ointment.
Earl said nothing, but gathered up the pick and shovel and moved on.

In two days a dozen other spots had been tried with even worse success,
and the three in the party began to imagine that the gulch was of no
consequence, so far as staking a claim there was concerned. To add to
their discomfiture a miner came along who said he had gone all over that
locality a month previous.

"Ain't nothin' thar," he announced; "nothin' wuth over four or five
cents a panful. Better try your luck elsewar, friends."

"We'll put in another day over here," announced Foster Portney. "One day
won't count very much, and ground is often gone over a dozen times
before the right strike is made."

They had brought a lunch with them, and now sat down on the edge of a
small stony cliff to eat it. The boys were tremendously hungry and could
have devoured twice as much as what was on hand, but they were beginning
to learn that short rations would be something to look forward to for
some time to come.

Having eaten what was allotted to him, Randy began to poke around with
the pick, while his uncle and Earl still rested. The cliff was divided
into two sections, and between was a lot of rotten stone, dirt, muck,
and rubbish. Striking the pick deeply into this, Randy loosened a
portion of the stone, and out it rolled into the gulch, bringing the
dirt and a good portion of the rubbish after it. He began to scatter the
stuff to the right and the left when something shiny caught his eye, and
stooping he picked it up, while his heart leaped into his throat.

"Uncle Foster! Earl! Look at this!" he cried, and ran to them, holding
up the object as he did so. It was larger than an egg and quite heavy.
Foster Portney gave one glance and then leaped forward, dropping what
food still remained in his hand.

"Where did you find it, Randy?" he exclaimed.

"Over yonder," was the hasty reply. "But is it gold, Uncle Foster?"

"Yes, Randy, it's a nugget as sure as you're born--a nugget worth at
least two hundred dollars. And what's better yet," went on Mr. Portney
as Randy began to dance with delight, "the chances are that there are
more where this came from!"

CHAPTER XXII.

DIGGING FOR GOLD.

A nugget worth two hundred dollars! Randy could scarcely believe his
eyes and ears. He gazed at his uncle for a moment in open-mouthed
wonder.

"You're in luck, and no mistake!" broke in Earl, as he also examined the
yellowish lump. "Say, but th