nd I believe it is a great relief to
him also to find that we are not trying to lay the blame on him. Anyhow,
he couldn't have been more friendly than he was; and he told me things
which seem to throw some light on the matter of the ore-theft. There
_was_ seemingly a second man concerned in it; a man with a club-foot,
Peter."

"Ah, ha!" said Peter. "Is that so?"

"Yes. There used to be a man about town known as 'Clubfoot,' a crony of
Long John's," Joe continued. "He was convicted of ore-stealing about
three years ago, and was sent to the penitentiary. A few days ago he
escaped, and it is Yetmore's opinion that he ran straight to Long John
for shelter. On the night after the explosion he--Yetmore, I mean, you
know--went to John's house 'to give the blundering numskull a piece of
his mind,' as he said--we can guess what about--and John wouldn't let
him in; so they held their interview outside in the dark. I gathered
that there was a pretty lively quarrel, which ended in Yetmore telling
Long John that he had done with him, and that he needn't expect him to
grub-stake him this spring.

"It is Yetmore's belief that the reason John wouldn't let him into his
house--it's only a one-roomed shanty, you know--was that Clubfoot was
then inside; and he further believes that John, finding himself deprived
of his expected summer's work, and no doubt incensed besides at
Yetmore's going back on him, as he would consider it, then and there
planned with Clubfoot the robbery of the ore; both of them being
familiar with the workings of the Pelican."

"That sounds reasonable," remarked Peter; "though, when all is said and
done, it amounts to no more than a guess on Yetmore's part. But, look
here!" he went on, as the thought suddenly occurred to him. "If Long
John is not prospecting for Yetmore or himself either, being supposedly
in hiding, what was he doing on the 'bubble' yesterday?"

"But perhaps he is prospecting for himself," Tom Connor broke in. "Here
we are, theorizing away like a house afire on the idea that he is the
thief, when maybe he had nothing to do with it. And if he is prospecting
for himself, the sooner I get up to that claim the better if I don't
want to be interfered with. I reckon I'll dig out right away. If you
boys," turning to us, "can spare the time and the buckboard you can help
me a good bit by carrying up my things for me."

"All right, Tom," said I. "We can do so."

Starting at once, therefore, with a load