To The West Part 93

"But what does Quong say?" I asked. "He went down the stream last night."

"That there are thirty parties between here and the river, and that means some of them are new-comers, making their way up here before long.

To-morrow we shall have to send him to the Fort to beg for food."

"But there is a store lower down, Quong told me."

"Yes, and to buy off the people at their exorbitant prices, I shall have to pay with gold, and for the present I wish to avoid showing that there is any here."

The next day dawned, and was pa.s.sing as the others had pa.s.sed, for Mr Gunson was hesitating still about sending Quong for provisions, that little gentleman having announced that there would be "plenty bread, plenty tea, plenty bacon for another day."

"Mayne," said Mr Gunson, as the sun was getting low, "I think I shall go down the stream to-night, and see if those men are there. Perhaps, after all, we are scared about nothing; they may have gone up another of the valleys instead of this, and found gold in abundance--who knows?

But I must end this suspense some--"

He started, for I was pointing down stream at something moving.

"Is that a deer?" I whispered; and before he could answer a voice cried--

"Come on, lads, it's more open up here, and it looks a likely spot."

CHAPTER FORTY FIVE.

GUNSON'S DECISION.

"Sit fast," said Gunson, "both of you. Don't make any sign, and leave me to speak. But mind, if I say 'Tent,' run both of you to the tent, and seize your weapons ready to do what I say."

I gave him a nod, and sat with beating heart watching the moving figure, which directly after caught sight of us.

"Hullo!" he said; "some one here?" Then turning, "Look sharp, some of you."

Both Gunson and I had recognised the man as Quong's princ.i.p.al a.s.sailant, and I glanced sharply toward the Chinaman, to catch sight of the soles of his shoes as he crept rapidly in amongst the trees, a pretty evident sign that he too had recognised his enemy.

"Nice evening, mate," said the big fellow, advancing, as Gunson sat by me, coolly filling his pipe. "Ah, I just want a light."

He came closer, looking sharply round, while we could hear the trampling and breaking of the fir-boughs, as others were evidently close at hand.

Gunson drew a burning stick from the fire, and offered it to the man, who took it, and said quietly, as he lit his own pipe--

"Camping here for the night, mate?"

"Yes: camping here."

"Going on in the morning?"

"No; this is my claim."

The man dropped the burning stick, and stared at Gunson.

"What?" he said. "Oh no, that won't do. Me and my mates have chosen this patch, so you'll have to go higher up or lower down; haven't we, lads?" he continued, as one by one the rest of the gang came up.

"Eh? all right, yes, whatever it is," said one of them, whom I recognised as the second of Quong's a.s.sailants.

"There, you see," continued the first man; "it's all right, so you'll have to budge."

"No," said Gunson, quietly; "this is my claim. I've been here some days now, and here I stay."

"Oh, we'll see about that," said the fellow, in a bullying tone. "It's the place for us, so no nonsense. Been here some days, have you?"

"Yes, some days now, my lad; and the law gives me a prior right."

"Ah, but there arn't no law up here yet. Look here," he cried, suddenly seizing Gunson, and forcing him back. "What's the pay dirt worth? How much gold have you got? How--Why, hallo! it's you, is it? Here, old lad," he cried to the other speaker, "it's our wrastling friend. I told you we should run up agen each other again, and--why of course--here's the boy too. This is quite jolly."

"Keep your hands off," said Gunson, shaking himself free, and springing up, an example we followed. "This part of the country's wide enough, so go your way. I tell you again, this claim is mine. What I make is my business, so go."

"Hear all this?" said the big fellow, quickly. "Hear this, mates? We arn't inside a fence now, with a lot o' riflemen ready, so just speak up, some of you. Isn't this the spot we mean to have--isn't this the claim Tom Dunn come up and picked?"

"Yes, yes," came in chorus, as the men closed up round us in the gathering gloom; while I felt sick with apprehension, and stood ready to spring away as soon as Mr Gunson gave the order to go, while, fortunately for us, the way was open, being beyond the fire.

"You hear, mate," cried the big fellow, fiercely, "so no more words.

You and your boys can go, and think yourselves lucky we don't slit your ears. Do you hear?"

"Yes," said Gunson, smiling.

"There's plenty of other places, so be off. Where's your traps? Now then, cut!"

He took a step forward, and his companions seemed about to rush at us, when Mr Gunson's voice rang out--

"Tent!"

We sprang across the fire, whose thin smoke half hid us as we rushed in among the trees, and seized our weapons.

"Scared 'em," roared the big fellow; and there was a chorus of laughter from his companions, who gathered about the fire, kicking it together to make a blaze, and get lights for their pipes.

We were in darkness, and they were in full light, the flames flas.h.i.+ng up, and giving a strangely picturesque aspect to the group.

"Soon jobbed that job," said the big fellow. "How they ran! wonder whether they got any dust."

"You ought to have searched 'em," said the second. "I know they had, or they wouldn't have run."

"_c.o.c.k_," whispered Gunson, as there was a momentary pause; and the men all started, and their hands went to their hips for their pistols, as the ominous clicking of our pieces was heard.

"Bail up!" roared Gunson, his voice pealing out of the darkness; "you are covered by rifles, and the man who moves dies."

There was an angry growl, and the men threw up their hands, one of them holding a pistol.

"Put that iron away," roared Gunson; and the man slowly replaced it, and then raised his hands like his fellows.

"Now go back the way you came, or strike up further," said Gunson, firmly. "Show your faces here again, and it is at your own risk, for I shoot at sight. Off!"