, opening it, gravely took a pill. This was
clearly an innovation on their regular proceedings, for Uncle Billy was
always in perfect health.

"What's this for?" asked Uncle Jim half scornfully.

"Agin ager."

"You ain't got no ager," said Uncle Jim, with the assurance of intimate
cognizance of his partner's physical condition.

"But it's a pow'ful preventive! Quinine! Saw this box at Riley's
store, and laid out a quarter on it. We kin keep it here, comfortable,
for evenings. It's mighty soothin' arter a man's done a hard day's
work on the river-bar. Take one."

Uncle Jim gravely took a pill and swallowed it, and handed the box back
to his partner.

"We'll leave it on the table, sociable like, in case any of the boys
come in," said Uncle Billy, taking up the cards. "Well. How de we
stand?"

Uncle Jim consulted the memorandum-book. "You were owin' me sixty-two
thousand dollars on the last game, and the limit's seventy-five
thousand!"

"Je whillikins!" ejaculated Uncle Billy. "Let me see."

He examined the book, feebly attempted to challenge the additions, but
with no effect on the total. "We oughter hev made the limit a hundred
thousand," he said seriously; "seventy-five thousand is only triflin'
in a game like ours. And you've set down my claim at Angel's?" he
continued.

"I allowed you ten thousand dollars for that," said Uncle Jim, with
equal gravity, "and it's a fancy price too."

The claim in question being an unprospected hillside ten miles distant,
which Uncle Jim had never seen, and Uncle Billy had not visited for
years, the statement was probably true; nevertheless, Uncle Billy
retorted:--

"Ye kin never tell how these things will pan out. Why, only this
mornin' I was taking a turn round Shot Up Hill, that ye know is just
rotten with quartz and gold, and I couldn't help thinkin' how much it
was like my ole claim at Angel's. I must take a day off to go on there
and strike a pick in it, if only for luck."

Suddenly he paused and said, "Strange, ain't it, you should speak of it
to-night? Now I call that queer!"

He laid down his cards and gazed mysteriously at his companion. Uncle
Jim knew perfectly that Uncle Billy had regularly once a week for many
years declared his final determination to go over to Angel's and
prospect his claim, yet nevertheless he half responded to his partner's
suggestion of mystery, and a look of fatuous wonder crept into his
eyes. But he contented himse