CHAPTER VII.
READY TO HANDLE THE PICK "Keep off this ground!" yelled Dolph Gage, snatching up his rifle.
"Stop that nonsense," Tom bellowed back in his own lusty voice.
"You've no right on this ground." "Yes, we have, if you want to know," Tom continued.

"You haven't filed your papers at Dugout yet." "How do you know we haven't ?" "I'll take a chance on it," smiled Tom amiably, as he and his companions continued to walk nearer.
Jim Ferrers held his rifle so that it would take him but an instant to swing it into action if the need came.
"If you've filed your papers for this claim" Tom continued, lowering his voice somewhat as they drew nearer to the four rascals.

"Have you any such paper to show us ?" "Perhaps not," growled Dolph Gage, his evil eyes seeming to shoot flame.

"But we've got our notice of claim nailed up here.

We got it here first, and now you can't file any mining entry at Dugout City for this bit o' ground." "Not if your notice is written in the prescribed language," Tom admitted.
"Well, it is.