“And my jack-knife was in the coat-pocket, I declare!” exclaimed he, suddenly starting up and pinching alternately one pocket and then another. “Yes, sir, that’s gone, too; that’s worse than all the rest,” he added, despairingly, falling upon his elbow, and gazing abstractedly into the fire. “That’s a trifling loss, surely, as you have your hunting-knife.” “I’ve a good notion to get up and go back now,” he added, not heeding my remark. “I’m sick of this business. It’s bad enough to lose the mare, but when the knife is gone I can’t stand it.” I knew this was but a momentary despondency with my friend, and for the sake of whiling away the time before sleep, I was inclined to humor it. “But what will you do for that gold that you was going to buy Deacon Hunt’s farm with for your Alminy?” “Let her go without it,” he answered, gruffly, without removing his gaze from the fire. “She can get along without it. I believe she only coaxed me to go off to Californy to get me out of the way, so that mean Bill Hawkins might take my place. If he does come any such game, he’ll catch it when I get back.” I laughed deeply, but silently, as I witnessed his appearance at these remarks. It was so earnest and feeling, that it was impossible to resist its ludicrousness. “Nat,” said I, after a moment’s thought, in which my mind had taken an altogether different channel, “I am free to own that I have little faith in our success in California. I left home in a flush of excitement, without considering the consequences of such a rash step, and they are now beginning to present themselves. I propose that we seek our fortune elsewhere. The fact that gold exists in California is now known all over the world, and we know there is not the remotest corner of her territory which is not swarming with hundreds who leave no means untried to amass their fortunes. I have no desire to wrangle and grope with them, and would much rather seek wealth elsewhere.” “But where else?” “If gold exists in one spot on the Pacific coast, it is right to suppose it exists in many others, and what is to prevent our finding it?” “Have you thought of any place?” “It seems to me that in Oregon, among the spurs of the Rocky Mountains, there must be fabulous quantities of the precious metal.” “But why hasn’t it been found?” “Oregon is thinly settled, and no suspicion has led them to search for it.” “Well, let us dream upon it.” A few more fagots were forthwith heaped upon the fire, and then we lay down for the night’s rest. My companion had lain but a minute, when he suddenly sprang to his feet, and exclaimed: “Hurrah for Oregon!” “Be careful,” I admonished; “your indiscretion may be fatal. That wall of darkness across the river looks gloomy and threatening enough to me.” “It does--hello! I’m shot--no, I ain’t, neither.” That instant the report of a rifle burst from the other bank, and the bullet whizzed within an inch of my companion’s face.