rk
again; but when he did, he gave a full description of the burning of the
cabin, and told of the direction the men had gone when they got through.
Elam said they had gone to the fort, and the only way to head them off
was to get there in advance of them. They intended to raise some money
on those skins, and after that go to the mountains; but he was certain
if he could see the commandant or the sutler he would knock their
expedition into a cocked hat. He dropped these remarks as Tom went
along, so that by the time he got through he knew pretty nearly what
Elam was going to do. He was more surprised when he got through than
Elam was.

"You seem to look upon this robbery as something that ought to have
happened," said Tom. "I tell you that if I had worked as long as you
have, and had seven hundred dollars' worth, I would be mad."

"Young man, if you had been out here as long as I have, and been in my
circumstances, you would have learned to look upon these things as a
matter of course," answered Elam. "This is the fourth time I have been
robbed, and I never go to the mountains without expecting it."

"But you never told me about that man shooting at you so many times,"
answered Tom.

"Well, he did; and once he came so close to me that he laid me on the
ground," said Elam, baring his brawny chest and showing Tom the ragged
mark of a bullet there.

"By George!" exclaimed Tom.

"That was the time he stole that bag you have there," continued Elam.
"He looked at me and thought me to be dead, and so made no bones about
taking it. But he got fooled for once in his life. He thought I had a
map there telling him where to look for the nugget."

"Did you have a map of any kind with you?"

"Nary a map," said Elam, with a laugh.

"Well, there's one here now, and I should like to have you look at it.
The loss of that map made Aleck think he was ruined."

Elam became all attention now, and watched Tom as he took out the piece
of buckskin and carefully unfolded it. Finally he took out the paper and
handed it to Elam, taking pains to smooth it out as he did so.

"He said he had to shoot a man in order to get it," said Tom.

"What man was it?"

"I don't know. He didn't describe him."

Elam had been fooled so many times in regard to that nugget that he took
the paper with a smile, but he had scarcely glanced at it before a look
of intense earnestness took the place of the smile. He laid down his
rifle, rested his hands u