Anyway, I don't quite see why the Commissioner shouldn't pass my survey to count for assessment work." The firelight fell on Saunders' face, and he looked thoughtful.

Though the thing is by no means common, claims have been jumped in that country--that is, occupied by men who surreptitiously or forcibly oust the rightful owner on the ground that he has not done the work required by law, or has been inaccurate in his record.
"I guess you'd better go down to-morrow when the boys come up," he said.

"It's a fact that Van Staten went over to Cedar to see the Gold Commissioner, and from what one of the boys told me he had quite a long talk with him.

Van Staten's straight, but it would be part of his duty to examine our record and mention it to the people who sent him up to investigate." He paused and spread out his hands.

"I wouldn't stake my last dollar on the honesty of any of them." "The boys would start when they got the news you sent them," said Devine.
Saunders smiled ruefully.