As soon as Mark felt strong enough for the journey, they moved their camp up the mountain-side. Tillie West went with them, and so did her father and mother and two miners named Dawson and Keith. The boys and Maybe Dixon were glad to have the others in the colony, as it would have been lonely otherwise. Besides, Si wanted Tillie to go along, and the young housekeeper would not go without her father and mother. It was a clear and rather cool, breezy day when Maybe Dixon led the boys to the new diggings and staked out his claim. Mr. West staked a claim close by, and the other miners did the same. Then all began to work, anxious to see what the "bonanza," as Maybe Dixon termed it, would bring forth. The spot was between two hills of rocks and dirt. There had once been a stream there, but this had long since dried up. The place had a low growth of bushes which were cleared away after some labor. It was not long after this that they got down to pay dirt. "Ten dollars at least to a panful," announced Maybe Dixon. "Ain't that rich?" "It's fine!" declared Mark, who was looking on. He did not feel strong enough as yet to go to work. The others were more than satisfied, especially as some small nuggets were found, and all went to work with a will. The claims of the other miners were also satisfactory, and soon more men drifted to the spot until the colony numbered a score or more. It was called the Maybe Hill settlement, after Maybe Dixon, much to that individual's satisfaction. "Never thought as how I'd have a village named after me," said he. "Hope she proves a buster." "It looks as if she might," answered Bob, with a laugh. A week passed and Mark grew steadily stronger. He wanted to go to work again, but the others thought he had best wait a few days longer. "You don't want a relapse," said Bob. "It might prove worse than the original attack." As they would not let him work, Mark spent the time in roaming around the mountain-side, looking at the various diggings and prospects. He kept his eyes wide open for the two villainous Mexicans, but they did not appear. Since his sickness Mark had asked several times about Morgan Fitzsimmons, Sag Ruff, and Soapy Gannon. Then Si went to the settlement for a new pick and a washing pan and came back with the announcement that the three men had left for parts unknown. "They were wanted too--by some men who were swindled at cards--but nobody knew when they got out, or how," said Si. Mark had written a long letter to his step-father, explaining the situation. The letter was sent to San Francisco, but there was no telling when it would get to Philadelphia or when an answer could be expected. On the second day of his journeying around the mountain Mark came to a particularly deep gully, located at the bottom of what had once been a landslide. Great rocks were on both sides of the opening and also the remains of some large trees.