The Americans Part 5

She died a-thinkin' Willie would be rich Some day, if they ever found the mine.

BILL PATTEN.

(_Bitterly_)

Give 'em your apples and expect the core.

SILAS MAURY.

It came so quick, though, Bill; he didn't think.

BILL PATTEN.

If he had just kept still and called to Chris And had him help and roll the log aside And then at night let some of us men know, We could have slipped it out and hidden it, And gone to Egerton and said, 'See here, We've found the log that you've been lookin' for These years and haven't found it----'

CAP SAUNDERS.

You don't mean----

BILL PATTEN.

'And if you'll do the square thing we'll cough up; If not, we'll go and find the mine ourselves.'

CAP SAUNDERS.

You don't mean 'twas the boy that found the log!

SILAS MAURY.

Willie here found it.

CAP SAUNDERS.

Well, well, well! H-u-rrah!

Hurrah, I say!

(_Throws his hat into the air. Harry Egerton comes through the darkness rear right_)

CAP SAUNDERS.

If I could call the men, Call up the men, my son, who've spent their lives Tryin' to get a peep of that there trunk-- You hear that, boys, you up there in the air?

BILL PATTEN.

He'd come to terms, all right, you bet your life.

HARRY EGERTON.

Good evening, men. I'm turned around a bit, Or seem to be. Just where is Foreston?

HARVEY ANDERSON.

You see those lights down there?

(_He walks back, left. Harry Egerton joins him, going across rear_)

HARRY EGERTON.

That's east?

HARVEY ANDERSON.

Correct.

HARRY EGERTON.

And how far am I from it?

HARVEY ANDERSON.

About six miles.

HARRY EGERTON.

From Foreston, I mean?

HARVEY ANDERSON.

Six miles or more.

HARRY EGERTON.

So far!

(_He walks back a little way, then stops and looks off up the valley. Harvey Anderson comes forward and begins to break some brush to replenish the fire_)

CAP SAUNDERS.

Who is it, Harvey?

HARVEY ANDERSON.

I don't know.

CAP SAUNDERS.

And it had the sign cut in the bark, eh?

SILAS MAURY.