The little party consisted only of himself, Demorest, and Stacy; Marshall and Hamlin--according to a prearranged plan--were still in ambush to join them at the first appearance of Steptoe and his gang.

The claim was yet unoccupied; they had secured their first success.

Steptoe's followers, unaware that his design had been discovered, and confident that they could easily reach the claim before Marshall and the surveyor, had lingered.

Some of them had held a drunken carouse at their rendezvous at Heavy Tree.

Others were still engaged in procuring shovels and picks and pans for their mock equipment as miners, and this, again, gave Marshall's adherents the advantage.
THEY knew that their opponents would probably first approach the empty claim encumbered only with their peaceful implements, while they themselves had brought their rifles with them.
Stacy, who by tacit consent led the party, on reaching the claim at once posted Demorest and Barker each behind a separate heap of quartz tailings on the ledge, which afforded them a capital breastwork, and stationed himself at the mouth of the tunnel which was nearest the trail.