Page:Dave Porter in the Gold Fields.djvu/220

204 the two horses they had ridden and a small portion of the camping outfit—just enough to see them safely back to the nearest town.

"Now remember, Link," said Dave, on parting with the youth, "you have promised to leave us alone in the future. See that you keep that promise."

"If you don't, we'll be down on you like a ton of bricks," added Phil.

"I won't bother you again," said Link Merwell, with downcast eyes. "I—I guess I was a fool to go into this."

Job Haskers said little. But when he looked at our friends it was with an expression as if he wanted to eat them up. He was in a great rage, but he did not dare to show it. In utter silence he and Merwell mounted their steeds and rode out of the camp, on the back trail. Not once did they look behind. Soon the gloom of the night swallowed them up.

"A 'good riddance to bad rubbish, quoted Phil. "My, what a fool Link is!"

"And Haskers is just as bad," said Roger.

"Link has the making of a fine fellow in him," said Dave, with a sigh. "But he evidently prefers to be bad rather than good."

"Thet's the way with some fellers," remarked Abe Blower. "I've seen it in minin' camps many times. A feller would slide in, an' he could make