enough. Of course Zurich kept his share, the lion's share."

"You got the middleman's chunk, at any rate," retorted Zurich.

"I did the middleman's work," said the gambler tranquilly. "Now,
gentlemen, we have not been agreeing very well of late. Eric, in
particular, has been far from flattering in his estimates of my social
and civic value. We are agreed on that? Very well. I may have mentioned
my intelligence? And that I rate it highly? Yes? Very well, then. I shall
now demonstrate that my self-appraisal was justified by admitting that my
judgment on this occasion was at fault. Eric's theories as to our delayed
news from our expedition are sound; they work out; they prove themselves.
The same is true of his very direct and lucid statement as to the nature
and cause of the difficulties which now beset us. I now make the direct
appeal to you, Eric: As a candid man or mouse, what would you do next?"

Tall Eric bent his brows darkly at the gambler.

"If you mean that I fear the man Johnson at all, why do you not use
tongue and lips to say that same? I am not greatly chafed by an open
enemy, but I am no great hand to sit down under a mock."

"It was your own word--the mice," said Dewing. "But this time you take me
wrongly. I meant no mockery. I ask you, in good faith, for your opinion.
What ought to be done to retrieve the false step?"

"Could we find this treasure-trove by a painstaking search of the hills?"
asked Zurich doubtfully. "It's a biggish country."

"Man," said Eric, "I've prospected out there for fifteen years and I've
scarce made a beginning. If we're to find Johnson's strike before Johnson
makes a path to it, we have a month, at most. Find it, says you? Sure, we
might find it. But if we do it will be by blind fool-hog luck and not by
painstakin' search. Do you search, if you like. My word would be to try
negotiations. Make a compromise with Johnson. And if your prudence does
not like the errand, I will even take it upon myself."

"What is there to compromise? We have

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