any deficiency in that respect
from his own funds--which, indeed, was his true motive for undertaking
the commission in person, although he concealed it from Mr Rawlings;
for he was aware that the latter had got near the end of his resources,
and would have been indignant if he had offered to be his temporary
banker in order to buy all that was now needed for the mine, which he
had made up his mind to be, whether he liked it or not, without his
knowing it; and he chuckled to himself as he told Mr Rawlings that the
money would do amply.

"I suppose, Wilton, you'll take the waggon and a team of mules with you
to bring back the things, eh?" said Mr Rawlings presently, as the young
engineer began making his preparations for starting.

"Yes," said Ernest, "and shall have to hire four or five others; but I
need only have them with me as far as Fort Bennett on the Missouri,
where, as I pointed out to you just now, I can get a passage in one of
the river steamers right up to Bismark, and the same way back with all
my purchases. Why, Mr Rawlings, you must have come here by almost as
roundabout a route as I did from Oregon! You told me that you took a
month getting to Minturne Creek with your mining plant and other goods,
dragging them, I suppose, the whole distance from the railway depot
across the plains, instead of taking advantage of the waterway as I am
going to do now."

"That is very true," answered the other. "But Moose said it was the
best way, and I allowed him to shape his own course."

"He'll have to shape mine now!" said Ernest dryly; and the same day he
and the half-breed, with the valiant Josh in charge of the waggon and a
ten-mule team, started for Fort Bennett, a distance of some hundred and
forty miles from the camp, which they accomplished within three days,
not meeting with any obstruction in the shape of Indians on the road.

At this station Ernest left Moose with the waggon and mules, while he
took passage for himself and Josh in one of the steam-boats which ply
along the rolling waters of the Missouri to the large town on its banks
above, that may now be called the capital of Dakota.

At Bismark he was fortunate enough to hear of some machinery which would
exactly suit him; it had been sent west for a mine, which before it
arrived had proved so poor that it was abandoned, and the wheel and
stamps were now for sale. He also laid in some stores, besides a
quantity of gunpowder, and lead for bullets