Ben's Nugget; Or, A Boy's Search For Fortune

" Ben's Nugget " is the concluding volume of the Pacific Series. Though it is complete in itself, and may be read independently, the chief characters introduced will be recognized as old friends by the readers of "The Young Explorer," the volume just preceding, not omitting Ki Sing, the faithful Chinaman, whose virtues may go far to diminish the prejudice which, justly or unjustly, is now felt toward his countrymen. Though Ben Stanton may be considered rather young for a miner, not a few as young as he drifted to the gold-fields in the early days of California. Mining is carried on now in a very different manner, and I can hardly encourage any of my young readers to follow his example in seeking fortune so far from home. New York , May 19, 1882. CONTENTS. PAGE The Mountain-Cabin 13 The Missing Chinaman 23 Two Gentlemen of the Road 30 Ki Sing in the Hands of the Enemy 38 Further Adventures of Bill Mosely 46 An Unequal Contest 54 Tied to a Tree 62 Turning the Tables 70 Bradley's Signal Victory 78 "The Best of Friends must Part" 87 Plans for Departure 95 The Profits of Mining 100 Ki Sing's Ride 104 Golden Gulch Hotel 113 Bill Mosely Reappears 122 A Travesty of Justice 131 Lynch Law 139 After the Execution 147 Ben wins Laurels as a Singer 151 A Little Retrospect 158 Mr. Campbell Receives Tidings of his Ward 165 A Morning Call 174 A Secret Conference 183 Miss Douglas Receives a Message 188 Walking into a Trap 195 A Hard-hearted Jailer 201 A Star in the Cloud 210 Jones Checkmates Orton Campbell 219 A Wedding Reception 229 The Nugget 237 Job Stanton's Mistake 246 The House is Mortgaged 255 The Blow about to Fall 260 Conclusion 265 BEN'S NUGGET; OR, A BOY'S SEARCH FOR FORTUNE. THE MOUNTAIN-CABIN. "What's the news, Ben? You didn't happen to bring an evenin' paper, did you?" The speaker was a tall, loose-jointed man, dressed as a miner in a garb that appeared to have seen considerable service. His beard was long and untrimmed, and on his head he wore a Mexican sombrero. This was Jake Bradley, a rough but good-hearted miner, who was stretched carelessly upon the ground in front of a rude hut crowning a high eminence in the heart of the Sierra Nevada Mountains. Ben Stanton, whom he addressed, was a…