ground up the rocks in the mine
into powder just as fine as they could, and then washed the powder to
get the gold out."

"Oh, I see," said Edith. "So these tailings are what's left after the
gold's washed out."

"Yes, they brought 'em and spread 'em 'round here to get rid of 'em I
suppose."

"Is the gold all washed out, every bit?" asked Jimmy. "Seems as if I
could see a little shine to it now."

"Well, they got out all they could. There may be a little dust of it
left though. Mr. Templeton says the folks in 'Frisco that own the mine
think there's _some_ left, and the tailings ought to be sent to San
Diego and worked over."

Jimmy took up another handful. Yes, there was a faint shine to it; it
began to look precious.

"Well, there's a heap of it anyway. It goes ever so far down," said he,
thrusting in a stick.

"It's from ten to twelve feet deep," replied Nate, proud of his
knowledge; "and see how long and wide!"

"_I_ don't see how they ever ground up rocks so fine," said Kyzie.
"Exactly like sand. And it stretches out so far that you'd think 'twas a
sand beach by the sea,--only there isn't any sea."

"Well, it's just as good as a beach anyway," said Nate. "Just as good
for picnics and the like of that. When there's anything going on, they
get out the brass band and have fireworks and bring chairs and benches
and sit round here. I tell you it's great!"

"There are lots of benches here now," remarked Edith. "And what's that
long wooden thing?"

"That's a staging. That's where they have the brass band sit; that's
where they send up the fireworks."

"Oh, I hope they'll have fireworks while we're here, and picnics."

"Of course they will. They're always having 'em. And I heard somebody
say they're talking of a barbecue."

Edith clapped her hands. She did not know what a barbecue might be, but
it sounded wild and jolly.

"What a long stretch of mud-puddle right here by the tailings," said
Kyzie.

Nate laughed. "It _is_ a damp spot, that's a fact!"

They all wond

William Babington Maxwell (18661938) was a British novelist. He was a son of novelist Mary Elizabeth Braddon. Though nearly 50 years old at the outbreak of the First World War, he was accepted as a lieutenant in the Royal Fusiliers and served in France until 1917.

Cyrus Townsend Brady (December 20, 1861 January 24, 1920) was a journalist, historian and adventure writer. His most well-known work is Indian Fights and Fighters. He was born in Allegheny, Pennsylvania, and graduated from the U.S. Naval Academy in 1883. He was also a deacon in the Episcopal church. His first wife was Clarissa Guthrie, who died in 1890. His second wife was Mary Barrett.

Rebecca Sophia Clarke (1833-1906), also known as Sophie May, was an American author of childrens fiction. Using her nieces and nephews as inspiration, she wrote realistic stories about children. She wrote 45 books between 1860 and 1903. The most popular being the Little Prudy books. She lived most of her life in her native town of Norridgewock, Maine, where she lived out her life with her sister, who was also a successful author.