ould cost us right there, Texas was
the place for us to go. The Indians were bad, and we would have to go
right across the country inhabited by the Comanches, and they were about
the worst cattle-thieves I ever heard of. Those lawless men--those who
did not think that they were bound by any legal or moral restraint
unless it was right there to punish them--were found everywhere, and it
was going to be a matter of some difficulty to evade them. I had been
there once, and I had seen just enough of it to want to go again. I
wished now that I had not had quite so much to say in regard to those
Regulators and Moderators who seemed to turn up when you least expected
them.

I got supper ready after a while and we all sat down to it--all except
Uncle Ezra, who sat on his camp-stool with his eyes fastened on the
nugget. He turned it first on one side and then on the other so that he
could view it from all sides, said, "By gum!" every time he looked at
it, and told us many stories connected with it that we had never heard
before. To Elam's request that he would take charge of it he readily
assented. He would keep it out until all the sheep-herders had seen it,
and then he would hide it somewhere so that nobody would ever think of
looking for it. It was in the hands of the rightful owner at last, and
no one need think he was going to handle it again.

"But you have a long way to take it to Denver," said I. "What will you
do if somebody demands it of you!"

"Now, wait until I tell you," said Uncle Ezra, while a look of
determination came into his face. "Uncle Ezra has been there."

"Now while you are talking about that nugget you are forgetting about
me," said Tom. "I've got to go back to Mr. Parsons' cabin, and make some
amends for that bronco. I didn't agree to let him be torn up. I have
left money enough in his hands to settle for him."

"That horse won't cost you a cent," said I.

"What makes you say that?"

"Because he was kept for the purpose of sending tender-feet into the
mountains when Parsons didn't have anything else for them to do. The
next one that comes along he will have to set him to herding cattle.
Still I will go with you."

"Thank you. What's the reason Elam can't go with you?"

"Why, he's got to stay here and watch the nugget!"

"By George! Have you got to watch it now that you have found it?"

"Yes, sir. There are ten men employed on this ranch and four on mine,
and you may be sure that all of them