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238 everybody was ready to yell at the moment the signal was given. Judge of the surprise, indignation and disgust which took possession of the crowd, when they saw that infamous mule walk off like a pet lamb with that confiding victim of their pleasantry, and disappear in the distance without so much as giving a snort, a kick, or even a parting look behind him at the friends and companions of his youth! The owner of the mule watched him until he disappeared over the hill, then invited all hands in to take another drink. He was dead beat, dumbfounded and non-plussed. What influence could have been at work on the brute to induce him to thus suddenly go back upon every tradition of his race, and forfeit his long and well-earned reputation, he could not for the life of him imagine, and he got blind drunk while puzzling his mind over the problem.

It was noon when the greenhorn reached the gulch to which he had been directed, and presented a note from the owner of the mule to his partner, who was mining there in a claim, which had formerly paid handsomely, but was then nearly worked out. The wink went around the mining party when the letter of introduction was read, and on the innocent victim inquiring for a "first-rate spot to dig out the gold in big chunks," he was directed to a tree up on the side hill, some two hundred feet above the level of the gulch, as a first-rate point at which to stick up the usual notice and commence. The victim meant business. He did not propose to waste any time in looking around, and at his request one of the party wrote