"But the next question is whether the buttons will weigh enough to hint at good-paying ore.

Even at that, these buttons are only from surface ore." "But the ore underneath is always better than the surface ore," contended Hazelton.
"Usually is," Tom corrected.

"If we get good enough results from this assay it will at least be worth while to stake a claim and work it for a while." Harry waited with feverish impatience.

Tom Reade, on the other hand, was almost provokingly slow and cool as he carefully adjusted the sensitive assaying balance and finally weighed the buttons.
Then he did some slow, painstaking calculating.

At last he looked up.
"Well, sir ?" asked Jim Ferrers.
"From this surface ore," replied Tom calmly, "twenty-eight dollars in gold to the ton; silver, six dollars." "That's good enough for me!" cried Ferrers, his eyes brightening.
"Wow! Whoop! Oh---whee!" vented Harry, then ran and snatched up the surveying transit.
"Yes; I guess we'd better go along and do our staking," assented Tom.
"And I'll be ready at daylight to file the claim at Dugout City," promised Jim.