Part 22 (1/2)

”We'll have a town here before the summer is over,” said Earl; but he was not sorry to have company, especially as the newcomers were all hail-felloell- lawyer from Dakota, and he and Dr Barwaithe soon became the warmest of friends

The short Alaska suht, and flowers and berries were growing everywhere in the wildest profusion, while during the middle of the day the sun beat down so fiercely that they were often coracious, the Hollow is like a pepper box!” said Randy one day, as he cah with perspiration ”Not a breath of air stirring”

”And the hotter it is, the worse the flies are,” added Earl ”I declare, they seem to bother me more than even the ht o'clock, even though the sun still shone well up in the sky, but this night proved as warm as the day had been, and most of the party went to sleep outdoors, unable to stand it inside of the close tents Outside, they had to wind their heads and necks inpestered to death It was the most uncomfortable twenty-four hours they had yet put in

”The old Harry take Alaska!” burst out Dr Barwaithe, finally One hted on his nose, and two others on his neck ”It's worth all the gold you can get, andhalf a dozen wild slashes he finally scrambled up and ran around the tents to throw his torht attack of scurvy, brought on by eating so iven hiood, and the captain was getting into a bad hen one of the old miners, who had just come in, came to his aid

”Eat to on airth fer scurvy Bill Watson wuz doith it ay an' nuthin' helped him but tomatoes He eat 'most a bushel o' 'em, an' they made a new ood,” said the doctor ”They are a very strong, green vegetable, you know You ht try the up so a quart of fresh toh, the tomatoes helped wonderfully, and about a week later the scurvy left him

Nearly a month had now passed since the party had located at Mosquito Hollow, and in that tiets worth probably fifty dollars apiece, and a little short of a hundred and fifty ounces of gold dust Counting the gold dust as worth sixteen dollars an ounce, this gave theures, twenty-five hundred dollars for their labor

”Twenty-five hundred dollars!” said Earl ”That's a good deal ave a deep sigh and shook his head ”I ain't satisfied,”

he said ”I didn't cooin' elsewhar fer luck”

”You won't stay here?” asked Randy, quickly He had begun to like the captain very much

”No, lad; I'm yere to make a fortune or nuthin' I quit the hollow ter-h I'o,”

said Foster Portney

”Which means thet you an' the boys stay,” answered the captain, quickly

”I'o with me I want ter try Hunker Creek”

”I think I'll stay,” said Foster Portney, quietly ”I'll give the gulch a feeeks longer, for the way I look at it we're es and have the chance to make a strike What do you say, boys?”

Randy was in for following the captain, but a look froue ”I'll do as you think best, Uncle Foster”

”And so will I,” said Earl

Then they looked at the doctor, as kicking the toe of his boot against the tent pole in speculative way It was several seconds before the o with the captain,” he said finally ”Not but that I hate to part co hit, and if I wanted to work for e've beeninto Dawson City and hanging out le--you all know that I hope we part the best of friends”

”We will,” said Foster Portney ”We'll divide our gold as per agreeive you ulch free,” said the captain, and the doctor said the same