CARIBOO 43

could see another creek shining in the sunrise
on the other side of the ridge. It seemed to go
down to a valley benched by gravel flanks.
They began wandering down that creek and
testing the gravel. Before they had gone far
their eyes shone like the wet pebbles in their
hands. The gravel was pitted with little yellow
stones. Where rain and spring-wash had swept
off the gravel to naked rock, little nuggets lay
exposed. The men began washing the gravel.
The first pan gave an ounce; the second pan
gave nuggets to the weight of a quarter of a
pound. The excited prospectors forgot time.
Dark was falling. They slept under their
blankets and awoke at daybreak below twelve
inches of snow.

They were out of provisions. Somebody
had to go back down to Cariboo Lake for food.
Each man staked out aclaim. And, while two
built a log cabin, the other two set off over the
hills for food. There was some sort of a log
store down at Cariboo Lake. The one thing
these prospectors were determined on was
secrecy till they could get their claims regis-
tered. Bands of nondescript men hung round
the provision-store of Cariboo Lake awaiting
a breath to fan their flaming hopes of fortune.
What let the secret out at the store is not

A cE eta tg TIRE tS amet" 9

pen panera

——