off this ground, or we'll shoot you so
full of holes that you'll all three pass for tolerable lead mines!"

"If you don't shoot and make a good job of it," Reade insisted,
"I'm going to look over your notice of claim and see whether it's
worded in a way that will hold in law."

"Drop 'em, boys! Don't let 'em near!" roared Dolph Gage, swinging
his rifle as though to bring it to his shoulder.

But Jim Ferrers had forestalled him. The guide was gazing at his
enemy through his rifle sights.

"Drop your weapon, Dolph Gage, and do it blazing quick, or I'll
shoot you where you stand!" sounded Jim's voice, low and businesslike.
"If any of you other galoots tries to raise his weapon I'll turn
and drop him."

As Jim Ferrers had a reputation in Nevada as a rifle shot the
others hesitated, then let their rifles drop to the ground.

"Hold them to their present good intentions, Jim," said Tom, with
a smile, as he continued to move forward. "Now, Mr. Gage---I
believe that's your name let me see what kind of notice you know
how to draw up."

"There 'tis," muttered Dolph sullenly, pointing to the board.

Tom read the notice through under his breath, word by word.

"You've done this sort of thing before, I guess, Gage," said Reade
quietly.

"You bet I have. Find it all reg'lar, too, don't you?"

"As nearly as I can tell, it is," agreed Tom.

"And the claim is ours."

"It's yours if you file the formal papers soon enough."

"They'll be filed first thing tomorrow morning," grunted Dolph
Gage. "Now, try a two-step off the dirt that goes with this claim."

"Not until I've seen the borders that you claim," Tom rejoined.

"Why!" demanded Gage cunningly. "Going to start your claim right
at the corners of ours."

"If you'll pardon me," Reade smiled, "I don't believe I'll tell
you anything about my intentions."

"Maybe you think this claim is a pretty valuable one," Gage insinuated.

"I didn't say so."

"But you would have staked if we hadn't done it first."

"That's what you've got to guess," smiled Reade.

"Say, now you've lost this claim, tell us some thing straight,
won't youth begged Dolph.

"Tell you something straight?" repeated Tom. "Certainly. I'll tell
you something just as straight as I know how,"

"Well," he said, at last, "you said you'd tell us something straight."

"And so I will," laughed Tom. "It's just this: Go to blazes!"

"Come, now, don't get fresh, kid!" warned Dolph angrily. "If
w