human
I saw the carkiss of a steer one time, said Sam,
gpt
He ain't through, said Mormon.
human
You didn't ought to give him till sun-up, Sandy. Sun-down 'ud have been better. He's a mangy coyote, but he's got brains an' he'll addle 'em figgerin' out some way to git even.
gpt
I w'udn't wonder, answered Sandy.
human
Me, I'm goin' to do a li'l' figgerin' too.
gpt
We got to stay on the claims, said Sam.
human
If they happened to think of it they might heave a stick of dynamite in our midst afteh it's good an' dahk. A flyin' chunk of dynamite is a nasty thing to dodge, at that.
gpt
I don't think it likely, Sam. Camp knows, or will know, what's been happenin'. If dynamite was thrown they'd sabe who did it an' I don't believe the crowd 'ud stand for it. Jest the same it 'ud sure surprise me if we didn't git some sort of a shivaree pahty afteh nightfall. I w'udn't wonder if Jim Plimsoll forgets to send fo' that tent an' stuff of his. Hope he does.
human
What do we want with it?
gpt
Nothin', with the stuff. We'll set it out beyond the lines come dusk. But the tent'll come in handy. We didn't bring one erlong.
human
Here comes young Ed, announced Sandy as they gained the tunnel.
gpt
He's totin' somethin' that looks to me as if it might be grub.
human
Won't offend me none ef it is, said Mormon.
gpt
I'm hungrier'n a spring b'ar an' all our stuff's oveh with Mirandy Bailey.
human
She's sure one thoughtful lady, said Sam.
gpt
What you got, Ed?
human
Beans, camp-bread an' coffee. Aunt Mirandy, she 'lowed you-all might not want to leave the claim so she sent this over to bide you through. You been havin' some trouble, ain't you? he asked, his eyes gleaming with interest.
gpt
We heard somethin' that sounded like shots an' Mr. Westlake saw the first bunch go away. He said you waved to him it was all right. Aunt, she 'lowed you c'ud look out fo' yourselves. Then the second bunch come erlong.
human
Jest wishin' us luck, son, said Sandy.
gpt
How's everything with you?
human
I bet it warn't good luck they was wishin', grinned Ed, squatting down on his haunches and rolling a cigarette.
gpt
We're gettin' on fine. Got some dandy claims, I reckon. One for maw an' one fo' father, right alongside Aunt Mirandy's an' mine. It 'ud be great if we sh'ud all strike it rich, to once, w'udn't it?
human
Great! agreed Sandy, munching beans with gusto.
gpt
Don't you think you ought to be gettin' back, 'case some one might take a notion to them claims of yores? 'Pears to me it's up to you, Ed, to protect yore aunt. Westlake can't stick around with you all the time. He's got his business to attend to.
human
I'll look out for her all right, he said.
gpt
But you don't know Aunt Mirandy over well or you'd know she can do her own protectin'. You bet she can. 'Sides, the men who've got claims nigh us come over an' told her they'd see she wasn't interfered with none. Said they'd heard some bully had sworn at her an' the real miners in camp warn't goin' to stand anything like that. Nor no claim-jumpin'. They're goin' to organize, they say. Git up a Vigilance Committee.
human
Good! said Sandy.
gpt
That means the decent element aims to run things. We'll help 'em. It'll be easier with Plimsoll out of camp.
human
Figger he'll go?
gpt
I w'udn't be surprised if he listened to the small voice of reason, answered Sandy.
human
You tell yore aunt we're much obliged fo' the grub, Ed. One of us'll be over afteh a bit an' tote our things across. We'll camp here fo' a bit an' sit tight. I'd do the same, if I was you, Ed, spite of yore friends. I don't doubt fo' a minute but what yore aunt is plumb capable of lookin' out for herself, but you see, she's a woman an' yo're a man, an' it's you folks'll be lookin' to.
gpt
I'll do that,
human
No sense in encouragin' him to hang around us, said Sandy.
gpt
There's apt to be fireworks round here most any time between now an' ter-morrer mo'nin'. Plimsoll'll shack erlong about sun-up--providin' he ain't able to call the tuhn on us befo'. Mormon, if you'll go git our blankets an' outfit, Sam an' me'll fix up those bu'sted guy ropes an' shift the tent.
human
You don't aim fo' us to sleep in it, do you?
gpt
Don't believe we'd rest well if we tackled it. But it mightn't be a bad scheme if we give the gen'ral idee that we _are_ sleepin' in it. I put a lantern in the car when we stahted. Fetch that erlong too, will you, Mormon?