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the deed to 24 ELDORADO。
Ten minutes later Hootchinoo Bill and Kink Mitchell were roused
from their blankets by a wild…eyed Swede that strove to force upon
them an ink…scrawled and very blotty piece of paper。
〃Ay tank Ay take my money back；〃 he gibbered。 〃Ay tank Ay take my
money back。〃
Tears were in his eyes and throat。 They ran down his cheeks as he
knelt before them and pleaded and implored。 But Bill and Kink did
not laugh。 They might have been harder hearted。
〃First time I ever hear a man squeal over a minin' deal；〃 Bill
said。 〃An' I make free to say 'tis too onusual for me to savvy。〃
〃Same here；〃 Kink Mitchell remarked。 〃Minin' deals is like horse…
tradin'。〃
They were honest in their wonderment。 They could not conceive of
themselves raising a wail over a business transaction； so they
could not understand it in another man。
〃The poor； ornery chechaquo；〃 murmured Hootchinoo Bill； as they
watched the sorrowing Swede disappear up the trail。
〃But this ain't Too Much Gold；〃 Kink Mitchell said cheerfully。
And ere the day was out they purchased flour and bacon at
exorbitant prices with Ans Handerson's dust and crossed over the
divide in the direction of the creeks that lie between Klondike and
Indian River。
Three months later they came back over the divide in the midst of a
snow…storm and dropped down the trail to 24 ELDORADO。 It merely
chanced that the trail led them that way。 They were not looking
for the claim。 Nor could they see much through the driving white
till they set foot upon the claim itself。 And then the air
lightened； and they beheld a dump； capped by a windlass that a man
was turning。 They saw him draw a bucket of gravel from the hole
and tilt it on the edge of the dump。 Likewise they saw another；
man； strangely familiar； filling a pan with the fresh gravel。 His
hands were large； his hair wets pale yellow。 But before they
reached him； he turned with the pan and fled toward a cabin。 He
wore no hat； and the snow falling down his neck accounted for his
haste。 Bill and Kink ran after him； and came upon him in the
cabin； kneeling by the stove and washing the pan of gravel in a tub
of water。
He was too deeply engaged to notice more than that somebody had
entered the cabin。 They stood at his shoulder and looked on。 He
imparted to the pan a deft circular motion； pausing once or twice
to rake out the larger particles of gravel with his fingers。 The
water was muddy； and； with the pan buried in it； they could see
nothing of its contents。 Suddenly he lifted the pan clear and sent
the water out of it with a flirt。 A mass of yellow； like butter in
a churn； showed across the bottom。
Hootchinoo Bill swallowed。 Never in his life had he dreamed of so
rich a test…pan。
〃Kind of thick； my friend；〃 he said huskily。 〃How much might you
reckon that…all to be？〃
Ans Handerson did not look up as he replied； 〃Ay tank fafty
ounces。〃
〃You must be scrumptious rich； then； eh？〃
Still Ans Handerson kept his head down； absorbed in putting in the
fine touches which wash out the last particles of dross； though he
answered； 〃Ay tank Ay ban wort' five hundred t'ousand dollar。〃
〃Gosh！〃 said Hootchinoo Bill； and he said it reverently。
〃Yes； Bill； gosh！〃 said Kink Mitchell； and they went out softly and
closed the door。
THE ONE THOUSAND DOZEN
David Rasmunsen was a hustler； and； like many a greater man； a man
of the one idea。 Wherefore； when the clarion call of the North
rang on his ear； he conceived an adventure in eggs and bent all his
energy to its achievement。 He figured briefly and to the point；
and the adventure became iridescent…hued； splendid。 That eggs
would sell at Dawson for five dollars a dozen was a safe working
premise。 Whence it was incontrovertible that one thousand dozen
would bring； in the Golden Metropolis； five thousand dollars。
On the other hand； expense was to be considered； and he considered
it well； for he was a careful man； keenly practical； with a hard
head and a heart that imagination never warmed。 At fifteen cents a
dozen； the initial cost of his thousand dozen would be one hundred
and fifty dollars； a mere bagatelle in face of the enormous profit。
And suppose； just suppose； to be wildly extravagant for once； that
transportation for himself and eggs should run up eight hundred and
fifty more； he would still have four thousand clear cash and clean
when the last egg was disposed of and the last dust had rippled
into his sack
〃You see； Alma；〃he figured it over with his wife； the cosy
dining…room submerged in a sea of maps； government surveys； guide…
books； and Alaskan itineraries；〃you see； expenses don't really
begin till you make Dyeafifty dollars'll cover it with a first…
class passage thrown in。 Now from Dyea to Lake Linderman； Indian
packers take your goods over for twelve cents a pound； twelve
dollars a hundred； or one hundred and twenty dollars a thousand。
Say I have fifteen hundred pounds； it'll cost one hundred and
eighty dollarscall it two hundred and be safe。 I am creditably
informed by a Klondiker just come out that I can buy a boat for
three hundred。 But the same man says I'm sure to get a couple of
passengers for one hundred and fifty each； which will give me the
boat for nothing； and； further； they can help me manage it。 And 。
。 。 that's all； I put my eggs ashore from the boat at Dawson。 Now
let me see how much is that？〃
〃Fifty dollars from San Francisco to Dyea； two hundred from Dyea to
Linderman； passengers pay for the boattwo hundred and fifty all
told；〃 she summed up swiftly。
〃And a hundred for my clothes and personal outfit；〃 he went on
happily； 〃that leaves a margin of five hundred for emergencies。
And what possible emergencies can arise？〃
Alma shrugged her shoulders and elevated her brows。 If that vast
Northland was capable of swallowing up a man and a thousand dozen
eggs； surely there was room and to spare for whatever else he might
happen to possess。 So she thought； but she said nothing。 She knew
David Rasmunsen too well to say anything。
〃Doubling the time because of chance delays； I should make the trip
in two months。 Think of it； Alma！ Four thousand in two months！
Beats the paltry hundred a month I'm getting now。 Why； we'll build
further out where we'll have more space； gas in every room； and a
view； and the rent of the cottage'll pay taxes； insurance； and
water； and leave something over。 And then there's always the
chance of my striking it and coming out a millionaire。 Now tell
me； Alma； don't you think I'm very moderate？〃
And Alma could hardly think otherwise。 Besides； had not her own
cousin；though a remote and distant one to be sure； the black
sheep； the harum…scarum； the ne'er…do…well；had not he come down
out of that weird North country with a hundred thousand in yellow
dust； to say nothing of a half…ownership in the hole from which it
came？
David Rasmunsen's grocer was surprised when he found him weighing
eggs in the scales at the end of the counter； and Rasmunsen himself
was more surprised when he found that a dozen eggs weighed a pound
and a halffifteen hundred pounds for his thousand dozen！ There
would be no weight left for his clothes； blankets； and cooking
utensils； to say nothing of the grub he must necessarily consume by
the way。 His calculations were all thrown out； and he was just
proceeding to recast them when he hit upon the idea of weighing
small eggs。 〃For whether they be large or small； a dozen eggs is a
dozen eggs；〃 he observed sagely to himself； and a dozen small ones
he found to weigh but a pound and a quarter。 Thereat the city of
San Francisco was overrun by anxious…eyed emissaries； and
commission houses and dairy associations were startled by a sudden
demand for eggs running not more than twenty ounces to the dozen。
Rasmunsen m