"I mean," said Talbot kindly, "that you had no right to try to get this money by merely a gambler's chance unless you were willing to accept the logical result if you failed. It isn't fair to the rest of us." "I see what you mean," said Johnny slowly. "No; I hadn't thought of it that way." "Well, as I said, you had luck," repeated Talbot cheerfully, "so we needn't think of it further." It was characteristic that Johnny took this veiled rebuke from Talbot Ward in a meek and chastened spirit; from any one else his high temper could never stand even a breath of criticism. "How about you, Frank?" Talbot asked me. I detailed my experiences in a very few words and exhibited my gold slug. "That's the best I can do," I ended, "and half of that does not belong to me. I can, however, in a few days scrape up the full amount; there is plenty to do here. And barring bull luck, like Johnny's, I don't see much show of beating that, unless a man settled down to stay here." Talbot stared at me, ruminatively, until I began to get restive. Then he withdrew his eyes. He made no comment. "I suppose you have your money," suggested Yank to him, after a pause. "Oh--yes," said Talbot as though awaking from profound reverie. "Well, tell us about it. How did you get it? How long did it take you?" "About half an hour. I figured that everybody in a place like this would be wanting news. So I sorted out that bundle of old newspapers you fellows were always laughing at, and I went out and sold them. Lucky I got busy with them early; for I don't doubt the arrival of the _Oregon_ broke the market." "How much did you get for them?" asked Johnny. "A dollar apiece for most, and fifty cents for the rest. I came out two hundred and seventy dollars ahead all told. That, with Frank's and my ten dollars, gave me sixty dollars above the necessary amount." Johnny arose and kicked himself solemnly. "For not guessing what newspapers were good for," he explained. "Go on! What next? What did you do with the rest of the day?" Talbot leaned forward, and all the animation of the dinner table returned to his manner and to his face.