with mud and
muck. And then he took a touch of the chills and fever, and was down on
his back for a week with only Fred to wait on him. The chills and fever
went the rounds, and Foster Portney and Earl were stricken at the same
time. Fred was the last to catch it; and by the time he had recovered,
winter was at hand.

The first indication was a rawness in the air, which made them shiver
when they turned out in the morning. Then the bushes and the trees
quickly lost their leaves, and three days later ice formed in the
marshes back of the gulch. The sun came up as usual, but it seemed to
have lost its warmth, and all were glad enough to keep on their coats
even when working.

"Two more weeks will fetch it," observed Foster Portney. "We had better
wash out as much dirt as possible before the water stops running."

Ten days later the thermometer went down with a rush, dropping from
fifty-six to but twenty above zero. Going down to the gulch, they found
the stream covered with ice, which was half an inch thick. By the next
day there was no water to be found, only ice, and even the piles of
sand, gravel, and dirt were frozen stiff. A heavy dulness, which
oppressed them greatly, hung in the air. Winter had come, and gold
washing for that season was a thing of the past.

CHAPTER XXVIII.

SNOWED IN.

Although everything in the gulch was frozen up, it must not be supposed
that mining there came to an end. While it was true no more washing
could be done that season, there was dirt, gravel, and sand to be heaped
in convenient spots, ready for the first run of water in the spring.

At one end of the claims there was a bank which had been examined by
Foster Portney and found to contain very rich pay dirt, and this bank
was now attacked by all hands and the dirt brought out to the nearest
sluice box. To thaw the ground a fire was built up against the bank
every night and allowed to burn until morning. Even in extremely cold
weather this thawed the bank to a depth of several feet, and when they
had scooped out a hole which resembled a baker's oven the thawing-out
process was still more effectual.

But it was hard and bitter work at the best, and as the cold increased,
Fred found he could not stand it, and had to remain in the cabin the
greater part of the time, coming out only during the middle of the day.

"This cold gets into the marrow of a fellow's bones," he said to Randy.
"I don't see how you can put up with i