ht, and went up and drove my knife into his side, but it struck a
rib and broke the pint, as ye see; and a'most afore I could get up a
tree, he wos close up behind me. He went away after a while, and so I
got clear off."

To the immense satisfaction of every one, this disagreeable guest arose
after finishing his pipe, knocked the ashes out, shouldered his rifle,
and, bidding his entertainers good-night, re-entered the forest, and
disappeared.

"You're well away," remarked Tom Collins, looking after him; "I couldn't
have slept comfortably with such a fellow in camp. Now, then, I'm going
to turn in."

"So am I," said Maxton, rolling himself in a blanket, and pillowing his
head on a saddle, without more ado.

In a few minutes the camp was as silent as it had previously been noisy.
Captain Bunting's plethoric breathing alone told that human beings
rested on that wild spot; and this, somewhat incongruously united with
the tinkling of the rivulet hard by, and the howling of coyotes,
constituted their lullaby. During the night the most of the travellers
were awakened once or twice by a strange and very peculiar sensation,
which led them to fancy the earth on which they reposed was possessed of
life. The lazy members of the party lay still, and dreamily wondered
until they fell asleep; those who were more active leaped up, and,
lifting their blankets, gazed intently at the sward, which darkness
prevented them from seeing, and felt it over with their hands, but no
cause for the unwonted motion could be discovered, until the light of
dawn revealed the fact that they had made their beds directly above the
holes of a colony, of ground-squirrels, which little creatures, poking
upwards with their noses in vain attempts to gain the upper world, had
produced the curious sensations referred to.

Rough travelling, however, defies almost all disadvantages in the way of
rest. Tired and healthy men will sleep in nearly any position, and at
any hour, despite all interruptions, so that when our friends rose at
daybreak to resume their journey, they were well refreshed and eager to
push on.

CHAPTER TEN.

GAME AND COOKERY--ARRIVAL AT THE DIGGINGS--LITTLE CREEK--LAW AND ORDER
IN THE MINES--NOONING AT LITTLE CREEK--HARD-UP--OUR ADVENTURERS GET
CREDIT AND BEGIN WORK--A YANKEE OUTWITTED.

Deer, hares, crows, blackbirds, magpies, and quails, were the creatures
that bounded, scampered, hopped, and flew before the eyes of the
trav