noon
They took but little interest in the gold strikes , and it was but rarely that they could be found mining , and then never for themselves . One of the first lessons to be learned by the boys and the others , was that of keeping their outfits intact . Hardly were they up in the morning than a dozen miners and prospectors came shuffling around offering them various prices for this and that . Had they been willing to sell , they could have disposed of all they possessed by noon , but , cautioned by Foster Portney , they were firm , and nothing was allowed to change hands but a small bottle of cough syrup which the doctor sold for an ounce of gold , worth sixteen dollars , to a poor fellow suffering with a slight attack of pneumonia . The doctor wanted no pay , but the miner insisted on giving it , saying he would pay a thousand dollars if the physician would make him as well and strong as ever again . After many careful inquiries , it was decided that the party should first try its luck on Gold Bottom Creek , at some spot near to where the watercourse was joined by Hunker and Last Chance creeks . They had learned that while Bonanza and El Dorado creeks were paying well , all the best claims in those localities were already staked out .