m's
face as he was leading his horse up the opposite bank, and there was a
look on it that boded mischief.

CHAPTER XVII.

THE NUGGET IS FOUND.

"Where are your horses?" I demanded.

"Horses? We aint got none," replied the man.

"Somebody must have grub-staked you," I continued. "They never sent you
into the mountains to get lost."

"We grub-staked ourselves," answered the man impatiently. "But I'll tell
you what's the matter with you. Somebody has grub-staked you, and sent
you in here to search for gold, and I want to know which one of you is
Elam Storm. Speak quick!"

The next thing that happened was a little short of bewildering. In less
time than it takes to tell it, Elam and I were covered with the muzzles
of two cocked rifles, thus making it plain to me that the men had seen
us, and hastily made up their plans what to do with us. They couldn't
have moved so quickly if they hadn't. They paid no attention to Tom, but
covered Elam and me. All they said was:

"Don't you move, Tender-foot. You may save the life of one, but you will
be a goner in the end. Now, drop your guns right where you stand."

In an instant Elam and I laid down our rifles, and Tom did the same. It
was too close a call to do otherwise, for a suspicious move on the part
of one of us would have sent us to kingdom come in short order. There
was "shoot" in the men's eyes, and we saw it plain enough.

"Now," said the leader, "go over there and set down, away from your
guns. Which one of you is Elam Storm?"

"My name is Toby Johnson," replied Elam, speaking before anybody else
had a chance to open his mouth. "I don't deny that I am sent up here to
prospect for gold; but I don't see much chance of finding any."

"And what's your name?" demanded the leader, turning to me.

It was a little time before I could speak. Elam's plan for throwing them
off the scent was a good one, but it came so sudden that it fairly took
my breath away.

"I am Carlos Burton," I replied.

"Burton! I know you," said the man, who hardly knew whether to be
delighted or otherwise at the discovery he had made; and then all of a
sudden it flashed upon me that here was the man who had stolen my
cattle. How I wished I had my rifle in my hands! There would have been
one cattle-thief less in the world, I bet you; but, then, what good
would it have done? I would have been gone up, too, for the other man
still held his cocked rifle in his hands.

"Ah, yes! Burton