Page:California Inter Pocula.djvu/800



safety, but to exhibit talents for circumvention and overreaching of too pronounced a character is dangerous.

Early in the fifties there arrived at Hough and Ready one day a double-edged native of Cape Cod. The next morning he spent in watching and quizzing the miners who were at work. While thus engaged, he encountered the owner of a claim who had sunk a shaft between two very rich claims, and was now within a few inches of an expected strike. The owner of the shaft having business elsewhere wished to sell, and thought perhaps a better price might be obtained before uncovering the precious deposit than afterward. In any event he was willing to gamble on it a little.


 * Three thousand dollars was taken out o' that thar hole," said the shaft-sinker, **and nigh on to two thousand out o' this yer 'n, and there's no reason why mine ain't as good as them."

Dinner time came round, and the diggers on the way to their cabins stopped to talk about it, and at length quite a crowd collected about the place. One offered $100 for the claim, another $200, another $250, but the owner peremptorily declined them all. Finally the man from Cape Cod opened his mouth, and in a shrill voice pitched at F sharp spoke.

"Look a-here, stranger," said he, "you don't know me, and I don't know you, but if you believe what you say I'll make you an offer you can't refuse."

" How is that ? " said the shaft-owner, while all eyes were directed toward the sharpened visage of the newly arrived.

" Well, I'll work your hole for you on these conditions. If more than $200 are taken out, you shall have the whole of it; if less than $200 it shall all belong to me."

The owner pondered a moment. "Surely," he thought, "there is more than $200 there. This fellow fresh from Cape Cod is a fool. Well, it will do him no harm to purchase of me a little experience at the