAKE TWENTY-FIVE DOLLARS

We talked the situation over thoroughly, and then turned in, having lost our chance to see the sights. Beneath us and in the tent next door went on a tremendous row of talking, laughing, and singing that for a little while prevented me from falling asleep. But the last month had done wonders for me in that way; and shortly I dropped off.

Hours later I awakened, s.h.i.+vering with cold to find the moonlight pouring into the room, and the bunks all occupied. My blanket had disappeared, which accounted for my dreams of icebergs. Looking carefully over the sleeping forms I discerned several with two blankets, and an equal number with none! At first I felt inclined to raise a row; then thought better of it, by careful manipulation I abstracted two good blankets from the most unprotected of of my neighbours, wrapped them tightly about me, and so slept soundly.

We went downstairs and out into the sweetest of mornings. The sun was bright, the sky clear and blue, the wind had not yet risen, balmy warmth showered down through every particle of the air. I had felt some May days like this back on our old farm. Somehow they were a.s.sociated in my mind with Sunday morning and the drawling, lazy clucking of hens. Only here there were no hens, and if it was Sunday morning--which it might have been--n.o.body knew it.

The majority of the citizens had not yet appeared, but a handful of the poorer Chinese, and a sprinkling of others, crossed the Plaza. The doors of the gambling places were all wide open to the air. Across the square a number of small boys were throwing dust into the air. Johnny, with his usual sympathy for children, naturally gravitated in their direction. He returned after a few moments, his eyes wide.

"Do you know what they are doing?" he demanded.

We said politely that we did not.

"They are panning for gold."