The weather was growing steadily warmer, and soon the buds began to come out and the grass took on its coat of green. Sleeping in the tent was quite comfortable, and the boys declared it would have been stuffy to have remained in a cabin. Mark was getting hardened to the labor and it was but seldom that his back ached as it had when he had first taken hold. They soon gave up one claim as next to worthless and all four of the partners labored along a small brook flowing into the gulch, which was dry a good part of the time, the water soaking away in the sandy bottom. It was late on Friday afternoon that Mark and Bob were digging around the bottom of a big bowlder which was imbedded in the dark sand. They had uncovered some fair-sized grains of gold and were trying to reach the bottom of the "sand pocket," as they called it. "Not a great deal of gold here," remarked Bob. "But I guess it is worth working for." "We are making more than fair wages, Bob." "Oh, I know that, Mark. But when a fellow gets used to making big money he hates to drop back." "That is so too. But let us go down to the bottom here, anyway." "That is what I calculate to do. The most gold will lie next to the rock under the sand." They continued to labor. It was hard work and both were in a heavy perspiration. But at last they got down to the bottom rock and Mark brought out what was left of the sand on his shovel. "Look!" "Look!" Both boys gave the cry and each stooped to pick up a dull yellowish lump. Mark secured it and carried it to where the light could fall upon it. [Illustration: "A NUGGET OF GOLD!" CRIED MARK.] "A nugget of gold!" "Yes, and a good-sized one too!" "What do you suppose it is worth?" "According to the worth of the one Si found this must count up to four or five hundred dollars!" "Great mackerel, Mark! Now we are doing something, aren't we?" "Let us see if there are any more." In a fever of excitement the two boys began to bring away what was left of the sand. They found six other nuggets, but all much smaller. Then they went over the sand with care, getting out the dust and small grains. "This is the best find yet," declared Mark. "We've got at least six hundred dollars' worth of nuggets and dust here!" "That's the kind of a find to make!" In high delight they went to the tent and a few minutes later Si and Maybe Dixon came in. Both were smiling. "We got about two hundred dollars' worth of nuggets," said Si, in a whisper, so that nobody in the other tents close at hand might hear. "And look what we got," said Mark, showing the big nugget. "And these too," added Bob, bringing forth the balance of the find. "Well, just to look at that!" cried Maybe Dixon. "Say, we are striking it lucky, we are!"