The officials consulted hurriedly. Then one of them announced that the drawing would be postponed until the following morning. Each was to bring his steamship ticket with him. The winners in the drawing must be prepared to have their tickets countersigned on the spot. With this understanding we dispersed. This was Talbot Ward's first public appearance; the first occasion in which he called himself to the attention of his fellows assembled in public meeting. The occasion was trivial, and it is only for this reason that I mention it. His personality at once became known, and remembered; and I recollect that many total strangers spoke to him that evening. By next morning the transportation officials had worked it out. We could not all get into the office, so the drawing took place on the Plaza outside. As each man's name was called, he stepped forward, showed his ticket, and was allowed to draw a slip from the box. If it proved to be a blank, he went away; if he was lucky, he had his ticket _vised_ on the spot. Such a proceeding took the greater part of the day; but the excitement remained intense. No one thought of leaving even for the noon meal. Yank drew passage on the first steamer. Talbot, Johnny, and I drew blanks. We walked down to the shore to talk over the situation. [Illustration: "'YOU HOUNDS!' HE ROARED. 'DON'T YOU DARE TRY TO SNEAK OFF!'"] "We ought to have bought tickets good on this particular ship, not merely good on this line," said Johnny. "Doesn't matter what we _ought_ to have done," rejoined Talbot a little impatiently. "What are we _going_ to do? Are we going to wait here until the next steamer comes along?" "That's likely to be two or three months--nobody knows," said Johnny. "No; it's in six weeks, I believe. They tell me they've started regular trips on a new mail contract." "Well, six weeks. If we stay in this hole we'll all be sick; we'll be broke; and in the meantime every ounce of gold in the country will have been picked up." "What's the alternative?" I asked. "Sailing vessel," said Talbot briefly. "That's mighty uncertain," I objected. "Nobody knows when one will get in; and when it does show up it'll be a mad scramble to get to her. There's a mob waiting to go." "Well, it's one or the other. We can't walk; and I don't see that the situation is going to be much better when the next steamer does get here. There are a couple of hundred to crowd in on her--just counting those who are here and have tickets. And then there will be a lot more." "I'm for the sailing vessel," said Johnny. "They come in every week or two now; and if we can't make the first one, we'll have a good chance at the second or the third." Talbot looked at me inquiringly. "Sounds reasonable," I admitted. "Then we've no time to lose," said Talbot decisively, and turned away toward the town.