THE TWO CHUMS.

Otago Witness, Issue 2425, 5 September 1900, Page 69

THE TWO CHUMS.

At Dawson they separated, and Middleton went out with the various stampedes, but always with the same bad luck. The last trip of this sort took him on to a tributary o f Bonanza Creek about 85 miles from Dawson. He found nothing on Ins location, and after a week's work gave it up. The only man who seemed to have anything worth working was a Swede named Erickson. He was getting but a fair return to the pan. Middleton sat on the edge of the claim jind envied him. It was almost noon of 'the tenth clay after their arrival on the ground. The method of locating a claim when discovered is to drive posts at the four corners, blazed square, and on the blazed spaces is written the claimant's name. Ten days from this time is allowed the discoverer" to prospect and do certain work. at noon of the tenth day he must add~the word "relocated" to the posts and go to the nearest recorder and file hi,s claim. As Middleton sat and watched Erickson work, the critical time arrived and he saw that the other was so busy 4hat he had forgotten what he had to do to make good his title. The thought came to Middleton to jump the claim. He waited till noon was well past, and then slipping to the nearest post sliced off the former blaze with his axe and wrote on it his own name. Erickson came out,, ci the hole, saw him just as he was finishing the task and made for him. Middleton did not stop to discuss the matter. He hurried to-Dawson to file his claim. The Swede followed, aud the chase continued < all the weary way. Middleton got there first and acquired title to the-clajm. He at once went back and began work where the Swede had left off. Erickson also returned and went to work on a claim a little distance above. Middleton was constantly afraid of trouble, but the Swede made no effort to molest him. The ground, however, failed to pay its new owner as he had hoped. Gold was there, but not in quantity. Middleton had no partner, and no money _ with which to hire help. For the first 15ft of his shaft he could throw out the dirt with a shovel. After that depth he had to go - down to fill the bucket, climb to the surface, hoist up the bucket and carry the dirt to the dump. Between times he chopped wood to thaw the frozen gravel. In this way he went down to a distance of 65ft. Late one afternoon he had filled the bucket and had started to clamber to the top, when he felt the lope tighten and the bucket rise. He climbed hastily out to see who was helping him. It was the Swede. He had watched the boy's lonely efforts until anger had passed | -into admiration of his grit, and had come over after his own work was ended to give him a friendly lift. Middleton thanked him' as calmly as his alarm would allow. 'The -Swede only smiled. "Young man," he said, '1 been watchin' you. What a man wants in this country is a strong back and a weak head. I think you're built I too much the other way. You'd better go somewhere else." When his clean-up came, Middleton found he had taken out only about 2000dol. But this was enough. He looked at it and thought of the things it ] would buy in civilisation. It was not a fortune, but it would take him out and give him a stake besides. A great homesickness came -over him, and he knocked ofi .wjork,, "Icric&son," kerflsJdi "you <$n.

have this claim if you want il for 50 cents. I'm through with it, and I'm going home." The next day he was on his way to Dawson. Erickson did take the claim, developed it, and during the next year took out of, it over 70,000d0l ! — Ainslee's Magazine (U.S.).