CHAPTER III
THE GOLD MINER
"Shall we let him help us?" asked Will, in a low tone, of his brother.
"I guess so. I don't see why we shouldn't. He was kind enough to tell usabout the horse."
"I know; but he seems like a queer character."
"Oh, I guess he's all right. He said he was from out West, and the folksthere are a little different from those in this part of the country.We'll wait for him."
The boys, who had started off at a fast pace, on hearing where theirhorse was, now slackened their gait, to allow the man to catch up tothem.
"You seem to be in pretty much of a hurry, boys," remarked the stranger.
"Well, it means quite a loss to us if that horse gets away," repliedJed. "We were cultivating corn, my brother and I, and Pete took a notionhe wanted a vacation. We're afraid he'll get hurt, or stolen, and weonly have one other horse."
"Where might you boys live?"
"About a mile back," replied Will.
"And what might your names be?"
Jed told him, wondering the while at the man's rather queer manner.
"And what might be the name of the place where you live?"
"Well, it might be almost anything," responded Jed, unable to withstandthe chance to make a little joke, "but it happens to be Lockport."
"Lockport. That's a queer name. If it was out West, where I come from,they'd probably call it 'Dead Man's Gulch,' or 'Red Horseville,' or'Eagle Pass,' or some such common-sense name as that. But Lockport----"
"They call it that because when you're there you're as good as lockedup," spoke Jed. "You can't get away from it; that is, if you're poor."
"Are you poor?" inquired the man, with a quick look from under hisshaggy brows at the two boys.
"Well, we don't throw any gold dollars over our left shoulder," repliedJed. "My father is a farmer, and I never knew any rich ones."
"That's so," admitted the man. "They generally have to work hard fortheir money."
"Say, if we're going to catch that horse, we'd better hurry," remarkedWill, who was anxious lest the animal might again take a notion to runaway.
"That's so, boys. I didn't mean to detain you. Step along lively. Iguess you'll find that Gabe Harrison can keep up to you. I'm prettylively, if I am old."
"Is you name Gabe Harrison?" asked Jed.
"That's it. Gabe--short for Gabriel--only I'm no relation to the trumpetblower, so don't think the end of the world is coming. Now trot along,and we'll catch the horse. Then we can talk afterward."
It was good advice, and the boys followed it. When they hurried on, fora quarter of a mile further, they saw, in a field near the highway, oldPete calmly browsing on what little grass was left after the dry spell.
"There he is!" exclaimed Will. "I'll catch him. I can run faster thanyou, Jed."
"Better go easy," advised Gabe Harrison. "Once a horse finds out whatfun it is to run away, he's liable to want to do some more of it."
"He never did it before," observed Jed.
"There's always a first time. Here, I'll tell you what to do. It's theway I used to catch my mule when he took a notion to be contrary, andwould stray away when I was prospecting."
"Prospecting for what?" asked Jed, who was beginning to be interested inthe stranger.
"For gold, of course. I'm an old gold miner, but I'm down on my lucknow. Here, take some of this salt, and hold it out in your hat. Horseswill do almost anything for a bit of salt, and I guess you won't haveany trouble catching him."
While he was speaking the old miner had put his bundle down on theground, and opened it. The boys saw he had a regular outfit such as aman might use to camp out with along the road in the summer. There weresome tin and sheet iron dishes and utensils, some food, and the head ofa pickaxe.
"I can't get out of the habit of traveling just as I used to do when Iwas prospecting," said the man. "I don't have to ask any odds of anybodythen, but it's not so easy packing this stuff on my back. I ought tohave a mule or a pony, but I can't afford to. There, take this salt,"and he gave Will some from a sack. "I guess that will fetch the horse."
Will put it in his hat, jumped the fence, and approached the animal,which ceased cropping the grass, and looked up as the boy entered thefield. Probably old Pete was debating in his equine mind, if he had one,whether it was better to see what it was that Will had in his hat, orwhether he would kick up his heels, and enjoy a little more freedom.
Meanwhile Jed, who had remained with the old miner, looked curiously atthe bundle, which Mr. Harrison was tying up again.
"What's the pickaxe for?" inquired the boy.
"That's my old pick that I used when I was a miner."
"What are you carrying it with you for?"
"Because that's a lucky pickaxe. Many a hundred dollars' worth of goldhas that pick dug for me. I broke the handle, and from then on I had badluck. But I kept the pick, and some day I may put a new handle on it,and start to mining again."
"Where did you dig gold?" asked Jed, while a curious longing came intohis heart to get away from the tiresome farm work and embark upon thefree and fascinating life of a prospector. He knew little of such life,or, perhaps, he would not have desired to undertake it, for it is fullof hardships and dangers, compared to which farming is easy and simple.
But the meeting that day of the old miner and the two boys was destinedto have a far-reaching effect, and the head of the pick, which GabeHarrison carried mainly for sentimental reasons, played quite a part inthe adventures that were soon to follow.
"Where did I dig gold?" repeated Gabe, as he finished tying up his pack."Well, young man--Jed, I mean, if you'll allow me to call you that--I'vedug gold 'most every place there was gold to dig. I'm not particularthat way. I've prospected all over the Western part of the UnitedStates, and I've even been in Alaska, where I nearly froze to death,but I got a lot of gold there."
"What made you give it up?" asked Jed, becoming more and moreinterested.
"I didn't. I had bad luck, though it was as much my fault as it wasanything else."
"Did some one rob you?"
"Yes, but for the matter of that I gave them the chance. It was mostlymy own fault. I'm my own worst enemy, my lad, but I think I've turnedover a new leaf, and when Gabe Harrison does the foolish things he usedto do, I hope you'll send him a special-delivery letter and tell himso."
"I will, if he leaves me his address," replied Jed, entering into thespirit of the occasion.
"I'll do that. There, your brother has caught the horse. I thought thatsalt would fetch the critter. I had a mule once--but that's a long whileago. Maybe I'll tell you about it some day."
Will had caught old Pete, and the horse was eagerly licking up the saltfrom the lad's hat.
"I'll open the bars for you," called Jed, hurrying forward to help hisbrother. "Is he hurt any?"
"Not a scratch on him."
"That's good. You'd better ride him home, so dad won't be worrying. I'llwalk."
"You can ride if you want to," said Will, generously.
"No, you're lighter weight, and it's a hot day. Besides, Pete must bepretty well tired out. Look out he doesn't run away with you again."
"I will. Wish I had a bridle instead of this halter."
"Hold on. I've got one!" exclaimed Mr. Harrison. "It's one that belongedto my mule, but I lost the mule and you might as well take the bridle."
The old miner opened another part of his pack, and took out a strongbridle, that showed some signs of wear. It was quickly slipped on Pete,and then Will, mounting the animal's back, rode off.
"If you'll stop at our house on your way past," he called back to Mr.Harrison, "you can get your bridle."
"All right, I will. Might as well go that way as any other," the manadded to Jed, as they started along the highway.
"Haven't you any particular place to go?"
"No, I'm just sort of waiting for something to turn up. I've about madeup my mind to get back to the gold country. I
heard of some new strikesthey were making in Montana, and I've a sort of fever in my blood to getthere."
With Jed asking questions, and the old miner giving in answerconsiderable information about the Western mining country, the twotrudged along until they reached the Crosby farm.
"Won't you come in, and have some dinner?" asked Jed, as Will came outto the gate with the bridle. "It's 'most twelve o'clock, and you'll bevery welcome. You did us quite a service in helping us to get the horseback. It would have meant a lot to dad to lose him."
"Oh, pshaw! I didn't do anything. But, if you don't mind, I'll sit downand have a bite. It's sort of lonesome, eating all alone beside theroad."
"And you promised to tell me how you lost your gold that you dug," saidJed.
"Did I? Well, I don't remember that I did. Still, if you'd like to hearwhat a foolish man I was, I won't mind telling you."