“Don’t forget to play a trump card for me, boss,” growled Tony. “I don’t want to kick none, and I hain’t a-kicking, but it does seem to me of late that in all this business you are only figuring on lining your own pockets and leaving me out in the cold.” “Rats! Rubbish! Get along with you!” roared Mudd, with a fierce display of drunken anger. Tony hurried on up the trail and never said a word, while Mudd motioned Dick into a small cave which opened in under the cliff. Not for one instant had he failed to keep Dick covered, and to have attempted to escape from him would have surely meant death. “Now, sit down there, boy, and listen to me,” said Mudd, pointing to a big flat stone; “and before I begin to talk I’ll tell you one thing. I am going to shoot you dead at the first move you make toward escaping; do you understand?” “I do,” replied Dick. “I’m badly shaken up, Mr. Mudd. I am going to sit still here for a while. You might just as well put your revolver up. I shan’t attempt to escape.” “Come, now, that’s sensible.” “I try to be sensible at all times.” “So do I, boy. I am going to be sensible now. I’m going to try to come to terms with you once for all. If I fail now, I shall never try again, and you will probably be shot by the order of Colonel Tom Eglinton, whom I expect here in twenty minutes’ time.” Dick was silent. He did not know whether to believe this or not. He did not know what to say, so he said nothing at all. “I see you don’t believe me,” continued Mudd; “but it is true, just the same. I have sent for Eglinton, and he is coming down here to ransom his daughter. Perhaps you wonder how I dare to meet him alone, and if you do, look behind you. Ha! Ha! We were all drunk a while ago, but we are all sober enough to attend to business now. You ought to have finished up your work at the hut, young fellow. You and your friend, Doctor Dan.” There they sat in the back of the cave, the same old gang. Each man had his rifle lying across his knees; they were silent and motionless, but Dick saw that they were ready for business just the same. “Now, what do you think of that?” demanded Mudd. “Am I up and dressed or am I asleep? Answer me that, boy.” “Oh, what’s the use bothering to answer you?” retorted Dick. “You have got the big end of the stick, that’s all there is about it--go ahead.” “Very well, then,” said Mudd, dropping his voice to a whisper. “Dick Darrell, listen to me. You are the true owner of the Gold Queen mine. The claim was located by your father. It adjoins one which was worked out belonging to Colonel Tom Eglinton, and he made up his mind to join the two properties together, and when old Tom Eglinton once sets his heart on accomplishing a certain object I want you to understand, something has got to give.” “All this is old business,” said Dick, as Mudd paused for breath. “Tell me something new.”