Hippy, at first, decided to work the mines himself, with Tom Gray as his partner, but that winter they received an offer for the property and sold it outright for a large sum of money, which Lieutenant Wingate insisted they should share equally.
The two friends, after sitting about their campfire until a late hour that night discussing the subject that had taken strong hold of Hippy's mind, lay down to sleep in the open.
Immediately after breakfast next morning Tom and Hippy started out to make a thorough "cruise" of the pine trees in the section from which a few acres of logs had been cut.

They finished their work late in the afternoon, but Tom did not venture a further opinion on what he had seen until they were on their way to their camp, where they had decided to remain another night.
"Well ?" demanded Hippy finally.

"Speak up! How about it, Tom ?" "Hippy, you have looked upon the finest plot of virgin timber to be found anywhere outside the states of Oregon and Washington.

I wish someone would buy it and beat those pirates out.

It is a burning shame to let them get away with it." "Where would one have to go to find out about it ?" "St.Paul, possibly.