t for yourselves up there. Our men were all out, and
we didn't know how soon they'd be swooping on us. 'Twasn't until last
night it was generally known that you were back, and that you and your
friends were what saved Cawker and the Silver Shield yesterday. How's
_he_?"

"Cawker? Oh, Cawker's probably about got dinner ready for you gentlemen
by this time. If you are sure about Shiner we won't go down."

"Go down? Why, Nolan, they'd murder you!"

But there came a sudden shot, and then a shout, from somewhere uphill.
On the edge of the dump a man was eagerly waving his hat, pointing away
to the northeast along the massive slope of the mountain.

"Well, Mr. Fireman," said Nolan, "I guess we'll have to go back. But
you are sure about Shiner, are you?"--this again to the visitors, as he
persisted in calling them. "Well, come right along up and see the old
man himself. Dinner ought to be ready now."

But, once back at the buildings, Nolan left to Cawker and his guard
the pleasure of receiving the crowd from across the creek. He and
Geordie were needed at once at the lookout on top of the office, the
little tower above which fluttered the flag. Down on the platform
anxious faces were upturned, for the sentry had seen a countless throng
of men, so he said, coming over from Miners' Joy. To Cawker and his
fellows it meant but one thing: The miners in the northward valley,
more numerous than these along Lance Creek, reinforced, probably, by a
swarm of the idlers from Hatch's Cove, were coming to the aid of their
friends and fellow-countrymen in the strike at Silver Shield.

For two miles out the road from the village meandered up a winding
ravine, then went twisting and turning along the eastward face of the
mountain until it dipped out of sight over the massive divide. Down in
the depths of the gorge little dots of men could be seen hurrying away
up the trail as though going to meet the coming concourse. Away out
along the mountain-side not to exceed three or four vehicles and a
scant dozen of horsemen could dimly be made out, crawling slowly
southward, coming gingerly towards them. Where, then, was the
"countless throng"?

"They were in sight on yonder ridge," said the lookout, "not ten
minutes ago. They must be hiding in the hollows, waiting for the others
to catch up," whereupon Nolan, looking daggers, had called him a
scarehead, and Geordie shouted for Cawker's glass. It was sent up the
stairway in less than a minute