"Stuff the miners eat. We'll send Jan back for the grub after we start
the gold mine. You're going to be the cook," Hal informed Ted's
sister.
"I am not!" she cried, dropping her shovel. "I'm going to be a gold
miner just like you two. If I can't be that I won't play, and I'll
take my shovel right back! So there now!"
"Oh, you can be a gold miner too," Hal made haste to say. "But we've
got to have a cook--they always do in a gold camp."
"Well, I'll be a cook when I'm not digging gold," agreed Jan. "But I
want to get enough for my doll's bracelets."
"That's all right," agreed Hal. It would not do to have Jan leave them
right at the start.
If Mrs. Martin or grandpa saw the children starting out with hoe and
shovels they probably thought the Curlytops were only going to dig
fish worms, as they often did. Grandpa Martin was very fond of
fishing, but he did not like to dig the bait. But Trouble was fretful
that day, and his mother had to take care of him, so she did not pay
much attention to Jan or Ted, feeling sure they would come to no harm.
So on the three children hurried toward the hole into which Ted had
fallen just before they found the queer cave.
"This is just the place for a gold mine!" cried Hal when he looked at
the ground around the big hole. "I guess some one must have started a
mine here once before.
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