human
Wal, I'll be tee-totally durned, if it don't sound good! declared that worthy, when, at last, the tale had been completed.
gpt
But thar's lots of mighty good soundin' yarns goin' 'round camp, 'bout wonderful gold mountains an' caves of gold. Howsomever, I never heer'd tell on anybudy's really findin' any on 'em; an', I reckon, 'most on 'em is jest lies. But that thar map seems tew give y'ur yarn a look like th' truth; an', I reckon, them tew skunks must have believed th' yarn, or they wouldn't have ben so pow'ful anxious tew git th' map. Gosh, if it should prove true! and Ham's eyes widened and his cheeks flushed and he drew in a deep breath.
human
I'll be durned, if it should prove true, if I don't go back tew my old home in Vermont, that I ain't seen since I was a yunk 'bout y'ur age, an' buy up th' old farm, an' build a big house on it, an'--Gosh, a'mighty, if that yarn of y'urn ain't sot me tew dreamin'! and Ham came back to the earth, looking a bit foolish.
gpt
More'n likely it's all a lie; an' thar I was a buyin' farms an' a-buildin' houses! Queer how th' gold gits intew th' blood an' makes all humans tarnal idgits, now ain't it?
human
But, there's the map, and the big gold nugget, and all the gold that the murderers got from him, protested Thure.
gpt
He must have found some kind of a mine to have got that gold; and crazy folks wouldn't draw real maps of the gold-diggings they only imagined they had discovered.
human
An' you've got that map, an' that hunk of gold with you? and again the eager light shone in Ham's eyes.
gpt
Wal, I reckon I'd like tew have a look at that nugget an' map.
human
But, not here, interjected Bud anxiously, as he glanced suspiciously around the big room at a number of roughly dressed men, who were standing in front of the bar or seated at tables playing cards.
gpt
I think that we had better wait until we get to our dads, before we show up the map and the nugget. We can't be too careful. Now, how comes it that you are in Sacramento City, Ham?
human
Reckon you're right 'bout th' map an' nugget, admitted Ham reluctantly.
gpt
Leastwise I don't blame you for bein' some keerful after y'ur late experience, and his own eyes glanced sharply about the room.
human
Now, as tew my bein' here, that's soon explained. Y'ur dads an' th' rest sent me in tew git a load of camp-supplies--flour, bacon, sugar, coffee an' sech like things tew eat, 'long with some diggin' tools an' extra clothin'. Got in a leetle afore noon; an', heerin' thar was a murder trial on in th' hoss-market, I hit th' trail for th' market tew once, bein' some anxious tew see who was a-goin' tew have their necks stretched. Wal, if I didn't 'most have tew push my heart back down my throat with my fist, when I seed that you tew yunks was th' criminals!
gpt
But you made things hum, when you got started, and the eyes of Bud glowed with admiration, as they rested on the face of his big friend.
human
You just straightened things out in no time. My, but it did do me good to see you give Brokennose that punch on the jaw!
gpt
Same here, grinned Ham.
human
But it riled me all up tew have them tew curs git away. If ever I lay my eyes on either one on 'em ag'in, and his eyes glinted savagely,