lers.

"Come along, Jim," called Tom at last. "Those fellows won't do
any shooting. Their minds are now set on their new claim. They
expect to dig out gold enough to enable them to buy two or three
banks. They won't shoot unless they're driven to it."

Jim Ferrers turned and walked with the boys.

Fifteen seconds later a rifle cracked out behind them, the bullet
striking the dirt well to the left of Tom's party.

"It's a bluff, Jim, and-----" began Reade.

Crack! spoke Ferrers's ride.

"I knocked Gage's hat off," said the guide dryly. "Now, if he
fires again, it'll show that he's looking for trouble."

"The fellow who goes looking for trouble is always a fool," Tom
remarked.

"Because trouble is the most worthless thing in the world, yet
a fellow who goes looking for it is always sure to find twice
as much as he thought he wanted."

By the time the young engineers had reached their own camp, Harry,
whose face had been growing gradually "longer" on the walk, sank
to the ground in an attitude of dejection.

"Just our luck!" he growled. "Gage is right when he says that
claim is the best in this part of Nevada. And, just because we
were too slow, we lost it. Fortune, you know, Tom, knocks but
once at any man's door."

"I don't believe that," said Tom stoutly. "Harry, now that we've
made a start and lost, my mind is made up as to our course now.
I hope you'll agree with me."

"What is it?" Hazelton asked.

"Harry, old fellow, we'll turn mining engineers in earnest for
the present. We'll engineer our own mines, with Jim for a partner.
Harry, we'll get up our muscle with pickaxes. We'll stake our
fortunes on the turn of a pick!"

CHAPTER VIII

JIM FERRERS, PARTNER

"You mean it, do you?" asked Hazelton, after a pause of a few moments.

"I never meant anything more in my life!"

"Then, of course, I'll agree to it, Tom. If I go astray, it'll be
the first time that I ever went wrong through following your advice."

"And you're with us, Ferrers?" inquired Tom, looking around.

"Gentlemen," spoke the guide feelingly, "after the way you've
used me, and the way you've talked to me, I'm with you in anything,
and I can wait a month, any time, to find out what that 'anything'
means. Just give me your orders."

"Orders are not given to partners," Tom told him.

"Orders go with _this_ partner," Jim asserted gravely. "And,
gentlemen, if we make any money, just hand me what you call my
sh