the innocence
of the two boys. Under these circumstances, it would seem to be best to
allow him to go free, providing he makes a clean breast of everything he
knows concerning this case."

"And further providin'," supplemented Ham, "that he be warned never
ag'in tew show his cowardly face in Sacermento City or any minin'-camp
in Calaforny, under penalty of instant hangin'."

"An' that he be given a hoss-licken, jest afore lettin' him go," added a
roughly dressed miner, standing near the inner edge of the circle.

Growlingly, like a hungry dog driven from a bone, the crowd at length
agreed to this disposal of Skoonly; and the wretched man, with much
faltering and many terrified glances around the enclosing circle of grim
faces, told how, for a thousand dollars in gold-dust, he had agreed to
help Quinley and Ugger out with his testimony, if they needed it; how he
and the two scoundrels had planned out the whole thing the night before
and were on the lookout for the boys that morning; how he had remained
in a near-by saloon, with his manufactured broken arm all ready, waiting
for a summons from the two men; and how, at last, the summons had come
and he had given in his testimony, according to agreement. He declared
that the two men had told him that they only wished to frighten the two
boys into giving up something, he did not know what, that really
belonged to them, and had assured him there would be no danger of
getting the boys hanged, that they would be sure to yield before it got
to that point. About the murder of the miner he knew nothing, except
that Spike Quinley and Bill Ugger had told him that they had killed the
man themselves, and had showed him the money-belt, still heavy with
gold-dust, that they had taken from him--

"Great guns!" broke in Ham excitedly, at this moment, "if we ain't plum
forgot them tew villains," and he made a mad break through the crowd in
the direction of the spot where he had left Quinley and Ugger.

In an instant the wildest excitement prevailed; and hundreds of men were
rushing about excitedly, looking for the two scoundrels. But Quinley and
Ugger were wise in their wickedness, and seeing, with fear-enlightened
eyes, the results of the advent of Hammer Jones and Colonel Fremont, had
taken advantage of the excitement attending the examination of Skoonly,
to disappear so suddenly and completely, that, although Sacramento City
was searched all that day and that night, as with a fine-t