After being left in his room, however, Wiley did not remain long in bed. Knowing they would not suspect such a thing of him, he arose, and dressed, and returned to the gambling house. When morning came he was not only broke, but he had pawned everything of value in his possession and was practically destitute.
"Well," said Merry, having discovered the cap'n's condition, "I presume now you will return with us to the Mazatzals?"
"No use," was the answer; "I shall stay here in Prescott. I have my eye on a good thing. Don't worry about me."
It was useless to urge him, for he persisted in his determination to stay there. And so before leaving Frank made some final arrangements with him.
"I have wired for my mail to be forwarded here, Wiley," he said. "If anything of importance comes, anything marked to be delivered in haste, I wish you would see that it reaches me. Cannot you do so?"
"Depend upon me, Frank," assured the sailor. "I will not fail you in this. But before departing it seems to me that you should make arrangements that any such message be delivered into my hands."
"I will do so," said Merry. "Now, see here, cap'n, I don't like to leave you strapped in this town. At the same time, I don't care to let you have money of mine to gamble with. If I provide you with some loose change, will you give me your word not to use it in gambling?"
"Your generosity is almost ignoble!" exclaimed Wiley. "However, I accept it in the same manner that it is tendered. I give you my word."
"Well, that goes with me," nodded Merry. "Before leaving I shall see that you are fixed with ready money."
Sunset in the Enchanted Valley. Below the little waterfall which plunged down into the fissure at the southern end of the valley Frank and Bart had toiled hard all through the day. Their sleeves were rolled up and their clothes mud-bespattered. There they had worked in the sandy soil near the stream, and there they had found the shining stuff for which they sought. Every panful was carefully washed in the stream, showing dull yellow grains in the bottom when the last particles remained.
Not far away, on the level of the valley above them, set near the stream, was their tent. In front of it little Abe was building a fire and was seeking to prepare supper for them, knowing they would be ravenously hungry when they quit work for the night. At intervals the cripple hobbled to the brink of the fissure and looked down at them as they toiled.