rly three feet deep on the
level. But a day's labor sufficed to beat down a path to the bank in the
gulch, and once again the fires were started and the work of getting the
dirt to the sluice boxes resumed. The clearing of the storm had left it
stinging cold, and all were glad enough to hustle lively in order to
keep warm. They worked with their overcoats on and with their feet
encased in several pairs of woollen socks, and even then spent much time
around the fire, "thawing out," to use Randy's words.

The work in the bank, however, paid them well. Four days after the fall
of snow, Foster Portney struck several rocks to one side of the rise and
located another pocket of nuggets. They were all small fellows, the
largest about the size of a hickory nut, but the nuggets numbered nearly
half a hundred and caused a good deal of excitement.

"It's another fifteen hundred or two thousand dollars to our credit,"
said Mr. Portney. "And not only that, but this dirt is as rich as that
taken from the pocket over yonder. We haven't struck a million, but we
are doing remarkably well."

"I wonder how Captain Zoss and Dr. Barwaithe are making out," said Earl.
They had not heard from their former partners for nearly a month, when a
miner had brought word to the effect that they had just located a claim
on a gulch heading into Hunker Creek, the third strike since leaving
Mosquito Hollow.

"I imagine they are not doing any better than we are," replied his
uncle. "If they were, we should have heard of it. It may pay to strike
around, more or less, but I believe in giving a claim a fair trial
before abandoning it."

Less than a week later it began to snow again. The sky was heavy, and
even at midday it did not brighten up. They had gone down to the gulch
directly after breakfast, but now returned to the cabin, to fix up the
stovepipe as previously mentioned, and to cut enough small wood to last
for several weeks. All were hard at work when they saw two white men and
two Indians approaching, the latter driving before them two dog teams
attached to a pair of Alaskan sledges, piled high with miners' outfits.
The two men were Dr. Barwaithe and Captain Zoss.

"It's a sight good fer sore eyes to see ye ag'in!" exclaimed the
captain, as he shook hands with Mr. Portney and the boys. "I couldn't
keep away no longer. How are ye all?"

"We are very well," said Foster Portney. "How have you been doing?"

"Only fairly well," answered the docto