friend Mr. Watson is an experienced miner."

"How much gold did you dig?" asked Joshua bluntly.

"Two thousand dollars," answered Watson, not thinking it necessary to
add that he had parted with the money since at the gaming-table.

"Two thousand dollars?" exclaimed Joshua, duly impressed. "That's a
heap of money!"

"Yes; it's a pretty good pile."

"I'd like to get that much. I know what I'd do."

"What would you do, Mr. Bickford?"

"I'd go home and marry Sukey Smith, by gosh!"

"Then I hope you'll get the money, for Miss Smith's sake."

"There's a feller hangin' round her," said Joshua, "kinder
slick-lookin', with his hair parted in the middle; he tends in the
dry-goods store; but, if I come home with two thousand dollars,
she'll have me, I guess. Why, with two thousand dollars I can buy
the farm next to dad's, with a house with five rooms into it, and a
good-sized barn. I guess Sukey wouldn't say no to me then, but would
change her name to Bickford mighty sudden."

"I hope you will succeed in your plans, Mr. Bickford."