CHAPTER XVIII.
A WANT SUPPLIED.
One thing attracted the notice and pleased our friends, and gave them ahope of being able to supply a want they had felt every moment sincelanding upon the California coast. Each of the miners had two rifles,and were abundantly supplied with ammunition and mining tools. Thewonder was how they could carry so heavy a load for such a distance. Itcould not be understood until Ned Trimble stated that they had two good,tough mules pasturing in a secluded place about a half-mile distant.
"That 'ere Injin blanket you're carryin' is rather pretty!" remarked Nedas he rubbed his greasy fingers through his hair.
"Yes, we got it of an Indian girl, and take great pride in it."
"You did, eh? What did you give her for it?"
"A gold watch."
"Ah! Well, if the watch was a first-rate one maybe she got her pay; butwhat did she want with a watch? That's just the way with all women.They'll give ten times the value for some little gewgaw to wear about'em. I was engaged to a fine-looking girl in North Carolina, but I seenshe was getting so extravagant that I couldn't understand it, so I leftbefore it was too late."
"A very wise plan."
"Yes, she was very extravagant."
"In what respect?" asked Elwood, who was quite amused at theirnewly-found friend.
"Well, you see, she would persist in wearing shoes on Sunday instead ofgoing barefoot like the rest of the young ladies. I warned her two orthree times, but I catched her at church one day with them on, and so Iwent over to the house that night and told her I couldn't trust her anylonger, and we exchanged presents and parted."
"Exchanged presents?" laughed Wakeman. "What sort of presents werethey?"
"I wish no trifling insinuations, sir," replied Ned, with agrandiloquent air. "She returned to me a tooth brush that I hadpresented her some months before, and I gave back to her a tin buttonthat she had bought of a traveling peddler, and that I had been wearingon Sundays for my breastpin. 'Tis not the intrinsic worth you know, butthe associations connected with such things that makes 'em dear. But itis a painful subject, gentlemen, and let us, therefore, dismiss it."
Howard and Lawrence thought it best to introduce the matter upon whichthey had been so long meditating.
"I notice that each of you have two guns apiece. Did you leave SanFrancisco with that supply?"
"No; we've got 'em of the redskins we've run agin on the way."
"Would you be willing to sell us a couple? You observe we have but onebetween us, and it makes it rather dangerous, as none of us are veryskillful in the use of the rifle."
"You needn't take the trouble to tell us that," replied Ned, with aquizzical look. "I'd like to accommodate you, but we had begun to thinkthat we needed three or four guns apiece; for, you see, we intend tostay in these parts some time, and we are sure to have trouble with theredskins."
"If you really wish them," remarked Elwood, "of course we cannot ask youto part with them."
"What'll you give?" abruptly asked Ned.
"What will you take?"
"I couldn't sell you both of mine, as I wouldn't have one; but, Wakeman,if I part with one of mine will you do the same?"
"Yes; for I know they'll need the arms before they get back to SanFrancisco."
"Then the question is, what will you ask us for the two guns?"
"Can you give us a hundred dollars?"
"Apiece?"
"No, no, no; for both of 'em."
"Yes; we will gladly do that."
Now came the crisis. The party had not a dozen dollars among them.Howard and Elwood had left their money in the berth of the steamer, andof course it was irrevocably gone. But Elwood's watch remained, and thatat the least calculation was worth one hundred and fifty; but whetherthe miners would accept it at a fair valuation for their pieces, was intheir minds very doubtful.
"We have no money," said Howard, "but my cousin has a watch that isworth more than that sum, which he will give you for the two guns."
"Let's see it."
It was produced and passed around the company. Ned opened and shut it,and shook it and placed it to his ear.
"It ain't running," he suddenly said.
"No; the salt water has stopped it, but I do not think it is reallyinjured. A little cleaning will speedily set it going."
Ned passed the time-piece back again.
"Don't want it; it won't do us no good."
"But you are hunting for gold, and there is enough in it to make itworth your while to take it."
"We expect to find all the gold we can carry back with us withoutloading our mules down with gold watches."
Elwood replaced the watch in his pocket, disheartened at the failure ofhis offer.
"We have no money; if you will call at my father's the next time you goto San Francisco, he will gladly give you your price."
"Don't know as we shall go to San Francisco for the next five years;shan't go any way until we are loaded down with gold, and then we won'tcare about calling on your father--more likely he'll want to call onus."
An idea struck Howard.
"You are pleased with our blanket. Will you exchange your guns forthat?"
Ned shook his head.
"Got all the blankets we want; don't want it; keep it yourself."
"Will you not give us one gun for both the blanket and watch?"
The miner now laughed, and shook his head again.
"Don't want either; can't do it."
The boys now despaired.
"Well, we may as well give up. We can't get any guns of you."
"What is the reason you can't?"
"You seem unwilling to trade, and we can not buy them."
"Of course you can't; but----"
And thereupon the miner rose to his feet and handed one gun to Elwoodand the other to Howard.
"What does this mean?" asked the latter, not comprehending him.
"You don't suppose we would be _mean_ enough to _sell_ you anything youneeded so bad, do you? No; take them both, and here's a lot of lead,gun-caps and ammunition."
"But----"
"No _buts_ about it. Take 'em, you're welcome, for you need 'em. I wasonly joking with you."
Adrift in the Wilds; Or, The Adventures of Two Shipwrecked Boys Page 18