Sedgwick found on reaching the mine that Jordan had built the needed houses, and had the mill as nearly completed as it could be before the machinery was set in place.

The ore crushed easily, and the mill reduced two tons and a half per stamp readily in every twenty-four hours, in thirty days crushing 3,000 tons.  It yielded in the mill $35 per ton, and at the end of thirty days there were bars of the value of $100,000 ready for shipment.  Then Sedgwick said:  “Come, Tom, our work is finished here, at least for the present; let us seek civilization.”

“Agreed, old friend,” said Jordan.  “I’ll get my trophies together and be ready ter start in ther morning.”

“And what are your trophies?” asked Sedgwick.

“Why, didn’t I tell yer?” was the reply.  “It got kinder lonesome while yo’ war away, so I went on a hunt.  I’ve got ther finest pair o’ leopard skins yo’ ever seen, some elephant tusks, ’nd I migh’er brought a sarpent skin that war a daisy, but I drew ther line on snakes.  But he war twenty-three feet long, and ther look outer his eyes war not reassurin’ by a blamed sight.  I migh’er got a giraff skin, too, but she hed her baby with her, and I’m not breakin’ up no giraffe families.”

It was understood that they were to leave in the morning; were to go in the covered spring wagon, and were to carry the gold.

One of the English miners was made superintendent of the mine.  The mill-men from San Francisco agreed to look after the mill for a year, and the civil engineer undertook to see to the books, to attend to the finances and send an express to the coast once a week.

So Sedgwick and Jordan, with one Boer, started early in the morning.  It was in the last week in May; the weather was cold for that region, for it was the beginning of winter.

They drove out of the narrow valley, through the canon, out upon the open table-land and down to the house or dug-out which they had first found when in search of a way out.  They rested there, ate some luncheon, fed their horses, and after an hour and a half started on.

They had brought with them their repeating rifles and revolvers.  Before getting into the wagon, Jordan had rolled up and fastened the curtains of the wagon, examined closely the guns, and then gave a long, sweeping look all around the horizon.

“What are you looking for, Jordan?” asked Sedgwick.

“Nuthin’ much,” he answered.  “Only, Jim, have yer gun whar yo’ can reach it quick if wanted.”

“Why?” asked Sedgwick.

“Nuthin,” said Jordan.  “Only I never seen this place afore thet thar war not a dozen cut-throat-lookin’ scoundrels ’round, and they mighter mean mischief, knowin’ as how we have ther treasure aboard.”

They had driven on for perhaps a mile, when the road ran down close to the stream.  All at once half a dozen shots rang out of the willows, and the Boer sprang from the wagon and ran for the bush.