About three o’clock in the afternoon the stage from Sacramento arrived at Howe’s Gulch.

Among the other passengers Grant descended, his limbs sore from rattling over the roughest kind of roads, and stretching himself, he looked around him.

The stage had drawn up in front of the hotel, but it was not such a hotel as the reader is accustomed to see. It was a long, low frame building, with what might be called an attic overhead, which was used as a general dormitory, with loose beds of straw spread over the floor. Here twenty-five persons slept in a single room. Down below rude meals were supplied for those who could afford to pay the price.

198But Grant felt little interest in the hotel. He expected to meet Tom Cooper, and looked out for him.

He had not long to wait.

“How are you, Grant? Delighted to see you. How’s the folks?”

Grant turned, and in the bearded, roughly dressed miner found it difficult to recognize his friend of the plains—Tom Cooper.

His face lighted up as he grasped Tom’s hand cordially.

“Your father and mother are well,” he said, “and so is Mr. Silverthorn.”

“What! have you seen that scoundrel?”

“I left him at Sacramento. He wanted me to pay his fare out here.”

“You declined?”

“Yes; I thought he would be company for your father. He may adopt Silverthorn in your place.”

“He’s welcome to him, if he likes. It’s good for sore eyes to see you, Grant. How do you feel?”

“Sore enough. I thought I should be shaken to pieces over the rough road.”

199“You are hungry, I reckon. Come into the hotel, and we’ll have dinner.”

Nothing loath, Grant followed Tom into the dining-room, where dinner was laid in readiness for the stage passengers. It was not such a meal as an epicure would enjoy, but Grant ate with great relish.

“So you have been doing well, Tom?” said Grant, between two mouthfuls.

“Yes; you didn’t tell father what I wrote you?”

“No; you told me not to.”

“What did he say about me?”

“He said that he didn’t believe you were doing much; he thought you had better come back to Sacramento and help him in the shop.”

Tom laughed.

“I think I’ll stay here a little longer,” he replied. “How is dad doing?”

“Finely. He is making ten dollars a day.”

“Good for him! He wouldn’t do for mining. Besides, there’s mother. He’s better off where he is.”

“Where do you sleep, Tom?”

“Upstairs. I have a pair of blankets up 200there, and a pillow, and I don’t need anybody to make my bed.”

“I suppose I ought to have a pair of blankets.”

“I’ll buy you a pair. There’s a chap going to leave to-day, and we can buy his. Now come out and see the mines.”

Leaving the hotel, Tom led the way to the mining claims. There was a deep gulch half a mile distant, at the base of which ran a creek, and it was along this that the claims were staked out. They were about twenty feet wide, in some cases more. Tom led the way to his, and showed Grant the way he worked. He used a rocker, or cradle. A sieve was fitted in at the top, and into this the miner shoveled the dirt. Tom rocked the cradle with one hand, after it was filled, and poured water on the dirt from a dipper. Gradually the dirt was washed out, and if............