by B. TRAVEN
Dobbs was turning on his cot. “All right, all right, you win. It’s hard, very hard. But what I mean to say is, I think there must be spots in the world where it is found richer and still richer, where it would not be necessary to slave like the devil to get it.”
“Such spots do exist,” the old man affirmed. “I’ve seen places where you could cut it out from the veins with your pocket-knife. And I’ve seen places, too, where you could pick up the nuggets like nuts under a walnut-tree in the fall. I’ve seen fellows making thirty, forty, sixty ounces a day; and I’ve seen, at exactly the same place and only a week afterwards, fellows getting mad over not finding even a grain. There is something strange about the metal. The surest way to make a good day’s pay is what we do here; that is, wash dirt which carries a certain percentage of the real stuff. That usually lasts for quite some time. I mean it won’t give out so soon and leaves you at the end a fairly good earning. On the other hand, take these rich veins with nuggets lying about. They sure make the first guy that steps upon it rich, and in a short time, but even that is very rare. All those who come later are losers. And what I tell you is based on more than forty years of experience.”
“Well, I should say it’s a rather slow way of getting rich.”
“Right you are, Curty, it’s a slow way. If you can stick it for five years, you may get in the neighborhood of a hundred grand. But I haven’t yet seen a guy who could hold on for five years. Main trouble is the field runs out sooner than one usually expects. So there’s nothing left but to go out again and try to find a virgin field. This way it goes. You may have made ten thousand in one spot. You can’t be satisfied with it, you believe in your good luck, and you go out again and again until the last nickel of the ten thousand is spent just trying to find another lode somewhere in the world.”
3
The outlook was anything but rosy. Dobbs and Curtin could see that. Suppose that after half a year they should have made a pile, it would have been harder earned than money made in a contract with Pat.
Blisters on their hands came and went, came again and dried up again. Washing and rinsing, catching the sand up, and washing it over and over again, this alone would have been work enough. But before it could be washed, it had to be dug out. This could not be done as in a sand mine. The ground was rocky. Shrubs held on in the soil so that the rock had to be broken to lay open the earth. Rocks had to be crushed into washable sand. Water had to be hauled and still more water, especially on very hot days, when it evaporated rapidly.
There was no Sunday—no day for rest. Their backs ached so much that after a day’s work they could not stand, nor sit, nor lie down comfortably. They could hardly straighten their fingers, they had become so stiff and knotty. Neither did they shave nor take time to cut their hair. They were too tired for such doings, and, still worse, they had become utterly indifferent to their appearance. If their shirts or pants were torn or ripped, they never mended them more than was absolutely necessary to hold them together.
If for some reason one or the other had a few hours to spare, he could not make use of them for his own personal good. He had to go hunting to get a wild turkey or an antelope; or explore the surroundings to find better pastures for the burros; or go to the nearest Indian village down in the valley to buy eggs, lard, salt, corn, coffee, tobacco, brown sugar. Flour, bacon, baking powder, white sugar, good soap, canned milk, tea, and such luxuries could be had only if one made a whole day’s trip to a little town far down the western slope of the Sierra. Even there these things were seldom to be had. There were no buyers for such rarities, so the grocers only occasionally carried them. If the fellow that went to get provisions brought back with him a bottle of tequila or habanero, this meant a banquet in the camp and a great day in their dreary life.
Occasionally the question was brought up as to legalizing their claim and obtaining the license necessary to mine here. It did not cost a fortune, but the government was very particular about this permit and stood ready to collect its legal share of the profits.
It was not because the fellows wanted to cheat the government of its taxes that they were reluctant to have the claim registered. Many other considerations caused them to avoid letting the government know what was going on.
The government as such was honest and trustworthy in every respect. But who could guarantee the honesty of the petty officials, of the chief of police in the nearest town, of the little mayor of the nearest village, of the general of the nearest military post? Who was to vouch for the character of the clerk in the government’s office?
On filing the claim with the authorities the exact location of the field had to be given. The three men were of little consequence; even the American ambassador could give little protection should it happen that they got into trouble. It happened in this country that chiefs of police, mayors of towns, congressmen, and even generals were implicated in cases of kidnapping for ransom and in open banditry. The government, both state and federal, could at any time confiscate not only the whole field but every ounce of gold the men had mined with so much labor and pain. While the three miners were at work they would be well guarded. Only when on their way back with their hard-earned loads would they be waylaid or highjacked by a party of fake bandits acting under orders from someone who was paid by the people to protect the country from bandits. Things like that have happened even in the country to the north; why not here? It is the influence of the atmosphere of the continent.
The three partners knew both sides, and knew them well. Now their battle was only with nature. Once they had their claim registered, there was every possibility of facing a long fight with more dangerous foes. Apart from the taxes paid to the government, they might have to pay all sorts of racketeers, or, as they called them here, coyotes, and so reach port again with but a small percentage of their profit left in their pockets.
There was still another danger, which might be most serious of all. A great mining company in good standing with the government or certain officials might receive word of the filing of the claim. How long would these three miserable proletarians last after the great company started to bring before the courts claims of prior rights to this field, with some native puppet ready to swear away the blue sky for a hundred pesos?
“Here you see for yourselves, provided you have brains to think with, that, much as we want to, we can’t afford to be honest with the government.” Howard finished up his explanation. “I certainly don’t like to cheat anybody out of a just share in my profits, not even a government. If we were on British territory I wouldn’t hesitate a minute to do what is right by the law. In this case we have no alternative. Not alone our earnings but our life and health depend upon forgetting about the license. Are you guys agreed upon that?”
“We are and no mistake.”
“Right. Of course, you understand that if we are found out it will mean confiscation of all we have made, of all we have here, and, very likely, a year in jail.”
“I think we can take this chance, don’t you?” Curtin asked Dobbs.
“Sure we take it. Not for a minute did I expect that any one of us would be silly enough even to propose any other course.”
So the question of the license was settled. If you have a license, you are not protected at all against bandits or racketeers. If nobody knows what you have, you have a better chance of safety. The bush is so wide and the Sierra is so great and lonely that you disappear and nobody knows where you are or what has befallen you.
4
The discussion about the registration of their claim brought comprehension of their changed standing in life. With every ounce more of gold possessed by them they left the proletarian class and neared that of the property-holders, the well-to-do middle class. So far they had never had anything of value to protect against thieves. Since they now owned certain riches, their worries about how to protect them had started. The world no longer looked to them as it had a few weeks ago. They had become members of the minority of mankin
d.
Those who up to this time had been considered by them as their proletarian brethren were now enemies against whom they had to protect themselves. As long as they had owned nothing of value, they had been slaves of their hungry bellies, slaves to those who had the means to fill their bellies. All this was changed now.
They had reached the first step by which man becomes the slave of his property.
7
The three men, gathered together solely to gain riches, had never been real friends. They had in common only business relations. That they had combined their forces and brains and resources for no other reason than to make high profits was the factor which had prevented them from becoming true friends.
As it was, this proved to be to the advantage of their work. Friends, really good friends, kept together by business and forced upon each other without any contact with other people, more often than not part the bitterest of enemies.
They were not even real pals. Each was only looking for his proper share, and if a grain more seemed to be going to another partner, battle was on at once, and without quarter.
The common worries, labor, disappointments, the common hopes, made them comrades in a sort of war. More than once one had saved the life of another. Several times Dobbs had endangered his own safety to fetch either the old man or Curtin when one fell into a ravine or into a chasm or was caught in thorny underbrush on a steep rock. Help in dangerous situations had been rendered to Dobbs by the others. Still none of them ever believed that such assistance was given, or that sacrifices were made, out of pure kindness. Each of them felt that this service was rendered because, had one of them lost his life, the other two could not have worked the field alone. Just as soldiers, personally unknown to each other but belonging to the same nationality or to that of allied armies, will help their fellow-soldiers not alone for patriotic reasons but for many other reasons, which may, often, be very difficult to explain in detail.
Under such circumstances mutual service usually leads to lasting friendship, but it did not work that way among these three.
One day Dobbs was inside a tunnel where earth was being extracted. While he was there, the tunnel broke down, burying him. Howard, digging on the opposite side, did not know what had happened.
Just then Curtin returned from hauling water from the brook below with the help of the burros. Looking at the tunnel, he found it strange that he did not hear any movement nor see a flicker of light from the lantern Dobbs was using. He knew then instantly that Dobbs was buried. He did not even take time to notify Howard, as he thought it might be too late then to bring Dobbs out alive. He went in, although the ceiling was hanging so that it might come down any second and bury the rescuer as well. He got Dobbs out and then called for the old man, for Dobbs was unconscious and had to be brought to and Howard knew what to do in such accidents.
After Dobbs had regained his senses he realized what Curtin had done for him and what risk he had taken to get him out.
“Thanks, you guys,” he said, grinning. “If you had waited only to spit on your hands, it would have been all over with me. Tell ye, I heard the harps playing sure enough.”
Then they went to work again.
That same night, sitting by the fire cooking their meals, Dobbs began to think. After they had eaten he looked at his partners suspiciously.
“What you staring at, you mug?” Curtin asked.
“I was just thinking why the hell you fellers dragged me out of that hole? Your shares would have grown rather big if you’d left me where I was for five minutes longer.” Dobbs narrowed his eyes as he spoke.
“Guess you’re still hearing harps and seeing white robes.” Howard tried to ridicule him.
“You can’t catch me sleeping,” Dobbs answered. “Don’t you ever believe that. I’m not so dumb as you two guys think me. I’ve got ideas of my own and I stick to them. That’s what. Now shake your cock with that mixture handed you, dirty-minded crooks that you are and always will be.”
“Another crack like that from you and I’ll sponge your face, you devil.” Curtin spoke angrily.
“Who’ll sponge whose face?” Dobbs jumped to his feet.
“Now, peace here, babies. No use breaking your knuckles and shins; we need them, and badly, at that.” Howard’s fatherly tone quieted them. He had touched the right spot. Nothing was worth more to them than their working ability. To remind them of the fact was always the best balm the old man had in store for their quarrels.
“Of course, you great-grandfather, you’re too yellow to fight; you’re even afraid to see a fight. You might faint if you saw a bleeding nose.” Dobbs, still standing, forgot about Curtin and turned on the old man. “Playing godfather here to us. I wonder for what reason. Some day I’ll find out. It sure will be a costly day for both of you.”
Curtin had not moved when Dobbs had jumped to his feet. He had just looked about defensively. “Don’t mind him,” he now said to Howard, “don’t mind him at all, that’s what I say. Can’t you see he’s screwy?”
“Mebbe,” Dobbs growled. “Mebbe screwy. All right, but believe me I know why I’m screwy and who made me so. And I’m turning in, leaving you to discuss how to give me cold feet. But I warn you, it may turn out the other way round.”
When he had gone to the tent, Howard said to Curtin: “Nothing new ever happens under the stars, it seems. I’ve seen this kind of thing occur so often and so needlessly that now I ask myself why it hasn’t happened sooner in this outfit. You aren’t so free from this disease either, Curty, as you may think. There are few who are long immune from this infection. Well, I think I’ll turn in too.”
2
Each night the proceeds of the day’s work were carefully estimated in the presence of the three partners. This done, the shares were cut and each partner received his. This way of paying dividends was not very intelligent. Often the earnings of the day were so small that it would have taken an expert mathematician to tell exactly how to divide it justly.
It had come to be arranged this way quite accidentally almost the first day when there had been any earnings.
Curtin was the man who had suggested it one day during the second week after the gains had begun to accumulate.
“Okay with me,” Howard agreed without arguing. “Better for me. Then I won’t have to be the dragon to guard your pennies any longer. I haven’t liked it too much, acting as your safety box.”
Both his partners rose. “Who made you our banker? We never asked you yet to hold our well-earned money.”
“Which means, in other words, that you wouldn’t trust me?”
“That’s exactly what it means in plain English.” Dobbs left no doubt of how he judged his partner.
Howard smiled at them. “It’s right, you never asked me. Only I thought I might be the most trustworthy among us three.”
“You? How come?” Dobbs could at times be nasty.
Howard kept on smiling. He had had too many similar experiences in his life to feel offended. “Perhaps you’re just waiting to ask me in what pen I grew up. Well, I’ve never been in any pen yet. I hope I never shall be. I can’t expect you to believe this. Besides, never having been in jail doesn’t mean that a feller plays straight and honest. Out here there’s no sense in lying to each other. After a few weeks we’ll know one another better than we ever could from a police record or a jail-warden’s report. Where we are now you can’t save yourself by tricks, no matter how smart you may think yourself in town. Here you may tell the truth or you may lie as much as you wish; everything will come out sooner or later. So, whatever you may think of me, of us three I’m the most trustworthy. As for being the most honest, no one can say.”
Dobbs and Curtin only grinned at him for an answer.
Howard seemed not to mind. “You may laugh at what I say. It’s true none the less. Why? Because here only plain facts count. We might charge you, Dobby, with taking care of the goods. Suppose I’m somewhere deep in the bush to get timber, and suppose, at
the same time, Curtin is on his way to the village for provisions; wouldn’t that be your big chance to pack up and leave us in the cold?”
“Only a crook like you would think me likely to do that.” Dobbs felt hurt.
“It may be crooked to say what I said, but it’s surely more crooked to have such thoughts and not admit them. You’d be the first guy I can imagine who wouldn’t occasionally nourish the idea of robbing when given a chance. To make off with all the goods, dirty trick as it would be against your partners, would seem, out here and under these conditions, rather the natural thing to do. You think and you have thought many times of doing it; but you’re too yellow to admit frankly that you’ve had such thoughts and that you wouldn’t mind carrying them out. Right now it wouldn’t pay. That’s the reason why you think of it only vaguely. Some day, though, when the goods will amount to, let’s say, three hundred ounces, you may get such ideas more clearly fixed in your heads. I know my fellow-men and you don’t. That’s the difference. If some pretty day you caught me, tied me to a tree, took all I have, and walked out on me, leaving me here in the wilderness to my fate, I wouldn’t be a bit surprised, because I know what gold can do to men.”
“And what about yourself, you wiseacre?” asked Curtin.
“It’s different with me. I’m no longer quick enough on my feet. I couldn’t do it, hard as I might try. You’d get me by the collar in no time and string me up and even forget to bark the tree. I can’t escape you. I have to depend on you in more ways than one. I can’t run as easily as either of you can. And so you have the plain reason why I think I’m the most trustworthy in this outfit.”
“Looking at it your way, I feel sure you’re right,” Curtin said. “Anyway, and perhaps for your own good, Howy, it would be better to cut the proceeds every night and each partner be responsible for his own goods. That would give each of us the greatest freedom, as each could go whenever he wished to.”
