able
accessories to the plans of our two friends. Redburn had in the
meantime blasted in until he came upon the quartz rock. Here he had to
stop until the arrival of the machinery. He however busied himself in
enlarging the cabin and building a curb to the shaft, which occupied
his time until at last the "General" and his army returned.[D]

Now, we see these two successful men standing and gazing at the result
of their joint labors, each financially happy; each growing rich as
the day rolls away.

The miners are in a prosperous condition, and everything moves off
with that ease and order that speaks of shrewd management and constant
attention to business.

The gold taken from the shaft is much finer than that extracted from
the quartz.

The quartz yielded about eighteen dollars to the ton, which the
"General" declared to be as well as "a feller c'u'd expect,
considerin' things, more or less!"

Therefore, it will be seen by those who have any knowledge whatever of
gold mining that, after paying off the expenses, our friends were not
doing so badly, after all.

"Yes, yes!" the "General" was remarking, as he gazed at the string of
mules that alternately issued from and re-entered the fissure on the
opposite side of the valley; "yes, yes, boyee, things ar' workin' as I
like ter see 'em at last. The shaft'll more'n pay expenses if she
holds her head 'bove water, as I opine she will, an' w'at ar' squeezed
out uv the quartz ar' cleer 'intment fer us."

"True; the shaft is more than paying off the hands," replied Redburn,
seating himself upon a bowlder, and staring vacantly at the dense
column of smoke ejected from the smoke-stack in the roof of the
crusher building.

"I was looking up accounts last evening, and after deducting what you
paid for the machinery, and what wages are due the Utes, we have about
a thousand dollars clear of all, to be divided between three of us."

"Exactly. Now, that's w'at I call fair to middling. Of course thar'll
be more or less expense, heerafter, but et'll be a consider'ble less
o' more than more o' less. Another munth'll tell a larger finanshell
tale, I opine"

"Right again, unless something happens more than we think for now. If
we get through another month, however, without being nosed out, why we
may consider ourselves all-fired lucky."

"Jes' so! Jes' so! but we'll hev ter take our chances. One natteral
advantage, we kin shute 'em as fast as they come--"

"Ho!" Redburn inte