"It seems like I can always fight better when I know what the
other feller's game is. I'm going to spy on that outfit."

"We've had detectives at work for weeks," said the lawyer for the
Scandinavians; "but they can't find out anything we don't know
already."

Dextry said no more, but that night found him busied in the
building adjoining the one wherein McNamara had his office. He had
rented a back room on the top floor, and with the help of his
partner sawed through the ceiling into the loft and found his way
thence to the roof through a hatchway. Fortunately, there was but
little space between the two buildings, and, furthermore, each
boasted the square fronts common in mining-camps, which projected
high enough to prevent observation from across the way. Thus he
was enabled, without discovery, to gain the roof adjoining and to
cut through into the loft. He crept cautiously in through the
opening, and out upon a floor of joists sealed on the lower side,
then lit a candle, and, locating McNamara's office, cut a peep-
hole so that by lying flat on the timbers he could command a
considerable portion of the room beneath. Here, early the
following morning, he camped with the patience of an Indian,
emerging in the still of that night stiff, hungry, and atrociously
cross. Meanwhile, there had been another meeting of the mine-
owners, and it had been decided to send Wheaton, properly armed
with affidavits and transcripts of certain court records, back to
San Francisco on the return trip of the Santa Maria, which had
arrived in port. He was to institute proceedings for contempt of
court, and it was hoped that by extraordinary effort he could gain
quick action.