When men who doubted Carmack's report of two and a half to the pan, themselves panned two and a half, they lied and said that they were getting an ounce.

And long ere the lie was fairly on its way, they were getting not one ounce but five ounces.

This they claimed was ten ounces; but when they filled a pan of dirt to prove the lie, they washed out twelve ounces.

And so it went.

They continued valiantly to lie, but the truth continued to outrun them.
One day in December Daylight filled a pan from bed rock on his own claim and carried it into his cabin.