Perhaps one had discovered the gold and had therefore claimed a larger share.

Anyway, the contents of the buckskin bag represented but a few days' labor.

Rod was sure of that.
Mukoki had grinned and shrugged his shoulders with an air of stupendous doubt when Rod had told him that the gold lay between the mountains, so now the youth kept his thoughts to himself.

It was a silent trail home.
Rod's mind was too active in its new channel, and he was too deeply absorbed in impressing upon his memory certain landmarks which they passed to ask questions; and Mukoki, with the natural taciturnity of his race, seldom found occasion to break into conversation unless spoken to first.

Although his eyes were constantly on the alert, Rod could see no way in which a descent could be made into the chasm from the ridge they were on.