remarked Waffles, pointing straight at the hanging vines that screened
the fissure so completely.

"Then it looks like he might a come out of them vines?" suggested
Kracker, carelessly.

"Reckon, now, he did," replied the other.

"Go and take a look, Waffles," added the big man. "If so be we expect
to sleep right here, we want to know if there's any wolf around. I
ain't so fond of the ugly critters that I want to have one crawlin'
all over me when I'm trying to get some rest. Look behind the vines, I
say, Waffles, and make sure."

Waffles did not seem any too anxious to obey. Possibly, if he had
gripped some sort of firearm in his hand, he might not have shown the
same timidity. Perhaps he too had an animosity toward ferocious and
maddened wolves; and besides, it had been his hand that had given the
finishing blow to that nasty little spitting cub, just now, and the
mother wolf might have it in for him on that account.

But then he feared the scorn of the big prospector even more than he
did the possibility of danger from a she wolf bereft of her whelps.
And so, rather hesitatingly to be sure, the man started toward the
cliff, with the intention of lifting the screen of vines, and peering
behind the same.

Of course he would immediately learn of the fact that there was a
fissure in the rock; and curiosity was apt to induce the men to make an
attempt to explore the cavity, since they were all experienced miners,
and eager to discover signs of a "find" in some unexpected place.

Closer came Waffles. He was now within a few feet of the vines, and
indeed, had one hand stretched out, as with the intention of clutching
the mass of vegetation, and drawing it aside; while the other gripped
that stout cudgel, with which he expected to defend himself
desperately, should he be attacked.

Aleck was quivering with suspense, and Thad could easily understand
that he must be handling his gun, as though tempted to discharge this,
and frighten the man off. But that would be giving the secret away,
for these men were cunning; and after they had come to figure things
out, they would arrive at something like the truth.

If discovery were to be averted other means must be employed in order
to keep Waffles from raising that curtain, or at least daring to
venture into the fissure as much as one foot.

Finding the ear of his companion Thad managed to whisper in it the few
words:

"Don't shout."

"Do just what I do; we've got to