This was agreed to and the thief was advised to leave at once for some distant camp, or they might yet expose him.

He was not seen afterward.
The boys bragged a good deal of their detective ability after this, and said that a little hanging would make a -- -- thief tell the truth even if it did not make an honest man of him, and that a thief would be lucky if he got through with them and saved his life.

Their law was "Hanging for stealing." The Helms brothers were said to be from western Missouri, and in early days were somewhat of the border ruffian order, and of course preferred to live on the frontier rather than in any well regulated society.

As the country became settled and improved around them they moved on.

A school house was an indication that the country was getting too far advanced for them.
They crossed the plains in 1849 and began mining operations near Georgetown in Placer county.