Tom and Ned were digging together not far from one another. Suddenly
Ned let out a joyful cry.
"Strike anything?" asked Tom.
"Something rich," answered the bank clerk. He lifted from a hole in
the ground a handful of the golden pebbles.
"It's as good as Abe's was!" exclaimed Tom. "We must stake it out at
once, or the Fogers may jump it. Come on, we'll go back and tell
Abe, and get Mr. Parker and Mr. Damon over here."
The three men were some distance away, and there was no sign of the
Fogers. Tom and Ned hurried back to where their friends were,
leaving their picks and shovels on the frozen ground.
The good news was soon told, and, with some stakes hastily made from
some extra wood carried on the airship, the little party hastened
back to where Tom and Ned had made their strike.
As they emerged from behind a big hummock of ice they saw, standing
over the holes which the lads had dug, Andy Foger and his father!
Each one had a rifle, and there was a smile of triumph on Andy's
face!
"What are you doing here?" cried Tom, the hot blood mounting to his
cheeks.
"We've just staked out a claim here," answered the bully.
"And you deserted it," put in Mr. Foger smoothly. "I think your
mining friend will tell you that we have a right to take up an
abandoned claim.
Pages:
149
150
151
152
153
154
155
156
157
158
159
160
161
162
163
164
165
166
167
168
169
170
171
172
173