"Yes, I would," said Dean. "It's a long time since I've heard from my uncle and aunt. I think my last letter couldn't have reached them." "There's one thing in the way," observed Rawson. "Our claims are valuable—more so than six months ago. If we leave 'em some one will take possession, and that'll be an end of our ownership." "Sell 'em," said Eben, concisely. "That will take time." "I'll stay till it's done. I'm not going to give 'em away." "Trust a Connecticut Yankee for that," said Rawson, laughing. "Well, to-morrow, then, we'll let our neighbors know that our claims are for sale." Dean and his two friends retired at an early hour. They usually became fatigued by the labors of the day, and did not require to court slumber long. They rose early, and took their breakfast at a restaurant near by. Before this was opened, they took turns at cooking breakfast themselves, but were glad to delegate that duty to some one else. Dean, as the best penman, prepared the sign, THESE CLAIMS FOR SALE. rather fortunately, as Rawson was weak not only in writing but in spelling, and would have been very likely to write "Theas clames fer sail," without a thought that he had committed an error. About nine o'clock on the second morning, a small man, dressed in a drab suit, walked leisurely up to Rawson, and remarked: "I understand that you wish to sell these claims." "Exactly, if we can get a fair price." "By we you mean----?" "Myself, Mr. Jones, and the boy. We are partners. Where might you be from, friend?" "I have an office in Denver. I am commissioned by a Philadelphia syndicate to buy some mining property, which will be worked with the help of improved machinery in a systematic manner." "Then you will need more than we have to sell." "I have secured the property on each side of you," said the agent composedly. "What figures are you prepared to offer?" asked Rawson, with a look of business. "I don't want to be extortionate, but the claims are good ones, and we don't want to sacrifice them." Then ensued a few minutes of bargaining, in which Dean took no part. Eben, though usually the most silent of the three, now developed the qualities characteristic of the New England Yankee, and it was due to him that the property was sold for six thousand dollars. "I might have got more if I'd stood out a little longer," he said, half regretfully. "We've done pretty well, though," said Rawson, complacently. "It's two thousand dollars apiece, say three, with what we've taken from it in the last six months. What do you say to that, lad? You'll go home with three thousand dollars." "It doesn't seem possible, Ben. Why, Uncle Adin has been at work for forty years, and I don't believe the old place would fetch that." "Money's easier to come at than in the old times. You'll astonish the old folks, lad." "There'll be some others that'll be surprised," said Dean, smiling. "Squire Bates and Brandon among the rest."