Si Brill heard the shouting, and leaving his friends-the prisoners-to care for themselves he fairly flew out of the ravine.
He saw his "pard" holding the paper aloft and he understood all. The glow of a well-earned victory came to his bronzed face, and he sent up a cheer that started all the echoes in the gulch into life.
"All is lovely, Si!" shouted Collins. "We got the receipt, and the boy"s safe. Don"t wait a second but take him to his father at once. His heart is jist a hungerin" to hold young Sam next to it."
"You"re right every time, old pard!" shouted Si Brill.
Sam ran to him and he was on the point of asking where his father was, when Si caught him in his arms and gave him such a hug as would have crushed one of weaker frame.
He would have carried Sam in triumph on his broad shoulders, had that young gentleman consented. As it was he took his hand, and raising his hat in the other, he ran down the gulch, cheering all the while as if the sound were essential to his progress.
Mr. Willett stood in the door of the dugout. He saw Si accompanied by a tall, slender youth. No need to tell him who it was.
With the cry, "My boy! Oh, thank Heaven for my boy," Mr. Willett ran out and father and son were clasped in each other"s arms, and their kisses and their tears mingled.
"See h"ar, Mr. Willett," called out Hank Tims, who had followed up his friend, "when you"ve got through a huggin" young Sam, jist turn him over to me and let me have a chance to express my sentiments on this occasion."
At sound of the dear old hunter"s voice, Sam turned to him with extended hands and cried out:
"Hank, old friend, I"ve been through the great canon."
"Well!" laughed Hank, as he shook Sam"s hands, and patted his back by turns, "you look as if you"d been dragged through a narrer knot hole, but yer eyes are as bright as ever and you"ll soon git flesh on yer bones, but through the Gerrait Canon! oh, come, Sam, don"t try to fool me so soon after we"ve been parted for so long--"
"But didn"t Ulna tell you?"
"So he did, Sam, but I thought mebbe his mind was affected. But never mind, we"ll have lots of time to talk over our adventures when we git back to Gold Cave Camp. Well, well, I never did think, leastwise not lately, that I"d ever live to see so happy a day as this," and Hank turned his attention to Ike and Wah Shin, who had come upon the scene, nor was the dog forgotten in the warm welcome given to all.
"I tell you, Mistah Willett," said Ike, as he held his old employer"s hand, "I"ze got enough to talk about till the day I die, even if I was to live for a thousand years."
"Which I hope you may, Ike. But what is that noise up the hill?" asked Mr. Willett, his attention attracted by the prolonged cheering in that direction.
They had not long to wonder, for soon Collins came dashing down the hill, his eyes glowing and a flush of triumph on his manly face.
"What"s up, pard?" asked Si Brill.
"They"ve got at the truth!" shouted Collins.
"What truth?"
"The truth about the murder."
"Then you showed them the receipt?" said Mr. Willett, again taking Sam"s hand.
"Yes; I did all that, and even then some of "em wanted to doubt; but something has happened to settle "em."
"What"s that?" asked Hank.
"The landlord has lit out--"
"Oh!"
"But that"s not all," continued Collins. "Badger is dead--"
"Dead!" echoed all.
"Yes, dead; but just before he pegged out he confessed that it was him killed Tom Edwards--"
"I was right in my belief," said Mr. Willett solemnly.
"Yes," continued Collins, "and now every man in the camp, even those that was the bitterest, are jest achin" to see you, and to congratulate you, and to ax yer parding; so let"s go up. Thar"s no danger to you nor your"s in Hurley"s Gulch now," and there was a ring of pride in the brave fellow"s voice.
The Gold Cave campers, happier than we can describe over their reunion, followed Collins from the dugout to the canvas settlement on the bluff.
As soon as the a.s.sembled miners caught sight of them they sent up such a glad shout as was never heard before nor since on the banks of that particular gulch.
At heart the great ma.s.s of men are right, and they mean to do right.
Among these miners there seemed to be a general disposition to make amends as speedily as possible for their past errors.
Not satisfied with cheering and shouting their congratulations, they rushed in by twos and fours, and beginning with Mr. Willett, they lifted all the Gold Cave campers-not neglecting Ike and Wah Shin-to their shoulders, and then marched in triumphal procession to the scene of the trial at the hotel.
The flight of the proprietor did not seem to make any difference, for there was plenty of food and cooks to prepare the banquet.
Ike went at once to the place where Wah Shin was helping to get dinner.
"I"ll kind o" fill up a little, Wah," said Ike, as he laid siege to a big loaf of bread and a correspondingly large piece of cold meat, "for it"ll take me jist "bout a year"s steady feedin" to catch up. You can bet that I"ll never be sorry again that I didn"t eat moah w"en I had a good chance."
Maj seemed to be of the same opinion, for he did not leave Ike"s side for hours, and when he was next seen in public, he was truly aldermanic in his girth and evidently on good terms with himself and the world.
After a hearty dinner, which no one enjoyed more than Sam, speeches in praise of "the young canoneers" as they were called, were made, and resolutions expressing unbounded confidence in Mr. Willett and Hank Tims were pa.s.sed.
And so ended the happiest day Hurley"s Gulch had ever seen, or ever saw again.
The next day our friends returned to Gold Cave Camp, but before starting off, Mr. Willett purchased the articles Sam had promised to send to the Indians, and Si Brill and Collins pledged themselves to deliver them.
Here our story ends, yet it may not be amiss to add a few words explanatory of the future of the characters in whom we have been so much interested.
Mr. Willett made a good deal of money out of the Gold Cave Camp property, but the danger from floods led him after a time to sell it at a sacrifice.
Years have pa.s.sed since these adventures came to a close. To-day "Willett & Son" are among the richest and most honored miners and bankers in the Far West.
Their porter in the bank is our old friend, Ike; indeed so great is his interest in the establishment and so highly does he think of his position that he is very positive it could not go on for a day without him.
He always speaks of the firm as "we."
"We"s doin" fine," is a frequent expression of his, though nothing delights him so much as to tell of his adventures in the Great Canon. He sneers at all other human exploits as things of no account compared with the events in which he played so prominent a part.
Mr. Willett"s cook is the faithful Wah Shin. "Wah really runs the house," Sam says, but he always adds, "and it could not be run better.
Wah is a standing proof that the Mongolian has a bright mind and a generous heart-that is if you get one of the right kind and treat him right."