He left some pills and several bottles of medicine, and then, having received his pay, rode away. The boys and Maybe Dixon were sorry to see him depart. "I wish he was stopping in this camp," said Si. "Then he could come around every day." "Well, he has told us what to do and we'll have to follow directions," answered Bob. "Too bad! After the fine way we were getting along!" "I shan't complain, if only he pulls through," put in Maybe Dixon. "He is not going to die--we must pull him through, somehow," said Bob, decidedly. After that he scarcely left Mark's side for a week. At night Si or Maybe Dixon would relieve him for a few hours, but it was Bob who administered the medicine and tried to make Mark as comfortable as possible. "I feel just as if Mark was my brother," he said to the others. "I never was so attached to anybody before." "Well, I feel attached to him myself," said Si. "But then I've got my folks at home, while you have nobody. That makes a great deal of difference." At the end of the third day came the crisis, and for a few hours it looked as if poor Mark might die. He was totally unconscious and they had to force the medicine down his throat. But the doctor had told them to look for this, so they were not particularly surprised, only worried. But, the crisis passed, it was wonderful how quickly Mark seemed to rally. He gained strength every hour, and in a few days was able to sit up, take a little food, and do some talking. "I am awfully glad you are better," said Bob, with a beaming face. "But you must go slow, Mark, or you'll have a relapse. The doctor said so." "Did I have a doctor?" "Yes." "I don't remember it." "You were pretty far gone when he came. But now be still, and I'll fix you some broth." As soon as Mark began to mend Si and Maybe Dixon went to work regularly once more. They found no large nuggets, but a good bit of gold in coarse grains, which pleased them not a little. Maybe Dixon was of a wandering nature and one day announced that he was going up into the mountain back of the gulch, to do a bit of prospecting. He took with him a fair stock of provisions, a pick, and a washing pan, and said he would be back inside of three or four days. A man from Ohio had drifted into camp, with his wife and daughter. The girl was a likely miss of seventeen, and she readily agreed to play nurse to Mark now that he was on the road to recovery. She also agreed to cook the meals for all hands, for the sum of ten dollars per week--wages that were not considered extra high during those exciting times. She came early in the morning and went away after the supper dishes were put away, and proved a great help to the boys. "It seems more like home to have a woman around," said Mark. "She is very nice to me, too." "First thing you know Mark will be falling in love," said Si, with a grin. "You needn't talk," retorted Bob. "I see you making sheep's eyes at Tillie already."