At length Reade stepped back.
"Men" he began, and every eye was turned in his direction. "You
are waiting for orders to start on shedding over the shaft, and the
lumber is ready. However, we mean to be fair with you. You all
know that this claim has been going badly. When my partners and I
started we had some capital. Before we do any more work here it
is only fair to tell you something. We now have money enough left
so that we can pay you your wages up to Saturday. When we've paid
that we shall have a few dollars left. If you men want to quit
now we'll pay you up to Saturday, and you'll have time to be in
Dugout before your time here is up."
"Do you want us to go, Mr. Reade?" asked Tim Walsh."
"Why, no, of course not," Tom smiled. "If we had the money we'd
want to keep you here all winter. But we haven't, and so we've no
right to ask you to stay."
Walsh glanced around him, as though to inquire whether the men were
willing that he be their spokesman. Receiving their nods the big
miner went on:
"Mr.
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