cabin on the "Laughing Water" claim Algy, the Chinese cook, was
still disabled. Gettysburg was chief culinary artist. Napoleon
hustled for grub, the only supplies of which were over at Goldite--and
expensive. All were constantly exhausted with the labors of the day.

Despite their vigilance they awoke one morning to see a brand-new cabin
standing on the claim, at the top of a hill. A man was on the rough
pine roof, rapidly laying weather paper. Van beheld him, watched him
for a moment, then quietly walked over to the site.

"Say, friend," he called to the man on the roof, "you've broken into
Eden by mistake. This property is mine and I haven't any building lots
to sell."

The visiting builder took out a huge revolver and laid it on a block.
He said nothing at all. Van felt his impatience rising.

"I'm talking to you, Mr. Carpenter," he added. "Come on, now, I don't
want any trouble with neighbors, but this cabin will have to be
removed."

"Go to hell!" said the builder. He continued to pound in his nails.

"If I go," said Van calmly, "I'll bring a little back. Are you going
to move or be moved?"

"Don't talk to me, I'm busy," answered the intruder. "I'm an irritable
man, and everything I own is irritable, understand?" And taking up his
gun he thumped with it briskly on the boards.

"If you're looking for trouble," Van replied, "you won't need a
double-barreled glass."

He turned away and the man continued operations. When he came to the
shack Van selected a hammer and a couple of drills from among a lot of
tools in the corner.

To his partner's questions as to what the visitor intended he replied
that only time could tell.

"Here, Nap," he added, fetching forth the tools, "I want you to take
this junk and go up there where the neighbor is working. Just sit down
quietly and drill three shallow holes and don't say a word to yonder
busy bee. If he asks you what's doing, play possum--and don't make the
holes too deep."

Napoleon went off as directed. His blows could presently be heard as
he drilled in a porphyry dike.

His advent puzzled the man intent on building.

"Say, you," said he, "what's on your programme?"

Napoleon drilled and said nothing.

The carpenter watched him in some uneasiness.

"Say, you ain't starting a shaft?"

No answer.

"Ain't this a placer? Say, you, are you deef?"

Napoleon pounded on the steel.

"Go to hell!" said the builder, as he had before, "--a man