"Every one but the man running the game loses sooner or later, ma'am," replied the miner. "It's run that way. I lost over a thousand dollars before I had sense enough to quit." "Oh, then you stopped in time. I'm glad to hear that," said the farmer. "No, I didn't. I stopped gambling, but I didn't get out of the company of the gamblers, as I should have done. I stayed right there, for I thought I knew it all. Ah, that's a true saying, that there's 'no fool like an old fool,' if you'll excuse me using such language, but I want you boys to take a lesson from me." "Then how did you lose the rest of your fortune?" asked Jed. "I was swindled out of it," replied Gabe Harrison. "It was partly my own fault, though. If I had had sense enough to keep away from the gamblers it wouldn't have happened. But one of them proposed a certain deal to me, and I went in with him. When it was all over I found I knew a great deal more than I did at first, but I hadn't any money left." "They took it all?" asked Mr. Crosby. "One man got the most of it." "How?" "Well, it was an old-time swindle, but I don't believe you'd understand if I told you. Such things aren't good for young people to hear about, anyhow. But I woke up one morning without a cent in my pocket, whereas the night before I had over five thousand dollars in pure gold." "Five thousand dollars!" murmured Mr. Crosby, to whom such a sum seemed a large fortune. "Yes. Oh, we didn't think much of that amount in the West. Money was easily made and easily spent there." "Who got it?" asked Jed, leaning forward in his intense interest in the miner's curious story. "One man got the most of it." "Who was he?" inquired Will. "He went by the name of Con Morton, but I guess he had half a dozen other titles he used whenever it was convenient. Yes, he got most of my fortune by a swindle, and then he lit out. I haven't seen him since. I wish I had. I think I could have made him give me back at least a part of it." "Where was this?" asked Mrs. Crosby. "Out in Nevada. Now, I'm afraid I've taken up too much of your time with my foolish story. But maybe it will be a lesson to the boys," and he looked at Jed and Will. "I don't suppose you'll ever go hunting gold, and gambling, but if you do, steer clear of any one by the name of Con Morton." "I don't believe we'll ever get the chance to hunt gold, Mr. Harrison," replied Jed, "and we certainly won't gamble." "Stranger things have happened--I mean about hunting gold--but I'm pretty sure if you do find any of the yellow lumps you won't be as foolish as I was, and let a swindler get them away from you. Well, I reckon I'd better be traveling along." "Are you going to any place in particular?" asked Mr. Crosby.