un it with
two Chinamen and jest make it howl! Wot yer say--eh?" He extended his
hand.

"I'm in," said Uncle Billy, radiantly grasping Uncle Jim's. But his
smile faded, and his clear simple brow wrinkled in two lines.

Happily Uncle Jim did not notice it. "Now, then, old pard," he said
brightly, "we'll have a gay old time to-night--one of our jamborees!
I've got some whisky here and a deck o' cards, and we'll have a little
game, you understand, but not for 'keeps' now! No, siree; we'll play
for beans."

A sudden light illuminated Uncle Billy's face again, but he said, with
a grim desperation, "Not to-night! I've got to go into town. That
fren' o' mine expects me to go to the theayter, don't ye see? But I'll
be out to-morrow at sun-up, and we'll fix up this thing o' the ranch."

"Seems to me you're kinder stuck on this fren'," grunted Uncle Jim.

Uncle Billy's heart bounded at his partner's jealousy. "No--but I
_must_, you know," he returned, with a faint laugh.

"I say--it ain't a _her_, is it?" said Uncle Jim.

Uncle Billy achieved a diabolical wink and a creditable blush at his
lie.

"Billy!"

"Jim!"

And under cover of this festive gallantry Uncle Billy escaped. He ran
through the gathering darkness, and toiled up the shifting sands to the
top of the hill, where he found the carriage waiting.

"Wot," said Uncle Billy in a low confidential tone to the coachman,
"wot do you 'Frisco fellers allow to be the best, biggest, and riskiest
gamblin'-saloon here? Suthin' high-toned, you know?"

The negro grinned. It was the usual case of the extravagant
spendthrift miner, though perhaps he had expected a different question
and order.

"Dey is de 'Polka,' de 'El Dorado,' and de 'Arcade' saloon, boss," he
said, flicking his whip meditatively. "Most gents from de mines prefer
de 'Polka,' for dey is dancing wid de gals frown in. But de real
_prima facie_ place for gents who go for buckin' agin de tiger and
straight-out gamblin' is de Arcade.'"

"Drive there like thunder!" said Uncle Billy, leaping into the carriage.

* * * * *

True to his word, Uncle Billy was at his partner's shanty early the
next morning. He looked a little tired, but happy, and had brought a
draft with him for five hundred and seventy-five dollars, which he
explained was the total of his capital. Uncle Jim was overjoyed. They
would start for Napa that very day, and conclude the purchase of the
ran