“Allowing for the quartz that streaks this little gold-piece, it ought to be worth from forty to fifty dollars,” Tom responded thoughtfully.

“Fifty dollars?” broke in Jim Ferrers, as he sprang from the top ladder to the ground.  “Is there that much money on the Indian Smoke?”

“Not minted, of course,” laughed Tom.  “But here’s something as good as money.”

“Where did you get it?” Jim demanded, tersely, after one look at the nugget.

“In this ore-dump.”

“Today’s send-up, then?”

“Of course.”

Without a word Ferrers fell at work on the pile of rocks, turning them over fast.

Tom helped him.  The two men, released from hoisting duty, also aided.

“Nothing more like that sticking out of the rock,” Jim grunted, turning to one of the men.  “Bring me a sledge.”

With that larger hammer, held in both hands, Jim placed ore pieces with his feet, swiftly bringing down sharp blows that reduced the rocks to nearly the size of pebbles.

“I don’t see any more nuggets coming,” mused!  Tom.  “But wait a minute.  Look at the yellow streak through some of these fragments.”  “We’re getting into the vein, I believe,” spoke Jim solemnly.  “Look at the stuff!  But wait!  I’ve a little more hammering to do.”

Back of them stood the teamster, who had just come up with the horses.

“Am I to take that stuff and dump it down the ravine?” he asked slowly.

“If you do,” retorted Ferrers heatedly, “I’ll hammer in the top of your head, Andy!  Reade, won’t you pick out what you want for the site of the ore-dump.  We’ve got some real ore at last!” One of the two hoist-men now ran to the shaft, shouting down the great news.

“Hold on there, Bill,” Tom called dryly.  “Don’t get the boys excited over what may turn out to be nothing.  Don’t tell ’em any more than that we have-----”

“Tell ’em yourself, boss,” retorted Bill.  “Here they come!”

From the ladder a steady stream of men discharged itself until the last one was up.

“Where are you going, Tim?” called Tom, turning just in time to note big Walsh’s movements.

“Going to call Mr. Hazelton, sir.”

“Don’t do it.  Don’t get him stirred up for nothing.”

“For nothing, boss?”

“Don’t bother Hazelton until we can tell him something more definite.  Boys, with all my heart I hope that we have something as good as we appear to have.  But every man of you knows that, once in a while, gold is found abundantly in a few hundred pounds of rock, and then, from that point on, no more yellow is found.  We won’t get excited until we get our first thousand dollars’ worth out of the ground and have the smelter’s check in hand.  We’ll hope—–­and pray—–­but we won’t cheer just yet.”

“Humph!  If you don’t want us to cheer, then what shall we do?” demanded big Walsh.

“We’ll work!” Tom retorted energetically.  “We’ll work as we never did before.  We’ll keep things moving every minute of the time.  Back with you into the shaft and out into the tunnel!  You hoist-men stand by for a big performance with the tub.  Jennison, you may stay up from below and tote specimens for me.  I shall be at the furnace until midnight at the least.”