I've read everything that's been published about the wealth of that region, even though mining has been going on there for barely two years. After Australia, after California, after South Africa, one might think the last placers on the face of the earth have been exhausted. But lo and behold! Right here in this part of North America, on the border between Alaska and Canada, by some quirk of fate, new ones have been discovered. It seems these northern regions of the continent are highly favored in this respect. Not only are there gold mines in the Klondike, but some have been discovered in Michipicoten, Ontario, as well as in British Columbia, mines like the War Eagle, the Standard, the Sullivan Group, the Alhabarca, the Fern, the Syndicate, the Sans- Poel, the Cariboo,' the Deer Trail, the Georgie Reed, and many others whose shares have shot up in value, not to mention the silver, copper, manganese, iron, and coal mines! But as far as the Klondike is concerned, just think, Summy, of the size of that gold-bearing region. Over six hundred miles long and about a hundred wide-and I'm not counting the deposits in Alaska, only those on Canadian territory. Isn't that a huge field for discovery? Perhaps the biggest ever known on the surface of the earth! And who knows? Some day, perhaps, the output of that region will be reckoned, not in millions, but in billions!"

Raddle could have gone on at some length on the same topic, and Skim saw that he was thoroughly familiar with it. But all he said was, "Come on, Ben. You've obviously caught the fever."

"What do you mean, I've caught the fever?"

"Yes, the gold fever, and you can't cure that with quinine, because it isn't an intermittent fever."

"Don't worry, my dear Summy," replied Raddle with a laugh. "My pulse rate is no faster than usual. I wouldn't want you to come in contact with the fever."

"Oh, I've been vaccinated," replied Summy in the same vein. "I have nothing to fear. But I'd he sorry to see you commit yourself ..."

"My dear fellow, there's no question of committing myself. It's simply a matter of studying an affair and then making a profit from it if there is any to be made. You say our uncle wasn't very lucky with his speculations. I believe that, of course, and it's very likely that this claim on the Fortymile brought him more mud than nuggets. That's possible. But perhaps he didn't have the resources he needed in order to work it. Perhaps he wasn't operating methodically and on the basis of experience, as would have been done by ..."

"By an engineer. Isn't that what you mean, Ben?"

"Of course, an engineer."

"You, for instance?"

"Me? Certainly. In any case, that isn't the point at the moment. Before trying to get rid of this claim that we've inherited, you'll have to agree that it would be just as well to send to the Klondike for some information."

"That's reasonable, of course, although I have no illusions about the value of that number 129."

"That's what we'll know after we do our research," replied Raddle. "You may be right, or you may be wrong. What I'm saying is that we go to Mr. Snubbin's office and authorize him to take all the necessary steps. He'll have information sent from Dawson City by mail-or better still, by telegram-and when we know where we stand with regard to the value of the claim, we'll see where we go from there."

The conversation ended there, and all in all, Skim could not object to his cousin's suggestions. It was only natural to get information before making a decision. He had no doubt that Ben Raddle was a serious, intelligent, and practical man. Nevertheless, he was distressed and worried to see how eagerly his cousin looked to the future, how greedily he pounced on the prey that had been so unexpectedly placed in his ambitious path. Would he be able to hold Ben back? Certainly Summy Skim would never desert Ben Raddle.