ever I get ready, not a day sooner or later; and when I
do start up again, if you men have come to your senses by that time and
are ready to come back on the same terms, all right; if not," he paused
an instant, then added with emphasis, "just remember there'll be others,
and plenty of 'em, too."

"Yes, sir; thank ye, sir," Dan answered, somewhat dubiously; then one
and all moved slowly and mechanically away.

Mr. Underwood turned to Darrell. "Get your things together as soon as
you can. I'm going to send down three or four of the teams after dinner,
and they can take your things along. And here's the key to the mill; go
over and pick out whatever you will want in the way of an assaying
outfit, and have that taken down with the rest. There's no need of your
going to the expense of buying an outfit just for temporary use."

By two o'clock scarcely a man remained at the camp. Mr. Underwood and
Darrell were among the last to leave. Two faithful servants of Mr.
Underwood's had arrived an hour or so before, who were to act as
watchmen during the shut-down. Having taken them around the camp and
given them the necessary instructions, Mr. Underwood then gave them the
keys of the various buildings, saying, as he took his departure,--

"There's grub enough in the boarding-house to last you two for some
time, but whenever there's anything needed, let me know. Bring over some
beds from the bunk-house and make yourselves comfortable."

He climbed to a seat on one of the wagons, and, as they started, turned
back to the watchmen for his parting admonition:

"Keep an eye on things, boys! You're both good shots; if you catch
anybody prowling 'round here, day or night, wing him, boys, wing him!"

The teams then rattled noisily down the canyon road, Darrell, with Trix,
bringing up the rear, feeling himself a sort of shuttlecock tossed to
and fro by antagonistic forces in whose conflicts he personally had no
part and no interest. However, he wasted no moments in useless regrets,
but rode along in deep thought, planning for the uninterrupted pursuit
of his studies amid the new and less favorable surroundings. Thus far he
had met with unlooked-for success along the line of his researches and
experiments, and each success but stimulated him to more diligent study.

On their arrival at Ophir, Mr. Underwood gave directions to have the
assaying outfit taken to the rooms in the rear of his own offices, after
which he and Darrell, with the