ew, a child of
that civilization where the dollar is law as well as might, returned
to the exciting work which promised him a fortune he seemed to be in
a half dream. About him, everywhere, was gold! For no moment did he
doubt it; not for an instant did he fear that there might be no more
gold in the sand and gravel from which Wabigoon's nugget had come.
Treasure was in the very sandbar under his feet! It was out there
among the rocks, where the water beat itself angrily into sputtering
froth; it was under the fall, and down in the chasm, everywhere,
everywhere about him. In one month John Ball and his companions had
gathered twenty-seven pounds of it, a fortune of nearly seven thousand
dollars! And they had gathered it here! Eagerly he scooped up a fresh
pan of the precious earth. He heard the swish-swish of the water in
Wabigoon's and Mukoki's pans. But beyond this there were no sounds
made by them.

In these first minutes of treasure seeking no words were spoken. Who
would give the first shout of discovery? Five minutes, ten, fifteen of
them passed, and Rod found no gold. As he emptied his pan he saw Wabi
scooping up fresh dirt. He, too, had failed. Mukoki had waded out
waist deep among the rocks. A second and a third pan, and a little
chill of disappointment cooled Rod's blood. Perhaps he had chosen an
unlucky spot, where the gold had not settled! He moved his position,
and noticed that Wabigoon had done the same. A fourth and a fifth pan
and the result was the same. Mukoki had waded across the stream, which
was shallow below the fall, and was working on the opposite side. A
sixth pan, and Rod approached the young Indian. The excitement was
gone out of their faces. An hour and a half--and no more gold!

"Guess we haven't hit the right place, after all," said Wabi.

"It must be here," replied Rod. "Where there is one nugget there must
be more. Gold is heavy, and settles. Perhaps it's deeper down in the
river bed."

Mukoki came across to join them. Out among the rocks he had found a
fleck of gold no larger than the head of a pin, and this new sign gave
them all fresh enthusiasm. Taking off their boots both Rod and Wabi
joined the old pathfinder in midstream. But each succeeding pan added
to the depressing conviction that was slowly replacing their hopes.
The shadows in the chasm began growing longer and deeper. Far overhead
the dense canopies of red pine shut out the last sun-glow of day, and
the gathering gloom