rned suddenly pale and rose. "Of course," he said to Mrs.
Medliker with painful dignity, "if you set so much value upon a mere
worldly trifle, I will endeavor to find it. It may be in my other
pocket." He backed out of the door in his usual fashion, but instantly
went over to the post-office, where, as he afterwards alleged, he had
changed the ore for coin in a moment of inadvertence. But Johnny's
hieroglyphics were found on it, and in some mysterious way the story got
about. It had two effects that Johnny did not dream of. It had forced
his mother into an attitude of complicity with him; it had raised up for
him a single friend. Jake Stielitzer, quartz miner, had declared that
Burnt Spring was "playing it low down" on Johnny! That if they really
believed that the boy took gold from their sluice boxes, it was their
duty to watch their CLAIMS and not the boy. That it was only their
excuse for "snooping" after him, and they only wanted to find his
"strike," which was as much his as their claims were their own! All
this with great proficiency of epithet, but also a still more recognized
proficiency with the revolver, which made the former respected.

"That's the real nigger in the fence, Johnny," said Jake, twirling his
huge mustache, "and they only want to know where your lead is,--and
don't yer tell 'em! Let 'em bile over with waitin' first, and that'll
put the fire out. Does yer pop know?"

"No," said Johnny.

"Nor yer mar?"

"No."

Jake whistled. "Then it's only YOU, yourself?"

Johnny nodded violently, and his brown eyes glistened.

"It's a heap of information to be packed away in a chap of your size,
Johnny. Makes you feel kinder crowded inside, eh? MUST keep it to
yourself, eh?"

"Have to," said Johnny with a gasp that was a little like a sigh.

It caused Jake to look at him attentively. "See here, Johnny," he said,
"now ef ye wanted to tell somebody about it,--somebody as was a friend
of yours,--ME, f'r instance?"

Johnny slowly withdrew the freckled, warty little hand that had been
resting confidingly in Jake's and gently sidled away from him. Jake
burst into a loud laugh.

"All right, Johnny boy," he said with a hearty slap upon the boy's back,
"keep yer head shut ef yer wanter! Only ef anybody else comes bummin'
round ye, like this, jest turn him over TO ME, and I'll lift him outer
his boots!"

Jake kept his word, and his distance thereafter. Indeed, it was after
this first and last conversation