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diff --git a/.gitattributes b/.gitattributes new file mode 100644 index 0000000..6833f05 --- /dev/null +++ b/.gitattributes @@ -0,0 +1,3 @@ +* text=auto +*.txt text +*.md text diff --git a/37857-8.txt b/37857-8.txt new file mode 100644 index 0000000..f4ae4a6 --- /dev/null +++ b/37857-8.txt @@ -0,0 +1,10086 @@ +The Project Gutenberg EBook of The Haunted Mine, by Harry Castlemon + +This eBook is for the use of anyone anywhere at no cost and with +almost no restrictions whatsoever. You may copy it, give it away or +re-use it under the terms of the Project Gutenberg License included +with this eBook or online at www.gutenberg.org + + +Title: The Haunted Mine + +Author: Harry Castlemon + +Release Date: October 26, 2011 [EBook #37857] + +Language: English + +Character set encoding: ISO-8859-1 + +*** START OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK THE HAUNTED MINE *** + + + + +Produced by Melissa McDaniel and the Online Distributed +Proofreading Team at https://www.pgdp.net + + + + + + + +Transcriber's Note: + + Inconsistent hyphenation and spelling in the original document have + been preserved. Obvious typographical errors have been corrected. + + Italic text is denoted by _underscores_ and bold text by =equal + signs=. + + + + + THE HAUNTED MINE + + BY + + HARRY CASTLEMON + + AUTHOR OF "THE GUNBOAT SERIES," "ROCKY MOUNTAIN SERIES," + "WAR SERIES," ETC. + + THE JOHN C. WINSTON CO., + + PHILADELPHIA, + CHICAGO, TORONTO. + + + + + COPYRIGHT, 1902, BY + HENRY T. COATES & CO. + + + + +CONTENTS. + + + CHAPTER PAGE + + I. THE SALE OF "OLD HORSE," 1 + + II. CASPER IS DISGUSTED, 13 + + III. JULIAN IS ASTONISHED, 24 + + IV. WHERE THE BOX WAS, 38 + + V. CASPER THINKS OF SOMETHING, 52 + + VI. A MR. HABERSTRO APPEARS, 65 + + VII. A PLAN THAT DIDN'T WORK, 78 + + VIII. CLAUS CALLS AGAIN, 91 + + IX. THE MASTER MECHANIC, 105 + + X. WHERE ARE THE VALISES? 118 + + XI. IN DENVER, 132 + + XII. CASPER NEVINS, THE SPY, 146 + + XIII. GETTING READY FOR WORK, 160 + + XIV. HOW CASPER WAS SERVED, 174 + + XV. HOW A MINE WAS HAUNTED, 188 + + XVI. GOOD NEWS, 201 + + XVII. MR. BANTA IS SURPRISED, 215 + + XVIII. GRUB-STAKING, 228 + + XIX. GOING TO SCHOOL, 243 + + XX. WATERSPOUTS AND BLIZZARDS, 256 + + XXI. THE CAMP AT DUTCH FLAT, 271 + + XXII. THE HAUNTED MINE, 286 + + XXIII. HAUNTED NO LONGER, 302 + + XXIV. "THAT IS GOLD," 317 + + XXV. CLAUS, AGAIN, 332 + + XXVI. CLAUS HEARS SOMETHING, 348 + + XXVII. BOB TRIES STRATEGY, 365 + + XXVIII. AN INHUMAN ACT, 380 + + XXIX. A TRAMP WITH THE ROBBERS, 392 + + XXX. HOME AGAIN, 406 + + XXXI. CONCLUSION, 420 + + + + +THE HAUNTED MINE. + + + + +CHAPTER I. + +THE SALE OF "OLD HORSE." + + +"Going for twenty-five cents. Going once; going twice; going----" + +"Thirty cents." + +"Thirty cents! Gentlemen, I am really astonished at you. It is a +disgrace for me to take notice of that bid. Why, just look at that +box. A miser may have hidden the secret of a gold-mine in it. Here it +is, neatly dovetailed, and put together with screws instead of nails; +and who knows but that it contains the treasure of a lifetime hidden +away under that lid? And I am bid only thirty cents for it. Do I hear +any more? Won't somebody give me some more? Going for thirty cents +once; going twice; going three times, and sold to that lucky fellow +who stands there with a uniform on. I don't know what his name is. +Step up there and take your purchase, my lad, and when you open that +box, and see what is in it, just bless your lucky stars that you came +to this office this afternoon to buy yourself rich." + +It happened in the Adams Express office, and among those who always +dropped around to see how things were going was the young fellow who +had purchased the box. It was on the afternoon devoted to the sale of +"old horse"--packages which had lain there for a long time and nobody +had ever called for them. When the packages accumulated so rapidly +that the company had about as many on hand as their storeroom could +hold, an auctioneer was ordered to sell them off for whatever he could +get. Of course nobody could tell what was in the packages, and +somebody always bought them by guess. Sometimes he got more than his +money's worth, and sometimes he did not. That very afternoon a man +bought a package so large and heavy that he could scarcely lift it +from the counter, and so certain was he that he had got something +worth looking at that he did not take the package home with him, but +borrowed a hammer from one of the clerks and opened it on the spot, +the customers all gathering around him to see what he had. To the +surprise of everybody, he turned out half a dozen bricks. A partner of +the man to whom the box was addressed had been off somewhere to buy a +brickyard, and, not satisfied with the productions of the yard, had +enclosed the bricks to the man in St. Louis, to see how he liked them. +The purchaser gazed in surprise at what he had brought, and then threw +down the hammer and turned away; but by the time he got to the door +the loud laughter of everybody in the office--and the office was +always full at the sale of "old horse"--caused him to arrest his +steps. By that time he himself was laughing. + +"I'll tell you what it is, gentlemen," said he; "those bricks, which +are not worth a nickel apiece, cost me just two dollars." + +He was going on to say something more, but the roar that arose caused +him to wait until it was all over. Then he went on: + +"I have spent fifty dollars for 'old horse,' and if anybody ever knows +me to spend another dollar in that way I will give him my head for a +football. A man who comes here to squander his money for anything like +that is a dunce, and ought to have a guardian appointed over him. I +wish you all a very good day." + +But in spite of this man's experience, Julian Gray had invested in +this box because he thought there was something in it. He did not care +for what the auctioneer said to him, for he talked that way to +everybody; but Julian knew there were no bricks in it, for it was done +up too neatly. The box was not more than twelve inches long and half +as wide, and by shaking it up and down the boy became aware that there +were papers of some kind in it. He paid the clerk the amount of his +bid upon it, picked up his purchase, and started for the door, paying +no heed to the remarks that were offered for his benefit. There he met +another boy, dressed in a uniform similar to the one he himself wore, +and stopped to exchange a few words with him. + +"Well, you got something at last," said the boy. "It is not bricks, I +can swear to that." + +"No, sir, it is not," said Julian. "Lift it. It contains papers of +some kind." + +"Why don't you open it, and let us see what is in it?" + +"I won't do that, either. I am not going to have the whole party +laughing at me the way they served that man a little while ago. Come +up to my room when Jack comes home, and then I will open it." + +"I would not be in your boots for a good deal when Jack sees that +box," said the boy, hurrying away. "He says you have no business to +spend the small earnings you get on such gimcracks as 'old horse.'" + +"I don't care," said Julian, settling the box under his arm and going +away in the opposite direction. "I've got the box, and if Jack does +not want to see what is in it, he need not look." + +Julian broke into a run,--he knew he had no business to spend as much +time in that express office as he had done,--and in a few minutes +reached the headquarters of the Western Union Telegraph Company, in +whose employ he was. He laid down his book of receipts for the +dispatches he had delivered, then picked up his box again and stowed +it away under the counter, where he was sure it would be out of +everybody's way. + +"I don't care," Julian repeated to himself, when he recalled what his +older companion, Jack Shelden, would have to say to him when he found +that he had been investing in "old horse." "I don't know that I expect +to make anything out of it, but somehow or other I can't resist my +curiosity to know what is in those bundles. When you can get the +packages for little or nothing, where's the harm? But that is no way +to save my money. I will never go near that express office again." + +With this good resolution, Julian took his seat among the other boys +and waited in silence for the operator to call upon him to deliver a +dispatch. It came at last, and during the rest of the afternoon Julian +was kept busy. When six o'clock came he put his box under his arm and +started for home. His duties were done for that day. + +The place that Julian called home was a long way from the office, for, +being a poor boy, he was obliged to room where he could get it as +cheaply as possible. He passed along several streets, turned numerous +corners, and finally sprang up the stairs in a sorry-looking house +which seemed almost ready to tumble down, and when he reached the top +he found the door of his room open. There he met his chum, who had +already returned from his work, going about his preparations for +supper, and whistling as though he felt at peace with himself and all +the world. + +"Halloo!" he exclaimed, as Julian came in. "What's the news to-day? +Well, there. If you haven't been to that old express office again!" + +These two boys were orphans--or at least Jack was. Julian had a +stepfather who, when his mother died, told the boy that he could not +support him any longer, and that he must look out for himself. He no +doubt expected that the boy would find himself in the poorhouse before +he had been long out of his care; but Julian was not that sort of a +fellow. He wandered aimlessly about the streets, looking for something +to do, sleeping in dry-goods boxes or on a plank in some lumber-yard; +and one morning, while passing along the street, wondering where he +was going to get something to eat, he saw a scene that thrilled him +with excitement. A span of horses was running away, and a telegraph +operator--Julian knew that he was an operator from the uniform he +wore--in making an attempt to stop them, lost his footing and fell on +the ground right in front of the frantic team. Julian was nearer to +him than anybody else, and acting upon the impulse of the moment, but +scarcely knowing why he did so, he dashed forward, seized the young +man by the shoulders, and pulled him out of the way. It was all done +in an instant, and Julian shuddered when he thought of what he had +done. + +"Thank you, my lad," said the man, when he got up, brushed the dust +from his clothes, and looked after the flying horses. "You saved my +life, but you couldn't save the man in the buggy. Now, what can I give +you?" + +"I don't want anything, sir," said Julian. The man was neatly dressed, +and looked as though he had some money, and Julian had more than half +a mind to ask him for enough with which to get some breakfast. But he +concluded that he would not do it; he would look farther, and he was +sure that he could get something to do, such as sweeping out a store, +and earn some breakfast in that way. + +"You don't want anything?" exclaimed the man. "Well, you are the +luckiest fellow I ever saw!" + +The man now turned and gave Julian a good looking over. It was not +necessary that he should ask any questions, for poverty was written +all over him. + +"Where's your home?" he asked. + +"I haven't any, sir." + +"Have you had any breakfast?" + +"No, sir." + +"Well, here's enough to enable you to get a good fill-out," said the +man, pulling out a dollar. "Get the very best breakfast you can, and +then come down to the Western Union Telegraph office and ask for +Wiggins. I will see what I can do for you." + +The man hurried away, and Julian looked at the dollar he held in his +hand, then gazed in the direction in which his benefactor had gone, +and could hardly believe that he was awake. A dollar was a larger sum +of money than he had ever had before. + +Of course Julian followed the operator's instructions. When he reached +the Western Union Telegraph office he was asked several questions +about his habits, and what he knew about the city, and it finally +ended by his being offered employment. Julian jumped at the chance. He +had no money with which to purchase a uniform, but Wiggins got around +that, and he had been there ever since, trying hard to do his duty, +except in one particular, and his highest ambition was to become an +operator. + +Long before this time he made the acquaintance of Jack Sheldon, who +finally came to room with him, and they had been fast friends ever +since. Jack had formerly gained a good living by shining boots and +shoes around the St. Louis foundry-works, until one day the master +mechanic, who had taken a wonderful shine to him, offered to take him +away from his blacking-brush and give him a position where he could +make a man of himself. Jack was waiting for this, and he promptly +closed with it. Of course his wages were small now, but he wanted to +get away from the bootblacks and mingle with persons more like +himself, and when Julian made him a proposition to take him in as a +roommate, Jack was only too glad to agree to it. He was but a year +older than Julian, but he often took it upon himself to advise him; +and one thing he could not stand was Julian's longing to find out what +was concealed in those packages that every once in a little while were +sold in the express office. Being economical himself, and never +spending a cent unless absolutely necessary, he wanted to make his +companion so, too. + +"That is no way for you to save money, Julian," said Jack. "To go to +that express office when you ought to be at your work, and spending +money for 'old horse' when you don't know what is in the bundle you +bid on, is the very way for you to wear a poor man's clothes the +longest day you live. I want to go into business myself some time, and +I should think you would, too." + +This was the way he talked to Julian every time he brought home a +bundle of "old horse," and he was ready to talk to him now in the same +way. + + + + +CHAPTER II. + +CASPER IS DISGUSTED. + + +"Well, you have been to that old express office again and invested +some of your hard earnings in 'old horse,' haven't you?" repeated +Jack, placing his hands on his hips and looking sullenly at the box, +which Julian placed upon the table. "Is that any way for you to save +your money?" + +"No, it is not; but, Jack, I've got something in this," said Julian. +"See how nicely this box is done up----" + +"I don't care to know anything about it," said Jack, turning away and +going on with his preparations of getting supper. "That is the only +thing I have against you. What do you care what is in those bundles? +If they were worth anything don't you suppose that the people to whom +they were addressed would have come after them? How much money have +you got in bank, anyway?" + +"About forty dollars, I guess, including tips and everything." + +"Well, I've got a hundred," said Jack. "You will never be able to go +into business by doing this way." + +"Lend me your knife and talk about it afterward. I want to get these +screws out." + +"Take your own knife. I don't want to have mine broken." + +"Well, I want you to remember one thing, Jack. If I get anything out +of this box, it is mine entirely. You will have no interest in it." + +"All right--I will agree to that." + +Seeing that he must depend entirely upon himself to get his box open, +Julian took his knife from his pocket and went to work upon the +screws; but they had been put there to stay, and he finally gave it up +in disgust. Then Jack relented and came to his assistance. The strong +blade of his knife presently worked the screws loose, and the inside +of the box was revealed to them. There was nothing but a mass of +papers, which looked so ancient that Jack declared they had been +through two or three wars. He took one look at them, and then went on +with his work of getting supper. + +"What's the use of fooling away your time with that stuff?" said he. +"That's all your 'old horse' amounts to. If you are going to spend +money in that way, I wish you would get something that is of some +use." + +Julian did not reply. He took his box to an out-of-the-way corner +where he would not be in Jack's way, and devoted himself to the +reading of the first paper he took up. + +"Who's Haberstro?" said he. + +"Don't know him," said Jack. + +"Here's a letter addressed to him." + +"What is in it?" + +"Oh, you want to know something about it, now, don't you?" + +"Of course I do. If we can find out who Haberstro is, we must take the +letter to him." + +Julian began and read the letter, which was written in a very plain +hand, and before he had read a page of it he stopped and looked at +Jack, while an expression of astonishment came to his face. + +"Go on with it," said Jack; "we might as well know it all." + +Julian "went on with it," and when he got through he had read a very +good description of a gold-mine located somewhere out West, and inside +the letter was a map which would lead anyone straight to it. There was +one thing in it that did not look exactly right, and here is the +passage that referred to it: + + "They have got the story around that the mine is haunted, + but don't you believe it. I worked for almost six months in + that mine alone after my partner took sick and died, going + down into it and shovelling the dirt in, coming up and + hoisting the bucket out, and went through the process of + washing, and I never found anything to scare me yet. I took + out, with every bucketful I washed, anywhere from ten to + fifty dollars; anyway, I got fifty thousand dollars out of + it. There is one thing about it: the mine is fully five + miles from anybody's place, and in all that region you won't + find a man who will prospect anywhere near you. It shows + that all the country about Dutch Flat is not played out + yet." + +A little farther on the letter spoke of the manner in which the miner +came to turn his claim over to Haberstro: + + "You know that very shortly after we got there my partner + died, and was buried near the mine. Perhaps that has + something to do with the story of the mine's being haunted. + I went to work and dug in the claim alone, not knowing + anything about mining, until I made the sum that I told you + of. Finally I received a letter from some lawyer in Europe, + who told me that my father had died and left me heir to all + his wealth. He urged me to come home and settle my claim at + once, and who should my mind revert to but to you, old + fellow, who stood by me when I was sick unto death. I know + that we did not have the stamps to buy a mule-halter, but + that did not make any sort of difference to you. You stayed + at my back until I got well; and as I can't pay you in any + other way I give you this mine, hoping it will make you as + rich as it did me. More than that, for fear that the mine + may play out on you, which I don't believe, I give you the + deeds of several little pieces of property located in Denver + and vicinity, which you will find will be more than enough + to run you, even if you don't choose to go mining. For me, + nothing would suit me. You know how you used to rail at me + because I wanted to go from one thing to another. After I + had accumulated that property in Denver, I had to go and + look for claims, and that is the way I come to have this + mine. + + "I send all these things to you by express, for I am in New + York, now, and all ready to sail. By the time you get them + I shall be on the deep sea. I forgot to say that the + property which I have given to you for your kindness to me + is worth, in round numbers, one hundred thousand dollars. + Take it, and live happily with it. I don't know that I shall + ever see you again; but if I do not, remember that my + blessing always goes with you." + +"Well, sir, what do you think of that?" said Julian, as he folded up +the letter. + +Jack Sheldon did not know what to say. He sat with a case-knife in his +hand and with one leg thrown over the table, his mouth open, and +listening with all his ears to the contents of the letter. + +"I tell you that auctioneer uttered a prophecy when he said that some +miser had hidden the secret of a gold-mine inside the lid of that +box," said Julian. "He told me that when I got home and opened this +thing I would bless my lucky stars that I had come to that office to +buy myself rich." + +"But there is one thing that you don't think of, Julian," replied +Jack. + +"What's that?" + +"That we must make every effort to find this man Haberstro." + +"Yes," said Julian, with a sigh, "I did think of that. But it seems +hard to have so much money in our grasp, and then to have it all slip +away." + +"Of course it does. But that is the honest way of going at it." + +"Here's the deeds for a block of buildings that cost this man +twenty-five thousand dollars," said Julian, continuing to examine the +papers in the box. + +"Oh, put the box away," said Jack. "And he gives it all to this man +Haberstro. We must find him, Julian, the first thing we do. Who's that +coming upstairs, I wonder?" + +The boys turned toward the door, which opened almost immediately, +admitting Casper Nevins, the boy who had met Julian at the express +office. There was something about the boy that Jack did not like. He +could not have told what it was, but there are those we meet in +every-day life who have certain traits of character that excite our +suspicions. Jack had often warned Julian to keep away from him, and +the latter did not cultivate his acquaintance any more that he could +help; but, being employed in the same office that Casper was, of +course he was thrown into his company oftener than he desired. + +"Good-evening, boys," said Casper. "I was on my way home, and I +thought I would drop in and see what Julian bought to-day at the +express office. You promised to show me if I would come up," he added, +turning to Julian. + +"I did, and there it is," said Julian, passing over the letter. "Sit +down in this chair. We are so poor just now that we have only one +chair apiece, but when we get out to our gold-mine we shall have two +chairs." + +"Ah! You have a gold-mine, have you?" said Casper, with a smile. "When +do you start?" + +"Read the letter, and you will think we ought to start right away," +said Julian, while Jack got up and proceeded with his supper. "We +think of starting to-morrow morning." + +"I would like to have my hand on your coat-tail about the time you get +out there," said Casper. "Now, the question is, does the mine pay +anything?" + +"Read the letter, and you will understand as much as we do." + +Casper began the letter, and he had not gone far with it before he +broke out with "Jerusalem!" and "This beats me!" and "Fifty thousand +dollars!" When he had got done with the letter, he folded it up and +passed it back to Julian without saying a word. + +"And that is not all of it," said the latter. "Do you see the rest of +the papers there in that box? Well, they are deeds of property which +amount to one hundred thousand dollars." + +"Whew!" whistled Casper. "By gracious! You're lucky--are you not? When +do you start?" + +"Laying all jokes aside, we don't intend to start at all," said Jack. + +"You don't?" exclaimed Casper. "Have you got something better on +hand?" + +"No, I don't know that we have; but our first hard work must be to +find this man Haberstro. It would not be right for us to keep what is +in that box without turning the city upside down in order to locate +him." + +"Why, the box was sold to you, was it not?" said Casper, turning to +Julian. + +"Of course it was. Didn't I pay thirty cents of my hard earnings for +it?" + +"Did you agree to hunt up this man Haberstro?" + +"No, because the clerks did not know where he was." + +"Then I say the box and everything in it belongs to you. Undoubtedly +the man does not live here any more. He has gone somewhere else. I +would not make a precious fool of myself, if I were you. Take the +money and say nothing to nobody." + +"And go out there and take possession of that property while there is +another man waiting for it?" asked Jack, with some heat. + +"Yes, sir; that's what I would do." + +"Then, sir, you are not honest. I am glad you don't train in my +crowd." + +"I don't call it dishonest in holding fast to what you have. A hundred +thousand dollars! You would not need to go mining at all." + +"We are well aware of that; but we must find out where that man +lives, if we can. After having exhausted every means to find out, then +I would consider that the property belongs to us. Julian, we will have +to see a lawyer about that." + +"That's what I was thinking," said Julian. + +"Well, of all the plumb dunces that ever I saw, you are the beat!" +said Casper, getting up and putting on his hat. "I tell you that if +that property was mine I would never let anyone know that I had it. I +would throw up my position to-morrow, borrow money, go out there and +take possession; and you are fools if you don't do it." + +And Casper went out, slamming the door behind him. + + + + +CHAPTER III. + +JULIAN IS ASTONISHED. + + +"Well, sir, what do you think of that?" asked Julian, when he heard +the noise the telegraph boy made in running down the stairs. "He +really acts as though he were mad about it." + +"He is a dishonest fellow," said Jack, once more coming up to the +table and throwing his leg over it. "You don't believe everything he +said, do you?" + +"Not much, I don't," replied Julian, emphatically. "I could not go out +there and work the mine as he talks of doing. I should think it was +haunted, sure enough." + +"Well, put the papers away, and then let us have supper. While we are +doing that, we will decide what we are going to do with the box." + +"I say, don't let us do anything with it. We will put it up there on +the mantel, and when we are through supper one of us will write an +advertisement calling upon Mr. Haberstro to come up and show himself. +I guess the _Republican_ is as good a paper as any, isn't it?" + +"But Haberstro may be a Democrat, instead of a Republican," said Jack. + +"Well, then, put it in both papers. That will cost us two +dollars--seventy-five cents for the first insertion and a quarter for +the second." + +It did not take the boys a long time to get their supper. They had +nothing but bacon, baker's bread, tea, and a few cream cakes which +Jack had purchased on his way home; but there was an abundance, they +were hungry, and they did full justice to it. After supper came +something that everybody hates--washing the dishes; but that was +something the two friends never neglected. The dishes must be washed +some time, and the sooner it was done the sooner it would be over +with. Then one picked up the broom and went to sweeping, while the +other lighted the lamp and brought out the writing materials. + +"I have already made up my mind what I want to say," said Julian, who, +being a better scribe than his companion, handled the pen. "Wait until +I get the advertisement all written out, and then I will read it to +you." + +The pen moved slowly, and by the time that Jack had finished sweeping +and seated himself in a chair ready to listen, Julian read the +following: + + "Information wanted regarding the whereabouts of S. W. + Haberstro, formerly of St. Louis. If he will communicate + with the undersigned he will hear of something greatly to + his advantage. Any relative or friend of his who possesses + the above information will confer a favor by writing to the + name given below." + +"There; how will that do?" said Julian. "By the way, whose name shall +I sign to it--yours or mine?" + +"Sign your own name, of course. Your place of business is much handier +than mine." + +"I tell you, Jack, it requires something besides a knowledge of +penmanship to write out an advertisement for a newspaper. I have +worried over this matter ever since we were at supper, and then I +didn't know how you would like it. Now, the next thing is to put it +where it will catch the public eye in the morning." + +The boys did not intend to let the grass grow under their feet. They +put on their coats and turned down the lamp, but before they went out +they took particular pains to put the box where they knew it would be +safe. They opened the closet, pushed the box as far back as they could +on the top shelf, and threw some clothing in front of it to hide it +from anyone who might look in there. Burglaries were common in the +city, and the boys never left anything in their room that was worth +stealing. + +The friends did not ride on the street cars, for they believed that +five cents was worth as much to them as it was to the conductor, but +walked all the distance that lay between them and the business part of +the city. They reached the newspaper offices at last, paid for two +insertions in each paper, and went away satisfied that they had done +all in their power to find Mr. Haberstro. + +"Now we have done as we would be done by," said Julian, "and I believe +a glass of soda water would help me sleep easier. Come in here." + +"We don't want any soda water," exclaimed Jack, seizing Julian by the +arm and pulling him away from the drug store. "We don't need it. When +we get home we will take a glass of cold water, and that will do just +as well as all the soda water in town." + +"I suppose I shall have to give in to you," said Julian, continuing +his walk with Jack, "but I think we deserve a little credit for what +we have done. Here we are with a fortune of one hundred thousand +dollars in our pockets, and yet we are anxious to give it up if Mr. +Haberstro shows himself. I tell you, it is not everybody in the world +who would do that." + +"I know it, but that is the honest way of doing business. I never +could look our master mechanic in the face again if I should go off +and enjoy that money without making an effort to find the owner." + +In due time the boys reached home and went to bed, but sleep did not +visit their eyes before midnight. They were thinking of the fortune +that was in their grasp. No one would have thought these boys very +guilty if they had kept silent about the contents of that box and had +gone off to reap the pleasure which good luck or something else had +placed in Julian's hands; but such a thought had never entered their +heads until Casper Nevins had suggested it to them. By being at the +sale of "old horse" Julian had stumbled upon something that was +intended for Mr. Haberstro, and he was just as much entitled to the +contents of it as anybody. + +"But I would be dishonest for all that," said he, rolling over in his +bed to find a more comfortable position. "I never could enjoy that +money, for I should be thinking of Mr. Haberstro, who ought to have +it. No matter whether he is alive or dead, he would come up beside me +all the while, and reach out his hand to take the money I was getting +ready to use for my own pleasure. No, sir. We will do the best we can +to find Mr. Haberstro, and if he does not show up within any +reasonable time, then Jack says the money belongs to us. I can spend +it, then, to get anything I want, with perfect confidence." + +When Julian got to this point in his meditations he became silent, and +thought over the many things he stood in need of, and which he thought +he could not possibly get along without, until finally he fell asleep; +but the next morning, when he arose and returned Jack's hearty +greeting, that fortune came into his mind immediately. + +"I tell you what it is, Jack," said he. "If, after waiting a few days, +we don't hear from Mr. Haberstro or any of his kin, suppose I go to +Mr. Wiggins with it? He will know exactly what we ought to do." + +"All right," said Jack. "That will be better than going to a lawyer, +for he won't charge us anything for his advice." + +"And shall you keep still about this?" + +"Certainly. Don't lisp it to anybody. We don't want somebody to come +along here and claim to be Haberstro, when perhaps he don't know a +thing about what is in the box." + +"Of course he would not know a thing about it," said Julian, in +surprise. "Haberstro himself don't know what there is in the box. He +has got to prove by outside parties that he is the man that we want, +or we can put him down as a fraud." + +"That's so," said Jack, after thinking a moment. "We must be +continually on the lookout for breakers." + +Why was it that Jack did not go further, and say that they must be +continually on the lookout for the safety of the box when they were +not there to watch over it? It was not safe from anybody who knew it +was there, and it would have been but little trouble for them to have +taken it with them and put it into the hands of Mr. Wiggins. If they +had thought of this, no doubt they would have lost no time in acting +upon it. + +Long before the hands on Jack's watch had reached the hour of +half-past six the two friends were on their way toward their places of +business, and when Julian reached the office almost the first boy he +saw was Casper Nevins, who had denounced them for trying to find out +what became of Mr. Haberstro. + +"Good-morning, Julian," said he. "Have you advertised for that man of +yours yet?" + +"What do you want to know for?" said Julian, remembering what Jack had +said about keeping the matter still. + +"Oh, nothing; only I want to tell you that if you get yourselves +fooled out of that fortune you can thank yourselves for it. What is +there to prevent some sharper from coming around and telling you that +he is Haberstro? You didn't think of that, did you?" + +"Yes, we thought of it," said Julian, with a smile. "Do you suppose we +will take any man's word for that? He must prove that he is the man we +want, or else we won't have anything to do with him." + +"Pshaw! That is easy enough. I can find fifty men right here in this +town who will prove that they are President of the United States for +half of what that box is worth. Say!" he added, sinking his voice +almost to a whisper, "you haven't said a word to anybody about +advertising for him, have you?" + +"No; and I have not said a word to you about it either," said Julian. + +"That's all right, but you can't fool me so easy. I want to tell you +right now that there are a good many here who know about it, and that +they are bound to have that box. Ah!" he added, noting the expression +that came upon Julian's face, "you didn't think of _that_, did you?" + +"Who are they?" asked Julian. + +"There were men in the express office yesterday who know all about it. +You needn't think you are going to keep that express box hid, for you +can't do it. Where did you put it?" + +"It is safe. It is where nobody will ever think of looking for it." + +"Then you are all right," said Casper, who was plainly very much +disappointed because he did not find out where the box was. "But you +had better keep an eye out for those fellows in the express office, +for, unless the looks of some of them belied them, they will steal +that box from you as sure as you are a foot high." + +"If they thought so much of the box, why didn't they buy it in the +first place?" + +"That is for them to tell. I don't know but they have somehow got an +idea that there is something in it. You are going to get fooled out of +it, and it will serve you just right for advertising for Haberstro." + +That day was a long one to Julian, for he could not help turning over +in his mind what Casper had said to him. When he reached home after +his day's work was done he went straight to the closet, paying no sort +of attention to Jack, who looked at him in surprise, took a chair with +him, and hunted up the box. It was where he put it, and he drew a long +breath of relief. + +"Now, then, I would like to have you explain yourself," said Jack, +after he had waited some little time for Julian to say what he meant +by his actions. + +"It is there," said Julian, "but I have been shaking in my shoes all +day. Did it ever occur to you that some of those people who saw me buy +the box at the express office would come up here to take it?" + +"No; and I don't believe they will do it." + +"Well, Casper said they would." + +"You tell Casper Nevins to keep his long, meddlesome nose out of this +pie and attend strictly to his own affairs," said Jack, in disgust. +"It is ours, and he has nothing to do with it. If anybody comes into +this room when we are not here, it will be Casper himself." + +"He can't; he has not got a key." + +"I know that. If he had, we would have trouble with that box. What did +he say to you?" + +Julian then repeated the conversation he held with Casper that +morning, and Jack nodded his head once or twice to say that he +approved of it. + +"You did perfectly right by declining to answer his question about +advertising for our man," said Jack. "What did he want to know that +for? If they wanted the box, why did they not buy it in the first +place?" + +During the next few days the two friends were in a fever of suspense, +for they did not want somebody to come and take their fortune away +from them. Every man who came into the telegraph office Julian watched +closely, for he had somehow got it into his head that Haberstro must +be a German; but every German who came in there had business of his +own, and as soon as it was done he went out. No one came to see Julian +about the box, and, if the truth must be told, he began to breathe +easier. Of late he had got out of the habit of looking for the box as +soon as he came home, and perhaps the sport that Jack made of him for +it was the only thing that made him give it up. + +"One would think you owned that fortune," said he. "I don't believe a +miser ever watched his gold as closely as you watch that box." + +"I don't care," said Julian. "The fortune is ours, or rather is going +to be in a few days. Now you mark my words, and see if I don't tell +you the truth." + +"There's many a slip. We will never have such luck in the world." + +"Well, I am going to look at it now. It seems to me that if Haberstro +is around here he ought to have put in an appearance before this time. +We have waited a whole week without seeing anything of him." + +"A whole week!" exclaimed Jack, with a laugh. "If you wait a month +without seeing him you may be happy. If we keep the box for three +months without the man appearing, then I shall think it belongs to +us." + +Julian did not believe that. He thought that the contents of the box +would belong to them before that time. He made no reply, but took a +chair to examine the closet. He moved the clothing aside, expecting +every minute to put his hand upon the box, and then uttered an +exclamation of astonishment and threw the articles off on the floor. + +"What's the matter?" asked Jack, in alarm. + +"The box is gone!" replied Julian. + + + + +CHAPTER IV. + +WHERE THE BOX WAS. + + +This startling piece of information seemed to strike Jack Sheldon +motionless and speechless with astonishment. His under jaw dropped +down, and he even clutched the back of a chair, as if seeking +something with which to support himself. The two boys stood at +opposite sides of the room looking at each other, and then Jack +recovered himself. + +"Gone!" he repeated. "You are mistaken; you have overlooked it. I saw +it night before last myself." + +"I don't care," said Julian, emphatically; "I have taken the clothes +all out, and the box is gone. Look and see for yourself." + +Julian stepped down from the chair and Jack took his place. He peered +into every nook and corner of the dark shelf, passed his hands over +it, and then, with something like a sigh, got down and began to hang +the clothes up in their proper places. Then he closed the door of the +closet, took a chair, and gazed earnestly at the floor. + +"Well, sir, what do you think of that?" said Julian. + +"Didn't I tell you that if anybody came in here to look for that box +while we were not here it would be Casper Nevins, and nobody else?" +said Jack. + +"You surely don't suspect him!" exclaimed Julian. + +"I _do_ suspect him; if you could get inside his room to-night you +would find the box." + +"Why, then he is a thief!" said Julian, jumping up from his chair and +walking the floor. "Shall we go down to No. 8 Station and ask the +police to send a man up there and search him?" + +"I don't know whether that would be the best way or not," said Jack, +reflectively. "Has Casper got many friends among the boys of your +office?" + +"I don't believe he's got one friend there who treats him any better +than I do. The boys are all shy of him." + +"And well they may be. That boy got a key somewhere that will fit our +door, and came in here and took that box. You say he has not any +friends on whom he can depend in the office?" + +"Not one. If he has any friends, none of us know who they are." + +"Then he must be alone in stealing the box from us. He has it there in +his room, for he has no other place to hide it. Do you know what sort +of a key he has to fit his door?" + +"Of course I do. I was with him when he got it. It is a combination +key; one that he folds up when he puts it into his pocket." + +"Do you believe you can buy another like it?" + +"By George! That's an idea. Let us go down and find out. Then +to-morrow, if I can get away, I will come up here and go through his +room." + +That was Jack's notion entirely. He wanted to see "the biter bit"--to +know that he would feel, when he awoke some fine morning and found his +fortune gone, just how they were feeling now. They put on their coats +and locked the door,--it seemed a mockery to them now to lock the +door when their fortune was gone,--and, after walking briskly for a +few minutes, turned into the store where Casper had purchased his key. +When Julian told the clerk that he wanted to see some combination +keys, he threw out upon the counter a box which was filled to +overflowing. + +"Do you remember a telegraph boy who was in here several months ago +and bought a combination lock to fit his door?" asked Julian. "I was +in here at the time, and I know he bought the lock of you." + +"Seems to me that I _do_ remember something about that," said the +clerk, turning around to the shelves behind him and taking down +another box, "and we have got just one lock of that sort left." + +"Are you sure this key will open his door?" asked Julian. + +"I am sure of it. If it don't open his door, you can bring it back and +exchange it for another." + +Julian told him that he would take the lock, and while the clerk was +gone to another part of the store to do it up he whispered to Jack, + +"I have just thought of something. He has not any closet in his room +that I know of, and who knows but that he may have put that box in his +trunk? I had better get some keys to his trunk while I am about it." + +"Do you remember how the key looked?" asked Jack. + +"I guess I can come pretty close to it," answered Julian. + +The work of selecting a key to the trunk was not so easy; but Julian +managed to satisfy himself at last, and the boys left the store. +Julian did not say anything, but he was certain that the box would be +in his own possession before that time to-morrow. That would be better +than calling the police to search his room. In the latter case, Casper +would be held for trial, and Julian did not want to disgrace him +before all the boys in the office. + +"I will give Mr. Wiggins the box as soon as I get my hands on it, but +I shan't say anything to him about Casper's stealing it," said he. +"Would you?" + +"You are mighty right I _would_," exclaimed Jack, who looked at his +friend in utter surprise. "He stole it, didn't he? He was going to +cheat Haberstro out of it if he showed up, and, failing that, he would +leave us here to work all our lives while he lived on the fat of the +land. No, sir; if you get the box you must tell Mr Wiggins about it." + +For the first time in a long while the boys did not sleep much that +night. Jack was thinking about Casper's atrocity,--for he considered +that was about the term to apply to him for stealing their box,--and +Julian was wondering if he was going to get into Casper's room and +recover the fortune which he was attempting to deprive them of. + +"I tell you, that boy is coming to some bad end," said Jack. "I would +not be in his boots for all the money he will ever be worth." + +"I don't care what end he comes to," said Julian, "but I was just +thinking what would happen to us if this key did not open his door. We +would then have to get the police, sure enough." + +Morning came at length, and at the usual hour Julian was on hand in +the telegraph office, waiting to see what his duties were going to be. +As usual, he found Casper Nevins there. He looked closely at Julian +when he came in, but could not see anything in the expression of his +face that led him to believe there was anything wrong. + +"Good-morning, Julian," said he. + +"Good-morning," said Julian. "How do you feel this morning?" + +"Right as a trivet. I feel much better than you will when you find +that that box is gone," added Casper to himself. "He hasn't found it +out yet, and I hope he will not until I get my pay. I have waited and +watched for this a long time, and, thank heaven! I have found it at +last. I wish I knew somebody who would take that box and hide it for +me; but I can't think of a living soul." + +All the fore part of that day Julian was kept busy running to the +lower part of the city with messages, and not a chance did he get to +go up past Casper's room. Two or three times he was on the point of +asking Mr. Wiggins to excuse him for a few minutes, but he always +shrunk from it for fear of the questions that gentleman would ask him. +"Where did he want to go?" "What did he want to go after?" "What was +he going to do when he got there?" and Julian was quite certain that +he could not answer these questions without telling a lie. While he +was thinking it over he heard his name called, and found that he must +go right by Casper's room in order to take the message where it was to +go. He seemed to be treading on air when he walked up to take the +telegraphic dispatch. + +"Do you know where that man lives?" asked the operator. + +"I know pretty nearly where he lives," answered Julian. + +"Well, take it there, and be back as soon as you can, for I shall want +to send you somewhere else. What's the matter with you, Julian? You +seem to be gay about something." + +"I don't know that I feel any different from what I always do," +replied Julian. "I will go there as soon as I can." + +When Julian got into the street, his first care was to find his keys. +They were all there; and, to gain the time that he would occupy in +looking about the room, Julian broke into a trot, knowing that the +police would not trouble him while he had that uniform on. At the end +of an hour he began to draw close to Casper's room, and there he +slackened his pace to a walk. + +"Ten minutes more and the matter will be decided," said Julian, his +heart beating with a sound that frightened him. "That boy has the box, +and I am going to have it." + +A few steps more brought him to the stairs that led up to Casper's +room. It was over a grocery store, and the steps ran up beside it. He +turned in there without anybody seeing him, and stopped in front of +the door. The combination key was produced, and to Julian's immense +delight the door came open the very first try. + +"I guess I won't lock it," muttered Julian. "I might lock myself in. +He does not keep his room as neat as we do ours." + +Julian took one glance about the apartment, taking in the tumbled +bedclothes, and the dishes from which Casper had eaten his breakfast +still unwashed on the table, and then turned his attention to what had +brought him there. There was no closet in the room, and the box was +not under the bed; it must therefore be in his trunk. One after +another of the keys was tried without avail, and Julian was about to +give it up in despair, when the last key--the one on Jack's +bunch--opened the trunk, which he found in the greatest confusion. He +lifted off the tray, and there was the box, sure enough. Julian took +it, and hugged it as though it was a friend from whom he had long been +separated. + +"Now the next question is, are the papers all here?" thought he. +"There were seven of them besides the letter, and who knows but that +he has taken a block of buildings away from us." + +But the papers were all there. However much Casper might have been +tempted to realize on some of the numerous "blocks of buildings" which +the box called for, he dared not attempt the sale of any of them. It +was as much as he could do to steal the papers. Julian placed the tray +back and carefully locked the trunk, and then looking around, found a +paper with which to do up his box. Then he locked the door, came down, +and went on to deliver his message. + +"That boy called us foolish because we advertised for Mr. Haberstro," +said Julian, as he carefully adjusted the box under his arm. "I would +like to know if we were bigger fools than he was. We could have found +the police last night as easy as not, and it would have been no +trouble for them to find the box. He ought not to have left it there +in his trunk. He didn't think that we could play the same game on him +that he played upon us." + +Julian conveyed his message and returned to his office in less time +than he usually did, and, after reporting, told Mr. Wiggins in a +whisper that he would like to see him in the back room. + +"I know what you want," said Mr. Wiggins, as he went in. "You have +been up to the express office, buying some more of that 'old horse.' +Some day I am going to give you fits for that. It is the only thing I +have stored up against you." + +"Can you tell when I did it?" asked Julian, slowly unfolding the box +which he carried under his arm. "Haven't I carried my telegraphic +dispatches in as little time as anybody? Now, I have something here +that is worth having. Read that letter, and see if it isn't." + +Mr. Wiggins seated himself on the table and slowly read the letter +which Julian placed in his hands, and it was not long before he became +deeply interested in it. When he had got through he looked at the boy +with astonishment. + +"I declare, Julian, you're lucky," said he. "Now, the next thing for +you to do is to advertise for Haberstro." + +"We have already advertised for him. We have put four insertions in +the papers." + +"And he doesn't come forward to claim his money? Put two other +advertisements in, and if he don't show up the money is yours." + +"That is what I wanted to get at," said Julian, with a sigh of relief. +"Now, Mr. Wiggins, I wish you would take this and lock it up +somewhere. I don't think it safe in our house." + +"Certainly I'll do it. By George! Who would think you were worth a +hundred thousand dollars!" + +"It isn't ours yet," said Julian, with a smile. "About the time we get +ready to use it, here will come Mr. Haberstro, and we will have to +give it up to him." + +"Well, you are honest, at any rate, or you would not have advertised +for him. This beats me, I declare. I won't scold you this time, but +don't let it happen again." + +"I'll never go into that express office again while I live," said +Julian, earnestly. "I have had my luck once, and I don't believe it +will come again." + +When Julian went out into the office he saw Casper there, and he was +as white as a sheet. Julian could not resist the temptation to pat an +imaginary box under his arm and wink at Casper. + +"What do you mean by that pantomime?" said he. + +"It means that you can't get the start of two fellows who have their +eyes open," said Julian. "I've got the box." + +"You have?" gasped Casper. "You've been into my room when I was not +there? I'll have the police after you before I am five minutes older!" + +Casper jumped to his feet and began to look around for his hat. + + + + +CHAPTER V. + +CASPER THINKS OF SOMETHING. + + +Julian stood with his hands in his pockets looking at Casper, and +something that was very like a smile came into his face. + +"I know what you went in there with Mr. Wiggins for," said Casper; and +having found his cap by that time, he jammed it spitefully on his +head, "and I just waited until you came out so that I could ask you. I +don't need to ask you. I tell you once for all----" + +"Well, why don't you go on?" asked Julian. "You will tell me once for +all--what?" + +Casper had by this time turned and looked sternly at Julian, but there +was something about him which told him that he had gone far enough. + +"Go and get the police," said Julian. "Right here is where I do +business. Look here, Casper: you came into our room and stole that +box out of our closet." + +"I never!" said Casper, evidently very much surprised. "So help +me----" + +"Don't swear, because you will only make a bad matter worse. I found +the box in your trunk, just where you had left it. The way I have the +matter arranged now, there's nobody knows that you took it; but you go +to work and raise the police, and I will tell all I know. If you keep +still, I won't say one word." + +Casper backed toward the nearest chair and sat down. This conversation +had been carried on in whispers, and there was nobody, among the dozen +persons who were standing around, that had the least idea what they +were talking about. If Casper supposed that he was going to scare +Julian into giving up the box, he failed utterly. + +"I won't give up that fortune," said he, to himself, when Julian +turned away to go to his seat. "A hundred thousand dollars! I'll have +it, or I'll never sleep easy again." + +During the rest of the day Julian was as happy as he wanted to be. The +box was now safe in the hands of Mr. Wiggins, and he would like to +see anybody get hold of it. Furthermore, Mr. Wiggins had told him to +put two more advertisements in the papers, and, if Mr. Haberstro did +not show himself in answer to them, the money was his own. + +"I do hope he won't come," said Julian. "I don't believe in giving up +that fortune." + +The boy was glad when the day was done, and the moment he was safe on +the street he struck a trot which he never slackened until he ran up +the stairs to his room. Jack was there, as he expected him to be, and +he was going about his work of getting supper. He looked up as Julian +came in, and he saw at a glance that he had been successful. + +"I've got it!" shouted Julian; and, catching Jack by the arm, he +whirled him around two or three times. "It was in the trunk, just as I +told you it was. Mr. Wiggins has it now, and he will take care of it, +too." + +"That's the best news I have heard in a long time," said Jack, +throwing his leg over the table. "Did you tell Mr. Wiggins about the +way Casper acted?" + +"No, I did not. Somehow, I couldn't bear to see the boy discharged. I +simply told Mr. Wiggins that it wasn't safe in our room." + +"Well, I don't know but that was the best way, after all," said Jack, +looking reflectively at the floor. "But I tell you, if I had been in +your place I would have let it all out. Now tell me the whole thing." + +Julian pulled off his coat, and, while he assisted Jack in getting +supper, told him all that passed between Mr. Wiggins and himself, not +forgetting how the latter had promised to scold him at some future +time for going to the express office and investing in "old horse." + +"I hope he will tell you some words that will set," said Jack. "All I +can say to you has no effect upon you." + +"I will never go near that express office again--never!" said Julian, +earnestly. + +"I hope you will always bear that in mind." + +"I've had my luck, and if I live until my head is as white as our +president's I never shall have such good fortune again. I will get +bricks the next time I buy." + +"You had better sit down and write out that advertisement for two more +insertions, and after supper we'll take it down and put it in. If +Haberstro does not appear in answer to them the money is ours. That's +a little better fortune than I dared to hope for." + +Anybody could see that Jack was greatly excited over this news, but he +tried not to show it. If he had gone wild over it, he would have got +Julian so stimulated that he would not have known which end he stood +on. He had to control himself and Julian, too. He ate his supper +apparently as cool as he ever was, and after the room had been swept +up and the dishes washed he put on his coat and was ready to accompany +his friend to the newspaper offices. + +"Remember now, Julian, we don't want any soda water to-night," said +Jack. "If you want anything to drink, get it before you start." + +Julian promised that he would bear it in mind, and during the three +hours that they were gone never asked for soda water or anything +else. + +"Just wait until I get that fortune in my hands, and then I will have +all the soda water I want," said Julian to himself. "But, after all, +Jack's way is the best. I don't know what I should do without him." + +In due time the boys were at home and in bed; and leaving them there +to enjoy a good night's rest, we will go back to Casper Nevins and see +what he thought and what he did when he found that he had lost the box +he had risked so much to gain. He was about as mad as a boy could hold +when he ran down the stairs after his interview with them in their +room, and he straightway began to rack his brain to see if he could +not get that box for himself. + +"Of all the dunces I ever saw, those two fellows are the beat!" said +he, as he took his way toward his room. "They have got the fortune in +their own hands; no one will say a word if they use it as though it +was their own; and yet they are going to advertise for the man to whom +it was addressed. Did anybody ever hear of a fool notion like that? I +was in hopes that I could get them to go partners with me, but under +the circumstances I did not like to propose it. Why didn't I happen +into that express office and bid on that box? Gee! What a fortune that +would be!" + +Casper was almost beside himself with the thought, and he reached his +room and cooked and ate his supper, still revolving some plan for +obtaining possession of that box. He had suddenly taken it into his +head that he ought to go into partnership with the two boys in order +to assist them in spending their money, although there was not the +first thing that he could think of that induced the belief. Julian had +always been friendly with him,--much more so than any of the other +boys in the office,--although he confessed that he had not always been +friendly with Julian. + +"Of course I have little spats with him, but Julian isn't a fellow to +remember that," said Casper to himself. "I've had spats with every +boy, and some of them I don't want anything more to do with. But +Julian ought to take me into partnership with him, and I believe I'll +ask him. But first, can't I get that box for my own? That is an idea +worth thinking of." + +It was an idea that had suddenly come into Casper's head, and he did +not think any more about the partnership business just then. Of course +their advertising for Haberstro knocked all that in the head; but then +if he had the box he could do as he pleased with it. The next day, at +the office, he did say something about partnership, but Julian laughed +at him. He said that he and Jack could easily spend all that money, +and more too, if they had it. It was made in a joking way, and Julian +had not thought to speak to Jack about it. + +"It is no use trying you on," said Casper to himself, getting mad in a +minute. "You can spend all that money yourselves, can you? I'll bet +you don't. There must be some keys in the city that will fit your +door, and I am going to have one." + +From that time forward Casper had but just one object in view, and +that was to get the box. He spent three days in trying the different +keys which he had purchased to fit the lock, and one time he came +near getting himself into difficulty. He was out a great deal longer +than he ought to have been with a message, and when he got to the +office Mr. Wiggins took him to task for it. + +"How is this, Casper?" said he. "You have been gone three-quarters of +an hour longer than you ought to have been." + +"I went just as soon as I could," replied Casper, who was not above +telling a lie. "The man wasn't at his place of business, and so I went +to his home." + +"Then you are excusable. It seems strange that he should be at home at +this hour." + +Casper did not say anything, but he was satisfied that he was well out +of that scrape. He had not been to the man's home at all. He was +trying the lock on Julian's door. + +Although he made two attempts without getting in, he succeeded on the +third. The door came open for him, and after searching around the room +in vain for the box, he looked into the closet. + +"Aha! I've got you at last!" said he, as he drew the clothing aside +and laid hold of the object of his search. "Now I wish I had my money +that is due me from the telegraph office. To-morrow would see me on my +way toward Denver." + +Hurriedly locking the door, Casper made the best of his way down the +stairs and to his room, and put the box into his trunk. Then he broke +into another run and went to the office, where he arrived in time to +avoid a second reprimand. + +"Oh, you feel mighty well now," said Casper, watching Julian, who was +talking and laughing with some of the boys, "but I bet you you will +feel different in a little while. Now who am I going to get to hide +that box for me? None of the boys in here will do it, so I must go +elsewhere." + +During the rest of the week Casper was as deeply interested in +watching the persons who came there as Julian was. He did not +advertise for Haberstro, because he did not want to give up the box. +He was more than half inclined to go to Mr. Wiggins and tell him he +was going to leave when his month was out, but some way or other he +did not. Something compelled him to wait, and in three days more he +found out what it was. He was in the office waiting for a message to +deliver, when Julian came in with a bundle wrapped up in a newspaper +under his arm. Casper was thunderstruck, for something told him that +Julian had played the same game that he had. He had been to his room +and got the box. His face grew as pale as death when he saw Mr. +Wiggins follow Julian into the back room, and his first thought was to +leave the office before he came out. + +"It is all up with me now," said he, rising to his feet and looking +around for his cap, which, boy fashion, he had tossed somewhere, on +entering the room. "He will tell Mr. Wiggins that I stole the box, and +I will be discharged the first thing. I'll deny it," he added, growing +desperate. "I haven't seen his box. He did not find it in my room, but +got it somewhere else. I will make a fight on it as long as I can." + +So saying, Casper sat down to await Julian's return; but the boy came +out alone, and the antics he went through drove Casper frantic. + +"I've got the box," said Julian, when Casper asked him what he meant +by that pantomime. + +The guilty boy was given plenty of opportunity to "deny it all," but +he gave it up in despair when he found that Julian was not to be +frightened into giving up the box. The latter was perfectly willing +that the police should come there, but if they did, he would tell all +Casper had done. He might get Julian in a scrape, but he would get +into a worse one himself. He was glad when Julian moved off to his +chair and left him alone. + +"I guess it is the best way as it is," said Casper, getting upon his +feet and looking out into the street. "If he sets the police onto +me--good gracious, what should I do? So that plan has failed, and now +the next thing is something else. I'll have that box, or die trying to +get it." + +All that day, while he was in the office or carrying his telegraphic +dispatches around the street, Casper thought of but one thing, and +that was, how was he going to get that box again? He did not have much +to say to anybody, and when six o'clock came he lost no time in +getting home. He had evidently determined upon something, for he ate a +very scanty supper, changed his clothes, and hurried out again. His +changing his uniform for a citizen's suit was something that would +have brought him his instant discharge if his company officers had +found him in that fix. He could mingle with loafers about the +pool-rooms, and no one could have told that he was any different from +anybody else. He could drink his beer, too, and no one would suspect +that he was going back on the pledge he made to the company. But, +then, Casper was used to such things, and he thought nothing of it. +More than that, he had an object to gain, and he had already picked +out the person whom he hoped to induce to enter into a scheme to +possess that box. + +"Claus is the fellow I am going to try," said he, as he hurried along +toward a pool-room which he often frequented. "He is a German, he is +well along in years, and I know he isn't above making a dime or two +whenever he gets the chance. Now for it. It is make or break." + + + + +CHAPTER VI. + +A MR. HABERSTRO APPEARS. + + +As Casper Nevins uttered these words he turned into an entry, ran up a +flight of stairs, and opened the door of the pool-room. The apartment +was always crowded at night, and the players were mostly young men who +ought by rights to have been somewhere else. One end of the room was +occupied with pool-tables, and the other was taken up by billiards, +which were in full blast. Casper gave out among the players that he +was a broker's clerk, and the story seemed to satisfy the young men, +who asked no further questions. There was no chance for him in a pool +game, and consequently he did not look for it. He looked all around, +and finally discovered his man Claus, who was sitting near one of the +tables, watching the game. + +This man was one of the loafers about the pool-rooms. He always +dressed very neatly, but he was never known to have any money. He was +a German, and that fitted the name of the man to whom the box was +addressed. + +"I am living on the interest of my debts," said he, when some one +asked what his occupation was. "I never have any money. I don't need +it. I can get along without it. You fellows have to work every day, +while I do nothing but sit around the pool-room and wait for some one +to challenge me for a game." + +"But you must make some money sometime, or else you couldn't play pool +as often as you do." + +"Oh, as to that, I make a dollar or two when I find the right man who +can play a little, and sometimes I make more. If I could get a chance +to make a hundred thousand dollars I would take it in a minute. After +that, I would not be obliged to work." + +These remarks were made in the presence of Casper Nevins, who +remembered them. After he had stolen the box, and before Julian had +got it back again, he thought it best to try him on a new tack. + +"Supposing you didn't get a hundred thousand dollars the first time +trying," said he. "Would not fifty thousand do you?" + +"Well, I think I could live on that much. Fifty thousand would tempt +me awfully. I wish I had a chance to try it." + +"There is Claus, and I am going to speak to him the first thing I do," +said Casper. "If there is anybody who can play the part of the missing +Haberstro, he is the man." + +"Ah! Good-evening, Casper," he exclaimed, as the boy approached him. +"How is the brokerage business to-day? Have you made any money?" + +"I don't make any. The boss does all that." + +"Well, why don't you pick up some money and go in yourself? You will +never be a man in the world as long as you stay in the background. Do +you want to see me? Here I am, and all ready for business. Is there +any money in this thing you have to propose?" + +Claus, following Casper's lead, occupied an arm-chair in a remote +corner of the room, away from everybody, and Casper sat down +alongside of him. It was not any work for him to begin the +conversation, for Claus "had given himself away" every time the +subject of money was introduced. + +"Were you in earnest the other day when you said that if you had a +chance to steal a hundred thousand dollars you would try it on?" said +Casper. "I want you to deal fairly with me now. I want to know just +how you feel about it." + +"My dear boy, I was never more in earnest in my life," said Claus +emphatically. "Just give me a chance, and you will see whether or not +I meant what I said." + +"Well, I have got a chance for you to make something," said Casper. + +"You have? Let her rip. I am all attention. But hold on a bit. Let us +get a cigar. Have you any money?" + +"I have ten cents." + +"That is enough. Anything to keep our jaws puffing. I can listen a +great deal better with a cigar than I can without it." + +The two arose from their seats and made a trip to the bar. They +lighted their cigars, and Casper paid ten cents for them. It made no +difference to Claus that Casper had paid out some of his hard earnings +and wondered where his next morning's breakfast was coming from. As +long as he got the cigar, it mattered little to him whether Casper had +any more money or not. + +"Now I am all ready to listen," said Claus, seating himself in his +arm-chair once more. "Be explicit; go into all the minutiæ, so that I +may know what I have to do." + +There was no need that Claus should tell Casper this, and for the next +fifteen minutes Claus never said a word, but listened intently. He +told about Julian's habit of going to the express office on the day +that "old horse" was offered for sale, until finally he bought the +secret of a gold-mine which was hidden away in a box that came near +being sold for twenty-five cents. The box was addressed to S. W. +Haberstro, and the boys had put four advertisements in the papers +asking that man to show himself; and, if he did not show up in +reasonable time, the money was to be theirs. + +"Here is a copy of the _Democrat_, with a copy of the advertisement in +it," said Casper. "I knew you would want to know everything, and so I +brought it along. A hundred thousand dollars! Now, why couldn't I have +bid on that box? That little snipe does not get any more money than I +do, and yet he had to go and buy himself rich." + +"Then it seems that you are not a broker's clerk after all," said +Claus. "I don't know as I blame you." + +"You see I would get discharged if any of the company officers should +find me dressed up in citizen's rig," said Casper. "I can go among the +boys, now, and have a good time." + +"I don't know that I blame you," repeated Claus. "I will keep your +secret. Well, go on. I begin to understand the matter now." + +"I tell you I was mad when I found out that they were going to +advertise for old man Haberstro," said Casper. "I called them +everything but decent boys, and went to work to conjure up some plan +for getting the box for my own. I got it, too----" + +"You did? Then you are all right." + +"Not so near right as you think I am. Julian got some keys that would +fit my door, and went in and stole it." + +"Whew! They are a desperate lot; ain't they?" + +"That is just what they did; and, furthermore, Julian gave the box +into the hands of Mr. Wiggins, our chief telegraph operator. Now, I +want you to come down there, pass yourself off for Haberstro, and +claim that box. Can you do it?" + +Mr. Claus did not answer immediately. He stretched his legs out before +him and slid down in his chair until his head rested on the back of +it. He was thinking over the details of the plan. Casper did not +interrupt him, but waited to see what he was going to say about it. + +"And you are willing to give me half the contents of that box if I +will get it for you?" said he. "You have given me the hardest part of +the work. Where do you suppose that man Wiggins keeps the box?" + +"In the bank, of course. He's pretty sharp, and you must look out for +that. If we can get that box, I won't go near the mine. I am not going +to handle a pick and shovel when I have fifty thousand dollars to fall +back upon. I am not going to work every day when I am afraid that +something will come up and scare me to death. I will take half the +block of buildings described there, and you can take the other half. +That is fair, isn't it?" + +"Yes, it is fair enough, but I am afraid of that man Wiggins. What +sort of a looking man is he?" + +"The worst part about him is his eyes. They are steel-gray, and when +he turns them on a culprit in the office you would think he was going +to look him through. You will have to be pretty sharp to get around +him." + +"Well, suppose I go and see Julian first. If I can get around him, +that will be so much gained." + +This was the beginning of a long conversation between Casper and +Claus, and when it was done the latter felt greatly encouraged, and +told himself that he was nearer getting the box for his own than he +ever was before. Casper told him everything he could think of that +related to the matter, and when Claus got up, removed his hat and +wiped his face with his handkerchief, Casper said that if he would +just act that way in the presence of Mr. Wiggins, he would carry the +day. + +"You act more like a German than I ever saw you act before," said he. +"If you will just do that way to-morrow, I will answer for your +success." + +"I can act the German all over, if that is what he wants," said Claus, +with a laugh. "You haven't got another ten cents, have you? Well, let +it go. I will go home and sleep upon it." + +"But look here," said Casper, earnestly. "If you come to that +telegraph office you must not know me. You never saw me before." + +"Of course not. I won't give you away. That money is worth trying for. +What is the reason that you and I have not some good friends to leave +us that amount of money?" + +"Because we are not honest enough," said Casper, bitterly. + +"Honesty has nothing to do with it. We ain't sharp; that is what's the +matter with us. Well, good-night. I will go and see Julian +to-morrow night, and the next day I may be down to the telegraph +office. I want to go easy, because I don't want to spoil the thing by +being too brash." + +As it was already late, Casper did not attempt to enter any game that +night. He went home and tumbled into bed, and for a long time he lay +thinking over what he had said to Claus. There was another thing that +came into his mind every once in a while, and that was, where was his +breakfast to come from? + +"I was not going to get any cigars to-night, because ten cents was all +I had left," said Casper. "But I could not well refuse Claus. No +matter. If he succeeds in getting that box, I will have all the cigars +I want." + +The next morning Casper went to the office without any breakfast; but +the first message he had to carry took him to a saloon where they set +a free-lunch table. There he took the edge off his appetite and ate +enough to last him until supper-time, when he was to get his pay. +Julian was there, looking as happy as ever. Casper did not blame him +for that. If he had a box with that amount of money in it, he would be +happy, too. + +"By George! It is six o'clock," said Casper, at length. "In two hours +more I will know what Julian says to Claus. Till then, I must have +patience." + +Casper received his money when the others did, and without saying a +word to anybody set out for home. Julian was not in quite so big a +hurry. He walked along with his hands in his pockets, and once, when +passing by a baker's shop, he went in and bought some cakes with which +to top off their supper. Jack Sheldon always reached home before he +did, and Julian found him in his usual act of getting supper. In reply +to his ordinary greetings, he answered that there had been nothing +unusual going on in the telegraph office, and that no man who said his +name was Haberstro had been there to see about the advertisement that +had appeared in the papers. + +"I tell you, Jack, that fortune in the box is ours," said Julian. +"That man has had ample time to show up, and it won't be long before +we will be on our way to Denver." + +"Don't be too sure of that," said Jack. "Haberstro may be off on a +vacation somewhere. I shall believe we are in Denver when we get +there, and not before." + +Almost as Jack said the words there was a sound of somebody coming up +the stairs. He stopped in front of the door, and called out to +somebody he left below, + +"Does Mr. Julian Gray live here? Thank you;" and a moment afterward +his rap sounded upon the door. + +"What did I tell you?" whispered Jack. "That's Haberstro, as sure as +you live." + +For an honest boy, Julian's heart fell. His fortune was gone, and +there were no two ways about it. He stepped to the door and opened it, +and there stood Claus, more neatly dressed than ever. + +"Good-evening," said he, while his eyes roved from one boy to the +other. "Which one of you is Julian Gray?" + +"I am, sir." + +"I am delighted to meet you," said he; and he thrust out his hand, +into which Julian put his own. Then he put his hand into his pocket +and pulled out a card on which the name S. W. Haberstro was engraved. +"I got belated in my hotel while waiting for the train, and I picked +up this paper and saw this advertisement in it. As it happened to be +my name, I read it through." + +"Come in, sir," said Jack, placing a chair for him. "It is one of four +advertisements that we put into the daily papers. Your name is +Haberstro, I believe?" + +"That is my name. You said you had something of great value to tell +me. What is it?" + +Julian could not have opened his mouth to save him. He was obliged to +let Jack do all the talking. + + + + +CHAPTER VII. + +A PLAN THAT DIDN'T WORK. + + +Julian Gray took his stand in one corner of the room, with his hands +in his pockets and his feet spread out, and looked at this man who +called himself Haberstro. He was a German, there were no two ways +about that; and he had a habit of taking out his handkerchief and +wiping his face with it that nobody but a pompous and well-to-do +German ever imitated. + +"Do you know of a man of the name of Winkleman?" asked Jack. + +"Know him?" exclaimed the German. "Of course I do. He was living here +in St. Louis with me, but all on a sudden he took the gold fever and +went out to Denver. I was engaged in pretty good business, and so I +did not go with him. I never heard what he was doing out there. He--he +isn't dead, is he?" + +"Oh, no. He accumulated some property while he was out there. He got a +notice that his father had died in Europe and left all his property to +him, and he has gone home to take possession of it." + +"Then that accounts for his not writing to me. He always said that his +folks were immensely rich, and that some day he would have more than +he wanted. What property did he collect out there?" + +"He is worth several buildings which are worth a hundred thousand +dollars. Furthermore, he has given them to you." + +"To me?" cried the German, rising to his feet. + +"Yes, to you. And, more than that, he has a mine out of which he took +fifty thousand dollars, and you come into possession of that, also." + +"Lord bless my soul!" exclaimed the German. "I don't remember that I +ever did anything to him to give him so good an opinion of me." + +"Did you not nurse him while he was sick?" + +"Did you not care for your mother when she was sick?" returned the +German. "Of course that did not amount to anything. He was my chum, +and I had to stand by him." + +"Well, he gave you the property for it, anyway. He sent you the deeds +by express, and Julian bought them for thirty cents." + +"Well, sir, that is a heap of money. I don't know anybody that needs +it more than I do. Where is the box now?" + +"It is safe in the hands of Mr. Wiggins. We were not going to have +somebody come along here and claim to be Haberstro. Have you anybody +here in St. Louis to whom you can recommend us? We want to know who +you are before we give up the box." + +"That is perfectly right and proper. You see, my home is in Chicago, +and I know but few persons here. If you think this Mr----what do you +call him?" + +"Wiggins?" said Jack. + +"Yes; if you think he will want somebody to vouch for me, I can give +him the names of all the Germans in the city. Where does he hang +out?" + +"The Union Telegraph office. You know where that is?" + +"I can easily find it, for I have a tongue in my head. I don't believe +I will go near that mine at all. I will sell it." + +"You had better not. The miners have a story around that it is +haunted." + +The German threw back his head and laughed heartily. + +"I am not afraid of that. If he took fifty thousand dollars out of it, +it is surely worth as much more. Well, if you have told me everything, +I guess I had better go back to my hotel. I was going back to my home +to-night, but now I am glad I did not go." + +"I guess we have told you everything that pertains to the matter," +said Jack. "Do you think of any questions you would like to ask us?" + +"No; but I may think of some to-morrow. Good-night." + +"By the way," said Jack, as if he had just thought of something. +"Where were you when this man Winkleman was sick? You were out in the +mines, I suppose?" + +"Oh, no, we were not; we were here in St. Louis. If we had been out at +the mines, where no doctor could have been reached, he would have gone +up on my hands. Look here--I don't want you to do this for nothing. +Make up your minds what you ought to have and I will give it to you. +If it had not been for you I would never have seen the box. +Good-night." + +The German bowed himself out and closed the door behind him. The boys +waited until he got to the street, and then Julian took possession of +the chair he had just vacated. + +"Well, sir, what do you think of that?" asked Jack, using companion's +expression. + +"I think our fortune is gone up," answered Julian; and then he leaned +his elbows on his knees and looked down at the floor. + +Jack laughed as loudly as the German did a few moments before. Julian +straightened up and looked at him in surprise. + +"What do you mean by that?" he exclaimed. "Is a hundred thousand +dollars such a sum in your eyes that you can afford to be merry over +it?" + +"No; but you will never lose it through that man. His name is not +Haberstro any more than mine is." + +"Jack, what do you mean?" + +"You were so busy with your own thoughts that you didn't see how I was +pumping him, did you? In the first place he told us that Winkleman was +sick in St. Louis; and yet Winkleman says in his letter that they were +so poor that they could not raise enough to buy a halter for a mule. +Now, he would not have used such an expression as that if he had been +here in the city, would he?" + +"No, I don't think he would," said Julian, reflectively. "He used the +words of the country in which he lived." + +"That is what I think. In the next place, he said that he was engaged +in a paying business here, and consequently did not go with Winkleman +to the mines; and then, almost in the same breath, he said he could +not refer me to anybody here because his home was in Chicago. You +didn't see those little errors, did you?" + +Julian began to brighten up. He remembered all the German had said to +Jack, but somehow he did not think of it. The box was not lost, after +all. + +"Now, he must have had somebody to post him in regard to these +matters," said Jack. "Who do you think it was?" + +"Casper Nevins!" said Julian, who just then happened to think of the +boy's name. + +"That is what I think. He is bound to have that box, is he not? Don't +you give that box up; do you hear me?" + +"I am mighty sure I won't give it up," said Julian, emphatically. "I +shan't give it up until you are on hand. I had better take Mr. Wiggins +into my confidence to-morrow." + +"Of course. Tell him the whole thing. Tell him about the mistakes this +man made in his conversation with me, and let him draw his own +conclusions. I never saw such a desperate fellow as that Casper Nevins +is. Now let us go on and get supper." + +"I feel a good deal better than I did a few minutes ago," said Julian, +with something like a long-drawn sigh of relief. "I thought the box +was lost to us, sure." + +The boys were impatient to have to-morrow come because they wanted to +see what the German--they did not know what his true name was--was +going to do about it. + +"I will tell you one thing, Jack," said Julian. "If that Dutchman goes +to-morrow and sees Mr. Wiggins about it, he will get a look that will +last him as long as he lives. I ought to know, for I have had those +eyes turned on me two or three times. If that man stands against them +I shall think he is a nervy fellow." + +The night wore away at last, and at the usual hour the boys were at +their posts. Casper was in the office, and he seemed to be uneasy +about something. He could not sit still. He was continually getting up +and going to the door, and then he would come back and walk around the +room. When Mr. Wiggins came in and wished them all a good-morning, +Julian followed him into the back room. + +"Julian, have you some news about that box?" said he. + +"Yes, sir; there was a man up to our room and handed us this card, and +I thought----" + +"Halloo," said Mr. Wiggins. "The box does not belong to you, after +all." + +"Hold on until I get through explaining things," said Julian. + +With this Julian began, and told him of the conversation that had +taken place between Jack and the German, not omitting the smallest +thing. Mr. Wiggins listened intently, and when the story was done he +said, + +"Somebody has been posting that man in regard to that box. Now, who +have you told about it except Jack Sheldon?" + +"I don't know as that has anything to do with it," said Julian, who +resolved that he would stand by Casper as long as he could. + +"Yes, it has; it has a good deal to do with it. Does Casper Nevins +know all about it?" + +"What do you know about Casper?" said Julian in surprise. He wondered +if there was any boy in the office who could do anything wrong without +Mr. Wiggins finding it out. + +"Because he has been uneasy for the past week. Does Casper know all +about it?" + +"Yes, sir, he does. He was there when we read the letter." + +"That is all. I will see you again after a while." + +Julian went out and sat down, and in a few minutes Mr. Wiggins came +from the back room and spoke to the operator, who immediately sent off +a dispatch. Nobody was called to carry this, for the message went +straight to the office for which it was intended. Five minutes passed, +and then a stout man, who was a stranger to all of them, strolled into +the office. One of the boys got up to wait upon him, pushing some +blanks toward him, but the stout man did not want to send any +telegraphic dispatches. + +"I just want to look around and see how you do things here," said he. + +"Then take this chair, sir," said Mr. Wiggins. "I guess you will find +that we do things about right." + +The minutes passed, and all the boys who had congregated in the office +had been sent off with messages--all except Casper. There did not seem +to be any dispatches for him. The chief operator was busy at his desk, +when suddenly the door opened, and the same German who had called at +Julian's room the night before, came in. Mr. Wiggins glanced toward +him and then he looked toward Casper. The latter never could control +himself when he was in difficulty, and his face grew white. + +"Is this the Western Union Telegraph office?" said the German, wiping +his forehead with his handkerchief. "Do I speak to Mr. Wiggins? Well, +sir, I would like to see you about a box that one of your boys bought +at a sale of 'old horse' in the express office. That box contains +something that is off immense value to me--S. W. Haberstro." And he +handed out his card with his name engraved on it. + +"There is a box here addressed to a man of that name," said Mr. +Wiggins, "but it is in the bank now. I suppose you have plenty of +friends here to whom you can refer?" + +"I am sorry to say that I have not," replied the German. "My home is +in Chicago. I can refer you to all the Germans there." + +"Then, would it not be worth while for you to write to some of your +friends there and get some letters of recommendation? You see, we +don't want to give the box to anybody unless we know who it is." + +"That is all right, sir. I have some business on hand in Chicago, and +I will go up there and get them." + +"That will be sufficient. Good-day, sir." + +The German, who appeared to be in a great hurry, closed the door and +hastened up the street. As soon as he was gone, Mr. Wiggins beckoned +to Casper and went into the back room. + +"Who was that man who just went out?" said he, in a tone of voice +which did not admit of argument. "Tell me the truth." + +"His name is Claus, sir," said Casper. + +"Where does he stay, principally?" + +"He stays first in one pool-room, and then in another. Where he lives +I don't know." + +"That will do," said Mr. Wiggins. + +"I never have been guilty of such a thing before," began Casper. + +"I said that would do," interrupted Mr. Wiggins. "I may see you again +after a while." + +When Mr. Wiggins and Casper got out into the other room they found +that the stout man had disappeared. He had gone out about the time +that the German disappeared. In half an hour he came back, leaned over +the desk, and spoke to the chief operator. + +"That fellow is no more Haberstro than I am," he whispered. "His name +is Solomon Claus. We have had him up a time or two for vagrancy, and +I'll take him up for the same cause, if you say so." + +"No; let him go, but keep your eyes on him. He has not done us any +harm yet. If he comes here again I will send for you." + + + + +CHAPTER VIII. + +CLAUS CALLS AGAIN. + + +When the stout man reached the sidewalk he saw the German a short +distance in advance of him, still hurrying along as though he had no +time to waste. He turned several corners, and at last disappeared up +the stairs that led to the pool-room. The detective, for that was what +he was, did not seem to notice what had become of the German, but he +marked the place where he had gone up and kept on to the +station-house. There he changed his coat and hat, and picked up a huge +walking-stick which stood in one corner. When he came out on the +streets again, everybody noticed that he walked with difficulty, and +there was an expression on his face which only those who were intimate +with the detective would have thought belonged to him. It was very +different from his ordinary appearance. Instead of the frank, open +look with which he regarded everybody, it was drawn up as though he +was suffering intense pain, from which he could not get a moment's +relief. + +The detective speedily found the place where the German had +disappeared, walked wearily up the stairs, opened the door, and sank +into the nearest chair. Then he pulled a pair of eye-glasses from his +pocket and became interested in a paper. But he used his eyes to some +advantage, and quickly discovered the man he wanted seated off by +himself, with his legs outstretched before him and his chin resting on +his breast. + +"I guess he found some difficulty in getting that box," said the +detective, who knew what Mr. Wiggins wanted of him before he came to +the office. "You want to go easy, my friend, or I'll have you up for +vagrancy again." + +There were not so many in the pool-room as there were the night +before, and nobody seemed to bother the German; but presently, while +he was thinking about it, another party came in. He took off his coat, +seized a cue, and looked all around the room for an antagonist, until +he discovered the German sitting there doing nothing. + +"Halloo, Claus!" he shouted, "come on, and let us have a game of +billiards." + +"No, you must excuse me," was the reply; "I don't feel in the humor +for billiards or anything else." + +"Have you anybody on a string that you are trying to make some money +out of?" asked his friend. "Come on, and perhaps a game will brighten +you up." + +"'Claus,'" muttered the detective. "I know you now. I was told to find +out what his name was, so I will go back. So this is where you hang +out. I will remember you." + +The detective hobbled out the door and down the stairs; but by the +time he got down to the street his lameness had all disappeared, and +he walked as briskly as anybody. He went to the Western Union +Telegraph office, told Mr. Wiggins he had discovered that the man's +name was Claus, and not Haberstro, and then went back to the station. +Casper Nevins was called into the back room a moment afterward, but +he was not there more than long enough to receive his discharge. + +"I have never done anything like this before," said Casper, trying to +beg off. "If you will overlook this----" + +"I can't do it," said Mr. Wiggins. "You are a boy that I can't trust. +Why, Casper, do you know what will become of you if you do not mend +your ways? You will get into the State's prison before you are five +years older. I paid you up yesterday, and you have not done anything +to-day, and so you can go." + +"It would not be of any use for me to ask for a letter of +recommendation, would it?" asked Casper. He always had a good deal of +audacity about him, but this made Mr. Wiggins open his eyes in +surprise. + +"Not from me, you can't," he answered. "You will have to go somewhere +else to get it." + +Casper put on his cap and left the office, and on the way to the +pool-room, where he expected to find Claus, he blamed everybody but +himself for the disgrace he had got into. He blamed Claus, although +it is hard to see what that man had done, for he worked as hard as +anybody could to get that box; but he reproached Julian Gray more than +all for his interference in the matter. + +"Come to think of it, I don't know but I am to blame a little myself," +said he, after he had thought the affair all over. "Why did I not dig +out the moment I got that box? I would have been in Denver by this +time, and enjoying my wealth. It beats the world what luck some people +do have." + +But Claus was not in the pool-room. He wanted to be alone, so that he +could think over the matter, and he had gone out where he would be by +himself. The barkeeper did not know where he had gone, and Casper went +home to change his clothes. As he pulled his uniform off he told +himself that it would be a long time before he ever wore it again. +Then he threw himself into a chair and tried to determine what he +should do next. + +"I have just ten dollars," he mused, taking the bill from his pocket, +"and what I shall do when that is gone is another and a deeper +question. I'll bet that Claus don't get any cigars out of me +to-night." + +Meanwhile Julian Gray came in from delivering his message. His face +was flushed, and he acted as though he had been running. He made his +report, and then went into the back room in obedience to a sign from +Mr. Wiggins. + +"Well, Julian, your box is still safe," said the latter. + +"Has that Dutchman been around here?" asked Julian. + +Mr. Wiggins said he had, and then went on to give the boy a complete +history of what Claus had done to secure the box. + +"I got rid of him very easily," said Mr. Wiggins. "I told him that it +would be well for him to write to some German friends in Chicago, +where he said he lived, and he said he was going up there on business +and would bring the letters back with him. I found out that his name +is Claus, and that he hangs out in a pool-room. You don't know him, do +you?" + +No, Julian could not say that he had ever heard of him before. + +"Well, don't you let the box go without seeing me about it." + +"Nobody shall have it. Mr. Wiggins, I don't know how to thank you for +what you have done." + +"You are a good boy, Julian, and the only thing I have against you is +that you will hang around that express office so much. Some day I am +going to give you a good scolding for that." + +"You will never hear of my being there again. I am done going there +forever." + +"I don't think you will have to do it any more. You have your fortune, +easy enough." + +"Oh, Mr. Wiggins! Do you think it is ours sure enough?" + +"Well, perhaps I ought not to speak so positively; it is hard to tell +at this stage of the game. I _hope_ you have." + +Julian was delighted to hear Mr. Wiggins talk in this way, but before +he could ask him any more questions that gentleman had gone back into +the office. He then went out and looked around for Casper. One of the +boys told him he believed Casper had got the "sack," for he put on his +cap and left the office. + +"I don't know what he has been doing," said the boy; "do you?" + +"Mr. Wiggins knows, and he will not tell," replied Julian. "I wonder +what the poor fellow will do now?" + +Julian was impatient for night to come, so that he could go home and +see Jack about it. It came at last, and Julian never broke a trot +until he ran up the stairs and burst into his room. + +"Well?" said Jack. "You look happy. Tell us all about that Dutchman." + +"There is not much to tell. His name is Claus, and he lives in a +pool-room." + +"I knew I was not mistaken in him," said Jack, taking his usual seat +by throwing his leg over the table. "That man had better go somewhere +else." + +But that he did not feel inclined to go somewhere else just then was +evident, for just as Jack pronounced his name the boys heard his step +coming up the stairs. He had a peculiar step, which, once heard, could +not be forgotten. + +"Well, he is coming again," said Julian. "Now, what are you going to +say to him?" + +"That depends upon what he has to say to me," said Jack. "Go to the +door, let him in, and put out a chair for him." + +He rapped on the door the minute he got there, and Julian opened it +for him. He looked closely from one to the other of the boys, but did +not see anything in their faces to make him hide what he had on his +mind. He had a new plan, but it did not promise as well as the one +which had been defeated by Mr. Wiggins. He wanted to induce one of +them to get the box for him and let him read the papers that were in +it. If he could prevail upon them to bring the box out of the bank, he +was certain that in some way he could get an opportunity to steal it. +He did not intend to go about it slyly; he intended to take it, open +and above-board, and let Jack and Julian help themselves if they +could. He was certain that a revolver, presented at their heads and +cocked, would surely keep them quiet until he had locked the door and +got into the street. Where he would go after that he neither knew nor +cared. What he wanted was to get possession of the box. + +"Ah! Good-evening," said Claus, bowing very politely. "I came back to +see you about that box." + +"Take a chair," said Jack. "What about the box?" + +"Mr. Wiggins said it was in the bank," said Claus, "and I want to know +if you could get it out of there and let me read the letter and the +papers. You see, the thing may not be for me, and I don't want to go +home and bother my friends about it until I know what the box +contains." + +"Oh! your friends won't care anything about that," said Jack. "You +tell them that the box is for you, and they will give you all the +letters you want. Besides, I don't think Mr. Wiggins would agree to +what you ask." + +The German did not like the way Julian was acting. He had kept his +eyes roaming from one to the other; but, although the boy occupied +his favorite position, with his hands buried in his pockets and his +feet spread out, his expression was different from what it had been +the night before. There was a smile on his face, and it would not have +taken very much to set him to laughing outright. Claus began to think +there was something up. + +"Why, the box is your own, ain't it?" asked Claus. "You can do what +you please with it." + +"Not now, we can't. We have told Mr. Wiggins that we wanted him to +watch over it for us, and he will have to be present when you read the +papers." + +"Then you can't get it for me?" + +"No, I don't believe I could, Mr. Claus. You don't need anybody to +give you a recommend. Go to some of your friends here----" + +"Claus! Claus! That is not my name. My name is Haberstro." + +Julian grinned broadly, and even Jack did not appear to be above +merriment. + +"What do you mean by applying that name to me?" exclaimed Claus. +"There is my card." + +"I don't want to see it. I have one already. Your name is Claus, you +live in a billiard saloon, and you got a full history of this box from +Casper Nevins." + +"Young man, I will have you arrested before you are an hour older!" +said Claus, getting upon his feet. "I come here and ask a civil +question of you, and you insult me!" + +"Do so, and we will have Casper arrested for burglary and you for +trying to obtain money under false pretenses. The sooner you get about +it the better it will suit us." + +"Very well--I will have a policeman here in less than ten minutes!" + +Mr. Claus went out, and this time he did not bow himself through the +door as he had done the night before. The boys heard him going +downstairs, and then turned and looked at each other. + +"Somebody has been posting those fellows," said Claus, as he hurried +away toward Casper's room. "I wonder if there was a detective in there +while I was at the office? Two attempts have failed, but the third is +always successful." + +Claus was almost beside himself with fury, but he retained his wits +sufficiently to guide him on the road to Casper's room. He found the +boy in, seated in a chair, with his elbows on his knees, trying his +best to make up his mind what he was going to do, now that he had been +discharged from the telegraph office. He had sat that way ever since +eleven o'clock in the forenoon, and had not been able to determine +upon anything. The first intimation he had that anybody was coming was +when the door was thrown open and Claus came in, muttering something +under his breath that sounded a good deal like oaths. + +"There is no need that you should say anything," said Casper. "You +have failed." + +"Yes, sir, I have; failed utterly and plump," said Claus. + +"And I have been discharged." + +"Whew!" whistled Claus. "You are in a fix, aren't you?" + +"Yes, and I don't know what I shall do now. Tell me your story, and I +will tell you mine." + +"Have you a cigar handy?" + +"No; and I have no money." + +"How long before you will be paid?" + +"Oh, it will be two weeks yet." + +"Then I will have to go down and get some cigars myself. I can think +more clearly while my jaws are puffing than I can without." + +"You got your last cigar out of me, old fellow," said Casper to +himself, when Claus had left the room. "I have but little money, and I +am going to keep it." + + + + +CHAPTER IX. + +THE MASTER MECHANIC. + + +"Well, sir, what do you think of that?" said Julian, when he was +certain that Claus had gone down the stairs and out on the street. "He +had better try some other way of getting that box." + +"He has failed," said Jack, putting a frying-pan filled with bacon on +the stove. "Casper Nevins is at the bottom of that. I tell you, that +money is safe yet." + +"Do you know that I looked upon it as gone when he first came here and +handed out his card?" said Julian. "I thought he was Haberstro, sure +enough." + +"I confess that I thought so, too. Now let us go on and get supper. +The next time we save that money, somebody else will have a hand in +it." + +"Why, will we have to fight for it?" + +"It looks that way to me now. We don't know anything about business, +and the first thing we know we'll get tripped up." + +"I did not think of that," said Julian, drawing a long breath. "I wish +Mr. Wiggins were going out to Denver with us. I will get advice from +him before we start." + +"We have not got out there yet," said Jack, with a laugh. "If we do +get there, we will go to the lawyer who drew up those deeds. He must +be an honest man." + +The boys continued to talk in this way until the room was swept up and +the dishes washed, and when bedtime came they went to sleep. The next +morning found them on duty again. Casper was not there to greet him +and make inquiries concerning the box, but there were other boys there +who wanted to know why Casper had been discharged. They appealed to +Julian, for he was in the back room shortly before; but he thought the +best thing he could do was to keep a still tongue in his head. + +"Mr. Wiggins knows why he discharged Casper, and if he won't tell you, +I don't know where else you can apply." + +"You had a hand in it and I know it," said one boy who was enough like +Casper to have been his brother. "Maybe you are a spy on us." + +"You come out in the back yard and I'll show you who is a spy!" said +Julian, rising to his feet. "No one ever accused me of that before. If +I am a spy, you want to do your duty right up to the handle." + +This was something new on Julian, for we know how hard he worked to +keep the police off from Casper's track. Some of the other boys turned +away as if they were quite willing to believe that Julian was seeking +for promotion, while some others stood up close to him, as if to +assure him of their protection. + +"If you will stay by me when Mr. Wiggins comes here, I will ask him +before you if I had anything to do with Casper's discharge. He will +tell you the truth." + +But the boys wisely appealed to him not to do that. Since Casper had +been discharged, they wanted their skirts clear of him, and the best +way to do that would be to say nothing about it. + +"But, Julian, you want to keep clear of that fellow who called you a +spy," said one of the boys. "He has been jealous of you for a long +time, in fact ever since the day you came into the office, and just as +soon as he gets a good chance he is going to split on you." + +"Thank you; I did not suppose I had an enemy in this city. Let him +keep watch, if he wants to. My conduct will bear investigation." + +Julian did not do his work with his usual energy that day, for he +could not bear to think that one boy was acting as a spy upon him. He +carried his dispatches as well as he could, never stopping to gaze in +at the prize windows or to make one of a crowd who gathered around +some show that had stopped for a moment on a corner, and that was as +well as anybody could do. Jack laughed loudly when he saw what a +gloomy face Julian had on when he told him of the matter. + +"What do you care for spies?" said Jack. "Do your duty faithfully, and +then you will be all right. In our place we don't have any such +things. The boys are always glad to see me promoted, for they think +they have a new mechanic to assist them when they get into trouble." + +For another month things moved along in their usual way, and nothing +was heard from Mr. Haberstro. Julian did not meet Casper or Claus, for +they had disappeared completely. He held frequent and earnest +consultations with Mr. Wiggins on the subject of the box, put other +advertisements in the papers, and finally Mr. Wiggins took Julian down +to the bank and talked to the president. It excited Julian wonderfully +to know that the box was theirs. + +"I should not wait any longer, if I were in your place," said the +president. "You have done all that you can to find the owner, and he +does not make his appearance. You can go out there and lay claim to +the property, and enjoy it; and if at any time this Mr. Haberstro +turns up, you can give the property over to him. But I want you to be +careful in what you are doing. There are plenty of Haberstros in the +world who would like nothing better than to get that box." + +"By George, Jack," said Julian, when he went home that night, "did I +not tell you that that box was ours? I have talked with the president +of the bank about it, and he says we can go out there and enjoy that +property." + +Jack took his usual seat, with his leg thrown over the table, and +looked at Julian without speaking. He had never laid great stress on +having that box. He supposed that Haberstro would show himself in due +time, and all they would have to do would be to give up the money and +go on with their work. His good fortune was a little too much for him +to take in all at once. A dollar a day was pretty big wages for him, +and he supposed that it would last till he learned his trade, and that +then he would receive more money. But a hundred thousand dollars, to +say nothing of the gold-mine! Why, that mine had already yielded its +owner fifty thousand dollars! + +"Jack, why don't you say something?" exclaimed Julian. "You don't act +as though you were a bit pleased. I wish, now, that I had been a mile +away when that box was put up for sale." + +Jack roared. He was always ready to laugh when Julian talked in this +way. + +"I am very glad you _were_ there when it was sold," said he; "but the +idea of owning so much money rather takes my breath away. I was just +wondering what we would do if some more Haberstros came up and +demanded the money. I suppose there are some men like that in Denver, +as well as there are here." + +"The president cautioned me about that. He told me to be careful in +what we did. Now, Jack, when will we start?" + +"I don't know. I shall have to see the master mechanic about that. You +know that I am as deeply indebted to him as you are to Mr. Wiggins." + +"Does he know about the box?" + +"Not a thing. I thought I had better see you about that before I +broached the subject to him." + +"Well, then, tell it to him to-morrow. We don't want to be any longer +in getting out there than we can help. We want to be there before the +snow flies, or the first thing we know we'll be snowed up." + +"Are you going to see Mr. Wiggins about it?" + +"I am. Let us go out to Denver at once." + +"I tell you it comes hard to say good-bye to those fellows; I have +been with them so long that I hate to do it. If I get in trouble in +any way, they will always help me out." + +The next day Julian talked to Mr. Wiggins about going out to Denver, +and the latter's face grew grave at once. He could not bear to let +Julian go out there among strangers. He had always had him under his +eye, was waiting for a chance to promote him, and now he was going +away. + +"I will go down and get the box," said he. "And remember one thing, +Julian: You may get into a hard row of stumps out there, and I want +you to write to me fully and plainly of what you are doing. If you +want some money, say so; and if you want to come back here in the +office, say that also, and I will try and make room for you." + +Julian's eyes filled with tears when he saw Mr. Wiggins go out on the +street and turn toward the bank. He found, with Jack, that it was +going to be hard work to say good-bye. When he went out into the other +room, the boys noticed at once that he had been crying. + +"Aha!" said the boy who had once accused him of being a spy, "you have +come up with a round turn, have you?" + +"Yes," said Julian, "I've got it at last." + +"It serves you right!" said the boy. "If Wiggins gave it to you in +pretty good order I shall be satisfied. You know now how Casper felt +when he was discharged." + +"Are you discharged, Julian?" whispered another of the boys. + +"I guess I have got something like it," was the reply; "you won't see +me here to-morrow." + +Julian walked to the window and looked out on the street, and in a few +minutes Mr. Wiggins came up with the box. The boy followed him into +the back room, all the boys, of whom there were half a dozen in the +office, looking on with surprise. Mr. Wiggins's face was grave, but +he was not angry, and they did not know what to make of it. + +"I think I would do this up and send it by express--wouldn't you?" +said he. "If this is put in your trunk, and the cars run off the track +and get smashed, your trunk might get smashed, too, and the box with +it. Before I put the cover on I will write a letter to our agent in +Denver. I have never seen him, but that won't matter; and then, if you +want any good advice, go to him. Come in in the course of half an +hour--" + +"No, sir!" said Julian, emphatically; "I am going to do my duty as +long as I stay in the office." + +"Well, go ahead; I will give you the box, sealed and addressed to +yourself, to-night." + +Julian went out and took his seat among the boys, and about half of +them felt a little bit sorry for him, but the other half did not. Here +was one favorite out of the way, and consequently there was a chance +for somebody else. Presently his name was called, and then Julian went +away to deliver his dispatch. + +When six o'clock came, Julian went into the back room and received the +package. + +"You will be around here before you go?" said Mr. Wiggins, extending +his hand. "Then I won't bid you good-bye. Take this box to the express +office and send it off. Have you any money?" + +Yes, Julian had plenty of money. Did Mr. Wiggins suppose that he was +going to spend all his month's wages in two days? He took the box and +went out, and took his way toward the express office, wondering what +the clerk would say if he knew what was in that package. The clerk +turned out to be the same one who had given him the box, but he said +nothing about it; and when Julian had paid the express charges on it +he came out and started for home. As he was going up the stairs he +heard the sound of voices in the room, and opened the door to find a +man there, dressed in his best, and with a very smiling face, which he +turned toward Julian. + +"So this is the boy who bought himself rich," said he, getting on his +feet "I know you from the description I have received of your +uniform. I congratulate you heartily, but I am sorry you are going to +take Jack away from me. When you are awful home-sick, and are short of +money, you can write to me, and I will send you something to come home +on." + +"This is Mr. Dawson, our master mechanic," said Jack. + +"I am glad to meet you, Mr. Dawson," said Julian, shaking the man's +hand very cordially. "Jack often found fault with me for going to that +office, but I struck it once,--didn't I?" + +"Well, I should say you _did_," returned Mr. Dawson, with a laugh; +"you couldn't do it again if you were to try it your lifetime." + +"Sit down, sir; we will have supper ready after awhile, and you must +join us." + +"That's just what I came up here for. Jack is going away pretty +shortly, and I shall not see him any more, so I came up to be with him +as long as I could." + +Mr. Dawson moved back his chair so that he would not be in the way, +and Julian pulled off his coat and went to work; but he saw by the +extra bundles there were on the table that his chum had been going +back on his principles. There were cream cakes and peaches by the +dozen, as well as sundry other little things that Jack had purchased +for supper. It was a better meal than they had been accustomed to for +a long time, and if there was any faith in the way that master +mechanic asked for peaches, he thoroughly enjoyed it. + +"I hope you boys will live this way while you are gone," said he, as +he pushed back his chair and declined having any more. "You must +remember that a hundred thousand dollars don't go very far. There +certainly is an end to it, and the first thing you know you'll be +there. Now, I hope you fellows won't object if I smoke a cigar?" + +The "fellows" did not object, nor did he raise any complaint when they +proceeded to wash the dishes. It was eleven o'clock when Mr. Dawson +said it was time he was going home, and when the boys felt the hearty +grasp of his hand at parting, they told themselves that there was one +friend they were leaving behind. + + + + +CHAPTER X. + +WHERE ARE THE VALISES? + + +For the next two days Julian did not know whether he stood on his head +or heels. Jack went about his preparations very moderately, but the +fact of it was, Julian was in a great hurry. He could not help telling +himself that if they did not get away from St. Louis, that man +Haberstro would appear just at the wrong time, and they would have to +go back to work again. He donned a citizen's dress and tied his +uniform up neatly in a bundle, calculating to take it down to the +office and present it to a boy there who did not act as though he had +more in this world than the law allows. + +"I will give this up to Hank," said he. "The poor fellow don't have +any too much, and perhaps this suit will help him." + +Jack accompanied him to the office--it was the first time he had ever +been there--and while he was looking around to see how they did +business, Julian found the boy of whom he was in search. + +"Here's a present I have brought for you, Hank," said he in a whisper. +"You asked me yesterday if I had been discharged, and that showed that +you were a friend of mine. I told you the truth; I have been +discharged, and I am going out to Denver. This is my uniform. Take it +and wear it, and think of me." + +Julian did not wait for the boy to raise any protests, but laid the +bundle down on his seat, and then turned toward Mr. Wiggins. + +"I haven't gone yet," said he. "We are going to-morrow night." + +"Well, come in and say good-bye before you go," said Mr. Wiggins. + +Julian took the opportunity to introduce Jack, who raised his cap +respectfully. He listened while Mr. Wiggins congratulated him on his +good fortune, and heard some very good advice in regard to saving his +money. + +"I tell you what it is, Julian," said he, when they had left the +office behind them, "everybody who is anybody is glad that we are +going to improve ourselves, and many seem to think there is going to +be an end to that hundred thousand dollars." + +"I'll bet you that it don't come to an end with _me_," said Julian, +emphatically. "I am going to purchase some things that I need, but I +shan't touch the principal at all." + +The first thing was to go to a store and buy a trunk. Up to this time +they had never had any receptacle for their clothes, carrying all +their belongings in a traveling-bag. They concluded that one trunk was +enough, and, after they had purchased it, Jack shouldered it and was +going to take it home. + +"Come, now, that won't do," whispered Julian; "it is three miles to +our room." + +"No matter if it is a thousand," said Jack; "I can take it there." + +"Put it down, and I will get a carriage." + +"Well, I won't pay for it." + +"I _will_; I don't see what's the use in our being so particular." + +Jack put the trunk down, and Julian went out, and very soon returned +with a carriage. The boys held a consultation, and decided that, now +that they had a conveyance, they might as well stop at some places on +the way home and invest in some other articles they needed. + +"But I'll tell you one thing," said Jack; "you are keeping this rig +too long; I won't pay for it." + +It was three hours before the friends got home, and then they had +their trunk more than half-filled with new clothing. The hackman +carried it upstairs for them, and Julian, having paid him his price, +threw himself into a chair to wait until Jack did the packing. In +addition to the trunk, the boys bought small traveling-bags, in which +they carried several handy little articles they thought they might +need during their journey, such as towels, comb and brush; and Julian +stowed away in his a book that he had long desired to possess--"The +Last Chronicle of Barset," by Anthony Trollope. Jack could hardly +conceal his disgust; he was going to look out of the window when they +were fairly on the train, and he would see more fun in that than +Julian could in reading his book. + +"There, sir, I guess it's all done," said Jack, going to the closet to +make sure that they had left nothing behind. + +"All right; lock the trunk and put the key in your pocket," said +Julian. "Now give me half of what this room will come to during the +present month, and I will go down and pay the landlady. We haven't +anything to eat, so I guess we will have to go down to a restaurant +and get dinner and supper all in one." + +"I think a sandwich and a cup of coffee would go pretty well," said +Jack. + +"Oh! I am going to have a better meal than that. Where's the money?" + +Jack counted out his share of the rent, and Julian posted off to see +the landlady. He was gone a long time, but he came back with a receipt +in his hand which he showed Jack, and then the two boys went out to +get their dinner. Jack ordered what he had said he would; but anyone +who could have seen what Julian sent for would have thought he was a +millionaire already. Jack looked on but did not say anything; he was +old enough to know that the change in Julian's circumstances would +make him reckless for a while. He remarked that he might as well go +down to the shop and bid the fellows good-bye, and then it would be +done with; so they turned their faces in that direction when they came +out, and in a short time they were among the railroad shops. Jack knew +where to go; and, after leading his companion through a long workshop, +where Julian would certainly have got in somebody's way if he had not +stuck close to his heels, finally ushered him into the helpers' room. +He shook hands with them one after the other--dirty, begrimed fellows +they were, too, looking very unlike the well-dressed men they were +when dressed up for Sundays--and presently he came to the master +mechanic. The latter threw his arm around Jack, led him away out of +earshot of the others, and held an earnest conversation with him. He +even put his hand into his pocket, but Jack shook his head and turned +away. + +"Come on, Julian; I guess I have said good-bye to them all," said he, +as he led the way to the street. "Every one of those fellows wanted to +give me money--as if they didn't know I have enough already. Well, I +hope the last one of them will be successful. If they want any money, +they can apply to me." + +Julian had never seen Jack look sad before. After going a little way +on the street, Jack turned and looked at the shop as if he thought he +never would see it again. Julian did not know that Jack had so much +heart in him. + +The next day was devoted to Julian, who went down to the office and +took leave of all his friends. Even the boy who had accused him of +being a spy came in for a good, hearty hand-shake. He did not know how +to take it, but stammered out something about being sorry he had +treated Julian in the way he did. + +"That's all right," said the boy; "only, the next time don't you +accuse any boy of being a spy on you unless you know whereof you +speak." + +Mr. Wiggins had something more to say to Julian. He conducted him into +the back room, and kept him there until Jack began to be impatient. +When he came out again, Julian was wiping his eyes. + +"I tell you, Jack," said he, when they were well on their way to the +railroad depot to purchase their tickets, "when one has been here and +done the best he could in the office, it comes hard to say good-bye. +Every boy--and man, too--has used me white, if I except that fellow +who accused me of being a spy. But this isn't the last time we will +see St. Louis, I hope. When we get out to Denver, and get fairly +settled, we will come back again." + +The friends waited a long time at the depot, for the ticket office was +not open; but they had much to talk about. What sort of a looking +place was Denver? They had not read much about that, and they had +somehow got it into their heads that it was a little settlement, and +that they should find more wigwams there than houses. But at last the +window was opened, and, falling in behind the others, they purchased +tickets which were to carry them farther west than they had ever been +before. + +"Now, the next thing is to get a sleeping-car," said Julian. + +"We don't want a sleeping-car," said Jack, catching Julian by the arm +and leading him away. "You can lie down on one seat, and I can take +the other, and we'll sleep just as well there as we would on a pile of +down." + +Julian was obliged to give up, but told himself that it would not +always be so. He wanted to spend money for something he really needed, +and he thought he could sleep better in a sleeping-car than he could +in another which was devoted to passengers who were wide awake. + +Nothing now remained but to get their supper and call a carriage to +take them to the depot. The boys took coffee and sandwiches, and +during the meal hardly spoke to one another. That was the last meal +they would eat in St. Louis, and they wondered what the future had in +store for them. Perhaps, when they got to Denver, they would find +that Haberstro had been there already, and by some hook or crook had +managed to get the property into his own hands. + +"But I don't see how that could be done," said Jack, when Julian +hinted at this. "The deeds are in Winkleman's name, and we have them. +How is he going to get the property, then?" + +"I don't know; but I am afraid he will get it some way." + +"If he does, all we have to do is to give it up." + +But this was going to be a hard job, in Julian's estimation. He did +not confess that much, but it would be disastrous to him to have to +surrender those blocks of buildings. He thought of it all that day, +and while he was seated in the cars, going with as much speed as steam +could put forth to carry him to his destination, it still bothered +him. The master mechanic was there to bid them once more a good-bye, +and Julian was certain, when he turned away and hung his head down, +that there were tears in his eyes. + +As long as daylight lasted, Julian was busy looking out of the window +as they rushed through the country; but when the lamps were lighted he +began to grow sleepy. + +Julian was sitting on one bench, and Jack, having turned his seat +over, was sitting on the other, and, having arranged their beds, they +lay down on them; but it was a long time before they fell asleep. + +"Now, you see, if we had a sleeping-car we wouldn't have to go to all +this trouble," said Julian. + +"Wait until you get too tired to keep your eyes open, and you won't +know whether we are in a sleeping-car or not," said Jack; "I am most +ready to go off this minute." + +Jack's words came out true, for after they had given up their tickets +and been furnished with a slip to put in their caps, Julian speedily +lost himself in the land of dreams, and the next thing he knew Jack +was shaking him by the shoulder. It was broad daylight, and the train +was still whirling them onward. + +"Can we get anything to eat along here?" said Julian, looking out of +the window; "I am hungry." + +"There is a place a few miles ahead, so I heard the conductor tell a +passenger, where we will stop to get breakfast," said Jack. "That was +the reason I called you. If you are anything like me, you can eat a +whole pan of baked beans." + +"Baked beans!" said Julian. "They have something better than that to +eat on the railroad. I am going to get a breakfast that is worth the +money." + +There was another thing that bothered Julian, and that was, he did not +have any place to wash; but Jack told him that that would be remedied +when they came to their stopping-place. They rode on for a dozen miles +or so, and when the whistle sounded, and the brakeman announced +fifteen minutes for breakfast, they left their valises in their racks +and moved up nearer the door. + +"That wakes a fellow up," said Julian, as he plunged his face into a +basin of water. "We have to hurry, Jack, for fifteen minutes is not a +great while." + +The boys' breakfast was all that could be asked, although, if the +truth must be told, they were not long in eating it. Julian boarded +the train first, and led the way along to their seats; but where were +the valises they left there when they went out to breakfast? + +"Is this our car?" said Julian, running his eyes over the passengers. + +"Why yes, this is our car," said Jack. "There is that red-faced man +who sat behind you; he was sitting there when we left St. Louis. But +what is the matter with you?" + +"Matter enough; our valises are gone!" + +"By George! So they are!" + +"Say!" said the red-faced man, leaning over the back of the seat. "I +saw the man who took those valises, but I supposed he was a member of +your party and that you had sent him for them; therefore I did not +stop him." + +"What sort of a looking man was he?" + +"He was a very genteel fellow, but I noticed that he toed in, and that +he had a very German cast of countenance." + +"I wonder if it was Claus?" said Julian. + +"I don't know what his name was, but he got the valises. Say! If I +were you I would search the train, and if you find him you can make +him give your property up." + +"We will do it. I wonder if we are ever going to see the last of that +man?" + +The train had been gathering headway all the while, and was now +running at the rate of thirty-five miles an hour. If Claus, or whoever +stole the valises, was on the train, the boys were certain he could +not jump off to escape them. + + + + +CHAPTER XI. + +IN DENVER. + + +"Did the man find anything of value in your valises?" asked the +red-faced man, as the boys turned toward the front part of the car. + +"He could have bought everything I had in my valise for two dollars," +said Jack, with a laugh. "It seems funny that he should want to put +himself in danger of arrest for that" + +"He got a book in mine," said Julian. "Of course I have read it +before, but I wanted to read it again. Say, Jack," he continued, when +the latter reached the door and was about to open it, "if the man was +Claus, don't you suppose he had an eye on that box?" + +Jack released the door and leaned up heavily against it. Such an idea +had never occurred to him. + +"He watched us while we were in St. Louis, and when he saw us ready to +come out, he got on the same train with us." + +"What a lucky thing it was that we sent that box off by express!" Jack +almost gasped. "Of course it was Claus, and we shall not find him on +this train, either. He jumped off at that station back there." + +"Let us go and see. If he is going to follow us in this way, we are +going to be in a fix, the first thing you know." + +Jack opened the door and went out, and Julian followed close at his +heels. They went slowly through the cars, looking sharply at every man +they saw on the train, but nobody with "a very German cast of +countenance" could be seen. The next thing was to try the other end of +the train. Jack led the way, as before, and when they got into their +own car the red-faced man, who seemed to take an interest in their +success, said, in a low tone, + +"Did you find him?" + +"No," replied Jack; "he must have got off at the station. We are going +through the sleeping-cars, and, if he is not there, we will have to +give him up." + +In the next car there was no one who looked like Claus, and when they +opened the door of the next car, and entered the vestibuled part of +the train, they found themselves in an entry which was fitted up in +the most gorgeous manner. A negro porter stood in front of the window +looking out, and when he saw who the boys were, he stepped up in front +of them. + +"Does you want to see somebody on dis train?" he asked. + +"Well, I should say we did," replied Jack. "Some one has stolen our +valises, and we want to find him." + +"Dat's bad. Has you got a ticket?" + +"Of course we have. Don't you see the slips in our caps?" + +"But I mean a ticket for dis part of de train. If you hasn't got one, +you can't go in." + +This was a new arrangement to Jack. The last time he travelled on the +railroad it was when the hands connected with the railroad-shop gave +an excursion and a picnic, and then he had no difficulty in going all +over the train; but he saw the beauty of it at once. + +"Then we will have to give it up," said he, turning toward the door. +"That man may be here and have our valises, and we can't help +ourselves." + +"Mebbe not," said the negro. "What kind of a looking man was he? I +will go over the train and look for him." + +Jack described the man as well as he could from the description the +passenger had given him, and the negro went out. + +"Just see what we would have got we had taken a sleeping-coach," +whispered Julian. "No one can come near you except those who purchased +tickets at the depot." + +"We'll come to that after a while," said Jack. "Wait until we get our +money. Just now it seems as though we shall have to be constantly on +the watch." + +The negro was gone a long time, but our friends found themselves busy +in taking a note of all their surroundings. There must have been a +good deal of money spent upon that sleeping-car. There did not seem +to be a cheap thing about it. One or two passengers, who had slept +late and were just getting up, came in, and yawned, and stretched, and +prepared to go through their ablutions. They merely glanced at the two +boys, and went on with their work. They did not care for the +eating-stations that were scattered along the route; when they were +hungry, they could go into the dining-coach and get all they wanted. + +"I tell you, it is worth while to know where your money is coming from +when you travel," thought Julian; "one feels so much safer." + +By the time he had reached this conclusion the negro appeared. + +"Dar ain't a man on dis train that looks like the one you spoke of," +said he. "Dey's all Americans; the last man-jack of them." + +"Thank you," said Jack. "Our man has got off at the station. I hope he +will get rich on what he found in those valises." + +The two friends went back to their own car, and to the inquiry of the +passenger who sat behind them replied that the man had left the train +as soon as he got the valises. Then they settled down and prepared to +enjoy their journey; but it must be confessed that Claus came into +their minds very frequently. If he was the one who took their valises, +they were certain that they had not seen the last of him yet. + +"And to think that that fellow watched us all the while we were in St. +Louis," said Jack, leaning over and whispering the words to Julian. +"He may watch us after we get in Denver. Who knows?" + +But Claus, if that was the man, did not come near them any more during +their journey. They grew weary, of course, and Julian, having no book +to read, slept most of the way. Their night was passed in much the +same way that the first one was, and about two o'clock in the morning +they arrived at Denver. The appearance of the city, wrapped though it +was in slumber, surprised them. There were as many people running +about in the depot as there were in St. Louis, and all appeared to +have work to do. The man to whom they had given their check was there +to show them the way to their omnibus, and Julian, while he was on the +way to it, looked all around for Indians, but did not see any. The +hotel was as large as those they had left in St. Louis, and almost +before they knew it they were in their room with two beds in it, the +porter had carried up their trunk, had bid them good-night, and they +were alone. + +"Say, Jack, there's more houses than wigwams here, is there not?" + +"I was just thinking so myself," said Jack. "Denver is a big city. +Now, the next thing is something else. It is something I don't like to +think of. That letter which Mr. Wiggins wrote to the agent here may +help us some, but we have something to prove after that." + +"Well, don't let us worry about that to-night," said Julian. "Perhaps +in the morning it will look different." + +Julian had never slept in so comfortable a bed before, and when sleep +overpowered him he did not know a thing until he opened his eyes in +the morning and saw Jack standing at the window, with his suspenders +about his waist, looking through the window at some mountains which +seemed to be looming up close at hand. + +"When we get settled, if we ever do, we must walk out there and take a +view from the top," said he. + +"How far are they away from here?" + +"About two or three miles, probably. I believe if we get on the summit +of those mountains we can see California." + +"I have just thought of another thing that may bother us some," said +Julian. "I don't know whether the express clerks will want us to +identify ourselves before they give us that box, but if they do--then +what?" + +"Although we are in the right, there is always something to bother +us," said Jack, seating himself in the nearest chair. "What will we +do?" + +"We can't do anything except to write to St. Louis. There is nobody +here that knows us from Adam." + +That was something that bothered Jack during breakfast, but at eight +o'clock, the hour when the express offices are generally open, they +were directed by the clerk how to reach it, and in process of time +drew up before the counter. To Julian's inquiry if there was a box +there addressed to himself the clerk placed the box before him, and +never asked him who he was or where he came from. + +"Now, the next thing is to keep an eye out for the telegraph office. +If you see a sign sticking out, let me know it." + +"I see a sign already," said Jack, pointing it out. + +Julian began to feel a little more at home. He had worked in a +telegraph office, and he was certain that he was going among friends. +The boys were there, and they came up to wait on him, but Julian went +ahead until he confronted the operator at his desk. + +"Is Mr. Fay in?" Julian asked. + +"Yes, sir. He is in his private office. Would you like to see him?" + +"I would thank you first to give me a screw-driver so that I can take +this cover off. There is a letter in here addressed to him." + +The screw-driver was soon forthcoming, and while Julian was at work at +it, a hustling little man suddenly stood before him. + +"Do you want to see me?" he asked, in a business way. + +Julian had by this time taken out the letter, which was placed on top, +and handed it to Mr. Fay, who leaned against the counter and read it. +The boys watched him closely, and finally saw his eyes light up with +surprise. + +"This letter has a stamp on it, so I know it is all right," said he. +"But this man Wiggins I never heard of. Come into the office." + +The boys followed him, seating themselves in chairs that were pointed +out to them, while Mr. Fay went on reading the letter. He was utterly +amazed, and looked at the two friends as if he could scarcely believe +it. + +"Which one of you boys is Julian Gray?" he asked. "You are? Then I +congratulate you from the bottom of my heart. You struck it rich once +in buying 'old horse,' didn't you? How long have you been with Mr. +Wiggins?" + +Julian began, and told as much of his history as he was willing that +any stranger should know--all except about pulling him out from under +the feet of the runaway horses. He thought that that was a sacred +matter between him and Mr. Wiggins, and so he said nothing about it. + +"And how about your friend, here, John Sheldon?" said he. "You see, I +want to get at the bottom of all your doings, so that I can explain it +to Mr. Gibson, Mr. Winkleman's lawyer. We know of that man, and we +know why he left; but we want to be certain that you have a right to +the box." + +Jack began and related his story; and although Mr. Wiggins did not say +much about it, never having been acquainted with Jack, the tale he +told was so honest and truthful that Mr. Fay could not but believe +him. + +"Well, boys, I will go with you to see Mr. Gibson," said the operator. +"It all rests with him. You see, all these things happened eleven +months ago, and he has collected considerable money in rent for all +these places. You will come in for fifteen or twenty thousand dollars +at the start. He may want to ask you some questions." + +What Mr. Fay said almost took the boys' breath away. They had hardly +anything in their pockets, and to be told that they were worth ten +thousand dollars apiece was almost too good for belief. They followed +Mr. Fay out on the street--the way he moved proved that he had come up +from the ranks--and up the stairs that led to Mr. Gibson's office. +They found the lawyer in there, walking up and down, but he stopped +long enough to bid Mr. Fay good-morning. + +"What have these young men been doing?" said he, pulling up a chair +for each one to sit down. "More lawsuits, I suppose." + +"No, sir, there is no law in this except what you have a mind to tell +us. Read this letter; but first let me introduce the boys." + +Mr. Gibson said he was glad to see them, and then commenced the +letter, and before he had read it half-way through he whistled and +looked at them with intense surprise. + +"Well, sir, you have done it, have you not?" said he. "Now, whom have +you to prove that you bought this 'old horse' at the express office?" + +"Read on, sir, and I think the letter will answer that question for +you," replied Julian. "I told Mr. Wiggins about it. That is all he +knows of it." + +Mr. Gibson finished the letter at last, and then turned and gave the +boys a good looking over. He evidently was not thinking about them at +all, but about some point of law that had just occurred to him. +Finally he said, + +"I want you to understand that I believe your story, but in order to +be all right in everything, and leave nothing for anybody to pick a +flaw with, I would like to know what you did to look up this man +Haberstro." + +"If I were in your place, Gibson," said Mr. Fay, "I would write to Mr. +Wiggins and the president of that bank, and get a full history of the +boys. They will tell the truth." + +"Let me suggest to you, also, the name of Mr. Dawson," said Jack. "I +used to work for him, and he knows all about me." + +The lawyer took down the three addresses of the men he wanted to write +to. + +"Have you young fellows any money?" asked the lawyer. + +"Yes, sir, a little." + +"Will it last you two weeks?" + +The two friends were sure it would last them as long as that. + +"Where are you stopping?" + +Julian replied that they were stopping at some hotel, but they did not +know which one. + +"Well, Fay will no doubt direct you to a cheaper boarding-house than +that. What are you boys going to do with this?" said Mr. Gibson, +placing his hand upon the box. + +"We want to put it somewhere so it will be safe," said Julian. + +"Shall I take charge of it for you? I will put it in the bank. It is +most too valuable for me to carry around." + +"Yes, sir." + +After a little more conversation his two clients went out. The lawyer +sat for a long time thinking the matter over, and at last he got up, +took the box under his arm and started for the bank. He had decided +that he would go to St. Louis that very night. + + + + +CHAPTER XII. + +CASPER NEVINS, THE SPY. + + +"No, sir," said Casper, leaning over and placing his elbows on his +knees, his eyes gazing thoughtfully at the floor; "you don't get any +more five cents out of me, yet awhile, to pay for cigars. I have got +only ten dollars, and I am anxious to make that do. Now, what shall I +go at next?" + +Casper Nevins was in a predicament the first thing he knew. He claimed +to be an orphan, the same as Julian was; but those who were well +acquainted with his history knew that he had a mother in a Western +village who was a dressmaker, and who would have been glad to get +every cent he could send her. But Casper never sent her any money. On +the contrary, he often appealed to her to forward him a few dimes, to +pay his debts for pool and cigars. Claus often got into him a dollar +or two on the games he lost, and his mother was the only person he +had to call on. Now he had lost his position, and the next thing was +to find something else to do. He was really afraid he would have to go +to work with his hands. He thought of Jack Sheldon, dirty and begrimed +as he was when he came from the shop, and wondered how he would look +in that fix. And, another thing, he wasn't satisfied that he could get +as good a position as Jack held. Aside from being acquainted with the +city and carrying the telegraphic dispatches, there was nothing else +that he could do. + +"I tell you I am up a stump," said Casper to himself; "I shall soon be +sweeping out saloons, as Julian did, to pay for my breakfast. I would +rather die than do that." + +When he had reached this point in his meditations the door opened, and +Claus came in with a couple of cigars in his hand. He did not seem to +be at all worried over his failure to get his hands upon that box, but +he was whistling a jig as he closed the door and offered a cigar to +Casper. + +"What is the matter with you, any way?" he asked, when he saw the +gloomy look on Casper's face. "You act as though you had lost your +last friend." + +"What am I going to do now?" asked Casper. "I have no trade, no +profession, and I must do something to keep myself in grub. There is +no pool or cigars for me from this time on." + +"Well, let that thing go until I tell you my story," said Claus, who +did not like to hear a man talk in this way. He knew that he was to +blame for Casper's shortness of funds--a good deal of his hard +earnings was located in Claus's own pockets--and he wanted to make him +look on the bright side of things while he was in his presence. When +he got away where he could not see him, then he could indulge in moody +thoughts as often as he pleased. + +"I wish I had not played pool with you as often as I have," said +Casper, showing a little spirit. "Every time I have crossed cues with +you I have always been out three or four dollars. Why don't you play +with somebody else?" + +"Well, if you are going to talk that way I'll go on," said Claus, +getting up from his chair. "What I was going to say was that I don't +believe that box is gone yet. I have tried twice to get it and have +failed; but there is a charm in everything. Three times and out is +what I go by; but if you don't want to hear what I have to say, why, +good-night." + +"Well, sit down," said Casper, who couldn't bear to let Claus go away +if he had anything to say concerning that box; "but you yourself would +be angry if you were in my fix." + +"Oh, I have been that way lots of times. I have been so I didn't know +where my next meal was coming from." + +"I have been that way, too," said Casper. "The other night you got ten +cents of me, and it was the last cent I had in the world; I had to get +my next meal at the free-lunch saloons." + +"I didn't know you were as hard up as that," said Casper, with +surprise. "Have you money with which to get breakfast to-morrow?" + +"Not a cent." + +"Then here are twenty cents," said Claus, putting his hand into his +pocket. "Two meals will do you. In the meantime, if you get hard up +for something to eat, go to the saloons; that's the way I do." + +"Yes, but you always get something else. If I go in there and dabble +with their lunch, the barkeeper will want to know why I don't get +something to drink." + +"Then walk out and go to another saloon. You ain't posted. Now, I want +to tell you my story. It isn't long, and I want to ask you a question +before I get through." + +When Claus said this, Casper settled back in his chair and tried to +look interested; but the trouble was, he only succeeded in looking +guilty. + +"I have just come from Julian's room," continued Claus, "and I +threatened him with the police. He called me by my own name, or Jack +did, and I want to know who has been telling him that. Did you?" + +"I never said a word to him about you or anybody else," said Casper, +looking Claus squarely in the eye. + +"Did you say anything to Mr. Wiggins about it?" + +"Never a word. There might have been a detective in the office while +you were there." + +"A detective? Who was it?" + +"I am sure I don't know. But if he knew your name, there was where he +got it. You went up to the pool-room after you got through there? +Well, did anybody follow you up to see what your name was?" + +"There was nobody up there that I saw, and I took mighty good care to +watch out. I threatened him with the police for addressing me by that +name, and he just as good as told me to go and get them." + +"What made you say police at all? What had he done?" + +"I wanted him to get the box and let me read the papers in it, because +I wanted to be sure that they were intended for me; but he would not +do it." + +"Of course he would not!" exclaimed Casper, in disgust. "That was a +pretty way to do business, wasn't it?" + +"I calculated, if he brought the box in there, to steal it away from +them," said Claus. "If I once got out on the street, I would like to +see anybody catch me. I would have hung around this city for a month +but that I would have got away with it." + +"And what would I be doing in the meantime?" + +"You would have known where I was," said Claus, bending toward Casper +and speaking in a whisper. "I would have found means to communicate +with you. Of course if I had got that box you would have had a share +of it." + +Casper did not know whether to believe this or not. Somehow he had +felt suspicious of Claus ever since the first night he spoke to him +about the box. If the German got it without any of his help, he was +sure that he never would see any of it. + +"Well, you failed in that scheme, and I would like to know if you have +some other means of getting hold of it." + +"Certainly I have. Three times and out is what I go by. My next scheme +will be to steal the box from them on the train." + +"How are you going to do that?" + +"We will keep watch of them, and when they are ready to go to Denver, +we will go, too. You know their habits better than I do, and by +keeping your eyes on them--" + +"Well, I won't do it," said Casper, emphatically. "They may not go for +a month yet, and I must have something to eat in the meantime." + +"I will give you twenty cents a day and enough to pay your rent," said +Claus. "That will keep you going, won't it?" + +"You must give me more than that. I shall need a cigar once in a +while, won't I?" + +"Then I will give you thirty cents. You don't want to smoke more than +two cigars every day, do you?" + +The question where Claus earned the money he had was a mystery to +every one except himself. When the police arrested him for vagrancy +and the justice fined him ten dollars, believing that he was going to +shut him up for two months, Claus pulled out a roll of greenbacks as +large as one's wrist. The justice gazed at him in surprise and said, + +"I had no idea that you were so well heeled as that." + +"I have a relative in Europe who sends me money once in a while," said +Claus. + +"Well, get out of here, and don't come into this station any more." + +"I won't," said Claus; "and I wouldn't have come in here this time, +only the police brought me." + +"You must go easy on me, because I haven't too many ducats," said +Claus, continuing the conversation which we have broken off. "I think +thirty cents a day will see you through in good fashion." + +"Of course that puts a different look on the matter. Begin by giving +me ten cents to get a cigar with to-night. Thank you. Now, what do you +want me to do?" + +"You are to begin and keep your eye on Julian, and report to me every +day at the pool-room. Whenever you see preparations made for them to +go out to Denver, you must let me know it; then we will go, too." + +"But how are you going to steal their valises, if they have any?" + +"They will leave their valises behind them when they go out to get +their meals, and I will slip up and get them. You won't have anything +to do with stealing them at all." + +"That is a bargain," said Casper. "I believe that is the best way yet. +But remember--you must keep out of their sight; and I will, too." + +A little more conversation was held on the subject, and then Claus +took his leave. When the door closed behind him Casper arose to his +feet, placed his thumb against his nose, and wiggled his fingers. That +was his opinion of Mr. Claus's scheme. + +"I know what you mean to do," said he, in a voice that was choked with +passion. "You are going to get me out there on the railroad and leave +me. But I will see that you don't do it; I will stick closer to you +than a brother, and when you get that box I will be close at hand. Now +I will go off to some restaurant and get some supper." + +The next morning dawned clear and bright, and when Casper opened his +eyes his first thought was to get up; but remembering that he had not +to go to the office that day, he rolled over and dropped asleep again. +But he had to get up at last; and after a good, hearty breakfast, and +smoking a cigar, he strolled down toward the telegraph office. Julian +was there, sitting in his chair, for he could see him through the +window. He had not made preparations to go to Denver yet. And so it +was during every day that the boys waited for Haberstro to show up. +Julian was as impatient as Casper, and even Claus began to growl for +fear there was being too big a haul made upon his money. + +"I am not an Astor, to be giving you thirty cents a day to watch those +fellows," said he. "If they don't begin to make some move very soon I +shall be sorry that I hired you." + +"They are going to Denver some time, and if you are bound to have a +hand in the box, the best thing for you to do is to keep on hiring +me," said Casper. "I know what you want," he added to himself. "If you +were to give me every cent of money you have, I would just about get +my own back." + +But not long after this, when Casper was strolling by the telegraph +office to see what was going to happen, he saw Julian and Jack go in +there. The two boys were dressed in citizens' clothes, too, and that +proved that there was something up. While he was wondering whether or +not he had better go back and report the matter to Claus, Mr. Wiggins +came out and took his way toward the bank. In a little while he came +back again with the box under his arm. Casper concluded to wait still +longer, and the result proved satisfactory. The two friends came out +of the office, and Julian held the door open long enough to say, + +"I haven't gone yet; I will come back and bid you good-bye before I +start." + +"By gracious, they are going!" said Casper, so excited that he could +not stand still. "Now, the next thing is to find out _when_ they are +going. I guess I will go and see what Claus has to say about it." + +Claus was found in the pool-room, and he was playing a game with +somebody. He drew off on one side, and Casper hurriedly related what +he had to say to him. For a wonder Claus smiled. + +"They are going to-morrow night," said he. + +"You talk as though you knew all about it. How do you know?" asked +Casper, with the accent on the adverb. + +"Because Julian has got his discharge, he is dressed in citizen's +clothes, and they will have to take to-day in order to bid their +friends good-bye and get some things that are necessary for the trip," +said Claus. "Watch them closely, and when you see a carriage drive up +to their door and a trunk put on, come to me here and I will be ready +for you." + +"How are you going to get your own luggage down?" asked Casper. + +"I don't want any luggage," replied Claus; "I have more money than +enough to buy--humph!" + +He had intended saying that he had money enough to buy all the +clothing he wanted, but seeing Casper's eyes fastened upon him he +caught his breath in time and said, + +"I have money enough to pay for a night's lodging, and that is all we +want. Now you go and do just as I tell you." + +Claus turned again to his game and Casper went slowly out of the room. +The German watched him, as he opened the door, and said to himself, + +"I wonder if that fellow knows what I am up to? He acts like it; but +if he does, I would like to see him help himself." + + + + +CHAPTER XIII. + +GETTING READY FOR WORK. + + +"I know just what you are going to do," repeated Casper, as he ran +down the stairs--"you are going to steal the box, and leave me out on +the prairie to get back the best way I can. For two cents I would not +have anything to do with it." + +But in spite of this resolution, Casper, as soon as he reached the +street, turned his gaze in every direction in the hope of finding +Julian and Jack; but the boys had disappeared. He walked along the +streets looking everywhere for them, and finally came to a standstill +opposite Julian's room. + +"They will have to come here some time, and I will just take my stand +here in this door and watch for them," said Casper. "They will not +take that box with them, anyhow; it is much too valuable to lug about +in a valise. They will send it by express." + +This was something that had occurred to Casper on the spur of the +moment, and he thought seriously of going back to Claus with it; but, +on the whole, he decided to keep still about it. He was getting thirty +cents a day for doing nothing, and he did not want to bring that to an +end too speedily. Claus had plenty of money. Casper had seen the +inside of his pocketbook when he took it out to pay him his money, and +he might as well have thirty cents of it as not. + +At the end of three hours Casper saw the carriage coming up the +street. He was certain that he was right in his suspicions, because +carriages of that description were not often seen in that by-street; +and, more than that, there was a trunk perched in front of the driver. +He drew up in front of Julian's room, and a moment afterward the boys +got out. Casper saw the driver catch up the trunk and carry it +upstairs, and presently he came down again, mounted to his box, and +disappeared up the street. + +"They are gentlemen now, and of course they could not carry that trunk +upstairs," sneered Casper, coming out of his concealment. "Now, I +wish I knew when they are going to start. If things were all right +between Julian and myself I would go upstairs and find out; but as it +is, I guess I had better keep away; he would not tell me, anyhow. I +stole that box from him once, and that was where I missed it. I ought +to have gone to Denver at once." + +After some time spent in rapid walking, Casper once more found himself +in the pool-room, and saw Claus busy with his game. Claus drew off on +one side, while Casper whispered the result of his investigations to +him. + +"That is all right," said he, and a smile overspread his face. "You +are much better at watching than I thought you were. Wait until I get +through here and I will give you a cigar." + +"But, Claus, though they had a valise apiece in their hands, they have +no idea of carrying the box in them," said Casper; "it is too +valuable." + +"That's the very reason they will take it with them," whispered +Claus. "They will not trust it out of their sight." + +"I'll bet you that they will send it by express," answered Casper; +"that is what I should do with it." + +"But all persons are not as careful as you are," said Claus; and he +turned to take his shot at the game. + +"You need not think you can soft-sawder me in that style," thought +Casper, as he backed toward a chair and took his seat to see how the +game was coming out. "You have some other little trick that you want +me to play. Well, if it is not too dangerous I'll do it; if it is, I +won't." + +"There is nothing more that we can do to-night, but I shall expect to +see you bright and early to-morrow morning," resumed Claus, as he +finished his game and hung the cue up in its proper place. "Here is a +dollar. You may get yourself all the cigars you want." + +"Thank you for nothing," said Casper to himself, as he turned to leave +the room. "The last game I played with you you got an even five +dollars out of me. This does not make me straight with you by a long +way." + +Casper did not rise bright and early the next morning, because he did +not think there was any need of it. He spent a quarter of Claus's +dollar for breakfast, smoked a cigar, and strolled leisurely down to +the telegraph office. He was just in time to see Julian and Jack +coming out. The face of the former wore a very sad expression, and +there was a suspicious redness about his eyes, which looked as though +he had been crying. + +"By gracious! I don't think I would shed tears if I were in your +place," said Casper, in disgust. "And you are going away with a +hundred thousand dollars in your pocket! It beats me, how many people +go to make up a world! Julian has been bidding them good-bye in there, +and so he must be getting ready to go off very soon. Now I will go and +see Claus." + +Casper found his companion in guilt at the very place he said he would +be; and, for a wonder, he was sitting there alone, in one corner of +the room. He told what he had seen, adding that Julian could not keep +back his tears when he came out. + +"We'll give him something to cry for when he goes out of that car," +said Claus, with a wink; "he will be just a fortune out of pocket." + +Casper had several times been on the point of asking Claus how he was +going to work in order to secure to himself the full possession of all +that property. He thought there would have to be some legal steps +taken before the agent, or whoever had charge of those blocks of +buildings, would be willing for Claus to call them all his own. +Suppose the agent should write to some of the many friends he was +presumed to have in Chicago, and should get no answer from them; what +would Claus do then? All the friends he had were in St. Louis; he did +not know anybody in Chicago, and consequently he would receive a check +at the very start. If the German thought of this, he did not say +anything about it. He wanted first to get the box, and then he could +settle these things afterward. + +"Well, there is only one thing for you to do now," said Claus, after +thinking the matter over; "you must stay around Julian's room, and +wait for them to go to the depot. You will find me right here." + +"I shall want a cigar to smoke in the meantime," said Casper. + +It was right on the end of Claus's tongue to make a flat refusal, but +there was something in Casper's eye, which he turned full upon him, +that made him hesitate. He growled out something about not being made +of money, but finally put his hand into his pocket and produced +another dollar. + +"You need not mutter so lustily every time I ask you for money," said +Casper to himself as he left the pool-room. "I will have to give up +this business before long, and I am going to make all I can." + +Casper went straight to a restaurant and got his dinner, and with a +cigar for company took up his usual hiding-place in the doorway and +waited to see what was going to happen. He stayed there until four +o'clock in the afternoon, and then began to grow interested. He saw +Julian come out and hasten away, and something told him that he had +gone for a carriage. But why was it that Casper got so mad, and threw +his cigar spitefully down upon the pavement? Julian was dressed in a +suit of new clothes, and he looked like a young gentleman in it. The +suit that Casper wore was the only one he had, and when that was gone +he did not know what he should do to get another. + +"That fellow must have received a good many tips while he was in the +office," muttered Casper, "or else he saved his money. I wish to +goodness I had saved mine, instead of giving it all to Claus." + +Julian soon came back with a carriage, and it became evident that they +were going to take the train for Denver. Julian and the hackman went +upstairs, and when the boys came down again they each wore a +traveling-coat and had a small valise in their hands. They got into +the carriage and were driven away for the depot. + +"Now, then, I am going to see if Claus is fooled," thought Casper, as +he hurried off in another direction. "The box is not in those +gripsacks; they are not large enough. Now, you mark what I tell you." + +"What's the news?" said Claus, who was loitering at one of the windows +of the pool-room. "Did you see them go?" he asked, in a whisper. + +"I did," answered Casper. "We have just time to get down there, and +that is all. You are making a mistake by not taking some baggage +along." + +"No, I am not. We shall go as far as the station at which the +passengers take breakfast, and then we will stop and come back. That +is as far as we want to go." + +"And come back as empty-handed as we went," said Casper to himself. +"I'll bet there won't be anything worth having in those valises." + +It took Claus and Casper a long time to walk to the depot, although +they went with all the speed they could command; but when, at last, +they got there, they found that the ticket office was not open. It was +no trouble at all for them to find the boys whom they were seeking; +they occupied a couple of seats in the gentlemen's waiting-room, +sitting pretty close together, too, and were engaged in earnest +conversation. + +"Those are the ones, are they not?" questioned Claus. "They are +dressed up so fine that I would not have known them." + +"Yes; they have new clothes on," said Casper. "They are going off as +though they were business men starting out on a vacation." + +"That is the way we will travel when we get our money," said Claus, +with a wink. + +"And when we do get it you may go your way and I will go mine," said +Casper to himself; "I am not going to stay around where you are all +the while bothering me to play a game with you. I am going to save my +money; that's what I will do." + +It was shortly after they reached the depot that the ticket office was +opened, and Julian went to purchase tickets for himself and companion. +Casper watched them until they were safe in the train, and then Claus +bought two tickets for Casper and himself, and they took seats in the +car behind Julian's. In that way they would keep out of sight. They +did not intend to show themselves until the train stopped for +breakfast the next morning, and then they would show themselves to +some purpose. + +The night was a long and wearisome one to Casper, who did not once +close his eyes in slumber. He was wondering what was going to be the +result of this new scheme of theirs, and telling himself over and over +again that it would not amount to anything. It did not look reasonable +that the boys should carry their box in a valise, and leave it behind +when they went to breakfast while there was so much in it that needed +their constant care. + +"And then, after he gets the valises and finds that there is nothing +in them, that is the time for me to look out," thought Casper. "He +won't get away from me if I have to stay awake for two or three nights +to watch him." + +Finally, to Casper's immense relief, day began to dawn and some of the +wakeful passengers to bestir themselves. He arranged his hair with the +aid of a comb which he had in his pocket, and then sat on the seat +and waited impatiently for Claus to wake up. All night long the German +had slumbered heavily, as though he felt at peace with himself and all +the world. That was something that Casper could not understand. Here +he was, fully intending to steal a fortune from a boy who had come +honestly by it, and yet he could sleep peacefully and quietly over it! + +"I wonder if I shall be the way he is?" soliloquized Casper. "I will +try this once, and if we don't get the box I will go back and go to +work--that's the best thing I can do." + +It was not long before a brakeman came in and told them that they were +approaching the place where they would be allowed fifteen minutes for +breakfast; whereupon Casper leaned over and shook Claus by the +shoulder. + +"It was time you were getting up," said he in a whisper; "it is time +to go to work." + +"I heard every word that was said," said Claus. "This is the place to +which I bought tickets, and it is as far as we shall go. Go forward, +and see if they are in the car ahead of us." + +"But suppose they see me?" said Casper. + +"You must not let them see you. Keep out of their sight. If they leave +their valises behind when they go out to breakfast, it is all I want." + +Casper went, but he walked slowly, as if he did it under protest. When +he arrived at the end of the car he found he could not see anything +from there, so he opened the door and went out on the platform. He was +gone a good while, but when he came back his face told Claus all he +wished to know. + +"They are there," Casper whispered, "and are getting ready to go out. +I saw the valises in the rack over their seats." + +"That's all right. Now, when we go out you must keep close behind me. +I will come in at the front end of the car as if I had a perfect right +there, and if I say anything to you, you must just nod your head." + +"What must I do that for?" asked Casper. + +"Because there may be somebody looking. I want to convince everybody +that I have a right to the valises. Now, you go on ahead, and do as I +tell you." + +Casper did not approve of this plan at all. The understanding between +him and the German was that he was to have no hand in stealing the +valises, but this looked as though he was the prime mover in the +affair. Before he could make any further objection the cars stopped, +the gong sounded for breakfast, and the passengers began to move +toward the door. + + + + +CHAPTER XIV. + +HOW CASPER WAS SERVED. + + +"Come on, now, and remember what I told you," said Claus, getting on +his feet. "There they go! All we have to do, now, is to go in there +and get the valises. You know where they sat, don't you?" + +Casper glanced toward the front end of the car, and saw Julian and +Jack step down and hurry toward the dining-room. Claus waited until +most of the passengers got off, and then, with a motion to Casper to +follow him, he went boldly forward and climbed the steps. He opened +the door, and, when Casper went in, he said, + +"Now tell me exactly where they sat, so that I can pick up the valises +without exciting anybody's suspicions." + +"Do you see that red-faced man sitting on the right-hand side?" +whispered Casper. "And do you see those valises in the rack directly +in front him? Well, they are the ones you want." + +"All right! We will have them out of there in a jiffy." + +"I don't like the way that man looks at us," Casper ventured to +remark; "perhaps he knows them." + +"It don't make any difference to me whether he does or not. If he says +anything to us, we will tell him the valises belong to us, and that we +have come after them." + +Calling a smile to his face, Claus went down the passage-way, looking +at the various valises stowed away in the racks. When he arrived +opposite the seat where Julian had sat before he left the train, a +look of surprise spread over his countenance, and he stepped in and +took them down, one after the other. + +"These are ours, ain't they?" he asked, turning to Casper. + +"Yes--they are the ones." + +"I don't see what those boys put them in here for. Now we will take +charge of them ourselves." + +He passed one valise to Casper, who took it and made his way out of +the car, while Claus kept close at his heels. + +"Now we want to go somewhere and get out of sight as soon as we can," +said Casper, looking around guiltily, and almost expecting a policeman +to take him by the collar. "I shall not feel easy until this train +goes." + +"Well, we don't want to get out of sight just yet," said Claus. "That +red-faced man kept his eyes on us, didn't he? Let us see what he will +make of it now." + +"Why, Claus, you are not going in there?" queried Casper, when his +companion led the way toward the waiting-room. "Julian and Jack went +in there, and they will be certain to discover us." + +"No, they won't. You follow me, and do just as I do." + +Casper turned his eyes and looked back at the train. There was the +red-faced man, sitting by the car window, closely watching all their +movements, and when he saw them enter the waiting-room into which +Julian and Jack had gone a few moments before, his suspicions, if he +had any, were set at rest, and he settled back in his seat and picked +up a newspaper which he had just purchased. Claus kept on to the +waiting-room, but he did not stop when he got there. He kept right on +through and went out at the other door, and after walking briskly for +a few minutes, and turning several corners until he was sure that the +depot had been left out of sight, he seated himself on the steps of a +deserted house, took off his hat, and wiped his forehead. + +"It was not such an awful thing to get those valises, after all," said +he. "When that train goes, we will go and get our breakfast." + +"But I would like to know what is in those valises first," said +Casper. "I tell you, you are fooled. I have felt this valise all over +on the outside, and there is nothing in it that feels like a box." + +"I don't suppose you could feel anything of that kind in it, because I +don't believe the box was put in there," said Claus. "My only hope is +that they took the papers out of the box and put them in here; +consequently they left the box at home." + +"Good enough!" exclaimed Casper, catching up his valise and feeling +the outside of it, to see if he could feel anything that seemed like +papers that were stowed away on the inside of it; "I never thought of +that. Now, how shall we go to work to get the valises open? I haven't +a key in my pocket that will fit them." + +"I haven't, either; but as soon as we get our breakfast we will go up +the road a little distance and cut them open. These gripsacks will +never be worth anything to anybody after we get done with them." + +Even while they were talking in this way they heard the shriek of the +whistle twice, followed by the ringing of the bell, and knew that +their train was getting ready to start on again; whereupon Claus got +up and said he was as hungry as a wolf, and that he must procure a +breakfast somewhere. + +"I shall not eat much till I find out what those valises are hiding +from us," said Casper. "It would be just dreadful if we should fail, +after all the trouble we have been to." + +By the time they got back to the depot the train was well under way; +but Claus went out and looked after it, to satisfy himself that the +coast was clear. Then they placed their valises in charge of the clerk +at the desk, enjoyed a good wash, and went in and took their seats at +the table. Their meal was a better one than they had had served up to +them at St. Louis, especially when they were hard up for money; and, +after taking their time in eating it, Claus settled the bill, took his +valise, and started up the railroad track. + +"Have you a cigar?" he asked, before they had gone a great ways. "That +is all right. We will go on until we get into that sagebrush, and then +we will stop and look into these things. I will take just a hundred +thousand dollars for my find." + +"I'll bet you will take less than that," said Casper; for, somehow, he +could not get over the idea that the box had been sent by express. +"There is nothing in them that you want." + +It did not take them more than a quarter of an hour to get into the +sagebrush; and, after looking all around to make sure that there was +no one in sight, they stepped down from the track and seated +themselves on the bank beside it. Claus did not waste any time in +trying his keys upon the valise, but stretched out his legs and put +his hand into his pocket, and when he pulled it out again he held a +knife in it. + +"The shortest way is the best," said he, thrusting the blade into the +valise he held in his hand. "Come out here, now, and let us see what +you have." + +His knife made short work of the valise, but nothing in the way of +papers could be found. It was Jack's valise that he had destroyed, and +all he found in it was a brush and comb, and half a dozen +handkerchiefs. + +"I just knew how it would be," said Casper, despairingly. "You will +find the same things in here." + +He had never seen Claus look so angry and disappointed as he was at +that moment. With a spiteful kick of one foot he sent the valise out +of sight in the sagebrush, and was about to send the other things to +keep it company, when he happened to think of something. + +"I guess I'll keep the handkerchiefs and brush and comb for the good +they may do me," said he. "Where's your valise?" + +Casper handed it over, and in a moment more that valise was a wreck, +also. They found things in it similar to those found in Jack's +gripsack, with the exception of a book which Julian had purchased to +read on his journey, the leaves of which were uncut. Casper took +possession of the handkerchiefs and the brush and comb, while Claus +slowly rolled up the book and sat with his eyes fastened on the +ground. He was mad--Casper could easily see that, and he dared not +interrupt his train of thought. Claus sat for some moments communing +with his own thoughts, then broke into a whistle and got upon his +feet. + +"To say that I am disappointed, and angry, too, would not half express +my feelings," said he, pulling off his hat with one hand and digging +his fingers into his head with the other. "I did not suppose they +would send those papers by express, for I know it is something that I +would not have done. I would have kept them by me all the while, so +that I could see that they were safe. Now, the next thing is to +determine upon something else." + +"Do you intend to make another effort to get the money?" asked Casper, +very much surprised. "Your 'three times and out' did not amount to +anything--did it?" + +"No, I don't suppose it did," said Claus, who was evidently thinking +about something else. "I guess you have done about all you can do, and +so you had better go back to St. Louis." + +This was nothing more than Casper expected. He had his ten dollars +stowed away somewhere about his clothes, together with small sums +which he had saved from the amount that Claus had paid him, and so he +could pay his way back to St. Louis easily enough; but what should he +do when he got there? He shuddered when he thought of it. Here was +winter coming on, and unless he should obtain work very soon he would +have to go out to where his mother lived, which was all of two hundred +and fifty miles from there. And what should he say when he got home? +He had gone to St. Louis with big boasts of what he intended to do +when he got there, and for him to turn up penniless and friendless at +his mother's house was rather more than he had bargained for. + +"And what will _you_ do?" asked Casper. + +"I haven't had time to think the matter over," said Claus, who was +rather surprised that his companion took his discharge, or whatever +you might call it, so easily, "but I think I shall go on to Denver." + +"And I can't be of any use to you there?" + +"No, I don't think you can. I may not be back to the city before next +spring." + +"I wish you would tell me what you are going to do when you get there. +You can't get the box; that will be safe in the bank." + +"But perhaps I can pass myself off for Mr. Haberstro. I have some of +his cards in my pocket." + +"But you will only get yourself into trouble if you try that game. +There are people out there who know Haberstro." + +"Well, that is so," said Claus, looking reflectively at the ground. "I +shall have to think up some way to get around that. At any rate, you +cannot be of any further use to me, and so you had better start by the +next train." + +"Well, you had better give me some money before you turn me off in +this way," said Casper. "How am I going to get back to the city +without money?" + +"Where is that ten dollars you got out of the telegraph office when +your time was up?" asked Claus, who did not like it whenever the +subject of giving some of his hard earnings was brought up before him. +"You have not spent all of that, I know." + +"Yes, I have. I have just a quarter, and there it is," said Casper, +pulling out of his pocket the coin in question. + +"I wish to goodness I had never seen you!" said Claus, shoving his +hand into the pocket in which he kept his money. Casper heard the +jingling of some silver pieces, and thought that perhaps his companion +might be tempted to give him a few dollars. That would be better than +nothing, and he would have some money left when he reached St. Louis. +"If I had never seen you, I would have more dollars left in my pocket +than I have now," said Claus, bringing out a handful of small change. + +Casper said nothing in reply. He wanted to see how much Claus was +going to give him; and, once he had the money in his hand, he could +talk to him as he pleased. + +"There are five dollars that I will give you, and you need not ask me +for any more," said Claus, counting out the money; "for, if you do, +you won't get it." + +"I don't know whether five dollars will pay my fare to St. Louis or +not," said Casper. "Give me six." + +"No, sir; that's all I have to spare. It will take you so close to the +city that you can easily walk in," said Claus, turning on his heel and +starting toward the town they had just left. "You can walk twenty-five +miles very easily." + +It was right on the point of Casper's tongue to "open out" on Claus, +and give him as good as he sent. Wouldn't he have had more dollars in +_his_ pocket if he had never met the man who was anxious at all times +to play a game of billiards or pool with him, especially on pay-day, +when Casper was known to have money in his pocket? But, on thinking +the matter over, he decided that he would say nothing about it. Claus +was a pretty big man, and there was no knowing what he would do if the +boy made him angrier than he was now. + +"He is going to be fooled again," said Casper, as he fell in behind +Claus, who walked toward the town as if he were in an awful hurry to +get there. "What good will it do him to go on to Denver? He can't get +the box there, neither can he cheat Julian out of his money. Julian +will find any amount of friends there--I never heard of a boy with a +hundred thousand dollars in his pocket who could not find somebody to +stand by him--and they will tell him what to do. Oh! why did I make so +great a mistake! I ought to have started for Denver the moment I got +my hands on that box. Well, I got five dollars out of Claus, anyhow." + +Casper sauntered along behind Claus, who was walking rapidly, and +when he reached the depot he looked all around for his companion, but +failed to see him. Claus had gone off somewhere, and Casper was there +alone. + + + + +CHAPTER XV. + +HOW A MINE WAS HAUNTED. + + +"Well, boys," said Mr. Fay, when they had reached the street and were +walking toward their hotel, "I have somehow taken a great interest in +you, and I am anxious to see you come out all right. It is the most +remarkable thing I ever heard of. You did not know what was in that +box when you bought it, did you?" + +"No, sir," replied Julian; "it was all sealed up. The auctioneer said +something about a miner having hidden the secret of a gold-mine in it, +and I bought it for thirty cents." + +"The auctioneer happened to hit the matter right on the head. I will +go with you in search of a cheaper boarding-house than the one at +which you are now stopping, and you had better remain there until Mr. +Gibson hears from those people in St. Louis. That will be two weeks, +probably. If, at any time, you grow weary of walking about our city, +looking at what little there is worth seeing, come down to the office, +and we'll sit there and swap a few lies." + +Mr. Fay continued to talk in this way while they were walking along +the streets, meanwhile turning several corners, and the longer he +talked the more the boys saw the traits of his Western character +sticking out all over him. He talked like a gentleman, and then +spoiled it all by remarking that they would "swap a few lies" when +they came around to his office. He had probably been out West so long +that he had become accustomed to Western ways of conversation. + +At length Mr. Fay turned off from the sidewalk, ascended the steps +that led to the door of a house, saying, as he did so, "Now we will go +in here and see what we can do," and rang the door-bell. It was a very +different-looking house from the one they had been in the habit of +living in when in St. Louis. There were no broken-down doors to be +opened before they went in, nor any rickety steps to be climbed, but +everything was neat and trim, and kept in perfect order. A +motherly-looking old lady answered Mr. Fay's pull at the bell. + +"Ah! good-morning, Mrs. Rutherford," was the way in which Mr. Fay +greeted her. "Let me introduce Julian Gray and John Sheldon. They are +looking around for a cheap boarding-house,--not too cheap, mind +you,--and I have called to see if you have any place in which to hang +them up for the night." + +Mrs. Rutherford was glad to meet Julian and Jack, invited them into +the parlor, and asked them if they wanted a room together. The boys +replied that they did, and she conducted them upstairs, to show them a +room that was vacant. They were gone not more than five minutes, and +when they came downstairs again Mrs. Rutherford was putting some bills +away in her pocket-book, and the boys acted as though they were well +satisfied. + +"Well, you have found a place, have you?" said Mr. Fay. "Have you +jotted down the street and number?" + +No, the boys had not thought of that, and Julian quickly pulled his +note-book from his pocket. + +"Your city is somewhat larger than we expected to find it," began +Julian. + +"You don't find many wigwams around here now," answered Mr. Fay. "We +keep spreading out all the time. Can you boys find the way back to +your hotel?" + +Julian and Jack thought they could find it if they were given time +enough, but Mr. Fay thought he had better go with them. It was right +on the road to his office, and he walked off so rapidly that his young +companions were obliged to increase their speed in order to keep up +with him. Before they had gone a great way, Julian, who was anxious to +learn all he could about their surroundings, asked how far it was to +the mountains behind them. Mr. Fay had evidently answered such +questions before, for all he said in reply was, + +"How far do you think it is?" + +"I think two miles would cover the distance," he answered, for he was +determined he would guess enough while he was about it. + +"How far do _you_ say it is, John?" said Mr. Fay, turning to Jack. + +"I would rather be excused from expressing an opinion, but I think we +could walk out there in two hours." + +"And come back the same day?" + +"Why, yes; certainly." + +"Now, let me tell you," said Mr. Fay: "If you have made up your minds +to go out to the mountains, hire a good, fast walking-horse, and go +out one day and come back the next." + +"Is it as far as that?" exclaimed the boys, looking at each other with +amazement. + +"It is all of twelve miles. You must take into consideration that the +air is very rare up here, and that things appear nearer than they are. +You are 5135 feet above the level of the sea." + +"My goodness! I didn't think we were so far out of the world!" + +"We have awfully uncertain weather here," continued Mr. Fay, "but +still we regard our climate as healthy. Our thermometer sometimes +changes as much as forty degrees in twenty-four hours. Since +Professor Loomis took charge of the matter, the mercury has changed +forty-five times in one day. What sort of a place did you expect to +find Denver, anyway?" + +"Well, I did not know what sort of a place it was," said Julian. "We +thought we should find more wigwams here than houses, and you can't +imagine how surprised we were when we found ourselves in a depot full +of people." + +"Denver used to be full of wigwams, but it is not so now. Until the +year 1858 the Indians lived in peace; but in that year gold was +discovered by W. G. Russell, a Georgian, on the banks of the river +Platte, which is but a little way from here, and that settled the +business of the Indians in a hurry. Denver, Black Hawk, Golden City, +and many other cities that I can't think of now, were founded in 1859, +and a host of immigrants appeared. Since that time we have been +spreading out, as I told you, until we have a pretty good-sized city." + +"It shows what Western men can do when they once set about it," said +Jack. "Now, answer another question while you are about it, if you +please. If the mercury changes forty degrees in twenty-four hours, +working in the mines must be dangerous business." + +"That depends upon where you are working," said Mr. Fay. "If you are +at work in a placer-mine, you stand a good chance of leaving your +bones up there for somebody to bring home; but if you are working +under the ground, it does not make any difference. Are you thinking of +going out to Dutch Flat to try your hand at it? I don't know where +that is, but you can find plenty of men here who can tell you." + +"I have not said anything to Julian about it, but I think that would +be one of the best things we could do. You see, we are not settled in +that property yet." + +"I see," said Mr. Fay. "Gibson may get word from those fellows in St. +Louis that you are impostors, and that you stole that box instead of +buying it at a sale of 'old horse.' That would be rough on you." + +The boys did not know how to take this remark. They looked at Mr. Fay, +but he was walking along as usual, with his hands in his pockets, +bowing right and left to the many persons he met on the streets, and +did not seem to think anything of it. Perhaps it was his ordinary +style of talking. + +"I am not at all afraid of that," remarked Jack. "If he finds us +impostors, we are willing to go to jail." + +Mr. Fay threw back his head and laughed heartily. + +"I have no idea of anything of the kind," said he, as soon as he could +speak. "I was just wondering what you would think of it. But what were +you going to say?" + +"This property is not settled on us yet," replied Jack, "and we may +want something to keep us in grub while we are here. We have a perfect +right to work that mine, have we not?" + +"If you can find it--yes. Go up there, and if nobody else is working +it, pitch in and take fifty thousand dollars more out of it." + +"And what will we do if somebody else is working it?" + +"You had better give up to them, unless you think you are strong +enough to get the better of them. But you need not worry about that. +The mine is haunted, and you won't catch any of the miners going +around where ghosts are." + +"Who do you suppose are haunting it?" asked Julian. "That letter says +the writer worked the mine alone, and took lots of money out of it, +and never saw a thing to frighten him." + +"Perhaps somebody has been murdered up there; I don't know. You won't +see anything until you get down in the mine, and then you want to look +out. I heard of a mine up at Gold Cove that was haunted in that way. +There were a dozen miners tried it, and each one came away without +getting anything, although the gold was lying on top of the ground. As +often as a miner went below (it was about thirty feet down to the +bottom), he was sure to see somebody at work there before him. He was +picking with a tool at the bottom of the shaft in order to loosen it +up, accompanying every blow he made with a sonorous 'whiz!' which +showed that he was an Irishman. Some of the miners retreated to their +bucket and signaled to their helper to pull them up, and you couldn't +hire them to go into the mine again. Others, with a little more +bravery than they had, went up to put their hands on the man, but as +fast as they advanced he retreated; and when they got to the end of +the shaft, the phantom miner was still ahead, and picking away as fast +as ever." + +"Then the mine is deserted?" + +"Yes, and has been for years. It is one of the richest mines around +here, too." + +"Why, I should think somebody would shoot him," said Jack. + +"Shoot him! He has been shot at more times than anybody could count; +but he pays no attention to it. He is a ghost, and he knows you can't +hurt him. I never saw it, and, what is more, I don't want to; but I +would not go down into that mine for all the gold there is in the +hills." + +"Did anybody think a murder had been committed somewhere around +there?" said Julian. + +"I never heard that there was." + +"Well, I just wish our mine would be haunted with something like +that," said Jack. "I would find out what he was, and what business he +had there, or I would know the reason why." + +"Well, you may have a chance to try it. Does this look like your +hotel? Now I will bid you good-bye, and I will see you again +to-morrow, if you come around." + +Mr. Fay departed, taking with him the hearty thanks of the boys for +all his kindness and courtesy, and then they slowly ascended the steps +to the office. They had secured one thing by his attentions to them--a +boarding-house at which the money they had in their pockets would keep +them safely for a month, if it took Mr. Gibson that long to hear from +St. Louis; but, on the whole, Jack wished Mr. Fay had not used his +Western phraseology so freely. + +"Does he want us to work that mine or not?" asked Jack. + +"I don't know. He talked pretty readily, did he not?" + +"I wonder if that is the way all Westerners talk? Did he scare you +out of going up there to that mine?" + +"No, sir," replied Julian, emphatically. "Do you know that I rather +like that man? He reminds me of Mr. Wiggins, and talks exactly like +him." + +"What do you suppose it was that those fellows saw in that mine?" + +"I give it up. Some of these Western men are good shots with a +revolver, and it seems to me they might have struck the fellow if they +had had a fair chance at him." + +"But he was a ghost, you know." + +"Oh, get out! If they saw him there, you can bet that there _was_ +somebody there. Some of the miners had their minds all made up to see +something, and of course they saw it." + +"But how do you account for that 'whiz!' that he uttered every time he +struck with his pick?" + +"They never heard any 'whiz!' coming from that man; they only imagined +it." + +"Do you think their ears could be deceived, as well as their eyes?" + +"Jack, I am surprised at you. You are big enough and strong enough to +whip any ghost that I ever saw, and yet you are afraid to go down in +that mine!" + +"Wait until we find it, and then I'll show you whether I am afraid or +not. Now, if you will go on and pay our bill and have our trunk +brought down, I'll go and get a carriage." + +In five minutes this was done, and the boys were soon on their way to +their boarding-house. + + + + +CHAPTER XVI. + +GOOD NEWS. + + +For a week after Julian and Jack went to their new boarding-house they +had much to occupy their attention--so much, indeed, they did not +think of going down to the telegraph office and "swapping a few lies" +with the chief operator. Their new home charmed them in every +particular. Mr. Fay had not forgotten that _he_ had been a boy in the +not so very long ago, and the boarding-house he had chosen for them +was such as he would have chosen for himself. The boarders were young +men who, like themselves, had come out West to seek their fortunes, +and they were all employed in various avocations in the city. Jack +noticed one thing, and that was they did not run around of evenings to +any extent; or, if they did, they went down to the library, where they +spent their time in reading. + +"Do you know that that is something that strikes me," said Jack one +night when they went upstairs to their room. "We ought to join the +Young Men's Christian Association." + +"Have you forgotten our mine?" asked Julian. + +"No, I have not; but I don't believe in going up there in winter. A +thermometer that can change so many times within twenty-four hours is +something that I want to keep clear of." + +"Well, where is the money to come from?" + +"Humph!" said Jack, who had not thought of that before; "that's so. +Where is it?" + +The first thing the boys thought of, when they got up the next +morning, was to take a trip to the mountains. Jack was in favor of +walking. It was only twelve miles, and the amount they would have to +pay out for a horse would keep one of them a week at their +boarding-house. But Julian could not see it in that light. + +"I tell you, you have never walked twenty-four miles in a day," +remarked the latter. "I have done it many a time, but I am not going +to do it now, when there is no need of it." + +"You act as though you had that money in your hands already," retorted +Jack. "Now, I'll tell you what's a fact: I am going to have the same +trouble with you that I had in St. Louis. There won't be any 'old +horse' for you to spend your money on, but you will squander it in +some other way." + +"You will see," said Julian, with a laugh. "Come on, now; I am going +to get a saddle-horse--one that can take me out there in an hour." + +Jack reluctantly yielded to his companion, who made his way toward a +livery-stable which he had seen when they came to their +boarding-house. There they engaged a couple of saddle-horses which +seemed to know what they were expected to do, for when allowed the +rein they put off toward the mountains, and went along at a brisk +pace. Jack could not get over grumbling about hiring horses to do what +they could do themselves, but Julian did not pay the least attention +to it. When they had gone a long distance on the road they met a +teamster, and of him Jack inquired how many miles they had yet to +travel to reach their destination. + +"Them mountains?" asked the man, facing about in his seat. "They are a +matter of six miles from here." + +"If I had a good start for a run I believe I could jump that far," +said Jack. + +"Yes, it does look that way," said the man; "but it would be a mighty +lengthy jump for you. I guess you are a tenderfoot--ain't you?" + +"I never was so far West as this in my life." + +The man had evidently heard all that he wanted to hear, for he started +his team, smiling and nodding his head as if to say that Jack would +learn more about distances on the prairie before he had been there +long. + +The distance was fully as great as the boys expected to find it; and, +when they drew up in front of a little hotel in the foothills, the +mountains seemed to be as far off as ever. The proprietor came to the +door, bid them good-morning in his cheery way, and asked if there was +anything that he could do for them. + +"How far off are those peaks from here?" questioned Jack. + +"Twenty miles," said the man. "You are not going out there to-day, are +you?" + +"Why, the folks in Denver told us that the mountains were twelve miles +away," said Jack, greatly surprised. + +"Well, you are twelve miles from Denver now. These little hills here +are the beginning of the mountains." + +"I guess you may feed our horses and give us some dinner, and then we +will go back," said Julian. "Well, Jack, we've seen the mountains." + +"Yes, and laid out six dollars for the horses besides," replied Jack, +in disgust. "The next time you want anything to carry you, we will go +on foot." + +The man laughed heartily as he took charge of their horses, and the +boys went into the hotel, where they found a fire on the hearth, and +were glad to draw up close to it. + +"I declare, I did not know it was so cold," said Julian. "I suppose +it is warm enough in St. Louis. How high is that city above the +sea-level?" + +"I don't know," answered Jack, who could not get over the feeling that +those people in Denver had played too much on his credulity. "Twenty +miles! I guess we won't go up to the top of those mountains, yet a +while, and look for California. I wish those horses were back in the +stable where they belong." + +"We will have them back there in three hours," answered Julian, "and +if you don't want me to hire any more horses, I won't do it." + +The boys got back to Denver without any mishap, and after that they +were eager to see the city. Jack did not have anything to grumble +about during the week that followed, for they went on foot, and there +were no horses hired. Finally, after viewing all the fine buildings +that were to be seen, they thought of the telegraph operator, and +decided to take him in the next day; so on Monday they presented +themselves at his office. Mr. Fay was there; and, unlike Mr. Wiggins, +he did not seem to have much to do, for he was sitting in an +easy-chair, with his feet perched upon the desk in front of him, +playing with a paper-cutter. The boy who came forward to attend to +their wants seemed to have made up his mind that Mr. Fay was the man +they wanted to see, and so he conducted them into his private office. + +"Halloo! boys," he cried, taking down his feet and pushing chairs +toward them; "you are here yet, are you? Have you been out to look at +your gold-mine?" + +"No, sir," replied Julian; "we could hardly go out there and come back +in a week--could we?" + +"No, I don't believe you could. I have been thinking about you," +continued Mr. Fay, depositing his feet on the desk once more, "and if +you know when you are well off you won't go out there this fall. I was +talking with a man who has come in from Dutch Flat, and he says it is +getting most too cold up there to suit him. He has made a heap of +money, and has come here to spend it. I suppose that is what you will +be doing when you get to work out there--make all you want in summer, +and come here in winter and spend it." + +"No, sir," asserted Julian, emphatically; "we have worked hard for +what little money we have, and we know how to take care of it. I +thought it would not make any difference to us how cold it was if we +were working under the ground; I thought you said something like +that." + +"Certainly, I said so," affirmed Mr. Fay; "but you will have to take +provisions with you to last you six months. If you don't, you will get +snowed up in the mountains; the drifts will get so deep that you can't +get through them." + +"I did not think of that," said Julian. + +"Well, you had better think of it, for if you get up there, and get +blocked by drifts, my goodness!--you will starve to death!" + +"Did you say anything to the man about our claim up there?" + +"No, I did not, for I did not know where it was located. I will tell +you what you can do, though. He is going back in the spring, and he +can assist you in getting everything you need." + +"We are very much obliged to you for saying that," responded Jack, who +felt that a big load had been removed from his and Julian's shoulders. + +"I am only speaking of what I know of the man," remarked Mr. Fay. +"Miners are always ready to help one another, and I know he will do +that much for you. I will tell you where you can see him. Do you know +where Salisbury's hotel is?" + +The boys replied that they did not. They had been all over the city, +but did not remember having seen any sign of that hostelry. + +"Well, I will go with you," said Mr. Fay "Come around about two +o'clock and we'll start. By the way, that lawyer has got back." + +"What lawyer, and where has he been?" + +"I mean Gibson--the lawyer that you employed to do your business for +you. He has been to St. Louis." + +"Good enough!" exclaimed Jack. "He has found out by this time more +than we could tell him." + +"I saw him last night just as he got off the train, and he desired me +to tell you, if I happened to see you before he did, that he would be +glad to see you around at his office as soon as you could get there," +said Mr. Fay. "So you can run down there as soon as you please. You +know where he hangs out--don't you?" + +Yes, the boys were certain they could find his office without any +help, and arose and put on their caps. They told Mr. Fay they would be +sure to come around at two o'clock, to go with him to call upon the +miner who had recently come from Dutch Flat, bade him good-bye, and +left the office. + +"What do you think of the situation now?" asked Julian, as they +hurried along toward the place where the lawyer "hung out." "Are you +still sorry that I bid on that 'old horse?'" + +"I only hope there will be no hitch in the business," said Jack. "If +he should ask us some questions that we could not answer--then what?" + +"We will tell him the truth," said Julian. "He can't ask us any +questions that we can't answer. Claus and Casper could go in on +telling lies, but that way would not suit us." + +As the boys had taken particular note of the location of Mr. Gibson's +office, they went there as straight as though they had been in Denver +all their lives, ran up the stairs to the first floor, and opened the +lawyer's door. Mr. Gibson was there, as well as two men whom he was +advising on some law-point they had brought to him to clear up. When +the boys came in he stopped what he was saying, jumped up, and +extended a hand to each of them. + +"I was coming around in search of you fellows as soon as I got through +with these men," said he. "How have you boys been, out here, so far +away from home? Please excuse me for fifteen minutes or so." + +The boys took the chairs he offered them, and for a few minutes kept +track of what he was saying; but that did not last long. It was about +a fence that a neighbor of the two men had built, but which their +cattle had broken down, and they were anxious to get out of a lawsuit +for the field of wheat their cattle had ruined. They heard the lawyer +advise them, honestly, that they must either compromise the matter or +get into a lawsuit, in which case they would have to pay full damages; +and while he was talking to them he proved that he was a man who could +do two things at once. He opened a drawer and took out two +photographs, which he compared with the boys, one after the other. It +did not take him long to decide upon this business, and then he +devoted himself to the question of fences again. + +"It is as plain as daylight to me," said he, as he arose to his feet. +"Your cattle broke the fence down, went in, and ate up the man's +wheat. It was a good, strong, staked-and-ridered fence, too. There are +only two ways out of it: Yon can either settle the matter with him, or +you can go to law; and if you do that, you will get beaten." + +One of the men then asked him how much he charged for his advice, and +when he said "Five dollars," the boys cast anxious glances at each +other. If he charged that way for advising a man to keep out of law, +what price would he demand for taking care of one hundred thousand +dollars? Mr. Gibson showed them to the door, bowed them out, and then +turned to the boys. + +"I ought to have charged that man ten dollars," he declared, with an +air of disgust. "He is always in a row; he never comes here to seek +advice but that he wants to beat somebody. Do you recognize these +pictures?" + +"Of course I do," replied Julian. "This is a photograph of me, and +that is my signature on the back; the other one is Jack's." + +"I have been to St. Louis since you were here," Mr. Gibson went on. "I +called upon the men whose addresses you gave me, and found out all +about you. I tried my best to find Mr. Haberstro, but could not do it, +and so I have concluded that the money is yours." + +"Everything?" exclaimed Julian. "The gold-mine and all?" + +"Everything belongs to you," answered Mr. Gibson; and one would have +thought, from the way in which he announced the fact, that somebody +had left the fortune all to Julian. "Of course, if Mr. Haberstro ever +turns up you will have to surrender the money; but I don't take any +stock in his turning up. Julian, you now have very nearly twenty +thousand dollars coming to you." + +"But Jack must have half," said Julian, earnestly. "He has stuck to me +like a good fellow, and I don't know what I should have done without +him." + +"Well, then, that makes you worth ten thousand dollars apiece." + +Julian drew a long breath and looked at Jack. The latter leaned his +elbows on his knees, whirled his cap in his hand, and looked at the +floor. + + + + +CHAPTER XVII. + +MR. BANTA IS SURPRISED. + + +"You fellows look surprised," said Mr. Gibson, running his eyes from +one to the other of the boys. "It seems to me, if a man told me I had +that amount of money coming to me, and that I had ten thousand dollars +where I could draw on it at my leisure, this room would not hold me; I +should want the whole city to splurge in." + +The boys made no reply. Jack drew his hand once or twice across his +forehead, as if to brush away some wrinkles, while Julian got up and +walked to the window. + +"You did not expect to get it--did you?" continued Mr. Gibson. + +"No, sir, we did not," replied Julian; "but we hoped to get it. We +tried our level best to find Mr. Haberstro, following the advice of +Mr. Wiggins in everything he told us to do; but he was out of our +reach." + +"He is dead, probably," said Mr. Gibson. "I know just what you tried +to do, and all about it. Of course there will be some law to go +through with before you can step into the property. Do you wish me to +take charge of it for you?" + +"Oh, Mr. Gibson, we really wish you would. We know nothing about law, +and consequently we should not know how to act." + +"And do you wish me to take charge of the rental of your blocks of +buildings?" + +"Yes, sir; go on just as you did before, and when we want money we +will come to you." + +"Well, that is a different thing altogether," said Mr. Gibson, looking +down at the floor. "The twenty thousand dollars that I told you of is +now in the bank, subject to my order. I guess I had better go up there +with you and have it changed. You can then get money whenever you want +it. By the way, Julian, Mr. Wiggins sent his kindest regards to you; +and, furthermore, he gave me a letter which he wished me to hand to +you. I've got one for you, Jack, from your boss; what do you call +him?" + +"Master mechanic," replied Jack. + +Mr. Gibson opened his desk and took out two letters, which he gave to +the boys. The sight of Mr. Wiggins's handwriting on the envelope was +almost too much for Julian, for he put the letter into his pocket and +walked to the window again. + +"There is some good advice in those letters, and I want you boys to +follow it out implicitly," said the lawyer. "You will always find me +here, ready to tell you what to do in case you get into trouble. You +must come to me or to Mr. Fay every time you get into a box. But, +first and foremost, don't have anything to do with strangers. There +are some of them who are bound to hear of your good fortune, and will +take every means in their power to get hold of it. Don't sign any +papers unless you bring them to me." + +"We have already had a little experience in that line," said Julian, +with a smile. "Claus came up to us and tried to pass himself off for +Mr. Haberstro, and he is the one who stole our valises on our way +here; but he didn't make anything by it." + +"Yes--I heard all about this man Claus, and about that friend of +yours, Casper Nevins. You know enough to steer clear of such fellows +in future. Now, if you are all through, we'll go up to the bank." + +The boys followed Mr. Gibson out of the office, along the street, +turning three or four corners, until they reached the bank. He did not +have any business to do with the man who stood behind the desk +counting out the money, but he simply asked him, + +"Is E. A. in?" + +"Yes, sir; he is in his private office," replied the cashier. + +The boys did not know who E. A. was, but they found out a moment +later, for the lawyer led them into the presence of the president of +the bank. He was gray-headed and wore a pair of gold spectacles, but +he stopped his work and shook Mr. Gibson warmly by the hand. He looked +curiously at the boys, but when the lawyer began his story, talking +very rapidly, for there was a card hung up over his desk which said on +it, "This is my busy day," he laid down his pen and glanced at Julian +and Jack with some interest. + +"And you want the twenty thousand dollars changed, so that it will be +subject to their order?" said he. + +"Yes, sir, that is my errand up here." + +The president got upon his feet and walked into the room where the +cashier was. When he went, the boys had not more than ten dollars in +their pockets that they could call their own; when he came back, they +had a small fortune coming to them. + +"It is all right," said he. "And which of you boys was it who bid on +the 'old horse?'" he continued, extending a hand to each of them. "You +are the one? Well, my son, remember that there is an end to your money +somewhere, and if you go to work and spend it all without waiting for +some more to come in, the end of it is not far off. I wish you good +luck." + +The boys retraced their steps to the cashier's desk, and the transfer +of the property from Mr. Gibson's order to their own was easily +completed. Mr. Gibson signed a check, the boys attached their names +to a big book which was thrust out at them, and then the cashier +wanted to know if they needed any money. + +"We would like about one hundred dollars apiece," said Julian. + +"Very well; make out a check for it and sign your names to it, and you +can get it all right. You will find the checks there on that desk." + +The boys accordingly made out their checks for the money, and Mr. +Gibson stood watching them, smiling to himself when he saw how the +boys' hands trembled, and how anxious they were to have everything +correct. The money was paid on the checks, and Julian and Jack put it +into their pockets. + +"You got it, didn't you?" said the lawyer. + +"Yes, sir; thanks to you, we have got it," said Julian. "Mr. Gibson, I +can't begin to tell you how much we thank you----" + +"Oh, that is all right," said the lawyer, opening the door of the +bank; "only, don't get into a fuss and lose it all." + +"When we came here," continued Julian, "we had no money at all; now +see how different it is! I assure you that we are not going to get +into any fuss. The money is safe where it is." + +"Well, let it stay there. I am pretty busy this morning, so I beg that +you will excuse me. Good-bye." + +The lawyer hurried away, and Julian stood a little on one side of the +door of the bank, one hand thrust into his pocket where he had placed +the bills, and his eyes fastened upon Mr. Gibson as long as he +remained in sight. + +"Say, Jack," said he, suddenly; "I don't believe Mr. Gibson had any +right to give us this money." + +"He hadn't?" exclaimed Jack. "Why, it was his." + +"No, it was not; it belongs to that Haberstro estate. It seems to me +he ought to have got an order from the court before giving any of the +money up to us." + +"Perhaps he has an order," said Jack. + +"Then why did he not say something about it? I would like to know when +the court sits. If the Judge finds any blundering in the business, +why, then we are up a stump. What will we do if this man Haberstro +comes up, all on a sudden, and tells us he wants this hundred +dollars?" + +"Whew!" said Jack; "I did not think of that." + +"But Mr. Gibson probably knew what the decision of the court was going +to be or he would not have done this," added Julian, after a moment's +pause. "I guess we are all right, but I shall feel better when we have +all that property in our hands." + +Julian wished now, when it was too late, that he had not spoken to +Jack about this. During the dinner hour he was unusually silent and +thoughtful, and the landlady's questioning could not get a word out of +him. He would arouse up long enough to reply, and then he would fall +to thinking again. + +"I will never tell you another piece of news as long as I live," said +Julian, as they went up to their room to get ready to accompany Mr. +Fay to call on the miner. "You always have enough to say at dinner, +but to-day you were as solemn as an owl." + +"I could not help it," said Jack. "If that man who owns this property +turns up here, I tell you we shall be in a fix. We shall spend this +before the winter is over, and how are we to get a hundred dollars to +pay him? I'll speak to Mr. Gibson about that the next time I see him." + +"I believe that would be a good plan," said Julian, after thinking the +matter over. "I'll bet you that he has some good reason for it." + +In due time the boys arrived at Mr. Fay's office, and found him ready +to accompany them. All he said was that he was going out for half an +hour, and if anybody came to see him he was to be told that he would +soon be back; and then he set off, with his long strides, to lead the +way to Salisbury's hotel. The boys found it as much as they could do +to keep up with him. + +"I guess you have been a messenger-boy in your day," said Julian. + +"I was a messenger-boy for six years," replied Mr. Fay. "Of course I +did not want to hold that position all my life, so I learned +telegraphy at odd times, and got my promotion as fast as I was +qualified for it, until at last I got where you see me now. That's the +way that young men ought to do--look out for promotion." + +"We received good news down there at Mr. Gibson's office," continued +Julian. + +"I knew you would. Have you the property all in your hands?" + +"No; there is some law-business to go through with, first. We told Mr. +Gibson to go ahead with it, as he did before." + +"That was the best thing that you ever did," said Mr. Fay, earnestly. +"Gibson is an honest man, even if he is a lawyer, and you will get +every cent that is coming to you. Now, then, here we are. You will +find this rather a different hotel from the one you first stopped at +when you came here, but the old fellow makes lots of money out of the +miners. There is nobody stays here except those who have shovelled +dirt." + +Mr. Fay opened the door as he spoke, and the boys speedily found +themselves in the living-room of the hotel. Before they had time to +look around them the chief telegraph operator walked up and laid his +hand upon the shoulder of a man who sat with his back to him. + +"You are here yet, are you, Banta?" said he. + +"Yes," replied the miner, looking up to see who it was that accosted +him. "I am on hand, like a bogus coin made out of iron pyrites; you +can't get rid of me." + +"I have brought some boys with me who would like to know something +about the mines at which you are working," said Mr. Fay; and he +proceeded to introduce Julian and Jack. + +Banta speedily proved that he was a gentleman, for he straightway got +upon his feet to shake hands with the boys. + +"All right," said the miner; "if anybody can tell them about Dutch +Flat, I am the man." + +"They are going to stay here this winter, and go out with you next +spring," Mr. Fay went on. + +"All right," said the miner, again; "I will put them where they can +dig gold so fast that you won't see anything but gold coming out of +the pit." + +"But they have a gold-mine up there already." + +"They have? Where is it located?" + +Mr. Fay could not answer this question, so he stood aside and waited +for Julian to tell him the whereabouts of the mine. The boy began by +asking him, + +"Do you know the mine that Winkleman used to work when he was here?" + +Mr. Banta started, and looked at Julian to see if he was in dead +earnest. The boy gazed fixedly at him, and the miner finally settled +back in his chair and pulled himself down until his neck rested on the +back of it. + +"Of course I know that mine," said he. "You don't think of working +there, do you?" + +"We thought some of trying it," replied Julian. + +"Pete, what do you think of that?" asked Mr. Banta, pushing his hand +against the shoulder of the man who sat nearest him, with his eyes +closed, as if he were fast asleep. "Here are two boys going up to +Dutch Flat next spring to work the Winkleman mine." + +"Well," replied Pete, without lifting his head, "I am glad I am not +going up there." + +"Are the ghosts so awful thick up there?" asked Julian, who felt his +courage oozing out at the ends of his fingers. + +"You know something about it--don't you? The ghosts are so thick up +there that you can't go down in the mine to shovel a bucketful of dirt +without scaring some of them up." + +"Well, you will have to excuse me," said Mr. Fay. "I should like to +see what those ghosts are, but my work calls me. You will take charge +of the boys next spring, will you, Mr. Banta?" + +"Sure I will; but they are plumb dunces if they try to work that mine. +I will go with them as far as I can, and the balance of the way they +will have to depend on themselves." + +Mr. Fay said he believed they could do that, opened the door and went +out, and Julian and Jack were left alone. + + + + +CHAPTER XVIII. + +GRUB-STAKING. + + +"Sit down," said Banta, pushing chairs toward the two boys with his +foot; "I want to talk to you about that mine. What loon has been so +foolish as to grub-stake you?" + +"Grub-stake us?" repeated Julian, for the words were quite new to him. + +"Yes; he does not expect to get his money back again very soon. I mean +the fellow who has furnished you with grub and tools, and such things, +to work the mine with." + +"We never heard that before; we did not know there was anybody who +_could_ grub-stake us." + +"Say, Pete, what do you think of that?" said Banta, once more pushing +the man who sat nearest him. "Here are a couple of tenderfeet, come +away out West from--where did you come from?" + +"From St. Louis; this is as far West as we have ever been." + +"Here are a couple of tenderfeet from St. Louis who didn't know that +they could get anybody to grub-stake them," continued Banta. "What do +you think of that?" + +Pete, who had by this time got his wits about him, straightened up, +pushed his hat on the back of his head, and regarded the boys with +some curiosity. Julian and Jack looked at him, too, and concluded that +he and Banta were partners in working a mine. He was roughly dressed, +but there was a good-natured look about him that made the boys take to +him at once. There were other men, dressed as miners, in the room, and +they all seemed to be interested in the conversation. + +"Then I reckon I shall have to tell you about this grub-staking +business," said Banta, squaring around in his chair so as to face the +boys. "You are going to lay in a supply of things yourselves, I +suppose?" + +"Yes, we are; and we shall have to depend on you to tell us what to +get." + +"Well, there is plenty of time between this and spring, and we will +have time to talk that over afterward. Now, about this grub-staking +business. There are lots of fellows who come out here who haven't got +the money to enable them to go prospecting, and what do they do but +hunt up some fellow who is willing to buck against a hole in the +ground, and get their provisions and tools of him. He gets half of +what they make. The men stay out there until they have eaten up all +their provisions and then come in; and if they have had good luck, so +much the better. But if they have wasted their time in looking for +gold where there wasn't any to be found, why, so much the worse; that +man is just so much out of pocket. + +"Well, along in '90 Pete and me struck this very town, and we flew so +light that we couldn't hardly stay on the ground. We didn't have +enough to buy our next meal with; but we struck a gang whom we knew, +and headed along with them for the gold country. Of course we had +nothing, but we managed to strike a grub-stake and went prospecting up +there behind Dutch Flat. We lit into that rock and dirt, working like +beavers, but the sign didn't come right. It looked well enough at the +start, but it did not pan out much. We stuck to it for nearly three +months, and then concluded that we had better go down and get another +grub-stake and strike in somewhere else. So I stayed up there alone, +and Pete went down and brought up the man that employed us. He looked +at the hole, liked the looks of it, and wanted us to go farther; but +Pete and I couldn't see it in that light. One word brought on another, +and he offered us three hundred dollars for the hole." + +"For the hole!" exclaimed Julian. "And there was not a sign of gold +about it?" + +"Now, hold on till I tell you," returned Banta. "There was a little +sign of gold about it, but there was not enough to pay Pete and me for +digging. We snapped him up quicker'n a flash, and what does that man +do? He went down to Dutch Flat, brought up his tools, and set in to +working the hole, and before he had gone two feet farther he struck +the richest vein you ever clapped your eyes on. He took sixty +thousand dollars out of it. Now, some of you fellows talk about hard +luck. If any of you can beat that story, I'll give you what little I +made on Dutch Flat this summer." + +"That _was_ hard luck, I must say," said Julian. "And you lacked only +two feet of being rich?" + +"Only just two feet," returned Banta, "We might have been running +around now with two niggers to drive the team--one dressed as a +coachman and the other as a footman. Pete didn't get over pulling his +hair for a month after that." + +"But we are going to stake ourselves next summer," said Julian. "If we +lose, it will come out of our own pockets. Have you been anywhere near +this mine that we are going to work?" + +"What do you think of that, Pete?" exclaimed Banta. "He wants to know +if we have been near his mine. Not much! I'll bet there are two +hundred miners on Dutch Flat this minute, and not one of them has ever +seen that mine. They have heard about it, they know there is plenty +of gold up there, but nobody has ever been near it. The last two that +went up there came away so badly frightened that they packed up and +left the country so quick that you could not see them for the dust +they kicked up along the trail. They saw something down there in the +pit, and it took all the pluck out of them." + +"What did they see?" asked Julian. + +"Well, perhaps I was a little too fast in saying that they saw +something," said Banta. "They heard something, and that was as good as +though they had seen it. It first began with a scurrying on the +ground, as if somebody was hurrying over it. Where it came from nobody +knew; it seemed to fill the air all around them. Before they had time +to get frightened at this there was a shriek that made it appear as if +the pit was full of unearthly spirits, and then all was still; but the +fellows had heard enough. The man down below yelled to his partner to +pull him up, and when he found himself safe on top he laid down on the +ground and swore he would never go down there again. Oh, you boys +have something to face, if you are going up there!" + +"Could not the sound they heard have been occasioned by bats that had +been disturbed while trying to take a rest?" asked Julian. "He had a +light, of course." + +"Bats!" exclaimed Banta, with deep disgust; "it was a great deal +larger than bats. And he could have seen them if he had a light, could +he not?" + +"And, besides, bats don't shriek that way," said a miner who had not +spoken before. "There used to be a miner who was working that pit +along with Winkleman----" + +"You hold your yawp," exclaimed Banta, fiercely; "I am telling the +boys nothing but facts. I want them to know just what they have to +face. I don't go into any of this cock-and-bull story about a dead +miner. If that man died up there, and was buried, he's there yet, and +he can't come out to work in the pit any more." + +"What about him?" asked Julian. "We want to know everything connected +with the mine, then we will be prepared for anything." + +"But this thing is not connected with the mine," said Banta; "it is +some sort of a story the miners have, and there is not a word of truth +in it. They tell about a miner being seen there by everyone who goes +down, and when you try to get up to him, he is not there. He goes +farther and farther away every time you approach him." + +"We have heard that story before," said Julian, with a smile; "Mr. Fay +knows all about it." + +"Then of course you don't believe it. I have told you the truth about +the mine, and now you can go up with me next spring or stay away, just +as you have a mind to." + +"Oh, we will go with you," said Julian. "I never was interested in any +property yet that I was afraid to work just on account of some things +you could not see. When we bid you good-bye at Dutch Flat we shall +know what there is in that mine before we come back." + +"I like your pluck," said Banta; and the look of admiration he +bestowed upon Julian more than confirmed his words. "If you live up +to that, I hope you will get some gold." + +"They say that gold is plenty up there," said another miner. "They say +it is lying around under your feet." + +"And you never went there to get it!" exclaimed Julian with surprise. + +"It isn't as thick as that," said Banta. "Probably every bucketful you +send up to be washed will yield you from ten to fifty dollars. You +will get rich at that rate." + +"Well, I guess we have troubled you long enough," said Julian, rising +to his feet. "We are really obliged to you, Mr. Banta, for offering to +take charge of us, although we are nothing but tenderfeet. There are +no Indians out there, are there?" + +"Indians!--no; and if there were some on the warpath, we have miners +enough up there to make them hunt their holes." + +"I am glad of that; we don't want anything to do with those savages, +after what we have read about them. We will see you again, Mr. Banta." + +"Do so, and the next time I will tell you what things you want to +buy, to make your enterprise successful. Good-morning." + +"There's two boys that have gone plumb crazy," said one of the miners, +after the door had closed upon Julian and Jack. "I wonder how they got +that mine, in the first place?" + +"The boys are bound to get gold there, if they can stick it out," said +another. "One of the men who came down from there showed me a piece of +metal as big as a marble, which he had picked up on the bottom of that +pit; but the trouble is, can they stick it out?" + +"I believe _they_ will," said Banta, settling down in his chair once +more. "That boy who did most of the talking is one who has plenty of +'sand' to see him through. After they get fairly settled, I believe +I'll go up and see how they are getting along." + +"Then you will go without me," said Pete; "I am as close to that mine +as I want to be." + +"Well, Jack," said Julian, as he buttoned his coat, "what do you think +of our mine? Shall we go up and try it? The miners all think there is +gold up there." + +"We will have plenty of time to talk about that between this time and +spring," returned Jack. "Mr. Haberstro may come up before we get ready +to start, and demand his money." + +"I have no fears on that score," replied Julian. "Did not the lawyer +say that he did not look for that? But, Jack, I really believe you are +afraid of that mine." + +"You need not be. When we get up there, and get things fixed, I will +be the first to go into it." + +"All right. I'll stand back and let you. Now, Jack, what are we going +to do this winter? We can't sit around all the time without something +to occupy our minds." + +"I have been thinking about that. Let us call on Mr. Fay, and see what +he says." + +Julian thought this a piece of advice worth acting upon, and they bent +their steps toward Mr. Fay's office, where they found him seated, as +before, with his feet on the desk in front of him. When he saw who his +visitors were, he jumped up hastily and seized each of them by the arm +with a firm grip. + +"Oh, boys, you surely haven't made up your minds to go up to that +mine next spring, have you?" he asked, almost in a whisper. + +"Why, yes, sir," said Julian, somewhat surprised by the man's actions. +"I reckon it is ours, and we want to see what gold is to be found in +it." + +"But think of the ghosts you will have to contend with," said Mr. Fay. +"You will hear scurrying of feet--What was that?" he continued, +looking toward a distant part of his office and pulling the boys +around in front of him. "I am certain there is a ghost there." + +Julian and Jack began to see into the matter now. The man was so full +of his fun that he could not keep it in under any circumstances, and +it had come to the surface when he saw the boys come into his office. +Perhaps a lingering smile around his mouth had something to do with +it. + +"I don't believe you heard any ghost there," said Julian; "they are so +busy up there at the mine that they have no time to come down here to +trouble you." + +"All right, boys; sit down. What did Banta say the spirits looked +like?" + +Julian replied that he could not tell, for he had not seen them; and +with this as an introduction he went on and repeated the miner's +conversation as nearly as he could recall it. Mr. Fay listened, highly +amused, and when Julian ceased speaking he said, + +"If you can see them, what's the use of your being afraid? And as for +that phantom miner, that happened a long ways from here. I ought to be +kicked for trying to frighten you." + +"It will take something more than that to scare us out," said Julian. +"Now, Mr. Fay, we want to ask your advice." + +"I am ready to give it. Do you want to invest some property in a +gold-mine?" + +No; Julian assured him that it had no reference to their property, +which was not theirs yet until the court had passed upon it, but it +was in regard to their going to school in order to learn something. +Mr. Fay was all attention now, and when Julian spoke of joining some +mercantile academy, he slapped his hands down upon his knees as if +that was the best thing the boys could do. + +"I have no fears that your money will not prove useful to you," said +he; "the idea of your wanting to go to school is a big feather in your +caps. Some young men, with such an amount of money as you have coming +to you, would loaf around and do nothing until their funds were all +gone; but you don't act that way. Believe me, there is an end to that +hundred thousand dollars somewhere." + +"That is just what the president of the bank told us when we called +upon him," said Julian. "We have worked so hard for the little money +we have that we intend to take care of it. But, Mr. Fay, we don't +believe that Mr. Gibson did right in giving us these funds." + +"What's the reason you don't?" + +"Why, he said he would have to get word from the court before all the +property could be turned over to us--" + +"Oh, that's all right; Mr. Gibson knew what he was doing. You will +find it all right when the Judge hears the case. Now, do you know +where the business college is situated?" + +Julian was not so sure about that, but he received certain +instructions from Mr. Fay that made him think he could find it; so the +boys put on their caps and went out. + + + + +CHAPTER XIX. + +GOING TO SCHOOL. + + +"Is the boss mechanic anywhere about?" asked Jack, who chanced to be +the first who entered the college when they found it. + +They had opened a door, and found themselves in one of the study-rooms +of the school. There were fifty men and women there, all interested +with their books, and the best of order prevailed. A young man, whose +seat was near the door, on seeing that the boys were strangers, had +arisen and asked them what he could do for them. + +"The boss mechanic?" he repeated, in a surprised tone. + +"He means the man who is at the head of this institution," said +Julian. We want to see him for a few minutes, if you please." + +"Oh, yes," said the young man, as he gave Jack a looking over. "I +guess you have worked at manual labor all your life." + +"Yes, I have," replied Jack; "I have done nothing but lift heavy iron +for a good many years, and now I want to find an easier way of making +a living." + +"You have come to the right place to find it. Step this way." + +The student led the way around the room, passing close to the +scholars, some of whom merely glanced up, others paying not the least +attention to them, until he opened a door and ushered them into a +private office. He introduced the boys as persons who had come there +to see the "boss mechanic," and then went out; while a pleasant-faced, +elderly gentleman replied that he was the "boss mechanic" of that +school, and asked them what they wanted. Jack, who had made a blunder +by the first question he asked, remained silent, leaving Julian to do +all the talking. + +"We want to get an education," said Julian. + +"Well, that is what this school can give you," said the man. "What do +you want to study?" + +"Stenography and type-writing." + +"And you?" he added, turning to Jack. + +"Bookkeeping and writing; I write a fearful hand." + +The superintendent, having made a start with the boys, invited them to +sit down, and in a few minutes he learned something of the boys' +history, and what occupation they had been engaged in previous to +coming to Denver. Without telling him anything of their circumstances, +they chanced to mention the names of Mr. Fay and Mr. Gibson, and after +that Julian thought he seemed to take more interest in them. After a +little conversation the boys pulled out their roll of bills and paid +for six months' instruction and the books they would need, and then +arose to go, after telling him they would be on hand in the morning, +ready to go to work. + +"I'll tell you what's a fact," said Jack, pausing on the stairs and +pulling out his diminished roll of bills; "we will have to go to the +bank and get some more money, the first thing you know." + +"That is so," replied Julian. "And I have just thought of another +thing. Did you see how neatly all those students were dressed? I am +going to draw two hundred dollars--" + +"Man alive!" said Jack, appalled by the sum mentioned. "Suppose Mr. +Haberstro comes up--" + +"I don't bother my head about him. We will go and get some money, and +then we will go to a tailor's and get some clothes worth having. If +Mr. Haberstro is going to appear, Mr. Gibson will show us the way +out." + +Jack was not convinced by any means, but he kept close by Julian's +side until he reached the bank. Julian made out the check for him and +he signed his name, and the money was paid to each of them without a +word of protest. Jack felt a little uneasy after that. He did not like +to have so much money about him. He carried his left hand in the +pocket where he had placed the bills, and looked at every +roughly-dressed man he met, as if he were afraid that somebody would +rob him. + +"I don't feel exactly right," said he to Julian. "As soon as we get +home I'll put this money in my trunk, and then I know it will be +safe." + +"Don't keep your hand on it all the while, or you will lead somebody +to suspect something," said Julian. "Now, here is a tailor shop; let +us go in and see what we can do." + +Jack fairly gasped when Julian said he wanted the finest suit of +clothes there was in the store. He wanted two suits--one for every day +and one for Sundays. Of course the merchant was eager to show them to +him, and the result was that he ordered the best suits he had ever had +in his life. Jack did not believe in expensive clothes, but Julian +urged it upon him, telling him that he would look as though he came +from the country among all those nicely-dressed students, and Jack +finally yielded to him. + +"That's the worst expenditure of money that I was ever guilty of," +said he, when they were fairly on the street. + +"Grumbling again, are you?" was Julian's comment. "Never mind; you +will get used to it after a while." + +The next thing the boys had in view was to join the Young Men's +Christian Association, so that they could get some books to take home +with them; and when that was done they considered themselves settled +for the winter. They went to school the next day, and from that time +until spring opened they never missed a lesson. Jack was rather +awkward at first. The hands which had been in the habit of lifting +heavy bars of iron could not accommodate themselves to a pen very +readily; and oftentimes, when Julian sat in his room, of nights, +reading, Jack was there learning to write. No two boys ever behaved +themselves better than they did, and it was not long before they +became favorites, both with the boarders and others who came there to +visit. Jack soon got used to his fine clothes, and wore them as if he +had been accustomed to them all his life. They took an evening now and +then to call upon Mr. Banta, and they always found him as talkative as +ever. Sometimes they became so interested in his tales of life in the +gold-camps that it was ten o'clock before they returned home. Mr. Fay +and Mr. Gibson also came in for visits occasionally, and once the +latter took out a bundle of papers, which he handed to Julian. + +"What are these?" he asked. + +"They are your property," said the lawyer. "You can keep the papers +yourself, or you can let me keep them, and I will put them in my till +in the bank." + +"Do you mean that all comes to us?" inquired Julian, while a thrill +shot all through him. + +"Yes, sir; the court decided so a week ago." + +"Jack," said Julian, turning to his companion, "are you sorry, now, +that I went to the express office and invested in that 'old horse'?" + +Jack could not say anything. He remembered how he had scolded Julian +for that, and he did not want it thrown up to him so often. Julian +then went on and told Mr. Gibson what had happened in their room the +night he brought the "old horse" home, and the lawyer laughed loudly +at his description of it. + +"Mr. Gibson, we really wish you would take charge of this matter for +us," said Julian. "You hope so, too--don't you, Jack?" + +"Of course; we don't know what to do with it." + +And so the matter was settled, and the boys breathed a good deal +easier while they were on their way home. There was one thing that +often came into their minds, and that was, What had become of Claus +and Casper Nevins? Had they given up all hopes of gaining possession +of that hundred thousand dollars? Jack scouted the idea. Casper might +have given it up, but Claus would stick to his idea until he got into +jail by it. He was not a man who gave up so easily. It is true they +had not seen anything of him since they came to Denver, but Jack was +sure they would hear from him at some other time. + +"You will see," exclaimed Jack, when he confided his opinions to +Julian. "You want to be on the watch, or the first thing you know he +will jump down on us." + +"I guess Mr. Gibson can shut him up very easily," said Julian. + +"Yes; but it may happen when Mr. Gibson is not around." + +"Eh? Do you mean that he will come down on us while we are up at the +mine?" + +"Such things as that have happened. When you see a German you want to +look out." + +Things went along in Denver as they usually did, and when winter +fairly opened on them the boys thought they had never experienced such +cold weather before. But it did not interfere with their business in +any way. It was not long before Mr. Banta began to talk to them about +the things that would be necessary for them to have if they were going +to operate their mine successfully, and the boys had a lengthy list of +things they would have to buy. They thought they could get along +without some of them, but Banta assured them that everything they had +down would be of use to them sooner or later. As time wore on, the +prospect of leaving Denver and going off to the mountains alone, where +they were destined to encounter some risks that they did not know +whether they could stand up against or not, made the boys silent and +thoughtful. In Denver they had friends--they were sure of that; but +when they got out to their mine they would be left all to themselves, +and Julian and Jack did not know what they would make of it. Jack had +less to say about it than his companion, but it was plain enough to +see that he was not going to back out. + +"I tell you I hate to go away and leave all the kind friends we have +gathered about us," said Julian, as they left Salisbury's hotel after +Mr. Banta had told them that by two weeks from Monday they must be on +hand bright and early, all ready to start for the mountains. "I wish I +knew what was in that mine." + +"So do I; and the only way we can find out is to go and see," replied +Jack. "I don't believe in ghosts, but I have heard so much about the +things up there in that mine that I am almost ready to give in to +them." + +There was another thing that Jack thought of, although he did not +mention it. Julian had always been one of the first to talk about +going to the mine, and he was ready to accuse Jack of cowardice; but +when the time for their departure drew near, Julian did not open his +mouth. Jack thought of that, but said nothing. + +Mr. Banta told them, finally, that they had better go to work and get +their things ready, and they set about it in earnest. The first thing +they did was to take leave of the students at the college. The boys +were all sorry to see them go, and the superintendent said he hoped +Julian and Jack had given up the idea of a gold-mine, for they were +getting on so rapidly in their studies that he trusted to see them +complete the course. He predicted they would come back poorer than +when they went away. He had heard of such things before; and, after +the young men had eaten up all their provisions, they would be glad to +find somebody to grub-stake them back to Denver. + +"You will see us back here in the fall," said Julian, confidently. "We +are not going to give up our chances of learning something." + +"But you may meet your death up there," said the superintendent. "I +have often heard of such things." + +"I was awfully afraid you were going to say something about the ghosts +in our gold-mine," said Jack, as they went down the stairs. "You +looked at me several times as though you wanted to say something about +it." + +"It was right on the end of my tongue," said Julian, "but I thought I +had better keep still about it. If we should come back here before +fall, they would say right away that we had been frightened out and +dared not go back." + +Mr. Banta was busy getting his own things together, but he found time +now and then to overlook the boys' expenditures. Under his +instructions they bought three horses,--two of them for riding, the +other intended as a pack-horse to carry their utensils,--and then he +led the boys away to a gun-shop, where they were to purchase rifles. + +"Look here, Mr. Banta," said Julian; "we don't need anything in here. +We have got a revolver apiece, and, if the truth must be told, we have +spent a good deal of time in practicing with them." + +"What good will a revolver do you?" asked Banta, greatly surprised. +"If we chance to meet any Indians----" + +"But you told us there were no Indians," said Julian. "We don't want +to shoot at anybody unless they are close at hand. Maybe they will +come in handy on the ghosts, you know." + +"Well, you don't know anything about the plains--I can see that, plain +enough. If you think revolvers are going to do you, why, I am done +with you." + +"Then we have purchased everything we want, have we?" + +"I think so. Be on hand on Monday morning, because we shall be off +before the sun gets an hour high." + +The boys drew a long breath when they heard this. If they had not +talked so much about visiting their mine it is probable that both of +them would have backed squarely out. + + + + +CHAPTER XX. + +WATERSPOUTS AND BLIZZARDS. + + +"Hi! Nellie; get on, there! Strike a trot! We won't get to the +mountains in seven years, at this gait." + +It was Mr. Banta who spoke, and he emphasized his remarks by making +the whip he carried in his hand crack loudly. The old, white bell-mare +pricked up her ears and slowly quickened her pace, closely followed by +all the pack-mules and horses belonging to the train. + +"That old pack-mare knows where we are going as well as we do," said +Banta, squaring around and throwing his leg over the horn of his +saddle so that he could face the two boys whom he was addressing. "She +has been up here so often that she knows every foot of the way. If we +get hard up for deer meat, all we have to do is to take her bell off, +and then we can go twenty miles out on the prairie, and she will +bring us back home again. You can't get lost if you are on her." + +"Why do you take the bell off when you want to go hunting with the +mare?" asked Julian of Mr. Banta, who, by reason of his age and +experience, acted as leader of the company. "Does the noise of the +bell frighten the game?" + +"That is one reason," replied Banta; "and the other is, we don't want +all the pack-mules and horses to follow us. Wherever they hear the +bell, they will go to it. If we were on the other side of a wide +river, even though it was swimming-deep, and some of these mules don't +like water any too well, and should sound that bell a few times, they +would all come over. If anything should happen to that old bell-mare, +and she should die, we'd send a man on with that bell, and the mules +would follow him wherever he went." + +It was Monday morning, and the sun was just rising. The cavalcade had +been on its way for two hours, for they left the hotel, amid wishes +for good luck from all who saw them go, at the first peep of day. They +went directly past the hotel at which Julian and Jack had stopped to +eat dinner when they first came there, and were now alone in the +foothills which arose on all sides of them. There were at least a +dozen miners in the company, and they had all set out for Dutch Flat +in the hope of digging up a fortune before the winter's storms +overtook them. Julian and Jack were there, dressed in rough miners' +clothing, and the horse which bore their provisions and tools was with +the others who were following the bell-mare. + +Anybody could see at a glance that these boys were tenderfeet, and +they did not attempt to deny it. Every other miner had a heavy +Winchester slung at his back, while the only firearms the boys +exhibited were Smith & Wesson revolvers, which they carried strapped +to their waists. They did not look forward to the future with as brave +hearts as most of the miners did. They could not get the idea out of +their minds that the gold they wanted to find was protected by +something which they did not want to see. The miners now and then cast +curious looks at them, to see if they were not afraid of the prospect +before them, but finally came to the conclusion that the boys were +"going through with it." The miners were happy, and sang rude songs +and cracked jokes with each other; but the boys were busy with their +own thoughts, and took no part in what was going on around them. + +"And I don't blame them, either," said one miner, in a low voice, to +his companion. "I wouldn't take any part in the singing if I were in +their place. They are brave enough now, but wait until they have been +up to that mine about two days; then we will see them at our camp, +frightened to death." + +"Banta has rather taken them under his care, judging by the way he +keeps watch over them," said the other miner. + +"Yes; he was made acquainted with them by some high man in Denver, and +so he keeps an eye on them. But he can't go up to their mine with +them. More than that, those ghosts will not stop for him or anybody +else." + +Julian and Jack were not accustomed to being in the saddle from +daylight until dark, and the ride was long and wearisome to them. +They stopped at noon to eat their lunch and to let their animals crop +the grass for a few minutes; but their packs were never removed from +them until they halted for the night at a place which showed that +there had been a camp before. Lean-to's were scattered around, partly +unroofed by the storms of winter, and remnants of fires were to be +seen; and Banta said that no one had been there since he and his party +made the camp last fall. + +"We made this camp while we were going down to the city," said he. "It +was raining when we stopped here, and that accounts for the lean-to's. +We had a waterspout that night, this little stream was filled twenty +feet deep, and some of us began to look wild." + +"A waterspout?" queried Jack. "What is that?" + +"Why, I don't know that I can describe it so that you can understand +it," answered Banta, scratching his head. "It is caused by the large +quantity of water that sometimes falls among the hills up-country, and +when it all rushes into these ravines--well, you can imagine how it +looks, but I cannot describe it. This stream has not much water in it +now--you can step across it anywhere; but I have seen it bank full +from rains in the up-country, while there was not a drop of it fell +here. I remember that night. I was sound asleep in a lean-to. I had +told the boys that before morning we would have to get farther up the +bank or run the risk of having some of our things carried off, and +about midnight I awoke with a feeling that there was something going +on. You don't know anything about that, do you? Well, you wait until +you have acted as guide for two or three mule-trains, and then you'll +know it. Everything depends upon you to see that the train comes out +all right. + +"I could not go to sleep again when once I woke up, and so I arose and +went out. It was still raining heavily, but the brook didn't show much +sign of it. I placed myself on the edge of the bank, and hardly had I +got there before a long, creamy wave, which extended clear across this +gully, crept with a hissing sound across the sand and rocks. +Following with equal speed, and about a hundred feet behind it, was +another wave, an unbroken mass of water at least five feet in height. +It was not rounded into a wave, as at sea or on the lakes, but rose +sheer and straight, a perfect wall of water. I knew that in five +minutes this little creek would be brim full, so I raised a yell and +awoke everybody in camp. The men I had with me were all veterans, and +there was no need that I should explain matters. They took just one +look at the water, and then grabbed their things and made a rush for +the high bank behind the lean-to's. After placing them where they +would be safe, they came back and made a rush for the horses. Pete, +there, caught the bell-mare, and by dint of pulling and boosting we +finally got them to that level spot you see up there." + +Mr. Banta pointed to the bank, which seemed almost as straight as the +side of a house, and the boys looked on with perfect astonishment. + +"How in the world did you get the mules and horses up there?" inquired +Julian. + +"A man can do a heap of things when he is working for his life and for +things that he can't afford to lose," said Banta, with a laugh. "Pete +has a heap of strength in those arms of his, and when I get hold of a +mule's tail and begin to twist it, he goes somewhere as soon as he +can. We got them up easy enough, and there we stayed for two whole +days, until the water had all passed away. We didn't lose so much as a +pound of bacon. But if I had been asleep, like the rest of the fellows +were, we would have had a time of it; somebody would have had to swim +for his life, and the current ran like lightning, too." + +"I did not know you had to look out for water on the plains," remarked +Julian. "Is there anything you don't stand in fear of out here? You +see, we want to know it all." + +"Well, a waterspout is one thing, and a blizzard is the next," said +Banta. "I mean a blizzard where the clouds send down chunks of ice at +you as big as your fist. Oh, you needn't laugh. Look at that." + +Banta stripped up his leggings, and showed the boys a long, ragged +scar which he had received in one of the commotions of nature +referred to. The wound must have been a dangerous one. + +"And the worst of it was, I did not have a doctor look at it for two +weeks," Banta went on. "You see, I was out alone, and making the best +track I could for the fort. The sky had all along been hazy, and on +this day I had to go across the Twenty-mile desert, where there was +not a willow-twig big enough for me to get under. When I was about +half-way over it began to rain, and in less than an hour afterward the +blizzard came a-ripping. My horse and mule were made so frantic by the +pelting of the ice that I finally let them go; but before I released +the horse I took my knife and cut the saddle and blankets off him. +What did I do that for? Because I was too cold to use my fingers. I +settled down there on the prairie, put the saddle and blankets over my +head, and waited for the storm to cease; but before I did that, there +came a big bunch of ice and struck me on the leg. I never had anything +hurt so bad in my life." + +"How long did you have to stay there?" asked Jack. "I hear that some +of these storms last two or three days." + +"This one lasted one day, and I was glad to see the ice quit dropping. +I was thirty miles from the fort, and I'll bet I didn't do two miles +of walking in all that distance. I left everything except my weapons +and crawled all the way. This is the saddle, right here." + +"I should keep that for the good it had done," said Julian. "Your +saddle probably saved your life." + +"It will stay with me while I live," said Banta, casting an +affectionate look upon the article in question. "Now, boys, suppose +you get ready and chop some wood and start the fire. I'll take the +things off the animals and straighten up the lean-to. You boys don't +know how to make a lean-to, do you? If you take a good look at this +one, you will see how it is done." + +There was one satisfaction the boys had in listening to Mr. Banta's +stories--they were true, every word of them. If any of the "boys" +tried to make things different from what they were, Banta always shut +them up. That was the reason the boys thought so much of him, and +anything he had to say in regard to working their mine was always +listened to with the keenest interest. + +The change that a few experienced men made in that deserted camp in a +short time was wonderful. Every stroke of the axe counted for +something, and every step the men made to and from the places they had +chosen to make their beds seemed to count for something else; so that +by the time Julian and Jack had cut wood enough to last them all night +the lean-to's were covered with fresh boughs, those who did not choose +to sleep under shelter had their beds made up under the protecting +branches of trees, the animals were staked out, and two of the cooks +were busy getting supper. It was all done without the least commotion, +for each man knew what his duty was. + +"If a rain-storm was coming up you couldn't have made this camp +quicker," said Julian. "It beats the world how soon men can get ready +for the night." + +"Yes, but that comes from experience, you know," said Banta. "Do you +know that I have been thinking of something? When we get up to Dutch +Flat, and you get ready to go up to your mine, I believe I will go +with you." + +"That's the best piece of news I have heard for a long time," declared +Julian, who was delighted beyond measure. "We don't ask you to go down +in the mine, you understand, but if you will just stay there until we +get things fixed you will confer a great favor upon us." + +"Yes, I guess I had better see to your wants a little," said Banta. +"You are tenderfeet, you have never lived alone in the mountains, and +perhaps I can tip you a wink now and then that will be of use to you. +You will need the mine cleared away--it has all grown up to grass by +this time--and you will need a windlass and a lean-to; and maybe I can +be of assistance." + +"I know you can; and of great assistance, too. I tell you, I feel +easier. I have often wondered how that mine looked, and how we were +going to get it in shape to work it, but I don't worry about it now. +We are much obliged to you for your offer." + +"Oh, that's all right. I remember that I was a boy myself, and any +such little help as I have offered you would have been a regular +blessing to me. Now let us go and see if supper is ready." + +Supper was almost ready, and the neat manner in which it was served +up, and the way it was cooked, told the boys that if the miners could +always get such food as that, they could work their claims to the best +possible advantage. + +"Can we help you a little?" said Julian to one of the cooks after the +meal was over and the man began gathering up the dishes. + +"What a-doing?" asked the cook. + +"We want to help you wash the dishes," said Julian. + +"Why, bless you, that's no trouble. There is only one way you can help +us, and that is by sitting by and looking on. I never yet saw a +tenderfoot that didn't get in the way. You will have enough of it to +do when you get up to that ghost-haunted mine of yours and have to +cook your own meals. You had better take my advice," said the cook, in +a lower tone, "and stay down on Dutch Flat with us. There are no +spirits down there." + +"But it is ours, and I don't see why we can't work it," replied +Julian. "If there is anybody there, we will make him show himself." + +"You will see," said the cook, going to the camp-fire for a bucket of +water. "The next time we see you, you will be all ready to go back to +Denver." + +The cook struck up a whistle as he began washing the dishes, and the +boys, taking this as a gentle hint that he would rather be alone, +walked off to another fire which had been kindled in the upper end of +the camp. All the miners were gathered about there, and each one of +them had a story to tell about some wonderful "find" which he had +almost struck, and then ceased digging because he was discouraged by +the way the gold "showed up." Banta was there, and after relating +three or four stories of his own, he began to stretch and yawn as +though he were sleepy, and finally arose and went into his lean-to. +The boys followed him, hoping he would say something more about going +up to their mine with them; but he talked on other topics until he got +into bed, and then he became silent. He had already decided what he +would do when they reached Dutch Flat, and there the matter ended. + + + + +CHAPTER XXI. + +THE CAMP AT DUTCH FLAT. + + +The boys slept as comfortably as if they had been at home in their +boarding-house. It is true their blankets were rather hard, and their +pillows were not as soft as they might have been, being simply their +saddles with nothing but the horse-blankets over them, but they never +knew a thing from the time they went to bed until they heard Mr. +Banta's voice roaring out "Catch up!" + +They found all in the camp busy. Some were raking the embers of the +fire together, others were getting ready to cook breakfast, but most +of them were engaged in packing the animals. This last was a task that +the boys always wanted to see, for the operation was so complicated +that they did not think they could ever learn how to do it. The mules +were blinded, in the first place, so that they could not kick when the +heavy pack was thrown upon their backs, and the man on the near side, +who seemed to "boss" the business, placed his foot against the mule's +side and called lustily for the rope which the other fellow held in +his hands. + +"You have more rope there, and I know it," was the way in which he +began the conversation. + +"Here you are," said his companion, and the rope was passed over the +pack to where the other fellow was waiting to receive it. + +"Come, let's have a little more rope," repeated the first man. + +"There's oceans of it here, and you can have all you want of it." + +"Are you all fast there?" + +"I will be in a minute. Here's your end." + +"All fast here. Now let us see him kick it off," said the first man; +whereupon a dexterous twist tore off the blinders, and the mule was +free to go and join his companions. It was all done in two minutes, +and the pack was safe to last until the train halted for the night. + +"Come on, boys," said Mr. Banta, turning to Julian and Jack, who +stood, with towel and soap in their hands, watching the operation of +packing the animals. "You must get around livelier than this. When you +get to digging out gold by the bucketful you won't wait to wash your +faces or get breakfast; you'll be down in that mine before the sun is +up." + +"Are we not going to eat at all?" asked Julian, who was amused at the +man's way of telling them that they would be so anxious to find the +gold that they would not spend time to cook their meals. + +"Yes, I suppose you will have to eat sometimes, but you will hold your +grub in one hand and use the spade with the other." + +The miners were in a hurry, now, to resume their journey, and it took +them about half as long to eat breakfast as they devoted to their +supper. Five minutes was about the time they applied themselves to +their meal, and when Mr. Banta arose from his seat on the ground and +drew his hairy hand across his mouth to brush away the drops of coffee +that clung to his mustache the miners all arose, too. In less time +than it takes to tell it they were all in their saddles and under +way, and when they stopped again for the night they were in a camp +which they had occupied on the way down to Denver. Mr. Banta was as +talkative as usual, and when he had got his pipe going, and had taken +three or four puffs to make sure that it was well started, he began +his round of stories, which the boys were always ready to listen to. + +They were all of a week in making their journey; and about three +o'clock in the afternoon, when the old bell-mare struck a trot, Mr. +Banta turned to Jack and gave him a poke with his finger. + +"We are almost home," said he, joyfully. "I don't suppose this will +seem like home to you, but it does to me, for it is the only home I +have." + +"Do you never get tired of this business?" asked Julian. "I should +think you would like to go back to the States, where you belong." + +"How do you know that I belong in the States?" asked Mr. Banta. + +"I judge by your way of talking, as much as anything. You were not +raised in this country--I am certain of it." + +"Well, I will go back when I get enough." + +"How much do you call enough?" + +"Half a million dollars." + +Julian and Jack opened their eyes and looked surprised. + +"I've got three hundred thousand now in the bank at Denver." + +"Then you are not so badly off, after all. I think I could live on the +interest of that much." + +"There are some objections to my going back," said Mr. Banta, looking +off toward the distant mountains. "When I get back there I will have +to settle down to a humdrum life, and there won't be nothing at all to +get up a little excitement. Here the thing is different. We live here, +taking gold in paying quantities all the time, and the first thing we +know we hear of some new placers, which have been found somewhere +else, that make a man rich as fast as he can stick a shovel into the +ground. Of course we pack up and go off to find the new placers. We +have a muss or two with some outlaws, and when we get rid of them we +go to work and find out that there is nothing there." + +"Then you wish yourself back at Dutch Flat," said Jack. + +"That's the way it happens, oftentimes. It is the excitement that +keeps us a-going. Now, in the States I would not have any of that." + +"Did you find many outlaws in this country when you first came here?" + +"They were thicker than flies around a molasses barrel," answered Mr. +Banta. "But we have got rid of them all, and your life is just as safe +here as it would be in St. Louis. Whenever we go to a new country, the +outlaws are the first things we look out for. There's the camp, all +right and tight, just as we left it." + +The camp covered a good stretch of ground; but then Mr. Banta had not +told them that there were fully two hundred miners in it, and of +course such a multitude of men, where nobody owned the land, would +spread over a good deal of territory. The boys had a fine opportunity +to take a survey of the first mining camp they had ever seen. They +were surprised at the neatness of it. Things in the shape of old +bottles or tin cans were not scattered around where somebody would +stumble over them, but such articles were thrown into a ravine behind +the camp, out of sight. The most of the miners had erected little log +cabins to protect them from the storms of winter, and the others had +comfortable lean-to's which served the same purpose. Most of the men +were busy with their mines, but there were three or four of them +loafing about, and when the noise made by the pack-animals saluted +their ears they turned to see who was coming. One glance was enough; +they pulled off their hats and waved them by way of welcome. + +"Well, if here ain't Banta!" they all exclaimed in a breath. "Did you +drop your roll down at Denver and come back to get more?" + +"Nary a time," replied Mr. Banta, emphatically. "We got just what we +could eat and drink, and that is all the money we spent. Who has +passed in his checks since I have been gone?" + +(This was a miner's way of asking "Who's dead?") + +"None of the boys who are here shovelling for gold," said the man, +coming forward to shake hands with Mr. Banta, "but those four outlaws +who came up here from Denver to deal out some whiskey and start a faro +bank could tell a different story, if they were here." + +"They did not get a foothold here, did they?" asked Mr. Banta. + +"I'll bet they didn't. We hardly gave them time to unpack their goods +before we jumped on them and spilled their traps on the ground. One of +the bums grew huffy at that, and he took a wounded arm down for the +doctor to bandage up." + +"Have any of the boys made their pile?" + +"Some have, and some have not. Tommy Moran has struck a vein with +sixty thousand dollars in it, and has been loafing around for the last +two months, doing nothing. He went out to-day to see if he can get +some more. He wants to go home, now." + +"I should not think he would like to travel between here and Denver +with that amount of money about him," said Mr. Banta. + +"Well, there will be plenty more to join in with him when he is ready +to go. The discouraged ones number a heap. The sign looks right, but +the paying-stuff don't pan out first-rate. Some are going home, and +the rest are going off to hunt up new diggings." + +Having briefly got at the news of what had been going on at the camp +while he had been away, Mr. Banta led the way toward his own log +cabin, which was fastened up just as it was when he left it. There was +one bed, made of rough boards, an abundance of dishes, a fireplace, +and one or two chairs, and that was all the furniture to be seen. But +Mr. Banta thought his cabin just about right. + +"It don't matter how hard it rains or blows, this little house has +sheltered me for a year, and has got to do so until my vein gives out. +Now, boys, catch the pack-animals and turn them over to me, and I'll +soon make things look as though somebody lived here." + +Julian and Jack managed to secure the pack-animals by catching the +bell-mare and leading her up to the door of the cabin, and it was not +long before the bundles which they had borne for two hundred miles +were placed on the ground, and Mr. Banta was engaged in carrying the +things into his house. He unpacked all the bundles except the one that +belonged to the boys, and that would not be opened until they reached +their mine. + +"Are you fellows decided on that matter yet?" he asked. "Had you not +better stay with us here on the Flat? We will promise you that no +spooks will trouble you here." + +"The more you talk about that mine, the more determined we are to see +what is in it," answered Jack. "You need not think you can scare us +out in that way." + +"I like your pluck, and if you are determined to go there, why, I am +going with you. It is only five miles, and we can easily ride over +there in two hours." + +"Where is it you are going?" asked one of the miners, who stood in the +doorway unobserved. + +"You know that haunted mine, don't you?" + +"Great Moses! You ain't a-going up there!" said the man; and as he +spoke he came into the cabin and sat down in one of the chairs. + +"The boys are going there, and I thought I would go with them to see +them started," said Mr. Banta. "The mine is all grown up to grass, +because there hasn't been anybody up there for some time now." + +"No, I should say not!" exclaimed the miner, as soon as he had +recovered from his astonishment. "Are the boys plumb crazy? I tell +you, lads, when you see----" + +"Tony, shut your mouth!" cried Mr. Banta. "The boys won't see +anything, but they'll hear something that will take all the sand out +of them. I have talked to the boys many times about that mine, during +the past winter, but they have their heads set on it, and I don't see +any other way than to let them go." + +"Well, if we hear anything, there must be something that makes the +noise," asserted Julian. + +"It will be something that you can't see," said the miner, shaking his +head and looking thoughtfully at the ground. "Two fellows went up +there since I knew the mine, and when they got down to the bottom of +the pit they were so frightened that they came down here as fast as +they could and struck out for Denver. They were both big, stout men, +and were armed with Winchesters and revolvers. If they had seen what +made the noise, they would have been apt to shoot--wouldn't they?" + +"I should think they would," answered Jack. + +"Will you go down into the mine when you get there?" asked the man, +turning to Mr. Banta. + +"Not much, as anybody knows of," declared the latter, shivering all +over. "The ghosts don't bother anybody working at the top, so I shall +get along all right." + +"Well, that puts a different look on the matter," remarked Tony, +evidently much relieved. "Then I shall expect to see you back in two +or three days." + +"Yes, I'll be back by that time," asserted Mr. Banta; and he added to +himself, "if anything happens to the boys after that, why, I shall be +miles away." + +This was the first time that Mr. Banta had anything to say to the +miners about what he intended to do when he reached Dutch Flat, but it +was all over the camp in less than five minutes. The miner went slowly +and thoughtfully out of the cabin, as if he did not know whether it +was best to agree to his leader's proposition or not, and it was not +long before the men who were busy with things about their houses came +up in a body to inquire into the matter. They were filled with +astonishment; and, furthermore, they were anxious to see the boys who +were going to take their lives in their hands and go up to work that +pit, from which strong men had been frightened away. And it was so +when six o'clock arrived, and the men all came in to get their supper. +Some of the miners declared that it was not to be thought of, and some +said that if Mr. Banta was bound to go, they would go with him to see +that he came out all right. + +"You see what the miners think of this business," remarked Mr. Banta, +as he began preparations for their supper. "They think you are out of +your heads." + +"Well, you will not see anything of it, because you won't go into the +mine," said Jack. + +"You are mighty right I won't go into the mine," declared Mr. Banta, +looking furtively about the cabin, as if he expected to see something +advancing upon him. "We will go up there and put the pit all right, +and then you will have to work it." + +"I wonder if there is any gold up there?" asked Julian. + +"There is more gold up there than you can see in Dutch Flat in a +year's steady digging. The men who have been down in the mine say so." + +"Well, when we come back you may expect to see us rich," said Julian, +compressing his lips. "And you may be sure that the spooks won't drive +us out, either." + +This was all that was said on the subject--that is, by those in the +cabin; but when the men had eaten their suppers they all crowded into +it, and the stories that would have been told of ghosts interfering +with miners who tried to take away their precious belongings would +have tested the boys' courage; but Mr. Banta did not allow them to go +on. + +"As I told these boys down at Denver, I am telling them nothing but +facts in regard to this mine, and I want you to do the same," said he. +"Don't draw on your imagination at all." + +Before the miners returned to their cabins, it came about that the +boys were going to have a small army go with them on the morrow. At +least a dozen miners declaimed their readiness to go with Banta "and +see him through," and Banta did not object. + +"The more, the merrier," said he, when they had been left alone and he +turned down his bedclothes. "Now, you boys can spread your blankets on +the floor in front of the fire and go to sleep; I will have you up at +the first peep of day." + + + + +CHAPTER XXII. + +THE HAUNTED MINE. + + +Mr. Banta kept his word the next morning, for the day was just +beginning to break when he rolled out on the floor and gave the order +to "Catch up." All the miners were astir soon afterward; but there was +no joking or laughing going on in the camp, as there usually was. The +men went silently about their work of cooking breakfast, or sat +smoking their pipes in front of the fire, for their thoughts were busy +with that mine up in the mountains. Even the talkative Mr. Banta had +nothing to say. He seemed to have run short of stories, all on a +sudden. + +"Say, Julian," remarked Jack, as they stood by the stream washing +their hands and faces, "why don't Banta talk to us the way he usually +does? I'll bet he is thinking about what is going to happen to us." + +"I was just thinking that way myself," replied Julian. "But we have +gone too far to back out; we have got to go on." + +"Of course we have. I wouldn't back out now for anything." + +Breakfast was cooked and eaten, and the same silence prevailed; and +that same silence did more to shake the boys' courage than all that +had been said against their mine. Mr. Banta answered their questions +in monosyllables, and when he had satisfied his appetite he put the +dishes away unwashed and went out to catch his horse. + +"Take hold of the bell-mare and lead her up the path," said he, +addressing the miners who were getting ready to accompany him. "We +have to take her and all the stock along, or the boys' pack-horse +won't budge an inch." + +The miners were talkative enough now, when they saw the boys getting +ready to start on their journey. They crowded around them, and each +one shook them by the hand. + +"Good-bye! kids," said one. "The next time I see you, you will be so +badly scared that you won't be able to tell what happened to you up +there; or, I sha'n't see you at all. I wish you all the good luck in +the world, but I know that will not amount to anything." + +"Do you think they can whip all these men?" asked Jack, running his +eye over the miners, who were getting on their horses and making ready +to go with Mr. Banta. + +"That ain't the thing; you won't see anybody; but the sounds you will +hear when you get fairly on the floor of that pit you will never want +to hear again." + +The bell-mare was caught and led along the path, the stock all +followed after her, and the miners brought up the rear. Then Mr. Banta +opened his mouth and proceeded to talk all the way to the mine. + +"You boys may come along here pretty sudden, some time, and if you +don't find Dutch Flat you will stray off into the mountains and get +lost; so I will just blaze the way for you." + +As Mr. Banta spoke he seized a handful of the branches of an evergreen +and pulled them partly off, so that they just hung by the bark. + +"Now, whenever you see that, you are on the right road," said he; "but +if you don't see it, you had better turn back and search for a blaze +until you find it." + +For once the boys did not pay much attention to Mr. Banta's stories, +for their minds were fully occupied with their own thoughts. At +last--it did not seem to them that they had ridden a mile--the man +with the bell-mare sung out "Here we are!" and led the way into a +smooth, grassy plain which seemed out of place there in the mountains, +and to which there did not appear to be any outlet except the one by +which they had entered it. It was surrounded by the loftiest peaks on +all sides except one, and there the plain was bounded by a precipitous +ravine which was so deep that the bottom could not be seen from the +top. Near the middle of the plain was a little brook, placed most +conveniently for "washing" their finds, which bubbled merrily over the +stones before it plunged into the abyss before spoken of; and close on +the other side were the ruins of the mine--a strong windlass, which +had hauled up fifty thousand dollars' worth of gold--and the rope that +was fast to the bucket, or rather to the fragments of it, for the +bucket itself had fallen to pieces from the effects of the weather, +and lay in ruins on the ground. Still farther away stood the +lean-to--firmly built, of course, but not strong enough to stand the +fury of the winter's storms. Taken altogether, a miner could not have +selected a more fitting camp, or one better calculated to banish all +symptoms of homesickness while they were pulling out the gold from the +earth below. Mr. Banta kept a close watch on the boys, and saw the +pleased expression that came upon their faces. + +"I know it looks splendid now, but it will not look so before long," +said he, with a knowing shake of his head. "Now, boys, let us get to +work. We want to get through here, so as to get back to Dutch Flat +to-night." + +The miners unsaddled their horses, grabbed their axes and spades, and +set in manfully to make the "mine all right," so that the boys could +go to work at it without delay. Some repaired the lean-to, others +laboriously cleared the mouth of the pit from the grass and brush +which had accumulated there, and still another brought from the boys' +pack the new bucket and rope which they expected would last just about +long enough for one of them to go down and up--and they were positive +that the boy would come up a great deal faster than he went down. The +boys did not find anything to do but to get dinner, and they were +rather proud of the skill with which the viands were served up. + +"I didn't know you boys could do cooking like this," said Mr. Banta, +as he seated himself on the grass and looked over the table--a blanket +spread out to serve in lieu of a cloth. "If the cooking was all you +had to contend with you could live like fighting-cocks as long as you +stay here." + +"We had hardly enough money to pay for a housekeeper while we were in +St. Louis, and so we had all this work to do ourselves," said Julian. +"You must give Jack the credit for this. We kept bachelor's hall while +we were at home. He cooked, and I swept out and helped wash the +dishes." + +"Now, boys," said Mr. Banta, after he had finished his pipe, "I guess +we have Julian and Jack all ready to go to work whenever they feel +like it. Look over your work, and see if there is anything you have +missed, and then we will go back to Dutch Flat. I tell you, I hate to +leave you up here in this sort of a way." + +"You need not be," said Jack. "If you will come up here in two weeks +from now, we will have some gold-dust to show you." + +Mr. Banta did not say anything discouraging, for he had already +exhausted all his powers in that direction. He inspected all the work, +to satisfy himself that it was properly done, and then gave the order +to "catch up." + +"Of course your stock will go back with us," said he. "You could not +keep them here away from that old bell-mare." + +"That was what we expected," said Julian; "we may be so badly +frightened that we won't think to bring our weapons with us." + +"I am not afraid to say that I'll risk that," said Mr. Banta, leaning +over to shake Julian by the hand. He told himself that the miner's +heart was in that shake. It was very different from the clasp of the +hand that he gave him when he was first introduced to him in Denver. +"Good-bye, Julian. That is all I can say to you." + +The other miners rode up to take leave of them, and all looked very +solemn. Some had a parting word to say, and some shook them by the +hand without saying anything, the man with the bell-mare led off, the +stock followed, the miners came last, and in two minutes more they +were alone. Julian sat down on the grass feeling lonely indeed, but +Jack jumped up and began to bestir himself. + +"Come on, boy--none of that!" said he, beginning to gather their few +dishes together. "We must get these things out of the way and I must +get ready to go into that mine." + +"Are you going down to-day?" asked Julian. The time had come at last. +For long months Julian had talked about going down into that mine--not +boastingly, to be sure, but he had said enough to make people believe +he would not back out, and now the opportunity was presented for him +to do as he had agreed. "Why can't you let it go until to-morrow?" + +"Because I am just ready to go now," said Jack; and there was a +determined look on his face which Julian had never seen there before. +"I am fighting mad, now, and to-morrow I may be as down-hearted as you +are." + +"Do you think I am afraid?" exclaimed Julian, springing up and +beginning to assist his chum. "I'll show you that I am not! If you +want to go first you can go, and I will go the next time." + +Julian went to work with a determination to get the dishes done as +soon as possible. When they had got them all stowed away where they +belonged, Jack stopped to roll up his sleeves, examined his revolver, +which he strapped to his waist, lighted his lamp, and led the way +toward the mine without saying a word. Julian gave a hasty glance at +him and saw that his face was as calm as it usually was, and he began +to take courage from that. + +"It looks dark down there, does it not?" asked Julian, leaning on the +windlass and peering down into the pit. + +"It is dark enough now, but it will be lighter when I get down there +with my lamp," replied Jack. "Now, Julian, are you sure you can hold +me up?" + +"Of course I can. If I can't, we had better get another man up here." + +Jack stopped just long enough to shake Julian by the hand, then seized +the rope and stepped into the bucket, his partner holding the windlass +so that he would not descend too rapidly. Slowly he went down, until +finally the bucket stopped. + +"All right!" called Jack; and his voice sounded strangely, coming up +from thirty feet underground. "This hole is bigger down here than it +is at the top. Somebody has cut away on each side to try to find +gold," and at last he started off toward the gully. + +Julian leaned over the pit and followed his companion's movements by +the light of his lamp. He saw him as he went around to the "false +diggings," and finally his lamp disappeared from view as Jack went +down toward the ravine. His face was very pale; he listened intently, +but could not hear that rustling of feet nor that moaning sound that +had frightened two men away from there, and his courage all came back +to him. + +"I wonder what those men were thinking of when they started that story +about this mine being haunted?" Julian muttered to himself. "There is +nothing here to trouble anyone." + +Hardly had this thought been framed in Julian's mind than there came a +most startling and thrilling interruption. The boy was leaning over +the pit with his head turned on one side, so that he could hear any +unusual sounds going on below, and all of a sudden he sprang to his +feet and acted very much as though he wanted to go below to Jack's +assistance. He distinctly heard that rustling of feet over the rocks +below, some of them made by Jack as he ran toward the bucket, and the +other by something else that made Julian's heart stand still. And with +that sound came others--moans or shrieks, Julian couldn't tell +which--until they seemed to fill the pit all around him. This lasted +but a few seconds, and then came the report of Jack's revolver and the +sound was caught up by the echoes until it appeared to Julian that a +whole battery of artillery had been fired at once. + +"There!" said Julian, greatly relieved to know that Jack had seen +something to shoot at. "I guess one ghost has got his death at last!" + +A moment afterward came Jack's frantic pull on the rope, accompanied +by his frightened voice-- + +"Pull me up, Julian! For goodness' sake, pull me up!" + +Julian jumped for the windlass and put every atom of his strength into +it. At first the resistance of the bucket was just about what it would +have been if Jack had stepped into it; but suddenly the resistance +ceased, the crank was jerked out of his hand, and Julian was thrown +headlong to the ground. + +"What was that?" exclaimed the boy, regaining his feet as quickly as +he could. "Jack, did you fall out of the bucket?" + +There was no response to his question. He leaned over and looked into +the pit; but Jack's light had gone out, and everything was silent +below. The rustling of feet had ceased, the moans had died away, and +the mine was as still as the grave. + +"Something has happened to Jack!" exclaimed Julian, running to his +lean-to after his revolver and lamp. "I am going down there to see +about it if all the ghosts in the Rocky Mountains should be there to +stop me!" + +Julian worked frantically, and in less time than it takes to tell it +he was ready to go down to Jack's help. He hastily unwound the rope +until all the length was out except the extreme end, which was +fastened to the windlass by a couple of staples, and swung himself +into the mine. He went down much faster than Jack did, and when he +reached the bottom he let go his hold on the rope, and, holding his +revolver in readiness for a shot, he turned slowly about, as if he +were expecting that whatever had frightened Jack would be upon him +before he could think twice. But nothing came. In whatever direction +he turned his light, everything seemed concealed by Egyptian darkness, +and finally he resolved to let the ghosts go and turned his attention +to Jack. There he lay, close to Julian's feet, his lamp extinguished +and his revolver at a little distance from him; and it was plain that +he was either frightened or dead, for Julian had never seen so white a +face before. His own face, if he only knew it, was utterly devoid of +color, and his hands trembled so that he could scarcely use them. + +"I would like to know what it was that could make Jack faint away in +this fashion," muttered Julian, first looking all around to make sure +that nothing had come in sight before he laid his revolver down. "How +to get him into that bucket, and the bail over him, is what bothers me +just now; but he must go in, and get out of this." + +Jack was a heavyweight, and if any boy who reads this has ever been +called upon to handle a playmate who remained limp and motionless in +his arms he will know what a task Julian had to put him into the +bucket. And remember that he must go inside the bail, otherwise he +could not pull him out; and the bail would not stay up without +somebody to hold it. But Julian worked away as only a boy can under +such circumstances, and was just getting him in shape, so that in a +moment more he would have had him in, when he noticed that one of his +hands was wet. He stopped for a moment to look at it, and at the sight +of it he seemed ready to sit down beside Jack and faint away, too. + +"It is blood!" murmured Julian. "My goodness! you must get out of +here, and be quick about it! What was that?" + +Julian straightened up again, but he had his revolver in his hand. +That moaning sound was repeated again, but the boy could not tell +where it came from. It was not so great in volume as the first one +that had saluted Jack, but it was a complaining kind of a sound, such +as one might utter who was being deserted by the only friend he had +upon earth. Julian stood there with his revolver in his hand, but, +aside from the sound which rung in his ears for many a night +afterward, his eyes could not reveal a single thing for him to shoot +at. Julian thought now that he had got at the bottom of the mystery. +Hastily slipping his revolver into his belt, he turned his attention +to Jack, and in a few moments had him ready to hoist to the top. Then +he seized the rope, and, climbing it hand over hand, he reached the +surface, when, throwing off his hat and revolver, he turned around to +haul up Jack. + + + + +CHAPTER XXIII. + +HAUNTED NO LONGER. + + +This time Julian laid out all his strength on the windlass; but the +bucket resisted, and he knew that Jack's weight was safely within it. +Presently his head and shoulders appeared above the pit, whereupon +Julian slipped a bucket over the crank, and in a few minutes Jack was +safe above ground. To tumble him out of the bucket and dash into his +face some water that he dipped up from the stream with his hat +occupied but little of his time, and almost at once Jack opened his +eyes and looked about him. + +"Well, sir, you saw them, did you not?" asked Julian, with a smile. + +"I tell you, you wouldn't have smiled if you had been in my place," +replied Jack. "That thing looked awful as it came at me." + +"What thing?" + +"There is some animal down there who is not going to let us work this +mine if he can help it," said Jack, feeling around with his right hand +to examine his shoulder. "As I stepped into the bucket with one foot +he jumped--my goodness! I don't like to say how far it was; but I saw +his eyes shining green in the darkness, and just as I pulled on him he +sprang at me, dug his claws into my shoulder, and pulled me out. I +thought I was gone up, sure; then all was blank to me. Did you see +him?" + +"I did not see anything," said Julian. "When the bucket came up +easily, as though you were not in it, I went down after you; but I did +not see a thing. What was it?" + +"You tell. It was some kind of an animal that I never saw before. And +didn't he make a howling just before he jumped! I wish you would look +at my shoulder; it smarts awfully." + +Jack could handle himself well enough now, and it was no trouble for +him to roll over on his face and give Julian a chance to view his +wounds. His shirt was torn completely off, and underneath were four +scratches which went the whole length of his back and spent +themselves on the thick waistband of his trousers, which they had +ripped in two. Very little blood came from the wounds, and Julian +assured him that they were not deep enough to cause him any +inconvenience. + +"You must have killed him before he got to you," said Julian. "A bear +could not jump that far, and if it were a panther--why, you have done +something to be proud of. You have done it anyway, for you have +cleared up something that scared those two men away from here." + +"Do you really think so?" asked Jack. + +"I know it." + +"But think of the howling he made! It seemed as if the pit was full of +bears and panthers, and I didn't know which way to look. Have you got +all the blood off? Then let us go down there and see about it. We +can't work our mine with those fellows in there. If I killed him at +once, how did he come to jump so far? And then he took himself off +after clawing me; that is something I don't understand." + +"You have to shoot one of those fellows through the brain or in the +spine, in order to throw him in his tracks. Did you have a fair chance +at his heart?" + +"I don't know. I simply shot a little ways below that green spot, in +the darkness, and the next thing I knew I didn't know anything." + +"Because, if you had a fair chance at his heart, a wild animal will +sometimes run a good way before he drops. He is down there somewhere, +and I'll bet you will find him. But, Jack, there are others that we +must get rid of before we own this mine." + +"What do you mean by that? I was in hopes I had shot the last one of +them." + +"Well, you did not. While I was working over you I heard those moans +repeated. That proves others are there--don't it?" + +"I am going down to clear it up," persisted Jack, who had got upon his +feet by this time and started toward the lean-to. "Hold on till I get +cartridges to put in this revolver. I used to grumble at you because +you spent so much money in Denver, last winter, in shooting at a +mark, but I begin to believe you were right and that I was wrong. If I +had been as awkward with this shooting-iron as I used to be, you would +have got the whole of that hundred thousand dollars to spend for +yourself." + +"Don't speak about it!" exclaimed Julian, who wondered what he should +do if Jack was taken away from him. "I need somebody to grumble at me, +and you will do as well as anybody. Are you not going to put on +another shirt?" + +"Not much, I ain't. Maybe I did not kill that animal, whatever it was +and he will come for me again. Now, you hold up and let me go," said +Jack, when he saw Julian place one foot in the bucket." + +"I am a better shot than you are, and if I pull on one of those ghosts +you will see him drop," returned Julian, drawing the other foot in. +"Take hold of the windlass and let me down easy. If I halloo, you must +lose no time in hauling me up." + +Jack was obliged to submit to this arrangement, and he carefully +lowered Julian out of sight. When the bucket stopped he seized the +rope, and in a moment more stood beside him. + +"I am glad it is animals that are interfering with us, for I am not at +all afraid of them," declared Jack. "Now, where is that other sound +you heard?" + +The question had hardly been formed on Jack's lips when that sound +came to their ears--not faint and far off, as was the one that caused +Julian to handle his revolver, but louder and clearer, as though the +animal that made it was close upon them. Sometimes they thought it was +in front, and they held their revolvers ready to shoot at a moment's +warning, and then, again, it sounded behind them; and in a second more +it appeared as if the rocks on each side of them concealed the enemy +that was uttering those startling sounds. + +"It is the echo--that's what it is," said Julian. "There is only one +animal in here, and we can't shoot him any too quick." + +Julian, aided by his lamp, led the way cautiously along the +subterranean passage, which would have been level but for the +carelessness or haste of the men who had worked the pit before them, +peering into every little cavity he saw, until at last he stopped +suddenly and pointed his revolver at something that lay upon the +floor. + +"What is it, Julian?" whispered Jack, pressing eagerly to his side. + +"Well, sir, you have done it now," answered Julian, bending over and +examining the animal as well as he could by the light of his lamp. +"This is the thing that frightened the other two men away." + +"What is it?" repeated Jack. "A panther?" + +"No, sir; this animal will make two of the biggest panthers you ever +saw. It is a lion!" + +"In America?" said Jack, in astonishment. + +"It is what the miners call them, anyway. When we get it into the +bucket I will let you have the crank, and we will see if it does not +weigh almost as much as you do. This animal is a mother, and her +babies are crying for her." + +Jack was surprised when he saw what a monster animal his lucky shot +had put out of the way, for he did not lay any claim to his skill as a +marksman in making that shot. He must have shot her plumb through the +heart, or else she would not have died so quickly. She looked as big +as a yearling, marked for all the world like the panthers he had seen +in the shows which he had attended; but it was her size more than +anything else which impressed him. It was wonderful, too, what a +change the sight of this animal made in Jack. His courage all came +back to him, and after taking a hasty glance at his trophy he took the +lead and pressed on toward the farther end of the passage. Every few +feet he found what the miners called "false diggings"--that is, places +that they had dug, either on the right-hand side or the left, to see +if the vein they were following turned that way. In one of these +"false diggings" Jack stopped and pointed silently before him. Julian +looked over Jack's shoulder, and saw that the miner had dug through +the embankment there and into a cave which extended through into the +gulch--the boys could see that by the little streaks of light which +came in at the other end. On a slight shelf which formed one side of +the passageway some leaves had been gathered, and in this bed were two +cubs about the size of full-grown cats, while a third had crawled out +and was trying, in his clumsy way, to follow his mother into the mine. +The little thing was wild, and set up a furious spitting as the boys +approached. + +"These things account for the noise you heard," remarked Jack, picking +up the cub and beating its head against the floor. + +"What made you do that, Jack?" exclaimed Julian. "We ought to save the +young ones alive." + +"Well, suppose we do; what will we raise them on? It is true that we +might tell the milkman to leave us an extra quart or two to feed them +on, for such little things can't eat bacon and hard-tack. Now, after +we get through--" + +"By gracious, Jack--look out!" exclaimed Julian, suddenly. "The old +man is coming home to see what's the matter with his young ones!" + +Jack dropped the cub he had picked up, and which he was about to serve +as he had the first, and, looking toward the farther end of the +passageway, saw that the light was shut off by the head and shoulders +of another monstrous lion that had stopped when he discovered the +boys. In an instant two revolvers were aimed at the white spot on his +chest. + +"Be sure you make as good a shot as you did before," whispered Julian, +whose face was as pale as Jack's was when he pulled him out of the +pit. "It's a matter of life and death with us." + +The revolvers cracked in quick succession, raising an echo that almost +deafened them. Without a moment's delay they fired again, then threw +themselves prone upon the floor of the cave, for they saw the lion +coming. He had evidently got all ready for a spring, and when the +first two bullets struck him he made it, jumping over them and landing +in the pit beyond. The moment he touched the ground two more balls +went into him, and then the boys jumped to their feet; for they did +not want the lion to spring upon them while lying down. But the +animal made no effort to recover his feet; he was too badly hurt for +that. He struggled frantically, springing from the ground as high as +the boys' heads, and his motions were so quick and rapid that there +was no chance to shoot him again; but this lasted only for a few +seconds. His struggles grew weaker, and he soon lay upon the floor, +stone dead. + +"There, sir," said Julian, who was the first to speak; "this is a +haunted mine no longer. Our little 44-caliber revolvers did as good +work as Banta would have done with his Winchester." + +"Whew! I am glad it is all over, and that we were not frightened out +of coming here. I don't believe in ghosts, anyway." + +"How do you account for that man in the mine up the country who always +gets farther and farther away every time anybody tries to touch him?" +asked Julian. + +"I believe that story originated in the minds of some miners who were +afraid to go there. And as for their shooting at him, I don't take any +stock in that, either. Now, I will finish what I was going to say +when the old gentleman came in and interrupted me. After I have killed +these cubs, we will go to work and fill this cave so full of the rocks +which some of the miners have left scattered about that there won't be +a chance for any other animal to make a commotion in this mine." + +The work of dispatching the cubs was very soon accomplished, and then +the boys wanted to get the lions above ground, so that they could see +how they looked. But when they undertook to lift the "old gentleman," +to carry him to the bucket, they found they had more than they could +do; so they each took hold of a hind leg and dragged him to the shaft. +When they came to put him in, they saw there was not room enough for +the cubs, for the bucket would not hold any more. + +"I'll go up and haul the old fellow out," said Jack. "I tell you, he +is big enough to scare anybody--is he not?" + +"Yes," answered Julian, with a laugh; "and if we had been frightened +away, and somebody else had found out that they were lions, and not +unearthly spirits, it would have been all over Denver inside of a +month." + +Jack, who said he thought that was so, seized the rope and began +working his way toward the top. Then the bucket began to move, and +presently Julian saw it go out over the top. In a few minutes Jack +came down again, and they got the mother of the family ready to be +hoisted up. Julian went up this time, tumbled the lion out beside his +mate, and let down the bucket for the dead cubs and Jack, who, when he +stepped out, found Julian with his hat off and drawing his +shirt-sleeves across his forehead. + +"I tell you, Jack, if the dirt you send up weighs as much as these +ghosts did, the one who pulls it out will have the hardest part of the +work," said Julian. "Now let us sit down and take a good look at +them." + +The longer the boys looked, the larger seemed to grow the animals that +had created so great an uproar in the country for miles around. They +regretted they had not brought a tape-line with them, that they might +take measurements; but they came to one conclusion--if they found an +animal like either of those in the mountains, they would give it a +wide berth. They had read of encounters with them by men, and during +their stay in Denver had listened to some thrilling stories, told by +miners, of their fierceness, and they decided that those men had more +pluck than they had. + +"Let us take the skins off, and by that time it will be night," said +Julian. "We can fill up the hole to-morrow." + +"I don't know how to go to work at it--do you?" asked Jack, taking off +his hat and scratching his head. "I never did such a piece of business +in my life." + +"We are not going to take them off with the intention of selling them; +we are going to show them to the miners. If we tell them our story +without anything to show for it, they will think we are trying to +shoot with a long bow. If we make a few holes in the skins by a slip +of our knives, who cares?" + +The boys went to work on the cubs first, one holding the hind legs and +the other doing the skinning, and they got along so well with them +that they went to work on the big ones with more confidence. By the +time it grew dark the skins were removed, and the carcasses were +dragged away and thrown into the ravine. Then the boys began supper +with light hearts. The mystery of the haunted mine had been unearthed, +and Julian and Jack were ready to dig up the treasure--that is, if +there was any there waiting for them. + + + + +CHAPTER XXIV. + +"THAT IS GOLD." + + +"Jack, come up here; I have something to show you." + +"What is it? Have you made yourself rich by washing out the last +bucket of earth I sent up?" + +"I have something, and it looks like gold. Wait until I haul this +bucket up, and then I'll send it down for you." + +This conversation took place between Julian and his chum on the third +morning after their arrival at the mine. The hole that led into the +cave which the lions had made their habitation had been filled up so +tight that even a ground-squirrel would have found it a hard task to +work his way through; all the little rocks had been cleared away from +the floor of the pit, making it an easy matter for them to carry the +earth in a basket to the bottom of the shaft, and the digging had been +going on for two days without any signs of "color" rewarding their +anxious gaze. The buckets of dirt, as fast as they were sent up, were +washed in the brook by the aid of a "cradle" which the boys had +brought with them, but their most persistent "rocking" failed to leave +a sediment behind. All the dirt went out with the water, and the +cradle was as clean when they got through rocking it as it was before +they began. + +"I believe the fellow who wrote that letter must have taken all the +gold in the mine," remarked Julian, one night, after they had spent a +hard day's work at the pit. "Fifty thousand dollars! That's a heap of +money to take out of one hole in the ground." + +"I think so myself," replied Jack; "but we will keep it up until our +provisions are gone, and then we will go back to Dutch Flat." + +But on this particular day Julian, who was washing the dirt at the +head of the shaft, thought he saw some settlings in the bottom of his +cradle, and forthwith began to handle it a little more carefully. The +longer he rocked the more the sediment grew, until at last he had a +spoonful, which he gathered up and then approached the mouth of the +pit. + +"If you have any gold to show me I'll come up before the bucket does," +declared Jack; "the bucket can wait." + +"I have enough here to buy another block of houses," exclaimed Julian, +as Jack's head and shoulders appeared. "What do you think of that?" + +"Is it gold or not?" asked Jack, who was inclined to be suspicious. +"Maybe it is some of that iron that Mr. Banta told us about." + +"That is just what I was afraid of," said Julian; "but I reckon iron +pyrites comes in lumps, don't it? If it does, this is gold, sure +enough." + +The boys did not know what to make of it, and they finally decided +that they would put it away until Mr. Banta came up to see how they +were getting along, which he had agreed to do at the end of two weeks. +The boys spoke of their "find" as iron pyrites, for they did not like +to think they would be lucky enough to dig gold out of the ground, +and this was not the only spoonful of dust that went into their bag. +The bag grew in size as the days wore on, and finally, at the end of +two weeks, it was almost full. + +"I tell you, Jack, I don't like to show this to Mr. Banta," declared +Julian, holding up the bag, and looking ruefully at it. "Perhaps we +have done all our best digging all for nothing." + +"Well, it can't be helped," was Jack's reply. "They were inexperienced +when they first came out here, and there was nobody to tell them +whether they had iron pyrites or gold. But we have done one thing that +he can't laugh at--we have worked the haunted mine." + +Two weeks had never passed so slowly to the boys before. They worked +early and late, but they found time now and then to glance toward the +entrance of the valley, to see if Mr. Banta was approaching. All this +while the bag grew heavier and fuller, until Julian declared that it +would not hold another spoonful. + +"Then we must tie it up tight and hide it somewhere," said Jack. + +"What is the use of hiding it?" asked Julian. "Nobody knows that we +have been so successful in our haunted mine." + +"No matter; such things have happened, and we want to be on the safe +side. We must hide it a little way from the lean-to, for there is the +first place anybody will look for it." + +Julian readily gave in, although he could not see any necessity for +it, took a spade, and went with Jack to what he considered to be a +good hiding-place. A hole was dug, the bag put in, some leaves were +scattered over the spot, and then Jack drew a long breath of relief. + +"One would think we are surrounded by robbers," said Julian. "Who do +you suppose is going to steal it?" + +"I don't know; but I have never had so much money, or what is +equivalent to money, in my charge before, and, as I said before, I +think it best to be on the safe side." + +"Our two weeks have passed, and Mr. Banta ought to be here to-morrow," +observed Julian, leading the way back to the lean-to. "I expect he +will look for us to be all chawed up." + +The very next day Mr. Banta appeared. The boys had found an extra +"find" that morning. Julian was rocking the cradle back and forth, and +Jack was leaning over his shoulder to see what gold there was in it, +when they heard the sound of horses' hoofs on the rocks, and looked up +to find the miner and his partner, Pete, standing in the entrance to +the valley. + +"Now we will soon have this thing cleared up," exclaimed Julian, +joyfully. "Mr. Banta, you don't know how glad we are to see you +again!" + +Mr. Banta did not say anything in reply. He and his partner rode +slowly toward them, looking all around, as if they expected to +discover something. + +"Is it the ghosts you are looking for?" asked Jack. "Come along, and +we will show them to you." + +"Boys," stammered Mr. Banta, as if there was something about the +matter that looked strange enough to him, "you are still on top of +the ground. Put it there." + +The boys readily complied, and they thought, by the squeeze the miner +gave their hands, that he was very much surprised to see them alive +and well, and working their mine as if such things as ghosts had never +been heard of. + +"Did you see them?" he continued. + +"You are right, we did," answered Julian. "Jack, pull off your shirt. +He has some marks that he will carry to his grave." + +Jack did not much like the idea of disrobing in the presence of +company, but he divested himself of his shirt and turned his back to +the miners. On his shoulder were four big welts, which promised to +stay there as long as he lived. + +"It was a lion!" exclaimed Mr. Banta. + +"That is just what it was. Now come with me and I will show you the +skins. We have something to prove it." + +The miners followed after the boys, when, as they were about to pass +their pit, Julian said he wanted to see them about something that had +been worrying them a good deal ever since they first discovered it. + +"What do you call that?" he asked, gathering up a pinch of the +sediment that still remained in the cradle. + +"Good gracious! Do you gather much of this stuff?" exclaimed Mr. +Banta, who was all excitement now. + +"It is not iron pyrites, is it?" + +"Iron your grandmother!" retorted Mr. Banta. "It is gold, and a bag +full of that stuff will be worth about ten thousand dollars to you!" + +"We have a bagful of it hidden away," asserted Julian; while Jack was +so overcome with something, he didn't know what, that he sat right +down on the ground. "Jack thought we had best hide it, but I will get +it and show it to you." + +"Well, well! this beats anything in the world that I ever heard of! +Don't it you, Pete?" asked Mr. Banta, dismounting from his horse. +"Here's you two, come out here as tenderfeet from St. Louis, who never +saw or heard of a gold-mine before, and you come up to this pit, +which has all manner of ghosts and other things wandering about it at +will,--so much so that they scared away two of the best men we had on +Dutch Flat,--and then you get the upper hand of the spirits and make +ten thousand dollars out of the mine in two weeks! I tell you that +bangs me; don't it you, Pete?" + +Jack came up to take the horses and hitch them to swinging limbs, and +Mr. Banta turned to Julian and told him he was anxious to see that bag +with the ten thousand dollars in gold in it; whereupon Julian caught +up a spade and hurried out, and Jack, who had returned to the lean-to, +was told to sit down and tell them the story about the haunted +gold-mine. + +"There isn't much to tell," said Jack, who, like all modest fellows, +disliked to talk about himself. "I went down to see what the inside of +the mine looked like, and one of the lions pitched onto me and I shot +him." + +"There's more in the story than that comes to," declared Mr. Banta. +"Let us go out and look at the skins; we will hear the straight of the +matter when Julian comes in." + +The skins were rolled up,--they had been stretched on the ground until +the sun dried them,--but Jack quickly unrolled them, and the miners +looked on as if greatly surprised. They could not understand how one +ball, fired in the dark, had finished the lion so speedily. + +"It is a wonder she did not tear you all to pieces," said Pete. "You +must have made a dead-centre shot." + +The other skin was unrolled, too, and by the time the miners had +examined it to their satisfaction Julian came up with the bag. Mr. +Banta untied it, and one look was enough. + +"That is gold," said he; "there is no iron pyrites about that. Now, +Jack, you go on and get dinner for us, and we will listen while Julian +tell us about those ghosts." + +"I told you I did not believe in such things," remarked Julian. "And +the whole thing has come out just as I said it would." + +"What have you in this pack?" asked Jack. "It looks like provisions." + +"That is just what it is. We thought you must be nearly out by this +time, and so we brought some along. Let the mule go home, if she +wants to; she misses that old bell-mare." + +The story which Jack did not tell lost nothing in going through +Julian's hands. He described things as nearly as he could see them +before Jack's light went out, and told of the lucky shot and the +savage shrieks that came up to him through the pit. + +"Those shrieks were what got next to me," declared Julian, with a +shudder. "I can't get them out of my mind yet. I thought that the +ghost had Jack, sure." + +"Well, go on," said Mr. Banta, when Julian paused. "There were two +lions there--how did you get the other one?" + +When Julian told how Jack had taken charge of the matter, and had gone +ahead in order to hunt up the other ghost, Mr. Banta acted as though +he could scarcely believe it; while Pete thrust his spurred heels out +before him and broke out into a volley of such quaint oaths that +Julian threw back his head and laughed loudly. + +"If you had not done anything else since you have been up here but go +to hunt up that lion with revolvers, I should know you were +tenderfeet pure and simple," declared Mr. Banta. "Why, boys, that was +the most dangerous thing you ever did!" + +"Well, we did not know what else to do," explained Julian, modestly. +"Jack said the lion would not let us work the mine if he could help +it, and so we had to go and find him." + +"I know some miners down at Dutch Flat who would think twice before +going for that lion with their Winchesters," declared Pete, "and you +had nothing but little popguns!" + +"They did the work, anyhow," asserted Julian. + +"Well, boys, you have been very lucky," said Mr. Banta. "Take your bag +of dust and hide it where nobody will ever think of looking for it. +And remember--if any person comes here and asks you for money, you are +to give him what is in the other bag, and keep still about this full +one." + +Julian's eyes began to open wide as this hint was thrown out. He +looked at Jack, who was by this time engaged in dishing up the +dinner; but the latter only shook his head at him, as if to say, +"Didn't I say we had better hide that gold while we had the +opportunity?" + +"Who do you think is going to rob us?" asked Julian, as soon as he +could speak. + +"I am sure I don't know; but we have some men down at the Flat who +would not be any too good to come up here and see how you are getting +along. Of course this thing will get all over the Flat in less than +five minutes after we get there. We must tell just how we found you; +for, if we try to keep it secret, the miners will suspect something +and come up here in a body. But if they do that, then you will be +safer than if you were alone." + +"We don't want any truck with such people," declared Jack. "If we +shoot as well as we did at the lion that wore that big skin, you will +hear something drop. Now sit up and eat some dinner." + +"Jack, I believe you have the most pluck," said Pete. + +"He has it all," replied Julian. "He don't say much, but he keeps up a +dreadful lot of thinking." + +Dinner over, the miners lit their pipes, and then Mr. Banta said they +wanted to go down into the mine to see how it looked. + +"It is my opinion that you won't get much more gold out of here," said +he, as he stepped into the bucket. "You are gradually working your way +toward the ravine, and when you break through the wall, you will find +no color there." + +"I don't care," replied Julian. "If it will hold out until we get +another bag filled, that will be all we want. We can say, when we get +back to Denver, that we have been in the mines." + +"And had some adventures there, too," remarked Mr. Banta. "Lower +away." + +Julian and Pete followed Mr. Banta down to the bottom of the mine, and +Jack stayed up above to manage the bucket. They were gone a long time, +for Julian was obliged to tell his story over again; and, when they +were pulled up, Mr. Banta repeated what he had said before he was let +down, namely, that the boys had about reached the end of their vein. + +"But even with these bags full, you have got more than some men have +who have been on the Flat for two years," said he. "Now, boys, is +there anything we can do for you before we bid you good-bye?" + +No, Julian and Jack could not think of anything they wanted. They +thanked the miners for bringing them some provisions, and offered +payment on the spot; but Mr. Banta said they would let that go until +the boys had got through working their mine. They shook them by the +hand, wished them all the good luck in the world, turned their faces +toward home, and in a few moments the sound of their horses' hoofs on +the rocks had died away in the distance. + + + + +CHAPTER XXV. + +CLAUS, AGAIN. + + +"There!" said Mr. Solomon Claus, as he entered at a fast walk the +railroad depot, passed through it, and took up the first back street +that he came to; "I guess I have got rid of him. Now, the next thing +is to go somewhere and sit down and think about it." + +Claus kept a good watch of the buildings as he passed along, and at +last saw a hotel, into which he turned. He bought a cigar at the bar, +and, drawing a chair in front of one of the windows, sat down to +meditate on his future course; for this German was not in the habit of +giving up a thing upon which he had set his mind, although he might +fail in every attempt he undertook. He had set his heart upon having a +portion of that money that Julian had come into by accident, and, +although something had happened to upset his calculations, he was not +done with it yet. + +"That was a sharp trick, sending off the box by express, when they +might as well have carried its contents in their valises," said Claus, +settling down in his chair and keeping his eyes fastened upon the +railroad depot. "Wiggins was at the bottom of that, for I don't +believe the boys would ever have thought of it. I wonder how they felt +when they found their valises gone? Now, the next thing is something +else. Shall I go home, get my clothes, and spend the winter in Denver, +or shall I go home and stay there? That's a question that cannot be +decided in a minute." + +While Claus was endeavoring to come to some conclusion on these points +he saw Casper Nevins coming along the railroad and entering the depot. +By keeping a close watch of the windows he discovered him pass toward +the ticket office, where he made known his wants, and presently Claus +saw him put a ticket into his pocket. + +"So far, so good," muttered Claus, as he arose from his chair. "I +guess I might as well get on the train with him, for I must go to St. +Louis anyhow. Perhaps something will occur to me in the meantime." + +Casper was sitting on a bench, with his hands clasped and his chin +resting on his breast, wondering what in the world he was going to do +when he got back to St. Louis, when he heard Claus's step on the +floor. He first had an idea that he would not speak to him at all; but +Solomon acted in such a friendly manner, when he met him, that he +could not fail to accost him with + +"You were trying to shake me, were you?" + +"Shake you! my dear fellow," exclaimed Claus, as if he were profoundly +astonished. "Such a thing never entered my head! I simply wanted to +get away by myself and think the matter over. Have a cigar." + +"I don't want it!" declared Casper, when Claus laid it down upon his +knee. "I don't believe I shall want many cigars or anything else very +long." + +"Disappointed over not finding that wealth, were you?" asked Claus, in +a lower tone. "Well, I was disappointed myself, and for a time I did +not want to see you or anybody else. I have wasted a heap of +hard-earned dollars upon that 'old horse.'" + +"Have you given it up, too?" inquired Casper. + +"What else can I do? Of course I have given it up. I will go back home +again and settle down to my humdrum life, and I shall never get over +moaning about that hundred thousand dollars we have lost." + +"Do you think we tried every plan to get it?" + +"Every one that occurred to me. They have it, and that is all there is +to it. What are you going to do when you get back to St. Louis?" +inquired Claus, for that was a matter in which he was very much +interested. He was not going to have Casper hanging onto him; on that +he was determined. + +"I suppose I shall have to do as others do who are without work," +replied Casper. "I shall go around to every store, and ask them if +they want a boy who isn't above doing anything that will bring him his +board and clothes. I wish I had my old position back; I'll bet you +that I would try to keep it." + +"That is the best wish you have made in a long time," said Claus, +placing his hand on Casper's shoulder. "If I was back there, with my +money in my pocket, I would not care if every one of the express boys +would come and shove an 'old horse' at me. I tell you, 'honesty is the +best policy.'" + +Casper was almost ready to believe that Claus had repented of his +bargain, but he soon became suspicious of him again. That was a queer +phrase to come from the lips of a man who believed in cheating or +lying for the purpose of making a few dollars by it. For want of +something better to do, he took up the cigar which Claus had laid upon +his knee and proceeded to light it. + +"Well, I guess I'll go and get a ticket," remarked Claus, after a +little pause. "I don't know how soon that train will be along." + +"'Honesty is the best policy,' is it?" mused Casper, watching Claus as +he took up his stand in the door and looked away down the railroad. +"Some people would believe him, but I have known him too long for +that. I wish I knew what he has in his head. He is going to try to +get his hands on that 'old horse'; and if he does, I hope he will +fail, just as we have done. He need not think that I am going to hold +fast to him. I have had one lesson through him, and that is enough." + +Claus did not seem anxious to renew his conversation with Casper. He +had heard all the latter's plans, as far as he had any, and now he +wanted to think up some of his own. He walked up and down the platform +with his hands behind his back, all the while keeping a bright lookout +down the road for the train. + +"I must go to Denver, because I shall want to make the acquaintance of +some fellows there whom I know I can trust," soliloquized Claus. "I +can get plenty of men in St. Louis, but they are not the ones I want. +I must have some men who know all about mining, and perhaps I can get +them to scrape an acquaintance with Julian. That will be all the +better, for then I can find out what he is going to do. Well, we will +see how it looks when I get home." + +For half an hour Claus walked the platform occupied with such +thoughts as these, and finally a big smoke down the track told him the +train was coming. He stuck his head in at the door and informed Casper +of the fact, and when the train came up he boarded one of the forward +cars, leaving his companion to do as he pleased. + +"You are going to shake me," thought Casper, as he stepped aboard the +last car in the train. "Well, you might as well do it at one time as +at another. I have all the money I can get out of you, but I am not +square with you by any means. From this time forward I'll look out for +myself." + +And the longer Casper pondered upon this thought, the more heartily he +wished he had never seen Claus in the first place. He did not sleep a +wink during his ride to St. Louis, but got off the train when it +reached its destination and took a straight course for his room. The +apartment seemed cheerless after his experience on the train, but he +closed the door, threw himself into a chair, and resumed his +meditations, for thus far he had not been able to decide upon +anything. + +"I am hungry," thought he, at length, "and after I have satisfied my +appetite I will do just what I told Claus--go around to the different +stores and ask them if they want a boy. I tell you that will be a big +come-down for me, but it serves me right for having anything to do +with Claus." + +We need not go with Casper any further. For three nights he returned +from his long walks tired and hungry, and not a single storekeeper to +whom he had applied wanted a boy for any purpose whatever. Sometimes +he had sharp words to dishearten him. "No, no; get out of here--you +are the fifth boy who has been at me this morning;" and Casper always +went, for fear the man would lay violent hands on him. On the fourth +night he came home feeling a little better than usual. He had been +hired for a few days to act as porter in a wholesale dry-goods store, +and he had enough money in his pocket to pay for a good supper. The +wages he received were small--just about enough to pay for breakfast +and supper; but when the few days were up the hurry was over, and +Casper was once more a gentleman of leisure. And so it was during the +rest of the summer and fall. He could not get anything to do steadily, +his clothes were fast wearing out, and the landlord came down on him +for his rent when he did not have a cent in his pocket. Utterly +discouraged, at last he wrote to his mother for money to carry him to +his home; and so he passes out of our sight. + +As for Claus, we wish we could dispose of him in the same way; but +unfortunately we cannot. Everybody was glad to see him when he entered +the pool-room where he had been in the habit of playing, and more than +one offered him a cigar. He told a long story about some business he +had to attend to somewhere out West, and when he talked he looked up +every time the door opened, as if fearful that Casper would come in to +bother him for more money. But Casper was sick of Claus. The lesson he +had received from him was enough. + +Claus remained in St. Louis for two months; and he must have been +successful, too, for the roll of bills he carried away with him was +considerably larger than the one which Casper had seen. When he was +ready to go he bade everybody good-bye, and this time he carried his +trunk with him. He was going out West to attend to "some business," +which meant that he was going to keep watch of Julian and Jack in some +way, and be ready to pounce upon them when they worked their +mine--that is, if they were successful with it. + +"That will be the only thing I can do," decided Claus, after thinking +the matter over. "They have the buildings by this time, at any rate, +so that part of it has gone up; but when they get out alone, and are +working in their mine, that will be the time for me to take them. They +will have all the work, but I will have the dust they make." + +When Claus reached this point in his meditations, he could not help +remembering that some of the men who were interested in the mines were +dead shots with either rifle or revolver, and that if he robbed the +boys he would be certain to have some of them after him, and what they +would do if they caught him was another matter altogether. + +"I can shoot as well as they can," thought he, feeling around for his +hip pocket to satisfy himself that his new revolver was still in its +place. "If I have some of their money in my pocket, I would like to +see any of the miners come up with me." + +When Claus reached Denver, his first care was to keep clear of Julian +and Jack, and his next was to find some miners who were familiar with +the country in the region bordering on Dutch Flat; for thus far Claus +had not been able to learn a thing about it. Dutch Flat might be five +miles away or it might be a hundred, and he wanted somebody to act as +his guide. He put up at a second-rate hotel, engaged his room, and +then came down into the reading-room to keep watch of the men who +tarried there. + +"I must find somebody whose face tells me he would not be above +stealing a hundred thousand dollars if he had a good chance," decided +Claus; "but the countenances of these men all go against me--they are +too honest. I guess I'll have to try the clerk, and see what I can get +out of him." + +On the second day, as Claus entered the reading-room with a paper in +his hand, he saw before him a man sitting by a window, his feet +elevated higher than his head, watching the people going by. He was a +miner,--there could be no doubt about that,--and he seemed to be in +low spirits about something, for every little while he changed his +position, yawned, and stretched his arms as if he did not know what to +do with himself. Claus took just one look at him, then seized a chair +and drew it up by the man's side. The man looked up to see who it was, +and then looked out on the street again. + +"Excuse me," began Claus, "but you seem to be a miner." + +"Well, yes--I have dabbled in that a little," answered the man, +turning his eyes once more upon Claus. "What made you think of that?" + +"I judged you by your clothes," replied Claus. "Have a cigar? Then, +perhaps you will tell me if you know anything about Dutch Flat, where +there is--" + +"Don't I know all about it?" interrupted the man. "Ask me something +hard. A bigger fraud than that Dutch Flat was never sprung on any lot +of men. There is no color of gold up there." + +"Then what made you go there in the first place?" asked Claus. + +"It got into the hands of a few men who were afraid of the Indians, +and they coaxed me and my partner to go up," replied the man. "But +there were no Indians there. I prospected around there for six months, +owe more than I shall ever be able to pay for grub-staking, and +finally, when the cold weather came, I slipped out." + +"I am sorry to hear that," remarked Claus, looking down at the floor +in a brown study. "I have a mine up there, and I was about to go up +and see how things were getting on there; but if the dirt pans out as +you say, it will not be worth while." + +"You had better stay here, where you have a good fire to warm you +during this frosty weather," said the man, once more running his eyes +over Claus's figure. "If you have a mine up there you had better let +it go; you are worth as much money now as you would be if you stayed +up there a year." + +"But I would like to go and see the mine," replied Claus. "There was a +fortune taken out of it a few years ago, and it can't be that the vein +is all used up yet." + +"Where _is_ your mine?" + +"That is what I don't know. I have somehow got it into my head the +mine is off by itself, a few miles from everybody else's." + +"Do you mean the haunted mine?" asked the man, now beginning to take +some interest in what Claus was saying. + +"I believe that is what they call it." + +"It is five miles from Dutch Flat, straight off through the mountains. +You can't miss it, for there is a trail that goes straight to it." + +"Do you know where it is?" + +"Yes, I know; but that is all I do know about it. I saw two men who +went there to work the pit, and who were frightened so badly that they +lit out for this place as quick as they could go, and that was all I +wanted to know of the mine." + +"Then you have never been down in it?" + +"Not much, I haven't!" exclaimed the man, looking surprised. "I would +not go down into it for all the money there is in the mountain." + +"Did those men see anything?" + +"No, but they heard a sight; and if men can be so badly scared by what +they hear, they don't wait to see anything." + +"Well, I want to go up there, and who can I get to act as my guide?" + +"I can tell you one thing," answered the man, emphatically--"you won't +get me and Jake to go up there with you. I'll tell you what I might +do," he added, after thinking a moment. "Are you going to stay here +this winter?" + +"Yes, I had thought of it. It is pretty cold up there in the +mountains--is it not?" + +"The weather is so cold that it will take the hair right off of your +head," replied the man. "If you will stay here until spring opens, you +might hire me and Jake to show you up as far as Dutch Flat; but beyond +that we don't budge an inch." + +"How much will you charge me? And another thing--do I have to pay you +for waiting until spring?" + +"No, you need not pay us a cent. We have enough to last us all winter. +I was just wondering what I was going to do when spring came, and that +made me feel blue. But if you are going to hire us--you will be gone +three or four months, won't you?" + +Yes, Claus thought that he would be gone as long as that. Then he +asked, "How far is Dutch Flat from here?" + +"Two hundred miles." + +The two then began an earnest conversation in regard to the money that +was to be paid for guiding Claus up to Dutch Flat. The latter thought +he had worked the thing just about right. It would be time enough to +tell him who Julian and Jack were, and to talk about robbing them, +when he knew a little more concerning the man and his partner. He had +not seen the other man yet, but he judged that, if he were like the +miner he was talking to, it would not be any great trouble to bring +them to his own way of thinking. + + + + +CHAPTER XXVI. + +CLAUS HEARS SOMETHING. + + +Never had a winter appeared so long and so utterly cheerless as this +one did to Solomon Claus. The first thing he did, after he made the +acquaintance of Jake and his partner, was to change his place of +abode. Jake was as ready to ask for cigars as Claus had been, and the +latter found that in order to make his money hold out he must +institute a different state of affairs. He found lodgings at another +second-rate hotel in a distant part of the city, but he found +opportunity to run down now and then to call upon Bob and Jake,--those +were the only two names he knew them by,--to see how they were coming +along, and gradually lead the way up to talking about the plans he had +in view. It all came about by accident. One day, when discussing the +haunted mine, Claus remarked that he knew the two boys who were +working it, and hoped they would have a good deal of dust on hand by +the time he got here. + +"Then they will freeze to death!" declared Bob. "What made you let +them go there, if you knew the mine was haunted?" + +"Oh, they are not working it now," said Claus. "They are in St. Louis, +and are coming out as soon as spring opens. They are plucky fellows, +and will find out all about those ghosts before they come back." + +"Yes, if the ghosts don't run them away," answered Bob. "I understood +you to say they are boys. Well, now, if they get the better of the +ghosts, which is something I won't believe until I see it, and we +should get there about a month or two after they do, and find that +they have dug up dust to the amount of ten or fifteen thousand +dollars--eh?" + +"But maybe the gentleman is set on those two boys, and it would not +pay to rob them," remarked Jake. + +"No, I am not set on them," avowed Claus, smiling inwardly when he saw +how readily the miners fell in with his plans. "I tried my level best +to get those boys to stay at home, for I don't want them to dig their +wealth out of the ground, but they hooted at me; and when I saw they +were bound to come, I thought I would get up here before them and see +what sort of things they had to contend with." + +"What sort of relationship do you bear to the two boys?" asked Bob. + +"I am their uncle, and I gave them a block of buildings here in Denver +worth a hundred thousand dollars and this haunted mine; but, mind you, +I did not know it was haunted until after I had given it to them. But, +boy like, they determined to come up, brave the ghosts, and take +another fifty thousand out of it." + +Bob and Jake looked at each other, and something told them not to +believe all that Claus had said to them. If he was worth so much money +that he was willing to give his nephews a hundred thousand dollars of +it, he did not live in the way his means would allow. + +"And another thing," resumed Claus. "I would not mind their losing ten +thousand dollars, provided I got my share of it, for then they would +learn that a miner's life is as full of dangers as any other. But +remember--if you get ten thousand, I want three thousand of it." + +This was all that Claus thought it necessary to say on the subject of +robbing the boys, and after finishing his cigar he got up and went +out. Jake watched him until he was hidden in the crowd on the street, +and then settled back in his chair and looked at Bob. + +"There is something wrong with that fellow," he remarked. "His stories +don't hitch; he has some other reason for wishing to rob those boys. +Now, what is it?" + +"You tell," retorted Bob. "He has something on his mind, but he has no +more interest in that pit than you or I have. He never owned it, in +the first place." + +"Then we will find out about it when we show him the way to the Flat," +said Jake. + +"Oh, there will be somebody there working the mine--I don't dispute +that. But he is no uncle to them two boys. But say--I have just +thought of something. We are not going up there for three dollars a +day; and if we don't make something out of the boys, what's the reason +we can't go to headquarters?" + +Jake understood all his companion would have said, for he winked and +nodded his head in a way that had a volume of meaning in it. The two +moved their chairs closer together, and for half an hour engaged in +earnest conversation. There was only one thing that troubled +them--they did not like the idea of staying at Dutch Flat, among the +miners, until they heard how the boys were getting on with their mine. + +"You know they did not like us any too well last summer," said Bob, +twisting about in his chair. "If we had not come away just when we +did, it is my belief they would have ordered us out." + +"Yes; and it was all on your account, too. You were too anxious to +know how much the other fellows had dug out of their mines. You must +keep still and say nothing." + +Claus went away from the hotel feeling very much relieved. Bob and +Jake had come over to his plans, and they had raised no objection to +them. The next thing was to bring them down to a share in the spoils. +He was not going to come out there all the way from St. Louis and +propose that thing to them, and then put up with what they chose to +give him. + +"I must have a third of the money they make, and that is all there is +about it," said he to himself. "They would not have known a thing +about it if it had not been for me. Who is that? I declare, it is +Julian and Jack!" + +The boys were coming directly toward him, and this was the first time +he had seen them since his arrival in Denver, although he had kept a +close watch of everybody he had met on the street. He stepped into a +door, and appeared to be looking for some one inside; and when the +boys passed him, he turned around to look at them. The latter were in +a hurry, for it was a frosty morning, and they felt the need of some +exercise to quicken their blood; besides, they were on their way to +school, in the hope of learning something that would fit them for +some useful station in life. They were dressed in brand-new overcoats, +had furs around their necks and fur gloves on their hands, and Julian +was bent partly over, laughing at some remark Jack had made. He +watched them until they were out of sight, and then came out and went +on his way. + +"I tell you we are 'some,' now that we have our pockets full of +money," soliloquized Claus, who grew angry when he drew a contrast +between his and their station in life. "Most anybody would feel big if +he was in their place. But I must look out--I don't want them to see +me here." + +Fortunately Claus was not again called upon to dodge the boys in his +rambles about the city. He kept himself in a part of the city remote +from that which the boys frequented. The winter passed on, and spring +opened, and he did not again see them; but he heard of them through +Bob and Jake, who made frequent visits to the hotel where Mr. Banta +was located. + +"I guess we saw your boys to-day," said Bob, who then went on to +give a description of them. "They have it all cut and dried with +Banta, and he is going to show them the way to their mine. No, they +did not mention your name once. They are going to buy a pack-horse, +and load him up with tools and provisions, and are going out as big as +life." + +"That is all right," said Claus. "Now, remember--I am to have a third +of the dust you get." + +"Of course; that is understood," answered Jake, who now seemed as +anxious to go to Dutch Flat as he had before been to keep away from +it. "It would not be fair for us to take it all. Where are you going +after you get the money?" + +"I haven't got it yet," remarked Claus, with a smile. "Those ghosts +may be too strong for the boys, and perhaps they will come away +without anything." + +"Then we will pitch in and work the mine, ourselves," said Bob. "They +say that gold is so thick up there that you can pick it up with your +hands. We won't come away and leave such a vein behind us." + +"What about the ghosts?" queried Claus, who could not deny he was +afraid of them. "They may be too strong for you, also." + +"If they can get away with cold steel we'll give in to them," said +Jake. "But I'll risk that. Where are you going when you get the money? +Of course you can't go back to St. Louis." + +"No; I think I shall go on to California. I have always wanted to see +that State." + +"Well, we will go East. Three thousand dollars, if they succeed in +digging out ten thousand, added to what we shall make--humph!" said +Bob; and then he stopped before he had gone any further. + +It was a wonder that Claus did not suspect something, but his mind was +too fully occupied with other matters. Where was he going when he got +the money? That was something that had not occurred to Claus before, +and he found out that he had something yet to worry him. + +"You fellows seem to think you will get rich by robbing those boys," +remarked Claus, knowing that he must say something. + +"No, we don't," answered Jake; "but that will be enough to keep us +until we can turn our hands to some other kind of work. Now about our +pack-horse, tools and provisions. You have money enough to pay for +them, I suppose?" + +"Oh, yes--that is, I have a little," Claus replied, cautiously, for he +was afraid the miners might want more of it than he felt able to +spend. "But I tell you I shall be hard up after I get those things." + +"You have other money besides what you gave the boys," said Bob. "You +can write to St. Louis for more." + +"But I don't want to do that. I have with me just what I can spare, +for my other funds are all invested." + +"Oh, you can get more for the sake of what is coming to you," said +Jake, carelessly. "Now, we want to start for Dutch Flat in about a +week. That will give the boys time to fight the ghosts and get to work +in their pit. Suppose we go and see about our pack-horse and tools." + +Claus would have been glad to have put this thing off for a day or +two, but he could not see any way to get out of it. He went with the +miners, who knew just where they wanted to go, and the horse he bought +was a perfect rack of bones that did not seem strong enough to carry +himself up to Dutch Flat, let alone a hundredweight of tools and +provisions with him. The tools he bought were to be left in the store +until they were called for, and the miners drew a long breath of +relief, for that much was done. If Claus at any time got sick of his +bargain, and wanted to haul out, he could go and welcome; but they +would hold fast to his tools and provisions, and use them in +prospecting somewhere else. + +The morning set apart for their departure came at last, and Claus and +his companions put off at the first peep of day. They made the journey +of two hundred miles without any mishap, and finally rode into the +camp of Dutch Flat just as the miners were getting ready to have their +dinner. They all looked up when they heard the newcomers, and some +uttered profane ejaculations under their breath, while others greeted +them in a way that Claus did not like, for it showed him how his +partners stood there with the miners. + +"Well, if there ain't Bob I'm a Dutchman!" exclaimed one, +straightening up and shading his eyes with his hand. "You are on hand, +like a bad five-dollar bill--ain't you? I was in hopes you were well +on your way to the States by this time." + +"No, sir; I am here yet," answered Bob. "You don't mind if I go and +work my old claim, do you? I don't reckon that anybody has it." + +"Mighty clear of anybody taking your claim," said another. "You can go +there and work it, for all of us; but we don't want you snooping +around us like you did last summer." + +"What is the matter with those fellows?" asked Claus, when they were +out of hearing. "What did you men do here last summer?" + +"Just nothing at all," replied Jake. "We wanted to know how much gold +everybody was digging, and that made them jealous of us." + +"But if you can't mingle with them as you did then, how are you going +to find out about the haunted mine?" + +"Oh, we'll mix with them just as we did last year, only we sha'n't +have so much to say to them," said Jake. "Here is our claim, and it +don't look as though anybody had been nigh it." + +Claus was both surprised and downhearted. If he had known that the +miners were going to extend such a reception as that to him he would +have been the last one to go among them. There he was, almost alone, +with two hundred brawny fellows around him, each one with a revolver +strapped to his waist, and their looks and actions indicated that if +necessity required it they would not be at all reluctant to use them. +He managed to gather up courage to visit the general camp-fire, which +was kindled just at dark, where the miners met to smoke their pipes +and tell about what had happened in their mines during the day. This +one had not made anything. The dirt promised fairly, and he hoped in a +few days to strike a vein that would pay him and his partner +something. Another had tapped a little vein, and he believed that by +the time he got a rock out of his way he would stumble onto a deposit +that would make him so rich that he would start for the States in +short order. + +"Well, partner, how do you come on?" asked the man who was sitting +close to Claus, who was listening with all his ears. "Does your dirt +pan out any better than it did last summer?" + +"We have not seen the color of anything yet," replied Claus. "I do not +believe there is any gold there." + +"You are a tenderfoot, ain't you?" + +"Yes; I never have been in the mines before." + +"And you will wish, before you see your friends again, that you had +never seen them this time. If you get any dust, you hide it where your +partners can't find it." + +There was one man, who did not take any part in the conversation, that +kept a close watch on Claus and listened to every word he said. It was +Mr. Banta, who wondered what in the world could have happened to bring +so gentlemanly appearing a man up there in company with Bob and Jake. + +"He must have money somewhere about his good clothes, and that is what +Bob is after," said he to himself. "But if that is the case, why did +they not jump him on the way here? I think he will bear watching." + +Three nights passed in this way, Claus always meeting the miners at +the general camp-fire, while his partners stayed at home and waited +for him to come back and tell them the news, and on the fourth evening +Banta seemed lost in thought. He sat and gazed silently into the fire, +unmindful of the tales that were told and the songs that were sung all +around him. At last one of the miners addressed him. + +"Well, Banta, I suppose this is your last evening with us," he +remarked. + +"Yes; I go off to-morrow." + +"Don't you wish you had not promised to go up there?" + +"No, I don't; I shall find out if the boys are all right, anyway. That +is what I care the most about. I shall take some provisions with me, +and if the boys are above ground I will leave them; otherwise, I shall +bring them back." + +"Oh, the boys must have the better of the ghosts by this time," said +another; "they would have been here before this time if they had not. +You will find them with more gold stowed away than they know what to +do with." + +"And didn't they see the ghosts at all?" + +"Why, as to that, I can't say. But they have beaten them at their own +game. You will see." + +Claus pricked up his ears when he heard this, and when the miners had +all drawn away, one by one, and sought their blankets in their +lean-to's, he asked of the man who sat near him, and who was waiting +to smoke his pipe out before he went to bed, + +"Where is Banta going?" + +"Up to the haunted mine," was the reply. "You see, he went up there +two weeks ago with the boys, and promised to come back in two weeks to +see how they were coming on. His two weeks are up to-night." + +"What is up there, anyway?" + +"Well, you can ask somebody else to answer that question," said the +miner, getting upon his feet. "I don't know what is up there, and I +don't want to know." + +The miner walked off and left Claus sitting there alone. He was +certain that he was on the right track at last. As soon as Banta came +back they would know something about the haunted mine. + + + + +CHAPTER XXVII. + +BOB TRIES STRATEGY. + + +"Well, what did you hear this time?" asked Bob, who lay on his blanket +with his hands under his head and a pipe in his mouth. "Everybody kept +still about the haunted mine, I suppose?" + +"No, sir; I heard about it to-night for the first time," answered +Claus. "Banta is going up there to-morrow." + +"Then we will know something about it when he comes back," remarked +Bob. "I hope the boys have got the better of those ghosts in some way, +and that they are working their mine. Go on, and tell us what you have +heard." + +Claus did not have much to tell, for the miners had cut the +conversation short; but what little he did say created great +excitement between those who heard it now for the first time. The boys +had got the better of those unearthly spirits in some way, for if the +ghosts had driven them out and not allowed them to work their mine, +the miners would have found it out long before this time. + +"I don't see why Banta put it off for two weeks," said Jake; "I reckon +he was afraid of them spirits." + +The next day was one which Claus often remembered. There was much +excitement in the camp, although it did not show itself. There was +none of that singing and whistling going on, but every man worked in +silence. Banta and his partner had got off at daylight, and ten hours +must pass away before they could look for their return; but evening +came on apace, the camp-fire was lighted, and the miners gathered +around it and smoked their pipes without making any comments on the +long delay of Mr. Banta and the man who had gone with him. There was +one thing that troubled them, although no one spoke of it--the mule +which had carried their pack-saddle came home alone, and was now +feeding in company with the old bell-mare. That looked suspicious, but +the men said nothing. For an hour they sat around the fire, and then +one of them broke the stillness. He was an old, gray-headed man, +experienced in mining, and of course all listened to what he had to +say. He spoke in a low tone, as if there had been a patient there and +he was afraid to arouse him. + +"Ten miles in ten hours," said he, knocking the ashes from his pipe. +"Boys, something's got the better of those two men. I remember that +several years ago I was waiting for a partner of mine who had gone +away to prospect a mine----" + +"What was that?" exclaimed a miner, jumping to his feet. + +"I heard something, but I don't know what it was," said another. + +It was done quicker than we could tell it. In less than a second two +hundred men sprang to their feet, and two hundred hands slipped behind +them and laid hold of as many revolvers. Of all those men, there was +not one who would have hesitated to fight Indians with the fear of +death before their eyes, but there was not a single instance of a +miner who did not change color at the sound of a noise which seemed +to come upon them from no one could have told where. + +"Which way did the noise come from?" asked a miner. + +"What did it sound like?" queried another. + +"There it is!" said the miner who had at first detected it--"it sounds +like a horse's hoofs on the rocks. There! Don't you hear it?" + +And so it proved. The noise was heard plainly enough by this time, and +in a few moments more two men came out of the willows and rode into +the circle of light that was thrown out by the camp-fire. They were +Banta and his partner; and one look at their faces was enough--they +were fairly radiant with joy. + +"Halloo! boys," cried Banta. "I declare, you act as though you had +lost your best friend; and some of you have revolvers drawn on us, +too!" + +"Say, pard," said one of the miners, shoving his revolver back where +it belonged and extending a hand to each of the newcomers, "where +have you been so long? Your pack-mule has been home all the afternoon, +and has kept the camp in an uproar with her constant braying. She +acted as though she wanted to see your horses. Did you see the boys?" + +"Yes, sir, we saw the boys," answered Banta. He did not seem in any +particular hurry to relieve the suspense of his friends, which was now +worked up to the highest degree, but dismounted from his horse very +deliberately and proceeded to turn him loose. + +"Well, why don't you go on with it?" asked another miner. "Were the +boys all right?" + +"The boys were all right and tight, and digging away as hard as they +could." + +"Did they--did they see the ghosts?" + +"Of course they did; and the ghosts are now lying up there with their +skins off." + +"Were they animals?" + +"You are right again. Now, hold on till I light my pipe and I'll tell +you all about it. Tony, you ought to have gone up there; you would be +ten thousand dollars better off than you are this minute." + +Tony was a man who was noted far and near for his success in killing +the lions which were so abundant in the mountains. He would rather +hunt them than dig for gold, because he was almost sure to get the +animal he went after. He was filling his pipe when Banta was speaking, +but he dropped it and let it lay on the ground where it had fallen. + +"It is the truth I am telling you," declared Banta. "If you don't +believe it, you can go up there to that haunted mine and find out all +about it. The boys killed them with nothing but revolvers." + +Banta had his pipe lit by this time, and the miners crowded around +him, all eager for his story. Bob and Jake were there, and no one +seemed to pay the least attention to them; but they were impatient to +learn all the particulars of the case. There was one question they +wanted answered immediately, and that was, Did the boys really have a +bagful of dust, or was Banta merely joking about that? Fortunately +Tony recovered his wits and his pipe at the same time and asked the +question for them. + +"Did the boys get ten thousand dollars in two weeks?" he asked. + +"Well, they brought a bag out for us to examine, and they thought it +was nothing but iron pyrites," said Banta; and then he went on smoking +his pipe. + +"We took one look at the bag," said his partner, "and we took a big +load off the boys' minds when we told them it was gold, and nothing +else. Yes, sir--they have it fair and square." + +"The boys are going ahead as though there had never been any ghosts +there," said Banta; and then he went on to tell the miners everything +that had happened during their trip to the haunted mine; and when he +got started, he followed Julian's narrative, and paid no attention to +Jack's. It was certain that the story did not lose anything by passing +through his hands. + +"Jack pulled off his shirt," said he, in conclusion, "and he has some +wounds on his back that will go with him through life." + +"And is the gold as thick as they say it is--so thick that one can +pick it up with his hands?" + +"It is not quite as thick as that," replied Banta, with a laugh. "But +every time one washes out a cradleful he finds anywhere from a +teaspoonful to three or four which he wants to put in his bag. I tell +you, the boys have been lucky." + +"I am going up there the first thing in the morning," said a miner. +"Here I have been slaving and toiling for color for six months, and I +can hardly get enough to pay for my provisions, but I'll bet it won't +be that way, now, much longer." + +"Wait until I tell you something," answered Banta. "Neely, you can go +up there, if you are set on it; there's no law here that will make you +stay away. There are plenty of places where you can sink a shaft +without troubling the boys any, but whether or not it will pay you is +another question. The boys will be down here themselves in less than +two weeks' time." + +"How do you account for that?" + +"Their vein is giving out. It will end in a deep ravine that is up +there, and there their color ends." + +"Why don't they go back farther and start another?" asked the miner. + +"It won't pay. The man who started that shaft upon which they are now +at work was a tenderfoot, sure enough. There is not the first sign of +color about the dirt anywhere. He thought it was a pretty place and so +went to work, and the consequence is, it has panned out sixty thousand +dollars. But go ahead if you want to, Neely." + +Neely did not know whether or not he wanted to go ahead with such a +warning in his ears. Banta was an experienced prospector, and he could +almost tell by looking at the ground if there was any gold anywhere +about there. A good many who had been on the point of starting for the +haunted mine with the first peep of day shook their heads, and +concluded they would rather stay where they were than go off to a new +country. There were three, who did not say anything, whose minds were +already made up as to what they would do. They waited until the +miners were ready to go to their blankets, and then Bob attracted the +attention of those nearest him by saying, + +"What Banta says throws a damper on me. The haunted mine is going to +play out in a day or two, this place here is not worth shucks, and we +are going off somewhere at break of day to see if we can't do better +than we are doing here." + +"Where are you going?" asked one. + +"I don't know, and in fact I don't care much. I'll go to the first +good place I hear of, I don't care if it is on the other side of the +Rocky Mountains. I came out here expecting to get rich in a few days, +and I am poorer now than I was ten years ago. These mountains around +here have not any gold in them for me." + +"And I say it is good riddance," whispered the miner to some who stood +near him. "If you had acted as you did last year, you would have been +sent out before this time." + +Having paved the way for the departure of himself and companions, Bob +joined them and led the way into his own cabin. They seated +themselves close together, for they did not want to talk loud enough +to be heard by anyone who was passing their camp. + +"Well, they have it!" exclaimed Claus, who was so excited that he +could not sit still. + +"And it is gold, too," declared Jake. "Banta says so, and that is +enough." + +"In the morning, after we get breakfast," said Bob, "we'll hitch up +and take the back trail toward Denver. We will go away from the +haunted mine, and that will give color to what I told them a while +ago." + +"What if you should chance to miss your way?" asked Claus. + +"You can't lose me in these mountains; I have prospected all over +them, and I have seen where the haunted mine is located a hundred +times. What a pity it was that I did not stay there. Sixty thousand +dollars! Jake, if we had that sum of money we would be rich." + +Jake did not say anything--that is, anything that would do to put on +paper. He stretched himself out on his blanket and swore softly to +himself, so that nobody but his companions could hear him. + +"That will be three thousand three hundred dollars apiece," said +Claus, who did not like the way that Bob and Jake left him out +entirely. "Remember, I am to have a third of it." + +"Of course; and it will be more than that. The boys will have some +time to do more digging, and maybe they'll have another bagful. I +understood you to say that the boys were pretty plucky." + +"You may safely say that," replied Claus. "The way they stood up +against those lions, when they did not know what was onto them, is +abundant proof of that. You will have to go easy when you tackle them, +or some of you will get more than you want." + +The three continued to talk in this way until they grew tired and fell +asleep--that is, all except Claus, who rolled and twisted on his +blanket for a good while before he passed into the land of Nod. But he +was out before daybreak and busy with breakfast, while the others +brought up the animals and packed them for their journey. There was +only one man who came near them, and that was Banta, who wanted to +make sure they were not going toward the haunted mine. + +"Well, boys, are you going to leave us?" he inquired. "Where are you +going?" + +"Not giving you a short answer, we don't care much _where_ we go," +replied Bob. "There is nothing here for us, and we will go elsewhere. +We are going to take the back track." + +"Are you not deciding on this matter suddenly?" + +"We determined on it yesterday. We decided to go up to the haunted +mine if you came back with a favorable report of the condition of +things, but you say the lead is played out, and of course that knocks +us. Wherever we go, we can't find a much worse place than this." + +"Well, boys, I wish you luck, and we'll all go away from here before a +great while." + +"Why are you so anxious to find out about where we are going?" asked +Bob. + +"Because I wanted to remind you to keep away from that mine up the +gully," answered Banta, looking hard at Bob while he spoke. "The boys +have that mine all to themselves, and we are going to stand by them." + +"We have no intention of going near that haunted mine," asserted Bob, +rather sullenly. "If those boys have gold, let them keep it." + +"All right! Then I have nothing further to say to you." + +So saying, Banta turned on his heel and walked away. There was nothing +insulting in what he said, but Bob and his companions knew that he was +in earnest about it. They all kept watch of him as long as he remained +in sight, and then looked at each other with a broad grin on their +faces. + +"I guess Banta didn't make anything by trying to pump me," said Bob. +"When we get a mile or two down the gully, we'll save what little +provisions we want, push our horses over the bluff----" + +"What do we want to do that for?" exclaimed Claus, in great amazement. +"Can't we turn them loose?" + +"Yes, and have them come back here and join the old bell-mare," said +Jake, in disgust. "We have to be in a hurry about what we do, for we +must get a long start of the men here. If our nags appeared among the +other horses here, the miners would know we had been fooling them and +would start for the haunted mine at once." + +"Couldn't we tie them up?" asked Claus; "or, we could shoot them. That +would be an easier way than pushing them over the bluff." + +"But there's the report our pistols would make," replied Bob, turning +fiercely upon Claus. "The easiest way is the best. Now, if we have +everything we want, let us dig out from here." + +The men in the camp saw them when they mounted their horses and +started down the gully toward Denver, but there was not one who +shouted a farewell after them. When they disappeared from view, Banta +drew a long breath of relief. + +"It is just as well that they took themselves off before we had a +chance to tell them that their room was better than their company. I +do not like the way they have been acting since they have been here." + + + + +CHAPTER XXVIII. + +AN INHUMAN ACT. + + +"I'll bet no men ever went away from a camp before without somebody +said good-bye to them," said Jake. "They don't care where we go, or +what luck we have, provided we don't go near the haunted mine. If they +will just stay that way until to-morrow, they can all come on at once, +if they have a mind to." + +Claus was the soberest man in the party. He was waiting and watching +for that bluff at which their faithful steeds were to give up their +lives to make it possible for their owners to get away with the amount +they expected to raise at the haunted mine. There was something +cold-blooded about this, and Claus could not bring himself to think of +it without shivering all over. + +"I don't see why you can't tie them there," Claus ventured to say; +"they won't make any fuss until we are safely out of the way. It +looks so inhuman, to kill them." + +"Look here!" said Bob, so fiercely that Claus resolved he would not +say anything more on the subject--"if you don't like the way we are +managing this business, you can just go your way, and we'll go ours." + +"But you can't go yet," interrupted Jake; "we are not going to have +you go back to Dutch Flat and tell the men there what we are going to +do. You will stay with us until we get that money." + +"Of course he will," assented Bob. "When we get through with that +haunted mine we'll go off into the mountains, and then you'll be at +liberty to go where you please." + +"Of course I shall stay with you," said Claus, not a little alarmed by +the threat thus thrown out. Then he added to himself, "I reckon I +played my cards just right. If I can keep them from searching me, I'll +come out at the big end of the horn, no matter what happens to them." + +For the next hour Claus held his peace; but he noticed that his horse +turned his head and looked down the gully as if he feared they were +not going the right away. He did not remember that he had come that +route before, but concluded that Bob was gradually leaving the trail +behind them, and was veering around to get behind the camp at Dutch +Flat. Then the mule which bore their pack-saddle began to be +suspicious of it, too, for he threw up his head and gave utterance to +a bray so long and loud that it awoke a thousand echoes among the +mountains. + +"Shut up!" exclaimed Jack, jerking impatiently at his halter. "I hope +that bluff is not far away. We'll soon put a stop to your braying when +we get there." + +In another hour they came upon the bluff, one side of which was +bounded by a deep ravine that seemed to extend down into the bowels of +the earth, and the other was hemmed in by lofty mountains which rose +up so sheer their tops seemed lost in the clouds above. Here again the +mule became suspicious, for, in spite of the jerks which Jake gave at +his halter, he set up another bray that sounded as if the mountains +were full of mules. + +"Hold fast to him, Jake, until I take his saddle off," said Bob, +hastily dismounting from his horse; "I can soon stop that, if you +can't. There--his pack is off. Take him by the foretop--don't let him +get away from you. Now, then, look at you!" + +The mule got away in spite of all Jake's efforts to hold fast to him. +The moment the bridle was out of his mouth he dodged the grab that +Jake made for his foretop, and with a flourish of his heels and +another long bray made for the gully by which he had entered the +bluff. The horses made a vain attempt to follow him, and the animal on +which Claus was mounted seemed determined to go away, but he was +finally stopped by his rider before he reached the gully. Bob and Jake +were fairly beside themselves with anger. Bob stamped up and down so +close to the ravine that the least misstep would have sent him over +the brink, and Jake sat down on the ground and swore softly to +himself. + +"I tell you, this won't do!" said Bob, coming back to the horses. "Let +us put them over without the least delay; and, mind you, we won't +take their bridles off at all. That mule will be in camp in less than +an hour, so we must make tracks. Let their saddles go, too." + +The men went to work at pushing the horses over into the ravine as if +they were in earnest. First Bob's horse went; then Jake's; and finally +they took Claus's bridle out of his hands and shoved his horse over, +too. Claus did not see any of this work. The animals went over without +making any effort at escape beyond putting out their feet and trying +to push themselves away from the brink; but the miners got behind +them, and all their attempts to save themselves amounted to nothing. +He heard the horses when they crashed through the branches of the +trees below him, and then all was silent. + +"What else could we do?" exclaimed Bob, who thought Claus looked +rather solemn over it. "Dutch Flat is not a mile from here, and some +one there would have heard their whinnying. I am sorry to do it, too, +but when there is ten thousand dollars in sight, I don't stop at +anything. Now pitch that mule's things over, also, and then we'll get +away from here." + +This being done, the three, with a small package of provisions on +their shoulders, set out once more at a rapid pace, Bob leading the +way. + +For a long time no one spoke, the travelling being so difficult that +it took all their breath to keep pace with Bob; but finally he turned +about and made a motion of silence with his hand, and then they began +to pick their way through the bushes with more caution. After a few +moments he stopped, pushed aside the branches of an evergreen, and +after taking a survey of the scene presented to his gaze he made +another motion, which brought his companions up beside him. + +"We have caught them at it!" said he. 'Julian is on top, and Jack is +down below, shovelling dirt. Where are your revolvers?" + +"Those fellows from the Flat have not come yet," said Jake, looking +all around to make sure that the boys were alone. "Lead ahead, Bob, +and remember that we are close at your heels." + +Leaving his provisions behind him, Bob arose to his feet, stepped out +of his place of concealment and advanced toward the pit. Julian was so +intent on watching his companion below that he did not hear the sound +of their footsteps until they were so close to him that he could not +pull his partner up; so he simply raised his head, and was about to +extend to them a miner's welcome, when he saw something that made him +open his eyes and caused him to stare harder than ever. There was +something about that short, fleshy man which he was sure he +recognized. It did not make any difference in what style of clothing +Claus was dressed in,--whether as a gentleman of leisure or as a +miner,--his face betrayed him. He saw that it was all up with him, for +he had no time to go to the lean-to after his revolver. + +"Pitch that dirt out of the bucket and come up, Jack," called Julian, +shaking the rope to attract the attention of his comrade. "Claus is up +here." + +There was a moment's silence; then Jack's voice came back in no very +amiable tones. + +"Get away with your nonsense!" he exclaimed. "If I come up there again +for just nothing at all, I pity _you_! If Claus is there, make him +show himself." + +"Why, he's your uncle," asserted Bob, who began to wonder if that was +the first lie that Claus had told them. + +"That man?" exclaimed Julian. "Not much, he ain't. Jack, is Claus your +uncle?" + +"Tell him to come down here and I'll see about it," said Jack, who +could not yet be made to see that there was something really going on +at the top. "That makes two I have against you, old fellow." + +"No, you haven't got anything against me," said Julian. "Here is +Claus. Don't you see his face? Any man who would claim such an uncle +as that--" + +"That is enough out of you!" interrupted Jake. "Fetch that partner of +yours up, and then bring out your money--we must get away from here in +a hurry." + +"Well! well!" cried Jack, who happened to look up and catch a glimpse +of Claus's face. "I will come up directly." + +"Say, you, down there," called Bob, bending over the shaft, "if you +have a revolver down there, be careful that you keep it where it +belongs." + +"Don't worry yourself," answered Jack; "I haven't anything in the +shape of a revolver about me. Hoist away, Julian." + +The dirt was emptied out by this time, and Jack stepped into the +bucket and was promptly hoisted to the top. Then he stood waiting for +the three men to make known their wants; but he devoted the most of +his time to scrutinizing the face of Claus, to whom he was indebted +for the presence of the other two. + +"Do you think you could recognize me if you should chance to meet me +again anywhere?" asked Claus. + +"Certainly, I could," answered Julian; "I would recognize you if I saw +you in Asia. You are bound to have some of that money, are you not?" + +"That is just what I am here for," said Claus, with a grin. "You have +one bagful and another partly full, and we want them both as soon as +you can get them." + +Jack was astonished when he heard this, for Mr. Banta had told him to +keep the full bag hidden where no one could find it. How, then, did +Claus know anything about it? Julian was equally amazed; but, after +thinking a moment, he turned on his heel and led the way toward their +lean-to. Bob and his companion kept close by the side of the two boys, +for they did not want them to find their revolvers before they knew +something about it. They had heard from various sources that the boys +were fair shots, and they did not want to see them try it on. + +"Well, Claus, you slipped up on one thing," said Julian; "you didn't +get any of that block of buildings--did you?" + +"Come, now, hurry up!" insisted Bob. "Where are those bags?" + +"Here's one you have been talking about," answered Jack, pulling the +head of his bed to pieces and producing the article in question. +"Julian, you know where the other one is." + +While Jack was engaged in performing this work the revolvers were kept +pointed straight at him, for fear he might pull out another one and +turn it loose upon them before they could draw a trigger. But the boys +did not seem to care any more about the revolvers than if they had +been sticks of wood that were aimed at them. Claus had a revolver, but +he did not seem inclined to use it. + +"Are you sure it is gold in here, and not something else?" asked Bob. + +"You have got the bag in your hands, and you can look and see for +yourself," said Jack. + +"Go out in front of the lean-to and sit down on the ground so that I +can watch you," said Bob. "Jake, go with that boy and dig up the other +one. Is this all you have made since you have been here?" + +"Yes, that's all. Now, what are you going to do with us?" + +"I'll tell you when Jake comes back. Is there much more of that lead +down there?" + +"Well, you have charge of the mine, now, and there is no law to hinder +you from going down and finding out," retorted Jack. "Claus, where are +you going? I don't expect to see these gentlemen any more, but I +should like to keep track of you." + +Claus did not see fit to answer this question, and in the meantime +Julian and Jake returned with the other bag. + + + + +CHAPTER XXIX. + +A TRAMP WITH THE ROBBERS. + + +"Oh, it is gold!" exclaimed Jake, as Bob took the bag and bent over +it; "it is not iron pyrites." + +"Stow that about your clothes, Jake, and then we'll go on," said Bob; +"and we want you boys to gather up provisions enough to last you for +three or four days. But, in the first place, where are your +revolvers?" + +"Don't you see them hung up there, in plain sight?" asked Jack, +pointing to the articles in question, which were suspended from the +rack of the lean-to, in plain sight. "What are you going to do with +us?" + +"We are going to take you a three days' journey with us, and then turn +you loose." + +"Why can't you let us go now?" queried Julian. "We have nothing else +that is worth stealing." + +"No, but you are too close to Dutch Flat," Jake replied. "We haven't +got anything against you, and when we get out there in the +mountains--" + +"You might as well shoot us on the spot as to lose us among these +hills. I pledge you my word that we will not stir a step--" + +"That is all very well," interrupted Bob with a shake of his head +which told the boys that he had already decided on his plan; "but, you +see, it don't go far enough. If you don't go to the miners, the miners +will come here to you, so we think you would be safer with us. Gather +up your grub and let us get away from here." + +The boy saw very plainly that Bob and Jake wanted to make their escape +from the miners sure; so Julian collected some bacon and hard-tack, +which he wrapped up in a blanket and fixed to sling over his +shoulders. There was one thing that encouraged him--"if he did not go +to the miners, the miners would come after him"--and proved that they +must in some way have had their suspicions aroused against Bob and +Jake. Jack also busied himself in the same way, and in a very few +minutes the boys were ready to start. + +"I must say you are tolerably cool ones, to let ten or fifteen +thousand dollars be taken from you in this way," remarked Bob, who was +lost in admiration of the indifferent manner in which the boys obeyed +all orders. "I have seen some that would have been flurried to death +by the loss of so much money." + +"If Claus, here, told the truth, they have a whole block of buildings +to fall back on," answered Jake. "But maybe that is a lie, too." + +"No, he told you the truth there," said Julian. "He tried to cheat us +out of those buildings while we were in St. Louis--" + +"I never did it in this world!" declared Claus, emphatically. + +"Did you not claim to be our uncle?" asked Julian. + +"Uncle!" ejaculated Jack. "Great Scott!" + +Claus did not attempt to deny this. Bob and Jake were almost within +reach of him, and they looked hard at him to see what he would say, +and he was afraid to affirm that there was no truth in the statement +for fear of something that might happen afterward. He glanced at the +boys, who were looking steadily at him, and Jack moved a step or two +nearer to him with his hands clenched and a fierce frown on his face, +all ready to knock him down if he denied it; so Claus thought it best +not to answer the question at all. + +"You won't think it hard of me if I hit him a time or two?" asked +Jack. + +"Come here and behave yourself," said Julian, walking up and taking +Jack by the arm. "I think, if the truth was known, he is in a worse +fix than we are." + +"But he claims to be my uncle!" exclaimed Jack. + +The tone in which these words were uttered, and Jack's anger over the +claim of relationship, caused Bob and Jake to break out into a roar of +laughter. + +"We'll take your word for it," said Bob, as soon as he could speak; +"but we can't waste any more time here. Follow along after me, and +Jake will bring up the rear." + +Bob at once set off to the spot where they had left their provisions, +and, having picked them up, led the way down the almost perpendicular +side of the ravine until they reached the bottom. Now and then he +would look over his shoulder at Jack, who was following close behind +him, and would break into another peal of laughter. + +"So you didn't want that fellow to claim relationship with you?" said +he. "Well, I don't blame you. He has done nothing but tell us one pack +of lies after another ever since we met him. The only thing that had +the least speck of truth in it was that we should find you here at the +haunted mine." + +This remark was made in a low tone, so that it did not reach the ears +of Claus, who was following some distance behind. If Claus had not +seen already that he was in a "fix," he ought to have seen it now. + +"Now, perhaps you wouldn't mind telling us what you are going to do +with us," Jack ventured to say, in reply. + +"Well, the men there at Dutch Flat are hot on our trail now," asserted +Bob. + +"How do you know that?" + +"Because our mule got away from us when we tried to shove him over the +bluff. We wanted to destroy everything we had that we could not carry +on our backs, but he got away from us. Banta warned us against coming +up here, and we fooled him by making him believe we were going +straight down to Denver; but he will be after us now. If he comes, he +had better take us unawares; that's all." + +"We don't want to see that fight," remarked Jack. "You'll let us go +before that comes off?" + +"Oh, yes; when we get you so deep in the mountains that you can't find +your way back readily, why, then we'll let you go. If you behave +yourselves, you won't get hurt." + +Bob led the way at a more rapid pace when they reached the bottom of +the gorge, jumping from rock to rock, and climbing over fallen trees +that lay in their road, and Jack followed his example. He knew that +Bob was making the trail more difficult to follow, but it was done in +order to keep out of argument with his charge; for Bob often stopped, +whenever he came to a place that took some pains to get over, and saw +that those who were following him left no tracks behind them. + +"There!" said Bob, pulling off his hat and looking back at the way +they had come; "I reckon Banta will find some trouble in tracking us +up here. I am hungry, and we'll stop here and have something to eat." + +After they had satisfied their appetites they took a little time to +rest, and then set off again at a more rapid pace than ever. It was +almost dark when they stopped to camp for the night. The boys were +tired, and they showed it as soon as they had disposed of their bacon +and hard-tack by wrapping their blankets about them and lying down to +sleep, with their feet to the fire. Their slumber was as sound as +though they were surrounded by friends instead of being in the power +of those who had robbed them of their hard-earned wealth. + +It seemed to them that they had scarcely closed their eyes when they +were awakened by the sound of footsteps moving about, and threw off +their blankets in time to see Bob cutting off a slice of bacon. It was +as dark as pitch in the woods, and the boys did not see how Bob was to +find his way through them. + +"It will be light enough by the time we have our breakfast eaten," +said he, in response to the inquiry of Julian. "You have a watch with +you. What time is it?" + +Julian had a watch with him, it is true, but he had been careful how +he drew it out in the presence of Bob and Jake. It had no chain +attached to it, and the boy was not aware that Bob knew anything about +it; but he produced the gold timepiece and announced that it was just +five o'clock. This was another thing over which Julian had had an +argument with Jack, who believed that, with the money he had at his +disposal, he ought to have the best watch that could be procured, and, +in spite of Jack's arguments, he had purchased the best American +patent lever he could find. Jack's watch was an ordinary silver one, +and he said that by it he could tell the time when dinner was ready as +well as he could by a good timepiece. + +"Do you want this watch?" asked Julian, because he thought the man who +would steal his money would not be above stealing his watch also. + +"Oh, no," replied Bob, with a laugh; "you can keep that. I wanted your +money, and, now that I have it, I am satisfied." + +By the time breakfast was cooked and eaten there was light enough to +show them the way, and Bob once more took the lead. There was no trail +to guide them--nothing but the gully, which twisted and turned in so +many ways that Julian almost grew heart-sick when he thought of +finding his way back there in company with Jack. More than once he was +on the point of asking Bob if he did not think they had gone far +enough, but the man had been so friendly and good-natured all the time +that he did not want to give him a chance to act in any other way. So +he kept with him during that long day's tramp, looking into all the +gullies he crossed, and once or twice he slyly reached behind him and +pulled down a branch of an evergreen that happened to come in his +way. + +"That's the way our women used to do in old Revolutionary times when +they were captured and wanted to leave some trail for their rescuers +to follow," soliloquized Julian; "but Bob doesn't take any notice of +it." + +"Well, I reckon we'll stop here for the night," remarked Bob, when it +got so dark that he could scarcely see. "This is as far as we shall +ask you to go with us, Julian. I suppose you are mighty glad to get +clear of us." + +"Yes, I am," assented Julian, honestly. "If you will give us what you +have in your pockets, you can go your way and we will make no attempt +to capture you." + +"Oh, we couldn't think of that! You have wealth enough to keep you all +your lives, and I have struggled for ten years to gain a fortune, and +to-day I have just got it." + +"What would you do if somebody should catch you along the trail, +somewhere? You would come in for a hanging, sure." + +"Don't you suppose we know all that? It is a good plan for you to +catch your man before you hang him. We have two revolvers apiece, and +you know what that means." + +"You don't count Claus worth anything, then," remarked Jack. + +"Eh? Oh, yes, we do," exclaimed Bob, who wondered what Claus would +think of him for leaving him out entirely. "But Claus is not used to +this sort of business, you know. He could make a noise, and that is +about all he could do." + +"We know we should come in for a hanging if those fellows at Dutch +Flat should ever get their hands on us, but when they do that we'll be +dead. You need not think we are going to stay in this country, where +everybody has got so rich, and we be as poor as Job's turkey all the +while. We have just as good a right to be rich as they have." + +When Jake got to talking this way it was a sure sign that he was +rapidly getting toward a point which Bob called "crazy." He was always +mad when he spoke of others' wealth and his own poverty; and the boys, +who were anxious to get him off from that subject, began their +preparations for supper. They were glad to know they had gone far +enough with the robbers to insure their escape, and they were +disposed to be talkative; but they noticed that Claus was more +downhearted than he had ever been. He lit his pipe, leaned back +against a tree, and went off into a brown study. + +"I suppose he'll get a portion of the money that was stolen from us," +said Jack, in a low tone. + +"No, he won't," answered Julian in the same cautious manner. "He has +been promised some of that money, but I'll bet you he don't get a cent +of it. He is here in these fellows' power, and they'll take what they +please out of him." + +The boys, although as tired as they were on the previous day, were not +by any means inclined to sleep. In fact they did not believe they had +been asleep at all until they heard Bob moving around the fire. It was +five o'clock by Julian's watch, and his first care was to find out +what had become of Claus, who lay muffled up, head and ears, in his +blanket; but he would not have stayed there if he knew what was going +to happen to him during the day. + +"Now perhaps you will be good enough to tell us what route we have to +travel in order to get out of here," said Jack. + +"Have you a compass with you?" asked Jake. + +No, the boys had none; they did not think they would need one when +they were surrounded by friends who knew the woods, and consequently +they had not brought one with them. + +"You know which way is east, don't you? Well, place your backs to the +sun, and keep it there all the time. Dutch Flat lies directly west of +here." + +"That will be good if the sun shines all the time," said Julian. "But +if it goes under a cloud--then what?" + +"Then you will have to go into camp, and stay until it comes out +again," replied Bob. "But at this time of the year you have nothing to +fear on that score. Are you going already? Well, good-bye. Why don't +you wish us good luck with that money we took from you?" + +"Because I don't believe it will bring you good luck," said Jack. "We +worked hard for it, and we ought to have it. I wish you good-bye, but +I don't wish you good luck." + +"Shake hands with your uncle, why don't you?" asked Bob. + +"Not much!" returned Jack. "If that money doesn't bring him some +misfortune I shall miss my guess." + +Julian and Jack shouldered the blankets which contained the few +provisions they had left, plunged into the thicket, and were out of +hearing in a few minutes. The robbers sat by the fire without making +any effort to continue their journey, and presently Bob turned his +eyes upon Claus. + +"Now, my friend, it is time for you to go, too," said he. + + + + +CHAPTER XXX. + +HOME AGAIN. + + +Claus had been expecting something of this kind. It is true he had a +revolver, but by the time he could reach back to his hip pocket and +draw it he could be covered by Jake, whose weapon lay close at hand. +There was but one thing to be done--he had to surrender. Instead of +getting three thousand dollars for his share in the robbery, he would +be turned loose in that country, two hundred miles from anybody, +without a cent left in his pockets--that is, if Bob searched him. + +"Well," said Claus, "I suppose you want all the money I have around +me. I should think you might leave me a little." + +"How much have you?" asked Bob. + +Without saying a word, Claus unbuttoned his vest, worked at something +on the inside, and presently hauled out a belt, which he handed over +to Bob. It did not stick out as though there was much money in it, and +when Bob began to investigate it, all he drew forth was twenty-five +dollars. + +"You are a wealthy millionaire, I understood you to say," exclaimed +Bob, in great disgust. "This looks like it!" + +"I told you, when I had purchased the pack-mule, provisions and tools, +that I should not have much left," answered Claus. "That's all I have, +and if you take it from me I shall starve." + +"Stand up!" commanded Jake, who was as disgusted as Bob was. "You are +sure you haven't got any about your clothes? But, first, I'll take +possession of that revolver." + +The revolver having been disposed of, Jake then turned his attention +to feeling in all Claus's pockets, but he found nothing more +there--Claus had evidently given them the last cent he had. + +"Take your little bills," said Bob, throwing Claus's belt back to him. +"If you are careful of them, they will serve you till you get back to +Denver." + +"And when you get there, you can go to one of those men who own that +block of buildings and borrow another thousand or two. Now, get out of +here!" put in Jake. + +"I thank you for this much," returned Claus. "But I should thank you a +good deal more if you would give me my revolver. I may want it before +I reach Denver." + +"Give it to him, Jake. He hasn't pluck enough to shoot at us or +anybody else. Make yourself scarce about here!" + +"They think they are awful smart!" thought Claus, when he had placed +some bushes between him and the robbers. "Why didn't they think to +look in my shoe? I have three hundred dollars that they don't know +anything about. Now I guess I'll go back to St. Louis; and if anybody +ever says anything to me about an 'old horse,' I'll knock him down." + +We are now in a position to take a final leave of Claus, and we do it +with perfect readiness. Did he get back to St. Louis in safety? Yes, +he got there in due course, but he had some fearful sufferings on the +way. In the first place, he was nearly a week in finding his way out +of the mountains; and by the time he reached a miner's cabin he was so +weak from want of food that he fell prone upon the floor, and stayed +there until the miner came from his work and found him there. Of +course he was taken in and cared for, and when he was able to resume +his journey he offered to present the miner with every cent he +had,--twenty-five dollars,--to pay him for his kindness; but the miner +would not take it. + +"You will need every cent of that before you get to Denver," said he. +"The food and care I have given you don't amount to anything. +Good-bye, and good luck to you." + +He was nearly three times as long in finding his way back to Denver. +He tried to buy a horse on the way, but no one had any to sell. He now +and then found a chance to ride when he was overtaken by a teamster +who was going somewhere for a load, but the most of his journey was +accomplished on foot. His long tramp never cost him a cent, for +everybody pitied his forlorn condition. + +"I tell you, if I had been treated this way by those robbers I +wouldn't look as bad as I do now," Claus often said to himself; "I +would have seen California before I went home." + +All this while, Claus was on nettles for fear he would see some of the +men from Dutch Flat who were in pursuit of him; but the trouble was, +the miners all went the other way. They never dreamed that Claus was +going home, but saddled their horses at Mr. Banta's command, and, +making no attempt to follow the devious course of the robbers through +the mountains, took the "upper trail," and did their best to shut them +off from the towns toward which they knew the men were hastening to +buy some more provisions. What luck they met with we shall presently +see. + +No man ever drew a longer breath than Claus did when he came within +sight of Denver. He went at once to the hotel where he had left his +clothes, but the landlord did not recognize him and ordered him out of +the house; but he finally succeeded in making himself known; and, now +that he was safely out of reach of the miners at Dutch Flat, he had +some fearful stories to tell of his experience. + +"You know I left my clothes with you on condition that you would keep +them for me for a year," said Claus, who thought that was the wisest +thing that he ever did. "Well, I want them now. I have the key to my +trunk, so everything is all right." + +Claus was not long in recovering from the effects of his journey, for +he could not help thinking that Mr. Banta, or some other man who +belonged to the Flat, would find out that he had gone to Denver and +come after him; so he remained there but two days before he took the +cars for home. + +"Now I am safe," said he, settling down in his seat and pulling his +hat over his eyes; "I would like to see them catch me. But what shall +I do when I get back to St. Louis? I must settle down into the same +old life I have always led, and that will be a big come-down for me." + +Claus is there now, spending his time at the pool-rooms, where he +makes the most of his living, and ready at any time to talk about the +mines and the terrible experience he had there. + +And where were Julian and Jack all this while? To begin with, they +were in the ravine, making all the haste they could to leave the +robbers behind and reach the haunted mine before their provisions gave +out. That troubled them worse than anything. + +"If our grub stops, where are we going to get more?" asked Jack. "I +don't believe there is a house any nearer than Dutch Flat." + +"And we can't get there any too soon," returned Julian. "At any rate, +we are better off than Claus is. What do you suppose they intend to do +with him?" + +"I suppose they intend to divide the money with him. What makes you +think they would do anything else?" + +"From the way they treated him. If we could learn the whole upshot of +the matter, you would find that they don't intend to give him a +dollar." + +"I wish we could see Mr. Banta for about five minutes," said Jack. "I +don't like to give up that money. It is the first we ever earned by +digging in the ground, and I was going to suggest to you that we keep +some of it." + +Julian replied by lengthening his steps and going ahead at a faster +rate than ever. He, too, did not like to confess that the money was +lost,--that is, if they could only get word to Mr. Banta in time. He +did not know where the robbers were heading for; but, with two hundred +men at his back, Julian was certain he could come up with them before +they had left the country entirely. + +"But I hope they will not hurt the robbers," said Julian. "If they +will just get the dust, that is all I shall ask of them." + +About five o'clock in the afternoon, when it began to grow dark in the +ravine, Julian, who had been all the time leading the way, stopped and +pointed silently before him. Jack looked, and there was the camp they +had occupied two nights before. + +"We are on the right road, so far," said he. "If we don't miss our +way to-morrow we are all right." + +The boys had not stopped to eat any dinner, and for that reason they +were hungry. They spent a long time in cooking and eating their bacon, +and Julian said there was just enough for two more meals. He did not +like to think of what might happen when it was all gone, and, after +replenishing the fire, bade his companion good-night, wrapped his +blanket about him, and laid down to rest; but sleep was out of the +question. A dozen times he got up to see the time, and there was Jack, +snoring away as lustily as he had done at the haunted mine. Julian +wished that he, too, could forget his troubles in the same way, but +when morning came he had not closed his eyes. + +Julian proved to be an invaluable guide, for that night they slept in +the first camp they had made after leaving the haunted mine. If he had +always known the path, he could not have brought his companion +straighter to it. + +"Now keep your eyes open for the trail we made when we came down from +our mine, and then we are at home. But I say, Julian, I shall not be +in favor of staying here. All our money is gone, I don't feel in the +humor to work for any more, and we will go down to Dutch Flat." + +"And we'll stay there just long enough to find somebody starting out +for Denver, and we'll go with him," replied Julian. "I don't want +anything more to do with the mines as long as I live." + +The night passed away, and the next morning, without waiting to cook +breakfast, the two boys started to find the trail that led up the +bluff to the haunted mine. They were a long time in finding it--so +long, in fact, that Julian began to murmur discouraging words; but +finally Jack found it; and now began the hardest piece of work they +had undertaken since they left the robbers. The cliff was as steep as +it looked to be when they gazed down into its depths from the heights +above, and they did not see how they had managed to come down it in +the first place. + +"Are you sure the mine is up here?" asked Julian, seating himself on a +fallen tree to rest. "I should not like to go up there and find +nothing." + +"Didn't you see the trail we made in coming down?" inquired Jack. "Of +course we are on the right track; but if you spend all your time in +resting, we shall never be nearer the top than we are this minute." + +Julian once more set to work to climb the hill, and in half an hour +more Jack pushed aside some branches that obstructed his way and found +himself in plain view of the mine. Julian was satisfied now, but +declared he could not go any farther until he had recovered all the +wind he had expended in going up the bluff; but Jack wanted to see +that everything in the camp was just as they left it. He walked on +toward the lean-to, and the first thing that attracted his attention +was that his goods had been disturbed. The skins were gone, some of +the blankets were missing, and there were hardly provisions enough to +get them a square meal. Julian came up in response to his call, and +was obliged to confess that there had been other robbers while they +were absent. + +"Let us dish up the few provisions left, take those things we want to +save, and dig out for the Flat," said Julian. "I am sure there is +nothing here to keep us, now." + +"And we'll leave the dirt-bucket here for somebody else to use," added +Jack. "If he thinks there is a lead down there, let him go and try it. +I did not send up enough dust the last time I was down there to pay +for the rope." + +At the end of an hour the boys resumed their journey, each one loaded +with a few things they wanted to save, and in two hours more they +arrived within sight of Dutch Flat. Some few of the men had already +given up their workings and were sitting in front of the store, +smoking their pipes; but one of them speedily caught sight of the +boys, and the miners broke out into a cheer. In a few seconds more +they were surrounded, shaking hands with all of them, and trying in +vain to answer their questions all at once. + +"This is no way to do it," declared Julian. "Let us put our things in +the cabin and get our breath, and I will tell you the story." + +"In the first place," began Jack, as he deposited the things with +which his arms were filled and came out and seated himself on the +doorsteps of Mr. Banta's cabin, "let me ask a few questions. I won't +delay the story five minutes. Where is the man who owns this house?" + +"Mr. Banta?" said one of the miners. "He took the upper trail two or +three days ago, and rode with all possible speed in the direction of +Mendota. He hopes in that way to cut off those villains." + +"He will do it, too, for they have no horses," said Julian. + +"No horses? What did they do with them?" + +"I don't know, I am sure," answered Julian, in surprise. "They were on +foot when they came to rob us." + +"Why, their mule came up here a few hours after they left, and made +the biggest kind of a fuss, and Banta suspected something at once. He +called for some men to go with him, and he went as straight as he +could to your mine. You were not there, and that proved that those +miners had paid you a visit." + +"We are going to get our dust again!" said Julian, slapping Jack on +the shoulder. "But I hope they won't hurt the robbers after they catch +them." + +"Well, that is rather a difficult thing to tell. A man who comes into +a mining-camp and watches his chance to steal money instead of working +for it, takes his life in his hand." + +"Then they must have been the ones who disturbed our things," said +Jack. + +"Probably they were. They brought the skins of the ghosts back, and +also some of your provisions. They are there in his cabin now. Now let +us have that story." + + + + +CHAPTER XXXI. + +CONCLUSION. + + +When Julian had fairly settled down to tell his story, which he did by +crossing his right leg over his left leg and clasping his hands around +his knee, he discovered that there was not so much to be told as he +had thought for. His adventure with the robbers was nothing more than +might have happened to any one of the miners who were standing around +him; the only question in his mind was, would the other miner have +fared as well as he did? + +"They came to our mine and stole our dust; but I don't see how they +found out about the full bag. Mr. Banta told us to be careful about +that." + +"Why, Mr. Banta told it himself!" remarked one of the miners. "He said +you had a bagful hidden away." + +"You see, he had to do it, or the men here would have become +suspicions and gone up to your mine in a body," explained another. "Go +on--what next?" + +"They took the full bag, as well as the half-empty one, and told us we +would have to go with them on a three days' journey into the +mountains, so as to keep you fellows here in ignorance of the robbery +as long as possible but they took us only a two days' journey, and +then told us we had gone far enough. That's all there was of it." + +"Is that all you have to tell?" asked one. + +"Well, no. They went away from here on horseback, you said. Now, what +did they do with their animals? They were on foot when they came to +see us, and they never said 'horses' once during the two days we were +with them." + +"Probably they rode their horses as far as they could, and then killed +them." + +"No doubt they pushed them over a bluff," said a man who had not +spoken before. + +"We did not see any horses; of that much we are certain. The only +thing I can't see into is, what they did with Claus after we went +away. Of course they agreed to give him a portion of the money they +got off us." + +"Maybe so, but I don't think they did it. Go on--how did they treat +you?" + +"As well as they knew how," answered Julian, emphatically. "That is +the reason why I hope Mr. Banta will be kind to them if he catches +them." + +"Well, you'll see how he'll treat them," retorted a miner. "You'll +never see those three men again." + +Julian became uneasy every time the men spoke of the way the miners +would use their prisoners if they found them, but he knew it would be +of no use to say a word. If anything was done to them, he was in hopes +the miners would get through with it before they came to camp. He was +not used to any Western way of dealing with criminals, and he thought +he was getting too old to become used to it now. + +This was the way Julian told his story, in answer to numerous +questions of the miners, who finally heard all they wanted to know. In +regard to what had happened to Claus, none of the miners had any +idea. He did not get any of the dust that was stolen from the boys, +and he would be lucky if he got away with a dollar in his pocket. + +"Do you know, I have been on the watch for them fellows to get into a +squabble of some kind before we saw the last of them?" remarked a +miner. "That Bob was a regular thief--one could tell that by looking +at him. The short, pursy fellow--you called him Claus, didn't +you?--looked like a gentleman; but his face did not bear out his good +clothes." + +The miners then slowly dispersed, one after the other,--some to their +work, and some to lounge in front of the grocery, smoking their +pipes,--and the boys were left to themselves. Their first care was to +get something to eat, for they had not had a sufficient quantity of +food, the bacon and hard-tack they first put into their blankets +having disappeared until there was none left. Provisions were handy in +Mr. Banta's cabin, and when they had got fairly to work on it they +heard a sound from the miners whom they had left outside. + +"Here they come!" shouted a voice. "Now we'll see what will be done +with those prisoners!" + +The boys looked at each other in blank amazement. They had caught the +robbers, so their dust was safe; but what were they going to do with +the culprits, now that they had captured them? + +"I declare," said another miner, at length, "they haven't brought any +prisoners with them! And there's Tony, with his arm tied up in a +sling!" + +The boys had by this time reached the door, and saw Mr. Banta, +accompanied by a dozen miners, ride into the camp. The boys looked +closely at them, but could not see anybody that looked like Bob and +Jake; but Tony did not seem to have left all the fight there was in +him up in the mountains, for he raised his rifle and flourished it +over his head. + +"Halloo! Mr. Banta," shouted Julian. "You meant to catch them, did +you? But I guess you came out at the little end of the horn." + +"Well, there!" exclaimed Mr. Banta, stopping his horse and addressing +himself to his men; "didn't I tell you those boys would come back all +right? Put it there, kids!" + +Julian and Jack shook hands with all the returning miners before they +saw an opportunity to propound any other questions; and then, when +they did ask them, they did not get any satisfactory answers. + +"Did you get our dust?" asked Jack. + +"Yes, sir! And the men--ah!" said Mr. Banta, who stopped and looked +around at the miners as if he hardly knew what to say next. + +"Well, what about the men?" inquired Julian. "You saw them, of +course." + +"Oh, yes, we saw the men; and when we asked them where the dust was +that they stole down here at the haunted mine, they took it out of +their clothes and gave it to us. Ain't that so, boys?" + +The men around him nodded their heads emphatically, as if to say their +leader had told nothing but the truth, but there was something in +their faces that told a different story. The boys concluded they +would ask no more questions while Mr. Banta was around, but when he +went away they were sure they would get at the truth of the matter. + +"And, Julian, there's your money," continued Mr. Banta, who had been +trying to take something out of his coat-pocket. "There is the full +bag, and there is the other. The next time I leave you with such an +amount of money to take care of, I'll give you my head for a +football." + +"Why, Mr. Banta, _you_ told them all about this!" asserted Jack, +laughingly. + +"No, I never!" shouted Mr. Banta. + +"Didn't you tell the men what we had done and all about the dust we +had?" asked Julian. "You _did_ tell them, and the robbers were sitting +by the camp-fire, and heard it all." + +"Eh? Oh, well--I did say--I could not well help it--let us go into the +cabin and see what you have to eat." + +Mr. Banta lost no time in getting into the cabin, for the boys had +asked a question he could not answer, and when they followed him in he +was engaged in filling his pipe. + +"We rode to the haunted mine and found you were not there, so we came +back and took the upper trail on the way to Mendota," said the miner, +talking rapidly, as if he hoped to shut off any questions the boys +might have ready to ask him. "We had a good time. We found the men +there and asked them for the money, and they gave it over as peaceable +and quiet as could be. Now, don't let us hear any more about it. You +know the whole of the story. Is this all you have to ease a man's +appetite? Why, I could eat it all myself!" + +"That's a funny story," whispered Jack, as he and Julian went to the +spring after a bucket of water. + +"Well, keep still," said Julian. "He told us not to say anything more +about it, and that's just the same as an order. We'll get the straight +of the matter yet." + +"Who will you go to?" + +"We'll go to Tony for it. He was the man who was shot in the fracas, +and he will tell us all about it." + +It was two days before Julian had an opportunity to speak to Tony in +private. Tony's right arm was injured so badly that he could not use +a shovel, and the boys volunteered to go down in his mine and help +him--a voluntary act on their part which gained them the good-will of +all the miners. One day, when Tony was sitting by his mine smoking his +pipe and Julian was waiting for Jack to fill up their bucket, the +latter thought the chance had come, for Tony was unusually talkative +that morning. + +"Now, there is no need that you should keep this thing away from us +any longer," said Julian, suddenly. "Who shot those two men?" + +Tony was taken off his guard and looked all around as if he was +waiting for some one to suggest an answer. Finally he took off his hat +and dug his fingers into his hair. + +"Who said anything about shooting a man?" he asked. + +"No one has said anything about it this morning, but I just want to +know if everything I suspect is true," answered Julian, with his eyes +fastened on Tony's face. + +"Some one who was there can't keep his mouth shut," remarked Tony, in +great disgust. "Mr. Banta said he didn't want you to know anything +about it, and here that man has gone and blowed the whole thing! But +you'll remember that I didn't say a word about it--won't you?" + +"No one shall ever know what you tell me," asserted Julian. "Did you +shoot them?" + +"Well, I couldn't help it--could I? We came up with them just before +we got to Mendota. We rode right plump onto them before we knew it, +and without saying a word they began to shoot. If they had had rifles, +some of us would have gone under; but they had nothing but revolvers, +and the first thing I knew something went slap through my arm, and I +began to shoot, too. I got in two shots while you would be thinking +about it, and then Mr. Banta looked through their clothes and got the +dust. We went down to Mendota and reported the matter to the sheriff, +and he sent up and buried them." + +"It is a wonder to me that they didn't arrest you," said Julian. + +"Who--me? What did I do? The men were shooting at us, and I was +defending myself. It would have taken more men than they had there to +arrest me, for any man would have done the same. Anyhow, we got your +money back. Say! Don't lisp a word of this to Mr. Banta. He would go +for me hot and heavy." + +Julian was obliged to promise again that Mr. Banta should never hear a +word of what Tony had told him; but that night he told it to Jack, who +said that his "funny story" had come out just as he thought it would. + +"You said you didn't want them to deal with the culprits here in camp, +and you have your wish," said Jack. + +Not long after that the miners, discouraged, packed up, by companies +of half a dozen or more, bid good-bye to their associates, and struck +out for other localities. Dutch Flat was "played out," there was no +gold there for them, and they were going where they could do better. +Some of them talked of going home, while others, whose "piles" were +not quite as large as they wished, were going to try it again for +another year. Mr. Banta lingered there for some time, and then he, +too, astonished the boys by bringing up his tools and telling them +that next day he would strike for Denver. + +"And when I get there I don't think I shall stop," said he. "I have +been away from my home in the granite hills so long that I won't know +how to act when I get there, and I can't learn any younger than I can +now. I am going as far as St. Louis with you, and then I shall strike +off alone." + +This put new life into the boys. As soon as it became known in camp +that Mr. Banta was going away, a dozen others joined in with his +party, and when they rode away from the camp the few miners who were +left behind cheered themselves hoarse. The boys had been "to the +mines," had met with some adventures while there, and they were ready +to go back among civilized people once more. + +Their stay in Denver did not last more than a week, and the boys were +made to promise, over and over again, that after they had seen their +friends in St. Louis they would go back there to live. Everything +they had in the world was there, the Western country seemed to agree +with them, and there they would remain. They had not yet completed +their course at the business school, and when that was done they must +look for some useful occupation in which to spend their lives. + +Mr. Banta proved that he had some money in the bank before he had been +in Denver two days. The boys left him at his old hotel, clad in a +miner's suit, and looking altogether, as he expressed it, "like a +low-down tramp," and when they saw him again they could hardly +recognize him. The barber had been at work on him, the tailor had done +his best to fit him out; but the squeeze he gave their hands proved +that he was the same "old Banta" still. The boys never forgot him; his +kindness had saved them many a dollar. + +After taking leave of Mr. Banta at St. Louis the boys took up their +quarters at a leading hotel, and for two weeks devoted themselves to +calling upon their friends. As they signed their names to the register +Julian whispered, + +"I have often thought, while I have been carrying messages here in the +city and looked into this hotel while hurrying past it, that the men +who could put up at a first-class house like this must be a happy lot, +and now I have a chance to see how it goes myself. Jack, let us go +down and have a glass of soda water. Why don't you grumble about that +the way you did the last time we were here?" + +But Jack did not feel like grumbling--he was too happy for that. He +did not think, while he was finding fault with Julian for the wages he +had spent at the express office in buying 'old horse,' that he was one +whose fortunes hung upon the letter that was to tell him about The +Haunted Mine. + + +THE END. + + + + +THE JOHN C. WINSTON CO.'S POPULAR JUVENILES. + +HARRY CASTLEMON. + +HOW I CAME TO WRITE MY FIRST BOOK. + + +When I was sixteen years old I belonged to a composition class. It was +our custom to go on the recitation seat every day with clean slates, +and we were allowed ten minutes to write seventy words on any subject +the teacher thought suited to our capacity. One day he gave out "What +a Man Would See if He Went to Greenland." My heart was in the matter, +and before the ten minutes were up I had one side of my slate filled. +The teacher listened to the reading of our compositions, and when they +were all over he simply said: "Some of you will make your living by +writing one of these days." That gave me something to ponder upon. I +did not say so out loud, but I knew that my composition was as good as +the best of them. By the way, there was another thing that came in my +way just then. I was reading at that time one of Mayne Reid's works +which I had drawn from the library, and I pondered upon it as much as +I did upon what the teacher said to me. In introducing Swartboy to his +readers he made use of this expression: "No visible change was +observable in Swartboy's countenance." Now, it occurred to me that if +a man of his education could make such a blunder as that and still +write a book, I ought to be able to do it, too. I went home that very +day and began a story, "The Old Guide's Narrative," which was sent to +the _New York Weekly_, and came back, respectfully declined. It was +written on both sides of the sheets but I didn't know that this was +against the rules. Nothing abashed, I began another, and receiving +some instruction, from a friend of mine who was a clerk in a book +store, I wrote it on only one side of the paper. But mind you, he +didn't know what I was doing. Nobody knew it; but one day, after a +hard Saturday's work--the other boys had been out skating on the +brick-pond--I shyly broached the subject to my mother. I felt the need +of some sympathy. She listened in amazement, and then said: "Why, do +you think you could write a book like that?" That settled the matter, +and from that day no one knew what I was up to until I sent the first +four volumes of Gunboat Series to my father. Was it work? Well, yes; +it was hard work, but each week I had the satisfaction of seeing the +manuscript grow until the "Young Naturalist" was all complete.--_Harry +Castlemon in the Writer._ + + +GUNBOAT SERIES. + + 6 vols. BY HARRY CASTLEMON. $6.00 + + Frank the Young Naturalist. + Frank on a Gunboat. + Frank in the Woods. + Frank before Vicksburg. + Frank on the Lower Mississippi. + Frank on the Prairie. + + +ROCKY MOUNTAIN SERIES. + + 3 vols. BY HARRY CASTLEMON. $3.00 + + Frank Among the Rancheros. + Frank in the Mountains. + Frank at Don Carlos' Rancho. + + +SPORTSMAN'S CLUB SERIES. + + 3 vols. BY HARRY CASTLEMON. $3.75 + + The Sportsman's Club in the Saddle. + The Sportsman's Club Afloat. + The Sportsman's Club Among the Trappers. + + +FRANK NELSON SERIES. + + 3 vols. BY HARRY CASTLEMON. $3.75 + + Snowed up. + Frank in the Forecastle. + The Boy Traders. + + +ROUGHING IT SERIES. + + 3 vols. BY HARRY CASTLEMON. $3.00 + + George in Camp. + George at the Fort. + George at the Wheel. + + +ROD AND GUN SERIES. + + 3 vols. BY HARRY CASTLEMON. $3.00 + + Don Gordon's Shooting Box. + The Young Wild Fowlers. + Rod and Gun Club. + + +GO-AHEAD SERIES. + + 3 vols. BY HARRY CASTLEMON. $3.00 + + Tom Newcombe. + Go-Ahead. + No Moss. + + +WAR SERIES. + + 6 vols. BY HARRY CASTLEMON. $6.00 + + True to His Colors. + Marcy the Blockade-Runner. + Rodney the Partisan. + Marcy the Refugee. + Rodney the Overseer. + Sailor Jack the Trader. + + +HOUSEBOAT SERIES. + + 3 vols. BY HARRY CASTLEMON. $3.00 + + The Houseboat Boys. + The Mystery of Lost River Cañon. + The Young Game Warden. + + +AFLOAT AND ASHORE SERIES. + + 3 vols. BY HARRY CASTLEMON. $3.00 + + Rebellion in Dixie. + A Sailor in Spite of Himself. + The Ten-Ton Cutter. + + + COMPLETE CATALOG OF BEST BOOKS FOR BOYS AND GIRLS + MAILED ON APPLICATION TO THE PUBLISHERS + THE JOHN C. WINSTON CO., PHILADELPHIA + + + + +The Roundabout Library For Young People + + +THIS WELL-KNOWN SERIES OF BOOKS is recognized as the best library of +Copyright Books for young people, sold at popular prices. + +THE AUTHORS represented in the Roundabout Library are not only the +best well-known writers of juvenile literature, but the titles listed +comprise the best writings of these authors, + +OVER 100 TITLES are now in this Library and all new titles will be +selected with the same care as in the past, for stories that are not +only entertaining but equally _instructive_ and _elevating_. This +respect for wholesome juvenile literature is what has made and kept +_the Roundabout Library better than any other library of books for +Boys and Girls_. + +OUR AIM is to maintain the supremacy of these books over all others +_from every viewpoint_, and to make the superior features so apparent +that those who have once read one, will always return to the +Roundabout Library for more. + + _Bound in Extra cloth, with gold title and appropriate cover + designs stamped in colors, attractive and durable, printed + on the best paper from large clear type. Illustrated, 12mo._ + + PRICE PER. VOLUME, $.75 + + Catalogue mailed on application to the Publishers. + + THE JOHN C. WINSTON CO., Publishers + PHILADELPHIA + + + + +ROUNDABOUT LIBRARY + +FOR YOUNG PEOPLE + +Selected from the works of Alger, Castlemon, Ellis, Stephens, Henty, +Mrs. Lillie and other writers. + +Price, per volume, $0.75 + + + =Across Texas.= By Edward S. Ellis. + + =Adventures in Canada; or, Life in the Woods.= By John C. + Geikie. + + =Alison's Adventures.= By Lucy C. Lillie. + + =American Family Robinson, The; or, The Adventures of a + Family Lost in the Great Desert of the West.= By W. D. + Belisle. + + =Bear Hunters of the Rocky Mountains, The.= By Anne Bowman. + + =Ben's Nugget; or, A Boy's Search for a Fortune.= By Horatio + Alger, Jr. + + =Bob Burton; or, the Young Ranchman of the Missouri.= By + Horatio Alger, Jr. + + =Bonnie Prince Charlie; A Tale of Fontenoy and Culloden.= By + G. A. Henty. + + =Brave Billy.= By Edward S. Ellis. + + =Brave Tom; or, The Battle that Won.= By Edward S. Ellis. + + =By England's Aid; or, The Freeing of the Netherlands + (1585-1604).= By G. A. Henty. + + =By Pike and Dyke; A Tale of the Rise of the Dutch Republic.= + By G. A. Henty. + + =By Right of Conquest; or, With Cortez in Mexico.= By G. A. + Henty. + + =By Love's Sweet Rule.= By Gabrielle Emelie Jackson. + + =Cabin in the Clearing, The.= A Tale of the Frontier. By + Edward S. Ellis. + + =Camping Out, As Recorded by "Kit."= By C. A. Stephens. + + =Camp in the Foothills, The.= By Harry Castlemon. + + =Cornet of Horse, The.= A Tale of Marlborough's Wars By G. A. + Henty. + + =Cruise of the Firefly.= By Edward S. Ellis. + + =Dear Days, A Story of Washington School Life.= By Ada Mickle. + + =Diccon the Bold.= A Story of the Days of Columbus. By John + Russell Coryell. + + =Do and Dare; or, A Brave Boy's Fight for Fortune.= By Horatio + Alger, Jr. + + =Dog Crusoe, The. A Tale of the Western Prairies.= By R. M. + Ballantyne. + + =Dog of Cotopaxi, The.= By Hezekiah Butterworth. + + =Doris and Theodora.= By Margaret Vandegrift. + + =Dr. Gilbert's Daughters.= By Margaret H. Matthews. + + =Dragon and the Raven, The; or, The Days of King Alfred.= By + G. A. Henty. + + =Elam Storm, the Wolfer; or, The Lost Nugget.= By Harry + Castlemon. + + =Elinor Belden; or, The Step Brothers.= By Lucy C. Lillie. + + =Esther's Fortune.= By Lucy C. Lillie. + + =Floating Treasure.= By Harry Castlemon. + + =Four Little Indians.= By Ella Mary Coates. + + =Family Dilemma.= By Lucy C. Lillie. + + =Floating Light of the Goodwin Sands, The.= By R. M. + Ballantyne. + + =For Honor's Sake.= By Lucy C. Lillie. + + =Four Boys; or, The Story of the Forest Fire.= By Edward S. + Ellis. + + =Fox Hunting, As Recorded by "Raed."= By C. A. Stephens. + + =Freaks on the Fells.= By R. M. Ballantyne. + + =Gascoyne, the Sandalwood Trader.= By R. M. Ballantyne. + + =Girl's Ordeal, A.= By Lucy C. Lillie + + =Gorilla Hunters, The.= By R. M. Ballantyne. + + =Great Cattle Trail, The.= By Edward S. Ellis. + + =Hunt on Snow Shoes, A.= By Edward S. Ellis. + + =Hartwell Farm, The.= By Elizabeth B. Comins. + + =Hector's Inheritance; or, The Boys of Smith Institute.= By + Horatio Alger, Jr. + + =Helen Glenn; or, My Mother's Enemy.= By Lucy C. Lillie. + + =Helping Himself; or, Grant Thornton's Ambition.= By Horatio + Alger, Jr. + + =Honest Ned.= By Edward S. Ellis. + + =Haunted Mine, The.= By Harry Castlemon. + + =In Freedom's Cause.= A Story of Wallace and Bruce. By G. A. + Henty. + + =In the Reign of Terror; The Adventures of a Westminster Boy.= + By G. A. Henty. + + =Jack Midwood; or, Bread Cast Upon the Waters.= By Edward S. + Ellis. + + =Joe Wayring at Home; or, The Adventures of a Fly Rod.= By + Harry Castlemon. + + =Kangaroo Hunters, The; or, Adventures in the Bush.= By Anne + Bowman. + + =King's Rubies, The.= By Adelaide Fulaer Bell. + + =Lady Green Satin.= By Baroness Deschesnez. + + =Left on Labrador; or, The Cruise of the Yacht "Curlew."= By + C. A. Stephens. + + =Lena Wingo, the Mohawk.= By Edward S. Ellis. + + =Lenny, the Orphan.= By Margaret Hosmer. + + =Lion of the North. The; A Tale of the Times of Gustavus + Adolphus.= By G. A. Henty. + + =Luke Walton; or, The Chicago Newsboy.= By Horatio Alger, Jr. + + =Lynx Hunting.= By C. A. Stephens. + + =Limber Lew, the Circus King.= By Edward S. Ellis. + + =Marion Berkley.= By Elizabeth B. Comins. + + =Missing Pocket-Book, The.= By Harry Castlemon. + + =Mysterious Andes, The.= By Hezekiah Butterworth. + + =Northern Lights.= Stories from Swedish and Finnish Authors. + + =Off to the Geysers; or, The Young Yachters in Iceland.= By C. + A. Stephens. + + =On the Amazon; or, The Cruise of the "Rambler."= By C. A. + Stephens. + + =On the Trail of the Moose.= By Edward S. Ellis. + + =Orange and Green; A Tale of the Boyne and Limerick.= By G. A. + Henty. + + =Oscar in Africa.= By Harry Castlemon. + + =Our Boys in Panama.= By Hezekiah Butterworth. + + =Our Fellows; or, Skirmishes with the Swamp Dragoons.= By + Harry Castlemon. + + =Path in the Ravine, The.= By Edward S. Ellis. + + =Plucky Dick; or, Sowing and Reaping.= By Edward S. Ellis. + + =Queen's Body Guard, The.= By Margaret Vandegrift + + =Question of Honor.= By Lynde Palmer. + + =Righting the Wrong.= By Edward S. Ellis. + + =River Fugitives, The.= By Edward S. Ellis. + + =Romain Kalbris.= His Adventures by Sea and Shore. Translated + from the French of Hector Malot. + + =Rose Raymond's Wards.= By Margaret Vandegrift. + + =Ruth Endicott's Way.= By Lucy C. Lillie. + + =Shifting Winds; A Story of the Sea.= By R. M. Ballantyne. + + =Snagged and Sunk; or, The Adventures of a Canvas Canoe.= By + Harry Castlemon. + + =Squire's Daughter, The.= By Lucy C. Lillie. + + =Steel Horse, The; or, The Rambles of a Bicycle.= By Harry + Castlemon. + + =Store Boy, The; or, The Fortunes of Ben Barclay.= By Horatio + Alger, Jr. + + =Storm Mountain.= By Edward S. Ellis. + + =Struggling Upward; or, Luke Larkin's Luck.= By Horatio Alger, + Jr. + + =Tam; or, Holding the Fort.= By Edward S. Ellis. + + =Through Forest and Fire.= By Edward S. Ellis. + + =True to the Old Flag; A Tale of the American War of + Independence.= By G. A. Henty. + + =Two Bequests, The; or, Heavenward Led.= By Jane R. Sommers. + + =Two Ways of Becoming a Hunter.= By Harry Castlemon. + + =Under Drake's Flag. A Tale of the Spanish Main.= By G. A. + Henty. + + =Under the Holly.= By Margaret Hosmer. + + =Under the Red Flag; or, The Adventures of Two American Boys + in the Days of the Commune.= By Edward King. + + =Ways and Means.= By Margaret Vandegrift. + + =Where Honor Leads.= By Lynde Palmer. + + =Wilderness Fugitives, The.= By Edward S. Ellis. + + =Wild Man of the West, The.= By R. M. Ballantyne. + + =With Clive in India; or, The Beginning of an Empire.= By G. + A. Henty. + + =With Wolfe in Canada; or, The Winning of a Continent.= By G. + A. Henty. + + =Wyoming.= By Edward S. Ellis. + + =Young Adventurer, The; Tom's Trip Across the Plains.= By + Horatio Alger, Jr. + + =Young Circus Rider, The.= By Horatio Alger, Jr. + + =Young Conductor, The; or, Winning His Way.= By Edward S. + Ellis. + + =Young Explorer, The; or, Among the Sierras.= By Horatio + Alger, Jr. + + =Young Miner, The; or, Tom Nelson in California.= By Horatio + Alger, Jr. + + =Young Ranchers, The; or, Fighting the Sioux.= By Edward S. + Ellis. + + =Young Wreckers The.= By Richard Meade Bache. + + + + +THE JOHN C. WINSTON CO.'S POPULAR JUVENILES + +J. T. TROWBRIDGE. + + +Neither as a writer does he stand apart from the great currents of +life and select some exceptional phase or odd combination of +circumstances. He stands on the common level and appeals to the +universal heart, and all that he suggests or achieves is on the plane +and in the line of march of the great body of humanity. + +The Jack Hazard series of stories, published in the late _Our Young +Folks_, and continued in the first volume of _St. Nicholas_, under the +title of "Fast Friends," is no doubt destined to hold a high place in +this class of literature. The delight of the boys in them (and of +their seniors, too) is well founded. They go to the right spot every +time. Trowbridge knows the heart of a boy like a book, and the heart +of a man, too, and he has laid them both open in these books in a most +successful manner. Apart from the qualities that render the series so +attractive to all young readers, they have great value on account of +their portraitures of American country life and character. The drawing +is wonderfully accurate, and as spirited as it is true. The constable, +Sellick, is an original character, and as minor figures where will we +find anything better than Miss Wansey, and Mr. P. Pipkin, Esq. The +picture of Mr. Dink's school, too, is capital, and where else in +fiction is there a better nick-name than that the boys gave to poor +little Stephen Treadwell, "Step Hen," as he himself pronounced his +name in an unfortunate moment when he saw it in print for the first +time in his lesson in school. + +On the whole, these books are very satisfactory, and afford the +critical reader the rare pleasure of the works that are just adequate, +that easily fulfill themselves and accomplish all they set out to +do.--_Scribner's Monthly._ + + + + +THE JOHN C. WINSTON CO.'S POPULAR JUVENILES. + + +JACK HAZARD SERIES. + + 6 vols. By J. T. TROWBRIDGE $7.25 + + Jack Hazard and His Fortunes + The Young Surveyor. + Fast Friends. + Doing His Best. + A Chance for Himself. + Lawrence's Adventures. + + +CHARLES ASBURY STEPHENS. + +This author wrote his "Camping Out Series" at the very height of his +mental and physical powers. + + "We do not wonder at the popularity of these books; there is + a freshness and variety about them, and an enthusiasm in the + description of sport and adventure, which even the older + folk can hardly fail to share."--_Worcester Spy._ + + "The author of the Camping Out Series is entitled to rank as + decidedly at the head of what may be called boys' + literature."--_Buffalo Courier._ + + +CAMPING OUT SERIES. + +By C. A. STEPHENS. + +All books in this series are 12mo. with eight full page illustrations. +Cloth, extra, 75 cents. + +CAMPING OUT. As Recorded by "Kit." + + "This book is bright, breezy, wholesome, instructive, and + stands above the ordinary boys' books of the day by a whole + head and shoulders."--_The Christian Register_, BOSTON. + +LEFT ON LABRADOR; OR, THE CRUISE OF THE SCHOONER YACHT "CURLEW." As +Recorded by "Wash." + + "The perils of the voyagers, the narrow escapes, their + strange expedients, and the fun and jollity when danger had + passed, will make boys even unconscious of hunger."--_New + Bedford Mercury._ + +OFF TO THE GEYSERS; OR THE YOUNG YACHTERS IN ICELAND. As Recorded by +"Wade." + + "It is difficult to believe that Wade and Read and Kit and + Wash were not live boys, sailing up Hudson Straits, and + reigning temporarily over an Esquimaux tribe."--_The + Independent_, New York. + +LYNX HUNTING: From Notes by the Author of "Camping Out." + + "Of _first quality_ as a boys' book, and fit to take its + place beside the best."--_Richmond Enquirer._ + +FOX HUNTING. As Recorded by "Raed." + + "The most spirited and entertaining book that has as yet + appeared. It overflows with incident, and is characterized + by dash and brilliancy throughout."--_Boston Gazette._ + +ON THE AMAZON; OR, THE CRUISE OF THE "RAMBLER." As Recorded by "Wash." + + "Gives vivid pictures of Brazilian adventure and + scenery."--_Buffalo Courier._ + + + + + +End of the Project Gutenberg EBook of The Haunted Mine, by Harry Castlemon + +*** END OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK THE HAUNTED MINE *** + +***** This file should be named 37857-8.txt or 37857-8.zip ***** +This and all associated files of various formats will be found in: + https://www.gutenberg.org/3/7/8/5/37857/ + +Produced by Melissa McDaniel and the Online Distributed +Proofreading Team at https://www.pgdp.net + + +Updated editions will replace the previous one--the old editions +will be renamed. + +Creating the works from public domain print editions means that no +one owns a United States copyright in these works, so the Foundation +(and you!) can copy and distribute it in the United States without +permission and without paying copyright royalties. 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You may copy it, give it away or +re-use it under the terms of the Project Gutenberg License included +with this eBook or online at www.gutenberg.org + + +Title: The Haunted Mine + +Author: Harry Castlemon + +Release Date: October 26, 2011 [EBook #37857] + +Language: English + +Character set encoding: ISO-8859-1 + +*** START OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK THE HAUNTED MINE *** + + + + +Produced by Melissa McDaniel and the Online Distributed +Proofreading Team at https://www.pgdp.net + + + + + + +</pre> + + +<div class="tnbox"> +<p>Transcriber's Note:</p> +<p>Inconsistent hyphenation and spelling in the original document have +been preserved. Obvious typographical errors have been corrected.</p></div> +<h1><span class="smcap">The Haunted Mine</span></h1> + +<p class="center p6">BY</p> + +<p class="center">HARRY CASTLEMON</p> + +<p class="center s2">AUTHOR OF "THE GUNBOAT SERIES," "ROCKY MOUNTAIN SERIES,"<br /> +"WAR SERIES," ETC.</p> + +<p class="center p6">THE JOHN C. WINSTON CO.,</p> + +<p class="center">PHILADELPHIA,<br /> +<span class="center s1">CHICAGO, TORONTO.</span></p> + +<p class="center p6"><span class="smcap">Copyright, 1902, by</span><br /> +HENRY T. COATES & CO.</p> + +<h2 class="p6">CONTENTS.</h2> +<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_iii" id="Page_iii">iii</a></span></p> + +<div class="center"> +<table border="0" cellpadding="4" cellspacing="0" summary="table of contents"> +<tr><td class="tdr">CHAPTER</td><td> </td><td class="tdr">PAGE</td></tr> +<tr><td class="tdr">I.</td><td class="tdl"> <span class="smcap">The Sale of "Old Horse</span>,"</td><td class="tdr"><a href="#Page_1">1</a></td></tr> +<tr><td class="tdr">II.</td><td class="tdl"> <span class="smcap">Casper is Disgusted</span>,</td><td class="tdr"><a href="#Page_13">13</a></td></tr> +<tr><td class="tdr">III.</td><td class="tdl"> <span class="smcap">Julian is Astonished</span>,</td><td class="tdr"><a href="#Page_24">24</a></td></tr> +<tr><td class="tdr">IV.</td><td class="tdl"> <span class="smcap">Where the Box Was</span>,</td><td class="tdr"><a href="#Page_38">38</a></td></tr> +<tr><td class="tdr">V.</td><td class="tdl"> <span class="smcap">Casper Thinks of Something</span>,</td><td class="tdr"><a href="#Page_52">52</a></td></tr> +<tr><td class="tdr">VI.</td><td class="tdl"> <span class="smcap">A Mr. Haberstro Appears</span>,</td><td class="tdr"><a href="#Page_65">65</a></td></tr> +<tr><td class="tdr">VII.</td><td class="tdl"> <span class="smcap">A Plan that Didn't Work</span>,</td><td class="tdr"><a href="#Page_78">78</a></td></tr> +<tr><td class="tdr"> VIII.</td><td class="tdl"> <span class="smcap">Claus Calls Again</span>,</td><td class="tdr"><a href="#Page_91">91</a></td></tr> +<tr><td class="tdr">IX.</td><td class="tdl"> <span class="smcap">The Master Mechanic</span>,</td><td class="tdr"><a href="#Page_105">105</a></td></tr> +<tr><td class="tdr">X.</td><td class="tdl"> <span class="smcap">Where are the Valises</span>?</td><td class="tdr"><a href="#Page_118">118</a></td></tr> +<tr><td class="tdr">XI.</td><td class="tdl"> <span class="smcap">In Denver</span>,</td><td class="tdr"><a href="#Page_132">132</a></td></tr> +<tr><td class="tdr">XII.</td><td class="tdl"> <span class="smcap">Casper Nevins, the Spy</span>,</td><td class="tdr"><a href="#Page_146">146</a></td></tr> +<tr><td class="tdr"> XIII.</td><td class="tdl"> <span class="smcap">Getting Ready for Work</span>,</td><td class="tdr"><a href="#Page_160">160</a></td></tr> +<tr><td class="tdr">XIV.</td><td class="tdl"> <span class="smcap">How Casper was Served</span>,</td><td class="tdr"><a href="#Page_174">174</a></td></tr> +<tr><td class="tdr">XV.</td><td class="tdl"> <span class="smcap">How a Mine was Haunted</span>,</td><td class="tdr"><a href="#Page_188">188</a></td></tr> +<tr><td class="tdr">XVI.</td><td class="tdl"> <span class="smcap">Good News</span>,</td><td class="tdr"><a href="#Page_201">201</a></td></tr> +<tr><td class="tdr"> XVII.</td><td class="tdl"> <span class="smcap">Mr. Banta is Surprised</span>,</td><td class="tdr"><a href="#Page_215">215</a></td></tr> +<tr><td class="tdr">XVIII.</td><td class="tdl"> <span class="smcap">Grub-Staking</span>,</td><td class="tdr"><a href="#Page_228">228</a></td></tr> +<tr><td class="tdr">XIX.</td><td class="tdl"> <span class="smcap">Going to School</span>,</td><td class="tdr"><a href="#Page_243">243</a></td></tr> +<tr><td class="tdr">XX.</td><td class="tdl"> <span class="smcap">Waterspouts and Blizzards</span>,</td><td class="tdr"><a href="#Page_256">256</a></td></tr> +<tr><td class="tdr"><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_iv" id="Page_iv">iv</a></span></td></tr> +<tr><td class="tdr">XXI.</td><td class="tdl"> <span class="smcap">The Camp at Dutch Flat</span>,</td><td class="tdr"><a href="#Page_271">271</a></td></tr> +<tr><td class="tdr">XXII.</td><td class="tdl"> <span class="smcap">The Haunted Mine</span>,</td><td class="tdr"><a href="#Page_286">286</a></td></tr> +<tr><td class="tdr"> XXIII.</td><td class="tdl"> <span class="smcap">Haunted no Longer</span>,</td><td class="tdr"><a href="#Page_302">302</a></td></tr> +<tr><td class="tdr">XXIV.</td><td class="tdl"> "<span class="smcap">That is Gold</span>,"</td><td class="tdr"><a href="#Page_317">317</a></td></tr> +<tr><td class="tdr">XXV.</td><td class="tdl"> <span class="smcap">Claus, Again</span>,</td><td class="tdr"><a href="#Page_332">332</a></td></tr> +<tr><td class="tdr">XXVI.</td><td class="tdl"> <span class="smcap">Claus Hears Something</span>,</td><td class="tdr"><a href="#Page_348">348</a></td></tr> +<tr><td class="tdr"> XXVII.</td><td class="tdl"> <span class="smcap">Bob Tries Strategy</span>,</td><td class="tdr"><a href="#Page_365">365</a></td></tr> +<tr><td class="tdr">XXVIII.</td><td class="tdl"> <span class="smcap">An Inhuman Act</span>,</td><td class="tdr"><a href="#Page_380">380</a></td></tr> +<tr><td class="tdr">XXIX.</td><td class="tdl"> <span class="smcap">A Tramp with the Robbers</span>,</td><td class="tdr"><a href="#Page_392">392</a></td></tr> +<tr><td class="tdr">XXX.</td><td class="tdl"> <span class="smcap">Home Again</span>,</td><td class="tdr"><a href="#Page_406">406</a></td></tr> +<tr><td class="tdr">XXXI.</td><td class="tdl"> <span class="smcap">Conclusion</span>,</td><td class="tdr"><a href="#Page_420">420</a></td></tr> +</table></div> +<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_1" id="Page_1">1</a></span></p> + +<p class="p6 center b2">THE HAUNTED MINE.</p> + +<h2 class="p6">CHAPTER I.</h2> +<h3>THE SALE OF "OLD HORSE."</h3> + +<p>"Going for twenty-five cents. Going +once; going twice; going——"</p> + +<p>"Thirty cents."</p> + +<p>"Thirty cents! Gentlemen, I am really +astonished at you. It is a disgrace for me to +take notice of that bid. Why, just look at +that box. A miser may have hidden the secret +of a gold-mine in it. Here it is, neatly +dovetailed, and put together with screws instead +of nails; and who knows but that it +contains the treasure of a lifetime hidden +away under that lid? And I am bid only +thirty cents for it. Do I hear any more? +Won't somebody give me some more? Going +for thirty cents once; going twice; going three +times, and sold to that lucky fellow who +<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_2" id="Page_2">2</a></span> +stands there with a uniform on. I don't +know what his name is. Step up there and +take your purchase, my lad, and when you +open that box, and see what is in it, just bless +your lucky stars that you came to this office +this afternoon to buy yourself rich."</p> + +<p>It happened in the Adams Express office, +and among those who always dropped around +to see how things were going was the young +fellow who had purchased the box. It was +on the afternoon devoted to the sale of "old +horse"—packages which had lain there for a +long time and nobody had ever called for +them. When the packages accumulated so +rapidly that the company had about as many +on hand as their storeroom could hold, an +auctioneer was ordered to sell them off for +whatever he could get. Of course nobody +could tell what was in the packages, and +somebody always bought them by guess. +Sometimes he got more than his money's +worth, and sometimes he did not. That very +afternoon a man bought a package so large +and heavy that he could scarcely lift it from +the counter, and so certain was he that he had +<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_3" id="Page_3">3</a></span> +got something worth looking at that he did +not take the package home with him, but borrowed +a hammer from one of the clerks and +opened it on the spot, the customers all gathering +around him to see what he had. To +the surprise of everybody, he turned out half +a dozen bricks. A partner of the man to +whom the box was addressed had been off +somewhere to buy a brickyard, and, not satisfied +with the productions of the yard, had enclosed +the bricks to the man in St. Louis, to +see how he liked them. The purchaser gazed +in surprise at what he had brought, and then +threw down the hammer and turned away; +but by the time he got to the door the loud +laughter of everybody in the office—and the +office was always full at the sale of "old +horse"—caused him to arrest his steps. By +that time he himself was laughing.</p> + +<p>"I'll tell you what it is, gentlemen," said +he; "those bricks, which are not worth a +nickel apiece, cost me just two dollars."</p> + +<p>He was going on to say something more, +but the roar that arose caused him to wait +until it was all over. Then he went on: +<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_4" id="Page_4">4</a></span></p> + +<p>"I have spent fifty dollars for 'old horse,' +and if anybody ever knows me to spend +another dollar in that way I will give him my +head for a football. A man who comes here +to squander his money for anything like that +is a dunce, and ought to have a guardian appointed +over him. I wish you all a very good +day."</p> + +<p>But in spite of this man's experience, Julian +Gray had invested in this box because he +thought there was something in it. He did +not care for what the auctioneer said to him, +for he talked that way to everybody; but +Julian knew there were no bricks in it, for it +was done up too neatly. The box was not +more than twelve inches long and half as +wide, and by shaking it up and down the boy +became aware that there were papers of some +kind in it. He paid the clerk the amount of +his bid upon it, picked up his purchase, and +started for the door, paying no heed to the +remarks that were offered for his benefit. +There he met another boy, dressed in a uniform +similar to the one he himself wore, and +stopped to exchange a few words with him. +<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_5" id="Page_5">5</a></span></p> + +<p>"Well, you got something at last," said the +boy. "It is not bricks, I can swear to that."</p> + +<p>"No, sir, it is not," said Julian. "Lift it. +It contains papers of some kind."</p> + +<p>"Why don't you open it, and let us see +what is in it?"</p> + +<p>"I won't do that, either. I am not going +to have the whole party laughing at me the +way they served that man a little while ago. +Come up to my room when Jack comes home, +and then I will open it."</p> + +<p>"I would not be in your boots for a good +deal when Jack sees that box," said the boy, +hurrying away. "He says you have no +business to spend the small earnings you get +on such gimcracks as 'old horse.'"</p> + +<p>"I don't care," said Julian, settling the +box under his arm and going away in the +opposite direction. "I've got the box, and if +Jack does not want to see what is in it, he +need not look."</p> + +<p>Julian broke into a run,—he knew he had +no business to spend as much time in that +express office as he had done,—and in a few +minutes reached the headquarters of the +<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_6" id="Page_6">6</a></span> +Western Union Telegraph Company, in whose +employ he was. He laid down his book of +receipts for the dispatches he had delivered, +then picked up his box again and stowed it +away under the counter, where he was sure +it would be out of everybody's way.</p> + +<p>"I don't care," Julian repeated to himself, +when he recalled what his older companion, +Jack Shelden, would have to say to him when +he found that he had been investing in "old +horse." "I don't know that I expect to make +anything out of it, but somehow or other I +can't resist my curiosity to know what is in +those bundles. When you can get the packages +for little or nothing, where's the harm? +But that is no way to save my money. I will +never go near that express office again."</p> + +<p>With this good resolution, Julian took his +seat among the other boys and waited in silence +for the operator to call upon him to deliver +a dispatch. It came at last, and during +the rest of the afternoon Julian was kept +busy. When six o'clock came he put his box +under his arm and started for home. His +duties were done for that day. +<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_7" id="Page_7">7</a></span></p> + +<p>The place that Julian called home was a +long way from the office, for, being a poor +boy, he was obliged to room where he could +get it as cheaply as possible. He passed +along several streets, turned numerous corners, +and finally sprang up the stairs in a sorry-looking +house which seemed almost ready to +tumble down, and when he reached the top +he found the door of his room open. There +he met his chum, who had already returned +from his work, going about his preparations +for supper, and whistling as though he felt at +peace with himself and all the world.</p> + +<p>"Halloo!" he exclaimed, as Julian came +in. "What's the news to-day? Well, there. +If you haven't been to that old express office +again!"</p> + +<p>These two boys were orphans—or at least +Jack was. Julian had a stepfather who, +when his mother died, told the boy that he +could not support him any longer, and that +he must look out for himself. He no doubt +expected that the boy would find himself in +the poorhouse before he had been long out of +his care; but Julian was not that sort of a +<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_8" id="Page_8">8</a></span> +fellow. He wandered aimlessly about the +streets, looking for something to do, sleeping +in dry-goods boxes or on a plank in some +lumber-yard; and one morning, while passing +along the street, wondering where he was +going to get something to eat, he saw a scene +that thrilled him with excitement. A span +of horses was running away, and a telegraph +operator—Julian knew that he was an operator +from the uniform he wore—in making +an attempt to stop them, lost his footing and +fell on the ground right in front of the frantic +team. Julian was nearer to him than anybody +else, and acting upon the impulse of the +moment, but scarcely knowing why he did +so, he dashed forward, seized the young man +by the shoulders, and pulled him out of the +way. It was all done in an instant, and +Julian shuddered when he thought of what +he had done.</p> + +<p>"Thank you, my lad," said the man, when +he got up, brushed the dust from his clothes, +and looked after the flying horses. "You +saved my life, but you couldn't save the man +in the buggy. Now, what can I give you?" +<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_9" id="Page_9">9</a></span></p> + +<p>"I don't want anything, sir," said Julian. +The man was neatly dressed, and looked as +though he had some money, and Julian had +more than half a mind to ask him for enough +with which to get some breakfast. But he +concluded that he would not do it; he would +look farther, and he was sure that he could +get something to do, such as sweeping out +a store, and earn some breakfast in that +way.</p> + +<p>"You don't want anything?" exclaimed +the man. "Well, you are the luckiest fellow +I ever saw!"</p> + +<p>The man now turned and gave Julian a +good looking over. It was not necessary that +he should ask any questions, for poverty was +written all over him.</p> + +<p>"Where's your home?" he asked.</p> + +<p>"I haven't any, sir."</p> + +<p>"Have you had any breakfast?"</p> + +<p>"No, sir."</p> + +<p>"Well, here's enough to enable you to get +a good fill-out," said the man, pulling out a +dollar. "Get the very best breakfast you can, +and then come down to the Western Union +<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_10" id="Page_10">10</a></span> +Telegraph office and ask for Wiggins. I will +see what I can do for you."</p> + +<p>The man hurried away, and Julian looked +at the dollar he held in his hand, then gazed +in the direction in which his benefactor had +gone, and could hardly believe that he was +awake. A dollar was a larger sum of money +than he had ever had before.</p> + +<p>Of course Julian followed the operator's instructions. +When he reached the Western +Union Telegraph office he was asked several +questions about his habits, and what he knew +about the city, and it finally ended by his +being offered employment. Julian jumped at +the chance. He had no money with which to +purchase a uniform, but Wiggins got around +that, and he had been there ever since, trying +hard to do his duty, except in one particular, +and his highest ambition was to become an +operator.</p> + +<p>Long before this time he made the acquaintance +of Jack Sheldon, who finally came +to room with him, and they had been fast +friends ever since. Jack had formerly gained +a good living by shining boots and shoes +<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_11" id="Page_11">11</a></span> +around the St. Louis foundry-works, until one +day the master mechanic, who had taken a +wonderful shine to him, offered to take him +away from his blacking-brush and give him a +position where he could make a man of himself. +Jack was waiting for this, and he +promptly closed with it. Of course his wages +were small now, but he wanted to get away +from the bootblacks and mingle with persons +more like himself, and when Julian made him +a proposition to take him in as a roommate, +Jack was only too glad to agree to it. He was +but a year older than Julian, but he often took +it upon himself to advise him; and one thing +he could not stand was Julian's longing to +find out what was concealed in those packages +that every once in a little while were sold in +the express office. Being economical himself, +and never spending a cent unless absolutely +necessary, he wanted to make his companion +so, too.</p> + +<p>"That is no way for you to save money, +Julian," said Jack. "To go to that express +office when you ought to be at your work, and +spending money for 'old horse' when you +<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_12" id="Page_12">12</a></span> +don't know what is in the bundle you bid on, +is the very way for you to wear a poor man's +clothes the longest day you live. I want to +go into business myself some time, and I +should think you would, too."</p> + +<p>This was the way he talked to Julian every +time he brought home a bundle of "old +horse," and he was ready to talk to him now +in the same way. +<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_13" id="Page_13">13</a></span></p> + +<h2 class="p6">CHAPTER II.</h2> + +<h3>CASPER IS DISGUSTED.</h3> + +<p>"Well, you have been to that old express +office again and invested some +of your hard earnings in 'old horse,' haven't +you?" repeated Jack, placing his hands on +his hips and looking sullenly at the box, +which Julian placed upon the table. "Is that +any way for you to save your money?"</p> + +<p>"No, it is not; but, Jack, I've got something +in this," said Julian. "See how nicely +this box is done up——"</p> + +<p>"I don't care to know anything about it," +said Jack, turning away and going on with +his preparations of getting supper. "That is +the only thing I have against you. What do +you care what is in those bundles? If they +were worth anything don't you suppose that +the people to whom they were addressed would +have come after them? How much money +have you got in bank, anyway?" +<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_14" id="Page_14">14</a></span></p> + +<p>"About forty dollars, I guess, including +tips and everything."</p> + +<p>"Well, I've got a hundred," said Jack. +"You will never be able to go into business +by doing this way."</p> + +<p>"Lend me your knife and talk about it +afterward. I want to get these screws out."</p> + +<p>"Take your own knife. I don't want to +have mine broken."</p> + +<p>"Well, I want you to remember one thing, +Jack. If I get anything out of this box, it +is mine entirely. You will have no interest +in it."</p> + +<p>"All right—I will agree to that."</p> + +<p>Seeing that he must depend entirely upon +himself to get his box open, Julian took his +knife from his pocket and went to work upon +the screws; but they had been put there to +stay, and he finally gave it up in disgust. +Then Jack relented and came to his assistance. +The strong blade of his knife presently +worked the screws loose, and the inside +of the box was revealed to them. There was +nothing but a mass of papers, which looked +so ancient that Jack declared they had been +<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_15" id="Page_15">15</a></span> +through two or three wars. He took one look +at them, and then went on with his work of +getting supper.</p> + +<p>"What's the use of fooling away your time +with that stuff?" said he. "That's all your +'old horse' amounts to. If you are going to +spend money in that way, I wish you would +get something that is of some use."</p> + +<p>Julian did not reply. He took his box to +an out-of-the-way corner where he would not +be in Jack's way, and devoted himself to the +reading of the first paper he took up.</p> + +<p>"Who's Haberstro?" said he.</p> + +<p>"Don't know him," said Jack.</p> + +<p>"Here's a letter addressed to him."</p> + +<p>"What is in it?"</p> + +<p>"Oh, you want to know something about +it, now, don't you?"</p> + +<p>"Of course I do. If we can find out who +Haberstro is, we must take the letter to him."</p> + +<p>Julian began and read the letter, which +was written in a very plain hand, and before +he had read a page of it he stopped and +looked at Jack, while an expression of astonishment +came to his face. +<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_16" id="Page_16">16</a></span></p> + +<p>"Go on with it," said Jack; "we might as +well know it all."</p> + +<p>Julian "went on with it," and when he got +through he had read a very good description +of a gold-mine located somewhere out West, +and inside the letter was a map which would +lead anyone straight to it. There was one +thing in it that did not look exactly right, +and here is the passage that referred to it:</p> + +<p class="blockquot"> +"They have got the story around that the mine is +haunted, but don't you believe it. I worked for +almost six months in that mine alone after my partner +took sick and died, going down into it and +shovelling the dirt in, coming up and hoisting the +bucket out, and went through the process of washing, +and I never found anything to scare me yet. I +took out, with every bucketful I washed, anywhere +from ten to fifty dollars; anyway, I got fifty thousand +dollars out of it. There is one thing about it: the +mine is fully five miles from anybody's place, and +in all that region you won't find a man who will +prospect anywhere near you. It shows that all the +country about Dutch Flat is not played out yet." +</p> + +<p>A little farther on the letter spoke of the +manner in which the miner came to turn his +claim over to Haberstro: +<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_17" id="Page_17">17</a></span></p> + +<div class="blockquot"> +<p> +"You know that very shortly after we got there +my partner died, and was buried near the mine. +Perhaps that has something to do with the story of +the mine's being haunted. I went to work and dug +in the claim alone, not knowing anything about +mining, until I made the sum that I told you of. +Finally I received a letter from some lawyer in +Europe, who told me that my father had died and +left me heir to all his wealth. He urged me to come +home and settle my claim at once, and who should +my mind revert to but to you, old fellow, who stood +by me when I was sick unto death. I know that we +did not have the stamps to buy a mule-halter, but +that did not make any sort of difference to you. +You stayed at my back until I got well; and as I +can't pay you in any other way I give you this +mine, hoping it will make you as rich as it did me. +More than that, for fear that the mine may play out +on you, which I don't believe, I give you the deeds +of several little pieces of property located in Denver +and vicinity, which you will find will be more than +enough to run you, even if you don't choose to go +mining. For me, nothing would suit me. You +know how you used to rail at me because I wanted +to go from one thing to another. After I had accumulated +that property in Denver, I had to go and +look for claims, and that is the way I come to have +this mine.</p> + +<p>"I send all these things to you by express, for I +am in New York, now, and all ready to sail. By +<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_18" id="Page_18">18</a></span> +the time you get them I shall be on the deep sea. I +forgot to say that the property which I have given to +you for your kindness to me is worth, in round +numbers, one hundred thousand dollars. Take it, +and live happily with it. I don't know that I shall +ever see you again; but if I do not, remember that +my blessing always goes with you." +</p></div> + +<p>"Well, sir, what do you think of that?" +said Julian, as he folded up the letter.</p> + +<p>Jack Sheldon did not know what to say. +He sat with a case-knife in his hand and with +one leg thrown over the table, his mouth +open, and listening with all his ears to the +contents of the letter.</p> + +<p>"I tell you that auctioneer uttered a prophecy +when he said that some miser had hidden +the secret of a gold-mine inside the lid of that +box," said Julian. "He told me that when +I got home and opened this thing I would +bless my lucky stars that I had come to that +office to buy myself rich."</p> + +<p>"But there is one thing that you don't +think of, Julian," replied Jack.</p> + +<p>"What's that?"</p> + +<p>"That we must make every effort to find +this man Haberstro." +<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_19" id="Page_19">19</a></span></p> + +<p>"Yes," said Julian, with a sigh, "I did +think of that. But it seems hard to have so +much money in our grasp, and then to have +it all slip away."</p> + +<p>"Of course it does. But that is the honest +way of going at it."</p> + +<p>"Here's the deeds for a block of buildings +that cost this man twenty-five thousand dollars," +said Julian, continuing to examine the +papers in the box.</p> + +<p>"Oh, put the box away," said Jack. "And +he gives it all to this man Haberstro. We +must find him, Julian, the first thing we do. +Who's that coming upstairs, I wonder?"</p> + +<p>The boys turned toward the door, which +opened almost immediately, admitting Casper +Nevins, the boy who had met Julian at the +express office. There was something about +the boy that Jack did not like. He could +not have told what it was, but there are those +we meet in every-day life who have certain +traits of character that excite our suspicions. +Jack had often warned Julian to keep away +from him, and the latter did not cultivate his +acquaintance any more that he could help; +<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_20" id="Page_20">20</a></span> +but, being employed in the same office that +Casper was, of course he was thrown into his +company oftener than he desired.</p> + +<p>"Good-evening, boys," said Casper. "I +was on my way home, and I thought I would +drop in and see what Julian bought to-day at +the express office. You promised to show me +if I would come up," he added, turning to +Julian.</p> + +<p>"I did, and there it is," said Julian, passing +over the letter. "Sit down in this chair. +We are so poor just now that we have only +one chair apiece, but when we get out to our +gold-mine we shall have two chairs."</p> + +<p>"Ah! You have a gold-mine, have you?" +said Casper, with a smile. "When do you +start?"</p> + +<p>"Read the letter, and you will think we +ought to start right away," said Julian, while +Jack got up and proceeded with his supper. +"We think of starting to-morrow morning."</p> + +<p>"I would like to have my hand on your +coat-tail about the time you get out there," +said Casper. "Now, the question is, does +the mine pay anything?" +<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_21" id="Page_21">21</a></span></p> + +<p>"Read the letter, and you will understand +as much as we do."</p> + +<p>Casper began the letter, and he had not +gone far with it before he broke out with +"Jerusalem!" and "This beats me!" and +"Fifty thousand dollars!" When he had got +done with the letter, he folded it up and passed +it back to Julian without saying a word.</p> + +<p>"And that is not all of it," said the latter. +"Do you see the rest of the papers there in +that box? Well, they are deeds of property +which amount to one hundred thousand dollars."</p> + +<p>"Whew!" whistled Casper. "By gracious! +You're lucky—are you not? When do you +start?"</p> + +<p>"Laying all jokes aside, we don't intend to +start at all," said Jack.</p> + +<p>"You don't?" exclaimed Casper. "Have +you got something better on hand?"</p> + +<p>"No, I don't know that we have; but our +first hard work must be to find this man +Haberstro. It would not be right for us to +keep what is in that box without turning the +city upside down in order to locate him." +<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_22" id="Page_22">22</a></span></p> + +<p>"Why, the box was sold to you, was it +not?" said Casper, turning to Julian.</p> + +<p>"Of course it was. Didn't I pay thirty +cents of my hard earnings for it?"</p> + +<p>"Did you agree to hunt up this man Haberstro?"</p> + +<p>"No, because the clerks did not know +where he was."</p> + +<p>"Then I say the box and everything in it +belongs to you. Undoubtedly the man does +not live here any more. He has gone somewhere +else. I would not make a precious fool +of myself, if I were you. Take the money +and say nothing to nobody."</p> + +<p>"And go out there and take possession of +that property while there is another man +waiting for it?" asked Jack, with some heat.</p> + +<p>"Yes, sir; that's what I would do."</p> + +<p>"Then, sir, you are not honest. I am glad +you don't train in my crowd."</p> + +<p>"I don't call it dishonest in holding fast +to what you have. A hundred thousand dollars! +You would not need to go mining +at all."</p> + +<p>"We are well aware of that; but we must +<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_23" id="Page_23">23</a></span> +find out where that man lives, if we can. +After having exhausted every means to find +out, then I would consider that the property +belongs to us. Julian, we will have to see a +lawyer about that."</p> + +<p>"That's what I was thinking," said Julian.</p> + +<p>"Well, of all the plumb dunces that ever I +saw, you are the beat!" said Casper, getting +up and putting on his hat. "I tell you that +if that property was mine I would never let +anyone know that I had it. I would throw +up my position to-morrow, borrow money, go +out there and take possession; and you are +fools if you don't do it."</p> + +<p>And Casper went out, slamming the door +behind him. +<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_24" id="Page_24">24</a></span></p> + +<h2 class="p6">CHAPTER III.</h2> + +<h3>JULIAN IS ASTONISHED.</h3> + +<p>"Well, sir, what do you think of that?" +asked Julian, when he heard the +noise the telegraph boy made in running +down the stairs. "He really acts as though +he were mad about it."</p> + +<p>"He is a dishonest fellow," said Jack, once +more coming up to the table and throwing his +leg over it. "You don't believe everything +he said, do you?"</p> + +<p>"Not much, I don't," replied Julian, emphatically. +"I could not go out there and +work the mine as he talks of doing. I should +think it was haunted, sure enough."</p> + +<p>"Well, put the papers away, and then let +us have supper. While we are doing that, we +will decide what we are going to do with the +box."</p> + +<p>"I say, don't let us do anything with it. +We will put it up there on the mantel, and +<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_25" id="Page_25">25</a></span> +when we are through supper one of us will +write an advertisement calling upon Mr. +Haberstro to come up and show himself. I +guess the <i>Republican</i> is as good a paper as +any, isn't it?"</p> + +<p>"But Haberstro may be a Democrat, instead +of a Republican," said Jack.</p> + +<p>"Well, then, put it in both papers. That +will cost us two dollars—seventy-five cents for +the first insertion and a quarter for the +second."</p> + +<p>It did not take the boys a long time to get +their supper. They had nothing but bacon, +baker's bread, tea, and a few cream cakes +which Jack had purchased on his way home; +but there was an abundance, they were hungry, +and they did full justice to it. After +supper came something that everybody hates—washing +the dishes; but that was something +the two friends never neglected. The dishes +must be washed some time, and the sooner it +was done the sooner it would be over with. +Then one picked up the broom and went to +sweeping, while the other lighted the lamp +and brought out the writing materials. +<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_26" id="Page_26">26</a></span></p> + +<p>"I have already made up my mind what I +want to say," said Julian, who, being a better +scribe than his companion, handled the pen. +"Wait until I get the advertisement all written +out, and then I will read it to you."</p> + +<p>The pen moved slowly, and by the time +that Jack had finished sweeping and seated +himself in a chair ready to listen, Julian read +the following:</p> + +<p class="blockquot"> +"Information wanted regarding the whereabouts +of S. W. Haberstro, formerly of St. Louis. If he will +communicate with the undersigned he will hear of +something greatly to his advantage. Any relative +or friend of his who possesses the above information +will confer a favor by writing to the name given +below." +</p> + +<p>"There; how will that do?" said Julian. +"By the way, whose name shall I sign to it—yours +or mine?"</p> + +<p>"Sign your own name, of course. Your +place of business is much handier than mine."</p> + +<p>"I tell you, Jack, it requires something besides +a knowledge of penmanship to write out +an advertisement for a newspaper. I have +worried over this matter ever since we were at +<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_27" id="Page_27">27</a></span> +supper, and then I didn't know how you +would like it. Now, the next thing is to put +it where it will catch the public eye in the +morning."</p> + +<p>The boys did not intend to let the grass +grow under their feet. They put on their +coats and turned down the lamp, but before +they went out they took particular pains to +put the box where they knew it would be +safe. They opened the closet, pushed the box +as far back as they could on the top shelf, +and threw some clothing in front of it to hide +it from anyone who might look in there. +Burglaries were common in the city, and the +boys never left anything in their room that +was worth stealing.</p> + +<p>The friends did not ride on the street cars, +for they believed that five cents was worth as +much to them as it was to the conductor, but +walked all the distance that lay between them +and the business part of the city. They +reached the newspaper offices at last, paid for +two insertions in each paper, and went away +satisfied that they had done all in their power +to find Mr. Haberstro. +<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_28" id="Page_28">28</a></span></p> + +<p>"Now we have done as we would be done +by," said Julian, "and I believe a glass of +soda water would help me sleep easier. Come +in here."</p> + +<p>"We don't want any soda water," exclaimed +Jack, seizing Julian by the arm and +pulling him away from the drug store. "We +don't need it. When we get home we will +take a glass of cold water, and that will do +just as well as all the soda water in town."</p> + +<p>"I suppose I shall have to give in to you," +said Julian, continuing his walk with Jack, +"but I think we deserve a little credit for +what we have done. Here we are with a +fortune of one hundred thousand dollars in +our pockets, and yet we are anxious to give it +up if Mr. Haberstro shows himself. I tell +you, it is not everybody in the world who +would do that."</p> + +<p>"I know it, but that is the honest way of +doing business. I never could look our master +mechanic in the face again if I should go +off and enjoy that money without making +an effort to find the owner."</p> + +<p>In due time the boys reached home and +<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_29" id="Page_29">29</a></span> +went to bed, but sleep did not visit their eyes +before midnight. They were thinking of the +fortune that was in their grasp. No one +would have thought these boys very guilty if +they had kept silent about the contents of +that box and had gone off to reap the pleasure +which good luck or something else had +placed in Julian's hands; but such a thought +had never entered their heads until Casper +Nevins had suggested it to them. By being +at the sale of "old horse" Julian had stumbled +upon something that was intended for +Mr. Haberstro, and he was just as much entitled +to the contents of it as anybody.</p> + +<p>"But I would be dishonest for all that," +said he, rolling over in his bed to find a more +comfortable position. "I never could enjoy +that money, for I should be thinking of Mr. +Haberstro, who ought to have it. No matter +whether he is alive or dead, he would come +up beside me all the while, and reach out his +hand to take the money I was getting ready +to use for my own pleasure. No, sir. We +will do the best we can to find Mr. Haberstro, +and if he does not show up within any reasonable +<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_30" id="Page_30">30</a></span> +time, then Jack says the money belongs +to us. I can spend it, then, to get anything +I want, with perfect confidence."</p> + +<p>When Julian got to this point in his meditations +he became silent, and thought over the +many things he stood in need of, and which +he thought he could not possibly get along +without, until finally he fell asleep; but the +next morning, when he arose and returned +Jack's hearty greeting, that fortune came into +his mind immediately.</p> + +<p>"I tell you what it is, Jack," said he. "If, +after waiting a few days, we don't hear from +Mr. Haberstro or any of his kin, suppose I go +to Mr. Wiggins with it? He will know exactly +what we ought to do."</p> + +<p>"All right," said Jack. "That will be +better than going to a lawyer, for he won't +charge us anything for his advice."</p> + +<p>"And shall you keep still about this?"</p> + +<p>"Certainly. Don't lisp it to anybody. We +don't want somebody to come along here and +claim to be Haberstro, when perhaps he don't +know a thing about what is in the box."</p> + +<p>"Of course he would not know a thing +<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_31" id="Page_31">31</a></span> +about it," said Julian, in surprise. "Haberstro +himself don't know what there is in the +box. He has got to prove by outside parties +that he is the man that we want, or we can +put him down as a fraud."</p> + +<p>"That's so," said Jack, after thinking a +moment. "We must be continually on the +lookout for breakers."</p> + +<p>Why was it that Jack did not go further, +and say that they must be continually on the +lookout for the safety of the box when they +were not there to watch over it? It was not +safe from anybody who knew it was there, +and it would have been but little trouble for +them to have taken it with them and put it +into the hands of Mr. Wiggins. If they had +thought of this, no doubt they would have +lost no time in acting upon it.</p> + +<p>Long before the hands on Jack's watch had +reached the hour of half-past six the two +friends were on their way toward their places +of business, and when Julian reached the +office almost the first boy he saw was Casper +Nevins, who had denounced them for trying +to find out what became of Mr. Haberstro. +<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_32" id="Page_32">32</a></span></p> + +<p>"Good-morning, Julian," said he. "Have +you advertised for that man of yours yet?"</p> + +<p>"What do you want to know for?" said +Julian, remembering what Jack had said +about keeping the matter still.</p> + +<p>"Oh, nothing; only I want to tell you that +if you get yourselves fooled out of that fortune +you can thank yourselves for it. What +is there to prevent some sharper from coming +around and telling you that he is Haberstro? +You didn't think of that, did you?"</p> + +<p>"Yes, we thought of it," said Julian, with +a smile. "Do you suppose we will take any +man's word for that? He must prove that +he is the man we want, or else we won't have +anything to do with him."</p> + +<p>"Pshaw! That is easy enough. I can find +fifty men right here in this town who will +prove that they are President of the United +States for half of what that box is worth. +Say!" he added, sinking his voice almost to a +whisper, "you haven't said a word to anybody +about advertising for him, have you?"</p> + +<p>"No; and I have not said a word to you +about it either," said Julian. +<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_33" id="Page_33">33</a></span></p> + +<p>"That's all right, but you can't fool me so +easy. I want to tell you right now that there +are a good many here who know about it, and +that they are bound to have that box. Ah!" +he added, noting the expression that came +upon Julian's face, "you didn't think of <i>that</i>, +did you?"</p> + +<p>"Who are they?" asked Julian.</p> + +<p>"There were men in the express office +yesterday who know all about it. You needn't +think you are going to keep that express box +hid, for you can't do it. Where did you put +it?"</p> + +<p>"It is safe. It is where nobody will ever +think of looking for it."</p> + +<p>"Then you are all right," said Casper, who +was plainly very much disappointed because +he did not find out where the box was. "But +you had better keep an eye out for those fellows +in the express office, for, unless the looks +of some of them belied them, they will steal +that box from you as sure as you are a foot +high."</p> + +<p>"If they thought so much of the box, why +didn't they buy it in the first place?" +<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_34" id="Page_34">34</a></span></p> + +<p>"That is for them to tell. I don't know +but they have somehow got an idea that there +is something in it. You are going to get +fooled out of it, and it will serve you just +right for advertising for Haberstro."</p> + +<p>That day was a long one to Julian, for he +could not help turning over in his mind what +Casper had said to him. When he reached +home after his day's work was done he went +straight to the closet, paying no sort of attention +to Jack, who looked at him in surprise, +took a chair with him, and hunted up the +box. It was where he put it, and he drew a +long breath of relief.</p> + +<p>"Now, then, I would like to have you explain +yourself," said Jack, after he had waited +some little time for Julian to say what he +meant by his actions.</p> + +<p>"It is there," said Julian, "but I have +been shaking in my shoes all day. Did it +ever occur to you that some of those people +who saw me buy the box at the express office +would come up here to take it?"</p> + +<p>"No; and I don't believe they will do it."</p> + +<p>"Well, Casper said they would." +<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_35" id="Page_35">35</a></span></p> + +<p>"You tell Casper Nevins to keep his long, +meddlesome nose out of this pie and attend +strictly to his own affairs," said Jack, in disgust. +"It is ours, and he has nothing to do +with it. If anybody comes into this room +when we are not here, it will be Casper himself."</p> + +<p>"He can't; he has not got a key."</p> + +<p>"I know that. If he had, we would have +trouble with that box. What did he say to +you?"</p> + +<p>Julian then repeated the conversation he +held with Casper that morning, and Jack +nodded his head once or twice to say that he +approved of it.</p> + +<p>"You did perfectly right by declining to +answer his question about advertising for our +man," said Jack. "What did he want to +know that for? If they wanted the box, why +did they not buy it in the first place?"</p> + +<p>During the next few days the two friends +were in a fever of suspense, for they did not +want somebody to come and take their fortune +away from them. Every man who came into +the telegraph office Julian watched closely, +<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_36" id="Page_36">36</a></span> +for he had somehow got it into his head that +Haberstro must be a German; but every German +who came in there had business of his +own, and as soon as it was done he went out. +No one came to see Julian about the box, and, +if the truth must be told, he began to breathe +easier. Of late he had got out of the habit +of looking for the box as soon as he came +home, and perhaps the sport that Jack made +of him for it was the only thing that made him +give it up.</p> + +<p>"One would think you owned that fortune," +said he. "I don't believe a miser ever watched +his gold as closely as you watch that box."</p> + +<p>"I don't care," said Julian. "The fortune +is ours, or rather is going to be in a few days. +Now you mark my words, and see if I don't +tell you the truth."</p> + +<p>"There's many a slip. We will never have +such luck in the world."</p> + +<p>"Well, I am going to look at it now. It +seems to me that if Haberstro is around here +he ought to have put in an appearance before +this time. We have waited a whole week +without seeing anything of him." +<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_37" id="Page_37">37</a></span></p> + +<p>"A whole week!" exclaimed Jack, with a +laugh. "If you wait a month without seeing +him you may be happy. If we keep the box +for three months without the man appearing, +then I shall think it belongs to us."</p> + +<p>Julian did not believe that. He thought +that the contents of the box would belong to +them before that time. He made no reply, +but took a chair to examine the closet. He +moved the clothing aside, expecting every +minute to put his hand upon the box, and +then uttered an exclamation of astonishment +and threw the articles off on the floor.</p> + +<p>"What's the matter?" asked Jack, in +alarm.</p> + +<p>"The box is gone!" replied Julian. +<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_38" id="Page_38">38</a></span></p> + +<h2 class="p6">CHAPTER IV.</h2> + +<h3>WHERE THE BOX WAS.</h3> + +<p>This startling piece of information seemed +to strike Jack Sheldon motionless and +speechless with astonishment. His under jaw +dropped down, and he even clutched the back +of a chair, as if seeking something with which +to support himself. The two boys stood at +opposite sides of the room looking at each +other, and then Jack recovered himself.</p> + +<p>"Gone!" he repeated. "You are mistaken; +you have overlooked it. I saw it +night before last myself."</p> + +<p>"I don't care," said Julian, emphatically; +"I have taken the clothes all out, and the box +is gone. Look and see for yourself."</p> + +<p>Julian stepped down from the chair and +Jack took his place. He peered into every +nook and corner of the dark shelf, passed his +hands over it, and then, with something like +a sigh, got down and began to hang the +<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_39" id="Page_39">39</a></span> +clothes up in their proper places. Then he +closed the door of the closet, took a chair, and +gazed earnestly at the floor.</p> + +<p>"Well, sir, what do you think of that?" +said Julian.</p> + +<p>"Didn't I tell you that if anybody came in +here to look for that box while we were not +here it would be Casper Nevins, and nobody +else?" said Jack.</p> + +<p>"You surely don't suspect him!" exclaimed +Julian.</p> + +<p>"I <i>do</i> suspect him; if you could get inside +his room to-night you would find the box."</p> + +<p>"Why, then he is a thief!" said Julian, +jumping up from his chair and walking the +floor. "Shall we go down to No. 8 Station +and ask the police to send a man up there and +search him?"</p> + +<p>"I don't know whether that would be the +best way or not," said Jack, reflectively. +"Has Casper got many friends among the +boys of your office?"</p> + +<p>"I don't believe he's got one friend there +who treats him any better than I do. The +boys are all shy of him." +<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_40" id="Page_40">40</a></span></p> + +<p>"And well they may be. That boy got a +key somewhere that will fit our door, and +came in here and took that box. You say he +has not any friends on whom he can depend +in the office?"</p> + +<p>"Not one. If he has any friends, none of +us know who they are."</p> + +<p>"Then he must be alone in stealing the box +from us. He has it there in his room, for he +has no other place to hide it. Do you know +what sort of a key he has to fit his door?"</p> + +<p>"Of course I do. I was with him when he +got it. It is a combination key; one that he +folds up when he puts it into his pocket."</p> + +<p>"Do you believe you can buy another +like it?"</p> + +<p>"By George! That's an idea. Let us go +down and find out. Then to-morrow, if I can +get away, I will come up here and go through +his room."</p> + +<p>That was Jack's notion entirely. He wanted +to see "the biter bit"—to know that he would +feel, when he awoke some fine morning and +found his fortune gone, just how they were +feeling now. They put on their coats and +<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_41" id="Page_41">41</a></span> +locked the door,—it seemed a mockery to them +now to lock the door when their fortune was +gone,—and, after walking briskly for a few +minutes, turned into the store where Casper +had purchased his key. When Julian told +the clerk that he wanted to see some combination +keys, he threw out upon the counter a +box which was filled to overflowing.</p> + +<p>"Do you remember a telegraph boy who +was in here several months ago and bought a +combination lock to fit his door?" asked Julian. +"I was in here at the time, and I know +he bought the lock of you."</p> + +<p>"Seems to me that I <i>do</i> remember something +about that," said the clerk, turning +around to the shelves behind him and taking +down another box, "and we have got just one +lock of that sort left."</p> + +<p>"Are you sure this key will open his door?" +asked Julian.</p> + +<p>"I am sure of it. If it don't open his +door, you can bring it back and exchange it +for another."</p> + +<p>Julian told him that he would take the +lock, and while the clerk was gone to another +<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_42" id="Page_42">42</a></span> +part of the store to do it up he whispered to +Jack,</p> + +<p>"I have just thought of something. He +has not any closet in his room that I know +of, and who knows but that he may have put +that box in his trunk? I had better get some +keys to his trunk while I am about it."</p> + +<p>"Do you remember how the key looked?" +asked Jack.</p> + +<p>"I guess I can come pretty close to it," +answered Julian.</p> + +<p>The work of selecting a key to the trunk +was not so easy; but Julian managed to +satisfy himself at last, and the boys left the +store. Julian did not say anything, but he +was certain that the box would be in his own +possession before that time to-morrow. That +would be better than calling the police to search +his room. In the latter case, Casper would be +held for trial, and Julian did not want to disgrace +him before all the boys in the office.</p> + +<p>"I will give Mr. Wiggins the box as soon +as I get my hands on it, but I shan't say anything +to him about Casper's stealing it," said +he. "Would you?" +<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_43" id="Page_43">43</a></span></p> + +<p>"You are mighty right I <i>would</i>," exclaimed +Jack, who looked at his friend in utter surprise. +"He stole it, didn't he? He was +going to cheat Haberstro out of it if he +showed up, and, failing that, he would leave +us here to work all our lives while he lived +on the fat of the land. No, sir; if you get +the box you must tell Mr Wiggins about it."</p> + +<p>For the first time in a long while the boys +did not sleep much that night. Jack was +thinking about Casper's atrocity,—for he considered +that was about the term to apply to +him for stealing their box,—and Julian was +wondering if he was going to get into Casper's +room and recover the fortune which he was +attempting to deprive them of.</p> + +<p>"I tell you, that boy is coming to some +bad end," said Jack. "I would not be in his +boots for all the money he will ever be +worth."</p> + +<p>"I don't care what end he comes to," said +Julian, "but I was just thinking what would +happen to us if this key did not open his +door. We would then have to get the police, +sure enough." +<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_44" id="Page_44">44</a></span></p> + +<p>Morning came at length, and at the usual +hour Julian was on hand in the telegraph +office, waiting to see what his duties were +going to be. As usual, he found Casper +Nevins there. He looked closely at Julian +when he came in, but could not see anything +in the expression of his face that led him to +believe there was anything wrong.</p> + +<p>"Good-morning, Julian," said he.</p> + +<p>"Good-morning," said Julian. "How do +you feel this morning?"</p> + +<p>"Right as a trivet. I feel much better +than you will when you find that that box is +gone," added Casper to himself. "He hasn't +found it out yet, and I hope he will not until +I get my pay. I have waited and watched +for this a long time, and, thank heaven! I +have found it at last. I wish I knew somebody +who would take that box and hide it +for me; but I can't think of a living soul."</p> + +<p>All the fore part of that day Julian was +kept busy running to the lower part of the +city with messages, and not a chance did he +get to go up past Casper's room. Two or +three times he was on the point of asking Mr. +<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_45" id="Page_45">45</a></span> +Wiggins to excuse him for a few minutes, but +he always shrunk from it for fear of the questions +that gentleman would ask him. "Where +did he want to go?" "What did he want to +go after?" "What was he going to do when +he got there?" and Julian was quite certain +that he could not answer these questions without +telling a lie. While he was thinking it +over he heard his name called, and found +that he must go right by Casper's room in +order to take the message where it was to go. +He seemed to be treading on air when he +walked up to take the telegraphic dispatch.</p> + +<p>"Do you know where that man lives?" +asked the operator.</p> + +<p>"I know pretty nearly where he lives," +answered Julian.</p> + +<p>"Well, take it there, and be back as soon +as you can, for I shall want to send you somewhere +else. What's the matter with you, +Julian? You seem to be gay about something."</p> + +<p>"I don't know that I feel any different +from what I always do," replied Julian. "I +will go there as soon as I can." +<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_46" id="Page_46">46</a></span></p> + +<p>When Julian got into the street, his first +care was to find his keys. They were all +there; and, to gain the time that he would +occupy in looking about the room, Julian +broke into a trot, knowing that the police +would not trouble him while he had that uniform +on. At the end of an hour he began to +draw close to Casper's room, and there he +slackened his pace to a walk.</p> + +<p>"Ten minutes more and the matter will be +decided," said Julian, his heart beating with +a sound that frightened him. "That boy +has the box, and I am going to have it."</p> + +<p>A few steps more brought him to the stairs +that led up to Casper's room. It was over a +grocery store, and the steps ran up beside it. +He turned in there without anybody seeing +him, and stopped in front of the door. The +combination key was produced, and to Julian's +immense delight the door came open the very +first try.</p> + +<p>"I guess I won't lock it," muttered Julian. +"I might lock myself in. He does not keep +his room as neat as we do ours."</p> + +<p>Julian took one glance about the apartment, +<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_47" id="Page_47">47</a></span> +taking in the tumbled bedclothes, and +the dishes from which Casper had eaten his +breakfast still unwashed on the table, and +then turned his attention to what had brought +him there. There was no closet in the room, +and the box was not under the bed; it must +therefore be in his trunk. One after another +of the keys was tried without avail, and +Julian was about to give it up in despair, +when the last key—the one on Jack's bunch—opened +the trunk, which he found in the +greatest confusion. He lifted off the tray, +and there was the box, sure enough. Julian +took it, and hugged it as though it was a +friend from whom he had long been separated.</p> + +<p>"Now the next question is, are the papers +all here?" thought he. "There were seven +of them besides the letter, and who knows but +that he has taken a block of buildings away +from us."</p> + +<p>But the papers were all there. However +much Casper might have been tempted to +realize on some of the numerous "blocks of +buildings" which the box called for, he dared +<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_48" id="Page_48">48</a></span> +not attempt the sale of any of them. It was +as much as he could do to steal the papers. +Julian placed the tray back and carefully +locked the trunk, and then looking around, +found a paper with which to do up his box. +Then he locked the door, came down, and +went on to deliver his message.</p> + +<p>"That boy called us foolish because we advertised +for Mr. Haberstro," said Julian, as +he carefully adjusted the box under his arm. +"I would like to know if we were bigger fools +than he was. We could have found the police +last night as easy as not, and it would +have been no trouble for them to find the +box. He ought not to have left it there in +his trunk. He didn't think that we could +play the same game on him that he played +upon us."</p> + +<p>Julian conveyed his message and returned +to his office in less time than he usually did, +and, after reporting, told Mr. Wiggins in a +whisper that he would like to see him in the +back room.</p> + +<p>"I know what you want," said Mr. Wiggins, +as he went in. "You have been up to +<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_49" id="Page_49">49</a></span> +the express office, buying some more of that +'old horse.' Some day I am going to give you +fits for that. It is the only thing I have stored +up against you."</p> + +<p>"Can you tell when I did it?" asked Julian, +slowly unfolding the box which he carried +under his arm. "Haven't I carried my +telegraphic dispatches in as little time as anybody? +Now, I have something here that is +worth having. Read that letter, and see if it +isn't."</p> + +<p>Mr. Wiggins seated himself on the table +and slowly read the letter which Julian placed +in his hands, and it was not long before he +became deeply interested in it. When he had +got through he looked at the boy with astonishment.</p> + +<p>"I declare, Julian, you're lucky," said he. +"Now, the next thing for you to do is to advertise +for Haberstro."</p> + +<p>"We have already advertised for him. We +have put four insertions in the papers."</p> + +<p>"And he doesn't come forward to claim his +money? Put two other advertisements in, and +if he don't show up the money is yours." +<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_50" id="Page_50">50</a></span></p> + +<p>"That is what I wanted to get at," said +Julian, with a sigh of relief. "Now, Mr. +Wiggins, I wish you would take this and lock +it up somewhere. I don't think it safe in our +house."</p> + +<p>"Certainly I'll do it. By George! Who +would think you were worth a hundred thousand +dollars!"</p> + +<p>"It isn't ours yet," said Julian, with a +smile. "About the time we get ready to use +it, here will come Mr. Haberstro, and we will +have to give it up to him."</p> + +<p>"Well, you are honest, at any rate, or you +would not have advertised for him. This +beats me, I declare. I won't scold you this +time, but don't let it happen again."</p> + +<p>"I'll never go into that express office again +while I live," said Julian, earnestly. "I have +had my luck once, and I don't believe it will +come again."</p> + +<p>When Julian went out into the office he saw +Casper there, and he was as white as a sheet. +Julian could not resist the temptation to pat +an imaginary box under his arm and wink at +Casper. +<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_51" id="Page_51">51</a></span></p> + +<p>"What do you mean by that pantomime?" +said he.</p> + +<p>"It means that you can't get the start of +two fellows who have their eyes open," said +Julian. "I've got the box."</p> + +<p>"You have?" gasped Casper. "You've +been into my room when I was not there? +I'll have the police after you before I am five +minutes older!"</p> + +<p>Casper jumped to his feet and began to +look around for his hat. +<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_52" id="Page_52">52</a></span></p> + +<h2 class="p6">CHAPTER V.</h2> + +<h3>CASPER THINKS OF SOMETHING.</h3> + +<p>Julian stood with his hands in his +pockets looking at Casper, and something +that was very like a smile came into +his face.</p> + +<p>"I know what you went in there with Mr. +Wiggins for," said Casper; and having +found his cap by that time, he jammed it +spitefully on his head, "and I just waited +until you came out so that I could ask you. +I don't need to ask you. I tell you once for +all——"</p> + +<p>"Well, why don't you go on?" asked Julian. +"You will tell me once for all—what?"</p> + +<p>Casper had by this time turned and looked +sternly at Julian, but there was something +about him which told him that he had gone +far enough.</p> + +<p>"Go and get the police," said Julian. +"Right here is where I do business. Look +<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_53" id="Page_53">53</a></span> +here, Casper: you came into our room and +stole that box out of our closet."</p> + +<p>"I never!" said Casper, evidently very +much surprised. "So help me——"</p> + +<p>"Don't swear, because you will only make +a bad matter worse. I found the box in your +trunk, just where you had left it. The way I +have the matter arranged now, there's nobody +knows that you took it; but you go to work +and raise the police, and I will tell all I know. +If you keep still, I won't say one word."</p> + +<p>Casper backed toward the nearest chair and +sat down. This conversation had been carried +on in whispers, and there was nobody, among +the dozen persons who were standing around, +that had the least idea what they were talking +about. If Casper supposed that he was +going to scare Julian into giving up the box, +he failed utterly.</p> + +<p>"I won't give up that fortune," said he, to +himself, when Julian turned away to go to his +seat. "A hundred thousand dollars! I'll +have it, or I'll never sleep easy again."</p> + +<p>During the rest of the day Julian was as +happy as he wanted to be. The box was now +<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_54" id="Page_54">54</a></span> +safe in the hands of Mr. Wiggins, and he +would like to see anybody get hold of it. +Furthermore, Mr. Wiggins had told him to +put two more advertisements in the papers, +and, if Mr. Haberstro did not show himself +in answer to them, the money was his own.</p> + +<p>"I do hope he won't come," said Julian. +"I don't believe in giving up that fortune."</p> + +<p>The boy was glad when the day was done, +and the moment he was safe on the street he +struck a trot which he never slackened until +he ran up the stairs to his room. Jack was +there, as he expected him to be, and he was +going about his work of getting supper. He +looked up as Julian came in, and he saw at a +glance that he had been successful.</p> + +<p>"I've got it!" shouted Julian; and, catching +Jack by the arm, he whirled him around +two or three times. "It was in the trunk, just +as I told you it was. Mr. Wiggins has it now, +and he will take care of it, too."</p> + +<p>"That's the best news I have heard in a +long time," said Jack, throwing his leg over +the table. "Did you tell Mr. Wiggins about +the way Casper acted?" +<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_55" id="Page_55">55</a></span></p> + +<p>"No, I did not. Somehow, I couldn't bear +to see the boy discharged. I simply told Mr. +Wiggins that it wasn't safe in our room."</p> + +<p>"Well, I don't know but that was the best +way, after all," said Jack, looking reflectively +at the floor. "But I tell you, if I had been +in your place I would have let it all out. Now +tell me the whole thing."</p> + +<p>Julian pulled off his coat, and, while he assisted +Jack in getting supper, told him all that +passed between Mr. Wiggins and himself, not +forgetting how the latter had promised to scold +him at some future time for going to the express +office and investing in "old horse."</p> + +<p>"I hope he will tell you some words that +will set," said Jack. "All I can say to you +has no effect upon you."</p> + +<p>"I will never go near that express office +again—never!" said Julian, earnestly.</p> + +<p>"I hope you will always bear that in +mind."</p> + +<p>"I've had my luck, and if I live until my +head is as white as our president's I never +shall have such good fortune again. I will +get bricks the next time I buy." +<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_56" id="Page_56">56</a></span></p> + +<p>"You had better sit down and write out +that advertisement for two more insertions, +and after supper we'll take it down and put +it in. If Haberstro does not appear in answer +to them the money is ours. That's a little +better fortune than I dared to hope for."</p> + +<p>Anybody could see that Jack was greatly +excited over this news, but he tried not to +show it. If he had gone wild over it, he +would have got Julian so stimulated that he +would not have known which end he stood +on. He had to control himself and Julian, +too. He ate his supper apparently as cool as +he ever was, and after the room had been +swept up and the dishes washed he put on his +coat and was ready to accompany his friend +to the newspaper offices.</p> + +<p>"Remember now, Julian, we don't want +any soda water to-night," said Jack. "If +you want anything to drink, get it before you +start."</p> + +<p>Julian promised that he would bear it in +mind, and during the three hours that they +were gone never asked for soda water or anything +else. +<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_57" id="Page_57">57</a></span></p> + +<p>"Just wait until I get that fortune in my +hands, and then I will have all the soda water +I want," said Julian to himself. "But, after +all, Jack's way is the best. I don't know +what I should do without him."</p> + +<p>In due time the boys were at home and in +bed; and leaving them there to enjoy a good +night's rest, we will go back to Casper Nevins +and see what he thought and what he did +when he found that he had lost the box he +had risked so much to gain. He was about +as mad as a boy could hold when he ran down +the stairs after his interview with them in +their room, and he straightway began to rack +his brain to see if he could not get that box +for himself.</p> + +<p>"Of all the dunces I ever saw, those two +fellows are the beat!" said he, as he took his +way toward his room. "They have got the +fortune in their own hands; no one will say a +word if they use it as though it was their +own; and yet they are going to advertise for +the man to whom it was addressed. Did anybody +ever hear of a fool notion like that? I +was in hopes that I could get them to go partners +<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_58" id="Page_58">58</a></span> +with me, but under the circumstances I +did not like to propose it. Why didn't I +happen into that express office and bid on +that box? Gee! What a fortune that would +be!"</p> + +<p>Casper was almost beside himself with the +thought, and he reached his room and cooked +and ate his supper, still revolving some plan +for obtaining possession of that box. He had +suddenly taken it into his head that he ought +to go into partnership with the two boys in +order to assist them in spending their money, +although there was not the first thing that he +could think of that induced the belief. Julian +had always been friendly with him,—much +more so than any of the other boys in the +office,—although he confessed that he had not +always been friendly with Julian.</p> + +<p>"Of course I have little spats with him, +but Julian isn't a fellow to remember that," +said Casper to himself. "I've had spats with +every boy, and some of them I don't want +anything more to do with. But Julian ought +to take me into partnership with him, and I +believe I'll ask him. But first, can't I get +<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_59" id="Page_59">59</a></span> +that box for my own? That is an idea worth +thinking of."</p> + +<p>It was an idea that had suddenly come into +Casper's head, and he did not think any more +about the partnership business just then. +Of course their advertising for Haberstro +knocked all that in the head; but then if he +had the box he could do as he pleased with it. +The next day, at the office, he did say something +about partnership, but Julian laughed +at him. He said that he and Jack could +easily spend all that money, and more too, if +they had it. It was made in a joking way, +and Julian had not thought to speak to Jack +about it.</p> + +<p>"It is no use trying you on," said Casper +to himself, getting mad in a minute. "You +can spend all that money yourselves, can +you? I'll bet you don't. There must be +some keys in the city that will fit your door, +and I am going to have one."</p> + +<p>From that time forward Casper had but +just one object in view, and that was to get +the box. He spent three days in trying the +different keys which he had purchased to fit +<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_60" id="Page_60">60</a></span> +the lock, and one time he came near getting +himself into difficulty. He was out a great +deal longer than he ought to have been with +a message, and when he got to the office Mr. +Wiggins took him to task for it.</p> + +<p>"How is this, Casper?" said he. "You +have been gone three-quarters of an hour +longer than you ought to have been."</p> + +<p>"I went just as soon as I could," replied +Casper, who was not above telling a lie. +"The man wasn't at his place of business, and +so I went to his home."</p> + +<p>"Then you are excusable. It seems strange +that he should be at home at this hour."</p> + +<p>Casper did not say anything, but he was +satisfied that he was well out of that scrape. +He had not been to the man's home at all. +He was trying the lock on Julian's door.</p> + +<p>Although he made two attempts without +getting in, he succeeded on the third. The +door came open for him, and after searching +around the room in vain for the box, he looked +into the closet.</p> + +<p>"Aha! I've got you at last!" said he, as +he drew the clothing aside and laid hold of +<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_61" id="Page_61">61</a></span> +the object of his search. "Now I wish I had +my money that is due me from the telegraph +office. To-morrow would see me on my way +toward Denver."</p> + +<p>Hurriedly locking the door, Casper made +the best of his way down the stairs and to his +room, and put the box into his trunk. Then +he broke into another run and went to the +office, where he arrived in time to avoid a +second reprimand.</p> + +<p>"Oh, you feel mighty well now," said Casper, +watching Julian, who was talking and +laughing with some of the boys, "but I bet +you you will feel different in a little while. +Now who am I going to get to hide that box +for me? None of the boys in here will do it, +so I must go elsewhere."</p> + +<p>During the rest of the week Casper was as +deeply interested in watching the persons who +came there as Julian was. He did not advertise +for Haberstro, because he did not want to +give up the box. He was more than half inclined +to go to Mr. Wiggins and tell him he +was going to leave when his month was out, +but some way or other he did not. Something +<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_62" id="Page_62">62</a></span> +compelled him to wait, and in three +days more he found out what it was. He was +in the office waiting for a message to deliver, +when Julian came in with a bundle wrapped +up in a newspaper under his arm. Casper +was thunderstruck, for something told him +that Julian had played the same game that he +had. He had been to his room and got the +box. His face grew as pale as death when he +saw Mr. Wiggins follow Julian into the back +room, and his first thought was to leave the +office before he came out.</p> + +<p>"It is all up with me now," said he, rising +to his feet and looking around for his cap, +which, boy fashion, he had tossed somewhere, +on entering the room. "He will tell Mr. +Wiggins that I stole the box, and I will be +discharged the first thing. I'll deny it," he +added, growing desperate. "I haven't seen +his box. He did not find it in my room, but +got it somewhere else. I will make a fight on +it as long as I can."</p> + +<p>So saying, Casper sat down to await Julian's +return; but the boy came out alone, and the +antics he went through drove Casper frantic. +<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_63" id="Page_63">63</a></span></p> + +<p>"I've got the box," said Julian, when Casper +asked him what he meant by that pantomime.</p> + +<p>The guilty boy was given plenty of opportunity +to "deny it all," but he gave it up in +despair when he found that Julian was not to +be frightened into giving up the box. The +latter was perfectly willing that the police +should come there, but if they did, he would +tell all Casper had done. He might get Julian +in a scrape, but he would get into a worse one +himself. He was glad when Julian moved off +to his chair and left him alone.</p> + +<p>"I guess it is the best way as it is," said +Casper, getting upon his feet and looking out +into the street. "If he sets the police onto +me—good gracious, what should I do? So +that plan has failed, and now the next thing +is something else. I'll have that box, or die +trying to get it."</p> + +<p>All that day, while he was in the office or +carrying his telegraphic dispatches around the +street, Casper thought of but one thing, and +that was, how was he going to get that box +again? He did not have much to say to anybody, +and when six o'clock came he lost no +<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_64" id="Page_64">64</a></span> +time in getting home. He had evidently determined +upon something, for he ate a very +scanty supper, changed his clothes, and hurried +out again. His changing his uniform +for a citizen's suit was something that would +have brought him his instant discharge if his +company officers had found him in that fix. +He could mingle with loafers about the pool-rooms, +and no one could have told that he +was any different from anybody else. He +could drink his beer, too, and no one would +suspect that he was going back on the pledge +he made to the company. But, then, Casper +was used to such things, and he thought nothing +of it. More than that, he had an object +to gain, and he had already picked out the +person whom he hoped to induce to enter into +a scheme to possess that box.</p> + +<p>"Claus is the fellow I am going to try," +said he, as he hurried along toward a pool-room +which he often frequented. "He is a +German, he is well along in years, and I +know he isn't above making a dime or two +whenever he gets the chance. Now for it. +It is make or break." +<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_65" id="Page_65">65</a></span></p> + +<h2 class="p6">CHAPTER VI.</h2> + +<h3>A MR. HABERSTRO APPEARS.</h3> + +<p>As Casper Nevins uttered these words he +turned into an entry, ran up a flight of +stairs, and opened the door of the pool-room. +The apartment was always crowded at night, +and the players were mostly young men who +ought by rights to have been somewhere else. +One end of the room was occupied with pool-tables, +and the other was taken up by billiards, +which were in full blast. Casper gave +out among the players that he was a broker's +clerk, and the story seemed to satisfy the +young men, who asked no further questions. +There was no chance for him in a pool game, +and consequently he did not look for it. He +looked all around, and finally discovered his +man Claus, who was sitting near one of the +tables, watching the game.</p> + +<p>This man was one of the loafers about the +pool-rooms. He always dressed very neatly, +<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_66" id="Page_66">66</a></span> +but he was never known to have any money. +He was a German, and that fitted the name +of the man to whom the box was addressed.</p> + +<p>"I am living on the interest of my debts," +said he, when some one asked what his occupation +was. "I never have any money. I +don't need it. I can get along without it. +You fellows have to work every day, while I +do nothing but sit around the pool-room and +wait for some one to challenge me for a +game."</p> + +<p>"But you must make some money sometime, +or else you couldn't play pool as often +as you do."</p> + +<p>"Oh, as to that, I make a dollar or two +when I find the right man who can play a +little, and sometimes I make more. If I +could get a chance to make a hundred thousand +dollars I would take it in a minute. +After that, I would not be obliged to work."</p> + +<p>These remarks were made in the presence +of Casper Nevins, who remembered them. +After he had stolen the box, and before +Julian had got it back again, he thought it +best to try him on a new tack. +<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_67" id="Page_67">67</a></span></p> + +<p>"Supposing you didn't get a hundred thousand +dollars the first time trying," said he. +"Would not fifty thousand do you?"</p> + +<p>"Well, I think I could live on that much. +Fifty thousand would tempt me awfully. I +wish I had a chance to try it."</p> + +<p>"There is Claus, and I am going to speak +to him the first thing I do," said Casper. "If +there is anybody who can play the part of the +missing Haberstro, he is the man."</p> + +<p>"Ah! Good-evening, Casper," he exclaimed, +as the boy approached him. "How +is the brokerage business to-day? Have you +made any money?"</p> + +<p>"I don't make any. The boss does all +that."</p> + +<p>"Well, why don't you pick up some money +and go in yourself? You will never be a +man in the world as long as you stay in the +background. Do you want to see me? Here +I am, and all ready for business. Is there +any money in this thing you have to propose?"</p> + +<p>Claus, following Casper's lead, occupied an +arm-chair in a remote corner of the room, +<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_68" id="Page_68">68</a></span> +away from everybody, and Casper sat down +alongside of him. It was not any work for +him to begin the conversation, for Claus "had +given himself away" every time the subject +of money was introduced.</p> + +<p>"Were you in earnest the other day when +you said that if you had a chance to steal a +hundred thousand dollars you would try it +on?" said Casper. "I want you to deal fairly +with me now. I want to know just how you +feel about it."</p> + +<p>"My dear boy, I was never more in earnest +in my life," said Claus emphatically. "Just +give me a chance, and you will see whether or +not I meant what I said."</p> + +<p>"Well, I have got a chance for you to +make something," said Casper.</p> + +<p>"You have? Let her rip. I am all attention. +But hold on a bit. Let us get a cigar. +Have you any money?"</p> + +<p>"I have ten cents."</p> + +<p>"That is enough. Anything to keep our +jaws puffing. I can listen a great deal better +with a cigar than I can without it."</p> + +<p>The two arose from their seats and made a +<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_69" id="Page_69">69</a></span> +trip to the bar. They lighted their cigars, +and Casper paid ten cents for them. It made +no difference to Claus that Casper had paid +out some of his hard earnings and wondered +where his next morning's breakfast was coming +from. As long as he got the cigar, it +mattered little to him whether Casper had +any more money or not.</p> + +<p>"Now I am all ready to listen," said Claus, +seating himself in his arm-chair once more. +"Be explicit; go into all the minutiæ, so that +I may know what I have to do."</p> + +<p>There was no need that Claus should tell +Casper this, and for the next fifteen minutes +Claus never said a word, but listened intently. +He told about Julian's habit of going to the +express office on the day that "old horse" +was offered for sale, until finally he bought +the secret of a gold-mine which was hidden +away in a box that came near being sold for +twenty-five cents. The box was addressed to +S. W. Haberstro, and the boys had put four +advertisements in the papers asking that man +to show himself; and, if he did not show up in +reasonable time, the money was to be theirs. +<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_70" id="Page_70">70</a></span></p> + +<p>"Here is a copy of the <i>Democrat</i>, with a +copy of the advertisement in it," said Casper. +"I knew you would want to know everything, +and so I brought it along. A hundred thousand +dollars! Now, why couldn't I have bid +on that box? That little snipe does not get +any more money than I do, and yet he had to +go and buy himself rich."</p> + +<p>"Then it seems that you are not a broker's +clerk after all," said Claus. "I don't know +as I blame you."</p> + +<p>"You see I would get discharged if any of +the company officers should find me dressed +up in citizen's rig," said Casper. "I can go +among the boys, now, and have a good time."</p> + +<p>"I don't know that I blame you," repeated +Claus. "I will keep your secret. Well, +go on. I begin to understand the matter +now."</p> + +<p>"I tell you I was mad when I found out +that they were going to advertise for old man +Haberstro," said Casper. "I called them +everything but decent boys, and went to work +to conjure up some plan for getting the box +for my own. I got it, too——" +<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_71" id="Page_71">71</a></span></p> + +<p>"You did? Then you are all right."</p> + +<p>"Not so near right as you think I am. Julian +got some keys that would fit my door, +and went in and stole it."</p> + +<p>"Whew! They are a desperate lot; ain't +they?"</p> + +<p>"That is just what they did; and, furthermore, +Julian gave the box into the hands of +Mr. Wiggins, our chief telegraph operator. +Now, I want you to come down there, pass +yourself off for Haberstro, and claim that +box. Can you do it?"</p> + +<p>Mr. Claus did not answer immediately. He +stretched his legs out before him and slid +down in his chair until his head rested on the +back of it. He was thinking over the details +of the plan. Casper did not interrupt +him, but waited to see what he was going to +say about it.</p> + +<p>"And you are willing to give me half the +contents of that box if I will get it for you?" +said he. "You have given me the hardest +part of the work. Where do you suppose that +man Wiggins keeps the box?"</p> + +<p>"In the bank, of course. He's pretty sharp, +<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_72" id="Page_72">72</a></span> +and you must look out for that. If we can +get that box, I won't go near the mine. I am +not going to handle a pick and shovel when I +have fifty thousand dollars to fall back upon. +I am not going to work every day when I am +afraid that something will come up and scare +me to death. I will take half the block of +buildings described there, and you can take +the other half. That is fair, isn't it?"</p> + +<p>"Yes, it is fair enough, but I am afraid of +that man Wiggins. What sort of a looking +man is he?"</p> + +<p>"The worst part about him is his eyes. +They are steel-gray, and when he turns them +on a culprit in the office you would think he +was going to look him through. You will +have to be pretty sharp to get around him."</p> + +<p>"Well, suppose I go and see Julian first. If +I can get around him, that will be so much +gained."</p> + +<p>This was the beginning of a long conversation +between Casper and Claus, and when it +was done the latter felt greatly encouraged, +and told himself that he was nearer getting +the box for his own than he ever was before. +<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_73" id="Page_73">73</a></span> +Casper told him everything he could think of +that related to the matter, and when Claus +got up, removed his hat and wiped his face +with his handkerchief, Casper said that if he +would just act that way in the presence of Mr. +Wiggins, he would carry the day.</p> + +<p>"You act more like a German than I ever +saw you act before," said he. "If you will +just do that way to-morrow, I will answer for +your success."</p> + +<p>"I can act the German all over, if that is +what he wants," said Claus, with a laugh. +"You haven't got another ten cents, have +you? Well, let it go. I will go home and +sleep upon it."</p> + +<p>"But look here," said Casper, earnestly. +"If you come to that telegraph office you +must not know me. You never saw me before."</p> + +<p>"Of course not. I won't give you away. +That money is worth trying for. What is the +reason that you and I have not some good +friends to leave us that amount of money?"</p> + +<p>"Because we are not honest enough," said +Casper, bitterly. +<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_74" id="Page_74">74</a></span></p> + +<p>"Honesty has nothing to do with it. We +ain't sharp; that is what's the matter with us. +Well, good-night. I will go and see Julian +to-morrow night, and the next day I may be +down to the telegraph office. I want to go +easy, because I don't want to spoil the thing +by being too brash."</p> + +<p>As it was already late, Casper did not attempt +to enter any game that night. He +went home and tumbled into bed, and for a +long time he lay thinking over what he had +said to Claus. There was another thing that +came into his mind every once in a while, +and that was, where was his breakfast to come +from?</p> + +<p>"I was not going to get any cigars to-night, +because ten cents was all I had left," +said Casper. "But I could not well refuse +Claus. No matter. If he succeeds in getting +that box, I will have all the cigars I +want."</p> + +<p>The next morning Casper went to the office +without any breakfast; but the first message +he had to carry took him to a saloon where +they set a free-lunch table. There he took +<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_75" id="Page_75">75</a></span> +the edge off his appetite and ate enough to +last him until supper-time, when he was to +get his pay. Julian was there, looking as +happy as ever. Casper did not blame him +for that. If he had a box with that amount +of money in it, he would be happy, too.</p> + +<p>"By George! It is six o'clock," said Casper, +at length. "In two hours more I will +know what Julian says to Claus. Till then, +I must have patience."</p> + +<p>Casper received his money when the others +did, and without saying a word to anybody +set out for home. Julian was not in quite so +big a hurry. He walked along with his +hands in his pockets, and once, when passing +by a baker's shop, he went in and bought +some cakes with which to top off their supper. +Jack Sheldon always reached home before he +did, and Julian found him in his usual act of +getting supper. In reply to his ordinary +greetings, he answered that there had been +nothing unusual going on in the telegraph +office, and that no man who said his name was +Haberstro had been there to see about the advertisement +that had appeared in the papers. +<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_76" id="Page_76">76</a></span></p> + +<p>"I tell you, Jack, that fortune in the box +is ours," said Julian. "That man has had +ample time to show up, and it won't be long +before we will be on our way to Denver."</p> + +<p>"Don't be too sure of that," said Jack. +"Haberstro may be off on a vacation somewhere. +I shall believe we are in Denver +when we get there, and not before."</p> + +<p>Almost as Jack said the words there was a +sound of somebody coming up the stairs. He +stopped in front of the door, and called out to +somebody he left below,</p> + +<p>"Does Mr. Julian Gray live here? Thank +you;" and a moment afterward his rap +sounded upon the door.</p> + +<p>"What did I tell you?" whispered Jack. +"That's Haberstro, as sure as you live."</p> + +<p>For an honest boy, Julian's heart fell. His +fortune was gone, and there were no two ways +about it. He stepped to the door and opened +it, and there stood Claus, more neatly dressed +than ever.</p> + +<p>"Good-evening," said he, while his eyes +roved from one boy to the other. "Which +one of you is Julian Gray?" +<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_77" id="Page_77">77</a></span></p> + +<p>"I am, sir."</p> + +<p>"I am delighted to meet you," said he; +and he thrust out his hand, into which Julian +put his own. Then he put his hand into his +pocket and pulled out a card on which the +name S. W. Haberstro was engraved. "I +got belated in my hotel while waiting for the +train, and I picked up this paper and saw +this advertisement in it. As it happened to +be my name, I read it through."</p> + +<p>"Come in, sir," said Jack, placing a chair +for him. "It is one of four advertisements +that we put into the daily papers. Your +name is Haberstro, I believe?"</p> + +<p>"That is my name. You said you had +something of great value to tell me. What is +it?"</p> + +<p>Julian could not have opened his mouth to +save him. He was obliged to let Jack do all +the talking. +<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_78" id="Page_78">78</a></span></p> + +<h2 class="p6">CHAPTER VII.</h2> + +<h3>A PLAN THAT DIDN'T WORK.</h3> + +<p>Julian Gray took his stand in one +corner of the room, with his hands in +his pockets and his feet spread out, and +looked at this man who called himself Haberstro. +He was a German, there were no two +ways about that; and he had a habit of taking +out his handkerchief and wiping his face +with it that nobody but a pompous and well-to-do +German ever imitated.</p> + +<p>"Do you know of a man of the name of +Winkleman?" asked Jack.</p> + +<p>"Know him?" exclaimed the German. +"Of course I do. He was living here in St. +Louis with me, but all on a sudden he took +the gold fever and went out to Denver. I +was engaged in pretty good business, and so I +did not go with him. I never heard what he +was doing out there. He—he isn't dead, is +he?" +<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_79" id="Page_79">79</a></span></p> + +<p>"Oh, no. He accumulated some property +while he was out there. He got a notice that +his father had died in Europe and left all his +property to him, and he has gone home to +take possession of it."</p> + +<p>"Then that accounts for his not writing to +me. He always said that his folks were immensely +rich, and that some day he would +have more than he wanted. What property +did he collect out there?"</p> + +<p>"He is worth several buildings which are +worth a hundred thousand dollars. Furthermore, +he has given them to you."</p> + +<p>"To me?" cried the German, rising to his +feet.</p> + +<p>"Yes, to you. And, more than that, he +has a mine out of which he took fifty thousand +dollars, and you come into possession of that, +also."</p> + +<p>"Lord bless my soul!" exclaimed the German. +"I don't remember that I ever did +anything to him to give him so good an opinion +of me."</p> + +<p>"Did you not nurse him while he was +sick?" +<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_80" id="Page_80">80</a></span></p> + +<p>"Did you not care for your mother when +she was sick?" returned the German. "Of +course that did not amount to anything. He +was my chum, and I had to stand by him."</p> + +<p>"Well, he gave you the property for it, +anyway. He sent you the deeds by express, +and Julian bought them for thirty cents."</p> + +<p>"Well, sir, that is a heap of money. I +don't know anybody that needs it more than +I do. Where is the box now?"</p> + +<p>"It is safe in the hands of Mr. Wiggins. +We were not going to have somebody come +along here and claim to be Haberstro. Have +you anybody here in St. Louis to whom you +can recommend us? We want to know who +you are before we give up the box."</p> + +<p>"That is perfectly right and proper. You +see, my home is in Chicago, and I know but +few persons here. If you think this Mr——what +do you call him?"</p> + +<p>"Wiggins?" said Jack.</p> + +<p>"Yes; if you think he will want somebody +to vouch for me, I can give him the names of +all the Germans in the city. Where does he +hang out?" +<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_81" id="Page_81">81</a></span></p> + +<p>"The Union Telegraph office. You know +where that is?"</p> + +<p>"I can easily find it, for I have a tongue in +my head. I don't believe I will go near that +mine at all. I will sell it."</p> + +<p>"You had better not. The miners have a +story around that it is haunted."</p> + +<p>The German threw back his head and +laughed heartily.</p> + +<p>"I am not afraid of that. If he took fifty +thousand dollars out of it, it is surely worth +as much more. Well, if you have told me +everything, I guess I had better go back to +my hotel. I was going back to my home to-night, +but now I am glad I did not go."</p> + +<p>"I guess we have told you everything that +pertains to the matter," said Jack. "Do you +think of any questions you would like to ask +us?"</p> + +<p>"No; but I may think of some to-morrow. +Good-night."</p> + +<p>"By the way," said Jack, as if he had just +thought of something. "Where were you +when this man Winkleman was sick? You +were out in the mines, I suppose?" +<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_82" id="Page_82">82</a></span></p> + +<p>"Oh, no, we were not; we were here in St. +Louis. If we had been out at the mines, +where no doctor could have been reached, he +would have gone up on my hands. Look +here—I don't want you to do this for nothing. +Make up your minds what you ought +to have and I will give it to you. If it had +not been for you I would never have seen the +box. Good-night."</p> + +<p>The German bowed himself out and closed +the door behind him. The boys waited until +he got to the street, and then Julian took possession +of the chair he had just vacated.</p> + +<p>"Well, sir, what do you think of that?" +asked Jack, using companion's expression.</p> + +<p>"I think our fortune is gone up," answered +Julian; and then he leaned his elbows on his +knees and looked down at the floor.</p> + +<p>Jack laughed as loudly as the German did +a few moments before. Julian straightened +up and looked at him in surprise.</p> + +<p>"What do you mean by that?" he exclaimed. +"Is a hundred thousand dollars +such a sum in your eyes that you can afford +to be merry over it?" +<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_83" id="Page_83">83</a></span></p> + +<p>"No; but you will never lose it through +that man. His name is not Haberstro any +more than mine is."</p> + +<p>"Jack, what do you mean?"</p> + +<p>"You were so busy with your own thoughts +that you didn't see how I was pumping him, +did you? In the first place he told us that +Winkleman was sick in St. Louis; and yet +Winkleman says in his letter that they were +so poor that they could not raise enough to +buy a halter for a mule. Now, he would not +have used such an expression as that if he +had been here in the city, would he?"</p> + +<p>"No, I don't think he would," said Julian, +reflectively. "He used the words of the +country in which he lived."</p> + +<p>"That is what I think. In the next place, +he said that he was engaged in a paying business +here, and consequently did not go with +Winkleman to the mines; and then, almost in +the same breath, he said he could not refer +me to anybody here because his home was in +Chicago. You didn't see those little errors, +did you?"</p> + +<p>Julian began to brighten up. He remembered +<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_84" id="Page_84">84</a></span> +all the German had said to Jack, but +somehow he did not think of it. The box was +not lost, after all.</p> + +<p>"Now, he must have had somebody to post +him in regard to these matters," said Jack. +"Who do you think it was?"</p> + +<p>"Casper Nevins!" said Julian, who just +then happened to think of the boy's name.</p> + +<p>"That is what I think. He is bound to +have that box, is he not? Don't you give +that box up; do you hear me?"</p> + +<p>"I am mighty sure I won't give it up," said +Julian, emphatically. "I shan't give it up +until you are on hand. I had better take +Mr. Wiggins into my confidence to-morrow."</p> + +<p>"Of course. Tell him the whole thing. +Tell him about the mistakes this man made +in his conversation with me, and let him draw +his own conclusions. I never saw such a +desperate fellow as that Casper Nevins is. +Now let us go on and get supper."</p> + +<p>"I feel a good deal better than I did a few +minutes ago," said Julian, with something +like a long-drawn sigh of relief. "I thought +the box was lost to us, sure." +<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_85" id="Page_85">85</a></span></p> + +<p>The boys were impatient to have to-morrow +come because they wanted to see what the +German—they did not know what his true +name was—was going to do about it.</p> + +<p>"I will tell you one thing, Jack," said +Julian. "If that Dutchman goes to-morrow +and sees Mr. Wiggins about it, he will get a +look that will last him as long as he lives. I +ought to know, for I have had those eyes +turned on me two or three times. If that +man stands against them I shall think he is a +nervy fellow."</p> + +<p>The night wore away at last, and at the +usual hour the boys were at their posts. Casper +was in the office, and he seemed to be +uneasy about something. He could not sit +still. He was continually getting up and going +to the door, and then he would come back and +walk around the room. When Mr. Wiggins +came in and wished them all a good-morning, +Julian followed him into the back room.</p> + +<p>"Julian, have you some news about that +box?" said he.</p> + +<p>"Yes, sir; there was a man up to our room +and handed us this card, and I thought——" +<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_86" id="Page_86">86</a></span></p> + +<p>"Halloo," said Mr. Wiggins. "The box +does not belong to you, after all."</p> + +<p>"Hold on until I get through explaining +things," said Julian.</p> + +<p>With this Julian began, and told him of the +conversation that had taken place between +Jack and the German, not omitting the smallest +thing. Mr. Wiggins listened intently, and +when the story was done he said,</p> + +<p>"Somebody has been posting that man in +regard to that box. Now, who have you told +about it except Jack Sheldon?"</p> + +<p>"I don't know as that has anything to do +with it," said Julian, who resolved that he +would stand by Casper as long as he could.</p> + +<p>"Yes, it has; it has a good deal to do with +it. Does Casper Nevins know all about it?"</p> + +<p>"What do you know about Casper?" said +Julian in surprise. He wondered if there was +any boy in the office who could do anything +wrong without Mr. Wiggins finding it out.</p> + +<p>"Because he has been uneasy for the past +week. Does Casper know all about it?"</p> + +<p>"Yes, sir, he does. He was there when we +read the letter." +<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_87" id="Page_87">87</a></span></p> + +<p>"That is all. I will see you again after a +while."</p> + +<p>Julian went out and sat down, and in a few +minutes Mr. Wiggins came from the back +room and spoke to the operator, who immediately +sent off a dispatch. Nobody was +called to carry this, for the message went +straight to the office for which it was intended. +Five minutes passed, and then a +stout man, who was a stranger to all of them, +strolled into the office. One of the boys got +up to wait upon him, pushing some blanks +toward him, but the stout man did not want +to send any telegraphic dispatches.</p> + +<p>"I just want to look around and see how +you do things here," said he.</p> + +<p>"Then take this chair, sir," said Mr. Wiggins. +"I guess you will find that we do +things about right."</p> + +<p>The minutes passed, and all the boys who +had congregated in the office had been sent +off with messages—all except Casper. There +did not seem to be any dispatches for him. +The chief operator was busy at his desk, when +suddenly the door opened, and the same German +<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_88" id="Page_88">88</a></span> +who had called at Julian's room the +night before, came in. Mr. Wiggins glanced +toward him and then he looked toward Casper. +The latter never could control himself +when he was in difficulty, and his face grew +white.</p> + +<p>"Is this the Western Union Telegraph +office?" said the German, wiping his forehead +with his handkerchief. "Do I speak to Mr. +Wiggins? Well, sir, I would like to see you +about a box that one of your boys bought at +a sale of 'old horse' in the express office. +That box contains something that is off immense +value to me—S. W. Haberstro." And +he handed out his card with his name engraved +on it.</p> + +<p>"There is a box here addressed to a man +of that name," said Mr. Wiggins, "but it is +in the bank now. I suppose you have plenty +of friends here to whom you can refer?"</p> + +<p>"I am sorry to say that I have not," replied +the German. "My home is in Chicago. +I can refer you to all the Germans there."</p> + +<p>"Then, would it not be worth while for +you to write to some of your friends there and +<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_89" id="Page_89">89</a></span> +get some letters of recommendation? You +see, we don't want to give the box to anybody +unless we know who it is."</p> + +<p>"That is all right, sir. I have some business +on hand in Chicago, and I will go up +there and get them."</p> + +<p>"That will be sufficient. Good-day, sir."</p> + +<p>The German, who appeared to be in a great +hurry, closed the door and hastened up the +street. As soon as he was gone, Mr. Wiggins +beckoned to Casper and went into the back +room.</p> + +<p>"Who was that man who just went out?" +said he, in a tone of voice which did not admit +of argument. "Tell me the truth."</p> + +<p>"His name is Claus, sir," said Casper.</p> + +<p>"Where does he stay, principally?"</p> + +<p>"He stays first in one pool-room, and then +in another. Where he lives I don't know."</p> + +<p>"That will do," said Mr. Wiggins.</p> + +<p>"I never have been guilty of such a thing +before," began Casper.</p> + +<p>"I said that would do," interrupted Mr. +Wiggins. "I may see you again after a +while." +<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_90" id="Page_90">90</a></span></p> + +<p>When Mr. Wiggins and Casper got out +into the other room they found that the stout +man had disappeared. He had gone out +about the time that the German disappeared. +In half an hour he came back, leaned over +the desk, and spoke to the chief operator.</p> + +<p>"That fellow is no more Haberstro than I +am," he whispered. "His name is Solomon +Claus. We have had him up a time or two +for vagrancy, and I'll take him up for the +same cause, if you say so."</p> + +<p>"No; let him go, but keep your eyes on +him. He has not done us any harm yet. +If he comes here again I will send for you." +<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_91" id="Page_91">91</a></span></p> + +<h2 class="p6">CHAPTER VIII.</h2> + +<h3>CLAUS CALLS AGAIN.</h3> + +<p>When the stout man reached the sidewalk +he saw the German a short distance +in advance of him, still hurrying along +as though he had no time to waste. He +turned several corners, and at last disappeared +up the stairs that led to the pool-room. The +detective, for that was what he was, did not +seem to notice what had become of the German, +but he marked the place where he had +gone up and kept on to the station-house. +There he changed his coat and hat, and +picked up a huge walking-stick which stood +in one corner. When he came out on the +streets again, everybody noticed that he +walked with difficulty, and there was an expression +on his face which only those who +were intimate with the detective would have +thought belonged to him. It was very different +from his ordinary appearance. Instead +<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_92" id="Page_92">92</a></span> +of the frank, open look with which he regarded +everybody, it was drawn up as though +he was suffering intense pain, from which he +could not get a moment's relief.</p> + +<p>The detective speedily found the place +where the German had disappeared, walked +wearily up the stairs, opened the door, and +sank into the nearest chair. Then he pulled +a pair of eye-glasses from his pocket and became +interested in a paper. But he used his +eyes to some advantage, and quickly discovered +the man he wanted seated off by himself, +with his legs outstretched before him and his +chin resting on his breast.</p> + +<p>"I guess he found some difficulty in getting +that box," said the detective, who knew what +Mr. Wiggins wanted of him before he came +to the office. "You want to go easy, my +friend, or I'll have you up for vagrancy +again."</p> + +<p>There were not so many in the pool-room +as there were the night before, and nobody +seemed to bother the German; but presently, +while he was thinking about it, another party +came in. He took off his coat, seized a cue, +<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_93" id="Page_93">93</a></span> +and looked all around the room for an antagonist, +until he discovered the German sitting +there doing nothing.</p> + +<p>"Halloo, Claus!" he shouted, "come on, +and let us have a game of billiards."</p> + +<p>"No, you must excuse me," was the reply; +"I don't feel in the humor for billiards or +anything else."</p> + +<p>"Have you anybody on a string that you +are trying to make some money out of?" +asked his friend. "Come on, and perhaps a +game will brighten you up."</p> + +<p>"'Claus,'" muttered the detective. "I +know you now. I was told to find out what +his name was, so I will go back. So this is +where you hang out. I will remember you."</p> + +<p>The detective hobbled out the door and +down the stairs; but by the time he got down +to the street his lameness had all disappeared, +and he walked as briskly as anybody. He +went to the Western Union Telegraph office, +told Mr. Wiggins he had discovered that the +man's name was Claus, and not Haberstro, +and then went back to the station. Casper +Nevins was called into the back room a moment +<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_94" id="Page_94">94</a></span> +afterward, but he was not there more +than long enough to receive his discharge.</p> + +<p>"I have never done anything like this before," +said Casper, trying to beg off. "If you +will overlook this——"</p> + +<p>"I can't do it," said Mr. Wiggins. "You +are a boy that I can't trust. Why, Casper, +do you know what will become of you if you +do not mend your ways? You will get into +the State's prison before you are five years +older. I paid you up yesterday, and you +have not done anything to-day, and so you +can go."</p> + +<p>"It would not be of any use for me to ask +for a letter of recommendation, would it?" +asked Casper. He always had a good deal of +audacity about him, but this made Mr. Wiggins +open his eyes in surprise.</p> + +<p>"Not from me, you can't," he answered. +"You will have to go somewhere else to get +it."</p> + +<p>Casper put on his cap and left the office, +and on the way to the pool-room, where he +expected to find Claus, he blamed everybody +but himself for the disgrace he had got into. +<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_95" id="Page_95">95</a></span> +He blamed Claus, although it is hard to see +what that man had done, for he worked as +hard as anybody could to get that box; but +he reproached Julian Gray more than all for +his interference in the matter.</p> + +<p>"Come to think of it, I don't know but I +am to blame a little myself," said he, after he +had thought the affair all over. "Why did I +not dig out the moment I got that box? I +would have been in Denver by this time, and +enjoying my wealth. It beats the world what +luck some people do have."</p> + +<p>But Claus was not in the pool-room. He +wanted to be alone, so that he could think +over the matter, and he had gone out where +he would be by himself. The barkeeper did +not know where he had gone, and Casper +went home to change his clothes. As he +pulled his uniform off he told himself that it +would be a long time before he ever wore it +again. Then he threw himself into a chair +and tried to determine what he should do +next.</p> + +<p>"I have just ten dollars," he mused, taking +the bill from his pocket, "and what I shall do +<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_96" id="Page_96">96</a></span> +when that is gone is another and a deeper +question. I'll bet that Claus don't get any +cigars out of me to-night."</p> + +<p>Meanwhile Julian Gray came in from delivering +his message. His face was flushed, +and he acted as though he had been running. +He made his report, and then went into the +back room in obedience to a sign from Mr. +Wiggins.</p> + +<p>"Well, Julian, your box is still safe," said +the latter.</p> + +<p>"Has that Dutchman been around here?" +asked Julian.</p> + +<p>Mr. Wiggins said he had, and then went +on to give the boy a complete history of what +Claus had done to secure the box.</p> + +<p>"I got rid of him very easily," said Mr. +Wiggins. "I told him that it would be well +for him to write to some German friends in +Chicago, where he said he lived, and he said +he was going up there on business and would +bring the letters back with him. I found out +that his name is Claus, and that he hangs out +in a pool-room. You don't know him, do +you?" +<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_97" id="Page_97">97</a></span></p> + +<p>No, Julian could not say that he had ever +heard of him before.</p> + +<p>"Well, don't you let the box go without +seeing me about it."</p> + +<p>"Nobody shall have it. Mr. Wiggins, I +don't know how to thank you for what you +have done."</p> + +<p>"You are a good boy, Julian, and the only +thing I have against you is that you will hang +around that express office so much. Some +day I am going to give you a good scolding +for that."</p> + +<p>"You will never hear of my being there +again. I am done going there forever."</p> + +<p>"I don't think you will have to do it any +more. You have your fortune, easy enough."</p> + +<p>"Oh, Mr. Wiggins! Do you think it is +ours sure enough?"</p> + +<p>"Well, perhaps I ought not to speak so +positively; it is hard to tell at this stage of the +game. I <i>hope</i> you have."</p> + +<p>Julian was delighted to hear Mr. Wiggins +talk in this way, but before he could ask him +any more questions that gentleman had gone +back into the office. He then went out and +<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_98" id="Page_98">98</a></span> +looked around for Casper. One of the boys +told him he believed Casper had got the +"sack," for he put on his cap and left the +office.</p> + +<p>"I don't know what he has been doing," +said the boy; "do you?"</p> + +<p>"Mr. Wiggins knows, and he will not tell," +replied Julian. "I wonder what the poor +fellow will do now?"</p> + +<p>Julian was impatient for night to come, so +that he could go home and see Jack about it. +It came at last, and Julian never broke a trot +until he ran up the stairs and burst into his +room.</p> + +<p>"Well?" said Jack. "You look happy. +Tell us all about that Dutchman."</p> + +<p>"There is not much to tell. His name is +Claus, and he lives in a pool-room."</p> + +<p>"I knew I was not mistaken in him," said +Jack, taking his usual seat by throwing his +leg over the table. "That man had better go +somewhere else."</p> + +<p>But that he did not feel inclined to go +somewhere else just then was evident, for just +as Jack pronounced his name the boys heard +<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_99" id="Page_99">99</a></span> +his step coming up the stairs. He had a peculiar +step, which, once heard, could not be +forgotten.</p> + +<p>"Well, he is coming again," said Julian. +"Now, what are you going to say to him?"</p> + +<p>"That depends upon what he has to say to +me," said Jack. "Go to the door, let him in, +and put out a chair for him."</p> + +<p>He rapped on the door the minute he got +there, and Julian opened it for him. He +looked closely from one to the other of the +boys, but did not see anything in their faces +to make him hide what he had on his mind. +He had a new plan, but it did not promise as +well as the one which had been defeated by +Mr. Wiggins. He wanted to induce one of +them to get the box for him and let him read +the papers that were in it. If he could prevail +upon them to bring the box out of the +bank, he was certain that in some way he +could get an opportunity to steal it. He did +not intend to go about it slyly; he intended +to take it, open and above-board, and let Jack +and Julian help themselves if they could. +He was certain that a revolver, presented at +<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_100" id="Page_100">100</a></span> +their heads and cocked, would surely keep +them quiet until he had locked the door and +got into the street. Where he would go after +that he neither knew nor cared. What he +wanted was to get possession of the box.</p> + +<p>"Ah! Good-evening," said Claus, bowing +very politely. "I came back to see you +about that box."</p> + +<p>"Take a chair," said Jack. "What about +the box?"</p> + +<p>"Mr. Wiggins said it was in the bank," +said Claus, "and I want to know if you could +get it out of there and let me read the letter +and the papers. You see, the thing may not +be for me, and I don't want to go home and +bother my friends about it until I know what +the box contains."</p> + +<p>"Oh! your friends won't care anything +about that," said Jack. "You tell them that +the box is for you, and they will give you all +the letters you want. Besides, I don't think +Mr. Wiggins would agree to what you ask."</p> + +<p>The German did not like the way Julian +was acting. He had kept his eyes roaming +from one to the other; but, although the boy +<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_101" id="Page_101">101</a></span> +occupied his favorite position, with his hands +buried in his pockets and his feet spread out, +his expression was different from what it had +been the night before. There was a smile on +his face, and it would not have taken very +much to set him to laughing outright. Claus +began to think there was something up.</p> + +<p>"Why, the box is your own, ain't it?" +asked Claus. "You can do what you please +with it."</p> + +<p>"Not now, we can't. We have told Mr. +Wiggins that we wanted him to watch over it +for us, and he will have to be present when +you read the papers."</p> + +<p>"Then you can't get it for me?"</p> + +<p>"No, I don't believe I could, Mr. Claus. +You don't need anybody to give you a recommend. +Go to some of your friends here——"</p> + +<p>"Claus! Claus! That is not my name. +My name is Haberstro."</p> + +<p>Julian grinned broadly, and even Jack did +not appear to be above merriment.</p> + +<p>"What do you mean by applying that +name to me?" exclaimed Claus. "There is +my card." +<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_102" id="Page_102">102</a></span></p> + +<p>"I don't want to see it. I have one already. +Your name is Claus, you live in a billiard +saloon, and you got a full history of this box +from Casper Nevins."</p> + +<p>"Young man, I will have you arrested before +you are an hour older!" said Claus, getting +upon his feet. "I come here and ask a +civil question of you, and you insult me!"</p> + +<p>"Do so, and we will have Casper arrested +for burglary and you for trying to obtain +money under false pretenses. The sooner +you get about it the better it will suit us."</p> + +<p>"Very well—I will have a policeman here +in less than ten minutes!"</p> + +<p>Mr. Claus went out, and this time he did +not bow himself through the door as he had +done the night before. The boys heard him +going downstairs, and then turned and looked +at each other.</p> + +<p>"Somebody has been posting those fellows," +said Claus, as he hurried away toward +Casper's room. "I wonder if there was a detective +in there while I was at the office? +Two attempts have failed, but the third is +always successful." +<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_103" id="Page_103">103</a></span></p> + +<p>Claus was almost beside himself with fury, +but he retained his wits sufficiently to guide +him on the road to Casper's room. He found +the boy in, seated in a chair, with his elbows +on his knees, trying his best to make up his +mind what he was going to do, now that he +had been discharged from the telegraph office. +He had sat that way ever since eleven o'clock +in the forenoon, and had not been able to determine +upon anything. The first intimation +he had that anybody was coming was when +the door was thrown open and Claus came in, +muttering something under his breath that +sounded a good deal like oaths.</p> + +<p>"There is no need that you should say anything," +said Casper. "You have failed."</p> + +<p>"Yes, sir, I have; failed utterly and plump," +said Claus.</p> + +<p>"And I have been discharged."</p> + +<p>"Whew!" whistled Claus. "You are in a +fix, aren't you?"</p> + +<p>"Yes, and I don't know what I shall do +now. Tell me your story, and I will tell you +mine."</p> + +<p>"Have you a cigar handy?" +<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_104" id="Page_104">104</a></span></p> + +<p>"No; and I have no money."</p> + +<p>"How long before you will be paid?"</p> + +<p>"Oh, it will be two weeks yet."</p> + +<p>"Then I will have to go down and get +some cigars myself. I can think more clearly +while my jaws are puffing than I can without."</p> + +<p>"You got your last cigar out of me, old +fellow," said Casper to himself, when Claus +had left the room. "I have but little money, +and I am going to keep it." +<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_105" id="Page_105">105</a></span></p> + +<h2 class="p6">CHAPTER IX.</h2> + +<h3>THE MASTER MECHANIC.</h3> + +<p>"Well, sir, what do you think of that?" +said Julian, when he was certain +that Claus had gone down the stairs and out +on the street. "He had better try some other +way of getting that box."</p> + +<p>"He has failed," said Jack, putting a frying-pan +filled with bacon on the stove. "Casper +Nevins is at the bottom of that. I tell +you, that money is safe yet."</p> + +<p>"Do you know that I looked upon it as +gone when he first came here and handed out +his card?" said Julian. "I thought he was +Haberstro, sure enough."</p> + +<p>"I confess that I thought so, too. Now let +us go on and get supper. The next time we +save that money, somebody else will have a +hand in it."</p> + +<p>"Why, will we have to fight for it?"</p> + +<p>"It looks that way to me now. We don't +<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_106" id="Page_106">106</a></span> +know anything about business, and the first +thing we know we'll get tripped up."</p> + +<p>"I did not think of that," said Julian, +drawing a long breath. "I wish Mr. Wiggins +were going out to Denver with us. I +will get advice from him before we start."</p> + +<p>"We have not got out there yet," said +Jack, with a laugh. "If we do get there, we +will go to the lawyer who drew up those +deeds. He must be an honest man."</p> + +<p>The boys continued to talk in this way +until the room was swept up and the dishes +washed, and when bedtime came they went +to sleep. The next morning found them on +duty again. Casper was not there to greet +him and make inquiries concerning the box, +but there were other boys there who wanted +to know why Casper had been discharged. +They appealed to Julian, for he was in the +back room shortly before; but he thought the +best thing he could do was to keep a still +tongue in his head.</p> + +<p>"Mr. Wiggins knows why he discharged +Casper, and if he won't tell you, I don't know +where else you can apply." +<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_107" id="Page_107">107</a></span></p> + +<p>"You had a hand in it and I know it," +said one boy who was enough like Casper to +have been his brother. "Maybe you are a +spy on us."</p> + +<p>"You come out in the back yard and I'll +show you who is a spy!" said Julian, rising +to his feet. "No one ever accused me of that +before. If I am a spy, you want to do your +duty right up to the handle."</p> + +<p>This was something new on Julian, for we +know how hard he worked to keep the police +off from Casper's track. Some of the other +boys turned away as if they were quite willing +to believe that Julian was seeking for +promotion, while some others stood up close +to him, as if to assure him of their protection.</p> + +<p>"If you will stay by me when Mr. Wiggins +comes here, I will ask him before you if I had +anything to do with Casper's discharge. He +will tell you the truth."</p> + +<p>But the boys wisely appealed to him not to +do that. Since Casper had been discharged, +they wanted their skirts clear of him, and the +best way to do that would be to say nothing +about it. +<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_108" id="Page_108">108</a></span></p> + +<p>"But, Julian, you want to keep clear of +that fellow who called you a spy," said one of +the boys. "He has been jealous of you for a +long time, in fact ever since the day you came +into the office, and just as soon as he gets a +good chance he is going to split on you."</p> + +<p>"Thank you; I did not suppose I had an +enemy in this city. Let him keep watch, if +he wants to. My conduct will bear investigation."</p> + +<p>Julian did not do his work with his usual +energy that day, for he could not bear to +think that one boy was acting as a spy upon +him. He carried his dispatches as well as he +could, never stopping to gaze in at the prize +windows or to make one of a crowd who gathered +around some show that had stopped for +a moment on a corner, and that was as well as +anybody could do. Jack laughed loudly +when he saw what a gloomy face Julian had +on when he told him of the matter.</p> + +<p>"What do you care for spies?" said Jack. +"Do your duty faithfully, and then you will +be all right. In our place we don't have any +such things. The boys are always glad to +<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_109" id="Page_109">109</a></span> +see me promoted, for they think they have a +new mechanic to assist them when they get +into trouble."</p> + +<p>For another month things moved along in +their usual way, and nothing was heard from +Mr. Haberstro. Julian did not meet Casper +or Claus, for they had disappeared completely. +He held frequent and earnest consultations +with Mr. Wiggins on the subject of the box, +put other advertisements in the papers, and +finally Mr. Wiggins took Julian down to the +bank and talked to the president. It excited +Julian wonderfully to know that the box was +theirs.</p> + +<p>"I should not wait any longer, if I were in +your place," said the president. "You have +done all that you can to find the owner, and +he does not make his appearance. You can +go out there and lay claim to the property, +and enjoy it; and if at any time this Mr. +Haberstro turns up, you can give the property +over to him. But I want you to be careful +in what you are doing. There are plenty +of Haberstros in the world who would like +nothing better than to get that box." +<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_110" id="Page_110">110</a></span></p> + +<p>"By George, Jack," said Julian, when he +went home that night, "did I not tell you +that that box was ours? I have talked with +the president of the bank about it, and he +says we can go out there and enjoy that property."</p> + +<p>Jack took his usual seat, with his leg +thrown over the table, and looked at Julian +without speaking. He had never laid great +stress on having that box. He supposed that +Haberstro would show himself in due time, +and all they would have to do would be to +give up the money and go on with their work. +His good fortune was a little too much for +him to take in all at once. A dollar a day +was pretty big wages for him, and he supposed +that it would last till he learned his +trade, and that then he would receive more +money. But a hundred thousand dollars, to +say nothing of the gold-mine! Why, that +mine had already yielded its owner fifty thousand +dollars!</p> + +<p>"Jack, why don't you say something?" +exclaimed Julian. "You don't act as though +you were a bit pleased. I wish, now, that I +<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_111" id="Page_111">111</a></span> +had been a mile away when that box was put +up for sale."</p> + +<p>Jack roared. He was always ready to +laugh when Julian talked in this way.</p> + +<p>"I am very glad you <i>were</i> there when it +was sold," said he; "but the idea of owning so +much money rather takes my breath away. I +was just wondering what we would do if some +more Haberstros came up and demanded the +money. I suppose there are some men like +that in Denver, as well as there are here."</p> + +<p>"The president cautioned me about that. +He told me to be careful in what we did. +Now, Jack, when will we start?"</p> + +<p>"I don't know. I shall have to see the +master mechanic about that. You know that +I am as deeply indebted to him as you are to +Mr. Wiggins."</p> + +<p>"Does he know about the box?"</p> + +<p>"Not a thing. I thought I had better see +you about that before I broached the subject +to him."</p> + +<p>"Well, then, tell it to him to-morrow. We +don't want to be any longer in getting out +there than we can help. We want to be +<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_112" id="Page_112">112</a></span> +there before the snow flies, or the first thing +we know we'll be snowed up."</p> + +<p>"Are you going to see Mr. Wiggins about +it?"</p> + +<p>"I am. Let us go out to Denver at once."</p> + +<p>"I tell you it comes hard to say good-bye +to those fellows; I have been with them so +long that I hate to do it. If I get in trouble +in any way, they will always help me out."</p> + +<p>The next day Julian talked to Mr. Wiggins +about going out to Denver, and the latter's +face grew grave at once. He could not +bear to let Julian go out there among strangers. +He had always had him under his eye, +was waiting for a chance to promote him, and +now he was going away.</p> + +<p>"I will go down and get the box," said he. +"And remember one thing, Julian: You may +get into a hard row of stumps out there, and +I want you to write to me fully and plainly +of what you are doing. If you want some +money, say so; and if you want to come back +here in the office, say that also, and I will try +and make room for you."</p> + +<p>Julian's eyes filled with tears when he saw +<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_113" id="Page_113">113</a></span> +Mr. Wiggins go out on the street and turn +toward the bank. He found, with Jack, that +it was going to be hard work to say good-bye. +When he went out into the other room, the +boys noticed at once that he had been crying.</p> + +<p>"Aha!" said the boy who had once accused +him of being a spy, "you have come up +with a round turn, have you?"</p> + +<p>"Yes," said Julian, "I've got it at last."</p> + +<p>"It serves you right!" said the boy. "If +Wiggins gave it to you in pretty good order +I shall be satisfied. You know now how +Casper felt when he was discharged."</p> + +<p>"Are you discharged, Julian?" whispered +another of the boys.</p> + +<p>"I guess I have got something like it," was +the reply; "you won't see me here to-morrow."</p> + +<p>Julian walked to the window and looked +out on the street, and in a few minutes Mr. +Wiggins came up with the box. The boy +followed him into the back room, all the boys, +of whom there were half a dozen in the office, +looking on with surprise. Mr. Wiggins's +<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_114" id="Page_114">114</a></span> +face was grave, but he was not angry, and +they did not know what to make of it.</p> + +<p>"I think I would do this up and send it by +express—wouldn't you?" said he. "If this +is put in your trunk, and the cars run off the +track and get smashed, your trunk might get +smashed, too, and the box with it. Before I +put the cover on I will write a letter to our +agent in Denver. I have never seen him, but +that won't matter; and then, if you want any +good advice, go to him. Come in in the +course of half an hour—"</p> + +<p>"No, sir!" said Julian, emphatically; "I +am going to do my duty as long as I stay in +the office."</p> + +<p>"Well, go ahead; I will give you the box, +sealed and addressed to yourself, to-night."</p> + +<p>Julian went out and took his seat among +the boys, and about half of them felt a little +bit sorry for him, but the other half did not. +Here was one favorite out of the way, and +consequently there was a chance for somebody +else. Presently his name was called, +and then Julian went away to deliver his +dispatch. +<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_115" id="Page_115">115</a></span></p> + +<p>When six o'clock came, Julian went into +the back room and received the package.</p> + +<p>"You will be around here before you go?" +said Mr. Wiggins, extending his hand. +"Then I won't bid you good-bye. Take this +box to the express office and send it off. +Have you any money?"</p> + +<p>Yes, Julian had plenty of money. Did Mr. +Wiggins suppose that he was going to spend +all his month's wages in two days? He took +the box and went out, and took his way +toward the express office, wondering what the +clerk would say if he knew what was in that +package. The clerk turned out to be the +same one who had given him the box, but he +said nothing about it; and when Julian had +paid the express charges on it he came out +and started for home. As he was going up +the stairs he heard the sound of voices in the +room, and opened the door to find a man +there, dressed in his best, and with a very +smiling face, which he turned toward Julian.</p> + +<p>"So this is the boy who bought himself +rich," said he, getting on his feet "I know +you from the description I have received of +<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_116" id="Page_116">116</a></span> +your uniform. I congratulate you heartily, +but I am sorry you are going to take Jack +away from me. When you are awful home-sick, +and are short of money, you can write to +me, and I will send you something to come +home on."</p> + +<p>"This is Mr. Dawson, our master mechanic," +said Jack.</p> + +<p>"I am glad to meet you, Mr. Dawson," said +Julian, shaking the man's hand very cordially. +"Jack often found fault with me for going to +that office, but I struck it once,—didn't I?"</p> + +<p>"Well, I should say you <i>did</i>," returned +Mr. Dawson, with a laugh; "you couldn't do +it again if you were to try it your lifetime."</p> + +<p>"Sit down, sir; we will have supper ready +after awhile, and you must join us."</p> + +<p>"That's just what I came up here for. Jack +is going away pretty shortly, and I shall not +see him any more, so I came up to be with +him as long as I could."</p> + +<p>Mr. Dawson moved back his chair so that +he would not be in the way, and Julian +pulled off his coat and went to work; but he +saw by the extra bundles there were on the +<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_117" id="Page_117">117</a></span> +table that his chum had been going back on +his principles. There were cream cakes and +peaches by the dozen, as well as sundry other +little things that Jack had purchased for supper. +It was a better meal than they had been +accustomed to for a long time, and if there +was any faith in the way that master mechanic +asked for peaches, he thoroughly enjoyed +it.</p> + +<p>"I hope you boys will live this way while +you are gone," said he, as he pushed back his +chair and declined having any more. "You +must remember that a hundred thousand +dollars don't go very far. There certainly is +an end to it, and the first thing you know +you'll be there. Now, I hope you fellows +won't object if I smoke a cigar?"</p> + +<p>The "fellows" did not object, nor did he +raise any complaint when they proceeded to +wash the dishes. It was eleven o'clock when +Mr. Dawson said it was time he was going +home, and when the boys felt the hearty +grasp of his hand at parting, they told themselves +that there was one friend they were +leaving behind. +<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_118" id="Page_118">118</a></span></p> + +<h2 class="p6">CHAPTER X.</h2> + +<h3>WHERE ARE THE VALISES?</h3> + +<p>For the next two days Julian did not know +whether he stood on his head or heels. +Jack went about his preparations very moderately, +but the fact of it was, Julian was in a +great hurry. He could not help telling himself +that if they did not get away from St. +Louis, that man Haberstro would appear just +at the wrong time, and they would have to go +back to work again. He donned a citizen's +dress and tied his uniform up neatly in a +bundle, calculating to take it down to the +office and present it to a boy there who did +not act as though he had more in this world +than the law allows.</p> + +<p>"I will give this up to Hank," said he. +"The poor fellow don't have any too much, +and perhaps this suit will help him."</p> + +<p>Jack accompanied him to the office—it was +the first time he had ever been there—and +<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_119" id="Page_119">119</a></span> +while he was looking around to see how they +did business, Julian found the boy of whom +he was in search.</p> + +<p>"Here's a present I have brought for you, +Hank," said he in a whisper. "You asked +me yesterday if I had been discharged, and +that showed that you were a friend of mine. +I told you the truth; I have been discharged, +and I am going out to Denver. This is my +uniform. Take it and wear it, and think of +me."</p> + +<p>Julian did not wait for the boy to raise any +protests, but laid the bundle down on his +seat, and then turned toward Mr. Wiggins.</p> + +<p>"I haven't gone yet," said he. "We are +going to-morrow night."</p> + +<p>"Well, come in and say good-bye before +you go," said Mr. Wiggins.</p> + +<p>Julian took the opportunity to introduce +Jack, who raised his cap respectfully. He +listened while Mr. Wiggins congratulated him +on his good fortune, and heard some very +good advice in regard to saving his money.</p> + +<p>"I tell you what it is, Julian," said he, +when they had left the office behind them, +<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_120" id="Page_120">120</a></span> +"everybody who is anybody is glad that we +are going to improve ourselves, and many +seem to think there is going to be an end to +that hundred thousand dollars."</p> + +<p>"I'll bet you that it don't come to an end +with <i>me</i>," said Julian, emphatically. "I am +going to purchase some things that I need, +but I shan't touch the principal at all."</p> + +<p>The first thing was to go to a store and buy +a trunk. Up to this time they had never had +any receptacle for their clothes, carrying all +their belongings in a traveling-bag. They +concluded that one trunk was enough, and, +after they had purchased it, Jack shouldered +it and was going to take it home.</p> + +<p>"Come, now, that won't do," whispered +Julian; "it is three miles to our room."</p> + +<p>"No matter if it is a thousand," said Jack; +"I can take it there."</p> + +<p>"Put it down, and I will get a carriage."</p> + +<p>"Well, I won't pay for it."</p> + +<p>"I <i>will</i>; I don't see what's the use in our +being so particular."</p> + +<p>Jack put the trunk down, and Julian went +out, and very soon returned with a carriage. +<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_121" id="Page_121">121</a></span> +The boys held a consultation, and decided +that, now that they had a conveyance, they +might as well stop at some places on the way +home and invest in some other articles they +needed.</p> + +<p>"But I'll tell you one thing," said Jack; +"you are keeping this rig too long; I won't +pay for it."</p> + +<p>It was three hours before the friends got +home, and then they had their trunk more +than half-filled with new clothing. The +hackman carried it upstairs for them, and +Julian, having paid him his price, threw himself +into a chair to wait until Jack did the +packing. In addition to the trunk, the boys +bought small traveling-bags, in which they +carried several handy little articles they +thought they might need during their journey, +such as towels, comb and brush; and +Julian stowed away in his a book that he had +long desired to possess—"The Last Chronicle +of Barset," by Anthony Trollope. Jack +could hardly conceal his disgust; he was +going to look out of the window when they +were fairly on the train, and he would see +<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_122" id="Page_122">122</a></span> +more fun in that than Julian could in reading +his book.</p> + +<p>"There, sir, I guess it's all done," said +Jack, going to the closet to make sure that +they had left nothing behind.</p> + +<p>"All right; lock the trunk and put the +key in your pocket," said Julian. "Now +give me half of what this room will come to +during the present month, and I will go down +and pay the landlady. We haven't anything +to eat, so I guess we will have to go down to +a restaurant and get dinner and supper all in +one."</p> + +<p>"I think a sandwich and a cup of coffee +would go pretty well," said Jack.</p> + +<p>"Oh! I am going to have a better meal +than that. Where's the money?"</p> + +<p>Jack counted out his share of the rent, and +Julian posted off to see the landlady. He +was gone a long time, but he came back with +a receipt in his hand which he showed Jack, +and then the two boys went out to get their +dinner. Jack ordered what he had said he +would; but anyone who could have seen what +Julian sent for would have thought he was a +<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_123" id="Page_123">123</a></span> +millionaire already. Jack looked on but did +not say anything; he was old enough to know +that the change in Julian's circumstances +would make him reckless for a while. He +remarked that he might as well go down to +the shop and bid the fellows good-bye, and +then it would be done with; so they turned +their faces in that direction when they came +out, and in a short time they were among the +railroad shops. Jack knew where to go; +and, after leading his companion through a +long workshop, where Julian would certainly +have got in somebody's way if he had not +stuck close to his heels, finally ushered him +into the helpers' room. He shook hands with +them one after the other—dirty, begrimed +fellows they were, too, looking very unlike +the well-dressed men they were when dressed +up for Sundays—and presently he came to +the master mechanic. The latter threw his +arm around Jack, led him away out of earshot +of the others, and held an earnest conversation +with him. He even put his hand +into his pocket, but Jack shook his head and +turned away. +<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_124" id="Page_124">124</a></span></p> + +<p>"Come on, Julian; I guess I have said +good-bye to them all," said he, as he led the +way to the street. "Every one of those fellows +wanted to give me money—as if they +didn't know I have enough already. Well, I +hope the last one of them will be successful. +If they want any money, they can apply to +me."</p> + +<p>Julian had never seen Jack look sad before. +After going a little way on the street, +Jack turned and looked at the shop as if he +thought he never would see it again. Julian +did not know that Jack had so much heart +in him.</p> + +<p>The next day was devoted to Julian, who +went down to the office and took leave of all +his friends. Even the boy who had accused +him of being a spy came in for a good, hearty +hand-shake. He did not know how to take +it, but stammered out something about being +sorry he had treated Julian in the way he did.</p> + +<p>"That's all right," said the boy; "only, the +next time don't you accuse any boy of being +a spy on you unless you know whereof you +speak." +<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_125" id="Page_125">125</a></span></p> + +<p>Mr. Wiggins had something more to say to +Julian. He conducted him into the back +room, and kept him there until Jack began +to be impatient. When he came out again, +Julian was wiping his eyes.</p> + +<p>"I tell you, Jack," said he, when they +were well on their way to the railroad depot +to purchase their tickets, "when one has +been here and done the best he could in the +office, it comes hard to say good-bye. Every +boy—and man, too—has used me white, if I +except that fellow who accused me of being a +spy. But this isn't the last time we will see +St. Louis, I hope. When we get out to Denver, +and get fairly settled, we will come back +again."</p> + +<p>The friends waited a long time at the depot, +for the ticket office was not open; but +they had much to talk about. What sort of a +looking place was Denver? They had not +read much about that, and they had somehow +got it into their heads that it was a little settlement, +and that they should find more wigwams +there than houses. But at last the +window was opened, and, falling in behind +<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_126" id="Page_126">126</a></span> +the others, they purchased tickets which were +to carry them farther west than they had ever +been before.</p> + +<p>"Now, the next thing is to get a sleeping-car," +said Julian.</p> + +<p>"We don't want a sleeping-car," said Jack, +catching Julian by the arm and leading him +away. "You can lie down on one seat, and I +can take the other, and we'll sleep just as +well there as we would on a pile of down."</p> + +<p>Julian was obliged to give up, but told +himself that it would not always be so. He +wanted to spend money for something he +really needed, and he thought he could sleep +better in a sleeping-car than he could in +another which was devoted to passengers who +were wide awake.</p> + +<p>Nothing now remained but to get their +supper and call a carriage to take them to the +depot. The boys took coffee and sandwiches, +and during the meal hardly spoke to one +another. That was the last meal they would +eat in St. Louis, and they wondered what the +future had in store for them. Perhaps, when +they got to Denver, they would find that +<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_127" id="Page_127">127</a></span> +Haberstro had been there already, and by +some hook or crook had managed to get the +property into his own hands.</p> + +<p>"But I don't see how that could be done," +said Jack, when Julian hinted at this. "The +deeds are in Winkleman's name, and we have +them. How is he going to get the property, +then?"</p> + +<p>"I don't know; but I am afraid he will get +it some way."</p> + +<p>"If he does, all we have to do is to give it +up."</p> + +<p>But this was going to be a hard job, in +Julian's estimation. He did not confess that +much, but it would be disastrous to him to +have to surrender those blocks of buildings. +He thought of it all that day, and while he +was seated in the cars, going with as much +speed as steam could put forth to carry him +to his destination, it still bothered him. The +master mechanic was there to bid them once +more a good-bye, and Julian was certain, +when he turned away and hung his head +down, that there were tears in his eyes.</p> + +<p>As long as daylight lasted, Julian was busy +<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_128" id="Page_128">128</a></span> +looking out of the window as they rushed +through the country; but when the lamps +were lighted he began to grow sleepy.</p> + +<p>Julian was sitting on one bench, and Jack, +having turned his seat over, was sitting on +the other, and, having arranged their beds, +they lay down on them; but it was a long +time before they fell asleep.</p> + +<p>"Now, you see, if we had a sleeping-car we +wouldn't have to go to all this trouble," said +Julian.</p> + +<p>"Wait until you get too tired to keep your +eyes open, and you won't know whether we +are in a sleeping-car or not," said Jack; "I +am most ready to go off this minute."</p> + +<p>Jack's words came out true, for after they +had given up their tickets and been furnished +with a slip to put in their caps, Julian speedily +lost himself in the land of dreams, and the +next thing he knew Jack was shaking him +by the shoulder. It was broad daylight, and +the train was still whirling them onward.</p> + +<p>"Can we get anything to eat along here?" +said Julian, looking out of the window; "I +am hungry." +<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_129" id="Page_129">129</a></span></p> + +<p>"There is a place a few miles ahead, so I +heard the conductor tell a passenger, where +we will stop to get breakfast," said Jack. +"That was the reason I called you. If you +are anything like me, you can eat a whole pan +of baked beans."</p> + +<p>"Baked beans!" said Julian. "They have +something better than that to eat on the railroad. +I am going to get a breakfast that is +worth the money."</p> + +<p>There was another thing that bothered +Julian, and that was, he did not have any +place to wash; but Jack told him that that +would be remedied when they came to their +stopping-place. They rode on for a dozen +miles or so, and when the whistle sounded, +and the brakeman announced fifteen minutes +for breakfast, they left their valises in their +racks and moved up nearer the door.</p> + +<p>"That wakes a fellow up," said Julian, as +he plunged his face into a basin of water. +"We have to hurry, Jack, for fifteen minutes +is not a great while."</p> + +<p>The boys' breakfast was all that could be +asked, although, if the truth must be told, +<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_130" id="Page_130">130</a></span> +they were not long in eating it. Julian +boarded the train first, and led the way along +to their seats; but where were the valises they +left there when they went out to breakfast?</p> + +<p>"Is this our car?" said Julian, running his +eyes over the passengers.</p> + +<p>"Why yes, this is our car," said Jack. +"There is that red-faced man who sat behind +you; he was sitting there when we left St. +Louis. But what is the matter with you?"</p> + +<p>"Matter enough; our valises are gone!"</p> + +<p>"By George! So they are!"</p> + +<p>"Say!" said the red-faced man, leaning +over the back of the seat. "I saw the man +who took those valises, but I supposed he was +a member of your party and that you had +sent him for them; therefore I did not stop +him."</p> + +<p>"What sort of a looking man was he?"</p> + +<p>"He was a very genteel fellow, but I noticed +that he toed in, and that he had a very +German cast of countenance."</p> + +<p>"I wonder if it was Claus?" said Julian.</p> + +<p>"I don't know what his name was, but he +got the valises. Say! If I were you I would +<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_131" id="Page_131">131</a></span> +search the train, and if you find him you can +make him give your property up."</p> + +<p>"We will do it. I wonder if we are ever +going to see the last of that man?"</p> + +<p>The train had been gathering headway all +the while, and was now running at the rate +of thirty-five miles an hour. If Claus, or +whoever stole the valises, was on the train, +the boys were certain he could not jump off +to escape them. +<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_132" id="Page_132">132</a></span></p> + +<h2 class="p6">CHAPTER XI.</h2> + +<h3>IN DENVER.</h3> + +<p>"Did the man find anything of value in +your valises?" asked the red-faced +man, as the boys turned toward the front part +of the car.</p> + +<p>"He could have bought everything I had +in my valise for two dollars," said Jack, with +a laugh. "It seems funny that he should +want to put himself in danger of arrest for +that"</p> + +<p>"He got a book in mine," said Julian. +"Of course I have read it before, but I +wanted to read it again. Say, Jack," he continued, +when the latter reached the door and +was about to open it, "if the man was Claus, +don't you suppose he had an eye on that +box?"</p> + +<p>Jack released the door and leaned up +heavily against it. Such an idea had never +occurred to him. +<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_133" id="Page_133">133</a></span></p> + +<p>"He watched us while we were in St. Louis, +and when he saw us ready to come out, he got +on the same train with us."</p> + +<p>"What a lucky thing it was that we sent +that box off by express!" Jack almost gasped. +"Of course it was Claus, and we shall not find +him on this train, either. He jumped off at +that station back there."</p> + +<p>"Let us go and see. If he is going to follow +us in this way, we are going to be in a +fix, the first thing you know."</p> + +<p>Jack opened the door and went out, and +Julian followed close at his heels. They +went slowly through the cars, looking sharply +at every man they saw on the train, but nobody +with "a very German cast of countenance" +could be seen. The next thing was +to try the other end of the train. Jack led +the way, as before, and when they got into +their own car the red-faced man, who seemed +to take an interest in their success, said, in a +low tone,</p> + +<p>"Did you find him?"</p> + +<p>"No," replied Jack; "he must have got +off at the station. We are going through the +<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_134" id="Page_134">134</a></span> +sleeping-cars, and, if he is not there, we will +have to give him up."</p> + +<p>In the next car there was no one who +looked like Claus, and when they opened the +door of the next car, and entered the vestibuled +part of the train, they found themselves +in an entry which was fitted up in the most +gorgeous manner. A negro porter stood in +front of the window looking out, and when he +saw who the boys were, he stepped up in front +of them.</p> + +<p>"Does you want to see somebody on dis +train?" he asked.</p> + +<p>"Well, I should say we did," replied Jack. +"Some one has stolen our valises, and we want +to find him."</p> + +<p>"Dat's bad. Has you got a ticket?"</p> + +<p>"Of course we have. Don't you see the +slips in our caps?"</p> + +<p>"But I mean a ticket for dis part of de +train. If you hasn't got one, you can't go +in."</p> + +<p>This was a new arrangement to Jack. The +last time he travelled on the railroad it was +when the hands connected with the railroad-shop +<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_135" id="Page_135">135</a></span> +gave an excursion and a picnic, and +then he had no difficulty in going all over +the train; but he saw the beauty of it at once.</p> + +<p>"Then we will have to give it up," said he, +turning toward the door. "That man may +be here and have our valises, and we can't +help ourselves."</p> + +<p>"Mebbe not," said the negro. "What +kind of a looking man was he? I will go +over the train and look for him."</p> + +<p>Jack described the man as well as he could +from the description the passenger had given +him, and the negro went out.</p> + +<p>"Just see what we would have got we +had taken a sleeping-coach," whispered Julian. +"No one can come near you except +those who purchased tickets at the depot."</p> + +<p>"We'll come to that after a while," said +Jack. "Wait until we get our money. Just +now it seems as though we shall have to be +constantly on the watch."</p> + +<p>The negro was gone a long time, but our +friends found themselves busy in taking a +note of all their surroundings. There must +have been a good deal of money spent upon +<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_136" id="Page_136">136</a></span> +that sleeping-car. There did not seem to be +a cheap thing about it. One or two passengers, +who had slept late and were just getting +up, came in, and yawned, and stretched, and +prepared to go through their ablutions. They +merely glanced at the two boys, and went on +with their work. They did not care for the +eating-stations that were scattered along the +route; when they were hungry, they could +go into the dining-coach and get all they +wanted.</p> + +<p>"I tell you, it is worth while to know +where your money is coming from when you +travel," thought Julian; "one feels so much +safer."</p> + +<p>By the time he had reached this conclusion +the negro appeared.</p> + +<p>"Dar ain't a man on dis train that looks +like the one you spoke of," said he. "Dey's +all Americans; the last man-jack of them."</p> + +<p>"Thank you," said Jack. "Our man has +got off at the station. I hope he will get rich +on what he found in those valises."</p> + +<p>The two friends went back to their own +car, and to the inquiry of the passenger who +<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_137" id="Page_137">137</a></span> +sat behind them replied that the man had +left the train as soon as he got the valises. +Then they settled down and prepared to enjoy +their journey; but it must be confessed that +Claus came into their minds very frequently. +If he was the one who took their valises, they +were certain that they had not seen the last +of him yet.</p> + +<p>"And to think that that fellow watched us +all the while we were in St. Louis," said Jack, +leaning over and whispering the words to +Julian. "He may watch us after we get in +Denver. Who knows?"</p> + +<p>But Claus, if that was the man, did not +come near them any more during their journey. +They grew weary, of course, and Julian, +having no book to read, slept most of +the way. Their night was passed in much +the same way that the first one was, and +about two o'clock in the morning they arrived +at Denver. The appearance of the +city, wrapped though it was in slumber, surprised +them. There were as many people +running about in the depot as there were in +St. Louis, and all appeared to have work to +<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_138" id="Page_138">138</a></span> +do. The man to whom they had given their +check was there to show them the way to +their omnibus, and Julian, while he was on +the way to it, looked all around for Indians, +but did not see any. The hotel was as large +as those they had left in St. Louis, and almost +before they knew it they were in their +room with two beds in it, the porter had carried +up their trunk, had bid them good-night, +and they were alone.</p> + +<p>"Say, Jack, there's more houses than wigwams +here, is there not?"</p> + +<p>"I was just thinking so myself," said Jack. +"Denver is a big city. Now, the next thing +is something else. It is something I don't +like to think of. That letter which Mr. Wiggins +wrote to the agent here may help us +some, but we have something to prove after +that."</p> + +<p>"Well, don't let us worry about that to-night," +said Julian. "Perhaps in the morning +it will look different."</p> + +<p>Julian had never slept in so comfortable a +bed before, and when sleep overpowered him +he did not know a thing until he opened his +<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_139" id="Page_139">139</a></span> +eyes in the morning and saw Jack standing +at the window, with his suspenders about his +waist, looking through the window at some +mountains which seemed to be looming up +close at hand.</p> + +<p>"When we get settled, if we ever do, we +must walk out there and take a view from the +top," said he.</p> + +<p>"How far are they away from here?"</p> + +<p>"About two or three miles, probably. I +believe if we get on the summit of those +mountains we can see California."</p> + +<p>"I have just thought of another thing that +may bother us some," said Julian. "I don't +know whether the express clerks will want us +to identify ourselves before they give us that +box, but if they do—then what?"</p> + +<p>"Although we are in the right, there is +always something to bother us," said Jack, +seating himself in the nearest chair. "What +will we do?"</p> + +<p>"We can't do anything except to write to +St. Louis. There is nobody here that knows +us from Adam."</p> + +<p>That was something that bothered Jack +<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_140" id="Page_140">140</a></span> +during breakfast, but at eight o'clock, the +hour when the express offices are generally +open, they were directed by the clerk how to +reach it, and in process of time drew up before +the counter. To Julian's inquiry if there +was a box there addressed to himself the clerk +placed the box before him, and never asked +him who he was or where he came from.</p> + +<p>"Now, the next thing is to keep an eye out +for the telegraph office. If you see a sign +sticking out, let me know it."</p> + +<p>"I see a sign already," said Jack, pointing +it out.</p> + +<p>Julian began to feel a little more at home. +He had worked in a telegraph office, and he +was certain that he was going among friends. +The boys were there, and they came up to +wait on him, but Julian went ahead until he +confronted the operator at his desk.</p> + +<p>"Is Mr. Fay in?" Julian asked.</p> + +<p>"Yes, sir. He is in his private office. +Would you like to see him?"</p> + +<p>"I would thank you first to give me a +screw-driver so that I can take this cover off. +There is a letter in here addressed to him." +<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_141" id="Page_141">141</a></span></p> + +<p>The screw-driver was soon forthcoming, +and while Julian was at work at it, a hustling +little man suddenly stood before him.</p> + +<p>"Do you want to see me?" he asked, in a +business way.</p> + +<p>Julian had by this time taken out the +letter, which was placed on top, and handed +it to Mr. Fay, who leaned against the counter +and read it. The boys watched him closely, +and finally saw his eyes light up with surprise.</p> + +<p>"This letter has a stamp on it, so I know +it is all right," said he. "But this man Wiggins +I never heard of. Come into the office."</p> + +<p>The boys followed him, seating themselves +in chairs that were pointed out to them, while +Mr. Fay went on reading the letter. He was +utterly amazed, and looked at the two friends +as if he could scarcely believe it.</p> + +<p>"Which one of you boys is Julian Gray?" +he asked. "You are? Then I congratulate +you from the bottom of my heart. You +struck it rich once in buying 'old horse,' +didn't you? How long have you been with +Mr. Wiggins?" +<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_142" id="Page_142">142</a></span></p> + +<p>Julian began, and told as much of his history +as he was willing that any stranger +should know—all except about pulling him +out from under the feet of the runaway horses. +He thought that that was a sacred matter between +him and Mr. Wiggins, and so he said +nothing about it.</p> + +<p>"And how about your friend, here, John +Sheldon?" said he. "You see, I want to get +at the bottom of all your doings, so that I can +explain it to Mr. Gibson, Mr. Winkleman's +lawyer. We know of that man, and we know +why he left; but we want to be certain that +you have a right to the box."</p> + +<p>Jack began and related his story; and although +Mr. Wiggins did not say much about +it, never having been acquainted with Jack, +the tale he told was so honest and truthful +that Mr. Fay could not but believe him.</p> + +<p>"Well, boys, I will go with you to see Mr. +Gibson," said the operator. "It all rests +with him. You see, all these things happened +eleven months ago, and he has collected considerable +money in rent for all these places. +You will come in for fifteen or twenty thousand +<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_143" id="Page_143">143</a></span> +dollars at the start. He may want to +ask you some questions."</p> + +<p>What Mr. Fay said almost took the boys' +breath away. They had hardly anything in +their pockets, and to be told that they were +worth ten thousand dollars apiece was almost +too good for belief. They followed Mr. Fay +out on the street—the way he moved proved +that he had come up from the ranks—and up +the stairs that led to Mr. Gibson's office. +They found the lawyer in there, walking up +and down, but he stopped long enough to bid +Mr. Fay good-morning.</p> + +<p>"What have these young men been doing?" +said he, pulling up a chair for each one to sit +down. "More lawsuits, I suppose."</p> + +<p>"No, sir, there is no law in this except +what you have a mind to tell us. Read this +letter; but first let me introduce the boys."</p> + +<p>Mr. Gibson said he was glad to see them, +and then commenced the letter, and before he +had read it half-way through he whistled and +looked at them with intense surprise.</p> + +<p>"Well, sir, you have done it, have you +not?" said he. "Now, whom have you to +<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_144" id="Page_144">144</a></span> +prove that you bought this 'old horse' at the +express office?"</p> + +<p>"Read on, sir, and I think the letter will +answer that question for you," replied Julian. +"I told Mr. Wiggins about it. That is all he +knows of it."</p> + +<p>Mr. Gibson finished the letter at last, and +then turned and gave the boys a good looking +over. He evidently was not thinking about +them at all, but about some point of law that +had just occurred to him. Finally he said,</p> + +<p>"I want you to understand that I believe +your story, but in order to be all right in +everything, and leave nothing for anybody to +pick a flaw with, I would like to know what +you did to look up this man Haberstro."</p> + +<p>"If I were in your place, Gibson," said +Mr. Fay, "I would write to Mr. Wiggins and +the president of that bank, and get a full history +of the boys. They will tell the truth."</p> + +<p>"Let me suggest to you, also, the name of +Mr. Dawson," said Jack. "I used to work +for him, and he knows all about me."</p> + +<p>The lawyer took down the three addresses +of the men he wanted to write to. +<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_145" id="Page_145">145</a></span></p> + +<p>"Have you young fellows any money?" +asked the lawyer.</p> + +<p>"Yes, sir, a little."</p> + +<p>"Will it last you two weeks?"</p> + +<p>The two friends were sure it would last +them as long as that.</p> + +<p>"Where are you stopping?"</p> + +<p>Julian replied that they were stopping at +some hotel, but they did not know which one.</p> + +<p>"Well, Fay will no doubt direct you to a +cheaper boarding-house than that. What are +you boys going to do with this?" said Mr. +Gibson, placing his hand upon the box.</p> + +<p>"We want to put it somewhere so it will be +safe," said Julian.</p> + +<p>"Shall I take charge of it for you? I will +put it in the bank. It is most too valuable +for me to carry around."</p> + +<p>"Yes, sir."</p> + +<p>After a little more conversation his two +clients went out. The lawyer sat for a long +time thinking the matter over, and at last he +got up, took the box under his arm and started +for the bank. He had decided that he would +go to St. Louis that very night. +<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_146" id="Page_146">146</a></span></p> + +<h2 class="p6">CHAPTER XII.</h2> + +<h3>CASPER NEVINS, THE SPY.</h3> + +<p>"No, sir," said Casper, leaning over and +placing his elbows on his knees, his +eyes gazing thoughtfully at the floor; "you +don't get any more five cents out of me, yet +awhile, to pay for cigars. I have got only +ten dollars, and I am anxious to make that do. +Now, what shall I go at next?"</p> + +<p>Casper Nevins was in a predicament the +first thing he knew. He claimed to be an +orphan, the same as Julian was; but those +who were well acquainted with his history +knew that he had a mother in a Western +village who was a dressmaker, and who would +have been glad to get every cent he could +send her. But Casper never sent her any +money. On the contrary, he often appealed +to her to forward him a few dimes, to pay his +debts for pool and cigars. Claus often got +into him a dollar or two on the games he lost, +<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_147" id="Page_147">147</a></span> +and his mother was the only person he had to +call on. Now he had lost his position, and +the next thing was to find something else to +do. He was really afraid he would have to +go to work with his hands. He thought of +Jack Sheldon, dirty and begrimed as he was +when he came from the shop, and wondered +how he would look in that fix. And, another +thing, he wasn't satisfied that he could get as +good a position as Jack held. Aside from +being acquainted with the city and carrying +the telegraphic dispatches, there was nothing +else that he could do.</p> + +<p>"I tell you I am up a stump," said Casper +to himself; "I shall soon be sweeping out +saloons, as Julian did, to pay for my breakfast. +I would rather die than do that."</p> + +<p>When he had reached this point in his +meditations the door opened, and Claus came +in with a couple of cigars in his hand. He +did not seem to be at all worried over his +failure to get his hands upon that box, but he +was whistling a jig as he closed the door and +offered a cigar to Casper.</p> + +<p>"What is the matter with you, any way?" +<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_148" id="Page_148">148</a></span> +he asked, when he saw the gloomy look on +Casper's face. "You act as though you had +lost your last friend."</p> + +<p>"What am I going to do now?" asked Casper. +"I have no trade, no profession, and I +must do something to keep myself in grub. +There is no pool or cigars for me from this +time on."</p> + +<p>"Well, let that thing go until I tell you +my story," said Claus, who did not like to +hear a man talk in this way. He knew that +he was to blame for Casper's shortness of +funds—a good deal of his hard earnings was +located in Claus's own pockets—and he wanted +to make him look on the bright side of things +while he was in his presence. When he got +away where he could not see him, then he +could indulge in moody thoughts as often as +he pleased.</p> + +<p>"I wish I had not played pool with you as +often as I have," said Casper, showing a little +spirit. "Every time I have crossed cues with +you I have always been out three or four +dollars. Why don't you play with somebody +else?" +<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_149" id="Page_149">149</a></span></p> + +<p>"Well, if you are going to talk that way +I'll go on," said Claus, getting up from his +chair. "What I was going to say was that I +don't believe that box is gone yet. I have +tried twice to get it and have failed; but there +is a charm in everything. Three times and +out is what I go by; but if you don't want to +hear what I have to say, why, good-night."</p> + +<p>"Well, sit down," said Casper, who couldn't +bear to let Claus go away if he had anything +to say concerning that box; "but you yourself +would be angry if you were in my fix."</p> + +<p>"Oh, I have been that way lots of times. +I have been so I didn't know where my next +meal was coming from."</p> + +<p>"I have been that way, too," said Casper. +"The other night you got ten cents of me, +and it was the last cent I had in the world; I +had to get my next meal at the free-lunch +saloons."</p> + +<p>"I didn't know you were as hard up as +that," said Casper, with surprise. "Have +you money with which to get breakfast to-morrow?"</p> + +<p>"Not a cent." +<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_150" id="Page_150">150</a></span></p> + +<p>"Then here are twenty cents," said Claus, +putting his hand into his pocket. "Two +meals will do you. In the meantime, if you +get hard up for something to eat, go to the +saloons; that's the way I do."</p> + +<p>"Yes, but you always get something else. +If I go in there and dabble with their lunch, +the barkeeper will want to know why I don't +get something to drink."</p> + +<p>"Then walk out and go to another saloon. +You ain't posted. Now, I want to tell you +my story. It isn't long, and I want to ask +you a question before I get through."</p> + +<p>When Claus said this, Casper settled back +in his chair and tried to look interested; but +the trouble was, he only succeeded in looking +guilty.</p> + +<p>"I have just come from Julian's room," +continued Claus, "and I threatened him with +the police. He called me by my own name, +or Jack did, and I want to know who has +been telling him that. Did you?"</p> + +<p>"I never said a word to him about you or +anybody else," said Casper, looking Claus +squarely in the eye. +<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_151" id="Page_151">151</a></span></p> + +<p>"Did you say anything to Mr. Wiggins +about it?"</p> + +<p>"Never a word. There might have been a +detective in the office while you were there."</p> + +<p>"A detective? Who was it?"</p> + +<p>"I am sure I don't know. But if he knew +your name, there was where he got it. You +went up to the pool-room after you got through +there? Well, did anybody follow you up to +see what your name was?"</p> + +<p>"There was nobody up there that I saw, +and I took mighty good care to watch out. I +threatened him with the police for addressing +me by that name, and he just as good as told +me to go and get them."</p> + +<p>"What made you say police at all? What +had he done?"</p> + +<p>"I wanted him to get the box and let me +read the papers in it, because I wanted to be +sure that they were intended for me; but he +would not do it."</p> + +<p>"Of course he would not!" exclaimed Casper, +in disgust. "That was a pretty way to +do business, wasn't it?"</p> + +<p>"I calculated, if he brought the box in +<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_152" id="Page_152">152</a></span> +there, to steal it away from them," said Claus. +"If I once got out on the street, I would like +to see anybody catch me. I would have hung +around this city for a month but that I would +have got away with it."</p> + +<p>"And what would I be doing in the meantime?"</p> + +<p>"You would have known where I was," +said Claus, bending toward Casper and speaking +in a whisper. "I would have found +means to communicate with you. Of course +if I had got that box you would have had a +share of it."</p> + +<p>Casper did not know whether to believe +this or not. Somehow he had felt suspicious +of Claus ever since the first night he spoke to +him about the box. If the German got it +without any of his help, he was sure that he +never would see any of it.</p> + +<p>"Well, you failed in that scheme, and I +would like to know if you have some other +means of getting hold of it."</p> + +<p>"Certainly I have. Three times and out +is what I go by. My next scheme will be to +steal the box from them on the train." +<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_153" id="Page_153">153</a></span></p> + +<p>"How are you going to do that?"</p> + +<p>"We will keep watch of them, and when +they are ready to go to Denver, we will go, +too. You know their habits better than I do, +and by keeping your eyes on them—"</p> + +<p>"Well, I won't do it," said Casper, emphatically. +"They may not go for a month +yet, and I must have something to eat in the +meantime."</p> + +<p>"I will give you twenty cents a day and +enough to pay your rent," said Claus. "That +will keep you going, won't it?"</p> + +<p>"You must give me more than that. I +shall need a cigar once in a while, won't I?"</p> + +<p>"Then I will give you thirty cents. You +don't want to smoke more than two cigars +every day, do you?"</p> + +<p>The question where Claus earned the money +he had was a mystery to every one except +himself. When the police arrested him for +vagrancy and the justice fined him ten dollars, +believing that he was going to shut him +up for two months, Claus pulled out a roll of +greenbacks as large as one's wrist. The justice +gazed at him in surprise and said, +<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_154" id="Page_154">154</a></span></p> + +<p>"I had no idea that you were so well +heeled as that."</p> + +<p>"I have a relative in Europe who sends +me money once in a while," said Claus.</p> + +<p>"Well, get out of here, and don't come into +this station any more."</p> + +<p>"I won't," said Claus; "and I wouldn't +have come in here this time, only the police +brought me."</p> + +<p>"You must go easy on me, because I haven't +too many ducats," said Claus, continuing the +conversation which we have broken off. "I +think thirty cents a day will see you through +in good fashion."</p> + +<p>"Of course that puts a different look on the +matter. Begin by giving me ten cents to get +a cigar with to-night. Thank you. Now, +what do you want me to do?"</p> + +<p>"You are to begin and keep your eye on +Julian, and report to me every day at the +pool-room. Whenever you see preparations +made for them to go out to Denver, you must +let me know it; then we will go, too."</p> + +<p>"But how are you going to steal their +valises, if they have any?" +<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_155" id="Page_155">155</a></span></p> + +<p>"They will leave their valises behind them +when they go out to get their meals, and I +will slip up and get them. You won't have +anything to do with stealing them at all."</p> + +<p>"That is a bargain," said Casper. "I believe +that is the best way yet. But remember—you +must keep out of their sight; and I +will, too."</p> + +<p>A little more conversation was held on the +subject, and then Claus took his leave. When +the door closed behind him Casper arose to +his feet, placed his thumb against his nose, +and wiggled his fingers. That was his opinion +of Mr. Claus's scheme.</p> + +<p>"I know what you mean to do," said he, +in a voice that was choked with passion. +"You are going to get me out there on the +railroad and leave me. But I will see that +you don't do it; I will stick closer to you +than a brother, and when you get that box I +will be close at hand. Now I will go off to +some restaurant and get some supper."</p> + +<p>The next morning dawned clear and bright, +and when Casper opened his eyes his first +thought was to get up; but remembering that +<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_156" id="Page_156">156</a></span> +he had not to go to the office that day, he +rolled over and dropped asleep again. But +he had to get up at last; and after a good, +hearty breakfast, and smoking a cigar, he +strolled down toward the telegraph office. +Julian was there, sitting in his chair, for he +could see him through the window. He had +not made preparations to go to Denver yet. +And so it was during every day that the boys +waited for Haberstro to show up. Julian was +as impatient as Casper, and even Claus began +to growl for fear there was being too big a +haul made upon his money.</p> + +<p>"I am not an Astor, to be giving you +thirty cents a day to watch those fellows," +said he. "If they don't begin to make some +move very soon I shall be sorry that I hired +you."</p> + +<p>"They are going to Denver some time, and +if you are bound to have a hand in the box, +the best thing for you to do is to keep on hiring +me," said Casper. "I know what you +want," he added to himself. "If you were to +give me every cent of money you have, I +would just about get my own back." +<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_157" id="Page_157">157</a></span></p> + +<p>But not long after this, when Casper was +strolling by the telegraph office to see what +was going to happen, he saw Julian and Jack +go in there. The two boys were dressed in +citizens' clothes, too, and that proved that +there was something up. While he was wondering +whether or not he had better go back +and report the matter to Claus, Mr. Wiggins +came out and took his way toward the bank. +In a little while he came back again with the +box under his arm. Casper concluded to +wait still longer, and the result proved satisfactory. +The two friends came out of the +office, and Julian held the door open long +enough to say,</p> + +<p>"I haven't gone yet; I will come back and +bid you good-bye before I start."</p> + +<p>"By gracious, they are going!" said Casper, +so excited that he could not stand still. +"Now, the next thing is to find out <i>when</i> they +are going. I guess I will go and see what +Claus has to say about it."</p> + +<p>Claus was found in the pool-room, and he +was playing a game with somebody. He +drew off on one side, and Casper hurriedly +<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_158" id="Page_158">158</a></span> +related what he had to say to him. For a +wonder Claus smiled.</p> + +<p>"They are going to-morrow night," said he.</p> + +<p>"You talk as though you knew all about +it. How do you know?" asked Casper, with +the accent on the adverb.</p> + +<p>"Because Julian has got his discharge, he +is dressed in citizen's clothes, and they will +have to take to-day in order to bid their +friends good-bye and get some things that are +necessary for the trip," said Claus. "Watch +them closely, and when you see a carriage +drive up to their door and a trunk put on, +come to me here and I will be ready for +you."</p> + +<p>"How are you going to get your own luggage +down?" asked Casper.</p> + +<p>"I don't want any luggage," replied Claus; +"I have more money than enough to buy—humph!"</p> + +<p>He had intended saying that he had money +enough to buy all the clothing he wanted, but +seeing Casper's eyes fastened upon him he +caught his breath in time and said,</p> + +<p>"I have money enough to pay for a night's +<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_159" id="Page_159">159</a></span> +lodging, and that is all we want. Now you +go and do just as I tell you."</p> + +<p>Claus turned again to his game and Casper +went slowly out of the room. The German +watched him, as he opened the door, and said +to himself,</p> + +<p>"I wonder if that fellow knows what I am +up to? He acts like it; but if he does, I +would like to see him help himself." +<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_160" id="Page_160">160</a></span></p> + +<h2 class="p6">CHAPTER XIII.</h2> + +<h3>GETTING READY FOR WORK.</h3> + +<p>"I know just what you are going to do," +repeated Casper, as he ran down the +stairs—"you are going to steal the box, and +leave me out on the prairie to get back the +best way I can. For two cents I would not +have anything to do with it."</p> + +<p>But in spite of this resolution, Casper, as +soon as he reached the street, turned his gaze +in every direction in the hope of finding Julian +and Jack; but the boys had disappeared. +He walked along the streets looking everywhere +for them, and finally came to a standstill +opposite Julian's room.</p> + +<p>"They will have to come here some time, +and I will just take my stand here in this +door and watch for them," said Casper. +"They will not take that box with them, +anyhow; it is much too valuable to lug about +in a valise. They will send it by express." +<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_161" id="Page_161">161</a></span></p> + +<p>This was something that had occurred to +Casper on the spur of the moment, and he +thought seriously of going back to Claus with +it; but, on the whole, he decided to keep still +about it. He was getting thirty cents a day +for doing nothing, and he did not want to +bring that to an end too speedily. Claus had +plenty of money. Casper had seen the inside +of his pocketbook when he took it out to pay +him his money, and he might as well have +thirty cents of it as not.</p> + +<p>At the end of three hours Casper saw the +carriage coming up the street. He was certain +that he was right in his suspicions, because +carriages of that description were not +often seen in that by-street; and, more than +that, there was a trunk perched in front of +the driver. He drew up in front of Julian's +room, and a moment afterward the boys got +out. Casper saw the driver catch up the +trunk and carry it upstairs, and presently he +came down again, mounted to his box, and +disappeared up the street.</p> + +<p>"They are gentlemen now, and of course +they could not carry that trunk upstairs," +<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_162" id="Page_162">162</a></span> +sneered Casper, coming out of his concealment. +"Now, I wish I knew when they are +going to start. If things were all right between +Julian and myself I would go upstairs +and find out; but as it is, I guess I had better +keep away; he would not tell me, anyhow. I +stole that box from him once, and that was +where I missed it. I ought to have gone to +Denver at once."</p> + +<p>After some time spent in rapid walking, +Casper once more found himself in the pool-room, +and saw Claus busy with his game. +Claus drew off on one side, while Casper +whispered the result of his investigations to +him.</p> + +<p>"That is all right," said he, and a smile +overspread his face. "You are much better +at watching than I thought you were. Wait +until I get through here and I will give you +a cigar."</p> + +<p>"But, Claus, though they had a valise +apiece in their hands, they have no idea of +carrying the box in them," said Casper; "it +is too valuable."</p> + +<p>"That's the very reason they will take it +<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_163" id="Page_163">163</a></span> +with them," whispered Claus. "They will +not trust it out of their sight."</p> + +<p>"I'll bet you that they will send it by express," +answered Casper; "that is what I +should do with it."</p> + +<p>"But all persons are not as careful as you +are," said Claus; and he turned to take his +shot at the game.</p> + +<p>"You need not think you can soft-sawder +me in that style," thought Casper, as he +backed toward a chair and took his seat to +see how the game was coming out. "You +have some other little trick that you want me +to play. Well, if it is not too dangerous I'll +do it; if it is, I won't."</p> + +<p>"There is nothing more that we can do to-night, +but I shall expect to see you bright +and early to-morrow morning," resumed Claus, +as he finished his game and hung the cue up +in its proper place. "Here is a dollar. You +may get yourself all the cigars you want."</p> + +<p>"Thank you for nothing," said Casper to +himself, as he turned to leave the room. +"The last game I played with you you got +an even five dollars out of me. This does +<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_164" id="Page_164">164</a></span> +not make me straight with you by a long +way."</p> + +<p>Casper did not rise bright and early the +next morning, because he did not think there +was any need of it. He spent a quarter of +Claus's dollar for breakfast, smoked a cigar, +and strolled leisurely down to the telegraph +office. He was just in time to see Julian and +Jack coming out. The face of the former +wore a very sad expression, and there was a +suspicious redness about his eyes, which +looked as though he had been crying.</p> + +<p>"By gracious! I don't think I would shed +tears if I were in your place," said Casper, in +disgust. "And you are going away with a +hundred thousand dollars in your pocket! It +beats me, how many people go to make up a +world! Julian has been bidding them good-bye +in there, and so he must be getting ready +to go off very soon. Now I will go and see +Claus."</p> + +<p>Casper found his companion in guilt at the +very place he said he would be; and, for a +wonder, he was sitting there alone, in one +corner of the room. He told what he had +<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_165" id="Page_165">165</a></span> +seen, adding that Julian could not keep back +his tears when he came out.</p> + +<p>"We'll give him something to cry for when +he goes out of that car," said Claus, with a +wink; "he will be just a fortune out of +pocket."</p> + +<p>Casper had several times been on the point +of asking Claus how he was going to work in +order to secure to himself the full possession +of all that property. He thought there would +have to be some legal steps taken before the +agent, or whoever had charge of those blocks +of buildings, would be willing for Claus to +call them all his own. Suppose the agent +should write to some of the many friends he +was presumed to have in Chicago, and should +get no answer from them; what would Claus +do then? All the friends he had were in St. +Louis; he did not know anybody in Chicago, +and consequently he would receive a check at +the very start. If the German thought of +this, he did not say anything about it. He +wanted first to get the box, and then he could +settle these things afterward.</p> + +<p>"Well, there is only one thing for you to +<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_166" id="Page_166">166</a></span> +do now," said Claus, after thinking the matter +over; "you must stay around Julian's +room, and wait for them to go to the depot. +You will find me right here."</p> + +<p>"I shall want a cigar to smoke in the meantime," +said Casper.</p> + +<p>It was right on the end of Claus's tongue +to make a flat refusal, but there was something +in Casper's eye, which he turned full +upon him, that made him hesitate. He +growled out something about not being made +of money, but finally put his hand into his +pocket and produced another dollar.</p> + +<p>"You need not mutter so lustily every +time I ask you for money," said Casper to +himself as he left the pool-room. "I will +have to give up this business before long, and +I am going to make all I can."</p> + +<p>Casper went straight to a restaurant and +got his dinner, and with a cigar for company +took up his usual hiding-place in the doorway +and waited to see what was going to happen. +He stayed there until four o'clock in the afternoon, +and then began to grow interested. +He saw Julian come out and hasten away, +<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_167" id="Page_167">167</a></span> +and something told him that he had gone for +a carriage. But why was it that Casper got +so mad, and threw his cigar spitefully down +upon the pavement? Julian was dressed in a +suit of new clothes, and he looked like a +young gentleman in it. The suit that Casper +wore was the only one he had, and when that +was gone he did not know what he should do +to get another.</p> + +<p>"That fellow must have received a good +many tips while he was in the office," muttered +Casper, "or else he saved his money. +I wish to goodness I had saved mine, instead +of giving it all to Claus."</p> + +<p>Julian soon came back with a carriage, and +it became evident that they were going to +take the train for Denver. Julian and the +hackman went upstairs, and when the boys +came down again they each wore a traveling-coat +and had a small valise in their hands. +They got into the carriage and were driven +away for the depot.</p> + +<p>"Now, then, I am going to see if Claus is +fooled," thought Casper, as he hurried off in +another direction. "The box is not in those +<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_168" id="Page_168">168</a></span> +gripsacks; they are not large enough. Now, +you mark what I tell you."</p> + +<p>"What's the news?" said Claus, who was +loitering at one of the windows of the pool-room. +"Did you see them go?" he asked, in +a whisper.</p> + +<p>"I did," answered Casper. "We have +just time to get down there, and that is all. +You are making a mistake by not taking some +baggage along."</p> + +<p>"No, I am not. We shall go as far as the +station at which the passengers take breakfast, +and then we will stop and come back. +That is as far as we want to go."</p> + +<p>"And come back as empty-handed as we +went," said Casper to himself. "I'll bet +there won't be anything worth having in +those valises."</p> + +<p>It took Claus and Casper a long time to +walk to the depot, although they went with +all the speed they could command; but when, +at last, they got there, they found that the +ticket office was not open. It was no trouble +at all for them to find the boys whom they +were seeking; they occupied a couple of seats +<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_169" id="Page_169">169</a></span> +in the gentlemen's waiting-room, sitting pretty +close together, too, and were engaged in earnest +conversation.</p> + +<p>"Those are the ones, are they not?" questioned +Claus. "They are dressed up so fine +that I would not have known them."</p> + +<p>"Yes; they have new clothes on," said +Casper. "They are going off as though they +were business men starting out on a vacation."</p> + +<p>"That is the way we will travel when we +get our money," said Claus, with a wink.</p> + +<p>"And when we do get it you may go your +way and I will go mine," said Casper to himself; +"I am not going to stay around where +you are all the while bothering me to play a +game with you. I am going to save my +money; that's what I will do."</p> + +<p>It was shortly after they reached the depot +that the ticket office was opened, and Julian +went to purchase tickets for himself and companion. +Casper watched them until they +were safe in the train, and then Claus bought +two tickets for Casper and himself, and they +took seats in the car behind Julian's. In that +<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_170" id="Page_170">170</a></span> +way they would keep out of sight. They did +not intend to show themselves until the train +stopped for breakfast the next morning, and +then they would show themselves to some +purpose.</p> + +<p>The night was a long and wearisome one to +Casper, who did not once close his eyes in +slumber. He was wondering what was going +to be the result of this new scheme of theirs, +and telling himself over and over again that +it would not amount to anything. It did not +look reasonable that the boys should carry +their box in a valise, and leave it behind +when they went to breakfast while there was +so much in it that needed their constant care.</p> + +<p>"And then, after he gets the valises and +finds that there is nothing in them, that is the +time for me to look out," thought Casper. +"He won't get away from me if I have to +stay awake for two or three nights to watch +him."</p> + +<p>Finally, to Casper's immense relief, day +began to dawn and some of the wakeful passengers +to bestir themselves. He arranged +his hair with the aid of a comb which he had +<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_171" id="Page_171">171</a></span> +in his pocket, and then sat on the seat and +waited impatiently for Claus to wake up. All +night long the German had slumbered heavily, +as though he felt at peace with himself and +all the world. That was something that Casper +could not understand. Here he was, fully +intending to steal a fortune from a boy who +had come honestly by it, and yet he could +sleep peacefully and quietly over it!</p> + +<p>"I wonder if I shall be the way he is?" +soliloquized Casper. "I will try this once, and +if we don't get the box I will go back and go +to work—that's the best thing I can do."</p> + +<p>It was not long before a brakeman came in +and told them that they were approaching the +place where they would be allowed fifteen +minutes for breakfast; whereupon Casper +leaned over and shook Claus by the shoulder.</p> + +<p>"It was time you were getting up," said he +in a whisper; "it is time to go to work."</p> + +<p>"I heard every word that was said," said +Claus. "This is the place to which I bought +tickets, and it is as far as we shall go. Go +forward, and see if they are in the car ahead +of us." +<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_172" id="Page_172">172</a></span></p> + +<p>"But suppose they see me?" said Casper.</p> + +<p>"You must not let them see you. Keep +out of their sight. If they leave their valises +behind when they go out to breakfast, it is all +I want."</p> + +<p>Casper went, but he walked slowly, as if he +did it under protest. When he arrived at the +end of the car he found he could not see anything +from there, so he opened the door and +went out on the platform. He was gone a +good while, but when he came back his face +told Claus all he wished to know.</p> + +<p>"They are there," Casper whispered, "and +are getting ready to go out. I saw the valises +in the rack over their seats."</p> + +<p>"That's all right. Now, when we go out +you must keep close behind me. I will come +in at the front end of the car as if I had a +perfect right there, and if I say anything to +you, you must just nod your head."</p> + +<p>"What must I do that for?" asked Casper.</p> + +<p>"Because there may be somebody looking. +I want to convince everybody that I have a +right to the valises. Now, you go on ahead, +and do as I tell you." +<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_173" id="Page_173">173</a></span></p> + +<p>Casper did not approve of this plan at all. +The understanding between him and the German +was that he was to have no hand in +stealing the valises, but this looked as though +he was the prime mover in the affair. Before +he could make any further objection the cars +stopped, the gong sounded for breakfast, and +the passengers began to move toward the +door. +<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_174" id="Page_174">174</a></span></p> + +<h2 class="p6">CHAPTER XIV.</h2> + +<h3>HOW CASPER WAS SERVED.</h3> + +<p>"Come on, now, and remember what I told +you," said Claus, getting on his feet. +"There they go! All we have to do, now, is +to go in there and get the valises. You know +where they sat, don't you?"</p> + +<p>Casper glanced toward the front end of the +car, and saw Julian and Jack step down and +hurry toward the dining-room. Claus waited +until most of the passengers got off, and then, +with a motion to Casper to follow him, he +went boldly forward and climbed the steps. +He opened the door, and, when Casper went +in, he said,</p> + +<p>"Now tell me exactly where they sat, so +that I can pick up the valises without exciting +anybody's suspicions."</p> + +<p>"Do you see that red-faced man sitting on +the right-hand side?" whispered Casper. +"And do you see those valises in the rack directly +<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_175" id="Page_175">175</a></span> +in front him? Well, they are the ones +you want."</p> + +<p>"All right! We will have them out of +there in a jiffy."</p> + +<p>"I don't like the way that man looks at +us," Casper ventured to remark; "perhaps he +knows them."</p> + +<p>"It don't make any difference to me +whether he does or not. If he says anything +to us, we will tell him the valises belong +to us, and that we have come after +them."</p> + +<p>Calling a smile to his face, Claus went +down the passage-way, looking at the various +valises stowed away in the racks. When he +arrived opposite the seat where Julian had +sat before he left the train, a look of surprise +spread over his countenance, and he stepped +in and took them down, one after the other.</p> + +<p>"These are ours, ain't they?" he asked, +turning to Casper.</p> + +<p>"Yes—they are the ones."</p> + +<p>"I don't see what those boys put them in +here for. Now we will take charge of them +ourselves." +<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_176" id="Page_176">176</a></span></p> + +<p>He passed one valise to Casper, who took it +and made his way out of the car, while Claus +kept close at his heels.</p> + +<p>"Now we want to go somewhere and get +out of sight as soon as we can," said Casper, +looking around guiltily, and almost expecting +a policeman to take him by the collar. "I +shall not feel easy until this train goes."</p> + +<p>"Well, we don't want to get out of sight +just yet," said Claus. "That red-faced man +kept his eyes on us, didn't he? Let us see +what he will make of it now."</p> + +<p>"Why, Claus, you are not going in there?" +queried Casper, when his companion led the +way toward the waiting-room. "Julian and +Jack went in there, and they will be certain +to discover us."</p> + +<p>"No, they won't. You follow me, and do +just as I do."</p> + +<p>Casper turned his eyes and looked back at +the train. There was the red-faced man, sitting +by the car window, closely watching all +their movements, and when he saw them enter +the waiting-room into which Julian and Jack +had gone a few moments before, his suspicions, +<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_177" id="Page_177">177</a></span> +if he had any, were set at rest, and he settled +back in his seat and picked up a newspaper +which he had just purchased. Claus kept on +to the waiting-room, but he did not stop when +he got there. He kept right on through and +went out at the other door, and after walking +briskly for a few minutes, and turning several +corners until he was sure that the depot had +been left out of sight, he seated himself on the +steps of a deserted house, took off his hat, and +wiped his forehead.</p> + +<p>"It was not such an awful thing to get +those valises, after all," said he. "When that +train goes, we will go and get our breakfast."</p> + +<p>"But I would like to know what is in those +valises first," said Casper. "I tell you, you +are fooled. I have felt this valise all over on +the outside, and there is nothing in it that +feels like a box."</p> + +<p>"I don't suppose you could feel anything +of that kind in it, because I don't believe the +box was put in there," said Claus. "My only +hope is that they took the papers out of the +box and put them in here; consequently they +left the box at home." +<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_178" id="Page_178">178</a></span></p> + +<p>"Good enough!" exclaimed Casper, catching +up his valise and feeling the outside of it, +to see if he could feel anything that seemed +like papers that were stowed away on the inside +of it; "I never thought of that. Now, +how shall we go to work to get the valises +open? I haven't a key in my pocket that +will fit them."</p> + +<p>"I haven't, either; but as soon as we get +our breakfast we will go up the road a little +distance and cut them open. These gripsacks +will never be worth anything to anybody after +we get done with them."</p> + +<p>Even while they were talking in this way +they heard the shriek of the whistle twice, +followed by the ringing of the bell, and knew +that their train was getting ready to start on +again; whereupon Claus got up and said he +was as hungry as a wolf, and that he must +procure a breakfast somewhere.</p> + +<p>"I shall not eat much till I find out what +those valises are hiding from us," said Casper. +"It would be just dreadful if we should +fail, after all the trouble we have been to."</p> + +<p>By the time they got back to the depot the +<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_179" id="Page_179">179</a></span> +train was well under way; but Claus went out +and looked after it, to satisfy himself that the +coast was clear. Then they placed their +valises in charge of the clerk at the desk, enjoyed +a good wash, and went in and took +their seats at the table. Their meal was a +better one than they had had served up to +them at St. Louis, especially when they were +hard up for money; and, after taking their +time in eating it, Claus settled the bill, took +his valise, and started up the railroad track.</p> + +<p>"Have you a cigar?" he asked, before they +had gone a great ways. "That is all right. +We will go on until we get into that sagebrush, +and then we will stop and look into +these things. I will take just a hundred +thousand dollars for my find."</p> + +<p>"I'll bet you will take less than that," said +Casper; for, somehow, he could not get over +the idea that the box had been sent by express. +"There is nothing in them that you +want."</p> + +<p>It did not take them more than a quarter +of an hour to get into the sagebrush; and, +after looking all around to make sure that +<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_180" id="Page_180">180</a></span> +there was no one in sight, they stepped down +from the track and seated themselves on the +bank beside it. Claus did not waste any +time in trying his keys upon the valise, but +stretched out his legs and put his hand into +his pocket, and when he pulled it out again +he held a knife in it.</p> + +<p>"The shortest way is the best," said he, +thrusting the blade into the valise he held in +his hand. "Come out here, now, and let us +see what you have."</p> + +<p>His knife made short work of the valise, +but nothing in the way of papers could be +found. It was Jack's valise that he had destroyed, +and all he found in it was a brush +and comb, and half a dozen handkerchiefs.</p> + +<p>"I just knew how it would be," said Casper, +despairingly. "You will find the same +things in here."</p> + +<p>He had never seen Claus look so angry and +disappointed as he was at that moment. With +a spiteful kick of one foot he sent the valise +out of sight in the sagebrush, and was about +to send the other things to keep it company, +when he happened to think of something. +<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_181" id="Page_181">181</a></span></p> + +<p>"I guess I'll keep the handkerchiefs and +brush and comb for the good they may do +me," said he. "Where's your valise?"</p> + +<p>Casper handed it over, and in a moment +more that valise was a wreck, also. They +found things in it similar to those found in +Jack's gripsack, with the exception of a book +which Julian had purchased to read on his +journey, the leaves of which were uncut. +Casper took possession of the handkerchiefs +and the brush and comb, while Claus slowly +rolled up the book and sat with his eyes fastened +on the ground. He was mad—Casper +could easily see that, and he dared not interrupt +his train of thought. Claus sat for some +moments communing with his own thoughts, +then broke into a whistle and got upon his +feet.</p> + +<p>"To say that I am disappointed, and angry, +too, would not half express my feelings," said +he, pulling off his hat with one hand and digging +his fingers into his head with the other. +"I did not suppose they would send those +papers by express, for I know it is something +that I would not have done. I would have +<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_182" id="Page_182">182</a></span> +kept them by me all the while, so that I could +see that they were safe. Now, the next thing +is to determine upon something else."</p> + +<p>"Do you intend to make another effort to +get the money?" asked Casper, very much +surprised. "Your 'three times and out' did +not amount to anything—did it?"</p> + +<p>"No, I don't suppose it did," said Claus, +who was evidently thinking about something +else. "I guess you have done about all you +can do, and so you had better go back to St. +Louis."</p> + +<p>This was nothing more than Casper expected. +He had his ten dollars stowed away +somewhere about his clothes, together with +small sums which he had saved from the +amount that Claus had paid him, and so he +could pay his way back to St. Louis easily +enough; but what should he do when he got +there? He shuddered when he thought of it. +Here was winter coming on, and unless he +should obtain work very soon he would have +to go out to where his mother lived, which was +all of two hundred and fifty miles from there. +And what should he say when he got home? +<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_183" id="Page_183">183</a></span> +He had gone to St. Louis with big boasts of +what he intended to do when he got there, and +for him to turn up penniless and friendless at +his mother's house was rather more than he +had bargained for.</p> + +<p>"And what will <i>you</i> do?" asked Casper.</p> + +<p>"I haven't had time to think the matter +over," said Claus, who was rather surprised +that his companion took his discharge, or +whatever you might call it, so easily, "but I +think I shall go on to Denver."</p> + +<p>"And I can't be of any use to you there?"</p> + +<p>"No, I don't think you can. I may not be +back to the city before next spring."</p> + +<p>"I wish you would tell me what you are +going to do when you get there. You can't +get the box; that will be safe in the bank."</p> + +<p>"But perhaps I can pass myself off for Mr. +Haberstro. I have some of his cards in my +pocket."</p> + +<p>"But you will only get yourself into trouble +if you try that game. There are people out +there who know Haberstro."</p> + +<p>"Well, that is so," said Claus, looking reflectively +at the ground. "I shall have to +<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_184" id="Page_184">184</a></span> +think up some way to get around that. At +any rate, you cannot be of any further use to +me, and so you had better start by the next +train."</p> + +<p>"Well, you had better give me some money +before you turn me off in this way," said Casper. +"How am I going to get back to the city +without money?"</p> + +<p>"Where is that ten dollars you got out of +the telegraph office when your time was up?" +asked Claus, who did not like it whenever the +subject of giving some of his hard earnings +was brought up before him. "You have not +spent all of that, I know."</p> + +<p>"Yes, I have. I have just a quarter, and +there it is," said Casper, pulling out of his +pocket the coin in question.</p> + +<p>"I wish to goodness I had never seen you!" +said Claus, shoving his hand into the pocket +in which he kept his money. Casper heard +the jingling of some silver pieces, and thought +that perhaps his companion might be tempted +to give him a few dollars. That would be +better than nothing, and he would have some +money left when he reached St. Louis. "If I +<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_185" id="Page_185">185</a></span> +had never seen you, I would have more +dollars left in my pocket than I have now," +said Claus, bringing out a handful of small +change.</p> + +<p>Casper said nothing in reply. He wanted +to see how much Claus was going to give him; +and, once he had the money in his hand, he +could talk to him as he pleased.</p> + +<p>"There are five dollars that I will give you, +and you need not ask me for any more," said +Claus, counting out the money; "for, if you +do, you won't get it."</p> + +<p>"I don't know whether five dollars will pay +my fare to St. Louis or not," said Casper. +"Give me six."</p> + +<p>"No, sir; that's all I have to spare. It +will take you so close to the city that you can +easily walk in," said Claus, turning on his +heel and starting toward the town they had +just left. "You can walk twenty-five miles +very easily."</p> + +<p>It was right on the point of Casper's +tongue to "open out" on Claus, and give him +as good as he sent. Wouldn't he have had +more dollars in <i>his</i> pocket if he had never +<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_186" id="Page_186">186</a></span> +met the man who was anxious at all times to +play a game of billiards or pool with him, especially +on pay-day, when Casper was known +to have money in his pocket? But, on thinking +the matter over, he decided that he would +say nothing about it. Claus was a pretty big +man, and there was no knowing what he +would do if the boy made him angrier than +he was now.</p> + +<p>"He is going to be fooled again," said Casper, +as he fell in behind Claus, who walked +toward the town as if he were in an awful +hurry to get there. "What good will it do +him to go on to Denver? He can't get the +box there, neither can he cheat Julian out of +his money. Julian will find any amount of +friends there—I never heard of a boy with a +hundred thousand dollars in his pocket who +could not find somebody to stand by him—and +they will tell him what to do. Oh! why +did I make so great a mistake! I ought to +have started for Denver the moment I got my +hands on that box. Well, I got five dollars +out of Claus, anyhow."</p> + +<p>Casper sauntered along behind Claus, who +<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_187" id="Page_187">187</a></span> +was walking rapidly, and when he reached the +depot he looked all around for his companion, +but failed to see him. Claus had gone off +somewhere, and Casper was there alone. +<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_188" id="Page_188">188</a></span></p> + +<h2 class="p6">CHAPTER XV.</h2> + +<h3>HOW A MINE WAS HAUNTED.</h3> + +<p>"Well, boys," said Mr. Fay, when they +had reached the street and were +walking toward their hotel, "I have somehow +taken a great interest in you, and I am anxious +to see you come out all right. It is the +most remarkable thing I ever heard of. You +did not know what was in that box when you +bought it, did you?"</p> + +<p>"No, sir," replied Julian; "it was all +sealed up. The auctioneer said something +about a miner having hidden the secret of a +gold-mine in it, and I bought it for thirty +cents."</p> + +<p>"The auctioneer happened to hit the matter +right on the head. I will go with you in +search of a cheaper boarding-house than the +one at which you are now stopping, and you +had better remain there until Mr. Gibson +hears from those people in St. Louis. That +<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_189" id="Page_189">189</a></span> +will be two weeks, probably. If, at any time, +you grow weary of walking about our city, +looking at what little there is worth seeing, +come down to the office, and we'll sit there +and swap a few lies."</p> + +<p>Mr. Fay continued to talk in this way +while they were walking along the streets, +meanwhile turning several corners, and the +longer he talked the more the boys saw the +traits of his Western character sticking out +all over him. He talked like a gentleman, +and then spoiled it all by remarking that they +would "swap a few lies" when they came +around to his office. He had probably been +out West so long that he had become accustomed +to Western ways of conversation.</p> + +<p>At length Mr. Fay turned off from the +sidewalk, ascended the steps that led to the +door of a house, saying, as he did so, "Now +we will go in here and see what we can do," +and rang the door-bell. It was a very different-looking +house from the one they had been +in the habit of living in when in St. Louis. +There were no broken-down doors to be opened +before they went in, nor any rickety steps to +<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_190" id="Page_190">190</a></span> +be climbed, but everything was neat and trim, +and kept in perfect order. A motherly-looking +old lady answered Mr. Fay's pull at the +bell.</p> + +<p>"Ah! good-morning, Mrs. Rutherford," +was the way in which Mr. Fay greeted her. +"Let me introduce Julian Gray and John +Sheldon. They are looking around for a +cheap boarding-house,—not too cheap, mind +you,—and I have called to see if you have +any place in which to hang them up for the +night."</p> + +<p>Mrs. Rutherford was glad to meet Julian +and Jack, invited them into the parlor, and +asked them if they wanted a room together. +The boys replied that they did, and she conducted +them upstairs, to show them a room +that was vacant. They were gone not more +than five minutes, and when they came downstairs +again Mrs. Rutherford was putting +some bills away in her pocket-book, and the +boys acted as though they were well satisfied.</p> + +<p>"Well, you have found a place, have you?" +said Mr. Fay. "Have you jotted down the +street and number?" +<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_191" id="Page_191">191</a></span></p> + +<p>No, the boys had not thought of that, and +Julian quickly pulled his note-book from his +pocket.</p> + +<p>"Your city is somewhat larger than we +expected to find it," began Julian.</p> + +<p>"You don't find many wigwams around +here now," answered Mr. Fay. "We keep +spreading out all the time. Can you boys +find the way back to your hotel?"</p> + +<p>Julian and Jack thought they could find it +if they were given time enough, but Mr. Fay +thought he had better go with them. It was +right on the road to his office, and he walked +off so rapidly that his young companions were +obliged to increase their speed in order to +keep up with him. Before they had gone a +great way, Julian, who was anxious to learn +all he could about their surroundings, asked +how far it was to the mountains behind them. +Mr. Fay had evidently answered such questions +before, for all he said in reply was,</p> + +<p>"How far do you think it is?"</p> + +<p>"I think two miles would cover the distance," +he answered, for he was determined +he would guess enough while he was about it. +<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_192" id="Page_192">192</a></span></p> + +<p>"How far do <i>you</i> say it is, John?" said +Mr. Fay, turning to Jack.</p> + +<p>"I would rather be excused from expressing +an opinion, but I think we could walk +out there in two hours."</p> + +<p>"And come back the same day?"</p> + +<p>"Why, yes; certainly."</p> + +<p>"Now, let me tell you," said Mr. Fay: +"If you have made up your minds to go out +to the mountains, hire a good, fast walking-horse, +and go out one day and come back the +next."</p> + +<p>"Is it as far as that?" exclaimed the boys, +looking at each other with amazement.</p> + +<p>"It is all of twelve miles. You must take +into consideration that the air is very rare up +here, and that things appear nearer than +they are. You are 5135 feet above the level +of the sea."</p> + +<p>"My goodness! I didn't think we were so +far out of the world!"</p> + +<p>"We have awfully uncertain weather here," +continued Mr. Fay, "but still we regard our +climate as healthy. Our thermometer sometimes +changes as much as forty degrees in +<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_193" id="Page_193">193</a></span> +twenty-four hours. Since Professor Loomis +took charge of the matter, the mercury has +changed forty-five times in one day. What +sort of a place did you expect to find Denver, +anyway?"</p> + +<p>"Well, I did not know what sort of a place +it was," said Julian. "We thought we should +find more wigwams here than houses, and you +can't imagine how surprised we were when we +found ourselves in a depot full of people."</p> + +<p>"Denver used to be full of wigwams, but it +is not so now. Until the year 1858 the Indians +lived in peace; but in that year gold +was discovered by W. G. Russell, a Georgian, +on the banks of the river Platte, which is but +a little way from here, and that settled the +business of the Indians in a hurry. Denver, +Black Hawk, Golden City, and many other +cities that I can't think of now, were founded +in 1859, and a host of immigrants appeared. +Since that time we have been spreading out, +as I told you, until we have a pretty good-sized +city."</p> + +<p>"It shows what Western men can do when +they once set about it," said Jack. "Now, +<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_194" id="Page_194">194</a></span> +answer another question while you are about +it, if you please. If the mercury changes +forty degrees in twenty-four hours, working +in the mines must be dangerous business."</p> + +<p>"That depends upon where you are working," +said Mr. Fay. "If you are at work in +a placer-mine, you stand a good chance of +leaving your bones up there for somebody to +bring home; but if you are working under +the ground, it does not make any difference. +Are you thinking of going out to Dutch Flat +to try your hand at it? I don't know where +that is, but you can find plenty of men here +who can tell you."</p> + +<p>"I have not said anything to Julian about +it, but I think that would be one of the best +things we could do. You see, we are not settled +in that property yet."</p> + +<p>"I see," said Mr. Fay. "Gibson may get +word from those fellows in St. Louis that you +are impostors, and that you stole that box instead +of buying it at a sale of 'old horse.' +That would be rough on you."</p> + +<p>The boys did not know how to take this remark. +They looked at Mr. Fay, but he was +<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_195" id="Page_195">195</a></span> +walking along as usual, with his hands in his +pockets, bowing right and left to the many +persons he met on the streets, and did not +seem to think anything of it. Perhaps it was +his ordinary style of talking.</p> + +<p>"I am not at all afraid of that," remarked +Jack. "If he finds us impostors, we are willing +to go to jail."</p> + +<p>Mr. Fay threw back his head and laughed +heartily.</p> + +<p>"I have no idea of anything of the kind," +said he, as soon as he could speak. "I was +just wondering what you would think of it. +But what were you going to say?"</p> + +<p>"This property is not settled on us yet," +replied Jack, "and we may want something +to keep us in grub while we are here. We +have a perfect right to work that mine, have +we not?"</p> + +<p>"If you can find it—yes. Go up there, +and if nobody else is working it, pitch in and +take fifty thousand dollars more out of it."</p> + +<p>"And what will we do if somebody else is +working it?"</p> + +<p>"You had better give up to them, unless +<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_196" id="Page_196">196</a></span> +you think you are strong enough to get the +better of them. But you need not worry +about that. The mine is haunted, and you +won't catch any of the miners going around +where ghosts are."</p> + +<p>"Who do you suppose are haunting it?" +asked Julian. "That letter says the writer +worked the mine alone, and took lots of +money out of it, and never saw a thing to +frighten him."</p> + +<p>"Perhaps somebody has been murdered up +there; I don't know. You won't see anything +until you get down in the mine, and +then you want to look out. I heard of a mine +up at Gold Cove that was haunted in that way. +There were a dozen miners tried it, and each +one came away without getting anything, +although the gold was lying on top of the +ground. As often as a miner went below (it +was about thirty feet down to the bottom), he +was sure to see somebody at work there before +him. He was picking with a tool at the bottom +of the shaft in order to loosen it up, accompanying +every blow he made with a sonorous +'whiz!' which showed that he was an +<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_197" id="Page_197">197</a></span> +Irishman. Some of the miners retreated to +their bucket and signaled to their helper to +pull them up, and you couldn't hire them to +go into the mine again. Others, with a little +more bravery than they had, went up to put +their hands on the man, but as fast as they advanced +he retreated; and when they got to the +end of the shaft, the phantom miner was still +ahead, and picking away as fast as ever."</p> + +<p>"Then the mine is deserted?"</p> + +<p>"Yes, and has been for years. It is one of +the richest mines around here, too."</p> + +<p>"Why, I should think somebody would +shoot him," said Jack.</p> + +<p>"Shoot him! He has been shot at more +times than anybody could count; but he pays +no attention to it. He is a ghost, and he +knows you can't hurt him. I never saw it, +and, what is more, I don't want to; but I +would not go down into that mine for all the +gold there is in the hills."</p> + +<p>"Did anybody think a murder had been +committed somewhere around there?" said +Julian.</p> + +<p>"I never heard that there was." +<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_198" id="Page_198">198</a></span></p> + +<p>"Well, I just wish our mine would be +haunted with something like that," said Jack. +"I would find out what he was, and what +business he had there, or I would know the +reason why."</p> + +<p>"Well, you may have a chance to try it. +Does this look like your hotel? Now I will +bid you good-bye, and I will see you again to-morrow, +if you come around."</p> + +<p>Mr. Fay departed, taking with him the +hearty thanks of the boys for all his kindness +and courtesy, and then they slowly ascended +the steps to the office. They had secured one +thing by his attentions to them—a boarding-house +at which the money they had in their +pockets would keep them safely for a month, +if it took Mr. Gibson that long to hear from +St. Louis; but, on the whole, Jack wished Mr. +Fay had not used his Western phraseology so +freely.</p> + +<p>"Does he want us to work that mine or +not?" asked Jack.</p> + +<p>"I don't know. He talked pretty readily, +did he not?"</p> + +<p>"I wonder if that is the way all Westerners +<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_199" id="Page_199">199</a></span> +talk? Did he scare you out of going up there +to that mine?"</p> + +<p>"No, sir," replied Julian, emphatically. +"Do you know that I rather like that man? +He reminds me of Mr. Wiggins, and talks exactly +like him."</p> + +<p>"What do you suppose it was that those fellows +saw in that mine?"</p> + +<p>"I give it up. Some of these Western men +are good shots with a revolver, and it seems to +me they might have struck the fellow if they +had had a fair chance at him."</p> + +<p>"But he was a ghost, you know."</p> + +<p>"Oh, get out! If they saw him there, you +can bet that there <i>was</i> somebody there. Some +of the miners had their minds all made up +to see something, and of course they saw it."</p> + +<p>"But how do you account for that 'whiz!' +that he uttered every time he struck with his +pick?"</p> + +<p>"They never heard any 'whiz!' coming +from that man; they only imagined it."</p> + +<p>"Do you think their ears could be deceived, +as well as their eyes?"</p> + +<p>"Jack, I am surprised at you. You are big +<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_200" id="Page_200">200</a></span> +enough and strong enough to whip any ghost +that I ever saw, and yet you are afraid to go +down in that mine!"</p> + +<p>"Wait until we find it, and then I'll show +you whether I am afraid or not. Now, if you +will go on and pay our bill and have our trunk +brought down, I'll go and get a carriage."</p> + +<p>In five minutes this was done, and the boys +were soon on their way to their boarding-house. +<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_201" id="Page_201">201</a></span></p> + +<h2 class="p6">CHAPTER XVI.</h2> + +<h3>GOOD NEWS.</h3> + +<p>For a week after Julian and Jack went to +their new boarding-house they had +much to occupy their attention—so much, indeed, +they did not think of going down to +the telegraph office and "swapping a few +lies" with the chief operator. Their new +home charmed them in every particular. +Mr. Fay had not forgotten that <i>he</i> had been +a boy in the not so very long ago, and the +boarding-house he had chosen for them was +such as he would have chosen for himself. +The boarders were young men who, like themselves, +had come out West to seek their fortunes, +and they were all employed in various +avocations in the city. Jack noticed one +thing, and that was they did not run around +of evenings to any extent; or, if they did, +they went down to the library, where they +spent their time in reading. +<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_202" id="Page_202">202</a></span></p> + +<p>"Do you know that that is something that +strikes me," said Jack one night when they +went upstairs to their room. "We ought to +join the Young Men's Christian Association."</p> + +<p>"Have you forgotten our mine?" asked +Julian.</p> + +<p>"No, I have not; but I don't believe in +going up there in winter. A thermometer +that can change so many times within twenty-four +hours is something that I want to keep +clear of."</p> + +<p>"Well, where is the money to come from?"</p> + +<p>"Humph!" said Jack, who had not thought +of that before; "that's so. Where is it?"</p> + +<p>The first thing the boys thought of, when +they got up the next morning, was to take a +trip to the mountains. Jack was in favor of +walking. It was only twelve miles, and the +amount they would have to pay out for a +horse would keep one of them a week at their +boarding-house. But Julian could not see it +in that light.</p> + +<p>"I tell you, you have never walked twenty-four +miles in a day," remarked the latter. +"I have done it many a time, but I am not +<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_203" id="Page_203">203</a></span> +going to do it now, when there is no need +of it."</p> + +<p>"You act as though you had that money in +your hands already," retorted Jack. "Now, +I'll tell you what's a fact: I am going to have +the same trouble with you that I had in St. +Louis. There won't be any 'old horse' for +you to spend your money on, but you will +squander it in some other way."</p> + +<p>"You will see," said Julian, with a laugh. +"Come on, now; I am going to get a saddle-horse—one +that can take me out there in an +hour."</p> + +<p>Jack reluctantly yielded to his companion, +who made his way toward a livery-stable +which he had seen when they came to their +boarding-house. There they engaged a couple +of saddle-horses which seemed to know what +they were expected to do, for when allowed +the rein they put off toward the mountains, +and went along at a brisk pace. Jack could +not get over grumbling about hiring horses to +do what they could do themselves, but Julian +did not pay the least attention to it. When +they had gone a long distance on the road +<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_204" id="Page_204">204</a></span> +they met a teamster, and of him Jack inquired +how many miles they had yet to travel +to reach their destination.</p> + +<p>"Them mountains?" asked the man, facing +about in his seat. "They are a matter of six +miles from here."</p> + +<p>"If I had a good start for a run I believe I +could jump that far," said Jack.</p> + +<p>"Yes, it does look that way," said the man; +"but it would be a mighty lengthy jump for +you. I guess you are a tenderfoot—ain't +you?"</p> + +<p>"I never was so far West as this in my +life."</p> + +<p>The man had evidently heard all that he +wanted to hear, for he started his team, smiling +and nodding his head as if to say that +Jack would learn more about distances on the +prairie before he had been there long.</p> + +<p>The distance was fully as great as the boys +expected to find it; and, when they drew up +in front of a little hotel in the foothills, the +mountains seemed to be as far off as ever. +The proprietor came to the door, bid them +good-morning in his cheery way, and asked +<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_205" id="Page_205">205</a></span> +if there was anything that he could do for +them.</p> + +<p>"How far off are those peaks from here?" +questioned Jack.</p> + +<p>"Twenty miles," said the man. "You are +not going out there to-day, are you?"</p> + +<p>"Why, the folks in Denver told us that +the mountains were twelve miles away," said +Jack, greatly surprised.</p> + +<p>"Well, you are twelve miles from Denver +now. These little hills here are the beginning +of the mountains."</p> + +<p>"I guess you may feed our horses and give +us some dinner, and then we will go back," +said Julian. "Well, Jack, we've seen the +mountains."</p> + +<p>"Yes, and laid out six dollars for the horses +besides," replied Jack, in disgust. "The +next time you want anything to carry you, we +will go on foot."</p> + +<p>The man laughed heartily as he took charge +of their horses, and the boys went into the +hotel, where they found a fire on the hearth, +and were glad to draw up close to it.</p> + +<p>"I declare, I did not know it was so cold," +<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_206" id="Page_206">206</a></span> +said Julian. "I suppose it is warm enough +in St. Louis. How high is that city above +the sea-level?"</p> + +<p>"I don't know," answered Jack, who could +not get over the feeling that those people in +Denver had played too much on his credulity. +"Twenty miles! I guess we won't go up to +the top of those mountains, yet a while, and +look for California. I wish those horses were +back in the stable where they belong."</p> + +<p>"We will have them back there in three +hours," answered Julian, "and if you don't +want me to hire any more horses, I won't do +it."</p> + +<p>The boys got back to Denver without any +mishap, and after that they were eager to see +the city. Jack did not have anything to +grumble about during the week that followed, +for they went on foot, and there were no +horses hired. Finally, after viewing all the +fine buildings that were to be seen, they +thought of the telegraph operator, and decided +to take him in the next day; so on +Monday they presented themselves at his +office. Mr. Fay was there; and, unlike Mr. +<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_207" id="Page_207">207</a></span> +Wiggins, he did not seem to have much to +do, for he was sitting in an easy-chair, with +his feet perched upon the desk in front of +him, playing with a paper-cutter. The boy +who came forward to attend to their wants +seemed to have made up his mind that Mr. +Fay was the man they wanted to see, and so +he conducted them into his private office.</p> + +<p>"Halloo! boys," he cried, taking down his +feet and pushing chairs toward them; "you +are here yet, are you? Have you been out to +look at your gold-mine?"</p> + +<p>"No, sir," replied Julian; "we could hardly +go out there and come back in a week—could +we?"</p> + +<p>"No, I don't believe you could. I have +been thinking about you," continued Mr. Fay, +depositing his feet on the desk once more, +"and if you know when you are well off you +won't go out there this fall. I was talking +with a man who has come in from Dutch +Flat, and he says it is getting most too cold +up there to suit him. He has made a heap +of money, and has come here to spend it. I +suppose that is what you will be doing when +<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_208" id="Page_208">208</a></span> +you get to work out there—make all you want +in summer, and come here in winter and +spend it."</p> + +<p>"No, sir," asserted Julian, emphatically; +"we have worked hard for what little money +we have, and we know how to take care of it. +I thought it would not make any difference to +us how cold it was if we were working under +the ground; I thought you said something +like that."</p> + +<p>"Certainly, I said so," affirmed Mr. Fay; +"but you will have to take provisions with +you to last you six months. If you don't, +you will get snowed up in the mountains; the +drifts will get so deep that you can't get +through them."</p> + +<p>"I did not think of that," said Julian.</p> + +<p>"Well, you had better think of it, for if +you get up there, and get blocked by drifts, +my goodness!—you will starve to death!"</p> + +<p>"Did you say anything to the man about +our claim up there?"</p> + +<p>"No, I did not, for I did not know where +it was located. I will tell you what you can +do, though. He is going back in the spring, +<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_209" id="Page_209">209</a></span> +and he can assist you in getting everything +you need."</p> + +<p>"We are very much obliged to you for saying +that," responded Jack, who felt that a big +load had been removed from his and Julian's +shoulders.</p> + +<p>"I am only speaking of what I know of +the man," remarked Mr. Fay. "Miners are +always ready to help one another, and I know +he will do that much for you. I will tell you +where you can see him. Do you know where +Salisbury's hotel is?"</p> + +<p>The boys replied that they did not. They +had been all over the city, but did not remember +having seen any sign of that hostelry.</p> + +<p>"Well, I will go with you," said Mr. Fay +"Come around about two o'clock and we'll +start. By the way, that lawyer has got back."</p> + +<p>"What lawyer, and where has he been?"</p> + +<p>"I mean Gibson—the lawyer that you employed +to do your business for you. He has +been to St. Louis."</p> + +<p>"Good enough!" exclaimed Jack. "He +has found out by this time more than we could +tell him." +<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_210" id="Page_210">210</a></span></p> + +<p>"I saw him last night just as he got off the +train, and he desired me to tell you, if I happened +to see you before he did, that he would +be glad to see you around at his office as soon +as you could get there," said Mr. Fay. "So +you can run down there as soon as you please. +You know where he hangs out—don't you?"</p> + +<p>Yes, the boys were certain they could find +his office without any help, and arose and put +on their caps. They told Mr. Fay they would +be sure to come around at two o'clock, to go +with him to call upon the miner who had recently +come from Dutch Flat, bade him good-bye, +and left the office.</p> + +<p>"What do you think of the situation +now?" asked Julian, as they hurried along +toward the place where the lawyer "hung +out." "Are you still sorry that I bid on that +'old horse?'"</p> + +<p>"I only hope there will be no hitch in the +business," said Jack. "If he should ask us +some questions that we could not answer—then +what?"</p> + +<p>"We will tell him the truth," said Julian. +"He can't ask us any questions that we can't +<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_211" id="Page_211">211</a></span> +answer. Claus and Casper could go in on +telling lies, but that way would not suit us."</p> + +<p>As the boys had taken particular note of the +location of Mr. Gibson's office, they went +there as straight as though they had been in +Denver all their lives, ran up the stairs to the +first floor, and opened the lawyer's door. Mr. +Gibson was there, as well as two men whom +he was advising on some law-point they had +brought to him to clear up. When the boys +came in he stopped what he was saying, +jumped up, and extended a hand to each of +them.</p> + +<p>"I was coming around in search of you fellows +as soon as I got through with these men," +said he. "How have you boys been, out here, +so far away from home? Please excuse me +for fifteen minutes or so."</p> + +<p>The boys took the chairs he offered them, +and for a few minutes kept track of what he +was saying; but that did not last long. It was +about a fence that a neighbor of the two men +had built, but which their cattle had broken +down, and they were anxious to get out of a +lawsuit for the field of wheat their cattle had +<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_212" id="Page_212">212</a></span> +ruined. They heard the lawyer advise them, +honestly, that they must either compromise +the matter or get into a lawsuit, in which case +they would have to pay full damages; and +while he was talking to them he proved that +he was a man who could do two things at once. +He opened a drawer and took out two photographs, +which he compared with the boys, one +after the other. It did not take him long to +decide upon this business, and then he devoted +himself to the question of fences again.</p> + +<p>"It is as plain as daylight to me," said he, +as he arose to his feet. "Your cattle broke +the fence down, went in, and ate up the man's +wheat. It was a good, strong, staked-and-ridered +fence, too. There are only two ways +out of it: Yon can either settle the matter +with him, or you can go to law; and if you do +that, you will get beaten."</p> + +<p>One of the men then asked him how much +he charged for his advice, and when he said +"Five dollars," the boys cast anxious glances +at each other. If he charged that way for advising +a man to keep out of law, what price +would he demand for taking care of one hundred +<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_213" id="Page_213">213</a></span> +thousand dollars? Mr. Gibson showed +them to the door, bowed them out, and then +turned to the boys.</p> + +<p>"I ought to have charged that man ten dollars," +he declared, with an air of disgust. +"He is always in a row; he never comes here +to seek advice but that he wants to beat somebody. +Do you recognize these pictures?"</p> + +<p>"Of course I do," replied Julian. "This +is a photograph of me, and that is my signature +on the back; the other one is Jack's."</p> + +<p>"I have been to St. Louis since you were +here," Mr. Gibson went on. "I called upon +the men whose addresses you gave me, and +found out all about you. I tried my best to +find Mr. Haberstro, but could not do it, and +so I have concluded that the money is yours."</p> + +<p>"Everything?" exclaimed Julian. "The +gold-mine and all?"</p> + +<p>"Everything belongs to you," answered +Mr. Gibson; and one would have thought, +from the way in which he announced the fact, +that somebody had left the fortune all to Julian. +"Of course, if Mr. Haberstro ever +turns up you will have to surrender the +<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_214" id="Page_214">214</a></span> +money; but I don't take any stock in his +turning up. Julian, you now have very +nearly twenty thousand dollars coming to +you."</p> + +<p>"But Jack must have half," said Julian, +earnestly. "He has stuck to me like a good +fellow, and I don't know what I should have +done without him."</p> + +<p>"Well, then, that makes you worth ten +thousand dollars apiece."</p> + +<p>Julian drew a long breath and looked at +Jack. The latter leaned his elbows on his +knees, whirled his cap in his hand, and looked +at the floor. +<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_215" id="Page_215">215</a></span></p> + +<h2 class="p6">CHAPTER XVII.</h2> + +<h3>MR. BANTA IS SURPRISED.</h3> + +<p>"You fellows look surprised," said Mr. +Gibson, running his eyes from one to +the other of the boys. "It seems to me, if a +man told me I had that amount of money +coming to me, and that I had ten thousand +dollars where I could draw on it at my leisure, +this room would not hold me; I should +want the whole city to splurge in."</p> + +<p>The boys made no reply. Jack drew his +hand once or twice across his forehead, as if +to brush away some wrinkles, while Julian +got up and walked to the window.</p> + +<p>"You did not expect to get it—did you?" +continued Mr. Gibson.</p> + +<p>"No, sir, we did not," replied Julian; +"but we hoped to get it. We tried our level +best to find Mr. Haberstro, following the advice +of Mr. Wiggins in everything he told us +to do; but he was out of our reach." +<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_216" id="Page_216">216</a></span></p> + +<p>"He is dead, probably," said Mr. Gibson. +"I know just what you tried to do, and all +about it. Of course there will be some law to +go through with before you can step into the +property. Do you wish me to take charge of +it for you?"</p> + +<p>"Oh, Mr. Gibson, we really wish you +would. We know nothing about law, and +consequently we should not know how to act."</p> + +<p>"And do you wish me to take charge of +the rental of your blocks of buildings?"</p> + +<p>"Yes, sir; go on just as you did before, and +when we want money we will come to you."</p> + +<p>"Well, that is a different thing altogether," +said Mr. Gibson, looking down at the floor. +"The twenty thousand dollars that I told you +of is now in the bank, subject to my order. +I guess I had better go up there with you and +have it changed. You can then get money +whenever you want it. By the way, Julian, +Mr. Wiggins sent his kindest regards to you; +and, furthermore, he gave me a letter which +he wished me to hand to you. I've got one +for you, Jack, from your boss; what do you +call him?" +<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_217" id="Page_217">217</a></span></p> + +<p>"Master mechanic," replied Jack.</p> + +<p>Mr. Gibson opened his desk and took out +two letters, which he gave to the boys. The +sight of Mr. Wiggins's handwriting on the +envelope was almost too much for Julian, for +he put the letter into his pocket and walked +to the window again.</p> + +<p>"There is some good advice in those letters, +and I want you boys to follow it out implicitly," +said the lawyer. "You will always +find me here, ready to tell you what to do in +case you get into trouble. You must come +to me or to Mr. Fay every time you get into +a box. But, first and foremost, don't have +anything to do with strangers. There are +some of them who are bound to hear of your +good fortune, and will take every means in +their power to get hold of it. Don't sign +any papers unless you bring them to me."</p> + +<p>"We have already had a little experience +in that line," said Julian, with a smile. +"Claus came up to us and tried to pass himself +off for Mr. Haberstro, and he is the one +who stole our valises on our way here; but he +didn't make anything by it." +<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_218" id="Page_218">218</a></span></p> + +<p>"Yes—I heard all about this man Claus, +and about that friend of yours, Casper Nevins. +You know enough to steer clear of such fellows +in future. Now, if you are all through, +we'll go up to the bank."</p> + +<p>The boys followed Mr. Gibson out of the +office, along the street, turning three or four +corners, until they reached the bank. He +did not have any business to do with the man +who stood behind the desk counting out the +money, but he simply asked him,</p> + +<p>"Is E. A. in?"</p> + +<p>"Yes, sir; he is in his private office," replied +the cashier.</p> + +<p>The boys did not know who E. A. was, but +they found out a moment later, for the lawyer +led them into the presence of the president of +the bank. He was gray-headed and wore a +pair of gold spectacles, but he stopped his +work and shook Mr. Gibson warmly by +the hand. He looked curiously at the boys, +but when the lawyer began his story, talking +very rapidly, for there was a card hung +up over his desk which said on it, "This +is my busy day," he laid down his pen +<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_219" id="Page_219">219</a></span> +and glanced at Julian and Jack with some +interest.</p> + +<p>"And you want the twenty thousand dollars +changed, so that it will be subject to their +order?" said he.</p> + +<p>"Yes, sir, that is my errand up here."</p> + +<p>The president got upon his feet and walked +into the room where the cashier was. When +he went, the boys had not more than ten dollars +in their pockets that they could call their +own; when he came back, they had a small +fortune coming to them.</p> + +<p>"It is all right," said he. "And which of +you boys was it who bid on the 'old horse?'" +he continued, extending a hand to each of +them. "You are the one? Well, my son, +remember that there is an end to your money +somewhere, and if you go to work and spend +it all without waiting for some more to come +in, the end of it is not far off. I wish you +good luck."</p> + +<p>The boys retraced their steps to the cashier's +desk, and the transfer of the property from +Mr. Gibson's order to their own was easily +completed. Mr. Gibson signed a check, the +<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_220" id="Page_220">220</a></span> +boys attached their names to a big book +which was thrust out at them, and then the +cashier wanted to know if they needed any +money.</p> + +<p>"We would like about one hundred dollars +apiece," said Julian.</p> + +<p>"Very well; make out a check for it and +sign your names to it, and you can get it all +right. You will find the checks there on that +desk."</p> + +<p>The boys accordingly made out their checks +for the money, and Mr. Gibson stood watching +them, smiling to himself when he saw how +the boys' hands trembled, and how anxious +they were to have everything correct. The +money was paid on the checks, and Julian +and Jack put it into their pockets.</p> + +<p>"You got it, didn't you?" said the lawyer.</p> + +<p>"Yes, sir; thanks to you, we have got it," +said Julian. "Mr. Gibson, I can't begin to +tell you how much we thank you——"</p> + +<p>"Oh, that is all right," said the lawyer, +opening the door of the bank; "only, don't get +into a fuss and lose it all."</p> + +<p>"When we came here," continued Julian, +<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_221" id="Page_221">221</a></span> +"we had no money at all; now see how different +it is! I assure you that we are not +going to get into any fuss. The money is +safe where it is."</p> + +<p>"Well, let it stay there. I am pretty busy +this morning, so I beg that you will excuse +me. Good-bye."</p> + +<p>The lawyer hurried away, and Julian stood +a little on one side of the door of the bank, +one hand thrust into his pocket where he had +placed the bills, and his eyes fastened upon +Mr. Gibson as long as he remained in sight.</p> + +<p>"Say, Jack," said he, suddenly; "I don't +believe Mr. Gibson had any right to give us +this money."</p> + +<p>"He hadn't?" exclaimed Jack. "Why, it +was his."</p> + +<p>"No, it was not; it belongs to that Haberstro +estate. It seems to me he ought to have +got an order from the court before giving any +of the money up to us."</p> + +<p>"Perhaps he has an order," said Jack.</p> + +<p>"Then why did he not say something about +it? I would like to know when the court +sits. If the Judge finds any blundering in +<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_222" id="Page_222">222</a></span> +the business, why, then we are up a stump. +What will we do if this man Haberstro comes +up, all on a sudden, and tells us he wants this +hundred dollars?"</p> + +<p>"Whew!" said Jack; "I did not think of +that."</p> + +<p>"But Mr. Gibson probably knew what the +decision of the court was going to be or he +would not have done this," added Julian, after +a moment's pause. "I guess we are all right, +but I shall feel better when we have all that +property in our hands."</p> + +<p>Julian wished now, when it was too late, +that he had not spoken to Jack about this. +During the dinner hour he was unusually +silent and thoughtful, and the landlady's +questioning could not get a word out of him. +He would arouse up long enough to reply, +and then he would fall to thinking again.</p> + +<p>"I will never tell you another piece of news +as long as I live," said Julian, as they went +up to their room to get ready to accompany +Mr. Fay to call on the miner. "You always +have enough to say at dinner, but to-day you +were as solemn as an owl." +<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_223" id="Page_223">223</a></span></p> + +<p>"I could not help it," said Jack. "If that +man who owns this property turns up here, I +tell you we shall be in a fix. We shall spend +this before the winter is over, and how are we +to get a hundred dollars to pay him? I'll +speak to Mr. Gibson about that the next time +I see him."</p> + +<p>"I believe that would be a good plan," said +Julian, after thinking the matter over. "I'll +bet you that he has some good reason for it."</p> + +<p>In due time the boys arrived at Mr. Fay's +office, and found him ready to accompany +them. All he said was that he was going out +for half an hour, and if anybody came to see +him he was to be told that he would soon be +back; and then he set off, with his long +strides, to lead the way to Salisbury's hotel. +The boys found it as much as they could do to +keep up with him.</p> + +<p>"I guess you have been a messenger-boy in +your day," said Julian.</p> + +<p>"I was a messenger-boy for six years," replied +Mr. Fay. "Of course I did not want to +hold that position all my life, so I learned +telegraphy at odd times, and got my promotion +<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_224" id="Page_224">224</a></span> +as fast as I was qualified for it, until at +last I got where you see me now. That's the +way that young men ought to do—look out for +promotion."</p> + +<p>"We received good news down there at Mr. +Gibson's office," continued Julian.</p> + +<p>"I knew you would. Have you the property +all in your hands?"</p> + +<p>"No; there is some law-business to go +through with, first. We told Mr. Gibson to +go ahead with it, as he did before."</p> + +<p>"That was the best thing that you ever +did," said Mr. Fay, earnestly. "Gibson is an +honest man, even if he is a lawyer, and you +will get every cent that is coming to you. +Now, then, here we are. You will find this +rather a different hotel from the one you first +stopped at when you came here, but the old +fellow makes lots of money out of the miners. +There is nobody stays here except those who +have shovelled dirt."</p> + +<p>Mr. Fay opened the door as he spoke, and +the boys speedily found themselves in the +living-room of the hotel. Before they had +time to look around them the chief telegraph +<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_225" id="Page_225">225</a></span> +operator walked up and laid his hand upon +the shoulder of a man who sat with his back +to him.</p> + +<p>"You are here yet, are you, Banta?" +said he.</p> + +<p>"Yes," replied the miner, looking up to see +who it was that accosted him. "I am on hand, +like a bogus coin made out of iron pyrites; +you can't get rid of me."</p> + +<p>"I have brought some boys with me who +would like to know something about the mines +at which you are working," said Mr. Fay; +and he proceeded to introduce Julian and +Jack.</p> + +<p>Banta speedily proved that he was a gentleman, +for he straightway got upon his feet to +shake hands with the boys.</p> + +<p>"All right," said the miner; "if anybody +can tell them about Dutch Flat, I am the +man."</p> + +<p>"They are going to stay here this winter, +and go out with you next spring," Mr. Fay +went on.</p> + +<p>"All right," said the miner, again; "I will +put them where they can dig gold so fast that +<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_226" id="Page_226">226</a></span> +you won't see anything but gold coming out +of the pit."</p> + +<p>"But they have a gold-mine up there +already."</p> + +<p>"They have? Where is it located?"</p> + +<p>Mr. Fay could not answer this question, so +he stood aside and waited for Julian to tell +him the whereabouts of the mine. The boy +began by asking him,</p> + +<p>"Do you know the mine that Winkleman +used to work when he was here?"</p> + +<p>Mr. Banta started, and looked at Julian to +see if he was in dead earnest. The boy gazed +fixedly at him, and the miner finally settled +back in his chair and pulled himself down until +his neck rested on the back of it.</p> + +<p>"Of course I know that mine," said he. +"You don't think of working there, do +you?"</p> + +<p>"We thought some of trying it," replied +Julian.</p> + +<p>"Pete, what do you think of that?" asked +Mr. Banta, pushing his hand against the +shoulder of the man who sat nearest him, with +his eyes closed, as if he were fast asleep. +<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_227" id="Page_227">227</a></span> +"Here are two boys going up to Dutch Flat +next spring to work the Winkleman mine."</p> + +<p>"Well," replied Pete, without lifting his +head, "I am glad I am not going up there."</p> + +<p>"Are the ghosts so awful thick up there?" +asked Julian, who felt his courage oozing out +at the ends of his fingers.</p> + +<p>"You know something about it—don't +you? The ghosts are so thick up there that +you can't go down in the mine to shovel a +bucketful of dirt without scaring some of +them up."</p> + +<p>"Well, you will have to excuse me," said +Mr. Fay. "I should like to see what those +ghosts are, but my work calls me. You will +take charge of the boys next spring, will you, +Mr. Banta?"</p> + +<p>"Sure I will; but they are plumb dunces +if they try to work that mine. I will go +with them as far as I can, and the balance +of the way they will have to depend on themselves."</p> + +<p>Mr. Fay said he believed they could do +that, opened the door and went out, and Julian +and Jack were left alone. +<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_228" id="Page_228">228</a></span></p> + +<h2 class="p6">CHAPTER XVIII.</h2> + +<h3>GRUB-STAKING.</h3> + +<p>"Sit down," said Banta, pushing chairs +toward the two boys with his foot; "I +want to talk to you about that mine. What +loon has been so foolish as to grub-stake +you?"</p> + +<p>"Grub-stake us?" repeated Julian, for the +words were quite new to him.</p> + +<p>"Yes; he does not expect to get his money +back again very soon. I mean the fellow who +has furnished you with grub and tools, and +such things, to work the mine with."</p> + +<p>"We never heard that before; we did not +know there was anybody who <i>could</i> grub-stake +us."</p> + +<p>"Say, Pete, what do you think of that?" +said Banta, once more pushing the man who +sat nearest him. "Here are a couple of +tenderfeet, come away out West from—where +did you come from?" +<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_229" id="Page_229">229</a></span></p> + +<p>"From St. Louis; this is as far West as we +have ever been."</p> + +<p>"Here are a couple of tenderfeet from St. +Louis who didn't know that they could get +anybody to grub-stake them," continued Banta. +"What do you think of that?"</p> + +<p>Pete, who had by this time got his wits +about him, straightened up, pushed his hat on +the back of his head, and regarded the boys +with some curiosity. Julian and Jack looked +at him, too, and concluded that he and Banta +were partners in working a mine. He was +roughly dressed, but there was a good-natured +look about him that made the boys take to +him at once. There were other men, dressed +as miners, in the room, and they all seemed to +be interested in the conversation.</p> + +<p>"Then I reckon I shall have to tell you +about this grub-staking business," said Banta, +squaring around in his chair so as to face the +boys. "You are going to lay in a supply of +things yourselves, I suppose?"</p> + +<p>"Yes, we are; and we shall have to depend +on you to tell us what to get."</p> + +<p>"Well, there is plenty of time between this +<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_230" id="Page_230">230</a></span> +and spring, and we will have time to talk that +over afterward. Now, about this grub-staking +business. There are lots of fellows who +come out here who haven't got the money to +enable them to go prospecting, and what do +they do but hunt up some fellow who is willing +to buck against a hole in the ground, and +get their provisions and tools of him. He +gets half of what they make. The men stay +out there until they have eaten up all their +provisions and then come in; and if they have +had good luck, so much the better. But if +they have wasted their time in looking for +gold where there wasn't any to be found, why, +so much the worse; that man is just so much +out of pocket.</p> + +<p>"Well, along in '90 Pete and me struck +this very town, and we flew so light that we +couldn't hardly stay on the ground. We +didn't have enough to buy our next meal +with; but we struck a gang whom we knew, +and headed along with them for the gold +country. Of course we had nothing, but we +managed to strike a grub-stake and went +prospecting up there behind Dutch Flat. +<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_231" id="Page_231">231</a></span> +We lit into that rock and dirt, working like +beavers, but the sign didn't come right. It +looked well enough at the start, but it did +not pan out much. We stuck to it for nearly +three months, and then concluded that we +had better go down and get another grub-stake +and strike in somewhere else. So I +stayed up there alone, and Pete went down +and brought up the man that employed us. +He looked at the hole, liked the looks of it, +and wanted us to go farther; but Pete and I +couldn't see it in that light. One word +brought on another, and he offered us three +hundred dollars for the hole."</p> + +<p>"For the hole!" exclaimed Julian. "And +there was not a sign of gold about it?"</p> + +<p>"Now, hold on till I tell you," returned +Banta. "There was a little sign of gold +about it, but there was not enough to pay +Pete and me for digging. We snapped him +up quicker'n a flash, and what does that man +do? He went down to Dutch Flat, brought +up his tools, and set in to working the hole, +and before he had gone two feet farther he +struck the richest vein you ever clapped your +<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_232" id="Page_232">232</a></span> +eyes on. He took sixty thousand dollars out +of it. Now, some of you fellows talk about +hard luck. If any of you can beat that story, +I'll give you what little I made on Dutch +Flat this summer."</p> + +<p>"That <i>was</i> hard luck, I must say," said +Julian. "And you lacked only two feet of +being rich?"</p> + +<p>"Only just two feet," returned Banta, +"We might have been running around now +with two niggers to drive the team—one +dressed as a coachman and the other as a +footman. Pete didn't get over pulling his +hair for a month after that."</p> + +<p>"But we are going to stake ourselves next +summer," said Julian. "If we lose, it will +come out of our own pockets. Have you +been anywhere near this mine that we are +going to work?"</p> + +<p>"What do you think of that, Pete?" exclaimed +Banta. "He wants to know if we +have been near his mine. Not much! I'll +bet there are two hundred miners on Dutch +Flat this minute, and not one of them has +ever seen that mine. They have heard about +<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_233" id="Page_233">233</a></span> +it, they know there is plenty of gold up there, +but nobody has ever been near it. The last +two that went up there came away so badly +frightened that they packed up and left the +country so quick that you could not see them +for the dust they kicked up along the trail. +They saw something down there in the pit, +and it took all the pluck out of them."</p> + +<p>"What did they see?" asked Julian.</p> + +<p>"Well, perhaps I was a little too fast in +saying that they saw something," said Banta. +"They heard something, and that was as good +as though they had seen it. It first began +with a scurrying on the ground, as if somebody +was hurrying over it. Where it came +from nobody knew; it seemed to fill the air +all around them. Before they had time to +get frightened at this there was a shriek that +made it appear as if the pit was full of unearthly +spirits, and then all was still; but the +fellows had heard enough. The man down +below yelled to his partner to pull him up, +and when he found himself safe on top he +laid down on the ground and swore he would +never go down there again. Oh, you boys +<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_234" id="Page_234">234</a></span> +have something to face, if you are going up +there!"</p> + +<p>"Could not the sound they heard have +been occasioned by bats that had been disturbed +while trying to take a rest?" asked +Julian. "He had a light, of course."</p> + +<p>"Bats!" exclaimed Banta, with deep disgust; +"it was a great deal larger than bats. +And he could have seen them if he had a +light, could he not?"</p> + +<p>"And, besides, bats don't shriek that way," +said a miner who had not spoken before. +"There used to be a miner who was working +that pit along with Winkleman——"</p> + +<p>"You hold your yawp," exclaimed Banta, +fiercely; "I am telling the boys nothing but +facts. I want them to know just what they +have to face. I don't go into any of this +cock-and-bull story about a dead miner. If +that man died up there, and was buried, he's +there yet, and he can't come out to work in +the pit any more."</p> + +<p>"What about him?" asked Julian. "We +want to know everything connected with the +mine, then we will be prepared for anything." +<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_235" id="Page_235">235</a></span></p> + +<p>"But this thing is not connected with the +mine," said Banta; "it is some sort of a story +the miners have, and there is not a word of +truth in it. They tell about a miner being +seen there by everyone who goes down, and +when you try to get up to him, he is not there. +He goes farther and farther away every time +you approach him."</p> + +<p>"We have heard that story before," said +Julian, with a smile; "Mr. Fay knows all +about it."</p> + +<p>"Then of course you don't believe it. I +have told you the truth about the mine, and +now you can go up with me next spring or +stay away, just as you have a mind to."</p> + +<p>"Oh, we will go with you," said Julian. +"I never was interested in any property yet +that I was afraid to work just on account of +some things you could not see. When we +bid you good-bye at Dutch Flat we shall +know what there is in that mine before we +come back."</p> + +<p>"I like your pluck," said Banta; and the +look of admiration he bestowed upon Julian +more than confirmed his words. "If you +<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_236" id="Page_236">236</a></span> +live up to that, I hope you will get some +gold."</p> + +<p>"They say that gold is plenty up there," +said another miner. "They say it is lying +around under your feet."</p> + +<p>"And you never went there to get it!" exclaimed +Julian with surprise.</p> + +<p>"It isn't as thick as that," said Banta. +"Probably every bucketful you send up to be +washed will yield you from ten to fifty dollars. +You will get rich at that rate."</p> + +<p>"Well, I guess we have troubled you long +enough," said Julian, rising to his feet. "We +are really obliged to you, Mr. Banta, for offering +to take charge of us, although we are +nothing but tenderfeet. There are no Indians +out there, are there?"</p> + +<p>"Indians!—no; and if there were some on +the warpath, we have miners enough up there +to make them hunt their holes."</p> + +<p>"I am glad of that; we don't want anything +to do with those savages, after what we +have read about them. We will see you again, +Mr. Banta."</p> + +<p>"Do so, and the next time I will tell you +<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_237" id="Page_237">237</a></span> +what things you want to buy, to make your +enterprise successful. Good-morning."</p> + +<p>"There's two boys that have gone plumb +crazy," said one of the miners, after the door +had closed upon Julian and Jack. "I wonder +how they got that mine, in the first +place?"</p> + +<p>"The boys are bound to get gold there, if +they can stick it out," said another. "One +of the men who came down from there showed +me a piece of metal as big as a marble, which +he had picked up on the bottom of that pit; +but the trouble is, can they stick it out?"</p> + +<p>"I believe <i>they</i> will," said Banta, settling +down in his chair once more. "That boy +who did most of the talking is one who has +plenty of 'sand' to see him through. After +they get fairly settled, I believe I'll go up +and see how they are getting along."</p> + +<p>"Then you will go without me," said Pete; +"I am as close to that mine as I want to be."</p> + +<p>"Well, Jack," said Julian, as he buttoned +his coat, "what do you think of our mine? +Shall we go up and try it? The miners all +think there is gold up there." +<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_238" id="Page_238">238</a></span></p> + +<p>"We will have plenty of time to talk about +that between this time and spring," returned +Jack. "Mr. Haberstro may come up before +we get ready to start, and demand his money."</p> + +<p>"I have no fears on that score," replied +Julian. "Did not the lawyer say that he did +not look for that? But, Jack, I really believe +you are afraid of that mine."</p> + +<p>"You need not be. When we get up +there, and get things fixed, I will be the first +to go into it."</p> + +<p>"All right. I'll stand back and let you. +Now, Jack, what are we going to do this winter? +We can't sit around all the time without +something to occupy our minds."</p> + +<p>"I have been thinking about that. Let us +call on Mr. Fay, and see what he says."</p> + +<p>Julian thought this a piece of advice worth +acting upon, and they bent their steps toward +Mr. Fay's office, where they found him seated, +as before, with his feet on the desk in front +of him. When he saw who his visitors were, +he jumped up hastily and seized each of them +by the arm with a firm grip.</p> + +<p>"Oh, boys, you surely haven't made up +<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_239" id="Page_239">239</a></span> +your minds to go up to that mine next spring, +have you?" he asked, almost in a whisper.</p> + +<p>"Why, yes, sir," said Julian, somewhat +surprised by the man's actions. "I reckon it +is ours, and we want to see what gold is to be +found in it."</p> + +<p>"But think of the ghosts you will have to +contend with," said Mr. Fay. "You will +hear scurrying of feet—What was that?" +he continued, looking toward a distant part of +his office and pulling the boys around in front +of him. "I am certain there is a ghost there."</p> + +<p>Julian and Jack began to see into the matter +now. The man was so full of his fun that +he could not keep it in under any circumstances, +and it had come to the surface when +he saw the boys come into his office. Perhaps +a lingering smile around his mouth had something +to do with it.</p> + +<p>"I don't believe you heard any ghost +there," said Julian; "they are so busy up +there at the mine that they have no time to +come down here to trouble you."</p> + +<p>"All right, boys; sit down. What did +Banta say the spirits looked like?" +<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_240" id="Page_240">240</a></span></p> + +<p>Julian replied that he could not tell, for he +had not seen them; and with this as an introduction +he went on and repeated the miner's +conversation as nearly as he could recall it. +Mr. Fay listened, highly amused, and when +Julian ceased speaking he said,</p> + +<p>"If you can see them, what's the use of +your being afraid? And as for that phantom +miner, that happened a long ways from here. +I ought to be kicked for trying to frighten +you."</p> + +<p>"It will take something more than that to +scare us out," said Julian. "Now, Mr. Fay, +we want to ask your advice."</p> + +<p>"I am ready to give it. Do you want to +invest some property in a gold-mine?"</p> + +<p>No; Julian assured him that it had no +reference to their property, which was not +theirs yet until the court had passed upon it, +but it was in regard to their going to school +in order to learn something. Mr. Fay was +all attention now, and when Julian spoke of +joining some mercantile academy, he slapped +his hands down upon his knees as if that was +the best thing the boys could do. +<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_241" id="Page_241">241</a></span></p> + +<p>"I have no fears that your money will not +prove useful to you," said he; "the idea of +your wanting to go to school is a big feather +in your caps. Some young men, with such +an amount of money as you have coming to +you, would loaf around and do nothing until +their funds were all gone; but you don't act +that way. Believe me, there is an end to that +hundred thousand dollars somewhere."</p> + +<p>"That is just what the president of the +bank told us when we called upon him," said +Julian. "We have worked so hard for the +little money we have that we intend to take +care of it. But, Mr. Fay, we don't believe +that Mr. Gibson did right in giving us these +funds."</p> + +<p>"What's the reason you don't?"</p> + +<p>"Why, he said he would have to get word +from the court before all the property could +be turned over to us—"</p> + +<p>"Oh, that's all right; Mr. Gibson knew +what he was doing. You will find it all +right when the Judge hears the case. Now, +do you know where the business college is +situated?" +<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_242" id="Page_242">242</a></span></p> + +<p>Julian was not so sure about that, but he +received certain instructions from Mr. Fay +that made him think he could find it; so the +boys put on their caps and went out. +<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_243" id="Page_243">243</a></span></p> + +<h2 class="p6">CHAPTER XIX.</h2> + +<h3>GOING TO SCHOOL.</h3> + +<p>"Is the boss mechanic anywhere about?" +asked Jack, who chanced to be the first +who entered the college when they found it.</p> + +<p>They had opened a door, and found themselves +in one of the study-rooms of the school. +There were fifty men and women there, all interested +with their books, and the best of order +prevailed. A young man, whose seat was near +the door, on seeing that the boys were strangers, +had arisen and asked them what he could +do for them.</p> + +<p>"The boss mechanic?" he repeated, in a +surprised tone.</p> + +<p>"He means the man who is at the head of +this institution," said Julian. We want to see +him for a few minutes, if you please."</p> + +<p>"Oh, yes," said the young man, as he +gave Jack a looking over. "I guess you have +worked at manual labor all your life." +<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_244" id="Page_244">244</a></span></p> + +<p>"Yes, I have," replied Jack; "I have done +nothing but lift heavy iron for a good many +years, and now I want to find an easier way +of making a living."</p> + +<p>"You have come to the right place to find +it. Step this way."</p> + +<p>The student led the way around the room, +passing close to the scholars, some of whom +merely glanced up, others paying not the least +attention to them, until he opened a door and +ushered them into a private office. He introduced +the boys as persons who had come there +to see the "boss mechanic," and then went +out; while a pleasant-faced, elderly gentleman +replied that he was the "boss mechanic" of +that school, and asked them what they wanted. +Jack, who had made a blunder by the first +question he asked, remained silent, leaving +Julian to do all the talking.</p> + +<p>"We want to get an education," said Julian.</p> + +<p>"Well, that is what this school can give +you," said the man. "What do you want to +study?"</p> + +<p>"Stenography and type-writing." +<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_245" id="Page_245">245</a></span></p> + +<p>"And you?" he added, turning to Jack.</p> + +<p>"Bookkeeping and writing; I write a fearful +hand."</p> + +<p>The superintendent, having made a start +with the boys, invited them to sit down, and +in a few minutes he learned something of the +boys' history, and what occupation they had +been engaged in previous to coming to Denver. +Without telling him anything of their +circumstances, they chanced to mention the +names of Mr. Fay and Mr. Gibson, and after +that Julian thought he seemed to take more +interest in them. After a little conversation +the boys pulled out their roll of bills and paid +for six months' instruction and the books they +would need, and then arose to go, after telling +him they would be on hand in the morning, +ready to go to work.</p> + +<p>"I'll tell you what's a fact," said Jack, +pausing on the stairs and pulling out his diminished +roll of bills; "we will have to go +to the bank and get some more money, the +first thing you know."</p> + +<p>"That is so," replied Julian. "And I have +just thought of another thing. Did you see +<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_246" id="Page_246">246</a></span> +how neatly all those students were dressed? +I am going to draw two hundred dollars—"</p> + +<p>"Man alive!" said Jack, appalled by the +sum mentioned. "Suppose Mr. Haberstro +comes up—"</p> + +<p>"I don't bother my head about him. We +will go and get some money, and then we will +go to a tailor's and get some clothes worth +having. If Mr. Haberstro is going to appear, +Mr. Gibson will show us the way out."</p> + +<p>Jack was not convinced by any means, but +he kept close by Julian's side until he reached +the bank. Julian made out the check for him +and he signed his name, and the money was +paid to each of them without a word of protest. +Jack felt a little uneasy after that. He +did not like to have so much money about +him. He carried his left hand in the pocket +where he had placed the bills, and looked +at every roughly-dressed man he met, as if he +were afraid that somebody would rob him.</p> + +<p>"I don't feel exactly right," said he to Julian. +"As soon as we get home I'll put this +money in my trunk, and then I know it will +be safe." +<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_247" id="Page_247">247</a></span></p> + +<p>"Don't keep your hand on it all the while, +or you will lead somebody to suspect something," +said Julian. "Now, here is a tailor +shop; let us go in and see what we can do."</p> + +<p>Jack fairly gasped when Julian said he +wanted the finest suit of clothes there was in +the store. He wanted two suits—one for every +day and one for Sundays. Of course the +merchant was eager to show them to him, and +the result was that he ordered the best suits +he had ever had in his life. Jack did not believe +in expensive clothes, but Julian urged +it upon him, telling him that he would look +as though he came from the country among +all those nicely-dressed students, and Jack +finally yielded to him.</p> + +<p>"That's the worst expenditure of money +that I was ever guilty of," said he, when they +were fairly on the street.</p> + +<p>"Grumbling again, are you?" was Julian's +comment. "Never mind; you will get used +to it after a while."</p> + +<p>The next thing the boys had in view was +to join the Young Men's Christian Association, +so that they could get some books to take +<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_248" id="Page_248">248</a></span> +home with them; and when that was done +they considered themselves settled for the +winter. They went to school the next day, +and from that time until spring opened they +never missed a lesson. Jack was rather awkward +at first. The hands which had been in +the habit of lifting heavy bars of iron could +not accommodate themselves to a pen very +readily; and oftentimes, when Julian sat in +his room, of nights, reading, Jack was there +learning to write. No two boys ever behaved +themselves better than they did, and it was +not long before they became favorites, both +with the boarders and others who came there +to visit. Jack soon got used to his fine clothes, +and wore them as if he had been accustomed +to them all his life. They took an evening +now and then to call upon Mr. Banta, and +they always found him as talkative as ever. +Sometimes they became so interested in his +tales of life in the gold-camps that it was ten +o'clock before they returned home. Mr. Fay +and Mr. Gibson also came in for visits occasionally, +and once the latter took out a bundle +of papers, which he handed to Julian. +<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_249" id="Page_249">249</a></span></p> + +<p>"What are these?" he asked.</p> + +<p>"They are your property," said the lawyer. +"You can keep the papers yourself, or +you can let me keep them, and I will put +them in my till in the bank."</p> + +<p>"Do you mean that all comes to us?" inquired +Julian, while a thrill shot all through +him.</p> + +<p>"Yes, sir; the court decided so a week +ago."</p> + +<p>"Jack," said Julian, turning to his companion, +"are you sorry, now, that I went to +the express office and invested in that 'old +horse'?"</p> + +<p>Jack could not say anything. He remembered +how he had scolded Julian for that, +and he did not want it thrown up to him so +often. Julian then went on and told Mr. +Gibson what had happened in their room the +night he brought the "old horse" home, and +the lawyer laughed loudly at his description +of it.</p> + +<p>"Mr. Gibson, we really wish you would +take charge of this matter for us," said Julian. +"You hope so, too—don't you, Jack?" +<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_250" id="Page_250">250</a></span></p> + +<p>"Of course; we don't know what to do +with it."</p> + +<p>And so the matter was settled, and the boys +breathed a good deal easier while they were +on their way home. There was one thing +that often came into their minds, and that +was, What had become of Claus and Casper +Nevins? Had they given up all hopes of +gaining possession of that hundred thousand +dollars? Jack scouted the idea. Casper +might have given it up, but Claus would +stick to his idea until he got into jail by it. +He was not a man who gave up so easily. It +is true they had not seen anything of him +since they came to Denver, but Jack was +sure they would hear from him at some other +time.</p> + +<p>"You will see," exclaimed Jack, when he +confided his opinions to Julian. "You want +to be on the watch, or the first thing you +know he will jump down on us."</p> + +<p>"I guess Mr. Gibson can shut him up very +easily," said Julian.</p> + +<p>"Yes; but it may happen when Mr. Gibson +is not around." +<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_251" id="Page_251">251</a></span></p> + +<p>"Eh? Do you mean that he will come +down on us while we are up at the mine?"</p> + +<p>"Such things as that have happened. +When you see a German you want to look +out."</p> + +<p>Things went along in Denver as they usually +did, and when winter fairly opened on +them the boys thought they had never experienced +such cold weather before. But it did +not interfere with their business in any way. +It was not long before Mr. Banta began to +talk to them about the things that would be +necessary for them to have if they were going +to operate their mine successfully, and the +boys had a lengthy list of things they would +have to buy. They thought they could get +along without some of them, but Banta assured +them that everything they had down +would be of use to them sooner or later. As +time wore on, the prospect of leaving Denver +and going off to the mountains alone, where +they were destined to encounter some risks +that they did not know whether they could +stand up against or not, made the boys silent +and thoughtful. In Denver they had friends—they +<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_252" id="Page_252">252</a></span> +were sure of that; but when they got +out to their mine they would be left all to +themselves, and Julian and Jack did not +know what they would make of it. Jack had +less to say about it than his companion, but it +was plain enough to see that he was not going +to back out.</p> + +<p>"I tell you I hate to go away and leave all +the kind friends we have gathered about us," +said Julian, as they left Salisbury's hotel +after Mr. Banta had told them that by two +weeks from Monday they must be on hand +bright and early, all ready to start for the +mountains. "I wish I knew what was in +that mine."</p> + +<p>"So do I; and the only way we can find +out is to go and see," replied Jack. "I don't +believe in ghosts, but I have heard so much +about the things up there in that mine that I +am almost ready to give in to them."</p> + +<p>There was another thing that Jack thought +of, although he did not mention it. Julian +had always been one of the first to talk about +going to the mine, and he was ready to accuse +Jack of cowardice; but when the time for +<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_253" id="Page_253">253</a></span> +their departure drew near, Julian did not +open his mouth. Jack thought of that, but +said nothing.</p> + +<p>Mr. Banta told them, finally, that they had +better go to work and get their things ready, +and they set about it in earnest. The first +thing they did was to take leave of the students +at the college. The boys were all sorry +to see them go, and the superintendent said +he hoped Julian and Jack had given up the +idea of a gold-mine, for they were getting on +so rapidly in their studies that he trusted to +see them complete the course. He predicted +they would come back poorer than when they +went away. He had heard of such things +before; and, after the young men had eaten +up all their provisions, they would be glad to +find somebody to grub-stake them back to +Denver.</p> + +<p>"You will see us back here in the fall," +said Julian, confidently. "We are not going to +give up our chances of learning something."</p> + +<p>"But you may meet your death up there," +said the superintendent. "I have often heard +of such things." +<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_254" id="Page_254">254</a></span></p> + +<p>"I was awfully afraid you were going to +say something about the ghosts in our gold-mine," +said Jack, as they went down the +stairs. "You looked at me several times +as though you wanted to say something +about it."</p> + +<p>"It was right on the end of my tongue," +said Julian, "but I thought I had better keep +still about it. If we should come back here +before fall, they would say right away that +we had been frightened out and dared not go +back."</p> + +<p>Mr. Banta was busy getting his own things +together, but he found time now and then to +overlook the boys' expenditures. Under his +instructions they bought three horses,—two +of them for riding, the other intended as a +pack-horse to carry their utensils,—and then +he led the boys away to a gun-shop, where +they were to purchase rifles.</p> + +<p>"Look here, Mr. Banta," said Julian; "we +don't need anything in here. We have got a +revolver apiece, and, if the truth must be told, +we have spent a good deal of time in practicing +with them." +<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_255" id="Page_255">255</a></span></p> + +<p>"What good will a revolver do you?" +asked Banta, greatly surprised. "If we +chance to meet any Indians——"</p> + +<p>"But you told us there were no Indians," +said Julian. "We don't want to shoot at +anybody unless they are close at hand. +Maybe they will come in handy on the +ghosts, you know."</p> + +<p>"Well, you don't know anything about the +plains—I can see that, plain enough. If you +think revolvers are going to do you, why, I +am done with you."</p> + +<p>"Then we have purchased everything we +want, have we?"</p> + +<p>"I think so. Be on hand on Monday morning, +because we shall be off before the sun +gets an hour high."</p> + +<p>The boys drew a long breath when they +heard this. If they had not talked so much +about visiting their mine it is probable that +both of them would have backed squarely out. +<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_256" id="Page_256">256</a></span></p> + +<h2 class="p6">CHAPTER XX.</h2> + +<h3>WATERSPOUTS AND BLIZZARDS.</h3> + +<p>"Hi! Nellie; get on, there! Strike a +trot! We won't get to the mountains +in seven years, at this gait."</p> + +<p>It was Mr. Banta who spoke, and he emphasized +his remarks by making the whip he +carried in his hand crack loudly. The old, +white bell-mare pricked up her ears and +slowly quickened her pace, closely followed +by all the pack-mules and horses belonging to +the train.</p> + +<p>"That old pack-mare knows where we are +going as well as we do," said Banta, squaring +around and throwing his leg over the horn of +his saddle so that he could face the two boys +whom he was addressing. "She has been up +here so often that she knows every foot of the +way. If we get hard up for deer meat, all we +have to do is to take her bell off, and then we +can go twenty miles out on the prairie, and +<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_257" id="Page_257">257</a></span> +she will bring us back home again. You +can't get lost if you are on her."</p> + +<p>"Why do you take the bell off when you +want to go hunting with the mare?" asked +Julian of Mr. Banta, who, by reason of his +age and experience, acted as leader of the +company. "Does the noise of the bell +frighten the game?"</p> + +<p>"That is one reason," replied Banta; "and +the other is, we don't want all the pack-mules +and horses to follow us. Wherever they hear +the bell, they will go to it. If we were on +the other side of a wide river, even though it +was swimming-deep, and some of these mules +don't like water any too well, and should +sound that bell a few times, they would all +come over. If anything should happen to +that old bell-mare, and she should die, we'd +send a man on with that bell, and the mules +would follow him wherever he went."</p> + +<p>It was Monday morning, and the sun was +just rising. The cavalcade had been on its +way for two hours, for they left the hotel, +amid wishes for good luck from all who saw +them go, at the first peep of day. They went +<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_258" id="Page_258">258</a></span> +directly past the hotel at which Julian and +Jack had stopped to eat dinner when they +first came there, and were now alone in the +foothills which arose on all sides of them. +There were at least a dozen miners in the +company, and they had all set out for Dutch +Flat in the hope of digging up a fortune before +the winter's storms overtook them. Julian +and Jack were there, dressed in rough +miners' clothing, and the horse which bore +their provisions and tools was with the others +who were following the bell-mare.</p> + +<p>Anybody could see at a glance that these +boys were tenderfeet, and they did not attempt +to deny it. Every other miner had a +heavy Winchester slung at his back, while +the only firearms the boys exhibited were +Smith & Wesson revolvers, which they carried +strapped to their waists. They did not +look forward to the future with as brave +hearts as most of the miners did. They could +not get the idea out of their minds that the +gold they wanted to find was protected by +something which they did not want to see. +The miners now and then cast curious looks +<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_259" id="Page_259">259</a></span> +at them, to see if they were not afraid of the +prospect before them, but finally came to the +conclusion that the boys were "going through +with it." The miners were happy, and sang +rude songs and cracked jokes with each other; +but the boys were busy with their own +thoughts, and took no part in what was going +on around them.</p> + +<p>"And I don't blame them, either," said one +miner, in a low voice, to his companion. "I +wouldn't take any part in the singing if I +were in their place. They are brave enough +now, but wait until they have been up to that +mine about two days; then we will see them +at our camp, frightened to death."</p> + +<p>"Banta has rather taken them under his +care, judging by the way he keeps watch over +them," said the other miner.</p> + +<p>"Yes; he was made acquainted with them +by some high man in Denver, and so he keeps +an eye on them. But he can't go up to their +mine with them. More than that, those +ghosts will not stop for him or anybody else."</p> + +<p>Julian and Jack were not accustomed to +being in the saddle from daylight until dark, +<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_260" id="Page_260">260</a></span> +and the ride was long and wearisome to them. +They stopped at noon to eat their lunch and +to let their animals crop the grass for a few +minutes; but their packs were never removed +from them until they halted for the night at +a place which showed that there had been a +camp before. Lean-to's were scattered around, +partly unroofed by the storms of winter, and +remnants of fires were to be seen; and Banta +said that no one had been there since he and +his party made the camp last fall.</p> + +<p>"We made this camp while we were going +down to the city," said he. "It was raining +when we stopped here, and that accounts for +the lean-to's. We had a waterspout that +night, this little stream was filled twenty feet +deep, and some of us began to look wild."</p> + +<p>"A waterspout?" queried Jack. "What is +that?"</p> + +<p>"Why, I don't know that I can describe it +so that you can understand it," answered +Banta, scratching his head. "It is caused by +the large quantity of water that sometimes +falls among the hills up-country, and when it +all rushes into these ravines—well, you can +<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_261" id="Page_261">261</a></span> +imagine how it looks, but I cannot describe it. +This stream has not much water in it now—you +can step across it anywhere; but I have +seen it bank full from rains in the up-country, +while there was not a drop of it fell here. I +remember that night. I was sound asleep in +a lean-to. I had told the boys that before +morning we would have to get farther up the +bank or run the risk of having some of our +things carried off, and about midnight I awoke +with a feeling that there was something going +on. You don't know anything about that, +do you? Well, you wait until you have +acted as guide for two or three mule-trains, +and then you'll know it. Everything depends +upon you to see that the train comes +out all right.</p> + +<p>"I could not go to sleep again when once I +woke up, and so I arose and went out. It +was still raining heavily, but the brook didn't +show much sign of it. I placed myself on +the edge of the bank, and hardly had I got +there before a long, creamy wave, which extended +clear across this gully, crept with a +hissing sound across the sand and rocks. +<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_262" id="Page_262">262</a></span> +Following with equal speed, and about a hundred +feet behind it, was another wave, an unbroken +mass of water at least five feet in +height. It was not rounded into a wave, as +at sea or on the lakes, but rose sheer and +straight, a perfect wall of water. I knew +that in five minutes this little creek would be +brim full, so I raised a yell and awoke everybody +in camp. The men I had with me were +all veterans, and there was no need that I +should explain matters. They took just one +look at the water, and then grabbed their +things and made a rush for the high bank +behind the lean-to's. After placing them +where they would be safe, they came back +and made a rush for the horses. Pete, there, +caught the bell-mare, and by dint of pulling +and boosting we finally got them to that level +spot you see up there."</p> + +<p>Mr. Banta pointed to the bank, which +seemed almost as straight as the side of a +house, and the boys looked on with perfect +astonishment.</p> + +<p>"How in the world did you get the mules +and horses up there?" inquired Julian. +<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_263" id="Page_263">263</a></span></p> + +<p>"A man can do a heap of things when he +is working for his life and for things that he +can't afford to lose," said Banta, with a laugh. +"Pete has a heap of strength in those arms +of his, and when I get hold of a mule's tail +and begin to twist it, he goes somewhere as +soon as he can. We got them up easy enough, +and there we stayed for two whole days, until +the water had all passed away. We didn't +lose so much as a pound of bacon. But if I +had been asleep, like the rest of the fellows +were, we would have had a time of it; somebody +would have had to swim for his life, and +the current ran like lightning, too."</p> + +<p>"I did not know you had to look out for +water on the plains," remarked Julian. "Is +there anything you don't stand in fear of out +here? You see, we want to know it all."</p> + +<p>"Well, a waterspout is one thing, and a +blizzard is the next," said Banta. "I mean a +blizzard where the clouds send down chunks +of ice at you as big as your fist. Oh, you +needn't laugh. Look at that."</p> + +<p>Banta stripped up his leggings, and showed +the boys a long, ragged scar which he had received +<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_264" id="Page_264">264</a></span> +in one of the commotions of nature referred +to. The wound must have been a dangerous +one.</p> + +<p>"And the worst of it was, I did not have a +doctor look at it for two weeks," Banta went +on. "You see, I was out alone, and making +the best track I could for the fort. The sky +had all along been hazy, and on this day I had +to go across the Twenty-mile desert, where +there was not a willow-twig big enough for me +to get under. When I was about half-way +over it began to rain, and in less than an hour +afterward the blizzard came a-ripping. My +horse and mule were made so frantic by the +pelting of the ice that I finally let them go; +but before I released the horse I took my +knife and cut the saddle and blankets off him. +What did I do that for? Because I was too +cold to use my fingers. I settled down there +on the prairie, put the saddle and blankets +over my head, and waited for the storm to +cease; but before I did that, there came a big +bunch of ice and struck me on the leg. I +never had anything hurt so bad in my life."</p> + +<p>"How long did you have to stay there?" +<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_265" id="Page_265">265</a></span> +asked Jack. "I hear that some of these storms +last two or three days."</p> + +<p>"This one lasted one day, and I was glad +to see the ice quit dropping. I was thirty +miles from the fort, and I'll bet I didn't do +two miles of walking in all that distance. I +left everything except my weapons and +crawled all the way. This is the saddle, right +here."</p> + +<p>"I should keep that for the good it had +done," said Julian. "Your saddle probably +saved your life."</p> + +<p>"It will stay with me while I live," said +Banta, casting an affectionate look upon the +article in question. "Now, boys, suppose you +get ready and chop some wood and start the +fire. I'll take the things off the animals and +straighten up the lean-to. You boys don't +know how to make a lean-to, do you? If you +take a good look at this one, you will see how +it is done."</p> + +<p>There was one satisfaction the boys had in +listening to Mr. Banta's stories—they were +true, every word of them. If any of the +"boys" tried to make things different from +<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_266" id="Page_266">266</a></span> +what they were, Banta always shut them up. +That was the reason the boys thought so much +of him, and anything he had to say in regard +to working their mine was always listened to +with the keenest interest.</p> + +<p>The change that a few experienced men +made in that deserted camp in a short time +was wonderful. Every stroke of the axe +counted for something, and every step the +men made to and from the places they had +chosen to make their beds seemed to count for +something else; so that by the time Julian +and Jack had cut wood enough to last them +all night the lean-to's were covered with fresh +boughs, those who did not choose to sleep +under shelter had their beds made up under +the protecting branches of trees, the animals +were staked out, and two of the cooks were +busy getting supper. It was all done without +the least commotion, for each man knew what +his duty was.</p> + +<p>"If a rain-storm was coming up you +couldn't have made this camp quicker," said +Julian. "It beats the world how soon men +can get ready for the night." +<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_267" id="Page_267">267</a></span></p> + +<p>"Yes, but that comes from experience, you +know," said Banta. "Do you know that I +have been thinking of something? When we +get up to Dutch Flat, and you get ready to +go up to your mine, I believe I will go with +you."</p> + +<p>"That's the best piece of news I have heard +for a long time," declared Julian, who was delighted +beyond measure. "We don't ask you +to go down in the mine, you understand, but +if you will just stay there until we get things +fixed you will confer a great favor upon us."</p> + +<p>"Yes, I guess I had better see to your wants +a little," said Banta. "You are tenderfeet, +you have never lived alone in the mountains, +and perhaps I can tip you a wink now and +then that will be of use to you. You will need +the mine cleared away—it has all grown up to +grass by this time—and you will need a windlass +and a lean-to; and maybe I can be of assistance."</p> + +<p>"I know you can; and of great assistance, +too. I tell you, I feel easier. I have often +wondered how that mine looked, and how we +were going to get it in shape to work it, but I +<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_268" id="Page_268">268</a></span> +don't worry about it now. We are much +obliged to you for your offer."</p> + +<p>"Oh, that's all right. I remember that I +was a boy myself, and any such little help as +I have offered you would have been a regular +blessing to me. Now let us go and see if +supper is ready."</p> + +<p>Supper was almost ready, and the neat +manner in which it was served up, and the +way it was cooked, told the boys that if the +miners could always get such food as that, +they could work their claims to the best possible +advantage.</p> + +<p>"Can we help you a little?" said Julian to +one of the cooks after the meal was over and +the man began gathering up the dishes.</p> + +<p>"What a-doing?" asked the cook.</p> + +<p>"We want to help you wash the dishes," +said Julian.</p> + +<p>"Why, bless you, that's no trouble. There +is only one way you can help us, and that is +by sitting by and looking on. I never yet +saw a tenderfoot that didn't get in the way. +You will have enough of it to do when you +get up to that ghost-haunted mine of yours +<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_269" id="Page_269">269</a></span> +and have to cook your own meals. You had +better take my advice," said the cook, in a +lower tone, "and stay down on Dutch Flat +with us. There are no spirits down there."</p> + +<p>"But it is ours, and I don't see why we +can't work it," replied Julian. "If there is +anybody there, we will make him show himself."</p> + +<p>"You will see," said the cook, going to the +camp-fire for a bucket of water. "The next +time we see you, you will be all ready to go +back to Denver."</p> + +<p>The cook struck up a whistle as he began +washing the dishes, and the boys, taking this +as a gentle hint that he would rather be +alone, walked off to another fire which had +been kindled in the upper end of the camp. +All the miners were gathered about there, and +each one of them had a story to tell about +some wonderful "find" which he had almost +struck, and then ceased digging because he +was discouraged by the way the gold "showed +up." Banta was there, and after relating +three or four stories of his own, he began to +stretch and yawn as though he were sleepy, +<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_270" id="Page_270">270</a></span> +and finally arose and went into his lean-to. +The boys followed him, hoping he would say +something more about going up to their mine +with them; but he talked on other topics +until he got into bed, and then he became +silent. He had already decided what he +would do when they reached Dutch Flat, and +there the matter ended. +<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_271" id="Page_271">271</a></span></p> + +<h2 class="p6">CHAPTER XXI.</h2> + +<h3>THE CAMP AT DUTCH FLAT.</h3> + +<p>The boys slept as comfortably as if they +had been at home in their boarding-house. +It is true their blankets were rather +hard, and their pillows were not as soft as +they might have been, being simply their +saddles with nothing but the horse-blankets +over them, but they never knew a thing from +the time they went to bed until they heard +Mr. Banta's voice roaring out "Catch up!"</p> + +<p>They found all in the camp busy. Some +were raking the embers of the fire together, +others were getting ready to cook breakfast, +but most of them were engaged in packing +the animals. This last was a task that the +boys always wanted to see, for the operation +was so complicated that they did not think +they could ever learn how to do it. The +mules were blinded, in the first place, so that +they could not kick when the heavy pack +<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_272" id="Page_272">272</a></span> +was thrown upon their backs, and the man +on the near side, who seemed to "boss" the +business, placed his foot against the mule's +side and called lustily for the rope which the +other fellow held in his hands.</p> + +<p>"You have more rope there, and I know +it," was the way in which he began the conversation.</p> + +<p>"Here you are," said his companion, and +the rope was passed over the pack to where +the other fellow was waiting to receive it.</p> + +<p>"Come, let's have a little more rope," repeated +the first man.</p> + +<p>"There's oceans of it here, and you can +have all you want of it."</p> + +<p>"Are you all fast there?"</p> + +<p>"I will be in a minute. Here's your end."</p> + +<p>"All fast here. Now let us see him kick +it off," said the first man; whereupon a dexterous +twist tore off the blinders, and the +mule was free to go and join his companions. +It was all done in two minutes, and the pack +was safe to last until the train halted for the +night.</p> + +<p>"Come on, boys," said Mr. Banta, turning +<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_273" id="Page_273">273</a></span> +to Julian and Jack, who stood, with towel and +soap in their hands, watching the operation of +packing the animals. "You must get around +livelier than this. When you get to digging +out gold by the bucketful you won't wait to +wash your faces or get breakfast; you'll be +down in that mine before the sun is up."</p> + +<p>"Are we not going to eat at all?" asked Julian, +who was amused at the man's way of telling +them that they would be so anxious to find +the gold that they would not spend time to +cook their meals.</p> + +<p>"Yes, I suppose you will have to eat sometimes, +but you will hold your grub in one +hand and use the spade with the other."</p> + +<p>The miners were in a hurry, now, to resume +their journey, and it took them about half as +long to eat breakfast as they devoted to their +supper. Five minutes was about the time they +applied themselves to their meal, and when +Mr. Banta arose from his seat on the ground +and drew his hairy hand across his mouth to +brush away the drops of coffee that clung to +his mustache the miners all arose, too. In less +time than it takes to tell it they were all in +<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_274" id="Page_274">274</a></span> +their saddles and under way, and when they +stopped again for the night they were in a +camp which they had occupied on the way +down to Denver. Mr. Banta was as talkative +as usual, and when he had got his pipe going, +and had taken three or four puffs to make +sure that it was well started, he began his +round of stories, which the boys were always +ready to listen to.</p> + +<p>They were all of a week in making their +journey; and about three o'clock in the afternoon, +when the old bell-mare struck a trot, +Mr. Banta turned to Jack and gave him a +poke with his finger.</p> + +<p>"We are almost home," said he, joyfully. +"I don't suppose this will seem like home to +you, but it does to me, for it is the only home +I have."</p> + +<p>"Do you never get tired of this business?" +asked Julian. "I should think you would +like to go back to the States, where you belong."</p> + +<p>"How do you know that I belong in the +States?" asked Mr. Banta.</p> + +<p>"I judge by your way of talking, as much +<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_275" id="Page_275">275</a></span> +as anything. You were not raised in this +country—I am certain of it."</p> + +<p>"Well, I will go back when I get enough."</p> + +<p>"How much do you call enough?"</p> + +<p>"Half a million dollars."</p> + +<p>Julian and Jack opened their eyes and +looked surprised.</p> + +<p>"I've got three hundred thousand now in +the bank at Denver."</p> + +<p>"Then you are not so badly off, after all. +I think I could live on the interest of that +much."</p> + +<p>"There are some objections to my going +back," said Mr. Banta, looking off toward the +distant mountains. "When I get back there +I will have to settle down to a humdrum life, +and there won't be nothing at all to get up a +little excitement. Here the thing is different. +We live here, taking gold in paying quantities +all the time, and the first thing we know +we hear of some new placers, which have been +found somewhere else, that make a man rich +as fast as he can stick a shovel into the +ground. Of course we pack up and go off to +find the new placers. We have a muss or +<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_276" id="Page_276">276</a></span> +two with some outlaws, and when we get rid +of them we go to work and find out that there +is nothing there."</p> + +<p>"Then you wish yourself back at Dutch +Flat," said Jack.</p> + +<p>"That's the way it happens, oftentimes. It +is the excitement that keeps us a-going. +Now, in the States I would not have any of +that."</p> + +<p>"Did you find many outlaws in this country +when you first came here?"</p> + +<p>"They were thicker than flies around a +molasses barrel," answered Mr. Banta. "But +we have got rid of them all, and your life is +just as safe here as it would be in St. Louis. +Whenever we go to a new country, the outlaws +are the first things we look out for. +There's the camp, all right and tight, just as +we left it."</p> + +<p>The camp covered a good stretch of ground; +but then Mr. Banta had not told them that +there were fully two hundred miners in it, +and of course such a multitude of men, where +nobody owned the land, would spread over a +good deal of territory. The boys had a fine +<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_277" id="Page_277">277</a></span> +opportunity to take a survey of the first +mining camp they had ever seen. They were +surprised at the neatness of it. Things in the +shape of old bottles or tin cans were not scattered +around where somebody would stumble +over them, but such articles were thrown into +a ravine behind the camp, out of sight. The +most of the miners had erected little log +cabins to protect them from the storms of +winter, and the others had comfortable lean-to's +which served the same purpose. Most of +the men were busy with their mines, but there +were three or four of them loafing about, and +when the noise made by the pack-animals +saluted their ears they turned to see who was +coming. One glance was enough; they +pulled off their hats and waved them by way +of welcome.</p> + +<p>"Well, if here ain't Banta!" they all exclaimed +in a breath. "Did you drop your +roll down at Denver and come back to get +more?"</p> + +<p>"Nary a time," replied Mr. Banta, emphatically. +"We got just what we could +eat and drink, and that is all the money we +<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_278" id="Page_278">278</a></span> +spent. Who has passed in his checks since I +have been gone?"</p> + +<p>(This was a miner's way of asking "Who's +dead?")</p> + +<p>"None of the boys who are here shovelling +for gold," said the man, coming forward to +shake hands with Mr. Banta, "but those four +outlaws who came up here from Denver to +deal out some whiskey and start a faro bank +could tell a different story, if they were here."</p> + +<p>"They did not get a foothold here, did +they?" asked Mr. Banta.</p> + +<p>"I'll bet they didn't. We hardly gave +them time to unpack their goods before we +jumped on them and spilled their traps on +the ground. One of the bums grew huffy at +that, and he took a wounded arm down for +the doctor to bandage up."</p> + +<p>"Have any of the boys made their pile?"</p> + +<p>"Some have, and some have not. Tommy +Moran has struck a vein with sixty thousand +dollars in it, and has been loafing around for +the last two months, doing nothing. He +went out to-day to see if he can get some +more. He wants to go home, now." +<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_279" id="Page_279">279</a></span></p> + +<p>"I should not think he would like to +travel between here and Denver with that +amount of money about him," said Mr. +Banta.</p> + +<p>"Well, there will be plenty more to join in +with him when he is ready to go. The discouraged +ones number a heap. The sign +looks right, but the paying-stuff don't pan +out first-rate. Some are going home, and the +rest are going off to hunt up new diggings."</p> + +<p>Having briefly got at the news of what had +been going on at the camp while he had been +away, Mr. Banta led the way toward his own +log cabin, which was fastened up just as it +was when he left it. There was one bed, +made of rough boards, an abundance of dishes, +a fireplace, and one or two chairs, and that +was all the furniture to be seen. But Mr. +Banta thought his cabin just about right.</p> + +<p>"It don't matter how hard it rains or +blows, this little house has sheltered me for a +year, and has got to do so until my vein gives +out. Now, boys, catch the pack-animals and +turn them over to me, and I'll soon make +things look as though somebody lived here." +<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_280" id="Page_280">280</a></span></p> + +<p>Julian and Jack managed to secure the +pack-animals by catching the bell-mare and +leading her up to the door of the cabin, and +it was not long before the bundles which they +had borne for two hundred miles were placed +on the ground, and Mr. Banta was engaged +in carrying the things into his house. He +unpacked all the bundles except the one that +belonged to the boys, and that would not be +opened until they reached their mine.</p> + +<p>"Are you fellows decided on that matter +yet?" he asked. "Had you not better stay +with us here on the Flat? We will promise +you that no spooks will trouble you here."</p> + +<p>"The more you talk about that mine, the +more determined we are to see what is in it," +answered Jack. "You need not think you +can scare us out in that way."</p> + +<p>"I like your pluck, and if you are determined +to go there, why, I am going with you. +It is only five miles, and we can easily ride +over there in two hours."</p> + +<p>"Where is it you are going?" asked one of +the miners, who stood in the doorway unobserved. +<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_281" id="Page_281">281</a></span></p> + +<p>"You know that haunted mine, don't +you?"</p> + +<p>"Great Moses! You ain't a-going up +there!" said the man; and as he spoke he +came into the cabin and sat down in one of +the chairs.</p> + +<p>"The boys are going there, and I thought +I would go with them to see them started," +said Mr. Banta. "The mine is all grown up +to grass, because there hasn't been anybody +up there for some time now."</p> + +<p>"No, I should say not!" exclaimed the +miner, as soon as he had recovered from his +astonishment. "Are the boys plumb crazy? +I tell you, lads, when you see——"</p> + +<p>"Tony, shut your mouth!" cried Mr. +Banta. "The boys won't see anything, but +they'll hear something that will take all the +sand out of them. I have talked to the boys +many times about that mine, during the past +winter, but they have their heads set on it, and +I don't see any other way than to let them go."</p> + +<p>"Well, if we hear anything, there must be +something that makes the noise," asserted +Julian. +<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_282" id="Page_282">282</a></span></p> + +<p>"It will be something that you can't see," +said the miner, shaking his head and looking +thoughtfully at the ground. "Two fellows +went up there since I knew the mine, and +when they got down to the bottom of the pit +they were so frightened that they came down +here as fast as they could and struck out for +Denver. They were both big, stout men, and +were armed with Winchesters and revolvers. +If they had seen what made the noise, they +would have been apt to shoot—wouldn't +they?"</p> + +<p>"I should think they would," answered +Jack.</p> + +<p>"Will you go down into the mine when +you get there?" asked the man, turning to +Mr. Banta.</p> + +<p>"Not much, as anybody knows of," declared +the latter, shivering all over. "The +ghosts don't bother anybody working at the +top, so I shall get along all right."</p> + +<p>"Well, that puts a different look on the +matter," remarked Tony, evidently much relieved. +"Then I shall expect to see you +back in two or three days." +<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_283" id="Page_283">283</a></span></p> + +<p>"Yes, I'll be back by that time," asserted +Mr. Banta; and he added to himself, "if anything +happens to the boys after that, why, I +shall be miles away."</p> + +<p>This was the first time that Mr. Banta had +anything to say to the miners about what he +intended to do when he reached Dutch Flat, +but it was all over the camp in less than five +minutes. The miner went slowly and thoughtfully +out of the cabin, as if he did not know +whether it was best to agree to his leader's +proposition or not, and it was not long before +the men who were busy with things about +their houses came up in a body to inquire +into the matter. They were filled with astonishment; +and, furthermore, they were anxious +to see the boys who were going to take +their lives in their hands and go up to work +that pit, from which strong men had been +frightened away. And it was so when six +o'clock arrived, and the men all came in to get +their supper. Some of the miners declared +that it was not to be thought of, and some said +that if Mr. Banta was bound to go, they would +go with him to see that he came out all right. +<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_284" id="Page_284">284</a></span></p> + +<p>"You see what the miners think of this +business," remarked Mr. Banta, as he began +preparations for their supper. "They think +you are out of your heads."</p> + +<p>"Well, you will not see anything of it, because +you won't go into the mine," said Jack.</p> + +<p>"You are mighty right I won't go into the +mine," declared Mr. Banta, looking furtively +about the cabin, as if he expected to see something +advancing upon him. "We will go up +there and put the pit all right, and then you +will have to work it."</p> + +<p>"I wonder if there is any gold up there?" +asked Julian.</p> + +<p>"There is more gold up there than you +can see in Dutch Flat in a year's steady digging. +The men who have been down in the +mine say so."</p> + +<p>"Well, when we come back you may expect +to see us rich," said Julian, compressing +his lips. "And you may be sure that the +spooks won't drive us out, either."</p> + +<p>This was all that was said on the subject—that +is, by those in the cabin; but when the +men had eaten their suppers they all crowded +<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_285" id="Page_285">285</a></span> +into it, and the stories that would have been +told of ghosts interfering with miners who +tried to take away their precious belongings +would have tested the boys' courage; but Mr. +Banta did not allow them to go on.</p> + +<p>"As I told these boys down at Denver, I +am telling them nothing but facts in regard +to this mine, and I want you to do the same," +said he. "Don't draw on your imagination at +all."</p> + +<p>Before the miners returned to their cabins, +it came about that the boys were going to +have a small army go with them on the morrow. +At least a dozen miners declaimed their +readiness to go with Banta "and see him +through," and Banta did not object.</p> + +<p>"The more, the merrier," said he, when +they had been left alone and he turned down +his bedclothes. "Now, you boys can spread +your blankets on the floor in front of the fire +and go to sleep; I will have you up at the +first peep of day." +<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_286" id="Page_286">286</a></span></p> + +<h2 class="p6">CHAPTER XXII.</h2> + +<h3>THE HAUNTED MINE.</h3> + +<p>Mr. Banta kept his word the next +morning, for the day was just beginning +to break when he rolled out on the floor +and gave the order to "Catch up." All the +miners were astir soon afterward; but there +was no joking or laughing going on in the +camp, as there usually was. The men went +silently about their work of cooking breakfast, +or sat smoking their pipes in front of the +fire, for their thoughts were busy with that +mine up in the mountains. Even the talkative +Mr. Banta had nothing to say. He +seemed to have run short of stories, all on a +sudden.</p> + +<p>"Say, Julian," remarked Jack, as they +stood by the stream washing their hands and +faces, "why don't Banta talk to us the way he +usually does? I'll bet he is thinking about +what is going to happen to us." +<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_287" id="Page_287">287</a></span></p> + +<p>"I was just thinking that way myself," replied +Julian. "But we have gone too far to +back out; we have got to go on."</p> + +<p>"Of course we have. I wouldn't back out +now for anything."</p> + +<p>Breakfast was cooked and eaten, and the +same silence prevailed; and that same silence +did more to shake the boys' courage than all +that had been said against their mine. Mr. +Banta answered their questions in monosyllables, +and when he had satisfied his appetite +he put the dishes away unwashed and went +out to catch his horse.</p> + +<p>"Take hold of the bell-mare and lead her +up the path," said he, addressing the miners +who were getting ready to accompany him. +"We have to take her and all the stock +along, or the boys' pack-horse won't budge +an inch."</p> + +<p>The miners were talkative enough now, +when they saw the boys getting ready to start +on their journey. They crowded around +them, and each one shook them by the hand.</p> + +<p>"Good-bye! kids," said one. "The next +time I see you, you will be so badly scared +<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_288" id="Page_288">288</a></span> +that you won't be able to tell what happened +to you up there; or, I sha'n't see you at all. +I wish you all the good luck in the world, +but I know that will not amount to anything."</p> + +<p>"Do you think they can whip all these +men?" asked Jack, running his eye over the +miners, who were getting on their horses and +making ready to go with Mr. Banta.</p> + +<p>"That ain't the thing; you won't see anybody; +but the sounds you will hear when you +get fairly on the floor of that pit you will +never want to hear again."</p> + +<p>The bell-mare was caught and led along +the path, the stock all followed after her, and +the miners brought up the rear. Then Mr. +Banta opened his mouth and proceeded to talk +all the way to the mine.</p> + +<p>"You boys may come along here pretty +sudden, some time, and if you don't find +Dutch Flat you will stray off into the mountains +and get lost; so I will just blaze the way +for you."</p> + +<p>As Mr. Banta spoke he seized a handful +of the branches of an evergreen and pulled +<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_289" id="Page_289">289</a></span> +them partly off, so that they just hung by the +bark.</p> + +<p>"Now, whenever you see that, you are on +the right road," said he; "but if you don't +see it, you had better turn back and search for +a blaze until you find it."</p> + +<p>For once the boys did not pay much attention +to Mr. Banta's stories, for their minds +were fully occupied with their own thoughts. +At last—it did not seem to them that they +had ridden a mile—the man with the bell-mare +sung out "Here we are!" and led the +way into a smooth, grassy plain which seemed +out of place there in the mountains, and to +which there did not appear to be any outlet +except the one by which they had entered it. +It was surrounded by the loftiest peaks on all +sides except one, and there the plain was +bounded by a precipitous ravine which was so +deep that the bottom could not be seen from +the top. Near the middle of the plain was a +little brook, placed most conveniently for +"washing" their finds, which bubbled merrily +over the stones before it plunged into the +abyss before spoken of; and close on the other +<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_290" id="Page_290">290</a></span> +side were the ruins of the mine—a strong +windlass, which had hauled up fifty thousand +dollars' worth of gold—and the rope that was +fast to the bucket, or rather to the fragments +of it, for the bucket itself had fallen to pieces +from the effects of the weather, and lay in +ruins on the ground. Still farther away stood +the lean-to—firmly built, of course, but not +strong enough to stand the fury of the winter's +storms. Taken altogether, a miner could +not have selected a more fitting camp, or one +better calculated to banish all symptoms of +homesickness while they were pulling out the +gold from the earth below. Mr. Banta kept +a close watch on the boys, and saw the pleased +expression that came upon their faces.</p> + +<p>"I know it looks splendid now, but it will +not look so before long," said he, with a +knowing shake of his head. "Now, boys, let +us get to work. We want to get through +here, so as to get back to Dutch Flat to-night."</p> + +<p>The miners unsaddled their horses, grabbed +their axes and spades, and set in manfully to +make the "mine all right," so that the boys +<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_291" id="Page_291">291</a></span> +could go to work at it without delay. Some +repaired the lean-to, others laboriously cleared +the mouth of the pit from the grass and brush +which had accumulated there, and still another +brought from the boys' pack the new +bucket and rope which they expected would +last just about long enough for one of them to +go down and up—and they were positive that +the boy would come up a great deal faster than +he went down. The boys did not find anything +to do but to get dinner, and they were +rather proud of the skill with which the +viands were served up.</p> + +<p>"I didn't know you boys could do cooking +like this," said Mr. Banta, as he seated himself +on the grass and looked over the table—a +blanket spread out to serve in lieu of a cloth. +"If the cooking was all you had to contend +with you could live like fighting-cocks as long +as you stay here."</p> + +<p>"We had hardly enough money to pay for +a housekeeper while we were in St. Louis, and +so we had all this work to do ourselves," said +Julian. "You must give Jack the credit for +this. We kept bachelor's hall while we were +<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_292" id="Page_292">292</a></span> +at home. He cooked, and I swept out and +helped wash the dishes."</p> + +<p>"Now, boys," said Mr. Banta, after he had +finished his pipe, "I guess we have Julian +and Jack all ready to go to work whenever +they feel like it. Look over your work, and +see if there is anything you have missed, and +then we will go back to Dutch Flat. I tell +you, I hate to leave you up here in this sort +of a way."</p> + +<p>"You need not be," said Jack. "If you +will come up here in two weeks from now, we +will have some gold-dust to show you."</p> + +<p>Mr. Banta did not say anything discouraging, +for he had already exhausted all his +powers in that direction. He inspected all +the work, to satisfy himself that it was properly +done, and then gave the order to +"catch up."</p> + +<p>"Of course your stock will go back with +us," said he. "You could not keep them here +away from that old bell-mare."</p> + +<p>"That was what we expected," said Julian; +"we may be so badly frightened that we won't +think to bring our weapons with us." +<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_293" id="Page_293">293</a></span></p> + +<p>"I am not afraid to say that I'll risk that," +said Mr. Banta, leaning over to shake Julian +by the hand. He told himself that the +miner's heart was in that shake. It was very +different from the clasp of the hand that he +gave him when he was first introduced to him +in Denver. "Good-bye, Julian. That is all +I can say to you."</p> + +<p>The other miners rode up to take leave of +them, and all looked very solemn. Some +had a parting word to say, and some shook +them by the hand without saying anything, +the man with the bell-mare led off, the stock +followed, the miners came last, and in two +minutes more they were alone. Julian sat +down on the grass feeling lonely indeed, but +Jack jumped up and began to bestir himself.</p> + +<p>"Come on, boy—none of that!" said he, +beginning to gather their few dishes together. +"We must get these things out of the way +and I must get ready to go into that mine."</p> + +<p>"Are you going down to-day?" asked Julian. +The time had come at last. For long +months Julian had talked about going down +into that mine—not boastingly, to be sure, but +<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_294" id="Page_294">294</a></span> +he had said enough to make people believe +he would not back out, and now the opportunity +was presented for him to do as he had +agreed. "Why can't you let it go until to-morrow?"</p> + +<p>"Because I am just ready to go now," said +Jack; and there was a determined look on his +face which Julian had never seen there before. +"I am fighting mad, now, and to-morrow +I may be as down-hearted as you are."</p> + +<p>"Do you think I am afraid?" exclaimed +Julian, springing up and beginning to assist +his chum. "I'll show you that I am not! +If you want to go first you can go, and I will +go the next time."</p> + +<p>Julian went to work with a determination +to get the dishes done as soon as possible. +When they had got them all stowed away +where they belonged, Jack stopped to roll up +his sleeves, examined his revolver, which he +strapped to his waist, lighted his lamp, and +led the way toward the mine without saying a +word. Julian gave a hasty glance at him and +saw that his face was as calm as it usually was, +and he began to take courage from that. +<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_295" id="Page_295">295</a></span></p> + +<p>"It looks dark down there, does it not?" +asked Julian, leaning on the windlass and +peering down into the pit.</p> + +<p>"It is dark enough now, but it will be +lighter when I get down there with my lamp," +replied Jack. "Now, Julian, are you sure +you can hold me up?"</p> + +<p>"Of course I can. If I can't, we had better +get another man up here."</p> + +<p>Jack stopped just long enough to shake +Julian by the hand, then seized the rope and +stepped into the bucket, his partner holding +the windlass so that he would not descend too +rapidly. Slowly he went down, until finally +the bucket stopped.</p> + +<p>"All right!" called Jack; and his voice +sounded strangely, coming up from thirty +feet underground. "This hole is bigger +down here than it is at the top. Somebody +has cut away on each side to try to find gold," +and at last he started off toward the gully.</p> + +<p>Julian leaned over the pit and followed his +companion's movements by the light of his +lamp. He saw him as he went around to the +"false diggings," and finally his lamp disappeared +<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_296" id="Page_296">296</a></span> +from view as Jack went down toward +the ravine. His face was very pale; he listened +intently, but could not hear that rustling +of feet nor that moaning sound that had +frightened two men away from there, and his +courage all came back to him.</p> + +<p>"I wonder what those men were thinking +of when they started that story about this +mine being haunted?" Julian muttered to +himself. "There is nothing here to trouble +anyone."</p> + +<p>Hardly had this thought been framed in +Julian's mind than there came a most startling +and thrilling interruption. The boy was +leaning over the pit with his head turned on +one side, so that he could hear any unusual +sounds going on below, and all of a sudden he +sprang to his feet and acted very much as +though he wanted to go below to Jack's assistance. +He distinctly heard that rustling of +feet over the rocks below, some of them made +by Jack as he ran toward the bucket, and the +other by something else that made Julian's +heart stand still. And with that sound came +others—moans or shrieks, Julian couldn't tell +<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_297" id="Page_297">297</a></span> +which—until they seemed to fill the pit all +around him. This lasted but a few seconds, +and then came the report of Jack's revolver +and the sound was caught up by the echoes +until it appeared to Julian that a whole battery +of artillery had been fired at once.</p> + +<p>"There!" said Julian, greatly relieved to +know that Jack had seen something to shoot +at. "I guess one ghost has got his death at +last!"</p> + +<p>A moment afterward came Jack's frantic +pull on the rope, accompanied by his frightened +voice—</p> + +<p>"Pull me up, Julian! For goodness' sake, +pull me up!"</p> + +<p>Julian jumped for the windlass and put +every atom of his strength into it. At first +the resistance of the bucket was just about +what it would have been if Jack had stepped +into it; but suddenly the resistance ceased, the +crank was jerked out of his hand, and Julian +was thrown headlong to the ground.</p> + +<p>"What was that?" exclaimed the boy, regaining +his feet as quickly as he could. +"Jack, did you fall out of the bucket?" +<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_298" id="Page_298">298</a></span></p> + +<p>There was no response to his question. He +leaned over and looked into the pit; but +Jack's light had gone out, and everything +was silent below. The rustling of feet had +ceased, the moans had died away, and the +mine was as still as the grave.</p> + +<p>"Something has happened to Jack!" exclaimed +Julian, running to his lean-to after +his revolver and lamp. "I am going down +there to see about it if all the ghosts in the +Rocky Mountains should be there to stop +me!"</p> + +<p>Julian worked frantically, and in less time +than it takes to tell it he was ready to go down +to Jack's help. He hastily unwound the rope +until all the length was out except the extreme +end, which was fastened to the windlass by a +couple of staples, and swung himself into the +mine. He went down much faster than Jack +did, and when he reached the bottom he let +go his hold on the rope, and, holding his revolver +in readiness for a shot, he turned slowly +about, as if he were expecting that whatever +had frightened Jack would be upon him before +he could think twice. But nothing came. +<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_299" id="Page_299">299</a></span> +In whatever direction he turned his light, +everything seemed concealed by Egyptian +darkness, and finally he resolved to let the +ghosts go and turned his attention to Jack. +There he lay, close to Julian's feet, his lamp +extinguished and his revolver at a little distance +from him; and it was plain that he was +either frightened or dead, for Julian had +never seen so white a face before. His own +face, if he only knew it, was utterly devoid of +color, and his hands trembled so that he could +scarcely use them.</p> + +<p>"I would like to know what it was that +could make Jack faint away in this fashion," +muttered Julian, first looking all around to +make sure that nothing had come in sight before +he laid his revolver down. "How to get +him into that bucket, and the bail over him, +is what bothers me just now; but he must go +in, and get out of this."</p> + +<p>Jack was a heavyweight, and if any boy +who reads this has ever been called upon to +handle a playmate who remained limp and +motionless in his arms he will know what a +task Julian had to put him into the bucket. +<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_300" id="Page_300">300</a></span> +And remember that he must go inside the +bail, otherwise he could not pull him out; and +the bail would not stay up without somebody +to hold it. But Julian worked away as only +a boy can under such circumstances, and was +just getting him in shape, so that in a moment +more he would have had him in, when +he noticed that one of his hands was wet. He +stopped for a moment to look at it, and at the +sight of it he seemed ready to sit down beside +Jack and faint away, too.</p> + +<p>"It is blood!" murmured Julian. "My +goodness! you must get out of here, and be +quick about it! What was that?"</p> + +<p>Julian straightened up again, but he had +his revolver in his hand. That moaning +sound was repeated again, but the boy could +not tell where it came from. It was not so +great in volume as the first one that had +saluted Jack, but it was a complaining kind +of a sound, such as one might utter who was +being deserted by the only friend he had upon +earth. Julian stood there with his revolver +in his hand, but, aside from the sound which +rung in his ears for many a night afterward, +<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_301" id="Page_301">301</a></span> +his eyes could not reveal a single thing for +him to shoot at. Julian thought now that he +had got at the bottom of the mystery. Hastily +slipping his revolver into his belt, he +turned his attention to Jack, and in a few +moments had him ready to hoist to the top. +Then he seized the rope, and, climbing it +hand over hand, he reached the surface, when, +throwing off his hat and revolver, he turned +around to haul up Jack. +<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_302" id="Page_302">302</a></span></p> + +<h2 class="p6">CHAPTER XXIII.</h2> + +<h3>HAUNTED NO LONGER.</h3> + +<p>This time Julian laid out all his strength +on the windlass; but the bucket resisted, +and he knew that Jack's weight was safely +within it. Presently his head and shoulders +appeared above the pit, whereupon Julian +slipped a bucket over the crank, and in a few +minutes Jack was safe above ground. To +tumble him out of the bucket and dash into +his face some water that he dipped up from +the stream with his hat occupied but little of +his time, and almost at once Jack opened his +eyes and looked about him.</p> + +<p>"Well, sir, you saw them, did you not?" +asked Julian, with a smile.</p> + +<p>"I tell you, you wouldn't have smiled if +you had been in my place," replied Jack. +"That thing looked awful as it came at me."</p> + +<p>"What thing?"</p> + +<p>"There is some animal down there who is +<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_303" id="Page_303">303</a></span> +not going to let us work this mine if he can +help it," said Jack, feeling around with his +right hand to examine his shoulder. "As I +stepped into the bucket with one foot he +jumped—my goodness! I don't like to say +how far it was; but I saw his eyes shining +green in the darkness, and just as I pulled on +him he sprang at me, dug his claws into my +shoulder, and pulled me out. I thought I was +gone up, sure; then all was blank to me. Did +you see him?"</p> + +<p>"I did not see anything," said Julian. +"When the bucket came up easily, as though +you were not in it, I went down after you; +but I did not see a thing. What was it?"</p> + +<p>"You tell. It was some kind of an animal +that I never saw before. And didn't he make +a howling just before he jumped! I wish you +would look at my shoulder; it smarts awfully."</p> + +<p>Jack could handle himself well enough +now, and it was no trouble for him to roll +over on his face and give Julian a chance to +view his wounds. His shirt was torn completely +off, and underneath were four scratches +<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_304" id="Page_304">304</a></span> +which went the whole length of his back and +spent themselves on the thick waistband of his +trousers, which they had ripped in two. Very +little blood came from the wounds, and Julian +assured him that they were not deep enough +to cause him any inconvenience.</p> + +<p>"You must have killed him before he got +to you," said Julian. "A bear could not +jump that far, and if it were a panther—why, +you have done something to be proud of. +You have done it anyway, for you have +cleared up something that scared those two +men away from here."</p> + +<p>"Do you really think so?" asked Jack.</p> + +<p>"I know it."</p> + +<p>"But think of the howling he made! It +seemed as if the pit was full of bears and +panthers, and I didn't know which way to +look. Have you got all the blood off? Then +let us go down there and see about it. We +can't work our mine with those fellows in +there. If I killed him at once, how did he +come to jump so far? And then he took +himself off after clawing me; that is something +I don't understand." +<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_305" id="Page_305">305</a></span></p> + +<p>"You have to shoot one of those fellows +through the brain or in the spine, in order to +throw him in his tracks. Did you have a +fair chance at his heart?"</p> + +<p>"I don't know. I simply shot a little ways +below that green spot, in the darkness, and +the next thing I knew I didn't know anything."</p> + +<p>"Because, if you had a fair chance at his +heart, a wild animal will sometimes run a +good way before he drops. He is down there +somewhere, and I'll bet you will find him. +But, Jack, there are others that we must get +rid of before we own this mine."</p> + +<p>"What do you mean by that? I was in +hopes I had shot the last one of them."</p> + +<p>"Well, you did not. While I was working +over you I heard those moans repeated. +That proves others are there—don't it?"</p> + +<p>"I am going down to clear it up," persisted +Jack, who had got upon his feet by +this time and started toward the lean-to. +"Hold on till I get cartridges to put in this +revolver. I used to grumble at you because +you spent so much money in Denver, last +<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_306" id="Page_306">306</a></span> +winter, in shooting at a mark, but I begin to +believe you were right and that I was wrong. +If I had been as awkward with this shooting-iron +as I used to be, you would have got the +whole of that hundred thousand dollars to +spend for yourself."</p> + +<p>"Don't speak about it!" exclaimed Julian, +who wondered what he should do if Jack was +taken away from him. "I need somebody to +grumble at me, and you will do as well as +anybody. Are you not going to put on +another shirt?"</p> + +<p>"Not much, I ain't. Maybe I did not kill +that animal, whatever it was and he will come +for me again. Now, you hold up and let me +go," said Jack, when he saw Julian place one +foot in the bucket."</p> + +<p>"I am a better shot than you are, and if I +pull on one of those ghosts you will see him +drop," returned Julian, drawing the other +foot in. "Take hold of the windlass and let +me down easy. If I halloo, you must lose no +time in hauling me up."</p> + +<p>Jack was obliged to submit to this arrangement, +and he carefully lowered Julian out of +<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_307" id="Page_307">307</a></span> +sight. When the bucket stopped he seized +the rope, and in a moment more stood beside +him.</p> + +<p>"I am glad it is animals that are interfering +with us, for I am not at all afraid of +them," declared Jack. "Now, where is that +other sound you heard?"</p> + +<p>The question had hardly been formed on +Jack's lips when that sound came to their +ears—not faint and far off, as was the one +that caused Julian to handle his revolver, but +louder and clearer, as though the animal that +made it was close upon them. Sometimes +they thought it was in front, and they held +their revolvers ready to shoot at a moment's +warning, and then, again, it sounded behind +them; and in a second more it appeared as if +the rocks on each side of them concealed +the enemy that was uttering those startling +sounds.</p> + +<p>"It is the echo—that's what it is," said +Julian. "There is only one animal in here, +and we can't shoot him any too quick."</p> + +<p>Julian, aided by his lamp, led the way +cautiously along the subterranean passage, +<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_308" id="Page_308">308</a></span> +which would have been level but for the carelessness +or haste of the men who had worked +the pit before them, peering into every little +cavity he saw, until at last he stopped suddenly +and pointed his revolver at something +that lay upon the floor.</p> + +<p>"What is it, Julian?" whispered Jack, +pressing eagerly to his side.</p> + +<p>"Well, sir, you have done it now," answered +Julian, bending over and examining +the animal as well as he could by the light of +his lamp. "This is the thing that frightened +the other two men away."</p> + +<p>"What is it?" repeated Jack. "A panther?"</p> + +<p>"No, sir; this animal will make two of the +biggest panthers you ever saw. It is a lion!"</p> + +<p>"In America?" said Jack, in astonishment.</p> + +<p>"It is what the miners call them, anyway. +When we get it into the bucket I will let you +have the crank, and we will see if it does not +weigh almost as much as you do. This animal +is a mother, and her babies are crying for +her."</p> + +<p>Jack was surprised when he saw what a +<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_309" id="Page_309">309</a></span> +monster animal his lucky shot had put out of +the way, for he did not lay any claim to his +skill as a marksman in making that shot. He +must have shot her plumb through the heart, +or else she would not have died so quickly. +She looked as big as a yearling, marked for +all the world like the panthers he had seen in +the shows which he had attended; but it was +her size more than anything else which impressed +him. It was wonderful, too, what a +change the sight of this animal made in Jack. +His courage all came back to him, and after +taking a hasty glance at his trophy he took +the lead and pressed on toward the farther end +of the passage. Every few feet he found what +the miners called "false diggings"—that is, +places that they had dug, either on the right-hand +side or the left, to see if the vein they +were following turned that way. In one of +these "false diggings" Jack stopped and +pointed silently before him. Julian looked +over Jack's shoulder, and saw that the miner +had dug through the embankment there and +into a cave which extended through into the +gulch—the boys could see that by the little +<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_310" id="Page_310">310</a></span> +streaks of light which came in at the other +end. On a slight shelf which formed one side +of the passageway some leaves had been gathered, +and in this bed were two cubs about the +size of full-grown cats, while a third had +crawled out and was trying, in his clumsy +way, to follow his mother into the mine. The +little thing was wild, and set up a furious spitting +as the boys approached.</p> + +<p>"These things account for the noise you +heard," remarked Jack, picking up the cub +and beating its head against the floor.</p> + +<p>"What made you do that, Jack?" exclaimed +Julian. "We ought to save the +young ones alive."</p> + +<p>"Well, suppose we do; what will we raise +them on? It is true that we might tell the +milkman to leave us an extra quart or two to +feed them on, for such little things can't eat +bacon and hard-tack. Now, after we get +through—"</p> + +<p>"By gracious, Jack—look out!" exclaimed +Julian, suddenly. "The old man is coming +home to see what's the matter with his young +ones!" +<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_311" id="Page_311">311</a></span></p> + +<p>Jack dropped the cub he had picked up, +and which he was about to serve as he had the +first, and, looking toward the farther end of +the passageway, saw that the light was shut +off by the head and shoulders of another monstrous +lion that had stopped when he discovered +the boys. In an instant two revolvers +were aimed at the white spot on his chest.</p> + +<p>"Be sure you make as good a shot as you +did before," whispered Julian, whose face was +as pale as Jack's was when he pulled him out +of the pit. "It's a matter of life and death +with us."</p> + +<p>The revolvers cracked in quick succession, +raising an echo that almost deafened them. +Without a moment's delay they fired again, +then threw themselves prone upon the floor +of the cave, for they saw the lion coming. He +had evidently got all ready for a spring, and +when the first two bullets struck him he made +it, jumping over them and landing in the pit +beyond. The moment he touched the ground +two more balls went into him, and then the +boys jumped to their feet; for they did not +want the lion to spring upon them while lying +<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_312" id="Page_312">312</a></span> +down. But the animal made no effort to recover +his feet; he was too badly hurt for that. +He struggled frantically, springing from the +ground as high as the boys' heads, and his +motions were so quick and rapid that there +was no chance to shoot him again; but this +lasted only for a few seconds. His struggles +grew weaker, and he soon lay upon the floor, +stone dead.</p> + +<p>"There, sir," said Julian, who was the first +to speak; "this is a haunted mine no longer. +Our little 44-caliber revolvers did as good +work as Banta would have done with his +Winchester."</p> + +<p>"Whew! I am glad it is all over, and that +we were not frightened out of coming here. I +don't believe in ghosts, anyway."</p> + +<p>"How do you account for that man in the +mine up the country who always gets farther +and farther away every time anybody tries to +touch him?" asked Julian.</p> + +<p>"I believe that story originated in the +minds of some miners who were afraid to go +there. And as for their shooting at him, I +don't take any stock in that, either. Now, I +<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_313" id="Page_313">313</a></span> +will finish what I was going to say when the +old gentleman came in and interrupted me. +After I have killed these cubs, we will go to +work and fill this cave so full of the rocks +which some of the miners have left scattered +about that there won't be a chance for any +other animal to make a commotion in this +mine."</p> + +<p>The work of dispatching the cubs was very +soon accomplished, and then the boys wanted +to get the lions above ground, so that they +could see how they looked. But when they +undertook to lift the "old gentleman," to +carry him to the bucket, they found they had +more than they could do; so they each took +hold of a hind leg and dragged him to the +shaft. When they came to put him in, they +saw there was not room enough for the cubs, +for the bucket would not hold any more.</p> + +<p>"I'll go up and haul the old fellow out," +said Jack. "I tell you, he is big enough to +scare anybody—is he not?"</p> + +<p>"Yes," answered Julian, with a laugh; +"and if we had been frightened away, and +somebody else had found out that they were +<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_314" id="Page_314">314</a></span> +lions, and not unearthly spirits, it would have +been all over Denver inside of a month."</p> + +<p>Jack, who said he thought that was so, +seized the rope and began working his way +toward the top. Then the bucket began to +move, and presently Julian saw it go out over +the top. In a few minutes Jack came down +again, and they got the mother of the family +ready to be hoisted up. Julian went up this +time, tumbled the lion out beside his mate, +and let down the bucket for the dead cubs +and Jack, who, when he stepped out, found +Julian with his hat off and drawing his shirt-sleeves +across his forehead.</p> + +<p>"I tell you, Jack, if the dirt you send up +weighs as much as these ghosts did, the one +who pulls it out will have the hardest part of +the work," said Julian. "Now let us sit +down and take a good look at them."</p> + +<p>The longer the boys looked, the larger +seemed to grow the animals that had created +so great an uproar in the country for miles +around. They regretted they had not brought +a tape-line with them, that they might take +measurements; but they came to one conclusion—if +<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_315" id="Page_315">315</a></span> +they found an animal like either of +those in the mountains, they would give it a +wide berth. They had read of encounters +with them by men, and during their stay in +Denver had listened to some thrilling stories, +told by miners, of their fierceness, and they +decided that those men had more pluck than +they had.</p> + +<p>"Let us take the skins off, and by that time +it will be night," said Julian. "We can fill +up the hole to-morrow."</p> + +<p>"I don't know how to go to work at it—do +you?" asked Jack, taking off his hat and +scratching his head. "I never did such a +piece of business in my life."</p> + +<p>"We are not going to take them off with +the intention of selling them; we are going +to show them to the miners. If we tell them +our story without anything to show for it, +they will think we are trying to shoot with a +long bow. If we make a few holes in the +skins by a slip of our knives, who cares?"</p> + +<p>The boys went to work on the cubs first, +one holding the hind legs and the other doing +the skinning, and they got along so well with +<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_316" id="Page_316">316</a></span> +them that they went to work on the big ones +with more confidence. By the time it grew +dark the skins were removed, and the carcasses +were dragged away and thrown into the +ravine. Then the boys began supper with +light hearts. The mystery of the haunted +mine had been unearthed, and Julian and +Jack were ready to dig up the treasure—that +is, if there was any there waiting for them. +<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_317" id="Page_317">317</a></span></p> + +<h2 class="p6">CHAPTER XXIV.</h2> + +<h3>"THAT IS GOLD."</h3> + +<p>"Jack, come up here; I have something +to show you."</p> + +<p>"What is it? Have you made yourself +rich by washing out the last bucket of earth +I sent up?"</p> + +<p>"I have something, and it looks like gold. +Wait until I haul this bucket up, and then +I'll send it down for you."</p> + +<p>This conversation took place between Julian +and his chum on the third morning after +their arrival at the mine. The hole that led +into the cave which the lions had made their +habitation had been filled up so tight that even +a ground-squirrel would have found it a hard +task to work his way through; all the little +rocks had been cleared away from the floor of +the pit, making it an easy matter for them to +carry the earth in a basket to the bottom of +the shaft, and the digging had been going on +<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_318" id="Page_318">318</a></span> +for two days without any signs of "color" +rewarding their anxious gaze. The buckets +of dirt, as fast as they were sent up, were +washed in the brook by the aid of a "cradle" +which the boys had brought with them, but +their most persistent "rocking" failed to +leave a sediment behind. All the dirt went +out with the water, and the cradle was as +clean when they got through rocking it as it +was before they began.</p> + +<p>"I believe the fellow who wrote that letter +must have taken all the gold in the mine," remarked +Julian, one night, after they had +spent a hard day's work at the pit. "Fifty +thousand dollars! That's a heap of money to +take out of one hole in the ground."</p> + +<p>"I think so myself," replied Jack; "but +we will keep it up until our provisions are +gone, and then we will go back to Dutch +Flat."</p> + +<p>But on this particular day Julian, who was +washing the dirt at the head of the shaft, +thought he saw some settlings in the bottom +of his cradle, and forthwith began to handle +it a little more carefully. The longer he +<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_319" id="Page_319">319</a></span> +rocked the more the sediment grew, until at +last he had a spoonful, which he gathered up +and then approached the mouth of the pit.</p> + +<p>"If you have any gold to show me I'll +come up before the bucket does," declared +Jack; "the bucket can wait."</p> + +<p>"I have enough here to buy another block +of houses," exclaimed Julian, as Jack's head +and shoulders appeared. "What do you think +of that?"</p> + +<p>"Is it gold or not?" asked Jack, who was +inclined to be suspicious. "Maybe it is +some of that iron that Mr. Banta told us +about."</p> + +<p>"That is just what I was afraid of," said +Julian; "but I reckon iron pyrites comes in +lumps, don't it? If it does, this is gold, sure +enough."</p> + +<p>The boys did not know what to make of it, +and they finally decided that they would put +it away until Mr. Banta came up to see how +they were getting along, which he had agreed +to do at the end of two weeks. The boys +spoke of their "find" as iron pyrites, for they +did not like to think they would be lucky +<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_320" id="Page_320">320</a></span> +enough to dig gold out of the ground, and this +was not the only spoonful of dust that went +into their bag. The bag grew in size as the +days wore on, and finally, at the end of two +weeks, it was almost full.</p> + +<p>"I tell you, Jack, I don't like to show this +to Mr. Banta," declared Julian, holding up +the bag, and looking ruefully at it. "Perhaps +we have done all our best digging all +for nothing."</p> + +<p>"Well, it can't be helped," was Jack's reply. +"They were inexperienced when they +first came out here, and there was nobody to +tell them whether they had iron pyrites or +gold. But we have done one thing that he +can't laugh at—we have worked the haunted +mine."</p> + +<p>Two weeks had never passed so slowly to +the boys before. They worked early and late, +but they found time now and then to glance +toward the entrance of the valley, to see if +Mr. Banta was approaching. All this while +the bag grew heavier and fuller, until Julian +declared that it would not hold another +spoonful. +<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_321" id="Page_321">321</a></span></p> + +<p>"Then we must tie it up tight and hide it +somewhere," said Jack.</p> + +<p>"What is the use of hiding it?" asked Julian. +"Nobody knows that we have been so +successful in our haunted mine."</p> + +<p>"No matter; such things have happened, +and we want to be on the safe side. We must +hide it a little way from the lean-to, for there +is the first place anybody will look for it."</p> + +<p>Julian readily gave in, although he could +not see any necessity for it, took a spade, and +went with Jack to what he considered to be a +good hiding-place. A hole was dug, the bag +put in, some leaves were scattered over the +spot, and then Jack drew a long breath of +relief.</p> + +<p>"One would think we are surrounded by +robbers," said Julian. "Who do you suppose +is going to steal it?"</p> + +<p>"I don't know; but I have never had so +much money, or what is equivalent to money, +in my charge before, and, as I said before, I +think it best to be on the safe side."</p> + +<p>"Our two weeks have passed, and Mr. +Banta ought to be here to-morrow," observed +<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_322" id="Page_322">322</a></span> +Julian, leading the way back to the lean-to. +"I expect he will look for us to be all +chawed up."</p> + +<p>The very next day Mr. Banta appeared. +The boys had found an extra "find" that +morning. Julian was rocking the cradle back +and forth, and Jack was leaning over his +shoulder to see what gold there was in it, when +they heard the sound of horses' hoofs on the +rocks, and looked up to find the miner and +his partner, Pete, standing in the entrance to +the valley.</p> + +<p>"Now we will soon have this thing cleared +up," exclaimed Julian, joyfully. "Mr. Banta, +you don't know how glad we are to see you +again!"</p> + +<p>Mr. Banta did not say anything in reply. +He and his partner rode slowly toward them, +looking all around, as if they expected to discover +something.</p> + +<p>"Is it the ghosts you are looking for?" +asked Jack. "Come along, and we will show +them to you."</p> + +<p>"Boys," stammered Mr. Banta, as if there +was something about the matter that looked +<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_323" id="Page_323">323</a></span> +strange enough to him, "you are still on top +of the ground. Put it there."</p> + +<p>The boys readily complied, and they +thought, by the squeeze the miner gave their +hands, that he was very much surprised to see +them alive and well, and working their mine +as if such things as ghosts had never been +heard of.</p> + +<p>"Did you see them?" he continued.</p> + +<p>"You are right, we did," answered Julian. +"Jack, pull off your shirt. He has some +marks that he will carry to his grave."</p> + +<p>Jack did not much like the idea of disrobing +in the presence of company, but he divested +himself of his shirt and turned his +back to the miners. On his shoulder were +four big welts, which promised to stay there +as long as he lived.</p> + +<p>"It was a lion!" exclaimed Mr. Banta.</p> + +<p>"That is just what it was. Now come with +me and I will show you the skins. We have +something to prove it."</p> + +<p>The miners followed after the boys, when, +as they were about to pass their pit, Julian +said he wanted to see them about something +<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_324" id="Page_324">324</a></span> +that had been worrying them a good deal ever +since they first discovered it.</p> + +<p>"What do you call that?" he asked, gathering +up a pinch of the sediment that still remained +in the cradle.</p> + +<p>"Good gracious! Do you gather much of +this stuff?" exclaimed Mr. Banta, who was all +excitement now.</p> + +<p>"It is not iron pyrites, is it?"</p> + +<p>"Iron your grandmother!" retorted Mr. +Banta. "It is gold, and a bag full of that +stuff will be worth about ten thousand dollars +to you!"</p> + +<p>"We have a bagful of it hidden away," asserted +Julian; while Jack was so overcome +with something, he didn't know what, that he +sat right down on the ground. "Jack thought +we had best hide it, but I will get it and show +it to you."</p> + +<p>"Well, well! this beats anything in the +world that I ever heard of! Don't it you, +Pete?" asked Mr. Banta, dismounting from +his horse. "Here's you two, come out here +as tenderfeet from St. Louis, who never saw +or heard of a gold-mine before, and you come +<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_325" id="Page_325">325</a></span> +up to this pit, which has all manner of ghosts +and other things wandering about it at will,—so +much so that they scared away two of +the best men we had on Dutch Flat,—and +then you get the upper hand of the spirits and +make ten thousand dollars out of the mine in +two weeks! I tell you that bangs me; don't +it you, Pete?"</p> + +<p>Jack came up to take the horses and hitch +them to swinging limbs, and Mr. Banta turned +to Julian and told him he was anxious to see +that bag with the ten thousand dollars in gold +in it; whereupon Julian caught up a spade +and hurried out, and Jack, who had returned +to the lean-to, was told to sit down and tell +them the story about the haunted gold-mine.</p> + +<p>"There isn't much to tell," said Jack, who, +like all modest fellows, disliked to talk about +himself. "I went down to see what the inside +of the mine looked like, and one of the lions +pitched onto me and I shot him."</p> + +<p>"There's more in the story than that comes +to," declared Mr. Banta. "Let us go out and +look at the skins; we will hear the straight +of the matter when Julian comes in." +<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_326" id="Page_326">326</a></span></p> + +<p>The skins were rolled up,—they had been +stretched on the ground until the sun dried +them,—but Jack quickly unrolled them, and +the miners looked on as if greatly surprised. +They could not understand how one ball, fired +in the dark, had finished the lion so speedily.</p> + +<p>"It is a wonder she did not tear you all to +pieces," said Pete. "You must have made a +dead-centre shot."</p> + +<p>The other skin was unrolled, too, and by +the time the miners had examined it to their +satisfaction Julian came up with the bag. +Mr. Banta untied it, and one look was enough.</p> + +<p>"That is gold," said he; "there is no iron +pyrites about that. Now, Jack, you go on +and get dinner for us, and we will listen while +Julian tell us about those ghosts."</p> + +<p>"I told you I did not believe in such +things," remarked Julian. "And the whole +thing has come out just as I said it would."</p> + +<p>"What have you in this pack?" asked +Jack. "It looks like provisions."</p> + +<p>"That is just what it is. We thought you +must be nearly out by this time, and so we +brought some along. Let the mule go home, +<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_327" id="Page_327">327</a></span> +if she wants to; she misses that old bell-mare."</p> + +<p>The story which Jack did not tell lost +nothing in going through Julian's hands. He +described things as nearly as he could see +them before Jack's light went out, and told +of the lucky shot and the savage shrieks that +came up to him through the pit.</p> + +<p>"Those shrieks were what got next to me," +declared Julian, with a shudder. "I can't +get them out of my mind yet. I thought that +the ghost had Jack, sure."</p> + +<p>"Well, go on," said Mr. Banta, when Julian +paused. "There were two lions there—how +did you get the other one?"</p> + +<p>When Julian told how Jack had taken +charge of the matter, and had gone ahead in +order to hunt up the other ghost, Mr. Banta +acted as though he could scarcely believe it; +while Pete thrust his spurred heels out before +him and broke out into a volley of such quaint +oaths that Julian threw back his head and +laughed loudly.</p> + +<p>"If you had not done anything else since +you have been up here but go to hunt up that +<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_328" id="Page_328">328</a></span> +lion with revolvers, I should know you were +tenderfeet pure and simple," declared Mr. +Banta. "Why, boys, that was the most dangerous +thing you ever did!"</p> + +<p>"Well, we did not know what else to do," +explained Julian, modestly. "Jack said the +lion would not let us work the mine if he +could help it, and so we had to go and find +him."</p> + +<p>"I know some miners down at Dutch Flat +who would think twice before going for that +lion with their Winchesters," declared Pete, +"and you had nothing but little popguns!"</p> + +<p>"They did the work, anyhow," asserted +Julian.</p> + +<p>"Well, boys, you have been very lucky," +said Mr. Banta. "Take your bag of dust and +hide it where nobody will ever think of looking +for it. And remember—if any person +comes here and asks you for money, you are +to give him what is in the other bag, and keep +still about this full one."</p> + +<p>Julian's eyes began to open wide as this hint +was thrown out. He looked at Jack, who was +by this time engaged in dishing up the dinner; +<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_329" id="Page_329">329</a></span> +but the latter only shook his head at him, +as if to say, "Didn't I say we had better hide +that gold while we had the opportunity?"</p> + +<p>"Who do you think is going to rob us?" +asked Julian, as soon as he could speak.</p> + +<p>"I am sure I don't know; but we have +some men down at the Flat who would not be +any too good to come up here and see how you +are getting along. Of course this thing will +get all over the Flat in less than five minutes +after we get there. We must tell just how we +found you; for, if we try to keep it secret, +the miners will suspect something and come +up here in a body. But if they do that, then +you will be safer than if you were alone."</p> + +<p>"We don't want any truck with such +people," declared Jack. "If we shoot as well +as we did at the lion that wore that big skin, +you will hear something drop. Now sit up +and eat some dinner."</p> + +<p>"Jack, I believe you have the most pluck," +said Pete.</p> + +<p>"He has it all," replied Julian. "He don't +say much, but he keeps up a dreadful lot of +thinking." +<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_330" id="Page_330">330</a></span></p> + +<p>Dinner over, the miners lit their pipes, and +then Mr. Banta said they wanted to go down +into the mine to see how it looked.</p> + +<p>"It is my opinion that you won't get much +more gold out of here," said he, as he stepped +into the bucket. "You are gradually working +your way toward the ravine, and when +you break through the wall, you will find no +color there."</p> + +<p>"I don't care," replied Julian. "If it will +hold out until we get another bag filled, that +will be all we want. We can say, when we +get back to Denver, that we have been in the +mines."</p> + +<p>"And had some adventures there, too," remarked +Mr. Banta. "Lower away."</p> + +<p>Julian and Pete followed Mr. Banta down +to the bottom of the mine, and Jack stayed +up above to manage the bucket. They were +gone a long time, for Julian was obliged to +tell his story over again; and, when they were +pulled up, Mr. Banta repeated what he had +said before he was let down, namely, that the +boys had about reached the end of their vein.</p> + +<p>"But even with these bags full, you have +<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_331" id="Page_331">331</a></span> +got more than some men have who have been +on the Flat for two years," said he. "Now, +boys, is there anything we can do for you before +we bid you good-bye?"</p> + +<p>No, Julian and Jack could not think of +anything they wanted. They thanked the +miners for bringing them some provisions, +and offered payment on the spot; but Mr. +Banta said they would let that go until the +boys had got through working their mine. +They shook them by the hand, wished them +all the good luck in the world, turned their +faces toward home, and in a few moments the +sound of their horses' hoofs on the rocks had +died away in the distance. +<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_332" id="Page_332">332</a></span></p> + +<h2 class="p6">CHAPTER XXV.</h2> + +<h3>CLAUS, AGAIN.</h3> + +<p>"There!" said Mr. Solomon Claus, as he +entered at a fast walk the railroad +depot, passed through it, and took up the first +back street that he came to; "I guess I have +got rid of him. Now, the next thing is to go +somewhere and sit down and think about it."</p> + +<p>Claus kept a good watch of the buildings +as he passed along, and at last saw a hotel, +into which he turned. He bought a cigar at +the bar, and, drawing a chair in front of one +of the windows, sat down to meditate on his +future course; for this German was not in the +habit of giving up a thing upon which he had +set his mind, although he might fail in every +attempt he undertook. He had set his heart +upon having a portion of that money that +Julian had come into by accident, and, although +something had happened to upset his +calculations, he was not done with it yet. +<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_333" id="Page_333">333</a></span></p> + +<p>"That was a sharp trick, sending off the +box by express, when they might as well have +carried its contents in their valises," said +Claus, settling down in his chair and keeping +his eyes fastened upon the railroad depot. +"Wiggins was at the bottom of that, for I +don't believe the boys would ever have thought +of it. I wonder how they felt when they +found their valises gone? Now, the next +thing is something else. Shall I go home, +get my clothes, and spend the winter in Denver, +or shall I go home and stay there? +That's a question that cannot be decided in a +minute."</p> + +<p>While Claus was endeavoring to come to +some conclusion on these points he saw Casper +Nevins coming along the railroad and entering +the depot. By keeping a close watch of +the windows he discovered him pass toward +the ticket office, where he made known his +wants, and presently Claus saw him put a +ticket into his pocket.</p> + +<p>"So far, so good," muttered Claus, as he +arose from his chair. "I guess I might as +well get on the train with him, for I must go +<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_334" id="Page_334">334</a></span> +to St. Louis anyhow. Perhaps something will +occur to me in the meantime."</p> + +<p>Casper was sitting on a bench, with his +hands clasped and his chin resting on his +breast, wondering what in the world he was +going to do when he got back to St. Louis, +when he heard Claus's step on the floor. He +first had an idea that he would not speak to +him at all; but Solomon acted in such a +friendly manner, when he met him, that he +could not fail to accost him with</p> + +<p>"You were trying to shake me, were you?"</p> + +<p>"Shake you! my dear fellow," exclaimed +Claus, as if he were profoundly astonished. +"Such a thing never entered my head! I +simply wanted to get away by myself and +think the matter over. Have a cigar."</p> + +<p>"I don't want it!" declared Casper, when +Claus laid it down upon his knee. "I don't +believe I shall want many cigars or anything +else very long."</p> + +<p>"Disappointed over not finding that wealth, +were you?" asked Claus, in a lower tone. +"Well, I was disappointed myself, and for a +time I did not want to see you or anybody +<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_335" id="Page_335">335</a></span> +else. I have wasted a heap of hard-earned +dollars upon that 'old horse.'"</p> + +<p>"Have you given it up, too?" inquired +Casper.</p> + +<p>"What else can I do? Of course I have +given it up. I will go back home again and +settle down to my humdrum life, and I shall +never get over moaning about that hundred +thousand dollars we have lost."</p> + +<p>"Do you think we tried every plan to +get it?"</p> + +<p>"Every one that occurred to me. They +have it, and that is all there is to it. What +are you going to do when you get back to St. +Louis?" inquired Claus, for that was a matter +in which he was very much interested. He +was not going to have Casper hanging onto +him; on that he was determined.</p> + +<p>"I suppose I shall have to do as others do +who are without work," replied Casper. "I +shall go around to every store, and ask them +if they want a boy who isn't above doing anything +that will bring him his board and +clothes. I wish I had my old position back; +I'll bet you that I would try to keep it." +<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_336" id="Page_336">336</a></span></p> + +<p>"That is the best wish you have made in a +long time," said Claus, placing his hand on +Casper's shoulder. "If I was back there, +with my money in my pocket, I would not +care if every one of the express boys would +come and shove an 'old horse' at me. I tell +you, 'honesty is the best policy.'"</p> + +<p>Casper was almost ready to believe that +Claus had repented of his bargain, but he soon +became suspicious of him again. That was a +queer phrase to come from the lips of a man +who believed in cheating or lying for the purpose +of making a few dollars by it. For want +of something better to do, he took up the cigar +which Claus had laid upon his knee and proceeded +to light it.</p> + +<p>"Well, I guess I'll go and get a ticket," +remarked Claus, after a little pause. "I don't +know how soon that train will be along."</p> + +<p>"'Honesty is the best policy,' is it?" +mused Casper, watching Claus as he took up +his stand in the door and looked away down +the railroad. "Some people would believe +him, but I have known him too long for that. +I wish I knew what he has in his head. He +<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_337" id="Page_337">337</a></span> +is going to try to get his hands on that 'old +horse'; and if he does, I hope he will fail, +just as we have done. He need not think that +I am going to hold fast to him. I have had +one lesson through him, and that is enough."</p> + +<p>Claus did not seem anxious to renew his +conversation with Casper. He had heard all +the latter's plans, as far as he had any, and +now he wanted to think up some of his own. +He walked up and down the platform with his +hands behind his back, all the while keeping +a bright lookout down the road for the +train.</p> + +<p>"I must go to Denver, because I shall want +to make the acquaintance of some fellows +there whom I know I can trust," soliloquized +Claus. "I can get plenty of men in St. +Louis, but they are not the ones I want. I +must have some men who know all about +mining, and perhaps I can get them to scrape +an acquaintance with Julian. That will be +all the better, for then I can find out what he +is going to do. Well, we will see how it looks +when I get home."</p> + +<p>For half an hour Claus walked the platform +<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_338" id="Page_338">338</a></span> +occupied with such thoughts as these, +and finally a big smoke down the track told +him the train was coming. He stuck his +head in at the door and informed Casper of +the fact, and when the train came up he +boarded one of the forward cars, leaving his +companion to do as he pleased.</p> + +<p>"You are going to shake me," thought +Casper, as he stepped aboard the last car in +the train. "Well, you might as well do it at +one time as at another. I have all the money +I can get out of you, but I am not square with +you by any means. From this time forward +I'll look out for myself."</p> + +<p>And the longer Casper pondered upon this +thought, the more heartily he wished he had +never seen Claus in the first place. He did +not sleep a wink during his ride to St. Louis, +but got off the train when it reached its destination +and took a straight course for his +room. The apartment seemed cheerless after +his experience on the train, but he closed the +door, threw himself into a chair, and resumed +his meditations, for thus far he had not been +able to decide upon anything. +<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_339" id="Page_339">339</a></span></p> + +<p>"I am hungry," thought he, at length, +"and after I have satisfied my appetite I will +do just what I told Claus—go around to the +different stores and ask them if they want a +boy. I tell you that will be a big come-down +for me, but it serves me right for having anything +to do with Claus."</p> + +<p>We need not go with Casper any further. +For three nights he returned from his long +walks tired and hungry, and not a single +storekeeper to whom he had applied wanted +a boy for any purpose whatever. Sometimes +he had sharp words to dishearten him. "No, +no; get out of here—you are the fifth boy who +has been at me this morning;" and Casper +always went, for fear the man would lay violent +hands on him. On the fourth night he +came home feeling a little better than usual. +He had been hired for a few days to act as +porter in a wholesale dry-goods store, and he +had enough money in his pocket to pay for a +good supper. The wages he received were +small—just about enough to pay for breakfast +and supper; but when the few days were up +the hurry was over, and Casper was once +<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_340" id="Page_340">340</a></span> +more a gentleman of leisure. And so it was +during the rest of the summer and fall. He +could not get anything to do steadily, his +clothes were fast wearing out, and the landlord +came down on him for his rent when he +did not have a cent in his pocket. Utterly +discouraged, at last he wrote to his mother for +money to carry him to his home; and so he +passes out of our sight.</p> + +<p>As for Claus, we wish we could dispose of +him in the same way; but unfortunately we +cannot. Everybody was glad to see him +when he entered the pool-room where he had +been in the habit of playing, and more than +one offered him a cigar. He told a long story +about some business he had to attend to somewhere +out West, and when he talked he +looked up every time the door opened, as if +fearful that Casper would come in to bother +him for more money. But Casper was sick +of Claus. The lesson he had received from +him was enough.</p> + +<p>Claus remained in St. Louis for two months; +and he must have been successful, too, for the +roll of bills he carried away with him was +<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_341" id="Page_341">341</a></span> +considerably larger than the one which Casper +had seen. When he was ready to go he +bade everybody good-bye, and this time he +carried his trunk with him. He was going +out West to attend to "some business," which +meant that he was going to keep watch of +Julian and Jack in some way, and be ready +to pounce upon them when they worked their +mine—that is, if they were successful with it.</p> + +<p>"That will be the only thing I can do," +decided Claus, after thinking the matter over. +"They have the buildings by this time, at +any rate, so that part of it has gone up; but +when they get out alone, and are working in +their mine, that will be the time for me to +take them. They will have all the work, but +I will have the dust they make."</p> + +<p>When Claus reached this point in his meditations, +he could not help remembering that +some of the men who were interested in the +mines were dead shots with either rifle or revolver, +and that if he robbed the boys he +would be certain to have some of them after +him, and what they would do if they caught +him was another matter altogether. +<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_342" id="Page_342">342</a></span></p> + +<p>"I can shoot as well as they can," thought +he, feeling around for his hip pocket to satisfy +himself that his new revolver was still in its +place. "If I have some of their money in +my pocket, I would like to see any of the +miners come up with me."</p> + +<p>When Claus reached Denver, his first care +was to keep clear of Julian and Jack, and his +next was to find some miners who were +familiar with the country in the region bordering +on Dutch Flat; for thus far Claus had +not been able to learn a thing about it. +Dutch Flat might be five miles away or it +might be a hundred, and he wanted somebody +to act as his guide. He put up at a second-rate +hotel, engaged his room, and then came +down into the reading-room to keep watch of +the men who tarried there.</p> + +<p>"I must find somebody whose face tells me +he would not be above stealing a hundred +thousand dollars if he had a good chance," +decided Claus; "but the countenances of these +men all go against me—they are too honest. +I guess I'll have to try the clerk, and see what +I can get out of him." +<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_343" id="Page_343">343</a></span></p> + +<p>On the second day, as Claus entered the +reading-room with a paper in his hand, he +saw before him a man sitting by a window, +his feet elevated higher than his head, watching +the people going by. He was a miner,—there +could be no doubt about that,—and he +seemed to be in low spirits about something, +for every little while he changed his position, +yawned, and stretched his arms as if he did +not know what to do with himself. Claus +took just one look at him, then seized a chair +and drew it up by the man's side. The man +looked up to see who it was, and then looked +out on the street again.</p> + +<p>"Excuse me," began Claus, "but you seem +to be a miner."</p> + +<p>"Well, yes—I have dabbled in that a +little," answered the man, turning his eyes +once more upon Claus. "What made you +think of that?"</p> + +<p>"I judged you by your clothes," replied +Claus. "Have a cigar? Then, perhaps you +will tell me if you know anything about +Dutch Flat, where there is—"</p> + +<p>"Don't I know all about it?" interrupted +<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_344" id="Page_344">344</a></span> +the man. "Ask me something hard. A +bigger fraud than that Dutch Flat was never +sprung on any lot of men. There is no color +of gold up there."</p> + +<p>"Then what made you go there in the first +place?" asked Claus.</p> + +<p>"It got into the hands of a few men who +were afraid of the Indians, and they coaxed +me and my partner to go up," replied the +man. "But there were no Indians there. I +prospected around there for six months, owe +more than I shall ever be able to pay for grub-staking, +and finally, when the cold weather +came, I slipped out."</p> + +<p>"I am sorry to hear that," remarked Claus, +looking down at the floor in a brown study. +"I have a mine up there, and I was about to +go up and see how things were getting on +there; but if the dirt pans out as you say, it +will not be worth while."</p> + +<p>"You had better stay here, where you have +a good fire to warm you during this frosty +weather," said the man, once more running +his eyes over Claus's figure. "If you have a +mine up there you had better let it go; you +<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_345" id="Page_345">345</a></span> +are worth as much money now as you would +be if you stayed up there a year."</p> + +<p>"But I would like to go and see the mine," +replied Claus. "There was a fortune taken +out of it a few years ago, and it can't be that +the vein is all used up yet."</p> + +<p>"Where <i>is</i> your mine?"</p> + +<p>"That is what I don't know. I have somehow +got it into my head the mine is off by +itself, a few miles from everybody else's."</p> + +<p>"Do you mean the haunted mine?" asked +the man, now beginning to take some interest +in what Claus was saying.</p> + +<p>"I believe that is what they call it."</p> + +<p>"It is five miles from Dutch Flat, straight +off through the mountains. You can't miss +it, for there is a trail that goes straight +to it."</p> + +<p>"Do you know where it is?"</p> + +<p>"Yes, I know; but that is all I do know +about it. I saw two men who went there to +work the pit, and who were frightened so +badly that they lit out for this place as quick +as they could go, and that was all I wanted to +know of the mine." +<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_346" id="Page_346">346</a></span></p> + +<p>"Then you have never been down in it?"</p> + +<p>"Not much, I haven't!" exclaimed the +man, looking surprised. "I would not go +down into it for all the money there is in the +mountain."</p> + +<p>"Did those men see anything?"</p> + +<p>"No, but they heard a sight; and if men +can be so badly scared by what they hear, they +don't wait to see anything."</p> + +<p>"Well, I want to go up there, and who can +I get to act as my guide?"</p> + +<p>"I can tell you one thing," answered the +man, emphatically—"you won't get me and +Jake to go up there with you. I'll tell you +what I might do," he added, after thinking a +moment. "Are you going to stay here this +winter?"</p> + +<p>"Yes, I had thought of it. It is pretty +cold up there in the mountains—is it not?"</p> + +<p>"The weather is so cold that it will take +the hair right off of your head," replied the +man. "If you will stay here until spring +opens, you might hire me and Jake to show +you up as far as Dutch Flat; but beyond that +we don't budge an inch." +<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_347" id="Page_347">347</a></span></p> + +<p>"How much will you charge me? And +another thing—do I have to pay you for waiting +until spring?"</p> + +<p>"No, you need not pay us a cent. We have +enough to last us all winter. I was just wondering +what I was going to do when spring +came, and that made me feel blue. But if you +are going to hire us—you will be gone three +or four months, won't you?"</p> + +<p>Yes, Claus thought that he would be gone +as long as that. Then he asked, "How far is Dutch Flat from here?"</p> + +<p>"Two hundred miles."</p> + +<p>The two then began an earnest conversation +in regard to the money that was to be paid +for guiding Claus up to Dutch Flat. The +latter thought he had worked the thing just +about right. It would be time enough to tell +him who Julian and Jack were, and to talk +about robbing them, when he knew a little +more concerning the man and his partner. +He had not seen the other man yet, but he +judged that, if he were like the miner he was +talking to, it would not be any great trouble to +bring them to his own way of thinking. +<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_348" id="Page_348">348</a></span></p> + +<h2 class="p6">CHAPTER XXVI.</h2> + +<h3>CLAUS HEARS SOMETHING.</h3> + +<p>Never had a winter appeared so long +and so utterly cheerless as this one did +to Solomon Claus. The first thing he did, +after he made the acquaintance of Jake and +his partner, was to change his place of abode. +Jake was as ready to ask for cigars as Claus +had been, and the latter found that in order +to make his money hold out he must institute +a different state of affairs. He found lodgings +at another second-rate hotel in a distant +part of the city, but he found opportunity to +run down now and then to call upon Bob and +Jake,—those were the only two names he +knew them by,—to see how they were coming +along, and gradually lead the way up to talking +about the plans he had in view. It all +came about by accident. One day, when discussing +the haunted mine, Claus remarked +that he knew the two boys who were working +<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_349" id="Page_349">349</a></span> +it, and hoped they would have a good deal of +dust on hand by the time he got here.</p> + +<p>"Then they will freeze to death!" declared +Bob. "What made you let them go there, +if you knew the mine was haunted?"</p> + +<p>"Oh, they are not working it now," said +Claus. "They are in St. Louis, and are coming +out as soon as spring opens. They are +plucky fellows, and will find out all about +those ghosts before they come back."</p> + +<p>"Yes, if the ghosts don't run them away," +answered Bob. "I understood you to say +they are boys. Well, now, if they get the +better of the ghosts, which is something I +won't believe until I see it, and we should get +there about a month or two after they do, and +find that they have dug up dust to the amount +of ten or fifteen thousand dollars—eh?"</p> + +<p>"But maybe the gentleman is set on those +two boys, and it would not pay to rob them," +remarked Jake.</p> + +<p>"No, I am not set on them," avowed Claus, +smiling inwardly when he saw how readily +the miners fell in with his plans. "I tried +my level best to get those boys to stay at +<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_350" id="Page_350">350</a></span> +home, for I don't want them to dig their +wealth out of the ground, but they hooted at +me; and when I saw they were bound to +come, I thought I would get up here before +them and see what sort of things they had +to contend with."</p> + +<p>"What sort of relationship do you bear to +the two boys?" asked Bob.</p> + +<p>"I am their uncle, and I gave them a block +of buildings here in Denver worth a hundred +thousand dollars and this haunted mine; but, +mind you, I did not know it was haunted +until after I had given it to them. But, boy +like, they determined to come up, brave the +ghosts, and take another fifty thousand out of +it."</p> + +<p>Bob and Jake looked at each other, and +something told them not to believe all that +Claus had said to them. If he was worth so +much money that he was willing to give his +nephews a hundred thousand dollars of it, he +did not live in the way his means would +allow.</p> + +<p>"And another thing," resumed Claus. "I +would not mind their losing ten thousand +<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_351" id="Page_351">351</a></span> +dollars, provided I got my share of it, for +then they would learn that a miner's life is +as full of dangers as any other. But remember—if +you get ten thousand, I want three +thousand of it."</p> + +<p>This was all that Claus thought it necessary +to say on the subject of robbing the boys, +and after finishing his cigar he got up and +went out. Jake watched him until he was +hidden in the crowd on the street, and then +settled back in his chair and looked at Bob.</p> + +<p>"There is something wrong with that fellow," +he remarked. "His stories don't hitch; +he has some other reason for wishing to rob +those boys. Now, what is it?"</p> + +<p>"You tell," retorted Bob. "He has something +on his mind, but he has no more interest +in that pit than you or I have. He +never owned it, in the first place."</p> + +<p>"Then we will find out about it when we +show him the way to the Flat," said Jake.</p> + +<p>"Oh, there will be somebody there working +the mine—I don't dispute that. But he +is no uncle to them two boys. But say—I +have just thought of something. We are not +<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_352" id="Page_352">352</a></span> +going up there for three dollars a day; and if +we don't make something out of the boys, +what's the reason we can't go to headquarters?"</p> + +<p>Jake understood all his companion would +have said, for he winked and nodded his head +in a way that had a volume of meaning in it. +The two moved their chairs closer together, +and for half an hour engaged in earnest conversation. +There was only one thing that +troubled them—they did not like the idea of +staying at Dutch Flat, among the miners, +until they heard how the boys were getting +on with their mine.</p> + +<p>"You know they did not like us any too +well last summer," said Bob, twisting about +in his chair. "If we had not come away just +when we did, it is my belief they would have +ordered us out."</p> + +<p>"Yes; and it was all on your account, too. +You were too anxious to know how much the +other fellows had dug out of their mines. +You must keep still and say nothing."</p> + +<p>Claus went away from the hotel feeling +very much relieved. Bob and Jake had +<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_353" id="Page_353">353</a></span> +come over to his plans, and they had raised +no objection to them. The next thing was to +bring them down to a share in the spoils. +He was not going to come out there all the +way from St. Louis and propose that thing to +them, and then put up with what they chose +to give him.</p> + +<p>"I must have a third of the money they +make, and that is all there is about it," said +he to himself. "They would not have known +a thing about it if it had not been for me. +Who is that? I declare, it is Julian and +Jack!"</p> + +<p>The boys were coming directly toward him, +and this was the first time he had seen them +since his arrival in Denver, although he had +kept a close watch of everybody he had met +on the street. He stepped into a door, and +appeared to be looking for some one inside; +and when the boys passed him, he turned +around to look at them. The latter were in a +hurry, for it was a frosty morning, and they +felt the need of some exercise to quicken their +blood; besides, they were on their way to +school, in the hope of learning something that +<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_354" id="Page_354">354</a></span> +would fit them for some useful station in life. +They were dressed in brand-new overcoats, +had furs around their necks and fur gloves +on their hands, and Julian was bent partly +over, laughing at some remark Jack had +made. He watched them until they were +out of sight, and then came out and went on +his way.</p> + +<p>"I tell you we are 'some,' now that we +have our pockets full of money," soliloquized +Claus, who grew angry when he drew a contrast +between his and their station in life. +"Most anybody would feel big if he was in +their place. But I must look out—I don't +want them to see me here."</p> + +<p>Fortunately Claus was not again called +upon to dodge the boys in his rambles about +the city. He kept himself in a part of the +city remote from that which the boys frequented. +The winter passed on, and spring +opened, and he did not again see them; but +he heard of them through Bob and Jake, who +made frequent visits to the hotel where Mr. +Banta was located.</p> + +<p>"I guess we saw your boys to-day," said +<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_355" id="Page_355">355</a></span> +Bob, who then went on to give a description +of them. "They have it all cut and dried +with Banta, and he is going to show them the +way to their mine. No, they did not mention +your name once. They are going to buy a +pack-horse, and load him up with tools and +provisions, and are going out as big as life."</p> + +<p>"That is all right," said Claus. "Now, remember—I +am to have a third of the dust +you get."</p> + +<p>"Of course; that is understood," answered +Jake, who now seemed as anxious to go to +Dutch Flat as he had before been to keep +away from it. "It would not be fair for us to +take it all. Where are you going after you +get the money?"</p> + +<p>"I haven't got it yet," remarked Claus, +with a smile. "Those ghosts may be too +strong for the boys, and perhaps they will +come away without anything."</p> + +<p>"Then we will pitch in and work the mine, +ourselves," said Bob. "They say that gold is +so thick up there that you can pick it up with +your hands. We won't come away and leave +such a vein behind us." +<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_356" id="Page_356">356</a></span></p> + +<p>"What about the ghosts?" queried Claus, +who could not deny he was afraid of them. +"They may be too strong for you, also."</p> + +<p>"If they can get away with cold steel we'll +give in to them," said Jake. "But I'll risk +that. Where are you going when you get the +money? Of course you can't go back to St. +Louis."</p> + +<p>"No; I think I shall go on to California. +I have always wanted to see that State."</p> + +<p>"Well, we will go East. Three thousand +dollars, if they succeed in digging out ten +thousand, added to what we shall make—humph!" +said Bob; and then he stopped before +he had gone any further.</p> + +<p>It was a wonder that Claus did not suspect +something, but his mind was too fully occupied +with other matters. Where was he going +when he got the money? That was something +that had not occurred to Claus before, +and he found out that he had something yet +to worry him.</p> + +<p>"You fellows seem to think you will get +rich by robbing those boys," remarked Claus, +knowing that he must say something. +<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_357" id="Page_357">357</a></span></p> + +<p>"No, we don't," answered Jake; "but that +will be enough to keep us until we can turn +our hands to some other kind of work. Now +about our pack-horse, tools and provisions. +You have money enough to pay for them, I +suppose?"</p> + +<p>"Oh, yes—that is, I have a little," Claus +replied, cautiously, for he was afraid the +miners might want more of it than he felt +able to spend. "But I tell you I shall be +hard up after I get those things."</p> + +<p>"You have other money besides what you +gave the boys," said Bob. "You can write to +St. Louis for more."</p> + +<p>"But I don't want to do that. I have with +me just what I can spare, for my other funds +are all invested."</p> + +<p>"Oh, you can get more for the sake of what +is coming to you," said Jake, carelessly. +"Now, we want to start for Dutch Flat in +about a week. That will give the boys time +to fight the ghosts and get to work in their +pit. Suppose we go and see about our pack-horse +and tools."</p> + +<p>Claus would have been glad to have put +<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_358" id="Page_358">358</a></span> +this thing off for a day or two, but he could +not see any way to get out of it. He went +with the miners, who knew just where they +wanted to go, and the horse he bought was a +perfect rack of bones that did not seem strong +enough to carry himself up to Dutch Flat, let +alone a hundredweight of tools and provisions +with him. The tools he bought were to be +left in the store until they were called for, and +the miners drew a long breath of relief, for +that much was done. If Claus at any time +got sick of his bargain, and wanted to haul +out, he could go and welcome; but they would +hold fast to his tools and provisions, and use +them in prospecting somewhere else.</p> + +<p>The morning set apart for their departure +came at last, and Claus and his companions +put off at the first peep of day. They made +the journey of two hundred miles without any +mishap, and finally rode into the camp of +Dutch Flat just as the miners were getting +ready to have their dinner. They all looked +up when they heard the newcomers, and some +uttered profane ejaculations under their breath, +while others greeted them in a way that Claus +<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_359" id="Page_359">359</a></span> +did not like, for it showed him how his partners +stood there with the miners.</p> + +<p>"Well, if there ain't Bob I'm a Dutchman!" +exclaimed one, straightening up and shading +his eyes with his hand. "You are on hand, +like a bad five-dollar bill—ain't you? I was +in hopes you were well on your way to the +States by this time."</p> + +<p>"No, sir; I am here yet," answered Bob. +"You don't mind if I go and work my old +claim, do you? I don't reckon that anybody +has it."</p> + +<p>"Mighty clear of anybody taking your +claim," said another. "You can go there and +work it, for all of us; but we don't want you +snooping around us like you did last summer."</p> + +<p>"What is the matter with those fellows?" +asked Claus, when they were out of hearing. +"What did you men do here last summer?"</p> + +<p>"Just nothing at all," replied Jake. "We +wanted to know how much gold everybody +was digging, and that made them jealous of +us."</p> + +<p>"But if you can't mingle with them as you +<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_360" id="Page_360">360</a></span> +did then, how are you going to find out about +the haunted mine?"</p> + +<p>"Oh, we'll mix with them just as we did +last year, only we sha'n't have so much to say +to them," said Jake. "Here is our claim, +and it don't look as though anybody had been +nigh it."</p> + +<p>Claus was both surprised and downhearted. +If he had known that the miners were going +to extend such a reception as that to him he +would have been the last one to go among +them. There he was, almost alone, with two +hundred brawny fellows around him, each one +with a revolver strapped to his waist, and +their looks and actions indicated that if necessity +required it they would not be at all +reluctant to use them. He managed to gather +up courage to visit the general camp-fire, +which was kindled just at dark, where the +miners met to smoke their pipes and tell about +what had happened in their mines during the +day. This one had not made anything. The +dirt promised fairly, and he hoped in a few +days to strike a vein that would pay him and +his partner something. Another had tapped +<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_361" id="Page_361">361</a></span> +a little vein, and he believed that by the time +he got a rock out of his way he would stumble +onto a deposit that would make him so +rich that he would start for the States in short +order.</p> + +<p>"Well, partner, how do you come on?" +asked the man who was sitting close to Claus, +who was listening with all his ears. "Does +your dirt pan out any better than it did last +summer?"</p> + +<p>"We have not seen the color of anything +yet," replied Claus. "I do not believe there +is any gold there."</p> + +<p>"You are a tenderfoot, ain't you?"</p> + +<p>"Yes; I never have been in the mines before."</p> + +<p>"And you will wish, before you see your +friends again, that you had never seen them +this time. If you get any dust, you hide it +where your partners can't find it."</p> + +<p>There was one man, who did not take any +part in the conversation, that kept a close +watch on Claus and listened to every word he +said. It was Mr. Banta, who wondered what +in the world could have happened to bring so +<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_362" id="Page_362">362</a></span> +gentlemanly appearing a man up there in +company with Bob and Jake.</p> + +<p>"He must have money somewhere about +his good clothes, and that is what Bob is +after," said he to himself. "But if that is the +case, why did they not jump him on the way +here? I think he will bear watching."</p> + +<p>Three nights passed in this way, Claus +always meeting the miners at the general +camp-fire, while his partners stayed at home +and waited for him to come back and tell +them the news, and on the fourth evening +Banta seemed lost in thought. He sat and +gazed silently into the fire, unmindful of the +tales that were told and the songs that were +sung all around him. At last one of the +miners addressed him.</p> + +<p>"Well, Banta, I suppose this is your last +evening with us," he remarked.</p> + +<p>"Yes; I go off to-morrow."</p> + +<p>"Don't you wish you had not promised to +go up there?"</p> + +<p>"No, I don't; I shall find out if the boys +are all right, anyway. That is what I care +the most about. I shall take some provisions +<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_363" id="Page_363">363</a></span> +with me, and if the boys are above ground I +will leave them; otherwise, I shall bring them +back."</p> + +<p>"Oh, the boys must have the better of the +ghosts by this time," said another; "they +would have been here before this time if they +had not. You will find them with more gold +stowed away than they know what to do +with."</p> + +<p>"And didn't they see the ghosts at all?"</p> + +<p>"Why, as to that, I can't say. But they +have beaten them at their own game. You +will see."</p> + +<p>Claus pricked up his ears when he heard +this, and when the miners had all drawn +away, one by one, and sought their blankets +in their lean-to's, he asked of the man who +sat near him, and who was waiting to smoke +his pipe out before he went to bed,</p> + +<p>"Where is Banta going?"</p> + +<p>"Up to the haunted mine," was the reply. +"You see, he went up there two weeks ago +with the boys, and promised to come back in +two weeks to see how they were coming on. +His two weeks are up to-night." +<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_364" id="Page_364">364</a></span></p> + +<p>"What is up there, anyway?"</p> + +<p>"Well, you can ask somebody else to answer +that question," said the miner, getting +upon his feet. "I don't know what is up +there, and I don't want to know."</p> + +<p>The miner walked off and left Claus sitting +there alone. He was certain that he was on +the right track at last. As soon as Banta +came back they would know something about +the haunted mine. +<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_365" id="Page_365">365</a></span></p> + +<h2 class="p6">CHAPTER XXVII.</h2> + +<h3>BOB TRIES STRATEGY.</h3> + +<p>"Well, what did you hear this time?" +asked Bob, who lay on his blanket +with his hands under his head and a pipe in +his mouth. "Everybody kept still about the +haunted mine, I suppose?"</p> + +<p>"No, sir; I heard about it to-night for the +first time," answered Claus. "Banta is going +up there to-morrow."</p> + +<p>"Then we will know something about it +when he comes back," remarked Bob. "I +hope the boys have got the better of those +ghosts in some way, and that they are working +their mine. Go on, and tell us what you +have heard."</p> + +<p>Claus did not have much to tell, for the +miners had cut the conversation short; but +what little he did say created great excitement +between those who heard it now for the first +time. The boys had got the better of those +<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_366" id="Page_366">366</a></span> +unearthly spirits in some way, for if the +ghosts had driven them out and not allowed +them to work their mine, the miners would +have found it out long before this time.</p> + +<p>"I don't see why Banta put it off for two +weeks," said Jake; "I reckon he was afraid +of them spirits."</p> + +<p>The next day was one which Claus often +remembered. There was much excitement in +the camp, although it did not show itself. +There was none of that singing and whistling +going on, but every man worked in silence. +Banta and his partner had got off at daylight, +and ten hours must pass away before they +could look for their return; but evening came +on apace, the camp-fire was lighted, and the +miners gathered around it and smoked their +pipes without making any comments on the +long delay of Mr. Banta and the man who +had gone with him. There was one thing +that troubled them, although no one spoke of +it—the mule which had carried their pack-saddle +came home alone, and was now feeding +in company with the old bell-mare. That +looked suspicious, but the men said nothing. +<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_367" id="Page_367">367</a></span> +For an hour they sat around the fire, and then +one of them broke the stillness. He was an +old, gray-headed man, experienced in mining, +and of course all listened to what he had to +say. He spoke in a low tone, as if there had +been a patient there and he was afraid to +arouse him.</p> + +<p>"Ten miles in ten hours," said he, knocking +the ashes from his pipe. "Boys, something's +got the better of those two men. I +remember that several years ago I was waiting +for a partner of mine who had gone away +to prospect a mine——"</p> + +<p>"What was that?" exclaimed a miner, +jumping to his feet.</p> + +<p>"I heard something, but I don't know what +it was," said another.</p> + +<p>It was done quicker than we could tell it. +In less than a second two hundred men sprang +to their feet, and two hundred hands slipped +behind them and laid hold of as many revolvers. +Of all those men, there was not one +who would have hesitated to fight Indians +with the fear of death before their eyes, but +there was not a single instance of a miner who +<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_368" id="Page_368">368</a></span> +did not change color at the sound of a noise +which seemed to come upon them from no one +could have told where.</p> + +<p>"Which way did the noise come from?" +asked a miner.</p> + +<p>"What did it sound like?" queried another.</p> + +<p>"There it is!" said the miner who had at +first detected it—"it sounds like a horse's +hoofs on the rocks. There! Don't you +hear it?"</p> + +<p>And so it proved. The noise was heard +plainly enough by this time, and in a few moments +more two men came out of the willows +and rode into the circle of light that was +thrown out by the camp-fire. They were +Banta and his partner; and one look at their +faces was enough—they were fairly radiant +with joy.</p> + +<p>"Halloo! boys," cried Banta. "I declare, +you act as though you had lost your best +friend; and some of you have revolvers drawn +on us, too!"</p> + +<p>"Say, pard," said one of the miners, shoving +his revolver back where it belonged and +<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_369" id="Page_369">369</a></span> +extending a hand to each of the newcomers, +"where have you been so long? Your pack-mule +has been home all the afternoon, and +has kept the camp in an uproar with her constant +braying. She acted as though she +wanted to see your horses. Did you see the +boys?"</p> + +<p>"Yes, sir, we saw the boys," answered +Banta. He did not seem in any particular +hurry to relieve the suspense of his friends, +which was now worked up to the highest +degree, but dismounted from his horse very +deliberately and proceeded to turn him loose.</p> + +<p>"Well, why don't you go on with it?" +asked another miner. "Were the boys all +right?"</p> + +<p>"The boys were all right and tight, and +digging away as hard as they could."</p> + +<p>"Did they—did they see the ghosts?"</p> + +<p>"Of course they did; and the ghosts are +now lying up there with their skins off."</p> + +<p>"Were they animals?"</p> + +<p>"You are right again. Now, hold on till +I light my pipe and I'll tell you all about it. +Tony, you ought to have gone up there; you +<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_370" id="Page_370">370</a></span> +would be ten thousand dollars better off than +you are this minute."</p> + +<p>Tony was a man who was noted far and +near for his success in killing the lions which +were so abundant in the mountains. He would +rather hunt them than dig for gold, because +he was almost sure to get the animal he went +after. He was filling his pipe when Banta was +speaking, but he dropped it and let it lay on +the ground where it had fallen.</p> + +<p>"It is the truth I am telling you," declared +Banta. "If you don't believe it, you can go +up there to that haunted mine and find out +all about it. The boys killed them with +nothing but revolvers."</p> + +<p>Banta had his pipe lit by this time, and the +miners crowded around him, all eager for his +story. Bob and Jake were there, and no one +seemed to pay the least attention to them; +but they were impatient to learn all the particulars +of the case. There was one question +they wanted answered immediately, and that +was, Did the boys really have a bagful of +dust, or was Banta merely joking about that? +Fortunately Tony recovered his wits and his +<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_371" id="Page_371">371</a></span> +pipe at the same time and asked the question +for them.</p> + +<p>"Did the boys get ten thousand dollars in +two weeks?" he asked.</p> + +<p>"Well, they brought a bag out for us to +examine, and they thought it was nothing +but iron pyrites," said Banta; and then he +went on smoking his pipe.</p> + +<p>"We took one look at the bag," said his +partner, "and we took a big load off the boys' +minds when we told them it was gold, and +nothing else. Yes, sir—they have it fair and +square."</p> + +<p>"The boys are going ahead as though there +had never been any ghosts there," said Banta; +and then he went on to tell the miners everything +that had happened during their trip to +the haunted mine; and when he got started, +he followed Julian's narrative, and paid no +attention to Jack's. It was certain that the +story did not lose anything by passing through +his hands.</p> + +<p>"Jack pulled off his shirt," said he, in conclusion, +"and he has some wounds on his +back that will go with him through life." +<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_372" id="Page_372">372</a></span></p> + +<p>"And is the gold as thick as they say it +is—so thick that one can pick it up with his +hands?"</p> + +<p>"It is not quite as thick as that," replied +Banta, with a laugh. "But every time one +washes out a cradleful he finds anywhere from +a teaspoonful to three or four which he wants +to put in his bag. I tell you, the boys have +been lucky."</p> + +<p>"I am going up there the first thing in the +morning," said a miner. "Here I have been +slaving and toiling for color for six months, +and I can hardly get enough to pay for my +provisions, but I'll bet it won't be that way, +now, much longer."</p> + +<p>"Wait until I tell you something," answered +Banta. "Neely, you can go up there, +if you are set on it; there's no law here that +will make you stay away. There are plenty +of places where you can sink a shaft without +troubling the boys any, but whether or not +it will pay you is another question. The +boys will be down here themselves in less +than two weeks' time."</p> + +<p>"How do you account for that?" +<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_373" id="Page_373">373</a></span></p> + +<p>"Their vein is giving out. It will end in +a deep ravine that is up there, and there their +color ends."</p> + +<p>"Why don't they go back farther and start +another?" asked the miner.</p> + +<p>"It won't pay. The man who started that +shaft upon which they are now at work was +a tenderfoot, sure enough. There is not the +first sign of color about the dirt anywhere. +He thought it was a pretty place and so went +to work, and the consequence is, it has panned +out sixty thousand dollars. But go ahead if +you want to, Neely."</p> + +<p>Neely did not know whether or not he +wanted to go ahead with such a warning in +his ears. Banta was an experienced prospector, +and he could almost tell by looking at +the ground if there was any gold anywhere +about there. A good many who had been on +the point of starting for the haunted mine +with the first peep of day shook their heads, +and concluded they would rather stay where +they were than go off to a new country. There +were three, who did not say anything, whose +minds were already made up as to what they +<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_374" id="Page_374">374</a></span> +would do. They waited until the miners +were ready to go to their blankets, and then +Bob attracted the attention of those nearest +him by saying,</p> + +<p>"What Banta says throws a damper on +me. The haunted mine is going to play out +in a day or two, this place here is not worth +shucks, and we are going off somewhere at +break of day to see if we can't do better than +we are doing here."</p> + +<p>"Where are you going?" asked one.</p> + +<p>"I don't know, and in fact I don't care +much. I'll go to the first good place I hear +of, I don't care if it is on the other side of the +Rocky Mountains. I came out here expecting +to get rich in a few days, and I am poorer +now than I was ten years ago. These mountains +around here have not any gold in them +for me."</p> + +<p>"And I say it is good riddance," whispered +the miner to some who stood near him. "If +you had acted as you did last year, you would +have been sent out before this time."</p> + +<p>Having paved the way for the departure of +himself and companions, Bob joined them and +<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_375" id="Page_375">375</a></span> +led the way into his own cabin. They seated +themselves close together, for they did not +want to talk loud enough to be heard by anyone +who was passing their camp.</p> + +<p>"Well, they have it!" exclaimed Claus, +who was so excited that he could not sit still.</p> + +<p>"And it is gold, too," declared Jake. +"Banta says so, and that is enough."</p> + +<p>"In the morning, after we get breakfast," +said Bob, "we'll hitch up and take the back +trail toward Denver. We will go away from +the haunted mine, and that will give color to +what I told them a while ago."</p> + +<p>"What if you should chance to miss your +way?" asked Claus.</p> + +<p>"You can't lose me in these mountains; I +have prospected all over them, and I have +seen where the haunted mine is located a +hundred times. What a pity it was that I +did not stay there. Sixty thousand dollars! +Jake, if we had that sum of money we would +be rich."</p> + +<p>Jake did not say anything—that is, anything +that would do to put on paper. He +stretched himself out on his blanket and swore +<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_376" id="Page_376">376</a></span> +softly to himself, so that nobody but his companions +could hear him.</p> + +<p>"That will be three thousand three hundred +dollars apiece," said Claus, who did not like +the way that Bob and Jake left him out +entirely. "Remember, I am to have a third +of it."</p> + +<p>"Of course; and it will be more than that. +The boys will have some time to do more digging, +and maybe they'll have another bagful. +I understood you to say that the boys were +pretty plucky."</p> + +<p>"You may safely say that," replied Claus. +"The way they stood up against those lions, +when they did not know what was onto them, +is abundant proof of that. You will have to +go easy when you tackle them, or some of you +will get more than you want."</p> + +<p>The three continued to talk in this way +until they grew tired and fell asleep—that is, +all except Claus, who rolled and twisted on +his blanket for a good while before he passed +into the land of Nod. But he was out before +daybreak and busy with breakfast, while the +others brought up the animals and packed +<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_377" id="Page_377">377</a></span> +them for their journey. There was only one +man who came near them, and that was Banta, +who wanted to make sure they were not going +toward the haunted mine.</p> + +<p>"Well, boys, are you going to leave us?" +he inquired. "Where are you going?"</p> + +<p>"Not giving you a short answer, we don't +care much <i>where</i> we go," replied Bob. "There +is nothing here for us, and we will go elsewhere. +We are going to take the back track."</p> + +<p>"Are you not deciding on this matter suddenly?"</p> + +<p>"We determined on it yesterday. We decided +to go up to the haunted mine if you +came back with a favorable report of the condition +of things, but you say the lead is +played out, and of course that knocks us. +Wherever we go, we can't find a much worse +place than this."</p> + +<p>"Well, boys, I wish you luck, and we'll +all go away from here before a great while."</p> + +<p>"Why are you so anxious to find out about +where we are going?" asked Bob.</p> + +<p>"Because I wanted to remind you to keep +away from that mine up the gully," answered +<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_378" id="Page_378">378</a></span> +Banta, looking hard at Bob while he spoke. +"The boys have that mine all to themselves, +and we are going to stand by them."</p> + +<p>"We have no intention of going near that +haunted mine," asserted Bob, rather sullenly. +"If those boys have gold, let them keep it."</p> + +<p>"All right! Then I have nothing further +to say to you."</p> + +<p>So saying, Banta turned on his heel and +walked away. There was nothing insulting +in what he said, but Bob and his companions +knew that he was in earnest about it. They +all kept watch of him as long as he remained +in sight, and then looked at each other with +a broad grin on their faces.</p> + +<p>"I guess Banta didn't make anything by +trying to pump me," said Bob. "When we +get a mile or two down the gully, we'll save +what little provisions we want, push our horses +over the bluff——"</p> + +<p>"What do we want to do that for?" exclaimed +Claus, in great amazement. "Can't +we turn them loose?"</p> + +<p>"Yes, and have them come back here and +join the old bell-mare," said Jake, in disgust. +<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_379" id="Page_379">379</a></span> +"We have to be in a hurry about what we do, +for we must get a long start of the men here. +If our nags appeared among the other horses +here, the miners would know we had been +fooling them and would start for the haunted +mine at once."</p> + +<p>"Couldn't we tie them up?" asked Claus; +"or, we could shoot them. That would be an +easier way than pushing them over the bluff."</p> + +<p>"But there's the report our pistols would +make," replied Bob, turning fiercely upon +Claus. "The easiest way is the best. Now, +if we have everything we want, let us dig out +from here."</p> + +<p>The men in the camp saw them when they +mounted their horses and started down the +gully toward Denver, but there was not one +who shouted a farewell after them. When +they disappeared from view, Banta drew a +long breath of relief.</p> + +<p>"It is just as well that they took themselves +off before we had a chance to tell them that +their room was better than their company. I +do not like the way they have been acting +since they have been here." +<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_380" id="Page_380">380</a></span></p> + +<h2 class="p6">CHAPTER XXVIII.</h2> + +<h3>AN INHUMAN ACT.</h3> + +<p>"I'll bet no men ever went away from a +camp before without somebody said +good-bye to them," said Jake. "They don't +care where we go, or what luck we have, provided +we don't go near the haunted mine. If +they will just stay that way until to-morrow, +they can all come on at once, if they have a +mind to."</p> + +<p>Claus was the soberest man in the party. +He was waiting and watching for that bluff +at which their faithful steeds were to give up +their lives to make it possible for their owners +to get away with the amount they expected to +raise at the haunted mine. There was something +cold-blooded about this, and Claus could +not bring himself to think of it without shivering +all over.</p> + +<p>"I don't see why you can't tie them there," +Claus ventured to say; "they won't make any +<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_381" id="Page_381">381</a></span> +fuss until we are safely out of the way. It +looks so inhuman, to kill them."</p> + +<p>"Look here!" said Bob, so fiercely that +Claus resolved he would not say anything +more on the subject—"if you don't like the +way we are managing this business, you can +just go your way, and we'll go ours."</p> + +<p>"But you can't go yet," interrupted Jake; +"we are not going to have you go back to +Dutch Flat and tell the men there what we +are going to do. You will stay with us until +we get that money."</p> + +<p>"Of course he will," assented Bob. "When +we get through with that haunted mine we'll +go off into the mountains, and then you'll be +at liberty to go where you please."</p> + +<p>"Of course I shall stay with you," said +Claus, not a little alarmed by the threat thus +thrown out. Then he added to himself, "I +reckon I played my cards just right. If I +can keep them from searching me, I'll come +out at the big end of the horn, no matter +what happens to them."</p> + +<p>For the next hour Claus held his peace; +but he noticed that his horse turned his head +<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_382" id="Page_382">382</a></span> +and looked down the gully as if he feared +they were not going the right away. He did +not remember that he had come that route before, +but concluded that Bob was gradually +leaving the trail behind them, and was veering +around to get behind the camp at Dutch +Flat. Then the mule which bore their pack-saddle +began to be suspicious of it, too, for he +threw up his head and gave utterance to a +bray so long and loud that it awoke a thousand +echoes among the mountains.</p> + +<p>"Shut up!" exclaimed Jack, jerking impatiently +at his halter. "I hope that bluff is +not far away. We'll soon put a stop to your +braying when we get there."</p> + +<p>In another hour they came upon the bluff, +one side of which was bounded by a deep +ravine that seemed to extend down into the +bowels of the earth, and the other was hemmed +in by lofty mountains which rose up so sheer +their tops seemed lost in the clouds above. +Here again the mule became suspicious, for, in +spite of the jerks which Jake gave at his +halter, he set up another bray that sounded +as if the mountains were full of mules. +<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_383" id="Page_383">383</a></span></p> + +<p>"Hold fast to him, Jake, until I take his +saddle off," said Bob, hastily dismounting +from his horse; "I can soon stop that, if you +can't. There—his pack is off. Take him by +the foretop—don't let him get away from you. +Now, then, look at you!"</p> + +<p>The mule got away in spite of all Jake's +efforts to hold fast to him. The moment the +bridle was out of his mouth he dodged the +grab that Jake made for his foretop, and with +a flourish of his heels and another long bray +made for the gully by which he had entered +the bluff. The horses made a vain attempt +to follow him, and the animal on which Claus +was mounted seemed determined to go away, +but he was finally stopped by his rider before +he reached the gully. Bob and Jake were +fairly beside themselves with anger. Bob +stamped up and down so close to the ravine +that the least misstep would have sent him +over the brink, and Jake sat down on the +ground and swore softly to himself.</p> + +<p>"I tell you, this won't do!" said Bob, coming +back to the horses. "Let us put them +over without the least delay; and, mind you, +<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_384" id="Page_384">384</a></span> +we won't take their bridles off at all. That +mule will be in camp in less than an hour, so +we must make tracks. Let their saddles go, +too."</p> + +<p>The men went to work at pushing the +horses over into the ravine as if they were in +earnest. First Bob's horse went; then Jake's; +and finally they took Claus's bridle out of his +hands and shoved his horse over, too. Claus +did not see any of this work. The animals +went over without making any effort at escape +beyond putting out their feet and trying +to push themselves away from the brink; but +the miners got behind them, and all their attempts +to save themselves amounted to nothing. +He heard the horses when they crashed +through the branches of the trees below him, +and then all was silent.</p> + +<p>"What else could we do?" exclaimed Bob, +who thought Claus looked rather solemn over +it. "Dutch Flat is not a mile from here, and +some one there would have heard their whinnying. +I am sorry to do it, too, but when +there is ten thousand dollars in sight, I don't +stop at anything. Now pitch that mule's +<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_385" id="Page_385">385</a></span> +things over, also, and then we'll get away from +here."</p> + +<p>This being done, the three, with a small +package of provisions on their shoulders, set +out once more at a rapid pace, Bob leading +the way.</p> + +<p>For a long time no one spoke, the travelling +being so difficult that it took all their +breath to keep pace with Bob; but finally he +turned about and made a motion of silence +with his hand, and then they began to pick +their way through the bushes with more caution. +After a few moments he stopped, +pushed aside the branches of an evergreen, +and after taking a survey of the scene presented +to his gaze he made another motion, +which brought his companions up beside him.</p> + +<p>"We have caught them at it!" said he. +'Julian is on top, and Jack is down below, +shovelling dirt. Where are your revolvers?"</p> + +<p>"Those fellows from the Flat have not +come yet," said Jake, looking all around to +make sure that the boys were alone. "Lead +ahead, Bob, and remember that we are close +at your heels." +<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_386" id="Page_386">386</a></span></p> + +<p>Leaving his provisions behind him, Bob +arose to his feet, stepped out of his place of +concealment and advanced toward the pit. +Julian was so intent on watching his companion +below that he did not hear the sound +of their footsteps until they were so close to +him that he could not pull his partner up; so +he simply raised his head, and was about to +extend to them a miner's welcome, when he +saw something that made him open his eyes +and caused him to stare harder than ever. +There was something about that short, fleshy +man which he was sure he recognized. It did +not make any difference in what style of clothing +Claus was dressed in,—whether as a gentleman +of leisure or as a miner,—his face betrayed +him. He saw that it was all up with +him, for he had no time to go to the lean-to +after his revolver.</p> + +<p>"Pitch that dirt out of the bucket and come +up, Jack," called Julian, shaking the rope to +attract the attention of his comrade. "Claus +is up here."</p> + +<p>There was a moment's silence; then Jack's +voice came back in no very amiable tones. +<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_387" id="Page_387">387</a></span></p> + +<p>"Get away with your nonsense!" he exclaimed. +"If I come up there again for just +nothing at all, I pity <i>you</i>! If Claus is there, +make him show himself."</p> + +<p>"Why, he's your uncle," asserted Bob, who +began to wonder if that was the first lie that +Claus had told them.</p> + +<p>"That man?" exclaimed Julian. "Not +much, he ain't. Jack, is Claus your uncle?"</p> + +<p>"Tell him to come down here and I'll see +about it," said Jack, who could not yet be +made to see that there was something really +going on at the top. "That makes two I +have against you, old fellow."</p> + +<p>"No, you haven't got anything against +me," said Julian. "Here is Claus. Don't +you see his face? Any man who would claim +such an uncle as that—"</p> + +<p>"That is enough out of you!" interrupted +Jake. "Fetch that partner of yours up, and +then bring out your money—we must get +away from here in a hurry."</p> + +<p>"Well! well!" cried Jack, who happened +to look up and catch a glimpse of Claus's +face. "I will come up directly." +<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_388" id="Page_388">388</a></span></p> + +<p>"Say, you, down there," called Bob, bending +over the shaft, "if you have a revolver +down there, be careful that you keep it where +it belongs."</p> + +<p>"Don't worry yourself," answered Jack; +"I haven't anything in the shape of a revolver +about me. Hoist away, Julian."</p> + +<p>The dirt was emptied out by this time, and +Jack stepped into the bucket and was promptly +hoisted to the top. Then he stood waiting for +the three men to make known their wants; +but he devoted the most of his time to scrutinizing +the face of Claus, to whom he was indebted +for the presence of the other two.</p> + +<p>"Do you think you could recognize me if +you should chance to meet me again anywhere?" +asked Claus.</p> + +<p>"Certainly, I could," answered Julian; "I +would recognize you if I saw you in Asia. +You are bound to have some of that money, +are you not?"</p> + +<p>"That is just what I am here for," said +Claus, with a grin. "You have one bagful +and another partly full, and we want them +both as soon as you can get them." +<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_389" id="Page_389">389</a></span></p> + +<p>Jack was astonished when he heard this, +for Mr. Banta had told him to keep the full +bag hidden where no one could find it. How, +then, did Claus know anything about it? Julian +was equally amazed; but, after thinking +a moment, he turned on his heel and led the +way toward their lean-to. Bob and his companion +kept close by the side of the two boys, +for they did not want them to find their revolvers +before they knew something about it. +They had heard from various sources that the +boys were fair shots, and they did not want to +see them try it on.</p> + +<p>"Well, Claus, you slipped up on one +thing," said Julian; "you didn't get any of +that block of buildings—did you?"</p> + +<p>"Come, now, hurry up!" insisted Bob. +"Where are those bags?"</p> + +<p>"Here's one you have been talking about," +answered Jack, pulling the head of his bed +to pieces and producing the article in question. +"Julian, you know where the other +one is."</p> + +<p>While Jack was engaged in performing +this work the revolvers were kept pointed +<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_390" id="Page_390">390</a></span> +straight at him, for fear he might pull out +another one and turn it loose upon them before +they could draw a trigger. But the boys +did not seem to care any more about the revolvers +than if they had been sticks of wood +that were aimed at them. Claus had a revolver, +but he did not seem inclined to use it.</p> + +<p>"Are you sure it is gold in here, and not +something else?" asked Bob.</p> + +<p>"You have got the bag in your hands, and +you can look and see for yourself," said +Jack.</p> + +<p>"Go out in front of the lean-to and sit +down on the ground so that I can watch you," +said Bob. "Jake, go with that boy and dig +up the other one. Is this all you have made +since you have been here?"</p> + +<p>"Yes, that's all. Now, what are you going +to do with us?"</p> + +<p>"I'll tell you when Jake comes back. Is +there much more of that lead down there?"</p> + +<p>"Well, you have charge of the mine, now, +and there is no law to hinder you from going +down and finding out," retorted Jack. "Claus, +where are you going? I don't expect to see +<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_391" id="Page_391">391</a></span> +these gentlemen any more, but I should like +to keep track of you."</p> + +<p>Claus did not see fit to answer this question, +and in the meantime Julian and Jake +returned with the other bag. +<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_392" id="Page_392">392</a></span></p> + +<h2 class="p6">CHAPTER XXIX.</h2> + +<h3>A TRAMP WITH THE ROBBERS.</h3> + +<p>"Oh, it is gold!" exclaimed Jake, as Bob +took the bag and bent over it; "it is +not iron pyrites."</p> + +<p>"Stow that about your clothes, Jake, and +then we'll go on," said Bob; "and we want +you boys to gather up provisions enough to +last you for three or four days. But, in the +first place, where are your revolvers?"</p> + +<p>"Don't you see them hung up there, in +plain sight?" asked Jack, pointing to the articles +in question, which were suspended from +the rack of the lean-to, in plain sight. "What +are you going to do with us?"</p> + +<p>"We are going to take you a three days' +journey with us, and then turn you loose."</p> + +<p>"Why can't you let us go now?" queried +Julian. "We have nothing else that is worth +stealing."</p> + +<p>"No, but you are too close to Dutch Flat," +<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_393" id="Page_393">393</a></span> +Jake replied. "We haven't got anything +against you, and when we get out there in the +mountains—"</p> + +<p>"You might as well shoot us on the spot as +to lose us among these hills. I pledge you +my word that we will not stir a step—"</p> + +<p>"That is all very well," interrupted Bob +with a shake of his head which told the boys +that he had already decided on his plan; +"but, you see, it don't go far enough. If you +don't go to the miners, the miners will come +here to you, so we think you would be safer +with us. Gather up your grub and let us get +away from here."</p> + +<p>The boy saw very plainly that Bob and +Jake wanted to make their escape from the +miners sure; so Julian collected some bacon +and hard-tack, which he wrapped up in a +blanket and fixed to sling over his shoulders. +There was one thing that encouraged him—"if +he did not go to the miners, the miners +would come after him"—and proved that +they must in some way have had their suspicions +aroused against Bob and Jake. Jack +also busied himself in the same way, and in a +<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_394" id="Page_394">394</a></span> +very few minutes the boys were ready to +start.</p> + +<p>"I must say you are tolerably cool ones, to +let ten or fifteen thousand dollars be taken +from you in this way," remarked Bob, who +was lost in admiration of the indifferent manner +in which the boys obeyed all orders. "I +have seen some that would have been flurried +to death by the loss of so much money."</p> + +<p>"If Claus, here, told the truth, they have a +whole block of buildings to fall back on," answered +Jake. "But maybe that is a lie, too."</p> + +<p>"No, he told you the truth there," said Julian. +"He tried to cheat us out of those +buildings while we were in St. Louis—"</p> + +<p>"I never did it in this world!" declared +Claus, emphatically.</p> + +<p>"Did you not claim to be our uncle?" asked +Julian.</p> + +<p>"Uncle!" ejaculated Jack. "Great Scott!"</p> + +<p>Claus did not attempt to deny this. Bob +and Jake were almost within reach of him, +and they looked hard at him to see what he +would say, and he was afraid to affirm that +there was no truth in the statement for fear +<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_395" id="Page_395">395</a></span> +of something that might happen afterward. +He glanced at the boys, who were looking +steadily at him, and Jack moved a step or +two nearer to him with his hands clenched +and a fierce frown on his face, all ready to +knock him down if he denied it; so Claus +thought it best not to answer the question at +all.</p> + +<p>"You won't think it hard of me if I hit +him a time or two?" asked Jack.</p> + +<p>"Come here and behave yourself," said +Julian, walking up and taking Jack by the +arm. "I think, if the truth was known, he +is in a worse fix than we are."</p> + +<p>"But he claims to be my uncle!" exclaimed +Jack.</p> + +<p>The tone in which these words were uttered, +and Jack's anger over the claim of relationship, +caused Bob and Jake to break out +into a roar of laughter.</p> + +<p>"We'll take your word for it," said Bob, as +soon as he could speak; "but we can't waste +any more time here. Follow along after me, +and Jake will bring up the rear."</p> + +<p>Bob at once set off to the spot where they +<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_396" id="Page_396">396</a></span> +had left their provisions, and, having picked +them up, led the way down the almost perpendicular +side of the ravine until they +reached the bottom. Now and then he would +look over his shoulder at Jack, who was following +close behind him, and would break +into another peal of laughter.</p> + +<p>"So you didn't want that fellow to claim +relationship with you?" said he. "Well, I +don't blame you. He has done nothing but +tell us one pack of lies after another ever +since we met him. The only thing that had +the least speck of truth in it was that we +should find you here at the haunted mine."</p> + +<p>This remark was made in a low tone, so +that it did not reach the ears of Claus, who +was following some distance behind. If Claus +had not seen already that he was in a "fix," +he ought to have seen it now.</p> + +<p>"Now, perhaps you wouldn't mind telling +us what you are going to do with us," Jack +ventured to say, in reply.</p> + +<p>"Well, the men there at Dutch Flat are +hot on our trail now," asserted Bob.</p> + +<p>"How do you know that?" +<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_397" id="Page_397">397</a></span></p> + +<p>"Because our mule got away from us when +we tried to shove him over the bluff. We +wanted to destroy everything we had that we +could not carry on our backs, but he got away +from us. Banta warned us against coming up +here, and we fooled him by making him believe +we were going straight down to Denver; +but he will be after us now. If he +comes, he had better take us unawares; that's +all."</p> + +<p>"We don't want to see that fight," remarked +Jack. "You'll let us go before that +comes off?"</p> + +<p>"Oh, yes; when we get you so deep in the +mountains that you can't find your way back +readily, why, then we'll let you go. If you +behave yourselves, you won't get hurt."</p> + +<p>Bob led the way at a more rapid pace when +they reached the bottom of the gorge, jumping +from rock to rock, and climbing over +fallen trees that lay in their road, and Jack +followed his example. He knew that Bob +was making the trail more difficult to follow, +but it was done in order to keep out of argument +with his charge; for Bob often stopped, +<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_398" id="Page_398">398</a></span> +whenever he came to a place that took some +pains to get over, and saw that those who +were following him left no tracks behind +them.</p> + +<p>"There!" said Bob, pulling off his hat and +looking back at the way they had come; "I +reckon Banta will find some trouble in tracking +us up here. I am hungry, and we'll stop +here and have something to eat."</p> + +<p>After they had satisfied their appetites they +took a little time to rest, and then set off again +at a more rapid pace than ever. It was +almost dark when they stopped to camp for +the night. The boys were tired, and they +showed it as soon as they had disposed of +their bacon and hard-tack by wrapping their +blankets about them and lying down to sleep, +with their feet to the fire. Their slumber +was as sound as though they were surrounded +by friends instead of being in the power of +those who had robbed them of their hard-earned +wealth.</p> + +<p>It seemed to them that they had scarcely +closed their eyes when they were awakened +by the sound of footsteps moving about, and +<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_399" id="Page_399">399</a></span> +threw off their blankets in time to see Bob +cutting off a slice of bacon. It was as dark as +pitch in the woods, and the boys did not see +how Bob was to find his way through them.</p> + +<p>"It will be light enough by the time we +have our breakfast eaten," said he, in response +to the inquiry of Julian. "You have a watch +with you. What time is it?"</p> + +<p>Julian had a watch with him, it is true, but +he had been careful how he drew it out in the +presence of Bob and Jake. It had no chain +attached to it, and the boy was not aware that +Bob knew anything about it; but he produced +the gold timepiece and announced that it was +just five o'clock. This was another thing +over which Julian had had an argument with +Jack, who believed that, with the money he +had at his disposal, he ought to have the best +watch that could be procured, and, in spite of +Jack's arguments, he had purchased the best +American patent lever he could find. Jack's +watch was an ordinary silver one, and he said +that by it he could tell the time when dinner +was ready as well as he could by a good timepiece. +<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_400" id="Page_400">400</a></span></p> + +<p>"Do you want this watch?" asked Julian, +because he thought the man who would steal +his money would not be above stealing his +watch also.</p> + +<p>"Oh, no," replied Bob, with a laugh; +"you can keep that. I wanted your money, +and, now that I have it, I am satisfied."</p> + +<p>By the time breakfast was cooked and eaten +there was light enough to show them the way, +and Bob once more took the lead. There was +no trail to guide them—nothing but the gully, +which twisted and turned in so many ways +that Julian almost grew heart-sick when he +thought of finding his way back there in company +with Jack. More than once he was on +the point of asking Bob if he did not think +they had gone far enough, but the man had +been so friendly and good-natured all the time +that he did not want to give him a chance to +act in any other way. So he kept with him +during that long day's tramp, looking into all +the gullies he crossed, and once or twice he +slyly reached behind him and pulled down a +branch of an evergreen that happened to come +in his way. +<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_401" id="Page_401">401</a></span></p> + +<p>"That's the way our women used to do in +old Revolutionary times when they were captured +and wanted to leave some trail for their +rescuers to follow," soliloquized Julian; "but +Bob doesn't take any notice of it."</p> + +<p>"Well, I reckon we'll stop here for the +night," remarked Bob, when it got so dark +that he could scarcely see. "This is as far as +we shall ask you to go with us, Julian. I suppose +you are mighty glad to get clear of us."</p> + +<p>"Yes, I am," assented Julian, honestly. +"If you will give us what you have in your +pockets, you can go your way and we will +make no attempt to capture you."</p> + +<p>"Oh, we couldn't think of that! You +have wealth enough to keep you all your +lives, and I have struggled for ten years to +gain a fortune, and to-day I have just got it."</p> + +<p>"What would you do if somebody should +catch you along the trail, somewhere? You +would come in for a hanging, sure."</p> + +<p>"Don't you suppose we know all that? It +is a good plan for you to catch your man before +you hang him. We have two revolvers +apiece, and you know what that means." +<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_402" id="Page_402">402</a></span></p> + +<p>"You don't count Claus worth anything, +then," remarked Jack.</p> + +<p>"Eh? Oh, yes, we do," exclaimed Bob, +who wondered what Claus would think of him +for leaving him out entirely. "But Claus is +not used to this sort of business, you know. +He could make a noise, and that is about all +he could do."</p> + +<p>"We know we should come in for a hanging +if those fellows at Dutch Flat should ever +get their hands on us, but when they do that +we'll be dead. You need not think we are +going to stay in this country, where everybody +has got so rich, and we be as poor as Job's +turkey all the while. We have just as good a +right to be rich as they have."</p> + +<p>When Jake got to talking this way it was +a sure sign that he was rapidly getting toward +a point which Bob called "crazy." He was +always mad when he spoke of others' wealth +and his own poverty; and the boys, who were +anxious to get him off from that subject, began +their preparations for supper. They were +glad to know they had gone far enough with +the robbers to insure their escape, and they +<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_403" id="Page_403">403</a></span> +were disposed to be talkative; but they noticed +that Claus was more downhearted than +he had ever been. He lit his pipe, leaned +back against a tree, and went off into a brown +study.</p> + +<p>"I suppose he'll get a portion of the money +that was stolen from us," said Jack, in a low +tone.</p> + +<p>"No, he won't," answered Julian in the +same cautious manner. "He has been promised +some of that money, but I'll bet you he +don't get a cent of it. He is here in these +fellows' power, and they'll take what they +please out of him."</p> + +<p>The boys, although as tired as they were on +the previous day, were not by any means inclined +to sleep. In fact they did not believe +they had been asleep at all until they heard +Bob moving around the fire. It was five +o'clock by Julian's watch, and his first care +was to find out what had become of Claus, +who lay muffled up, head and ears, in his +blanket; but he would not have stayed there +if he knew what was going to happen to him +during the day. +<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_404" id="Page_404">404</a></span></p> + +<p>"Now perhaps you will be good enough to +tell us what route we have to travel in order +to get out of here," said Jack.</p> + +<p>"Have you a compass with you?" asked +Jake.</p> + +<p>No, the boys had none; they did not think +they would need one when they were surrounded +by friends who knew the woods, and +consequently they had not brought one with +them.</p> + +<p>"You know which way is east, don't you? +Well, place your backs to the sun, and keep +it there all the time. Dutch Flat lies directly +west of here."</p> + +<p>"That will be good if the sun shines all the +time," said Julian. "But if it goes under a +cloud—then what?"</p> + +<p>"Then you will have to go into camp, and +stay until it comes out again," replied Bob. +"But at this time of the year you have nothing +to fear on that score. Are you going already? +Well, good-bye. Why don't you +wish us good luck with that money we took +from you?"</p> + +<p>"Because I don't believe it will bring you +<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_405" id="Page_405">405</a></span> +good luck," said Jack. "We worked hard +for it, and we ought to have it. I wish you +good-bye, but I don't wish you good luck."</p> + +<p>"Shake hands with your uncle, why don't +you?" asked Bob.</p> + +<p>"Not much!" returned Jack. "If that +money doesn't bring him some misfortune I +shall miss my guess."</p> + +<p>Julian and Jack shouldered the blankets +which contained the few provisions they had +left, plunged into the thicket, and were out +of hearing in a few minutes. The robbers sat +by the fire without making any effort to continue +their journey, and presently Bob turned +his eyes upon Claus.</p> + +<p>"Now, my friend, it is time for you to go, +too," said he. +<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_406" id="Page_406">406</a></span></p> + +<h2 class="p6">CHAPTER XXX.</h2> + +<h3>HOME AGAIN.</h3> + +<p>Claus had been expecting something of +this kind. It is true he had a revolver, +but by the time he could reach back +to his hip pocket and draw it he could be +covered by Jake, whose weapon lay close at +hand. There was but one thing to be done—he +had to surrender. Instead of getting three +thousand dollars for his share in the robbery, +he would be turned loose in that country, two +hundred miles from anybody, without a cent +left in his pockets—that is, if Bob searched +him.</p> + +<p>"Well," said Claus, "I suppose you want +all the money I have around me. I should +think you might leave me a little."</p> + +<p>"How much have you?" asked Bob.</p> + +<p>Without saying a word, Claus unbuttoned +his vest, worked at something on the inside, +and presently hauled out a belt, which he +<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_407" id="Page_407">407</a></span> +handed over to Bob. It did not stick out as +though there was much money in it, and when +Bob began to investigate it, all he drew forth +was twenty-five dollars.</p> + +<p>"You are a wealthy millionaire, I understood +you to say," exclaimed Bob, in great +disgust. "This looks like it!"</p> + +<p>"I told you, when I had purchased the +pack-mule, provisions and tools, that I should +not have much left," answered Claus. "That's +all I have, and if you take it from me I shall +starve."</p> + +<p>"Stand up!" commanded Jake, who was +as disgusted as Bob was. "You are sure you +haven't got any about your clothes? But, +first, I'll take possession of that revolver."</p> + +<p>The revolver having been disposed of, Jake +then turned his attention to feeling in all +Claus's pockets, but he found nothing more +there—Claus had evidently given them the +last cent he had.</p> + +<p>"Take your little bills," said Bob, throwing +Claus's belt back to him. "If you are +careful of them, they will serve you till you +get back to Denver." +<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_408" id="Page_408">408</a></span></p> + +<p>"And when you get there, you can go to +one of those men who own that block of +buildings and borrow another thousand or +two. Now, get out of here!" put in Jake.</p> + +<p>"I thank you for this much," returned +Claus. "But I should thank you a good deal +more if you would give me my revolver. I +may want it before I reach Denver."</p> + +<p>"Give it to him, Jake. He hasn't pluck +enough to shoot at us or anybody else. Make +yourself scarce about here!"</p> + +<p>"They think they are awful smart!" +thought Claus, when he had placed some +bushes between him and the robbers. "Why +didn't they think to look in my shoe? I have +three hundred dollars that they don't know +anything about. Now I guess I'll go back to +St. Louis; and if anybody ever says anything +to me about an 'old horse,' I'll knock him +down."</p> + +<p>We are now in a position to take a final +leave of Claus, and we do it with perfect readiness. +Did he get back to St. Louis in safety? +Yes, he got there in due course, but he had +some fearful sufferings on the way. In the +<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_409" id="Page_409">409</a></span> +first place, he was nearly a week in finding +his way out of the mountains; and by the +time he reached a miner's cabin he was so +weak from want of food that he fell prone +upon the floor, and stayed there until the +miner came from his work and found him +there. Of course he was taken in and cared +for, and when he was able to resume his journey +he offered to present the miner with every +cent he had,—twenty-five dollars,—to pay him +for his kindness; but the miner would not +take it.</p> + +<p>"You will need every cent of that before +you get to Denver," said he. "The food and +care I have given you don't amount to anything. +Good-bye, and good luck to you."</p> + +<p>He was nearly three times as long in finding +his way back to Denver. He tried to buy +a horse on the way, but no one had any to sell. +He now and then found a chance to ride when +he was overtaken by a teamster who was +going somewhere for a load, but the most of +his journey was accomplished on foot. His +long tramp never cost him a cent, for everybody +pitied his forlorn condition. +<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_410" id="Page_410">410</a></span></p> + +<p>"I tell you, if I had been treated this way +by those robbers I wouldn't look as bad as I +do now," Claus often said to himself; "I +would have seen California before I went +home."</p> + +<p>All this while, Claus was on nettles for fear +he would see some of the men from Dutch +Flat who were in pursuit of him; but the +trouble was, the miners all went the other +way. They never dreamed that Claus was +going home, but saddled their horses at Mr. +Banta's command, and, making no attempt to +follow the devious course of the robbers +through the mountains, took the "upper +trail," and did their best to shut them off from +the towns toward which they knew the men +were hastening to buy some more provisions. +What luck they met with we shall presently +see.</p> + +<p>No man ever drew a longer breath than +Claus did when he came within sight of Denver. +He went at once to the hotel where he +had left his clothes, but the landlord did not +recognize him and ordered him out of the +house; but he finally succeeded in making +<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_411" id="Page_411">411</a></span> +himself known; and, now that he was safely +out of reach of the miners at Dutch Flat, +he had some fearful stories to tell of his experience.</p> + +<p>"You know I left my clothes with you on +condition that you would keep them for me +for a year," said Claus, who thought that was +the wisest thing that he ever did. "Well, I +want them now. I have the key to my +trunk, so everything is all right."</p> + +<p>Claus was not long in recovering from the +effects of his journey, for he could not help +thinking that Mr. Banta, or some other man +who belonged to the Flat, would find out that +he had gone to Denver and come after him; +so he remained there but two days before he +took the cars for home.</p> + +<p>"Now I am safe," said he, settling down in +his seat and pulling his hat over his eyes; "I +would like to see them catch me. But what +shall I do when I get back to St. Louis? I +must settle down into the same old life I have +always led, and that will be a big come-down +for me."</p> + +<p>Claus is there now, spending his time at the +<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_412" id="Page_412">412</a></span> +pool-rooms, where he makes the most of his +living, and ready at any time to talk about +the mines and the terrible experience he had +there.</p> + +<p>And where were Julian and Jack all this +while? To begin with, they were in the +ravine, making all the haste they could to +leave the robbers behind and reach the +haunted mine before their provisions gave +out. That troubled them worse than anything.</p> + +<p>"If our grub stops, where are we going to +get more?" asked Jack. "I don't believe +there is a house any nearer than Dutch Flat."</p> + +<p>"And we can't get there any too soon," returned +Julian. "At any rate, we are better +off than Claus is. What do you suppose they +intend to do with him?"</p> + +<p>"I suppose they intend to divide the +money with him. What makes you think +they would do anything else?"</p> + +<p>"From the way they treated him. If we +could learn the whole upshot of the matter, +you would find that they don't intend to give +him a dollar." +<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_413" id="Page_413">413</a></span></p> + +<p>"I wish we could see Mr. Banta for about +five minutes," said Jack. "I don't like to +give up that money. It is the first we ever +earned by digging in the ground, and I was +going to suggest to you that we keep some +of it."</p> + +<p>Julian replied by lengthening his steps and +going ahead at a faster rate than ever. He, +too, did not like to confess that the money +was lost,—that is, if they could only get word +to Mr. Banta in time. He did not know +where the robbers were heading for; but, with +two hundred men at his back, Julian was certain +he could come up with them before they +had left the country entirely.</p> + +<p>"But I hope they will not hurt the robbers," +said Julian. "If they will just get the +dust, that is all I shall ask of them."</p> + +<p>About five o'clock in the afternoon, when +it began to grow dark in the ravine, Julian, +who had been all the time leading the way, +stopped and pointed silently before him. +Jack looked, and there was the camp they +had occupied two nights before.</p> + +<p>"We are on the right road, so far," said he. +<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_414" id="Page_414">414</a></span> +"If we don't miss our way to-morrow we are +all right."</p> + +<p>The boys had not stopped to eat any dinner, +and for that reason they were hungry. They +spent a long time in cooking and eating their +bacon, and Julian said there was just enough +for two more meals. He did not like to think +of what might happen when it was all gone, +and, after replenishing the fire, bade his companion +good-night, wrapped his blanket about +him, and laid down to rest; but sleep was out +of the question. A dozen times he got up to +see the time, and there was Jack, snoring +away as lustily as he had done at the haunted +mine. Julian wished that he, too, could forget +his troubles in the same way, but when +morning came he had not closed his eyes.</p> + +<p>Julian proved to be an invaluable guide, +for that night they slept in the first camp they +had made after leaving the haunted mine. +If he had always known the path, he could +not have brought his companion straighter +to it.</p> + +<p>"Now keep your eyes open for the trail we +made when we came down from our mine, +<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_415" id="Page_415">415</a></span> +and then we are at home. But I say, Julian, +I shall not be in favor of staying here. All +our money is gone, I don't feel in the humor +to work for any more, and we will go down +to Dutch Flat."</p> + +<p>"And we'll stay there just long enough to +find somebody starting out for Denver, and +we'll go with him," replied Julian. "I don't +want anything more to do with the mines as +long as I live."</p> + +<p>The night passed away, and the next morning, +without waiting to cook breakfast, the +two boys started to find the trail that led up +the bluff to the haunted mine. They were a +long time in finding it—so long, in fact, that +Julian began to murmur discouraging words; +but finally Jack found it; and now began the +hardest piece of work they had undertaken +since they left the robbers. The cliff was as +steep as it looked to be when they gazed down +into its depths from the heights above, and +they did not see how they had managed to +come down it in the first place.</p> + +<p>"Are you sure the mine is up here?" asked +Julian, seating himself on a fallen tree to +<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_416" id="Page_416">416</a></span> +rest. "I should not like to go up there and +find nothing."</p> + +<p>"Didn't you see the trail we made in +coming down?" inquired Jack. "Of course +we are on the right track; but if you spend +all your time in resting, we shall never be +nearer the top than we are this minute."</p> + +<p>Julian once more set to work to climb the +hill, and in half an hour more Jack pushed +aside some branches that obstructed his way +and found himself in plain view of the mine. +Julian was satisfied now, but declared he +could not go any farther until he had recovered +all the wind he had expended in going +up the bluff; but Jack wanted to see that +everything in the camp was just as they left +it. He walked on toward the lean-to, and the +first thing that attracted his attention was that +his goods had been disturbed. The skins were +gone, some of the blankets were missing, and +there were hardly provisions enough to get +them a square meal. Julian came up in response +to his call, and was obliged to confess +that there had been other robbers while they +were absent. +<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_417" id="Page_417">417</a></span></p> + +<p>"Let us dish up the few provisions left, +take those things we want to save, and dig out +for the Flat," said Julian. "I am sure there +is nothing here to keep us, now."</p> + +<p>"And we'll leave the dirt-bucket here for +somebody else to use," added Jack. "If he +thinks there is a lead down there, let him go +and try it. I did not send up enough dust +the last time I was down there to pay for the +rope."</p> + +<p>At the end of an hour the boys resumed +their journey, each one loaded with a few +things they wanted to save, and in two hours +more they arrived within sight of Dutch +Flat. Some few of the men had already +given up their workings and were sitting in +front of the store, smoking their pipes; but +one of them speedily caught sight of the +boys, and the miners broke out into a cheer. +In a few seconds more they were surrounded, +shaking hands with all of them, and trying +in vain to answer their questions all at once.</p> + +<p>"This is no way to do it," declared Julian. +"Let us put our things in the cabin and +get our breath, and I will tell you the story." +<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_418" id="Page_418">418</a></span></p> + +<p>"In the first place," began Jack, as he deposited +the things with which his arms were +filled and came out and seated himself on the +doorsteps of Mr. Banta's cabin, "let me ask +a few questions. I won't delay the story five +minutes. Where is the man who owns this +house?"</p> + +<p>"Mr. Banta?" said one of the miners. +"He took the upper trail two or three days +ago, and rode with all possible speed in the +direction of Mendota. He hopes in that way +to cut off those villains."</p> + +<p>"He will do it, too, for they have no +horses," said Julian.</p> + +<p>"No horses? What did they do with +them?"</p> + +<p>"I don't know, I am sure," answered Julian, +in surprise. "They were on foot when +they came to rob us."</p> + +<p>"Why, their mule came up here a few +hours after they left, and made the biggest +kind of a fuss, and Banta suspected something +at once. He called for some men to go with +him, and he went as straight as he could to +your mine. You were not there, and that +<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_419" id="Page_419">419</a></span> +proved that those miners had paid you a +visit."</p> + +<p>"We are going to get our dust again!" +said Julian, slapping Jack on the shoulder. +"But I hope they won't hurt the robbers after +they catch them."</p> + +<p>"Well, that is rather a difficult thing to +tell. A man who comes into a mining-camp +and watches his chance to steal money instead +of working for it, takes his life in his +hand."</p> + +<p>"Then they must have been the ones who +disturbed our things," said Jack.</p> + +<p>"Probably they were. They brought the +skins of the ghosts back, and also some of +your provisions. They are there in his cabin +now. Now let us have that story." +<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_420" id="Page_420">420</a></span></p> + +<h2 class="p6">CHAPTER XXXI.</h2> + +<h3>CONCLUSION</h3> + +<p>When Julian had fairly settled down to +tell his story, which he did by crossing +his right leg over his left leg and clasping +his hands around his knee, he discovered +that there was not so much to be told as he +had thought for. His adventure with the robbers +was nothing more than might have happened +to any one of the miners who were +standing around him; the only question in +his mind was, would the other miner have +fared as well as he did?</p> + +<p>"They came to our mine and stole our +dust; but I don't see how they found out +about the full bag. Mr. Banta told us to be +careful about that."</p> + +<p>"Why, Mr. Banta told it himself!" remarked +one of the miners. "He said you +had a bagful hidden away."</p> + +<p>"You see, he had to do it, or the men here +<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_421" id="Page_421">421</a></span> +would have become suspicions and gone up to +your mine in a body," explained another. +"Go on—what next?"</p> + +<p>"They took the full bag, as well as the half-empty +one, and told us we would have to go +with them on a three days' journey into the +mountains, so as to keep you fellows here in +ignorance of the robbery as long as possible +but they took us only a two days' journey, +and then told us we had gone far enough. +That's all there was of it."</p> + +<p>"Is that all you have to tell?" asked one.</p> + +<p>"Well, no. They went away from here on +horseback, you said. Now, what did they do +with their animals? They were on foot when +they came to see us, and they never said +'horses' once during the two days we were +with them."</p> + +<p>"Probably they rode their horses as far as +they could, and then killed them."</p> + +<p>"No doubt they pushed them over a bluff," +said a man who had not spoken before.</p> + +<p>"We did not see any horses; of that much +we are certain. The only thing I can't see +into is, what they did with Claus after we went +<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_422" id="Page_422">422</a></span> +away. Of course they agreed to give him a +portion of the money they got off us."</p> + +<p>"Maybe so, but I don't think they did it. +Go on—how did they treat you?"</p> + +<p>"As well as they knew how," answered Julian, +emphatically. "That is the reason why +I hope Mr. Banta will be kind to them if he +catches them."</p> + +<p>"Well, you'll see how he'll treat them," retorted +a miner. "You'll never see those three +men again."</p> + +<p>Julian became uneasy every time the men +spoke of the way the miners would use their +prisoners if they found them, but he knew it +would be of no use to say a word. If anything +was done to them, he was in hopes the miners +would get through with it before they came to +camp. He was not used to any Western +way of dealing with criminals, and he thought +he was getting too old to become used to it +now.</p> + +<p>This was the way Julian told his story, in +answer to numerous questions of the miners, +who finally heard all they wanted to know. +In regard to what had happened to Claus, +<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_423" id="Page_423">423</a></span> +none of the miners had any idea. He did not +get any of the dust that was stolen from the +boys, and he would be lucky if he got away +with a dollar in his pocket.</p> + +<p>"Do you know, I have been on the watch +for them fellows to get into a squabble of some +kind before we saw the last of them?" remarked +a miner. "That Bob was a regular +thief—one could tell that by looking at him. +The short, pursy fellow—you called him +Claus, didn't you?—looked like a gentleman; +but his face did not bear out his good +clothes."</p> + +<p>The miners then slowly dispersed, one after +the other,—some to their work, and some to +lounge in front of the grocery, smoking their +pipes,—and the boys were left to themselves. +Their first care was to get something to eat, +for they had not had a sufficient quantity of +food, the bacon and hard-tack they first put +into their blankets having disappeared until +there was none left. Provisions were handy +in Mr. Banta's cabin, and when they had got +fairly to work on it they heard a sound from +the miners whom they had left outside. +<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_424" id="Page_424">424</a></span></p> + +<p>"Here they come!" shouted a voice. "Now +we'll see what will be done with those prisoners!"</p> + +<p>The boys looked at each other in blank +amazement. They had caught the robbers, so +their dust was safe; but what were they going +to do with the culprits, now that they had +captured them?</p> + +<p>"I declare," said another miner, at length, +"they haven't brought any prisoners with +them! And there's Tony, with his arm tied +up in a sling!"</p> + +<p>The boys had by this time reached the +door, and saw Mr. Banta, accompanied by a +dozen miners, ride into the camp. The boys +looked closely at them, but could not see anybody +that looked like Bob and Jake; but +Tony did not seem to have left all the fight +there was in him up in the mountains, for +he raised his rifle and flourished it over his +head.</p> + +<p>"Halloo! Mr. Banta," shouted Julian. +"You meant to catch them, did you? But I +guess you came out at the little end of the +horn." +<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_425" id="Page_425">425</a></span></p> + +<p>"Well, there!" exclaimed Mr. Banta, stopping +his horse and addressing himself to his +men; "didn't I tell you those boys would +come back all right? Put it there, kids!"</p> + +<p>Julian and Jack shook hands with all the +returning miners before they saw an opportunity +to propound any other questions; and +then, when they did ask them, they did not +get any satisfactory answers.</p> + +<p>"Did you get our dust?" asked Jack.</p> + +<p>"Yes, sir! And the men—ah!" said Mr. +Banta, who stopped and looked around at +the miners as if he hardly knew what to say +next.</p> + +<p>"Well, what about the men?" inquired Julian. +"You saw them, of course."</p> + +<p>"Oh, yes, we saw the men; and when we +asked them where the dust was that they stole +down here at the haunted mine, they took it +out of their clothes and gave it to us. Ain't +that so, boys?"</p> + +<p>The men around him nodded their heads +emphatically, as if to say their leader had +told nothing but the truth, but there was +something in their faces that told a different +<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_426" id="Page_426">426</a></span> +story. The boys concluded they would ask no +more questions while Mr. Banta was around, +but when he went away they were sure they +would get at the truth of the matter.</p> + +<p>"And, Julian, there's your money," continued +Mr. Banta, who had been trying to +take something out of his coat-pocket. "There +is the full bag, and there is the other. The +next time I leave you with such an amount +of money to take care of, I'll give you my +head for a football."</p> + +<p>"Why, Mr. Banta, <i>you</i> told them all about +this!" asserted Jack, laughingly.</p> + +<p>"No, I never!" shouted Mr. Banta.</p> + +<p>"Didn't you tell the men what we had done +and all about the dust we had?" asked Julian. +"You <i>did</i> tell them, and the robbers were +sitting by the camp-fire, and heard it all."</p> + +<p>"Eh? Oh, well—I did say—I could not +well help it—let us go into the cabin and see +what you have to eat."</p> + +<p>Mr. Banta lost no time in getting into the +cabin, for the boys had asked a question he +could not answer, and when they followed him +in he was engaged in filling his pipe. +<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_427" id="Page_427">427</a></span></p> + +<p>"We rode to the haunted mine and found +you were not there, so we came back and took +the upper trail on the way to Mendota," said +the miner, talking rapidly, as if he hoped to +shut off any questions the boys might have +ready to ask him. "We had a good time. We +found the men there and asked them for the +money, and they gave it over as peaceable and +quiet as could be. Now, don't let us hear any +more about it. You know the whole of the +story. Is this all you have to ease a man's appetite? +Why, I could eat it all myself!"</p> + +<p>"That's a funny story," whispered Jack, as +he and Julian went to the spring after a +bucket of water.</p> + +<p>"Well, keep still," said Julian. "He told +us not to say anything more about it, and +that's just the same as an order. We'll get +the straight of the matter yet."</p> + +<p>"Who will you go to?"</p> + +<p>"We'll go to Tony for it. He was the man +who was shot in the fracas, and he will tell us +all about it."</p> + +<p>It was two days before Julian had an opportunity +to speak to Tony in private. Tony's +<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_428" id="Page_428">428</a></span> +right arm was injured so badly that he could +not use a shovel, and the boys volunteered to +go down in his mine and help him—a voluntary +act on their part which gained them the +good-will of all the miners. One day, when +Tony was sitting by his mine smoking his +pipe and Julian was waiting for Jack to fill +up their bucket, the latter thought the chance +had come, for Tony was unusually talkative +that morning.</p> + +<p>"Now, there is no need that you should +keep this thing away from us any longer," +said Julian, suddenly. "Who shot those two +men?"</p> + +<p>Tony was taken off his guard and looked +all around as if he was waiting for some one +to suggest an answer. Finally he took off +his hat and dug his fingers into his hair.</p> + +<p>"Who said anything about shooting a +man?" he asked.</p> + +<p>"No one has said anything about it this +morning, but I just want to know if everything +I suspect is true," answered Julian, with +his eyes fastened on Tony's face.</p> + +<p>"Some one who was there can't keep his +<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_429" id="Page_429">429</a></span> +mouth shut," remarked Tony, in great disgust. +"Mr. Banta said he didn't want you +to know anything about it, and here that man +has gone and blowed the whole thing! But +you'll remember that I didn't say a word about +it—won't you?"</p> + +<p>"No one shall ever know what you tell +me," asserted Julian. "Did you shoot +them?"</p> + +<p>"Well, I couldn't help it—could I? We +came up with them just before we got to Mendota. +We rode right plump onto them before +we knew it, and without saying a word they +began to shoot. If they had had rifles, some +of us would have gone under; but they had +nothing but revolvers, and the first thing I +knew something went slap through my arm, +and I began to shoot, too. I got in two shots +while you would be thinking about it, and +then Mr. Banta looked through their clothes +and got the dust. We went down to Mendota +and reported the matter to the sheriff, +and he sent up and buried them."</p> + +<p>"It is a wonder to me that they didn't +arrest you," said Julian. +<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_430" id="Page_430">430</a></span></p> + +<p>"Who—me? What did I do? The men +were shooting at us, and I was defending myself. +It would have taken more men than +they had there to arrest me, for any man +would have done the same. Anyhow, we got +your money back. Say! Don't lisp a word +of this to Mr. Banta. He would go for me +hot and heavy."</p> + +<p>Julian was obliged to promise again that +Mr. Banta should never hear a word of what +Tony had told him; but that night he told it +to Jack, who said that his "funny story" had +come out just as he thought it would.</p> + +<p>"You said you didn't want them to deal +with the culprits here in camp, and you have +your wish," said Jack.</p> + +<p>Not long after that the miners, discouraged, +packed up, by companies of half a dozen or +more, bid good-bye to their associates, and +struck out for other localities. Dutch Flat +was "played out," there was no gold there for +them, and they were going where they could +do better. Some of them talked of going +home, while others, whose "piles" were not +quite as large as they wished, were going to +<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_431" id="Page_431">431</a></span> +try it again for another year. Mr. Banta lingered +there for some time, and then he, too, +astonished the boys by bringing up his tools +and telling them that next day he would strike +for Denver.</p> + +<p>"And when I get there I don't think I +shall stop," said he. "I have been away from +my home in the granite hills so long that I +won't know how to act when I get there, and +I can't learn any younger than I can now. I +am going as far as St. Louis with you, and +then I shall strike off alone."</p> + +<p>This put new life into the boys. As soon +as it became known in camp that Mr. Banta +was going away, a dozen others joined in with +his party, and when they rode away from the +camp the few miners who were left behind +cheered themselves hoarse. The boys had +been "to the mines," had met with some adventures +while there, and they were ready to +go back among civilized people once more.</p> + +<p>Their stay in Denver did not last more +than a week, and the boys were made to +promise, over and over again, that after they +had seen their friends in St. Louis they +<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_432" id="Page_432">432</a></span> +would go back there to live. Everything +they had in the world was there, the Western +country seemed to agree with them, and there +they would remain. They had not yet completed +their course at the business school, and +when that was done they must look for some +useful occupation in which to spend their lives.</p> + +<p>Mr. Banta proved that he had some money +in the bank before he had been in Denver +two days. The boys left him at his old +hotel, clad in a miner's suit, and looking altogether, +as he expressed it, "like a low-down +tramp," and when they saw him again they +could hardly recognize him. The barber had +been at work on him, the tailor had done his +best to fit him out; but the squeeze he gave +their hands proved that he was the same "old +Banta" still. The boys never forgot him; +his kindness had saved them many a dollar.</p> + +<p>After taking leave of Mr. Banta at St. +Louis the boys took up their quarters at a +leading hotel, and for two weeks devoted +themselves to calling upon their friends. As +they signed their names to the register Julian +whispered, +<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_433" id="Page_433">433</a></span></p> + +<p>"I have often thought, while I have been +carrying messages here in the city and looked +into this hotel while hurrying past it, that the +men who could put up at a first-class house +like this must be a happy lot, and now I have +a chance to see how it goes myself. Jack, let +us go down and have a glass of soda water. +Why don't you grumble about that the way +you did the last time we were here?"</p> + +<p>But Jack did not feel like grumbling—he +was too happy for that. He did not think, +while he was finding fault with Julian for the +wages he had spent at the express office in +buying 'old horse,' that he was one whose +fortunes hung upon the letter that was to +tell him about The Haunted Mine.</p> + +<p class="center p2">THE END.</p> + +<p class="center p6"><b>THE JOHN C. WINSTON CO.'S POPULAR JUVENILES.</b></p> + +<p class="center p2 b1"><b>HARRY CASTLEMON.</b></p> + +<hr class="l15" /> + +<p class="center p2"><b>HOW I CAME TO WRITE MY FIRST BOOK.</b></p> + +<p>When I was sixteen years old I belonged to a composition +class. It was our custom to go on the recitation seat +every day with clean slates, and we were allowed ten minutes +to write seventy words on any subject the teacher +thought suited to our capacity. One day he gave out "What +a Man Would See if He Went to Greenland." My heart was +in the matter, and before the ten minutes were up I had one +side of my slate filled. The teacher listened to the reading +of our compositions, and when they were all over he simply +said: "Some of you will make your living by writing one +of these days." That gave me something to ponder upon. +I did not say so out loud, but I knew that my composition +was as good as the best of them. By the way, there was +another thing that came in my way just then. I was reading +at that time one of Mayne Reid's works which I had +drawn from the library, and I pondered upon it as much as +I did upon what the teacher said to me. In introducing +Swartboy to his readers he made use of this expression: +"No visible change was observable in Swartboy's countenance." +Now, it occurred to me that if a man of his education +could make such a blunder as that and still write a +book, I ought to be able to do it, too. I went home that very +day and began a story, "The Old Guide's Narrative," which +was sent to the <i>New York Weekly</i>, and came back, respectfully +declined. It was written on both sides of the sheets +but I didn't know that this was against the rules. Nothing +abashed, I began another, and receiving some instruction, +from a friend of mine who was a clerk in a book store, I +wrote it on only one side of the paper. But mind you, he +didn't know what I was doing. Nobody knew it; but one +day, after a hard Saturday's work—the other boys had been +out skating on the brick-pond—I shyly broached the subject +to my mother. I felt the need of some sympathy. She +listened in amazement, and then said: "Why, do you think +you could write a book like that?" That settled the matter, +and from that day no one knew what I was up to until I sent +the first four volumes of Gunboat Series to my father. Was +it work? Well, yes; it was hard work, but each week I had +the satisfaction of seeing the manuscript grow until the +"Young Naturalist" was all complete.—<i>Harry Castlemon in the Writer.</i></p> + +<hr class="l15" /> + +<div class="center"> +<table class="ad" summary="gunboat series"> +<tr> +<td class="tdc" colspan="6"><b>GUNBOAT SERIES.</b></td> +</tr> +<tr> +<td class="tdc" colspan="2">6 vols.</td> +<td class="tdc" colspan="2"><span class="smcap">By Harry Castlemon.</span></td> +<td class="tdr" colspan="2">$6.00</td> +</tr> +<tr> +<td class="tdl" colspan="3">Frank the Young Naturalist.</td> +<td class="tdr" colspan="3">Frank before Vicksburg.</td> +</tr> +<tr> +<td class="tdl" colspan="3">Frank on a Gunboat.</td> +<td class="tdr" colspan="3">Frank on the Lower Mississippi.</td> +</tr> +<tr> +<td class="tdl" colspan="3">Frank in the Woods.</td> +<td class="tdr" colspan="3">Frank on the Prairie.</td> +</tr> +<tr> +<td class="tdc" colspan="6"> </td> +</tr> +<tr><td class="tdc" colspan="6"><b>ROCKY MOUNTAIN SERIES.</b></td></tr> +<tr> +<td class="tdc" colspan="2">3 vols.</td> +<td class="tdc" colspan="2"><span class="smcap">By Harry Castlemon.</span></td> +<td class="tdr" colspan="2">$3.00</td> +</tr> +<tr> +<td class="tdl" colspan="3">Frank Among the Rancheros.</td> +<td class="tdr" colspan="3">Frank in the Mountains.</td> +</tr> +<tr> +<td class="tdc" colspan="6">Frank at Don Carlos' Rancho.</td> +</tr> +<tr> +<td class="tdc" colspan="6"> </td> +</tr> +<tr> +<td class="tdc" colspan="6"><b>SPORTSMAN'S CLUB SERIES.</b></td> +</tr> +<tr> +<td class="tdc" colspan="2">3 vols.</td> +<td class="tdc" colspan="2"><span class="smcap">By Harry Castlemon.</span></td> +<td class="tdr" colspan="2">$3.75</td> +</tr> +<tr> +<td class="tdl" colspan="3">The Sportsman's Club in the Saddle.</td> +<td class="tdr" colspan="3">The Sportsman's Club </td> +</tr> +<tr> +<td class="tdl" colspan="3">The Sportsman's Club Afloat.</td> +<td class="tdr" colspan="3">Among the Trappers.</td> +</tr> +<tr> +<td class="tdc" colspan="6"> </td> +</tr> +<tr> +<td class="tdc" colspan="6"><b>FRANK NELSON SERIES.</b></td> +</tr> +<tr> +<td class="tdc" colspan="2">3 vols.</td> +<td class="tdc" colspan="2"><span class="smcap">By Harry Castlemon.</span></td> +<td class="tdr" colspan="2">$3.75</td> +</tr> +<tr> +<td class="tdl" colspan="2">Snowed up.</td> +<td class="tdc" colspan="2">Frank in the Forecastle.</td> +<td class="tdr" colspan="2">The Boy Traders.</td> +</tr> +<tr> +<td class="tdc" colspan="6"> </td> +</tr> +<tr> +<td class="tdc" colspan="6"><b>ROUGHING IT SERIES.</b></td> +</tr> +<tr> +<td class="tdc" colspan="2">3 vols.</td> +<td class="tdc" colspan="2"><span class="smcap">By Harry Castlemon.</span></td> +<td class="tdr" colspan="2">$3.00</td> +</tr> +<tr> +<td class="tdl" colspan="3">George in Camp.</td> +<td class="tdr" colspan="3">George at the Fort.</td> +</tr> +<tr> +<td class="tdc" colspan="6">George at the Wheel.</td> +</tr> +<tr> +<td class="tdc" colspan="6"> </td> +</tr> +<tr> +<td class="tdc" colspan="6"><b>ROD AND GUN SERIES.</b></td> +</tr> +<tr> +<td class="tdc" colspan="2">3 vols.</td> +<td class="tdc" colspan="2"><span class="smcap">By Harry Castlemon.</span></td> +<td class="tdr" colspan="2">$3.00</td> +</tr> +<tr> +<td class="tdl" colspan="3">Don Gordon's Shooting Box.</td> +<td class="tdr" colspan="3">The Young Wild Fowlers.</td> +</tr> +<tr> +<td class="tdc" colspan="6">Rod and Gun Club.</td> +</tr> +<tr> +<td class="tdc" colspan="6"> </td> +</tr> +<tr><td class="tdc" colspan="6"><b>GO-AHEAD SERIES.</b></td> +</tr> +<tr> +<td class="tdc" colspan="2">3 vols. </td> +<td class="tdc" colspan="2"><span class="smcap">By Harry Castlemon.</span></td> +<td class="tdr" colspan="2">$3.00</td> +</tr> +<tr> +<td class="tdl" colspan="2">Tom Newcombe.</td> +<td class="tdc" colspan="2">Go-Ahead.</td> +<td class="tdr" colspan="2">No Moss.</td> +</tr> +<tr> +<td class="tdc" colspan="6"> </td> +</tr> +<tr><td class="tdc" colspan="6"><b>WAR SERIES.</b></td> +</tr> +<tr> +<td class="tdc" colspan="2">6 vols.</td> +<td class="tdc" colspan="2"><span class="smcap">By Harry Castlemon.</span></td> +<td class="tdr" colspan="2">$6.00</td> +</tr> +<tr> +<td class="tdl" colspan="3">True to His Colors.</td> +<td class="tdr" colspan="3">Marcy the Blockade-Runner.</td> +</tr> +<tr> +<td class="tdl" colspan="3">Rodney the Partisan.</td> +<td class="tdr" colspan="3">Marcy the Refugee.</td> +</tr> +<tr> +<td class="tdl" colspan="3">Rodney the Overseer.</td> +<td class="tdr" colspan="3">Sailor Jack the Trader.</td> +</tr> +<tr> +<td class="tdc" colspan="6"> </td> +</tr> +<tr><td class="tdc" colspan="6"><b>HOUSEBOAT SERIES.</b></td> +</tr> +<tr> +<td class="tdc" colspan="2">3 vols.</td> +<td class="tdc" colspan="2"><span class="smcap">By Harry Castlemon.</span></td> +<td class="tdr" colspan="2">$3.00</td> +</tr> +<tr> +<td class="tdl" colspan="3">The Houseboat Boys.</td> +<td class="tdr" colspan="3">The Mystery of Lost River Cañon.</td> +</tr> +<tr> +<td class="tdc" colspan="6">The Young Game Warden.</td> +</tr> +<tr> +<td class="tdc" colspan="6"> </td> +</tr> +<tr> +<td class="tdc" colspan="6"><b>AFLOAT AND ASHORE SERIES.</b></td> +</tr> +<tr> +<td class="tdc" colspan="2">3 vols.</td> +<td class="tdc" colspan="2"><span class="smcap">By Harry Castlemon.</span></td> +<td class="tdr" colspan="2">$3.00</td> +</tr> +<tr> +<td class="tdl" colspan="3">Rebellion in Dixie.</td> +<td class="tdr" colspan="3">A Sailor in Spite of Himself.</td> +</tr> +<tr> +<td class="tdc" colspan="6">The Ten-Ton Cutter.</td> +</tr> +</table> +</div> +<div class="center p2"><b> +COMPLETE CATALOG OF BEST BOOKS FOR BOYS AND GIRLS<br /> +MAILED ON APPLICATION TO THE PUBLISHERS<br /> +THE JOHN C. WINSTON CO., PHILADELPHIA<br /> +</b></div> + +<div class="slimad"> +<p class="p6 center b1">The Roundabout Library<br /> +For<br /> +Young People</p> + +<p><span class="b1">THIS WELL-KNOWN SERIES OF BOOKS</span> +is recognized as the best library of Copyright Books +for young people, sold at popular prices.</p> + +<p><span class="b1">THE AUTHORS</span> represented in the Roundabout +Library are not only the best well-known writers of +juvenile literature, but the titles listed comprise the +best writings of these authors,</p> + +<p><span class="b1">OVER 100 TITLES</span> are now in this Library and +all new titles will be selected with the same care as +in the past, for stories that are not only entertaining +but equally <i>instructive</i> and <i>elevating</i>. This respect +for wholesome juvenile literature is what has made +and kept <i>the Roundabout Library better than any +other library of books for Boys and Girls</i>.</p> + +<p><span class="b1">OUR AIM</span> is to maintain the supremacy of these +books over all others <i>from every viewpoint</i>, and to +make the superior features so apparent that those who +have once read one, will always return to the +Roundabout Library for more.</p> + +<p class="i1"> +<i>Bound in Extra cloth, with gold title and appropriate +cover designs stamped in colors, +attractive and durable, printed on the best +paper from large clear type. Illustrated, +12mo.</i></p> + +<p class="b1"> +PRICE PER. VOLUME,<span class="flright">$.75</span></p> + +<p class="center">Catalogue mailed on application to the Publishers.</p> + +<p class="center"><span class="b1">THE JOHN C. WINSTON CO., Publishers</span><br /> +PHILADELPHIA</p> +</div> + +<div class="slimad"> +<p class="b1 center p6">ROUNDABOUT LIBRARY</p> + +<p class="center">FOR YOUNG PEOPLE</p> + +<p class="center">Selected from the works of Alger, Castlemon, Ellis,<br /> +Stephens, Henty, Mrs. Lillie and other writers.</p> + +<p class="center">Price, per volume, $0.75</p> + +<p><b>Across Texas.</b> By Edward S. Ellis.</p> + +<p><b>Adventures in Canada; or, Life in the Woods.</b> By John +C. Geikie.</p> + +<p><b>Alison's Adventures.</b> By Lucy C. Lillie.</p> + +<p><b>American Family Robinson, The; or, The Adventures +of a Family Lost in the Great Desert of the West.</b> +By W. D. Belisle.</p> + +<p><b>Bear Hunters of the Rocky Mountains, The.</b> By Anne +Bowman.</p> + +<p><b>Ben's Nugget; or, A Boy's Search for a Fortune.</b> By +Horatio Alger, Jr.</p> + +<p><b>Bob Burton; or, the Young Ranchman of the Missouri.</b> +By Horatio Alger, Jr.</p> + +<p><b>Bonnie Prince Charlie; A Tale of Fontenoy and Culloden.</b> +By G. A. Henty.</p> + +<p><b>Brave Billy.</b> By Edward S. Ellis.</p> + +<p><b>Brave Tom; or, The Battle that Won.</b> By Edward S. +Ellis.</p> + +<p><b>By England's Aid; or, The Freeing of the Netherlands +(1585-1604).</b> By G. A. Henty.</p> + +<p><b>By Pike and Dyke; A Tale of the Rise of the Dutch +Republic.</b> By G. A. Henty.</p> + +<p><b>By Right of Conquest; or, With Cortez in Mexico.</b> By +G. A. Henty.</p> + +<p><b>By Love's Sweet Rule.</b> By Gabrielle Emelie Jackson.</p> + +<p><b>Cabin in the Clearing, The.</b> A Tale of the Frontier. +By Edward S. Ellis.</p> + +<p><b>Camping Out, As Recorded by "Kit."</b> By C. A. Stephens.</p> + +<p><b>Camp in the Foothills, The.</b> By Harry Castlemon.</p> + +<p><b>Cornet of Horse, The.</b> A Tale of Marlborough's Wars +By G. A. Henty.</p> + +<p><b>Cruise of the Firefly.</b> By Edward S. Ellis.</p> + +<p><b>Dear Days, A Story of Washington School Life.</b> By +Ada Mickle.</p> + +<p><b>Diccon the Bold.</b> A Story of the Days of Columbus. +By John Russell Coryell.</p> + +<p><b>Do and Dare; or, A Brave Boy's Fight for Fortune.</b> By +Horatio Alger, Jr.</p> + +<p><b>Dog Crusoe, The. A Tale of the Western Prairies.</b> By +R. M. Ballantyne.</p> + +<p><b>Dog of Cotopaxi, The.</b> By Hezekiah Butterworth.</p> + +<p><b>Doris and Theodora.</b> By Margaret Vandegrift.</p> + +<p><b>Dr. Gilbert's Daughters.</b> By Margaret H. Matthews.</p> + +<p><b>Dragon and the Raven, The; or, The Days of King +Alfred.</b> By G. A. Henty.</p> + +<p><b>Elam Storm, the Wolfer; or, The Lost Nugget.</b> By +Harry Castlemon.</p> + +<p><b>Elinor Belden; or, The Step Brothers.</b> By Lucy C. Lillie.</p> + +<p><b>Esther's Fortune.</b> By Lucy C. Lillie.</p> + +<p><b>Floating Treasure.</b> By Harry Castlemon.</p> + +<p><b>Four Little Indians.</b> By Ella Mary Coates.</p> + +<p><b>Family Dilemma.</b> By Lucy C. Lillie.</p> + +<p><b>Floating Light of the Goodwin Sands, The.</b> By R. M. +Ballantyne.</p> + +<p><b>For Honor's Sake.</b> By Lucy C. Lillie.</p> + +<p><b>Four Boys; or, The Story of the Forest Fire.</b> By Edward +S. Ellis.</p> + +<p><b>Fox Hunting, As Recorded by "Raed."</b> By C. A. +Stephens.</p> + +<p><b>Freaks on the Fells.</b> By R. M. Ballantyne.</p> + +<p><b>Gascoyne, the Sandalwood Trader.</b> By R. M. Ballantyne.</p> + +<p><b>Girl's Ordeal, A.</b> By Lucy C. Lillie</p> + +<p><b>Gorilla Hunters, The.</b> By R. M. Ballantyne.</p> + +<p><b>Great Cattle Trail, The.</b> By Edward S. Ellis.</p> + +<p><b>Hunt on Snow Shoes, A.</b> By Edward S. Ellis.</p> + +<p><b>Hartwell Farm, The.</b> By Elizabeth B. Comins.</p> + +<p><b>Hector's Inheritance; or, The Boys of Smith Institute.</b> +By Horatio Alger, Jr.</p> + +<p><b>Helen Glenn; or, My Mother's Enemy.</b> By Lucy C. +Lillie.</p> + +<p><b>Helping Himself; or, Grant Thornton's Ambition.</b> By +Horatio Alger, Jr.</p> + +<p><b>Honest Ned.</b> By Edward S. Ellis.</p> + +<p><b>Haunted Mine, The.</b> By Harry Castlemon.</p> + +<p><b>In Freedom's Cause.</b> A Story of Wallace and Bruce. +By G. A. Henty.</p> + +<p><b>In the Reign of Terror; The Adventures of a Westminster +Boy.</b> By G. A. Henty.</p> + +<p><b>Jack Midwood; or, Bread Cast Upon the Waters.</b> By +Edward S. Ellis.</p> + +<p><b>Joe Wayring at Home; or, The Adventures of a Fly +Rod.</b> By Harry Castlemon.</p> + +<p><b>Kangaroo Hunters, The; or, Adventures in the Bush.</b> +By Anne Bowman.</p> + +<p><b>King's Rubies, The.</b> By Adelaide Fulaer Bell.</p> + +<p><b>Lady Green Satin.</b> By Baroness Deschesnez.</p> + +<p><b>Left on Labrador; or, The Cruise of the Yacht "Curlew."</b> +By C. A. Stephens.</p> + +<p><b>Lena Wingo, the Mohawk.</b> By Edward S. Ellis.</p> + +<p><b>Lenny, the Orphan.</b> By Margaret Hosmer.</p> + +<p><b>Lion of the North. The; A Tale of the Times of Gustavus +Adolphus.</b> By G. A. Henty.</p> + +<p><b>Luke Walton; or, The Chicago Newsboy.</b> By Horatio +Alger, Jr.</p> + +<p><b>Lynx Hunting.</b> By C. A. Stephens.</p> + +<p><b>Limber Lew, the Circus King.</b> By Edward S. Ellis.</p> + +<p><b>Marion Berkley.</b> By Elizabeth B. Comins.</p> + +<p><b>Missing Pocket-Book, The.</b> By Harry Castlemon.</p> + +<p><b>Mysterious Andes, The.</b> By Hezekiah Butterworth.</p> + +<p><b>Northern Lights.</b> Stories from Swedish and Finnish +Authors.</p> + +<p><b>Off to the Geysers; or, The Young Yachters in Iceland.</b> +By C. A. Stephens.</p> + +<p><b>On the Amazon; or, The Cruise of the "Rambler."</b> By +C. A. Stephens.</p> + +<p><b>On the Trail of the Moose.</b> By Edward S. Ellis.</p> + +<p><b>Orange and Green; A Tale of the Boyne and Limerick.</b> +By G. A. Henty.</p> + +<p><b>Oscar in Africa.</b> By Harry Castlemon.</p> + +<p><b>Our Boys in Panama.</b> By Hezekiah Butterworth.</p> + +<p><b>Our Fellows; or, Skirmishes with the Swamp Dragoons.</b> +By Harry Castlemon.</p> + +<p><b>Path in the Ravine, The.</b> By Edward S. Ellis.</p> + +<p><b>Plucky Dick; or, Sowing and Reaping.</b> By Edward S. +Ellis.</p> + +<p><b>Queen's Body Guard, The.</b> By Margaret Vandegrift</p> + +<p><b>Question of Honor.</b> By Lynde Palmer.</p> + +<p><b>Righting the Wrong.</b> By Edward S. Ellis.</p> + +<p><b>River Fugitives, The.</b> By Edward S. Ellis.</p> + +<p><b>Romain Kalbris.</b> His Adventures by Sea and Shore. +Translated from the French of Hector Malot.</p> + +<p><b>Rose Raymond's Wards.</b> By Margaret Vandegrift.</p> + +<p><b>Ruth Endicott's Way.</b> By Lucy C. Lillie.</p> + +<p><b>Shifting Winds; A Story of the Sea.</b> By R. M. Ballantyne.</p> + +<p><b>Snagged and Sunk; or, The Adventures of a Canvas +Canoe.</b> By Harry Castlemon.</p> + +<p><b>Squire's Daughter, The.</b> By Lucy C. Lillie.</p> + +<p><b>Steel Horse, The; or, The Rambles of a Bicycle.</b> By +Harry Castlemon.</p> + +<p><b>Store Boy, The; or, The Fortunes of Ben Barclay.</b> By +Horatio Alger, Jr.</p> + +<p><b>Storm Mountain.</b> By Edward S. Ellis.</p> + +<p><b>Struggling Upward; or, Luke Larkin's Luck.</b> By Horatio +Alger, Jr.</p> + +<p><b>Tam; or, Holding the Fort.</b> By Edward S. Ellis.</p> + +<p><b>Through Forest and Fire.</b> By Edward S. Ellis.</p> + +<p><b>True to the Old Flag; A Tale of the American War of +Independence.</b> By G. A. Henty.</p> + +<p><b>Two Bequests, The; or, Heavenward Led.</b> By Jane R. +Sommers.</p> + +<p><b>Two Ways of Becoming a Hunter.</b> By Harry Castlemon.</p> + +<p><b>Under Drake's Flag. A Tale of the Spanish Main.</b> By +G. A. Henty.</p> + +<p><b>Under the Holly.</b> By Margaret Hosmer.</p> + +<p><b>Under the Red Flag; or, The Adventures of Two American +Boys in the Days of the Commune.</b> By Edward +King.</p> + +<p><b>Ways and Means.</b> By Margaret Vandegrift.</p> + +<p><b>Where Honor Leads.</b> By Lynde Palmer.</p> + +<p><b>Wilderness Fugitives, The.</b> By Edward S. Ellis.</p> + +<p><b>Wild Man of the West, The.</b> By R. M. Ballantyne.</p> + +<p><b>With Clive in India; or, The Beginning of an Empire.</b> +By G. A. Henty.</p> + +<p><b>With Wolfe in Canada; or, The Winning of a Continent.</b> +By G. A. Henty.</p> + +<p><b>Wyoming.</b> By Edward S. Ellis.</p> + +<p><b>Young Adventurer, The; Tom's Trip Across the Plains.</b> +By Horatio Alger, Jr.</p> + +<p><b>Young Circus Rider, The.</b> By Horatio Alger, Jr.</p> + +<p><b>Young Conductor, The; or, Winning His Way.</b> By Edward +S. Ellis.</p> + +<p><b>Young Explorer, The; or, Among the Sierras.</b> By Horatio +Alger, Jr.</p> + +<p><b>Young Miner, The; or, Tom Nelson in California.</b> By +Horatio Alger, Jr.</p> + +<p><b>Young Ranchers, The; or, Fighting the Sioux.</b> By +Edward S. Ellis.</p> + +<p><b>Young Wreckers The.</b> By Richard Meade Bache. +</p> +</div> + +<div class="widead"> +<p class="center b1 p6">J. T. TROWBRIDGE.</p> + +<p>Neither as a writer does he stand apart from the great +currents of life and select some exceptional phase or odd +combination of circumstances. He stands on the common +level and appeals to the universal heart, and all that he suggests +or achieves is on the plane and in the line of march of +the great body of humanity.</p> + +<p>The Jack Hazard series of stories, published in the late +<i>Our Young Folks</i>, and continued in the first volume of <i>St. +Nicholas</i>, under the title of "Fast Friends," is no doubt +destined to hold a high place in this class of literature. The +delight of the boys in them (and of their seniors, too) is +well founded. They go to the right spot every time. Trowbridge +knows the heart of a boy like a book, and the heart +of a man, too, and he has laid them both open in these books +in a most successful manner. Apart from the qualities that +render the series so attractive to all young readers, they +have great value on account of their portraitures of American +country life and character. The drawing is wonderfully +accurate, and as spirited as it is true. The constable, Sellick, +is an original character, and as minor figures where will +we find anything better than Miss Wansey, and Mr. P. Pipkin, +Esq. The picture of Mr. Dink's school, too, is capital, +and where else in fiction is there a better nick-name than +that the boys gave to poor little Stephen Treadwell, "Step +Hen," as he himself pronounced his name in an unfortunate +moment when he saw it in print for the first time in his lesson +in school.</p> + +<p>On the whole, these books are very satisfactory, and +afford the critical reader the rare pleasure of the works that +are just adequate, that easily fulfill themselves and accomplish +all they set out to do.—<i>Scribner's Monthly.</i></p> +</div> + +<table class="ad" summary="jack hazard"> +<tr> +<td class="tdc" colspan="6"><b>JACK HAZARD SERIES.</b></td> +</tr> +<tr> +<td class="tdc" colspan="2">6 vols.</td> +<td class="tdc" colspan="2">By J. T. TROWBRIDGE</td> +<td class="tdr" colspan="2">$7.25</td> +</tr> +<tr> +<td class="tdc" colspan="6"> </td> +</tr> +<tr> +<td class="tdl" colspan="3">Jack Hazard and His Fortunes</td> +<td class="tdr" colspan="3">Doing His Best.</td> +</tr> +<tr> +<td class="tdl" colspan="3">The Young Surveyor.</td> +<td class="tdr" colspan="3">A Chance for Himself.</td> +</tr> +<tr> +<td class="tdl" colspan="3">Fast Friends.</td> +<td class="tdr" colspan="3">Lawrence's Adventures.</td> +</tr> +</table> + +<hr class="l15" /> + +<div class="slimad"> +<p class="p2 center"><b>CHARLES ASBURY STEPHENS.</b></p> + +<p>This author wrote his "Camping Out Series" at the very +height of his mental and physical powers.</p> + +<p class="blockquot"> +"We do not wonder at the popularity of these books; there +is a freshness and variety about them, and an enthusiasm in +the description of sport and adventure, which even the older +folk can hardly fail to share."—<i>Worcester Spy.</i></p> + +<p class="blockquot">"The author of the Camping Out Series is entitled to rank +as decidedly at the head of what may be called boys' literature."—<i>Buffalo +Courier.</i> +</p> + +<p class="center"><b>CAMPING OUT SERIES.</b></p> + +<p class="center"><b>By C. A. STEPHENS.</b></p> + +<p>All books in this series are 12mo. with eight full page illustrations. +Cloth, extra, 75 cents.</p> + +<p><span class="smcap">Camping Out.</span> As Recorded by "Kit."</p> + +<p class="blockquot"> +"This book is bright, breezy, wholesome, instructive, and +stands above the ordinary boys' books of the day by a whole +head and shoulders."—<i>The Christian Register</i>, <span class="smcap">Boston</span>. +</p> + +<p><span class="smcap">Left on Labrador; or, The Cruise of the Schooner Yacht +"Curlew."</span> As Recorded by "Wash."</p> + +<p class="blockquot"> +"The perils of the voyagers, the narrow escapes, their +strange expedients, and the fun and jollity when danger had +passed, will make boys even unconscious of hunger."—<i>New +Bedford Mercury.</i> +</p> + +<p><span class="smcap">Off to the Geysers; or The Young Yachters in Iceland.</span> As +Recorded by "Wade."</p> + +<p class="blockquot"> +"It is difficult to believe that Wade and Read and Kit and +Wash were not live boys, sailing up Hudson Straits, and +reigning temporarily over an Esquimaux tribe."—<i>The Independent</i>, +New York. +</p> + +<p><span class="smcap">Lynx Hunting</span>: From Notes by the Author of "Camping Out."</p> + +<p class="blockquot"> +"Of <i>first quality</i> as a boys' book, and fit to take its place +beside the best."—<i>Richmond Enquirer.</i> +</p> + +<p><span class="smcap">Fox Hunting.</span> As Recorded by "Raed."</p> + +<p class="blockquot"> +"The most spirited and entertaining book that has as yet +appeared. It overflows with incident, and is characterized +by dash and brilliancy throughout."—<i>Boston Gazette.</i> +</p> + +<p><span class="smcap">On the Amazon; or, the Cruise of the "Rambler."</span> As +Recorded by "Wash."</p> + +<p class="blockquot"> +"Gives vivid pictures of Brazilian adventure and scenery."—<i>Buffalo +Courier.</i></p> +</div> + + + + + + + + +<pre> + + + + + +End of the Project Gutenberg EBook of The Haunted Mine, by Harry Castlemon + +*** END OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK THE HAUNTED MINE *** + +***** This file should be named 37857-h.htm or 37857-h.zip ***** +This and all associated files of various formats will be found in: + https://www.gutenberg.org/3/7/8/5/37857/ + +Produced by Melissa McDaniel and the Online Distributed +Proofreading Team at https://www.pgdp.net + + +Updated editions will replace the previous one--the old editions +will be renamed. + +Creating the works from public domain print editions means that no +one owns a United States copyright in these works, so the Foundation +(and you!) can copy and distribute it in the United States without +permission and without paying copyright royalties. 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You may copy it, give it away or +re-use it under the terms of the Project Gutenberg License included +with this eBook or online at www.gutenberg.org + + +Title: The Haunted Mine + +Author: Harry Castlemon + +Release Date: October 26, 2011 [EBook #37857] + +Language: English + +Character set encoding: ASCII + +*** START OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK THE HAUNTED MINE *** + + + + +Produced by Melissa McDaniel and the Online Distributed +Proofreading Team at https://www.pgdp.net + + + + + + + +Transcriber's Note: + + Inconsistent hyphenation and spelling in the original document have + been preserved. Obvious typographical errors have been corrected. + + Italic text is denoted by _underscores_ and bold text by =equal + signs=. + + + + + THE HAUNTED MINE + + BY + + HARRY CASTLEMON + + AUTHOR OF "THE GUNBOAT SERIES," "ROCKY MOUNTAIN SERIES," + "WAR SERIES," ETC. + + THE JOHN C. WINSTON CO., + + PHILADELPHIA, + CHICAGO, TORONTO. + + + + + COPYRIGHT, 1902, BY + HENRY T. COATES & CO. + + + + +CONTENTS. + + + CHAPTER PAGE + + I. THE SALE OF "OLD HORSE," 1 + + II. CASPER IS DISGUSTED, 13 + + III. JULIAN IS ASTONISHED, 24 + + IV. WHERE THE BOX WAS, 38 + + V. CASPER THINKS OF SOMETHING, 52 + + VI. A MR. HABERSTRO APPEARS, 65 + + VII. A PLAN THAT DIDN'T WORK, 78 + + VIII. CLAUS CALLS AGAIN, 91 + + IX. THE MASTER MECHANIC, 105 + + X. WHERE ARE THE VALISES? 118 + + XI. IN DENVER, 132 + + XII. CASPER NEVINS, THE SPY, 146 + + XIII. GETTING READY FOR WORK, 160 + + XIV. HOW CASPER WAS SERVED, 174 + + XV. HOW A MINE WAS HAUNTED, 188 + + XVI. GOOD NEWS, 201 + + XVII. MR. BANTA IS SURPRISED, 215 + + XVIII. GRUB-STAKING, 228 + + XIX. GOING TO SCHOOL, 243 + + XX. WATERSPOUTS AND BLIZZARDS, 256 + + XXI. THE CAMP AT DUTCH FLAT, 271 + + XXII. THE HAUNTED MINE, 286 + + XXIII. HAUNTED NO LONGER, 302 + + XXIV. "THAT IS GOLD," 317 + + XXV. CLAUS, AGAIN, 332 + + XXVI. CLAUS HEARS SOMETHING, 348 + + XXVII. BOB TRIES STRATEGY, 365 + + XXVIII. AN INHUMAN ACT, 380 + + XXIX. A TRAMP WITH THE ROBBERS, 392 + + XXX. HOME AGAIN, 406 + + XXXI. CONCLUSION, 420 + + + + +THE HAUNTED MINE. + + + + +CHAPTER I. + +THE SALE OF "OLD HORSE." + + +"Going for twenty-five cents. Going once; going twice; going----" + +"Thirty cents." + +"Thirty cents! Gentlemen, I am really astonished at you. It is a +disgrace for me to take notice of that bid. Why, just look at that +box. A miser may have hidden the secret of a gold-mine in it. Here it +is, neatly dovetailed, and put together with screws instead of nails; +and who knows but that it contains the treasure of a lifetime hidden +away under that lid? And I am bid only thirty cents for it. Do I hear +any more? Won't somebody give me some more? Going for thirty cents +once; going twice; going three times, and sold to that lucky fellow +who stands there with a uniform on. I don't know what his name is. +Step up there and take your purchase, my lad, and when you open that +box, and see what is in it, just bless your lucky stars that you came +to this office this afternoon to buy yourself rich." + +It happened in the Adams Express office, and among those who always +dropped around to see how things were going was the young fellow who +had purchased the box. It was on the afternoon devoted to the sale of +"old horse"--packages which had lain there for a long time and nobody +had ever called for them. When the packages accumulated so rapidly +that the company had about as many on hand as their storeroom could +hold, an auctioneer was ordered to sell them off for whatever he could +get. Of course nobody could tell what was in the packages, and +somebody always bought them by guess. Sometimes he got more than his +money's worth, and sometimes he did not. That very afternoon a man +bought a package so large and heavy that he could scarcely lift it +from the counter, and so certain was he that he had got something +worth looking at that he did not take the package home with him, but +borrowed a hammer from one of the clerks and opened it on the spot, +the customers all gathering around him to see what he had. To the +surprise of everybody, he turned out half a dozen bricks. A partner of +the man to whom the box was addressed had been off somewhere to buy a +brickyard, and, not satisfied with the productions of the yard, had +enclosed the bricks to the man in St. Louis, to see how he liked them. +The purchaser gazed in surprise at what he had brought, and then threw +down the hammer and turned away; but by the time he got to the door +the loud laughter of everybody in the office--and the office was +always full at the sale of "old horse"--caused him to arrest his +steps. By that time he himself was laughing. + +"I'll tell you what it is, gentlemen," said he; "those bricks, which +are not worth a nickel apiece, cost me just two dollars." + +He was going on to say something more, but the roar that arose caused +him to wait until it was all over. Then he went on: + +"I have spent fifty dollars for 'old horse,' and if anybody ever knows +me to spend another dollar in that way I will give him my head for a +football. A man who comes here to squander his money for anything like +that is a dunce, and ought to have a guardian appointed over him. I +wish you all a very good day." + +But in spite of this man's experience, Julian Gray had invested in +this box because he thought there was something in it. He did not care +for what the auctioneer said to him, for he talked that way to +everybody; but Julian knew there were no bricks in it, for it was done +up too neatly. The box was not more than twelve inches long and half +as wide, and by shaking it up and down the boy became aware that there +were papers of some kind in it. He paid the clerk the amount of his +bid upon it, picked up his purchase, and started for the door, paying +no heed to the remarks that were offered for his benefit. There he met +another boy, dressed in a uniform similar to the one he himself wore, +and stopped to exchange a few words with him. + +"Well, you got something at last," said the boy. "It is not bricks, I +can swear to that." + +"No, sir, it is not," said Julian. "Lift it. It contains papers of +some kind." + +"Why don't you open it, and let us see what is in it?" + +"I won't do that, either. I am not going to have the whole party +laughing at me the way they served that man a little while ago. Come +up to my room when Jack comes home, and then I will open it." + +"I would not be in your boots for a good deal when Jack sees that +box," said the boy, hurrying away. "He says you have no business to +spend the small earnings you get on such gimcracks as 'old horse.'" + +"I don't care," said Julian, settling the box under his arm and going +away in the opposite direction. "I've got the box, and if Jack does +not want to see what is in it, he need not look." + +Julian broke into a run,--he knew he had no business to spend as much +time in that express office as he had done,--and in a few minutes +reached the headquarters of the Western Union Telegraph Company, in +whose employ he was. He laid down his book of receipts for the +dispatches he had delivered, then picked up his box again and stowed +it away under the counter, where he was sure it would be out of +everybody's way. + +"I don't care," Julian repeated to himself, when he recalled what his +older companion, Jack Shelden, would have to say to him when he found +that he had been investing in "old horse." "I don't know that I expect +to make anything out of it, but somehow or other I can't resist my +curiosity to know what is in those bundles. When you can get the +packages for little or nothing, where's the harm? But that is no way +to save my money. I will never go near that express office again." + +With this good resolution, Julian took his seat among the other boys +and waited in silence for the operator to call upon him to deliver a +dispatch. It came at last, and during the rest of the afternoon Julian +was kept busy. When six o'clock came he put his box under his arm and +started for home. His duties were done for that day. + +The place that Julian called home was a long way from the office, for, +being a poor boy, he was obliged to room where he could get it as +cheaply as possible. He passed along several streets, turned numerous +corners, and finally sprang up the stairs in a sorry-looking house +which seemed almost ready to tumble down, and when he reached the top +he found the door of his room open. There he met his chum, who had +already returned from his work, going about his preparations for +supper, and whistling as though he felt at peace with himself and all +the world. + +"Halloo!" he exclaimed, as Julian came in. "What's the news to-day? +Well, there. If you haven't been to that old express office again!" + +These two boys were orphans--or at least Jack was. Julian had a +stepfather who, when his mother died, told the boy that he could not +support him any longer, and that he must look out for himself. He no +doubt expected that the boy would find himself in the poorhouse before +he had been long out of his care; but Julian was not that sort of a +fellow. He wandered aimlessly about the streets, looking for something +to do, sleeping in dry-goods boxes or on a plank in some lumber-yard; +and one morning, while passing along the street, wondering where he +was going to get something to eat, he saw a scene that thrilled him +with excitement. A span of horses was running away, and a telegraph +operator--Julian knew that he was an operator from the uniform he +wore--in making an attempt to stop them, lost his footing and fell on +the ground right in front of the frantic team. Julian was nearer to +him than anybody else, and acting upon the impulse of the moment, but +scarcely knowing why he did so, he dashed forward, seized the young +man by the shoulders, and pulled him out of the way. It was all done +in an instant, and Julian shuddered when he thought of what he had +done. + +"Thank you, my lad," said the man, when he got up, brushed the dust +from his clothes, and looked after the flying horses. "You saved my +life, but you couldn't save the man in the buggy. Now, what can I give +you?" + +"I don't want anything, sir," said Julian. The man was neatly dressed, +and looked as though he had some money, and Julian had more than half +a mind to ask him for enough with which to get some breakfast. But he +concluded that he would not do it; he would look farther, and he was +sure that he could get something to do, such as sweeping out a store, +and earn some breakfast in that way. + +"You don't want anything?" exclaimed the man. "Well, you are the +luckiest fellow I ever saw!" + +The man now turned and gave Julian a good looking over. It was not +necessary that he should ask any questions, for poverty was written +all over him. + +"Where's your home?" he asked. + +"I haven't any, sir." + +"Have you had any breakfast?" + +"No, sir." + +"Well, here's enough to enable you to get a good fill-out," said the +man, pulling out a dollar. "Get the very best breakfast you can, and +then come down to the Western Union Telegraph office and ask for +Wiggins. I will see what I can do for you." + +The man hurried away, and Julian looked at the dollar he held in his +hand, then gazed in the direction in which his benefactor had gone, +and could hardly believe that he was awake. A dollar was a larger sum +of money than he had ever had before. + +Of course Julian followed the operator's instructions. When he reached +the Western Union Telegraph office he was asked several questions +about his habits, and what he knew about the city, and it finally +ended by his being offered employment. Julian jumped at the chance. He +had no money with which to purchase a uniform, but Wiggins got around +that, and he had been there ever since, trying hard to do his duty, +except in one particular, and his highest ambition was to become an +operator. + +Long before this time he made the acquaintance of Jack Sheldon, who +finally came to room with him, and they had been fast friends ever +since. Jack had formerly gained a good living by shining boots and +shoes around the St. Louis foundry-works, until one day the master +mechanic, who had taken a wonderful shine to him, offered to take him +away from his blacking-brush and give him a position where he could +make a man of himself. Jack was waiting for this, and he promptly +closed with it. Of course his wages were small now, but he wanted to +get away from the bootblacks and mingle with persons more like +himself, and when Julian made him a proposition to take him in as a +roommate, Jack was only too glad to agree to it. He was but a year +older than Julian, but he often took it upon himself to advise him; +and one thing he could not stand was Julian's longing to find out what +was concealed in those packages that every once in a little while were +sold in the express office. Being economical himself, and never +spending a cent unless absolutely necessary, he wanted to make his +companion so, too. + +"That is no way for you to save money, Julian," said Jack. "To go to +that express office when you ought to be at your work, and spending +money for 'old horse' when you don't know what is in the bundle you +bid on, is the very way for you to wear a poor man's clothes the +longest day you live. I want to go into business myself some time, and +I should think you would, too." + +This was the way he talked to Julian every time he brought home a +bundle of "old horse," and he was ready to talk to him now in the same +way. + + + + +CHAPTER II. + +CASPER IS DISGUSTED. + + +"Well, you have been to that old express office again and invested +some of your hard earnings in 'old horse,' haven't you?" repeated +Jack, placing his hands on his hips and looking sullenly at the box, +which Julian placed upon the table. "Is that any way for you to save +your money?" + +"No, it is not; but, Jack, I've got something in this," said Julian. +"See how nicely this box is done up----" + +"I don't care to know anything about it," said Jack, turning away and +going on with his preparations of getting supper. "That is the only +thing I have against you. What do you care what is in those bundles? +If they were worth anything don't you suppose that the people to whom +they were addressed would have come after them? How much money have +you got in bank, anyway?" + +"About forty dollars, I guess, including tips and everything." + +"Well, I've got a hundred," said Jack. "You will never be able to go +into business by doing this way." + +"Lend me your knife and talk about it afterward. I want to get these +screws out." + +"Take your own knife. I don't want to have mine broken." + +"Well, I want you to remember one thing, Jack. If I get anything out +of this box, it is mine entirely. You will have no interest in it." + +"All right--I will agree to that." + +Seeing that he must depend entirely upon himself to get his box open, +Julian took his knife from his pocket and went to work upon the +screws; but they had been put there to stay, and he finally gave it up +in disgust. Then Jack relented and came to his assistance. The strong +blade of his knife presently worked the screws loose, and the inside +of the box was revealed to them. There was nothing but a mass of +papers, which looked so ancient that Jack declared they had been +through two or three wars. He took one look at them, and then went on +with his work of getting supper. + +"What's the use of fooling away your time with that stuff?" said he. +"That's all your 'old horse' amounts to. If you are going to spend +money in that way, I wish you would get something that is of some +use." + +Julian did not reply. He took his box to an out-of-the-way corner +where he would not be in Jack's way, and devoted himself to the +reading of the first paper he took up. + +"Who's Haberstro?" said he. + +"Don't know him," said Jack. + +"Here's a letter addressed to him." + +"What is in it?" + +"Oh, you want to know something about it, now, don't you?" + +"Of course I do. If we can find out who Haberstro is, we must take the +letter to him." + +Julian began and read the letter, which was written in a very plain +hand, and before he had read a page of it he stopped and looked at +Jack, while an expression of astonishment came to his face. + +"Go on with it," said Jack; "we might as well know it all." + +Julian "went on with it," and when he got through he had read a very +good description of a gold-mine located somewhere out West, and inside +the letter was a map which would lead anyone straight to it. There was +one thing in it that did not look exactly right, and here is the +passage that referred to it: + + "They have got the story around that the mine is haunted, + but don't you believe it. I worked for almost six months in + that mine alone after my partner took sick and died, going + down into it and shovelling the dirt in, coming up and + hoisting the bucket out, and went through the process of + washing, and I never found anything to scare me yet. I took + out, with every bucketful I washed, anywhere from ten to + fifty dollars; anyway, I got fifty thousand dollars out of + it. There is one thing about it: the mine is fully five + miles from anybody's place, and in all that region you won't + find a man who will prospect anywhere near you. It shows + that all the country about Dutch Flat is not played out + yet." + +A little farther on the letter spoke of the manner in which the miner +came to turn his claim over to Haberstro: + + "You know that very shortly after we got there my partner + died, and was buried near the mine. Perhaps that has + something to do with the story of the mine's being haunted. + I went to work and dug in the claim alone, not knowing + anything about mining, until I made the sum that I told you + of. Finally I received a letter from some lawyer in Europe, + who told me that my father had died and left me heir to all + his wealth. He urged me to come home and settle my claim at + once, and who should my mind revert to but to you, old + fellow, who stood by me when I was sick unto death. I know + that we did not have the stamps to buy a mule-halter, but + that did not make any sort of difference to you. You stayed + at my back until I got well; and as I can't pay you in any + other way I give you this mine, hoping it will make you as + rich as it did me. More than that, for fear that the mine + may play out on you, which I don't believe, I give you the + deeds of several little pieces of property located in Denver + and vicinity, which you will find will be more than enough + to run you, even if you don't choose to go mining. For me, + nothing would suit me. You know how you used to rail at me + because I wanted to go from one thing to another. After I + had accumulated that property in Denver, I had to go and + look for claims, and that is the way I come to have this + mine. + + "I send all these things to you by express, for I am in New + York, now, and all ready to sail. By the time you get them + I shall be on the deep sea. I forgot to say that the + property which I have given to you for your kindness to me + is worth, in round numbers, one hundred thousand dollars. + Take it, and live happily with it. I don't know that I shall + ever see you again; but if I do not, remember that my + blessing always goes with you." + +"Well, sir, what do you think of that?" said Julian, as he folded up +the letter. + +Jack Sheldon did not know what to say. He sat with a case-knife in his +hand and with one leg thrown over the table, his mouth open, and +listening with all his ears to the contents of the letter. + +"I tell you that auctioneer uttered a prophecy when he said that some +miser had hidden the secret of a gold-mine inside the lid of that +box," said Julian. "He told me that when I got home and opened this +thing I would bless my lucky stars that I had come to that office to +buy myself rich." + +"But there is one thing that you don't think of, Julian," replied +Jack. + +"What's that?" + +"That we must make every effort to find this man Haberstro." + +"Yes," said Julian, with a sigh, "I did think of that. But it seems +hard to have so much money in our grasp, and then to have it all slip +away." + +"Of course it does. But that is the honest way of going at it." + +"Here's the deeds for a block of buildings that cost this man +twenty-five thousand dollars," said Julian, continuing to examine the +papers in the box. + +"Oh, put the box away," said Jack. "And he gives it all to this man +Haberstro. We must find him, Julian, the first thing we do. Who's that +coming upstairs, I wonder?" + +The boys turned toward the door, which opened almost immediately, +admitting Casper Nevins, the boy who had met Julian at the express +office. There was something about the boy that Jack did not like. He +could not have told what it was, but there are those we meet in +every-day life who have certain traits of character that excite our +suspicions. Jack had often warned Julian to keep away from him, and +the latter did not cultivate his acquaintance any more that he could +help; but, being employed in the same office that Casper was, of +course he was thrown into his company oftener than he desired. + +"Good-evening, boys," said Casper. "I was on my way home, and I +thought I would drop in and see what Julian bought to-day at the +express office. You promised to show me if I would come up," he added, +turning to Julian. + +"I did, and there it is," said Julian, passing over the letter. "Sit +down in this chair. We are so poor just now that we have only one +chair apiece, but when we get out to our gold-mine we shall have two +chairs." + +"Ah! You have a gold-mine, have you?" said Casper, with a smile. "When +do you start?" + +"Read the letter, and you will think we ought to start right away," +said Julian, while Jack got up and proceeded with his supper. "We +think of starting to-morrow morning." + +"I would like to have my hand on your coat-tail about the time you get +out there," said Casper. "Now, the question is, does the mine pay +anything?" + +"Read the letter, and you will understand as much as we do." + +Casper began the letter, and he had not gone far with it before he +broke out with "Jerusalem!" and "This beats me!" and "Fifty thousand +dollars!" When he had got done with the letter, he folded it up and +passed it back to Julian without saying a word. + +"And that is not all of it," said the latter. "Do you see the rest of +the papers there in that box? Well, they are deeds of property which +amount to one hundred thousand dollars." + +"Whew!" whistled Casper. "By gracious! You're lucky--are you not? When +do you start?" + +"Laying all jokes aside, we don't intend to start at all," said Jack. + +"You don't?" exclaimed Casper. "Have you got something better on +hand?" + +"No, I don't know that we have; but our first hard work must be to +find this man Haberstro. It would not be right for us to keep what is +in that box without turning the city upside down in order to locate +him." + +"Why, the box was sold to you, was it not?" said Casper, turning to +Julian. + +"Of course it was. Didn't I pay thirty cents of my hard earnings for +it?" + +"Did you agree to hunt up this man Haberstro?" + +"No, because the clerks did not know where he was." + +"Then I say the box and everything in it belongs to you. Undoubtedly +the man does not live here any more. He has gone somewhere else. I +would not make a precious fool of myself, if I were you. Take the +money and say nothing to nobody." + +"And go out there and take possession of that property while there is +another man waiting for it?" asked Jack, with some heat. + +"Yes, sir; that's what I would do." + +"Then, sir, you are not honest. I am glad you don't train in my +crowd." + +"I don't call it dishonest in holding fast to what you have. A hundred +thousand dollars! You would not need to go mining at all." + +"We are well aware of that; but we must find out where that man +lives, if we can. After having exhausted every means to find out, then +I would consider that the property belongs to us. Julian, we will have +to see a lawyer about that." + +"That's what I was thinking," said Julian. + +"Well, of all the plumb dunces that ever I saw, you are the beat!" +said Casper, getting up and putting on his hat. "I tell you that if +that property was mine I would never let anyone know that I had it. I +would throw up my position to-morrow, borrow money, go out there and +take possession; and you are fools if you don't do it." + +And Casper went out, slamming the door behind him. + + + + +CHAPTER III. + +JULIAN IS ASTONISHED. + + +"Well, sir, what do you think of that?" asked Julian, when he heard +the noise the telegraph boy made in running down the stairs. "He +really acts as though he were mad about it." + +"He is a dishonest fellow," said Jack, once more coming up to the +table and throwing his leg over it. "You don't believe everything he +said, do you?" + +"Not much, I don't," replied Julian, emphatically. "I could not go out +there and work the mine as he talks of doing. I should think it was +haunted, sure enough." + +"Well, put the papers away, and then let us have supper. While we are +doing that, we will decide what we are going to do with the box." + +"I say, don't let us do anything with it. We will put it up there on +the mantel, and when we are through supper one of us will write an +advertisement calling upon Mr. Haberstro to come up and show himself. +I guess the _Republican_ is as good a paper as any, isn't it?" + +"But Haberstro may be a Democrat, instead of a Republican," said Jack. + +"Well, then, put it in both papers. That will cost us two +dollars--seventy-five cents for the first insertion and a quarter for +the second." + +It did not take the boys a long time to get their supper. They had +nothing but bacon, baker's bread, tea, and a few cream cakes which +Jack had purchased on his way home; but there was an abundance, they +were hungry, and they did full justice to it. After supper came +something that everybody hates--washing the dishes; but that was +something the two friends never neglected. The dishes must be washed +some time, and the sooner it was done the sooner it would be over +with. Then one picked up the broom and went to sweeping, while the +other lighted the lamp and brought out the writing materials. + +"I have already made up my mind what I want to say," said Julian, who, +being a better scribe than his companion, handled the pen. "Wait until +I get the advertisement all written out, and then I will read it to +you." + +The pen moved slowly, and by the time that Jack had finished sweeping +and seated himself in a chair ready to listen, Julian read the +following: + + "Information wanted regarding the whereabouts of S. W. + Haberstro, formerly of St. Louis. If he will communicate + with the undersigned he will hear of something greatly to + his advantage. Any relative or friend of his who possesses + the above information will confer a favor by writing to the + name given below." + +"There; how will that do?" said Julian. "By the way, whose name shall +I sign to it--yours or mine?" + +"Sign your own name, of course. Your place of business is much handier +than mine." + +"I tell you, Jack, it requires something besides a knowledge of +penmanship to write out an advertisement for a newspaper. I have +worried over this matter ever since we were at supper, and then I +didn't know how you would like it. Now, the next thing is to put it +where it will catch the public eye in the morning." + +The boys did not intend to let the grass grow under their feet. They +put on their coats and turned down the lamp, but before they went out +they took particular pains to put the box where they knew it would be +safe. They opened the closet, pushed the box as far back as they could +on the top shelf, and threw some clothing in front of it to hide it +from anyone who might look in there. Burglaries were common in the +city, and the boys never left anything in their room that was worth +stealing. + +The friends did not ride on the street cars, for they believed that +five cents was worth as much to them as it was to the conductor, but +walked all the distance that lay between them and the business part of +the city. They reached the newspaper offices at last, paid for two +insertions in each paper, and went away satisfied that they had done +all in their power to find Mr. Haberstro. + +"Now we have done as we would be done by," said Julian, "and I believe +a glass of soda water would help me sleep easier. Come in here." + +"We don't want any soda water," exclaimed Jack, seizing Julian by the +arm and pulling him away from the drug store. "We don't need it. When +we get home we will take a glass of cold water, and that will do just +as well as all the soda water in town." + +"I suppose I shall have to give in to you," said Julian, continuing +his walk with Jack, "but I think we deserve a little credit for what +we have done. Here we are with a fortune of one hundred thousand +dollars in our pockets, and yet we are anxious to give it up if Mr. +Haberstro shows himself. I tell you, it is not everybody in the world +who would do that." + +"I know it, but that is the honest way of doing business. I never +could look our master mechanic in the face again if I should go off +and enjoy that money without making an effort to find the owner." + +In due time the boys reached home and went to bed, but sleep did not +visit their eyes before midnight. They were thinking of the fortune +that was in their grasp. No one would have thought these boys very +guilty if they had kept silent about the contents of that box and had +gone off to reap the pleasure which good luck or something else had +placed in Julian's hands; but such a thought had never entered their +heads until Casper Nevins had suggested it to them. By being at the +sale of "old horse" Julian had stumbled upon something that was +intended for Mr. Haberstro, and he was just as much entitled to the +contents of it as anybody. + +"But I would be dishonest for all that," said he, rolling over in his +bed to find a more comfortable position. "I never could enjoy that +money, for I should be thinking of Mr. Haberstro, who ought to have +it. No matter whether he is alive or dead, he would come up beside me +all the while, and reach out his hand to take the money I was getting +ready to use for my own pleasure. No, sir. We will do the best we can +to find Mr. Haberstro, and if he does not show up within any +reasonable time, then Jack says the money belongs to us. I can spend +it, then, to get anything I want, with perfect confidence." + +When Julian got to this point in his meditations he became silent, and +thought over the many things he stood in need of, and which he thought +he could not possibly get along without, until finally he fell asleep; +but the next morning, when he arose and returned Jack's hearty +greeting, that fortune came into his mind immediately. + +"I tell you what it is, Jack," said he. "If, after waiting a few days, +we don't hear from Mr. Haberstro or any of his kin, suppose I go to +Mr. Wiggins with it? He will know exactly what we ought to do." + +"All right," said Jack. "That will be better than going to a lawyer, +for he won't charge us anything for his advice." + +"And shall you keep still about this?" + +"Certainly. Don't lisp it to anybody. We don't want somebody to come +along here and claim to be Haberstro, when perhaps he don't know a +thing about what is in the box." + +"Of course he would not know a thing about it," said Julian, in +surprise. "Haberstro himself don't know what there is in the box. He +has got to prove by outside parties that he is the man that we want, +or we can put him down as a fraud." + +"That's so," said Jack, after thinking a moment. "We must be +continually on the lookout for breakers." + +Why was it that Jack did not go further, and say that they must be +continually on the lookout for the safety of the box when they were +not there to watch over it? It was not safe from anybody who knew it +was there, and it would have been but little trouble for them to have +taken it with them and put it into the hands of Mr. Wiggins. If they +had thought of this, no doubt they would have lost no time in acting +upon it. + +Long before the hands on Jack's watch had reached the hour of +half-past six the two friends were on their way toward their places of +business, and when Julian reached the office almost the first boy he +saw was Casper Nevins, who had denounced them for trying to find out +what became of Mr. Haberstro. + +"Good-morning, Julian," said he. "Have you advertised for that man of +yours yet?" + +"What do you want to know for?" said Julian, remembering what Jack had +said about keeping the matter still. + +"Oh, nothing; only I want to tell you that if you get yourselves +fooled out of that fortune you can thank yourselves for it. What is +there to prevent some sharper from coming around and telling you that +he is Haberstro? You didn't think of that, did you?" + +"Yes, we thought of it," said Julian, with a smile. "Do you suppose we +will take any man's word for that? He must prove that he is the man we +want, or else we won't have anything to do with him." + +"Pshaw! That is easy enough. I can find fifty men right here in this +town who will prove that they are President of the United States for +half of what that box is worth. Say!" he added, sinking his voice +almost to a whisper, "you haven't said a word to anybody about +advertising for him, have you?" + +"No; and I have not said a word to you about it either," said Julian. + +"That's all right, but you can't fool me so easy. I want to tell you +right now that there are a good many here who know about it, and that +they are bound to have that box. Ah!" he added, noting the expression +that came upon Julian's face, "you didn't think of _that_, did you?" + +"Who are they?" asked Julian. + +"There were men in the express office yesterday who know all about it. +You needn't think you are going to keep that express box hid, for you +can't do it. Where did you put it?" + +"It is safe. It is where nobody will ever think of looking for it." + +"Then you are all right," said Casper, who was plainly very much +disappointed because he did not find out where the box was. "But you +had better keep an eye out for those fellows in the express office, +for, unless the looks of some of them belied them, they will steal +that box from you as sure as you are a foot high." + +"If they thought so much of the box, why didn't they buy it in the +first place?" + +"That is for them to tell. I don't know but they have somehow got an +idea that there is something in it. You are going to get fooled out of +it, and it will serve you just right for advertising for Haberstro." + +That day was a long one to Julian, for he could not help turning over +in his mind what Casper had said to him. When he reached home after +his day's work was done he went straight to the closet, paying no sort +of attention to Jack, who looked at him in surprise, took a chair with +him, and hunted up the box. It was where he put it, and he drew a long +breath of relief. + +"Now, then, I would like to have you explain yourself," said Jack, +after he had waited some little time for Julian to say what he meant +by his actions. + +"It is there," said Julian, "but I have been shaking in my shoes all +day. Did it ever occur to you that some of those people who saw me buy +the box at the express office would come up here to take it?" + +"No; and I don't believe they will do it." + +"Well, Casper said they would." + +"You tell Casper Nevins to keep his long, meddlesome nose out of this +pie and attend strictly to his own affairs," said Jack, in disgust. +"It is ours, and he has nothing to do with it. If anybody comes into +this room when we are not here, it will be Casper himself." + +"He can't; he has not got a key." + +"I know that. If he had, we would have trouble with that box. What did +he say to you?" + +Julian then repeated the conversation he held with Casper that +morning, and Jack nodded his head once or twice to say that he +approved of it. + +"You did perfectly right by declining to answer his question about +advertising for our man," said Jack. "What did he want to know that +for? If they wanted the box, why did they not buy it in the first +place?" + +During the next few days the two friends were in a fever of suspense, +for they did not want somebody to come and take their fortune away +from them. Every man who came into the telegraph office Julian watched +closely, for he had somehow got it into his head that Haberstro must +be a German; but every German who came in there had business of his +own, and as soon as it was done he went out. No one came to see Julian +about the box, and, if the truth must be told, he began to breathe +easier. Of late he had got out of the habit of looking for the box as +soon as he came home, and perhaps the sport that Jack made of him for +it was the only thing that made him give it up. + +"One would think you owned that fortune," said he. "I don't believe a +miser ever watched his gold as closely as you watch that box." + +"I don't care," said Julian. "The fortune is ours, or rather is going +to be in a few days. Now you mark my words, and see if I don't tell +you the truth." + +"There's many a slip. We will never have such luck in the world." + +"Well, I am going to look at it now. It seems to me that if Haberstro +is around here he ought to have put in an appearance before this time. +We have waited a whole week without seeing anything of him." + +"A whole week!" exclaimed Jack, with a laugh. "If you wait a month +without seeing him you may be happy. If we keep the box for three +months without the man appearing, then I shall think it belongs to +us." + +Julian did not believe that. He thought that the contents of the box +would belong to them before that time. He made no reply, but took a +chair to examine the closet. He moved the clothing aside, expecting +every minute to put his hand upon the box, and then uttered an +exclamation of astonishment and threw the articles off on the floor. + +"What's the matter?" asked Jack, in alarm. + +"The box is gone!" replied Julian. + + + + +CHAPTER IV. + +WHERE THE BOX WAS. + + +This startling piece of information seemed to strike Jack Sheldon +motionless and speechless with astonishment. His under jaw dropped +down, and he even clutched the back of a chair, as if seeking +something with which to support himself. The two boys stood at +opposite sides of the room looking at each other, and then Jack +recovered himself. + +"Gone!" he repeated. "You are mistaken; you have overlooked it. I saw +it night before last myself." + +"I don't care," said Julian, emphatically; "I have taken the clothes +all out, and the box is gone. Look and see for yourself." + +Julian stepped down from the chair and Jack took his place. He peered +into every nook and corner of the dark shelf, passed his hands over +it, and then, with something like a sigh, got down and began to hang +the clothes up in their proper places. Then he closed the door of the +closet, took a chair, and gazed earnestly at the floor. + +"Well, sir, what do you think of that?" said Julian. + +"Didn't I tell you that if anybody came in here to look for that box +while we were not here it would be Casper Nevins, and nobody else?" +said Jack. + +"You surely don't suspect him!" exclaimed Julian. + +"I _do_ suspect him; if you could get inside his room to-night you +would find the box." + +"Why, then he is a thief!" said Julian, jumping up from his chair and +walking the floor. "Shall we go down to No. 8 Station and ask the +police to send a man up there and search him?" + +"I don't know whether that would be the best way or not," said Jack, +reflectively. "Has Casper got many friends among the boys of your +office?" + +"I don't believe he's got one friend there who treats him any better +than I do. The boys are all shy of him." + +"And well they may be. That boy got a key somewhere that will fit our +door, and came in here and took that box. You say he has not any +friends on whom he can depend in the office?" + +"Not one. If he has any friends, none of us know who they are." + +"Then he must be alone in stealing the box from us. He has it there in +his room, for he has no other place to hide it. Do you know what sort +of a key he has to fit his door?" + +"Of course I do. I was with him when he got it. It is a combination +key; one that he folds up when he puts it into his pocket." + +"Do you believe you can buy another like it?" + +"By George! That's an idea. Let us go down and find out. Then +to-morrow, if I can get away, I will come up here and go through his +room." + +That was Jack's notion entirely. He wanted to see "the biter bit"--to +know that he would feel, when he awoke some fine morning and found his +fortune gone, just how they were feeling now. They put on their coats +and locked the door,--it seemed a mockery to them now to lock the +door when their fortune was gone,--and, after walking briskly for a +few minutes, turned into the store where Casper had purchased his key. +When Julian told the clerk that he wanted to see some combination +keys, he threw out upon the counter a box which was filled to +overflowing. + +"Do you remember a telegraph boy who was in here several months ago +and bought a combination lock to fit his door?" asked Julian. "I was +in here at the time, and I know he bought the lock of you." + +"Seems to me that I _do_ remember something about that," said the +clerk, turning around to the shelves behind him and taking down +another box, "and we have got just one lock of that sort left." + +"Are you sure this key will open his door?" asked Julian. + +"I am sure of it. If it don't open his door, you can bring it back and +exchange it for another." + +Julian told him that he would take the lock, and while the clerk was +gone to another part of the store to do it up he whispered to Jack, + +"I have just thought of something. He has not any closet in his room +that I know of, and who knows but that he may have put that box in his +trunk? I had better get some keys to his trunk while I am about it." + +"Do you remember how the key looked?" asked Jack. + +"I guess I can come pretty close to it," answered Julian. + +The work of selecting a key to the trunk was not so easy; but Julian +managed to satisfy himself at last, and the boys left the store. +Julian did not say anything, but he was certain that the box would be +in his own possession before that time to-morrow. That would be better +than calling the police to search his room. In the latter case, Casper +would be held for trial, and Julian did not want to disgrace him +before all the boys in the office. + +"I will give Mr. Wiggins the box as soon as I get my hands on it, but +I shan't say anything to him about Casper's stealing it," said he. +"Would you?" + +"You are mighty right I _would_," exclaimed Jack, who looked at his +friend in utter surprise. "He stole it, didn't he? He was going to +cheat Haberstro out of it if he showed up, and, failing that, he would +leave us here to work all our lives while he lived on the fat of the +land. No, sir; if you get the box you must tell Mr Wiggins about it." + +For the first time in a long while the boys did not sleep much that +night. Jack was thinking about Casper's atrocity,--for he considered +that was about the term to apply to him for stealing their box,--and +Julian was wondering if he was going to get into Casper's room and +recover the fortune which he was attempting to deprive them of. + +"I tell you, that boy is coming to some bad end," said Jack. "I would +not be in his boots for all the money he will ever be worth." + +"I don't care what end he comes to," said Julian, "but I was just +thinking what would happen to us if this key did not open his door. We +would then have to get the police, sure enough." + +Morning came at length, and at the usual hour Julian was on hand in +the telegraph office, waiting to see what his duties were going to be. +As usual, he found Casper Nevins there. He looked closely at Julian +when he came in, but could not see anything in the expression of his +face that led him to believe there was anything wrong. + +"Good-morning, Julian," said he. + +"Good-morning," said Julian. "How do you feel this morning?" + +"Right as a trivet. I feel much better than you will when you find +that that box is gone," added Casper to himself. "He hasn't found it +out yet, and I hope he will not until I get my pay. I have waited and +watched for this a long time, and, thank heaven! I have found it at +last. I wish I knew somebody who would take that box and hide it for +me; but I can't think of a living soul." + +All the fore part of that day Julian was kept busy running to the +lower part of the city with messages, and not a chance did he get to +go up past Casper's room. Two or three times he was on the point of +asking Mr. Wiggins to excuse him for a few minutes, but he always +shrunk from it for fear of the questions that gentleman would ask him. +"Where did he want to go?" "What did he want to go after?" "What was +he going to do when he got there?" and Julian was quite certain that +he could not answer these questions without telling a lie. While he +was thinking it over he heard his name called, and found that he must +go right by Casper's room in order to take the message where it was to +go. He seemed to be treading on air when he walked up to take the +telegraphic dispatch. + +"Do you know where that man lives?" asked the operator. + +"I know pretty nearly where he lives," answered Julian. + +"Well, take it there, and be back as soon as you can, for I shall want +to send you somewhere else. What's the matter with you, Julian? You +seem to be gay about something." + +"I don't know that I feel any different from what I always do," +replied Julian. "I will go there as soon as I can." + +When Julian got into the street, his first care was to find his keys. +They were all there; and, to gain the time that he would occupy in +looking about the room, Julian broke into a trot, knowing that the +police would not trouble him while he had that uniform on. At the end +of an hour he began to draw close to Casper's room, and there he +slackened his pace to a walk. + +"Ten minutes more and the matter will be decided," said Julian, his +heart beating with a sound that frightened him. "That boy has the box, +and I am going to have it." + +A few steps more brought him to the stairs that led up to Casper's +room. It was over a grocery store, and the steps ran up beside it. He +turned in there without anybody seeing him, and stopped in front of +the door. The combination key was produced, and to Julian's immense +delight the door came open the very first try. + +"I guess I won't lock it," muttered Julian. "I might lock myself in. +He does not keep his room as neat as we do ours." + +Julian took one glance about the apartment, taking in the tumbled +bedclothes, and the dishes from which Casper had eaten his breakfast +still unwashed on the table, and then turned his attention to what had +brought him there. There was no closet in the room, and the box was +not under the bed; it must therefore be in his trunk. One after +another of the keys was tried without avail, and Julian was about to +give it up in despair, when the last key--the one on Jack's +bunch--opened the trunk, which he found in the greatest confusion. He +lifted off the tray, and there was the box, sure enough. Julian took +it, and hugged it as though it was a friend from whom he had long been +separated. + +"Now the next question is, are the papers all here?" thought he. +"There were seven of them besides the letter, and who knows but that +he has taken a block of buildings away from us." + +But the papers were all there. However much Casper might have been +tempted to realize on some of the numerous "blocks of buildings" which +the box called for, he dared not attempt the sale of any of them. It +was as much as he could do to steal the papers. Julian placed the tray +back and carefully locked the trunk, and then looking around, found a +paper with which to do up his box. Then he locked the door, came down, +and went on to deliver his message. + +"That boy called us foolish because we advertised for Mr. Haberstro," +said Julian, as he carefully adjusted the box under his arm. "I would +like to know if we were bigger fools than he was. We could have found +the police last night as easy as not, and it would have been no +trouble for them to find the box. He ought not to have left it there +in his trunk. He didn't think that we could play the same game on him +that he played upon us." + +Julian conveyed his message and returned to his office in less time +than he usually did, and, after reporting, told Mr. Wiggins in a +whisper that he would like to see him in the back room. + +"I know what you want," said Mr. Wiggins, as he went in. "You have +been up to the express office, buying some more of that 'old horse.' +Some day I am going to give you fits for that. It is the only thing I +have stored up against you." + +"Can you tell when I did it?" asked Julian, slowly unfolding the box +which he carried under his arm. "Haven't I carried my telegraphic +dispatches in as little time as anybody? Now, I have something here +that is worth having. Read that letter, and see if it isn't." + +Mr. Wiggins seated himself on the table and slowly read the letter +which Julian placed in his hands, and it was not long before he became +deeply interested in it. When he had got through he looked at the boy +with astonishment. + +"I declare, Julian, you're lucky," said he. "Now, the next thing for +you to do is to advertise for Haberstro." + +"We have already advertised for him. We have put four insertions in +the papers." + +"And he doesn't come forward to claim his money? Put two other +advertisements in, and if he don't show up the money is yours." + +"That is what I wanted to get at," said Julian, with a sigh of relief. +"Now, Mr. Wiggins, I wish you would take this and lock it up +somewhere. I don't think it safe in our house." + +"Certainly I'll do it. By George! Who would think you were worth a +hundred thousand dollars!" + +"It isn't ours yet," said Julian, with a smile. "About the time we get +ready to use it, here will come Mr. Haberstro, and we will have to +give it up to him." + +"Well, you are honest, at any rate, or you would not have advertised +for him. This beats me, I declare. I won't scold you this time, but +don't let it happen again." + +"I'll never go into that express office again while I live," said +Julian, earnestly. "I have had my luck once, and I don't believe it +will come again." + +When Julian went out into the office he saw Casper there, and he was +as white as a sheet. Julian could not resist the temptation to pat an +imaginary box under his arm and wink at Casper. + +"What do you mean by that pantomime?" said he. + +"It means that you can't get the start of two fellows who have their +eyes open," said Julian. "I've got the box." + +"You have?" gasped Casper. "You've been into my room when I was not +there? I'll have the police after you before I am five minutes older!" + +Casper jumped to his feet and began to look around for his hat. + + + + +CHAPTER V. + +CASPER THINKS OF SOMETHING. + + +Julian stood with his hands in his pockets looking at Casper, and +something that was very like a smile came into his face. + +"I know what you went in there with Mr. Wiggins for," said Casper; and +having found his cap by that time, he jammed it spitefully on his +head, "and I just waited until you came out so that I could ask you. I +don't need to ask you. I tell you once for all----" + +"Well, why don't you go on?" asked Julian. "You will tell me once for +all--what?" + +Casper had by this time turned and looked sternly at Julian, but there +was something about him which told him that he had gone far enough. + +"Go and get the police," said Julian. "Right here is where I do +business. Look here, Casper: you came into our room and stole that +box out of our closet." + +"I never!" said Casper, evidently very much surprised. "So help +me----" + +"Don't swear, because you will only make a bad matter worse. I found +the box in your trunk, just where you had left it. The way I have the +matter arranged now, there's nobody knows that you took it; but you go +to work and raise the police, and I will tell all I know. If you keep +still, I won't say one word." + +Casper backed toward the nearest chair and sat down. This conversation +had been carried on in whispers, and there was nobody, among the dozen +persons who were standing around, that had the least idea what they +were talking about. If Casper supposed that he was going to scare +Julian into giving up the box, he failed utterly. + +"I won't give up that fortune," said he, to himself, when Julian +turned away to go to his seat. "A hundred thousand dollars! I'll have +it, or I'll never sleep easy again." + +During the rest of the day Julian was as happy as he wanted to be. The +box was now safe in the hands of Mr. Wiggins, and he would like to +see anybody get hold of it. Furthermore, Mr. Wiggins had told him to +put two more advertisements in the papers, and, if Mr. Haberstro did +not show himself in answer to them, the money was his own. + +"I do hope he won't come," said Julian. "I don't believe in giving up +that fortune." + +The boy was glad when the day was done, and the moment he was safe on +the street he struck a trot which he never slackened until he ran up +the stairs to his room. Jack was there, as he expected him to be, and +he was going about his work of getting supper. He looked up as Julian +came in, and he saw at a glance that he had been successful. + +"I've got it!" shouted Julian; and, catching Jack by the arm, he +whirled him around two or three times. "It was in the trunk, just as I +told you it was. Mr. Wiggins has it now, and he will take care of it, +too." + +"That's the best news I have heard in a long time," said Jack, +throwing his leg over the table. "Did you tell Mr. Wiggins about the +way Casper acted?" + +"No, I did not. Somehow, I couldn't bear to see the boy discharged. I +simply told Mr. Wiggins that it wasn't safe in our room." + +"Well, I don't know but that was the best way, after all," said Jack, +looking reflectively at the floor. "But I tell you, if I had been in +your place I would have let it all out. Now tell me the whole thing." + +Julian pulled off his coat, and, while he assisted Jack in getting +supper, told him all that passed between Mr. Wiggins and himself, not +forgetting how the latter had promised to scold him at some future +time for going to the express office and investing in "old horse." + +"I hope he will tell you some words that will set," said Jack. "All I +can say to you has no effect upon you." + +"I will never go near that express office again--never!" said Julian, +earnestly. + +"I hope you will always bear that in mind." + +"I've had my luck, and if I live until my head is as white as our +president's I never shall have such good fortune again. I will get +bricks the next time I buy." + +"You had better sit down and write out that advertisement for two more +insertions, and after supper we'll take it down and put it in. If +Haberstro does not appear in answer to them the money is ours. That's +a little better fortune than I dared to hope for." + +Anybody could see that Jack was greatly excited over this news, but he +tried not to show it. If he had gone wild over it, he would have got +Julian so stimulated that he would not have known which end he stood +on. He had to control himself and Julian, too. He ate his supper +apparently as cool as he ever was, and after the room had been swept +up and the dishes washed he put on his coat and was ready to accompany +his friend to the newspaper offices. + +"Remember now, Julian, we don't want any soda water to-night," said +Jack. "If you want anything to drink, get it before you start." + +Julian promised that he would bear it in mind, and during the three +hours that they were gone never asked for soda water or anything +else. + +"Just wait until I get that fortune in my hands, and then I will have +all the soda water I want," said Julian to himself. "But, after all, +Jack's way is the best. I don't know what I should do without him." + +In due time the boys were at home and in bed; and leaving them there +to enjoy a good night's rest, we will go back to Casper Nevins and see +what he thought and what he did when he found that he had lost the box +he had risked so much to gain. He was about as mad as a boy could hold +when he ran down the stairs after his interview with them in their +room, and he straightway began to rack his brain to see if he could +not get that box for himself. + +"Of all the dunces I ever saw, those two fellows are the beat!" said +he, as he took his way toward his room. "They have got the fortune in +their own hands; no one will say a word if they use it as though it +was their own; and yet they are going to advertise for the man to whom +it was addressed. Did anybody ever hear of a fool notion like that? I +was in hopes that I could get them to go partners with me, but under +the circumstances I did not like to propose it. Why didn't I happen +into that express office and bid on that box? Gee! What a fortune that +would be!" + +Casper was almost beside himself with the thought, and he reached his +room and cooked and ate his supper, still revolving some plan for +obtaining possession of that box. He had suddenly taken it into his +head that he ought to go into partnership with the two boys in order +to assist them in spending their money, although there was not the +first thing that he could think of that induced the belief. Julian had +always been friendly with him,--much more so than any of the other +boys in the office,--although he confessed that he had not always been +friendly with Julian. + +"Of course I have little spats with him, but Julian isn't a fellow to +remember that," said Casper to himself. "I've had spats with every +boy, and some of them I don't want anything more to do with. But +Julian ought to take me into partnership with him, and I believe I'll +ask him. But first, can't I get that box for my own? That is an idea +worth thinking of." + +It was an idea that had suddenly come into Casper's head, and he did +not think any more about the partnership business just then. Of course +their advertising for Haberstro knocked all that in the head; but then +if he had the box he could do as he pleased with it. The next day, at +the office, he did say something about partnership, but Julian laughed +at him. He said that he and Jack could easily spend all that money, +and more too, if they had it. It was made in a joking way, and Julian +had not thought to speak to Jack about it. + +"It is no use trying you on," said Casper to himself, getting mad in a +minute. "You can spend all that money yourselves, can you? I'll bet +you don't. There must be some keys in the city that will fit your +door, and I am going to have one." + +From that time forward Casper had but just one object in view, and +that was to get the box. He spent three days in trying the different +keys which he had purchased to fit the lock, and one time he came +near getting himself into difficulty. He was out a great deal longer +than he ought to have been with a message, and when he got to the +office Mr. Wiggins took him to task for it. + +"How is this, Casper?" said he. "You have been gone three-quarters of +an hour longer than you ought to have been." + +"I went just as soon as I could," replied Casper, who was not above +telling a lie. "The man wasn't at his place of business, and so I went +to his home." + +"Then you are excusable. It seems strange that he should be at home at +this hour." + +Casper did not say anything, but he was satisfied that he was well out +of that scrape. He had not been to the man's home at all. He was +trying the lock on Julian's door. + +Although he made two attempts without getting in, he succeeded on the +third. The door came open for him, and after searching around the room +in vain for the box, he looked into the closet. + +"Aha! I've got you at last!" said he, as he drew the clothing aside +and laid hold of the object of his search. "Now I wish I had my money +that is due me from the telegraph office. To-morrow would see me on my +way toward Denver." + +Hurriedly locking the door, Casper made the best of his way down the +stairs and to his room, and put the box into his trunk. Then he broke +into another run and went to the office, where he arrived in time to +avoid a second reprimand. + +"Oh, you feel mighty well now," said Casper, watching Julian, who was +talking and laughing with some of the boys, "but I bet you you will +feel different in a little while. Now who am I going to get to hide +that box for me? None of the boys in here will do it, so I must go +elsewhere." + +During the rest of the week Casper was as deeply interested in +watching the persons who came there as Julian was. He did not +advertise for Haberstro, because he did not want to give up the box. +He was more than half inclined to go to Mr. Wiggins and tell him he +was going to leave when his month was out, but some way or other he +did not. Something compelled him to wait, and in three days more he +found out what it was. He was in the office waiting for a message to +deliver, when Julian came in with a bundle wrapped up in a newspaper +under his arm. Casper was thunderstruck, for something told him that +Julian had played the same game that he had. He had been to his room +and got the box. His face grew as pale as death when he saw Mr. +Wiggins follow Julian into the back room, and his first thought was to +leave the office before he came out. + +"It is all up with me now," said he, rising to his feet and looking +around for his cap, which, boy fashion, he had tossed somewhere, on +entering the room. "He will tell Mr. Wiggins that I stole the box, and +I will be discharged the first thing. I'll deny it," he added, growing +desperate. "I haven't seen his box. He did not find it in my room, but +got it somewhere else. I will make a fight on it as long as I can." + +So saying, Casper sat down to await Julian's return; but the boy came +out alone, and the antics he went through drove Casper frantic. + +"I've got the box," said Julian, when Casper asked him what he meant +by that pantomime. + +The guilty boy was given plenty of opportunity to "deny it all," but +he gave it up in despair when he found that Julian was not to be +frightened into giving up the box. The latter was perfectly willing +that the police should come there, but if they did, he would tell all +Casper had done. He might get Julian in a scrape, but he would get +into a worse one himself. He was glad when Julian moved off to his +chair and left him alone. + +"I guess it is the best way as it is," said Casper, getting upon his +feet and looking out into the street. "If he sets the police onto +me--good gracious, what should I do? So that plan has failed, and now +the next thing is something else. I'll have that box, or die trying to +get it." + +All that day, while he was in the office or carrying his telegraphic +dispatches around the street, Casper thought of but one thing, and +that was, how was he going to get that box again? He did not have much +to say to anybody, and when six o'clock came he lost no time in +getting home. He had evidently determined upon something, for he ate a +very scanty supper, changed his clothes, and hurried out again. His +changing his uniform for a citizen's suit was something that would +have brought him his instant discharge if his company officers had +found him in that fix. He could mingle with loafers about the +pool-rooms, and no one could have told that he was any different from +anybody else. He could drink his beer, too, and no one would suspect +that he was going back on the pledge he made to the company. But, +then, Casper was used to such things, and he thought nothing of it. +More than that, he had an object to gain, and he had already picked +out the person whom he hoped to induce to enter into a scheme to +possess that box. + +"Claus is the fellow I am going to try," said he, as he hurried along +toward a pool-room which he often frequented. "He is a German, he is +well along in years, and I know he isn't above making a dime or two +whenever he gets the chance. Now for it. It is make or break." + + + + +CHAPTER VI. + +A MR. HABERSTRO APPEARS. + + +As Casper Nevins uttered these words he turned into an entry, ran up a +flight of stairs, and opened the door of the pool-room. The apartment +was always crowded at night, and the players were mostly young men who +ought by rights to have been somewhere else. One end of the room was +occupied with pool-tables, and the other was taken up by billiards, +which were in full blast. Casper gave out among the players that he +was a broker's clerk, and the story seemed to satisfy the young men, +who asked no further questions. There was no chance for him in a pool +game, and consequently he did not look for it. He looked all around, +and finally discovered his man Claus, who was sitting near one of the +tables, watching the game. + +This man was one of the loafers about the pool-rooms. He always +dressed very neatly, but he was never known to have any money. He was +a German, and that fitted the name of the man to whom the box was +addressed. + +"I am living on the interest of my debts," said he, when some one +asked what his occupation was. "I never have any money. I don't need +it. I can get along without it. You fellows have to work every day, +while I do nothing but sit around the pool-room and wait for some one +to challenge me for a game." + +"But you must make some money sometime, or else you couldn't play pool +as often as you do." + +"Oh, as to that, I make a dollar or two when I find the right man who +can play a little, and sometimes I make more. If I could get a chance +to make a hundred thousand dollars I would take it in a minute. After +that, I would not be obliged to work." + +These remarks were made in the presence of Casper Nevins, who +remembered them. After he had stolen the box, and before Julian had +got it back again, he thought it best to try him on a new tack. + +"Supposing you didn't get a hundred thousand dollars the first time +trying," said he. "Would not fifty thousand do you?" + +"Well, I think I could live on that much. Fifty thousand would tempt +me awfully. I wish I had a chance to try it." + +"There is Claus, and I am going to speak to him the first thing I do," +said Casper. "If there is anybody who can play the part of the missing +Haberstro, he is the man." + +"Ah! Good-evening, Casper," he exclaimed, as the boy approached him. +"How is the brokerage business to-day? Have you made any money?" + +"I don't make any. The boss does all that." + +"Well, why don't you pick up some money and go in yourself? You will +never be a man in the world as long as you stay in the background. Do +you want to see me? Here I am, and all ready for business. Is there +any money in this thing you have to propose?" + +Claus, following Casper's lead, occupied an arm-chair in a remote +corner of the room, away from everybody, and Casper sat down +alongside of him. It was not any work for him to begin the +conversation, for Claus "had given himself away" every time the +subject of money was introduced. + +"Were you in earnest the other day when you said that if you had a +chance to steal a hundred thousand dollars you would try it on?" said +Casper. "I want you to deal fairly with me now. I want to know just +how you feel about it." + +"My dear boy, I was never more in earnest in my life," said Claus +emphatically. "Just give me a chance, and you will see whether or not +I meant what I said." + +"Well, I have got a chance for you to make something," said Casper. + +"You have? Let her rip. I am all attention. But hold on a bit. Let us +get a cigar. Have you any money?" + +"I have ten cents." + +"That is enough. Anything to keep our jaws puffing. I can listen a +great deal better with a cigar than I can without it." + +The two arose from their seats and made a trip to the bar. They +lighted their cigars, and Casper paid ten cents for them. It made no +difference to Claus that Casper had paid out some of his hard earnings +and wondered where his next morning's breakfast was coming from. As +long as he got the cigar, it mattered little to him whether Casper had +any more money or not. + +"Now I am all ready to listen," said Claus, seating himself in his +arm-chair once more. "Be explicit; go into all the minutiae, so that I +may know what I have to do." + +There was no need that Claus should tell Casper this, and for the next +fifteen minutes Claus never said a word, but listened intently. He +told about Julian's habit of going to the express office on the day +that "old horse" was offered for sale, until finally he bought the +secret of a gold-mine which was hidden away in a box that came near +being sold for twenty-five cents. The box was addressed to S. W. +Haberstro, and the boys had put four advertisements in the papers +asking that man to show himself; and, if he did not show up in +reasonable time, the money was to be theirs. + +"Here is a copy of the _Democrat_, with a copy of the advertisement in +it," said Casper. "I knew you would want to know everything, and so I +brought it along. A hundred thousand dollars! Now, why couldn't I have +bid on that box? That little snipe does not get any more money than I +do, and yet he had to go and buy himself rich." + +"Then it seems that you are not a broker's clerk after all," said +Claus. "I don't know as I blame you." + +"You see I would get discharged if any of the company officers should +find me dressed up in citizen's rig," said Casper. "I can go among the +boys, now, and have a good time." + +"I don't know that I blame you," repeated Claus. "I will keep your +secret. Well, go on. I begin to understand the matter now." + +"I tell you I was mad when I found out that they were going to +advertise for old man Haberstro," said Casper. "I called them +everything but decent boys, and went to work to conjure up some plan +for getting the box for my own. I got it, too----" + +"You did? Then you are all right." + +"Not so near right as you think I am. Julian got some keys that would +fit my door, and went in and stole it." + +"Whew! They are a desperate lot; ain't they?" + +"That is just what they did; and, furthermore, Julian gave the box +into the hands of Mr. Wiggins, our chief telegraph operator. Now, I +want you to come down there, pass yourself off for Haberstro, and +claim that box. Can you do it?" + +Mr. Claus did not answer immediately. He stretched his legs out before +him and slid down in his chair until his head rested on the back of +it. He was thinking over the details of the plan. Casper did not +interrupt him, but waited to see what he was going to say about it. + +"And you are willing to give me half the contents of that box if I +will get it for you?" said he. "You have given me the hardest part of +the work. Where do you suppose that man Wiggins keeps the box?" + +"In the bank, of course. He's pretty sharp, and you must look out for +that. If we can get that box, I won't go near the mine. I am not going +to handle a pick and shovel when I have fifty thousand dollars to fall +back upon. I am not going to work every day when I am afraid that +something will come up and scare me to death. I will take half the +block of buildings described there, and you can take the other half. +That is fair, isn't it?" + +"Yes, it is fair enough, but I am afraid of that man Wiggins. What +sort of a looking man is he?" + +"The worst part about him is his eyes. They are steel-gray, and when +he turns them on a culprit in the office you would think he was going +to look him through. You will have to be pretty sharp to get around +him." + +"Well, suppose I go and see Julian first. If I can get around him, +that will be so much gained." + +This was the beginning of a long conversation between Casper and +Claus, and when it was done the latter felt greatly encouraged, and +told himself that he was nearer getting the box for his own than he +ever was before. Casper told him everything he could think of that +related to the matter, and when Claus got up, removed his hat and +wiped his face with his handkerchief, Casper said that if he would +just act that way in the presence of Mr. Wiggins, he would carry the +day. + +"You act more like a German than I ever saw you act before," said he. +"If you will just do that way to-morrow, I will answer for your +success." + +"I can act the German all over, if that is what he wants," said Claus, +with a laugh. "You haven't got another ten cents, have you? Well, let +it go. I will go home and sleep upon it." + +"But look here," said Casper, earnestly. "If you come to that +telegraph office you must not know me. You never saw me before." + +"Of course not. I won't give you away. That money is worth trying for. +What is the reason that you and I have not some good friends to leave +us that amount of money?" + +"Because we are not honest enough," said Casper, bitterly. + +"Honesty has nothing to do with it. We ain't sharp; that is what's the +matter with us. Well, good-night. I will go and see Julian +to-morrow night, and the next day I may be down to the telegraph +office. I want to go easy, because I don't want to spoil the thing by +being too brash." + +As it was already late, Casper did not attempt to enter any game that +night. He went home and tumbled into bed, and for a long time he lay +thinking over what he had said to Claus. There was another thing that +came into his mind every once in a while, and that was, where was his +breakfast to come from? + +"I was not going to get any cigars to-night, because ten cents was all +I had left," said Casper. "But I could not well refuse Claus. No +matter. If he succeeds in getting that box, I will have all the cigars +I want." + +The next morning Casper went to the office without any breakfast; but +the first message he had to carry took him to a saloon where they set +a free-lunch table. There he took the edge off his appetite and ate +enough to last him until supper-time, when he was to get his pay. +Julian was there, looking as happy as ever. Casper did not blame him +for that. If he had a box with that amount of money in it, he would be +happy, too. + +"By George! It is six o'clock," said Casper, at length. "In two hours +more I will know what Julian says to Claus. Till then, I must have +patience." + +Casper received his money when the others did, and without saying a +word to anybody set out for home. Julian was not in quite so big a +hurry. He walked along with his hands in his pockets, and once, when +passing by a baker's shop, he went in and bought some cakes with which +to top off their supper. Jack Sheldon always reached home before he +did, and Julian found him in his usual act of getting supper. In reply +to his ordinary greetings, he answered that there had been nothing +unusual going on in the telegraph office, and that no man who said his +name was Haberstro had been there to see about the advertisement that +had appeared in the papers. + +"I tell you, Jack, that fortune in the box is ours," said Julian. +"That man has had ample time to show up, and it won't be long before +we will be on our way to Denver." + +"Don't be too sure of that," said Jack. "Haberstro may be off on a +vacation somewhere. I shall believe we are in Denver when we get +there, and not before." + +Almost as Jack said the words there was a sound of somebody coming up +the stairs. He stopped in front of the door, and called out to +somebody he left below, + +"Does Mr. Julian Gray live here? Thank you;" and a moment afterward +his rap sounded upon the door. + +"What did I tell you?" whispered Jack. "That's Haberstro, as sure as +you live." + +For an honest boy, Julian's heart fell. His fortune was gone, and +there were no two ways about it. He stepped to the door and opened it, +and there stood Claus, more neatly dressed than ever. + +"Good-evening," said he, while his eyes roved from one boy to the +other. "Which one of you is Julian Gray?" + +"I am, sir." + +"I am delighted to meet you," said he; and he thrust out his hand, +into which Julian put his own. Then he put his hand into his pocket +and pulled out a card on which the name S. W. Haberstro was engraved. +"I got belated in my hotel while waiting for the train, and I picked +up this paper and saw this advertisement in it. As it happened to be +my name, I read it through." + +"Come in, sir," said Jack, placing a chair for him. "It is one of four +advertisements that we put into the daily papers. Your name is +Haberstro, I believe?" + +"That is my name. You said you had something of great value to tell +me. What is it?" + +Julian could not have opened his mouth to save him. He was obliged to +let Jack do all the talking. + + + + +CHAPTER VII. + +A PLAN THAT DIDN'T WORK. + + +Julian Gray took his stand in one corner of the room, with his hands +in his pockets and his feet spread out, and looked at this man who +called himself Haberstro. He was a German, there were no two ways +about that; and he had a habit of taking out his handkerchief and +wiping his face with it that nobody but a pompous and well-to-do +German ever imitated. + +"Do you know of a man of the name of Winkleman?" asked Jack. + +"Know him?" exclaimed the German. "Of course I do. He was living here +in St. Louis with me, but all on a sudden he took the gold fever and +went out to Denver. I was engaged in pretty good business, and so I +did not go with him. I never heard what he was doing out there. He--he +isn't dead, is he?" + +"Oh, no. He accumulated some property while he was out there. He got a +notice that his father had died in Europe and left all his property to +him, and he has gone home to take possession of it." + +"Then that accounts for his not writing to me. He always said that his +folks were immensely rich, and that some day he would have more than +he wanted. What property did he collect out there?" + +"He is worth several buildings which are worth a hundred thousand +dollars. Furthermore, he has given them to you." + +"To me?" cried the German, rising to his feet. + +"Yes, to you. And, more than that, he has a mine out of which he took +fifty thousand dollars, and you come into possession of that, also." + +"Lord bless my soul!" exclaimed the German. "I don't remember that I +ever did anything to him to give him so good an opinion of me." + +"Did you not nurse him while he was sick?" + +"Did you not care for your mother when she was sick?" returned the +German. "Of course that did not amount to anything. He was my chum, +and I had to stand by him." + +"Well, he gave you the property for it, anyway. He sent you the deeds +by express, and Julian bought them for thirty cents." + +"Well, sir, that is a heap of money. I don't know anybody that needs +it more than I do. Where is the box now?" + +"It is safe in the hands of Mr. Wiggins. We were not going to have +somebody come along here and claim to be Haberstro. Have you anybody +here in St. Louis to whom you can recommend us? We want to know who +you are before we give up the box." + +"That is perfectly right and proper. You see, my home is in Chicago, +and I know but few persons here. If you think this Mr----what do you +call him?" + +"Wiggins?" said Jack. + +"Yes; if you think he will want somebody to vouch for me, I can give +him the names of all the Germans in the city. Where does he hang +out?" + +"The Union Telegraph office. You know where that is?" + +"I can easily find it, for I have a tongue in my head. I don't believe +I will go near that mine at all. I will sell it." + +"You had better not. The miners have a story around that it is +haunted." + +The German threw back his head and laughed heartily. + +"I am not afraid of that. If he took fifty thousand dollars out of it, +it is surely worth as much more. Well, if you have told me everything, +I guess I had better go back to my hotel. I was going back to my home +to-night, but now I am glad I did not go." + +"I guess we have told you everything that pertains to the matter," +said Jack. "Do you think of any questions you would like to ask us?" + +"No; but I may think of some to-morrow. Good-night." + +"By the way," said Jack, as if he had just thought of something. +"Where were you when this man Winkleman was sick? You were out in the +mines, I suppose?" + +"Oh, no, we were not; we were here in St. Louis. If we had been out at +the mines, where no doctor could have been reached, he would have gone +up on my hands. Look here--I don't want you to do this for nothing. +Make up your minds what you ought to have and I will give it to you. +If it had not been for you I would never have seen the box. +Good-night." + +The German bowed himself out and closed the door behind him. The boys +waited until he got to the street, and then Julian took possession of +the chair he had just vacated. + +"Well, sir, what do you think of that?" asked Jack, using companion's +expression. + +"I think our fortune is gone up," answered Julian; and then he leaned +his elbows on his knees and looked down at the floor. + +Jack laughed as loudly as the German did a few moments before. Julian +straightened up and looked at him in surprise. + +"What do you mean by that?" he exclaimed. "Is a hundred thousand +dollars such a sum in your eyes that you can afford to be merry over +it?" + +"No; but you will never lose it through that man. His name is not +Haberstro any more than mine is." + +"Jack, what do you mean?" + +"You were so busy with your own thoughts that you didn't see how I was +pumping him, did you? In the first place he told us that Winkleman was +sick in St. Louis; and yet Winkleman says in his letter that they were +so poor that they could not raise enough to buy a halter for a mule. +Now, he would not have used such an expression as that if he had been +here in the city, would he?" + +"No, I don't think he would," said Julian, reflectively. "He used the +words of the country in which he lived." + +"That is what I think. In the next place, he said that he was engaged +in a paying business here, and consequently did not go with Winkleman +to the mines; and then, almost in the same breath, he said he could +not refer me to anybody here because his home was in Chicago. You +didn't see those little errors, did you?" + +Julian began to brighten up. He remembered all the German had said to +Jack, but somehow he did not think of it. The box was not lost, after +all. + +"Now, he must have had somebody to post him in regard to these +matters," said Jack. "Who do you think it was?" + +"Casper Nevins!" said Julian, who just then happened to think of the +boy's name. + +"That is what I think. He is bound to have that box, is he not? Don't +you give that box up; do you hear me?" + +"I am mighty sure I won't give it up," said Julian, emphatically. "I +shan't give it up until you are on hand. I had better take Mr. Wiggins +into my confidence to-morrow." + +"Of course. Tell him the whole thing. Tell him about the mistakes this +man made in his conversation with me, and let him draw his own +conclusions. I never saw such a desperate fellow as that Casper Nevins +is. Now let us go on and get supper." + +"I feel a good deal better than I did a few minutes ago," said Julian, +with something like a long-drawn sigh of relief. "I thought the box +was lost to us, sure." + +The boys were impatient to have to-morrow come because they wanted to +see what the German--they did not know what his true name was--was +going to do about it. + +"I will tell you one thing, Jack," said Julian. "If that Dutchman goes +to-morrow and sees Mr. Wiggins about it, he will get a look that will +last him as long as he lives. I ought to know, for I have had those +eyes turned on me two or three times. If that man stands against them +I shall think he is a nervy fellow." + +The night wore away at last, and at the usual hour the boys were at +their posts. Casper was in the office, and he seemed to be uneasy +about something. He could not sit still. He was continually getting up +and going to the door, and then he would come back and walk around the +room. When Mr. Wiggins came in and wished them all a good-morning, +Julian followed him into the back room. + +"Julian, have you some news about that box?" said he. + +"Yes, sir; there was a man up to our room and handed us this card, and +I thought----" + +"Halloo," said Mr. Wiggins. "The box does not belong to you, after +all." + +"Hold on until I get through explaining things," said Julian. + +With this Julian began, and told him of the conversation that had +taken place between Jack and the German, not omitting the smallest +thing. Mr. Wiggins listened intently, and when the story was done he +said, + +"Somebody has been posting that man in regard to that box. Now, who +have you told about it except Jack Sheldon?" + +"I don't know as that has anything to do with it," said Julian, who +resolved that he would stand by Casper as long as he could. + +"Yes, it has; it has a good deal to do with it. Does Casper Nevins +know all about it?" + +"What do you know about Casper?" said Julian in surprise. He wondered +if there was any boy in the office who could do anything wrong without +Mr. Wiggins finding it out. + +"Because he has been uneasy for the past week. Does Casper know all +about it?" + +"Yes, sir, he does. He was there when we read the letter." + +"That is all. I will see you again after a while." + +Julian went out and sat down, and in a few minutes Mr. Wiggins came +from the back room and spoke to the operator, who immediately sent off +a dispatch. Nobody was called to carry this, for the message went +straight to the office for which it was intended. Five minutes passed, +and then a stout man, who was a stranger to all of them, strolled into +the office. One of the boys got up to wait upon him, pushing some +blanks toward him, but the stout man did not want to send any +telegraphic dispatches. + +"I just want to look around and see how you do things here," said he. + +"Then take this chair, sir," said Mr. Wiggins. "I guess you will find +that we do things about right." + +The minutes passed, and all the boys who had congregated in the office +had been sent off with messages--all except Casper. There did not seem +to be any dispatches for him. The chief operator was busy at his desk, +when suddenly the door opened, and the same German who had called at +Julian's room the night before, came in. Mr. Wiggins glanced toward +him and then he looked toward Casper. The latter never could control +himself when he was in difficulty, and his face grew white. + +"Is this the Western Union Telegraph office?" said the German, wiping +his forehead with his handkerchief. "Do I speak to Mr. Wiggins? Well, +sir, I would like to see you about a box that one of your boys bought +at a sale of 'old horse' in the express office. That box contains +something that is off immense value to me--S. W. Haberstro." And he +handed out his card with his name engraved on it. + +"There is a box here addressed to a man of that name," said Mr. +Wiggins, "but it is in the bank now. I suppose you have plenty of +friends here to whom you can refer?" + +"I am sorry to say that I have not," replied the German. "My home is +in Chicago. I can refer you to all the Germans there." + +"Then, would it not be worth while for you to write to some of your +friends there and get some letters of recommendation? You see, we +don't want to give the box to anybody unless we know who it is." + +"That is all right, sir. I have some business on hand in Chicago, and +I will go up there and get them." + +"That will be sufficient. Good-day, sir." + +The German, who appeared to be in a great hurry, closed the door and +hastened up the street. As soon as he was gone, Mr. Wiggins beckoned +to Casper and went into the back room. + +"Who was that man who just went out?" said he, in a tone of voice +which did not admit of argument. "Tell me the truth." + +"His name is Claus, sir," said Casper. + +"Where does he stay, principally?" + +"He stays first in one pool-room, and then in another. Where he lives +I don't know." + +"That will do," said Mr. Wiggins. + +"I never have been guilty of such a thing before," began Casper. + +"I said that would do," interrupted Mr. Wiggins. "I may see you again +after a while." + +When Mr. Wiggins and Casper got out into the other room they found +that the stout man had disappeared. He had gone out about the time +that the German disappeared. In half an hour he came back, leaned over +the desk, and spoke to the chief operator. + +"That fellow is no more Haberstro than I am," he whispered. "His name +is Solomon Claus. We have had him up a time or two for vagrancy, and +I'll take him up for the same cause, if you say so." + +"No; let him go, but keep your eyes on him. He has not done us any +harm yet. If he comes here again I will send for you." + + + + +CHAPTER VIII. + +CLAUS CALLS AGAIN. + + +When the stout man reached the sidewalk he saw the German a short +distance in advance of him, still hurrying along as though he had no +time to waste. He turned several corners, and at last disappeared up +the stairs that led to the pool-room. The detective, for that was what +he was, did not seem to notice what had become of the German, but he +marked the place where he had gone up and kept on to the +station-house. There he changed his coat and hat, and picked up a huge +walking-stick which stood in one corner. When he came out on the +streets again, everybody noticed that he walked with difficulty, and +there was an expression on his face which only those who were intimate +with the detective would have thought belonged to him. It was very +different from his ordinary appearance. Instead of the frank, open +look with which he regarded everybody, it was drawn up as though he +was suffering intense pain, from which he could not get a moment's +relief. + +The detective speedily found the place where the German had +disappeared, walked wearily up the stairs, opened the door, and sank +into the nearest chair. Then he pulled a pair of eye-glasses from his +pocket and became interested in a paper. But he used his eyes to some +advantage, and quickly discovered the man he wanted seated off by +himself, with his legs outstretched before him and his chin resting on +his breast. + +"I guess he found some difficulty in getting that box," said the +detective, who knew what Mr. Wiggins wanted of him before he came to +the office. "You want to go easy, my friend, or I'll have you up for +vagrancy again." + +There were not so many in the pool-room as there were the night +before, and nobody seemed to bother the German; but presently, while +he was thinking about it, another party came in. He took off his coat, +seized a cue, and looked all around the room for an antagonist, until +he discovered the German sitting there doing nothing. + +"Halloo, Claus!" he shouted, "come on, and let us have a game of +billiards." + +"No, you must excuse me," was the reply; "I don't feel in the humor +for billiards or anything else." + +"Have you anybody on a string that you are trying to make some money +out of?" asked his friend. "Come on, and perhaps a game will brighten +you up." + +"'Claus,'" muttered the detective. "I know you now. I was told to find +out what his name was, so I will go back. So this is where you hang +out. I will remember you." + +The detective hobbled out the door and down the stairs; but by the +time he got down to the street his lameness had all disappeared, and +he walked as briskly as anybody. He went to the Western Union +Telegraph office, told Mr. Wiggins he had discovered that the man's +name was Claus, and not Haberstro, and then went back to the station. +Casper Nevins was called into the back room a moment afterward, but +he was not there more than long enough to receive his discharge. + +"I have never done anything like this before," said Casper, trying to +beg off. "If you will overlook this----" + +"I can't do it," said Mr. Wiggins. "You are a boy that I can't trust. +Why, Casper, do you know what will become of you if you do not mend +your ways? You will get into the State's prison before you are five +years older. I paid you up yesterday, and you have not done anything +to-day, and so you can go." + +"It would not be of any use for me to ask for a letter of +recommendation, would it?" asked Casper. He always had a good deal of +audacity about him, but this made Mr. Wiggins open his eyes in +surprise. + +"Not from me, you can't," he answered. "You will have to go somewhere +else to get it." + +Casper put on his cap and left the office, and on the way to the +pool-room, where he expected to find Claus, he blamed everybody but +himself for the disgrace he had got into. He blamed Claus, although +it is hard to see what that man had done, for he worked as hard as +anybody could to get that box; but he reproached Julian Gray more than +all for his interference in the matter. + +"Come to think of it, I don't know but I am to blame a little myself," +said he, after he had thought the affair all over. "Why did I not dig +out the moment I got that box? I would have been in Denver by this +time, and enjoying my wealth. It beats the world what luck some people +do have." + +But Claus was not in the pool-room. He wanted to be alone, so that he +could think over the matter, and he had gone out where he would be by +himself. The barkeeper did not know where he had gone, and Casper went +home to change his clothes. As he pulled his uniform off he told +himself that it would be a long time before he ever wore it again. +Then he threw himself into a chair and tried to determine what he +should do next. + +"I have just ten dollars," he mused, taking the bill from his pocket, +"and what I shall do when that is gone is another and a deeper +question. I'll bet that Claus don't get any cigars out of me +to-night." + +Meanwhile Julian Gray came in from delivering his message. His face +was flushed, and he acted as though he had been running. He made his +report, and then went into the back room in obedience to a sign from +Mr. Wiggins. + +"Well, Julian, your box is still safe," said the latter. + +"Has that Dutchman been around here?" asked Julian. + +Mr. Wiggins said he had, and then went on to give the boy a complete +history of what Claus had done to secure the box. + +"I got rid of him very easily," said Mr. Wiggins. "I told him that it +would be well for him to write to some German friends in Chicago, +where he said he lived, and he said he was going up there on business +and would bring the letters back with him. I found out that his name +is Claus, and that he hangs out in a pool-room. You don't know him, do +you?" + +No, Julian could not say that he had ever heard of him before. + +"Well, don't you let the box go without seeing me about it." + +"Nobody shall have it. Mr. Wiggins, I don't know how to thank you for +what you have done." + +"You are a good boy, Julian, and the only thing I have against you is +that you will hang around that express office so much. Some day I am +going to give you a good scolding for that." + +"You will never hear of my being there again. I am done going there +forever." + +"I don't think you will have to do it any more. You have your fortune, +easy enough." + +"Oh, Mr. Wiggins! Do you think it is ours sure enough?" + +"Well, perhaps I ought not to speak so positively; it is hard to tell +at this stage of the game. I _hope_ you have." + +Julian was delighted to hear Mr. Wiggins talk in this way, but before +he could ask him any more questions that gentleman had gone back into +the office. He then went out and looked around for Casper. One of the +boys told him he believed Casper had got the "sack," for he put on his +cap and left the office. + +"I don't know what he has been doing," said the boy; "do you?" + +"Mr. Wiggins knows, and he will not tell," replied Julian. "I wonder +what the poor fellow will do now?" + +Julian was impatient for night to come, so that he could go home and +see Jack about it. It came at last, and Julian never broke a trot +until he ran up the stairs and burst into his room. + +"Well?" said Jack. "You look happy. Tell us all about that Dutchman." + +"There is not much to tell. His name is Claus, and he lives in a +pool-room." + +"I knew I was not mistaken in him," said Jack, taking his usual seat +by throwing his leg over the table. "That man had better go somewhere +else." + +But that he did not feel inclined to go somewhere else just then was +evident, for just as Jack pronounced his name the boys heard his step +coming up the stairs. He had a peculiar step, which, once heard, could +not be forgotten. + +"Well, he is coming again," said Julian. "Now, what are you going to +say to him?" + +"That depends upon what he has to say to me," said Jack. "Go to the +door, let him in, and put out a chair for him." + +He rapped on the door the minute he got there, and Julian opened it +for him. He looked closely from one to the other of the boys, but did +not see anything in their faces to make him hide what he had on his +mind. He had a new plan, but it did not promise as well as the one +which had been defeated by Mr. Wiggins. He wanted to induce one of +them to get the box for him and let him read the papers that were in +it. If he could prevail upon them to bring the box out of the bank, he +was certain that in some way he could get an opportunity to steal it. +He did not intend to go about it slyly; he intended to take it, open +and above-board, and let Jack and Julian help themselves if they +could. He was certain that a revolver, presented at their heads and +cocked, would surely keep them quiet until he had locked the door and +got into the street. Where he would go after that he neither knew nor +cared. What he wanted was to get possession of the box. + +"Ah! Good-evening," said Claus, bowing very politely. "I came back to +see you about that box." + +"Take a chair," said Jack. "What about the box?" + +"Mr. Wiggins said it was in the bank," said Claus, "and I want to know +if you could get it out of there and let me read the letter and the +papers. You see, the thing may not be for me, and I don't want to go +home and bother my friends about it until I know what the box +contains." + +"Oh! your friends won't care anything about that," said Jack. "You +tell them that the box is for you, and they will give you all the +letters you want. Besides, I don't think Mr. Wiggins would agree to +what you ask." + +The German did not like the way Julian was acting. He had kept his +eyes roaming from one to the other; but, although the boy occupied +his favorite position, with his hands buried in his pockets and his +feet spread out, his expression was different from what it had been +the night before. There was a smile on his face, and it would not have +taken very much to set him to laughing outright. Claus began to think +there was something up. + +"Why, the box is your own, ain't it?" asked Claus. "You can do what +you please with it." + +"Not now, we can't. We have told Mr. Wiggins that we wanted him to +watch over it for us, and he will have to be present when you read the +papers." + +"Then you can't get it for me?" + +"No, I don't believe I could, Mr. Claus. You don't need anybody to +give you a recommend. Go to some of your friends here----" + +"Claus! Claus! That is not my name. My name is Haberstro." + +Julian grinned broadly, and even Jack did not appear to be above +merriment. + +"What do you mean by applying that name to me?" exclaimed Claus. +"There is my card." + +"I don't want to see it. I have one already. Your name is Claus, you +live in a billiard saloon, and you got a full history of this box from +Casper Nevins." + +"Young man, I will have you arrested before you are an hour older!" +said Claus, getting upon his feet. "I come here and ask a civil +question of you, and you insult me!" + +"Do so, and we will have Casper arrested for burglary and you for +trying to obtain money under false pretenses. The sooner you get about +it the better it will suit us." + +"Very well--I will have a policeman here in less than ten minutes!" + +Mr. Claus went out, and this time he did not bow himself through the +door as he had done the night before. The boys heard him going +downstairs, and then turned and looked at each other. + +"Somebody has been posting those fellows," said Claus, as he hurried +away toward Casper's room. "I wonder if there was a detective in there +while I was at the office? Two attempts have failed, but the third is +always successful." + +Claus was almost beside himself with fury, but he retained his wits +sufficiently to guide him on the road to Casper's room. He found the +boy in, seated in a chair, with his elbows on his knees, trying his +best to make up his mind what he was going to do, now that he had been +discharged from the telegraph office. He had sat that way ever since +eleven o'clock in the forenoon, and had not been able to determine +upon anything. The first intimation he had that anybody was coming was +when the door was thrown open and Claus came in, muttering something +under his breath that sounded a good deal like oaths. + +"There is no need that you should say anything," said Casper. "You +have failed." + +"Yes, sir, I have; failed utterly and plump," said Claus. + +"And I have been discharged." + +"Whew!" whistled Claus. "You are in a fix, aren't you?" + +"Yes, and I don't know what I shall do now. Tell me your story, and I +will tell you mine." + +"Have you a cigar handy?" + +"No; and I have no money." + +"How long before you will be paid?" + +"Oh, it will be two weeks yet." + +"Then I will have to go down and get some cigars myself. I can think +more clearly while my jaws are puffing than I can without." + +"You got your last cigar out of me, old fellow," said Casper to +himself, when Claus had left the room. "I have but little money, and I +am going to keep it." + + + + +CHAPTER IX. + +THE MASTER MECHANIC. + + +"Well, sir, what do you think of that?" said Julian, when he was +certain that Claus had gone down the stairs and out on the street. "He +had better try some other way of getting that box." + +"He has failed," said Jack, putting a frying-pan filled with bacon on +the stove. "Casper Nevins is at the bottom of that. I tell you, that +money is safe yet." + +"Do you know that I looked upon it as gone when he first came here and +handed out his card?" said Julian. "I thought he was Haberstro, sure +enough." + +"I confess that I thought so, too. Now let us go on and get supper. +The next time we save that money, somebody else will have a hand in +it." + +"Why, will we have to fight for it?" + +"It looks that way to me now. We don't know anything about business, +and the first thing we know we'll get tripped up." + +"I did not think of that," said Julian, drawing a long breath. "I wish +Mr. Wiggins were going out to Denver with us. I will get advice from +him before we start." + +"We have not got out there yet," said Jack, with a laugh. "If we do +get there, we will go to the lawyer who drew up those deeds. He must +be an honest man." + +The boys continued to talk in this way until the room was swept up and +the dishes washed, and when bedtime came they went to sleep. The next +morning found them on duty again. Casper was not there to greet him +and make inquiries concerning the box, but there were other boys there +who wanted to know why Casper had been discharged. They appealed to +Julian, for he was in the back room shortly before; but he thought the +best thing he could do was to keep a still tongue in his head. + +"Mr. Wiggins knows why he discharged Casper, and if he won't tell you, +I don't know where else you can apply." + +"You had a hand in it and I know it," said one boy who was enough like +Casper to have been his brother. "Maybe you are a spy on us." + +"You come out in the back yard and I'll show you who is a spy!" said +Julian, rising to his feet. "No one ever accused me of that before. If +I am a spy, you want to do your duty right up to the handle." + +This was something new on Julian, for we know how hard he worked to +keep the police off from Casper's track. Some of the other boys turned +away as if they were quite willing to believe that Julian was seeking +for promotion, while some others stood up close to him, as if to +assure him of their protection. + +"If you will stay by me when Mr. Wiggins comes here, I will ask him +before you if I had anything to do with Casper's discharge. He will +tell you the truth." + +But the boys wisely appealed to him not to do that. Since Casper had +been discharged, they wanted their skirts clear of him, and the best +way to do that would be to say nothing about it. + +"But, Julian, you want to keep clear of that fellow who called you a +spy," said one of the boys. "He has been jealous of you for a long +time, in fact ever since the day you came into the office, and just as +soon as he gets a good chance he is going to split on you." + +"Thank you; I did not suppose I had an enemy in this city. Let him +keep watch, if he wants to. My conduct will bear investigation." + +Julian did not do his work with his usual energy that day, for he +could not bear to think that one boy was acting as a spy upon him. He +carried his dispatches as well as he could, never stopping to gaze in +at the prize windows or to make one of a crowd who gathered around +some show that had stopped for a moment on a corner, and that was as +well as anybody could do. Jack laughed loudly when he saw what a +gloomy face Julian had on when he told him of the matter. + +"What do you care for spies?" said Jack. "Do your duty faithfully, and +then you will be all right. In our place we don't have any such +things. The boys are always glad to see me promoted, for they think +they have a new mechanic to assist them when they get into trouble." + +For another month things moved along in their usual way, and nothing +was heard from Mr. Haberstro. Julian did not meet Casper or Claus, for +they had disappeared completely. He held frequent and earnest +consultations with Mr. Wiggins on the subject of the box, put other +advertisements in the papers, and finally Mr. Wiggins took Julian down +to the bank and talked to the president. It excited Julian wonderfully +to know that the box was theirs. + +"I should not wait any longer, if I were in your place," said the +president. "You have done all that you can to find the owner, and he +does not make his appearance. You can go out there and lay claim to +the property, and enjoy it; and if at any time this Mr. Haberstro +turns up, you can give the property over to him. But I want you to be +careful in what you are doing. There are plenty of Haberstros in the +world who would like nothing better than to get that box." + +"By George, Jack," said Julian, when he went home that night, "did I +not tell you that that box was ours? I have talked with the president +of the bank about it, and he says we can go out there and enjoy that +property." + +Jack took his usual seat, with his leg thrown over the table, and +looked at Julian without speaking. He had never laid great stress on +having that box. He supposed that Haberstro would show himself in due +time, and all they would have to do would be to give up the money and +go on with their work. His good fortune was a little too much for him +to take in all at once. A dollar a day was pretty big wages for him, +and he supposed that it would last till he learned his trade, and that +then he would receive more money. But a hundred thousand dollars, to +say nothing of the gold-mine! Why, that mine had already yielded its +owner fifty thousand dollars! + +"Jack, why don't you say something?" exclaimed Julian. "You don't act +as though you were a bit pleased. I wish, now, that I had been a mile +away when that box was put up for sale." + +Jack roared. He was always ready to laugh when Julian talked in this +way. + +"I am very glad you _were_ there when it was sold," said he; "but the +idea of owning so much money rather takes my breath away. I was just +wondering what we would do if some more Haberstros came up and +demanded the money. I suppose there are some men like that in Denver, +as well as there are here." + +"The president cautioned me about that. He told me to be careful in +what we did. Now, Jack, when will we start?" + +"I don't know. I shall have to see the master mechanic about that. You +know that I am as deeply indebted to him as you are to Mr. Wiggins." + +"Does he know about the box?" + +"Not a thing. I thought I had better see you about that before I +broached the subject to him." + +"Well, then, tell it to him to-morrow. We don't want to be any longer +in getting out there than we can help. We want to be there before the +snow flies, or the first thing we know we'll be snowed up." + +"Are you going to see Mr. Wiggins about it?" + +"I am. Let us go out to Denver at once." + +"I tell you it comes hard to say good-bye to those fellows; I have +been with them so long that I hate to do it. If I get in trouble in +any way, they will always help me out." + +The next day Julian talked to Mr. Wiggins about going out to Denver, +and the latter's face grew grave at once. He could not bear to let +Julian go out there among strangers. He had always had him under his +eye, was waiting for a chance to promote him, and now he was going +away. + +"I will go down and get the box," said he. "And remember one thing, +Julian: You may get into a hard row of stumps out there, and I want +you to write to me fully and plainly of what you are doing. If you +want some money, say so; and if you want to come back here in the +office, say that also, and I will try and make room for you." + +Julian's eyes filled with tears when he saw Mr. Wiggins go out on the +street and turn toward the bank. He found, with Jack, that it was +going to be hard work to say good-bye. When he went out into the other +room, the boys noticed at once that he had been crying. + +"Aha!" said the boy who had once accused him of being a spy, "you have +come up with a round turn, have you?" + +"Yes," said Julian, "I've got it at last." + +"It serves you right!" said the boy. "If Wiggins gave it to you in +pretty good order I shall be satisfied. You know now how Casper felt +when he was discharged." + +"Are you discharged, Julian?" whispered another of the boys. + +"I guess I have got something like it," was the reply; "you won't see +me here to-morrow." + +Julian walked to the window and looked out on the street, and in a few +minutes Mr. Wiggins came up with the box. The boy followed him into +the back room, all the boys, of whom there were half a dozen in the +office, looking on with surprise. Mr. Wiggins's face was grave, but +he was not angry, and they did not know what to make of it. + +"I think I would do this up and send it by express--wouldn't you?" +said he. "If this is put in your trunk, and the cars run off the track +and get smashed, your trunk might get smashed, too, and the box with +it. Before I put the cover on I will write a letter to our agent in +Denver. I have never seen him, but that won't matter; and then, if you +want any good advice, go to him. Come in in the course of half an +hour--" + +"No, sir!" said Julian, emphatically; "I am going to do my duty as +long as I stay in the office." + +"Well, go ahead; I will give you the box, sealed and addressed to +yourself, to-night." + +Julian went out and took his seat among the boys, and about half of +them felt a little bit sorry for him, but the other half did not. Here +was one favorite out of the way, and consequently there was a chance +for somebody else. Presently his name was called, and then Julian went +away to deliver his dispatch. + +When six o'clock came, Julian went into the back room and received the +package. + +"You will be around here before you go?" said Mr. Wiggins, extending +his hand. "Then I won't bid you good-bye. Take this box to the express +office and send it off. Have you any money?" + +Yes, Julian had plenty of money. Did Mr. Wiggins suppose that he was +going to spend all his month's wages in two days? He took the box and +went out, and took his way toward the express office, wondering what +the clerk would say if he knew what was in that package. The clerk +turned out to be the same one who had given him the box, but he said +nothing about it; and when Julian had paid the express charges on it +he came out and started for home. As he was going up the stairs he +heard the sound of voices in the room, and opened the door to find a +man there, dressed in his best, and with a very smiling face, which he +turned toward Julian. + +"So this is the boy who bought himself rich," said he, getting on his +feet "I know you from the description I have received of your +uniform. I congratulate you heartily, but I am sorry you are going to +take Jack away from me. When you are awful home-sick, and are short of +money, you can write to me, and I will send you something to come home +on." + +"This is Mr. Dawson, our master mechanic," said Jack. + +"I am glad to meet you, Mr. Dawson," said Julian, shaking the man's +hand very cordially. "Jack often found fault with me for going to that +office, but I struck it once,--didn't I?" + +"Well, I should say you _did_," returned Mr. Dawson, with a laugh; +"you couldn't do it again if you were to try it your lifetime." + +"Sit down, sir; we will have supper ready after awhile, and you must +join us." + +"That's just what I came up here for. Jack is going away pretty +shortly, and I shall not see him any more, so I came up to be with him +as long as I could." + +Mr. Dawson moved back his chair so that he would not be in the way, +and Julian pulled off his coat and went to work; but he saw by the +extra bundles there were on the table that his chum had been going +back on his principles. There were cream cakes and peaches by the +dozen, as well as sundry other little things that Jack had purchased +for supper. It was a better meal than they had been accustomed to for +a long time, and if there was any faith in the way that master +mechanic asked for peaches, he thoroughly enjoyed it. + +"I hope you boys will live this way while you are gone," said he, as +he pushed back his chair and declined having any more. "You must +remember that a hundred thousand dollars don't go very far. There +certainly is an end to it, and the first thing you know you'll be +there. Now, I hope you fellows won't object if I smoke a cigar?" + +The "fellows" did not object, nor did he raise any complaint when they +proceeded to wash the dishes. It was eleven o'clock when Mr. Dawson +said it was time he was going home, and when the boys felt the hearty +grasp of his hand at parting, they told themselves that there was one +friend they were leaving behind. + + + + +CHAPTER X. + +WHERE ARE THE VALISES? + + +For the next two days Julian did not know whether he stood on his head +or heels. Jack went about his preparations very moderately, but the +fact of it was, Julian was in a great hurry. He could not help telling +himself that if they did not get away from St. Louis, that man +Haberstro would appear just at the wrong time, and they would have to +go back to work again. He donned a citizen's dress and tied his +uniform up neatly in a bundle, calculating to take it down to the +office and present it to a boy there who did not act as though he had +more in this world than the law allows. + +"I will give this up to Hank," said he. "The poor fellow don't have +any too much, and perhaps this suit will help him." + +Jack accompanied him to the office--it was the first time he had ever +been there--and while he was looking around to see how they did +business, Julian found the boy of whom he was in search. + +"Here's a present I have brought for you, Hank," said he in a whisper. +"You asked me yesterday if I had been discharged, and that showed that +you were a friend of mine. I told you the truth; I have been +discharged, and I am going out to Denver. This is my uniform. Take it +and wear it, and think of me." + +Julian did not wait for the boy to raise any protests, but laid the +bundle down on his seat, and then turned toward Mr. Wiggins. + +"I haven't gone yet," said he. "We are going to-morrow night." + +"Well, come in and say good-bye before you go," said Mr. Wiggins. + +Julian took the opportunity to introduce Jack, who raised his cap +respectfully. He listened while Mr. Wiggins congratulated him on his +good fortune, and heard some very good advice in regard to saving his +money. + +"I tell you what it is, Julian," said he, when they had left the +office behind them, "everybody who is anybody is glad that we are +going to improve ourselves, and many seem to think there is going to +be an end to that hundred thousand dollars." + +"I'll bet you that it don't come to an end with _me_," said Julian, +emphatically. "I am going to purchase some things that I need, but I +shan't touch the principal at all." + +The first thing was to go to a store and buy a trunk. Up to this time +they had never had any receptacle for their clothes, carrying all +their belongings in a traveling-bag. They concluded that one trunk was +enough, and, after they had purchased it, Jack shouldered it and was +going to take it home. + +"Come, now, that won't do," whispered Julian; "it is three miles to +our room." + +"No matter if it is a thousand," said Jack; "I can take it there." + +"Put it down, and I will get a carriage." + +"Well, I won't pay for it." + +"I _will_; I don't see what's the use in our being so particular." + +Jack put the trunk down, and Julian went out, and very soon returned +with a carriage. The boys held a consultation, and decided that, now +that they had a conveyance, they might as well stop at some places on +the way home and invest in some other articles they needed. + +"But I'll tell you one thing," said Jack; "you are keeping this rig +too long; I won't pay for it." + +It was three hours before the friends got home, and then they had +their trunk more than half-filled with new clothing. The hackman +carried it upstairs for them, and Julian, having paid him his price, +threw himself into a chair to wait until Jack did the packing. In +addition to the trunk, the boys bought small traveling-bags, in which +they carried several handy little articles they thought they might +need during their journey, such as towels, comb and brush; and Julian +stowed away in his a book that he had long desired to possess--"The +Last Chronicle of Barset," by Anthony Trollope. Jack could hardly +conceal his disgust; he was going to look out of the window when they +were fairly on the train, and he would see more fun in that than +Julian could in reading his book. + +"There, sir, I guess it's all done," said Jack, going to the closet to +make sure that they had left nothing behind. + +"All right; lock the trunk and put the key in your pocket," said +Julian. "Now give me half of what this room will come to during the +present month, and I will go down and pay the landlady. We haven't +anything to eat, so I guess we will have to go down to a restaurant +and get dinner and supper all in one." + +"I think a sandwich and a cup of coffee would go pretty well," said +Jack. + +"Oh! I am going to have a better meal than that. Where's the money?" + +Jack counted out his share of the rent, and Julian posted off to see +the landlady. He was gone a long time, but he came back with a receipt +in his hand which he showed Jack, and then the two boys went out to +get their dinner. Jack ordered what he had said he would; but anyone +who could have seen what Julian sent for would have thought he was a +millionaire already. Jack looked on but did not say anything; he was +old enough to know that the change in Julian's circumstances would +make him reckless for a while. He remarked that he might as well go +down to the shop and bid the fellows good-bye, and then it would be +done with; so they turned their faces in that direction when they came +out, and in a short time they were among the railroad shops. Jack knew +where to go; and, after leading his companion through a long workshop, +where Julian would certainly have got in somebody's way if he had not +stuck close to his heels, finally ushered him into the helpers' room. +He shook hands with them one after the other--dirty, begrimed fellows +they were, too, looking very unlike the well-dressed men they were +when dressed up for Sundays--and presently he came to the master +mechanic. The latter threw his arm around Jack, led him away out of +earshot of the others, and held an earnest conversation with him. He +even put his hand into his pocket, but Jack shook his head and turned +away. + +"Come on, Julian; I guess I have said good-bye to them all," said he, +as he led the way to the street. "Every one of those fellows wanted to +give me money--as if they didn't know I have enough already. Well, I +hope the last one of them will be successful. If they want any money, +they can apply to me." + +Julian had never seen Jack look sad before. After going a little way +on the street, Jack turned and looked at the shop as if he thought he +never would see it again. Julian did not know that Jack had so much +heart in him. + +The next day was devoted to Julian, who went down to the office and +took leave of all his friends. Even the boy who had accused him of +being a spy came in for a good, hearty hand-shake. He did not know how +to take it, but stammered out something about being sorry he had +treated Julian in the way he did. + +"That's all right," said the boy; "only, the next time don't you +accuse any boy of being a spy on you unless you know whereof you +speak." + +Mr. Wiggins had something more to say to Julian. He conducted him into +the back room, and kept him there until Jack began to be impatient. +When he came out again, Julian was wiping his eyes. + +"I tell you, Jack," said he, when they were well on their way to the +railroad depot to purchase their tickets, "when one has been here and +done the best he could in the office, it comes hard to say good-bye. +Every boy--and man, too--has used me white, if I except that fellow +who accused me of being a spy. But this isn't the last time we will +see St. Louis, I hope. When we get out to Denver, and get fairly +settled, we will come back again." + +The friends waited a long time at the depot, for the ticket office was +not open; but they had much to talk about. What sort of a looking +place was Denver? They had not read much about that, and they had +somehow got it into their heads that it was a little settlement, and +that they should find more wigwams there than houses. But at last the +window was opened, and, falling in behind the others, they purchased +tickets which were to carry them farther west than they had ever been +before. + +"Now, the next thing is to get a sleeping-car," said Julian. + +"We don't want a sleeping-car," said Jack, catching Julian by the arm +and leading him away. "You can lie down on one seat, and I can take +the other, and we'll sleep just as well there as we would on a pile of +down." + +Julian was obliged to give up, but told himself that it would not +always be so. He wanted to spend money for something he really needed, +and he thought he could sleep better in a sleeping-car than he could +in another which was devoted to passengers who were wide awake. + +Nothing now remained but to get their supper and call a carriage to +take them to the depot. The boys took coffee and sandwiches, and +during the meal hardly spoke to one another. That was the last meal +they would eat in St. Louis, and they wondered what the future had in +store for them. Perhaps, when they got to Denver, they would find +that Haberstro had been there already, and by some hook or crook had +managed to get the property into his own hands. + +"But I don't see how that could be done," said Jack, when Julian +hinted at this. "The deeds are in Winkleman's name, and we have them. +How is he going to get the property, then?" + +"I don't know; but I am afraid he will get it some way." + +"If he does, all we have to do is to give it up." + +But this was going to be a hard job, in Julian's estimation. He did +not confess that much, but it would be disastrous to him to have to +surrender those blocks of buildings. He thought of it all that day, +and while he was seated in the cars, going with as much speed as steam +could put forth to carry him to his destination, it still bothered +him. The master mechanic was there to bid them once more a good-bye, +and Julian was certain, when he turned away and hung his head down, +that there were tears in his eyes. + +As long as daylight lasted, Julian was busy looking out of the window +as they rushed through the country; but when the lamps were lighted he +began to grow sleepy. + +Julian was sitting on one bench, and Jack, having turned his seat +over, was sitting on the other, and, having arranged their beds, they +lay down on them; but it was a long time before they fell asleep. + +"Now, you see, if we had a sleeping-car we wouldn't have to go to all +this trouble," said Julian. + +"Wait until you get too tired to keep your eyes open, and you won't +know whether we are in a sleeping-car or not," said Jack; "I am most +ready to go off this minute." + +Jack's words came out true, for after they had given up their tickets +and been furnished with a slip to put in their caps, Julian speedily +lost himself in the land of dreams, and the next thing he knew Jack +was shaking him by the shoulder. It was broad daylight, and the train +was still whirling them onward. + +"Can we get anything to eat along here?" said Julian, looking out of +the window; "I am hungry." + +"There is a place a few miles ahead, so I heard the conductor tell a +passenger, where we will stop to get breakfast," said Jack. "That was +the reason I called you. If you are anything like me, you can eat a +whole pan of baked beans." + +"Baked beans!" said Julian. "They have something better than that to +eat on the railroad. I am going to get a breakfast that is worth the +money." + +There was another thing that bothered Julian, and that was, he did not +have any place to wash; but Jack told him that that would be remedied +when they came to their stopping-place. They rode on for a dozen miles +or so, and when the whistle sounded, and the brakeman announced +fifteen minutes for breakfast, they left their valises in their racks +and moved up nearer the door. + +"That wakes a fellow up," said Julian, as he plunged his face into a +basin of water. "We have to hurry, Jack, for fifteen minutes is not a +great while." + +The boys' breakfast was all that could be asked, although, if the +truth must be told, they were not long in eating it. Julian boarded +the train first, and led the way along to their seats; but where were +the valises they left there when they went out to breakfast? + +"Is this our car?" said Julian, running his eyes over the passengers. + +"Why yes, this is our car," said Jack. "There is that red-faced man +who sat behind you; he was sitting there when we left St. Louis. But +what is the matter with you?" + +"Matter enough; our valises are gone!" + +"By George! So they are!" + +"Say!" said the red-faced man, leaning over the back of the seat. "I +saw the man who took those valises, but I supposed he was a member of +your party and that you had sent him for them; therefore I did not +stop him." + +"What sort of a looking man was he?" + +"He was a very genteel fellow, but I noticed that he toed in, and that +he had a very German cast of countenance." + +"I wonder if it was Claus?" said Julian. + +"I don't know what his name was, but he got the valises. Say! If I +were you I would search the train, and if you find him you can make +him give your property up." + +"We will do it. I wonder if we are ever going to see the last of that +man?" + +The train had been gathering headway all the while, and was now +running at the rate of thirty-five miles an hour. If Claus, or whoever +stole the valises, was on the train, the boys were certain he could +not jump off to escape them. + + + + +CHAPTER XI. + +IN DENVER. + + +"Did the man find anything of value in your valises?" asked the +red-faced man, as the boys turned toward the front part of the car. + +"He could have bought everything I had in my valise for two dollars," +said Jack, with a laugh. "It seems funny that he should want to put +himself in danger of arrest for that" + +"He got a book in mine," said Julian. "Of course I have read it +before, but I wanted to read it again. Say, Jack," he continued, when +the latter reached the door and was about to open it, "if the man was +Claus, don't you suppose he had an eye on that box?" + +Jack released the door and leaned up heavily against it. Such an idea +had never occurred to him. + +"He watched us while we were in St. Louis, and when he saw us ready to +come out, he got on the same train with us." + +"What a lucky thing it was that we sent that box off by express!" Jack +almost gasped. "Of course it was Claus, and we shall not find him on +this train, either. He jumped off at that station back there." + +"Let us go and see. If he is going to follow us in this way, we are +going to be in a fix, the first thing you know." + +Jack opened the door and went out, and Julian followed close at his +heels. They went slowly through the cars, looking sharply at every man +they saw on the train, but nobody with "a very German cast of +countenance" could be seen. The next thing was to try the other end of +the train. Jack led the way, as before, and when they got into their +own car the red-faced man, who seemed to take an interest in their +success, said, in a low tone, + +"Did you find him?" + +"No," replied Jack; "he must have got off at the station. We are going +through the sleeping-cars, and, if he is not there, we will have to +give him up." + +In the next car there was no one who looked like Claus, and when they +opened the door of the next car, and entered the vestibuled part of +the train, they found themselves in an entry which was fitted up in +the most gorgeous manner. A negro porter stood in front of the window +looking out, and when he saw who the boys were, he stepped up in front +of them. + +"Does you want to see somebody on dis train?" he asked. + +"Well, I should say we did," replied Jack. "Some one has stolen our +valises, and we want to find him." + +"Dat's bad. Has you got a ticket?" + +"Of course we have. Don't you see the slips in our caps?" + +"But I mean a ticket for dis part of de train. If you hasn't got one, +you can't go in." + +This was a new arrangement to Jack. The last time he travelled on the +railroad it was when the hands connected with the railroad-shop gave +an excursion and a picnic, and then he had no difficulty in going all +over the train; but he saw the beauty of it at once. + +"Then we will have to give it up," said he, turning toward the door. +"That man may be here and have our valises, and we can't help +ourselves." + +"Mebbe not," said the negro. "What kind of a looking man was he? I +will go over the train and look for him." + +Jack described the man as well as he could from the description the +passenger had given him, and the negro went out. + +"Just see what we would have got we had taken a sleeping-coach," +whispered Julian. "No one can come near you except those who purchased +tickets at the depot." + +"We'll come to that after a while," said Jack. "Wait until we get our +money. Just now it seems as though we shall have to be constantly on +the watch." + +The negro was gone a long time, but our friends found themselves busy +in taking a note of all their surroundings. There must have been a +good deal of money spent upon that sleeping-car. There did not seem +to be a cheap thing about it. One or two passengers, who had slept +late and were just getting up, came in, and yawned, and stretched, and +prepared to go through their ablutions. They merely glanced at the two +boys, and went on with their work. They did not care for the +eating-stations that were scattered along the route; when they were +hungry, they could go into the dining-coach and get all they wanted. + +"I tell you, it is worth while to know where your money is coming from +when you travel," thought Julian; "one feels so much safer." + +By the time he had reached this conclusion the negro appeared. + +"Dar ain't a man on dis train that looks like the one you spoke of," +said he. "Dey's all Americans; the last man-jack of them." + +"Thank you," said Jack. "Our man has got off at the station. I hope he +will get rich on what he found in those valises." + +The two friends went back to their own car, and to the inquiry of the +passenger who sat behind them replied that the man had left the train +as soon as he got the valises. Then they settled down and prepared to +enjoy their journey; but it must be confessed that Claus came into +their minds very frequently. If he was the one who took their valises, +they were certain that they had not seen the last of him yet. + +"And to think that that fellow watched us all the while we were in St. +Louis," said Jack, leaning over and whispering the words to Julian. +"He may watch us after we get in Denver. Who knows?" + +But Claus, if that was the man, did not come near them any more during +their journey. They grew weary, of course, and Julian, having no book +to read, slept most of the way. Their night was passed in much the +same way that the first one was, and about two o'clock in the morning +they arrived at Denver. The appearance of the city, wrapped though it +was in slumber, surprised them. There were as many people running +about in the depot as there were in St. Louis, and all appeared to +have work to do. The man to whom they had given their check was there +to show them the way to their omnibus, and Julian, while he was on the +way to it, looked all around for Indians, but did not see any. The +hotel was as large as those they had left in St. Louis, and almost +before they knew it they were in their room with two beds in it, the +porter had carried up their trunk, had bid them good-night, and they +were alone. + +"Say, Jack, there's more houses than wigwams here, is there not?" + +"I was just thinking so myself," said Jack. "Denver is a big city. +Now, the next thing is something else. It is something I don't like to +think of. That letter which Mr. Wiggins wrote to the agent here may +help us some, but we have something to prove after that." + +"Well, don't let us worry about that to-night," said Julian. "Perhaps +in the morning it will look different." + +Julian had never slept in so comfortable a bed before, and when sleep +overpowered him he did not know a thing until he opened his eyes in +the morning and saw Jack standing at the window, with his suspenders +about his waist, looking through the window at some mountains which +seemed to be looming up close at hand. + +"When we get settled, if we ever do, we must walk out there and take a +view from the top," said he. + +"How far are they away from here?" + +"About two or three miles, probably. I believe if we get on the summit +of those mountains we can see California." + +"I have just thought of another thing that may bother us some," said +Julian. "I don't know whether the express clerks will want us to +identify ourselves before they give us that box, but if they do--then +what?" + +"Although we are in the right, there is always something to bother +us," said Jack, seating himself in the nearest chair. "What will we +do?" + +"We can't do anything except to write to St. Louis. There is nobody +here that knows us from Adam." + +That was something that bothered Jack during breakfast, but at eight +o'clock, the hour when the express offices are generally open, they +were directed by the clerk how to reach it, and in process of time +drew up before the counter. To Julian's inquiry if there was a box +there addressed to himself the clerk placed the box before him, and +never asked him who he was or where he came from. + +"Now, the next thing is to keep an eye out for the telegraph office. +If you see a sign sticking out, let me know it." + +"I see a sign already," said Jack, pointing it out. + +Julian began to feel a little more at home. He had worked in a +telegraph office, and he was certain that he was going among friends. +The boys were there, and they came up to wait on him, but Julian went +ahead until he confronted the operator at his desk. + +"Is Mr. Fay in?" Julian asked. + +"Yes, sir. He is in his private office. Would you like to see him?" + +"I would thank you first to give me a screw-driver so that I can take +this cover off. There is a letter in here addressed to him." + +The screw-driver was soon forthcoming, and while Julian was at work at +it, a hustling little man suddenly stood before him. + +"Do you want to see me?" he asked, in a business way. + +Julian had by this time taken out the letter, which was placed on top, +and handed it to Mr. Fay, who leaned against the counter and read it. +The boys watched him closely, and finally saw his eyes light up with +surprise. + +"This letter has a stamp on it, so I know it is all right," said he. +"But this man Wiggins I never heard of. Come into the office." + +The boys followed him, seating themselves in chairs that were pointed +out to them, while Mr. Fay went on reading the letter. He was utterly +amazed, and looked at the two friends as if he could scarcely believe +it. + +"Which one of you boys is Julian Gray?" he asked. "You are? Then I +congratulate you from the bottom of my heart. You struck it rich once +in buying 'old horse,' didn't you? How long have you been with Mr. +Wiggins?" + +Julian began, and told as much of his history as he was willing that +any stranger should know--all except about pulling him out from under +the feet of the runaway horses. He thought that that was a sacred +matter between him and Mr. Wiggins, and so he said nothing about it. + +"And how about your friend, here, John Sheldon?" said he. "You see, I +want to get at the bottom of all your doings, so that I can explain it +to Mr. Gibson, Mr. Winkleman's lawyer. We know of that man, and we +know why he left; but we want to be certain that you have a right to +the box." + +Jack began and related his story; and although Mr. Wiggins did not say +much about it, never having been acquainted with Jack, the tale he +told was so honest and truthful that Mr. Fay could not but believe +him. + +"Well, boys, I will go with you to see Mr. Gibson," said the operator. +"It all rests with him. You see, all these things happened eleven +months ago, and he has collected considerable money in rent for all +these places. You will come in for fifteen or twenty thousand dollars +at the start. He may want to ask you some questions." + +What Mr. Fay said almost took the boys' breath away. They had hardly +anything in their pockets, and to be told that they were worth ten +thousand dollars apiece was almost too good for belief. They followed +Mr. Fay out on the street--the way he moved proved that he had come up +from the ranks--and up the stairs that led to Mr. Gibson's office. +They found the lawyer in there, walking up and down, but he stopped +long enough to bid Mr. Fay good-morning. + +"What have these young men been doing?" said he, pulling up a chair +for each one to sit down. "More lawsuits, I suppose." + +"No, sir, there is no law in this except what you have a mind to tell +us. Read this letter; but first let me introduce the boys." + +Mr. Gibson said he was glad to see them, and then commenced the +letter, and before he had read it half-way through he whistled and +looked at them with intense surprise. + +"Well, sir, you have done it, have you not?" said he. "Now, whom have +you to prove that you bought this 'old horse' at the express office?" + +"Read on, sir, and I think the letter will answer that question for +you," replied Julian. "I told Mr. Wiggins about it. That is all he +knows of it." + +Mr. Gibson finished the letter at last, and then turned and gave the +boys a good looking over. He evidently was not thinking about them at +all, but about some point of law that had just occurred to him. +Finally he said, + +"I want you to understand that I believe your story, but in order to +be all right in everything, and leave nothing for anybody to pick a +flaw with, I would like to know what you did to look up this man +Haberstro." + +"If I were in your place, Gibson," said Mr. Fay, "I would write to Mr. +Wiggins and the president of that bank, and get a full history of the +boys. They will tell the truth." + +"Let me suggest to you, also, the name of Mr. Dawson," said Jack. "I +used to work for him, and he knows all about me." + +The lawyer took down the three addresses of the men he wanted to write +to. + +"Have you young fellows any money?" asked the lawyer. + +"Yes, sir, a little." + +"Will it last you two weeks?" + +The two friends were sure it would last them as long as that. + +"Where are you stopping?" + +Julian replied that they were stopping at some hotel, but they did not +know which one. + +"Well, Fay will no doubt direct you to a cheaper boarding-house than +that. What are you boys going to do with this?" said Mr. Gibson, +placing his hand upon the box. + +"We want to put it somewhere so it will be safe," said Julian. + +"Shall I take charge of it for you? I will put it in the bank. It is +most too valuable for me to carry around." + +"Yes, sir." + +After a little more conversation his two clients went out. The lawyer +sat for a long time thinking the matter over, and at last he got up, +took the box under his arm and started for the bank. He had decided +that he would go to St. Louis that very night. + + + + +CHAPTER XII. + +CASPER NEVINS, THE SPY. + + +"No, sir," said Casper, leaning over and placing his elbows on his +knees, his eyes gazing thoughtfully at the floor; "you don't get any +more five cents out of me, yet awhile, to pay for cigars. I have got +only ten dollars, and I am anxious to make that do. Now, what shall I +go at next?" + +Casper Nevins was in a predicament the first thing he knew. He claimed +to be an orphan, the same as Julian was; but those who were well +acquainted with his history knew that he had a mother in a Western +village who was a dressmaker, and who would have been glad to get +every cent he could send her. But Casper never sent her any money. On +the contrary, he often appealed to her to forward him a few dimes, to +pay his debts for pool and cigars. Claus often got into him a dollar +or two on the games he lost, and his mother was the only person he +had to call on. Now he had lost his position, and the next thing was +to find something else to do. He was really afraid he would have to go +to work with his hands. He thought of Jack Sheldon, dirty and begrimed +as he was when he came from the shop, and wondered how he would look +in that fix. And, another thing, he wasn't satisfied that he could get +as good a position as Jack held. Aside from being acquainted with the +city and carrying the telegraphic dispatches, there was nothing else +that he could do. + +"I tell you I am up a stump," said Casper to himself; "I shall soon be +sweeping out saloons, as Julian did, to pay for my breakfast. I would +rather die than do that." + +When he had reached this point in his meditations the door opened, and +Claus came in with a couple of cigars in his hand. He did not seem to +be at all worried over his failure to get his hands upon that box, but +he was whistling a jig as he closed the door and offered a cigar to +Casper. + +"What is the matter with you, any way?" he asked, when he saw the +gloomy look on Casper's face. "You act as though you had lost your +last friend." + +"What am I going to do now?" asked Casper. "I have no trade, no +profession, and I must do something to keep myself in grub. There is +no pool or cigars for me from this time on." + +"Well, let that thing go until I tell you my story," said Claus, who +did not like to hear a man talk in this way. He knew that he was to +blame for Casper's shortness of funds--a good deal of his hard +earnings was located in Claus's own pockets--and he wanted to make him +look on the bright side of things while he was in his presence. When +he got away where he could not see him, then he could indulge in moody +thoughts as often as he pleased. + +"I wish I had not played pool with you as often as I have," said +Casper, showing a little spirit. "Every time I have crossed cues with +you I have always been out three or four dollars. Why don't you play +with somebody else?" + +"Well, if you are going to talk that way I'll go on," said Claus, +getting up from his chair. "What I was going to say was that I don't +believe that box is gone yet. I have tried twice to get it and have +failed; but there is a charm in everything. Three times and out is +what I go by; but if you don't want to hear what I have to say, why, +good-night." + +"Well, sit down," said Casper, who couldn't bear to let Claus go away +if he had anything to say concerning that box; "but you yourself would +be angry if you were in my fix." + +"Oh, I have been that way lots of times. I have been so I didn't know +where my next meal was coming from." + +"I have been that way, too," said Casper. "The other night you got ten +cents of me, and it was the last cent I had in the world; I had to get +my next meal at the free-lunch saloons." + +"I didn't know you were as hard up as that," said Casper, with +surprise. "Have you money with which to get breakfast to-morrow?" + +"Not a cent." + +"Then here are twenty cents," said Claus, putting his hand into his +pocket. "Two meals will do you. In the meantime, if you get hard up +for something to eat, go to the saloons; that's the way I do." + +"Yes, but you always get something else. If I go in there and dabble +with their lunch, the barkeeper will want to know why I don't get +something to drink." + +"Then walk out and go to another saloon. You ain't posted. Now, I want +to tell you my story. It isn't long, and I want to ask you a question +before I get through." + +When Claus said this, Casper settled back in his chair and tried to +look interested; but the trouble was, he only succeeded in looking +guilty. + +"I have just come from Julian's room," continued Claus, "and I +threatened him with the police. He called me by my own name, or Jack +did, and I want to know who has been telling him that. Did you?" + +"I never said a word to him about you or anybody else," said Casper, +looking Claus squarely in the eye. + +"Did you say anything to Mr. Wiggins about it?" + +"Never a word. There might have been a detective in the office while +you were there." + +"A detective? Who was it?" + +"I am sure I don't know. But if he knew your name, there was where he +got it. You went up to the pool-room after you got through there? +Well, did anybody follow you up to see what your name was?" + +"There was nobody up there that I saw, and I took mighty good care to +watch out. I threatened him with the police for addressing me by that +name, and he just as good as told me to go and get them." + +"What made you say police at all? What had he done?" + +"I wanted him to get the box and let me read the papers in it, because +I wanted to be sure that they were intended for me; but he would not +do it." + +"Of course he would not!" exclaimed Casper, in disgust. "That was a +pretty way to do business, wasn't it?" + +"I calculated, if he brought the box in there, to steal it away from +them," said Claus. "If I once got out on the street, I would like to +see anybody catch me. I would have hung around this city for a month +but that I would have got away with it." + +"And what would I be doing in the meantime?" + +"You would have known where I was," said Claus, bending toward Casper +and speaking in a whisper. "I would have found means to communicate +with you. Of course if I had got that box you would have had a share +of it." + +Casper did not know whether to believe this or not. Somehow he had +felt suspicious of Claus ever since the first night he spoke to him +about the box. If the German got it without any of his help, he was +sure that he never would see any of it. + +"Well, you failed in that scheme, and I would like to know if you have +some other means of getting hold of it." + +"Certainly I have. Three times and out is what I go by. My next scheme +will be to steal the box from them on the train." + +"How are you going to do that?" + +"We will keep watch of them, and when they are ready to go to Denver, +we will go, too. You know their habits better than I do, and by +keeping your eyes on them--" + +"Well, I won't do it," said Casper, emphatically. "They may not go for +a month yet, and I must have something to eat in the meantime." + +"I will give you twenty cents a day and enough to pay your rent," said +Claus. "That will keep you going, won't it?" + +"You must give me more than that. I shall need a cigar once in a +while, won't I?" + +"Then I will give you thirty cents. You don't want to smoke more than +two cigars every day, do you?" + +The question where Claus earned the money he had was a mystery to +every one except himself. When the police arrested him for vagrancy +and the justice fined him ten dollars, believing that he was going to +shut him up for two months, Claus pulled out a roll of greenbacks as +large as one's wrist. The justice gazed at him in surprise and said, + +"I had no idea that you were so well heeled as that." + +"I have a relative in Europe who sends me money once in a while," said +Claus. + +"Well, get out of here, and don't come into this station any more." + +"I won't," said Claus; "and I wouldn't have come in here this time, +only the police brought me." + +"You must go easy on me, because I haven't too many ducats," said +Claus, continuing the conversation which we have broken off. "I think +thirty cents a day will see you through in good fashion." + +"Of course that puts a different look on the matter. Begin by giving +me ten cents to get a cigar with to-night. Thank you. Now, what do you +want me to do?" + +"You are to begin and keep your eye on Julian, and report to me every +day at the pool-room. Whenever you see preparations made for them to +go out to Denver, you must let me know it; then we will go, too." + +"But how are you going to steal their valises, if they have any?" + +"They will leave their valises behind them when they go out to get +their meals, and I will slip up and get them. You won't have anything +to do with stealing them at all." + +"That is a bargain," said Casper. "I believe that is the best way yet. +But remember--you must keep out of their sight; and I will, too." + +A little more conversation was held on the subject, and then Claus +took his leave. When the door closed behind him Casper arose to his +feet, placed his thumb against his nose, and wiggled his fingers. That +was his opinion of Mr. Claus's scheme. + +"I know what you mean to do," said he, in a voice that was choked with +passion. "You are going to get me out there on the railroad and leave +me. But I will see that you don't do it; I will stick closer to you +than a brother, and when you get that box I will be close at hand. Now +I will go off to some restaurant and get some supper." + +The next morning dawned clear and bright, and when Casper opened his +eyes his first thought was to get up; but remembering that he had not +to go to the office that day, he rolled over and dropped asleep again. +But he had to get up at last; and after a good, hearty breakfast, and +smoking a cigar, he strolled down toward the telegraph office. Julian +was there, sitting in his chair, for he could see him through the +window. He had not made preparations to go to Denver yet. And so it +was during every day that the boys waited for Haberstro to show up. +Julian was as impatient as Casper, and even Claus began to growl for +fear there was being too big a haul made upon his money. + +"I am not an Astor, to be giving you thirty cents a day to watch those +fellows," said he. "If they don't begin to make some move very soon I +shall be sorry that I hired you." + +"They are going to Denver some time, and if you are bound to have a +hand in the box, the best thing for you to do is to keep on hiring +me," said Casper. "I know what you want," he added to himself. "If you +were to give me every cent of money you have, I would just about get +my own back." + +But not long after this, when Casper was strolling by the telegraph +office to see what was going to happen, he saw Julian and Jack go in +there. The two boys were dressed in citizens' clothes, too, and that +proved that there was something up. While he was wondering whether or +not he had better go back and report the matter to Claus, Mr. Wiggins +came out and took his way toward the bank. In a little while he came +back again with the box under his arm. Casper concluded to wait still +longer, and the result proved satisfactory. The two friends came out +of the office, and Julian held the door open long enough to say, + +"I haven't gone yet; I will come back and bid you good-bye before I +start." + +"By gracious, they are going!" said Casper, so excited that he could +not stand still. "Now, the next thing is to find out _when_ they are +going. I guess I will go and see what Claus has to say about it." + +Claus was found in the pool-room, and he was playing a game with +somebody. He drew off on one side, and Casper hurriedly related what +he had to say to him. For a wonder Claus smiled. + +"They are going to-morrow night," said he. + +"You talk as though you knew all about it. How do you know?" asked +Casper, with the accent on the adverb. + +"Because Julian has got his discharge, he is dressed in citizen's +clothes, and they will have to take to-day in order to bid their +friends good-bye and get some things that are necessary for the trip," +said Claus. "Watch them closely, and when you see a carriage drive up +to their door and a trunk put on, come to me here and I will be ready +for you." + +"How are you going to get your own luggage down?" asked Casper. + +"I don't want any luggage," replied Claus; "I have more money than +enough to buy--humph!" + +He had intended saying that he had money enough to buy all the +clothing he wanted, but seeing Casper's eyes fastened upon him he +caught his breath in time and said, + +"I have money enough to pay for a night's lodging, and that is all we +want. Now you go and do just as I tell you." + +Claus turned again to his game and Casper went slowly out of the room. +The German watched him, as he opened the door, and said to himself, + +"I wonder if that fellow knows what I am up to? He acts like it; but +if he does, I would like to see him help himself." + + + + +CHAPTER XIII. + +GETTING READY FOR WORK. + + +"I know just what you are going to do," repeated Casper, as he ran +down the stairs--"you are going to steal the box, and leave me out on +the prairie to get back the best way I can. For two cents I would not +have anything to do with it." + +But in spite of this resolution, Casper, as soon as he reached the +street, turned his gaze in every direction in the hope of finding +Julian and Jack; but the boys had disappeared. He walked along the +streets looking everywhere for them, and finally came to a standstill +opposite Julian's room. + +"They will have to come here some time, and I will just take my stand +here in this door and watch for them," said Casper. "They will not +take that box with them, anyhow; it is much too valuable to lug about +in a valise. They will send it by express." + +This was something that had occurred to Casper on the spur of the +moment, and he thought seriously of going back to Claus with it; but, +on the whole, he decided to keep still about it. He was getting thirty +cents a day for doing nothing, and he did not want to bring that to an +end too speedily. Claus had plenty of money. Casper had seen the +inside of his pocketbook when he took it out to pay him his money, and +he might as well have thirty cents of it as not. + +At the end of three hours Casper saw the carriage coming up the +street. He was certain that he was right in his suspicions, because +carriages of that description were not often seen in that by-street; +and, more than that, there was a trunk perched in front of the driver. +He drew up in front of Julian's room, and a moment afterward the boys +got out. Casper saw the driver catch up the trunk and carry it +upstairs, and presently he came down again, mounted to his box, and +disappeared up the street. + +"They are gentlemen now, and of course they could not carry that trunk +upstairs," sneered Casper, coming out of his concealment. "Now, I +wish I knew when they are going to start. If things were all right +between Julian and myself I would go upstairs and find out; but as it +is, I guess I had better keep away; he would not tell me, anyhow. I +stole that box from him once, and that was where I missed it. I ought +to have gone to Denver at once." + +After some time spent in rapid walking, Casper once more found himself +in the pool-room, and saw Claus busy with his game. Claus drew off on +one side, while Casper whispered the result of his investigations to +him. + +"That is all right," said he, and a smile overspread his face. "You +are much better at watching than I thought you were. Wait until I get +through here and I will give you a cigar." + +"But, Claus, though they had a valise apiece in their hands, they have +no idea of carrying the box in them," said Casper; "it is too +valuable." + +"That's the very reason they will take it with them," whispered +Claus. "They will not trust it out of their sight." + +"I'll bet you that they will send it by express," answered Casper; +"that is what I should do with it." + +"But all persons are not as careful as you are," said Claus; and he +turned to take his shot at the game. + +"You need not think you can soft-sawder me in that style," thought +Casper, as he backed toward a chair and took his seat to see how the +game was coming out. "You have some other little trick that you want +me to play. Well, if it is not too dangerous I'll do it; if it is, I +won't." + +"There is nothing more that we can do to-night, but I shall expect to +see you bright and early to-morrow morning," resumed Claus, as he +finished his game and hung the cue up in its proper place. "Here is a +dollar. You may get yourself all the cigars you want." + +"Thank you for nothing," said Casper to himself, as he turned to leave +the room. "The last game I played with you you got an even five +dollars out of me. This does not make me straight with you by a long +way." + +Casper did not rise bright and early the next morning, because he did +not think there was any need of it. He spent a quarter of Claus's +dollar for breakfast, smoked a cigar, and strolled leisurely down to +the telegraph office. He was just in time to see Julian and Jack +coming out. The face of the former wore a very sad expression, and +there was a suspicious redness about his eyes, which looked as though +he had been crying. + +"By gracious! I don't think I would shed tears if I were in your +place," said Casper, in disgust. "And you are going away with a +hundred thousand dollars in your pocket! It beats me, how many people +go to make up a world! Julian has been bidding them good-bye in there, +and so he must be getting ready to go off very soon. Now I will go and +see Claus." + +Casper found his companion in guilt at the very place he said he would +be; and, for a wonder, he was sitting there alone, in one corner of +the room. He told what he had seen, adding that Julian could not keep +back his tears when he came out. + +"We'll give him something to cry for when he goes out of that car," +said Claus, with a wink; "he will be just a fortune out of pocket." + +Casper had several times been on the point of asking Claus how he was +going to work in order to secure to himself the full possession of all +that property. He thought there would have to be some legal steps +taken before the agent, or whoever had charge of those blocks of +buildings, would be willing for Claus to call them all his own. +Suppose the agent should write to some of the many friends he was +presumed to have in Chicago, and should get no answer from them; what +would Claus do then? All the friends he had were in St. Louis; he did +not know anybody in Chicago, and consequently he would receive a check +at the very start. If the German thought of this, he did not say +anything about it. He wanted first to get the box, and then he could +settle these things afterward. + +"Well, there is only one thing for you to do now," said Claus, after +thinking the matter over; "you must stay around Julian's room, and +wait for them to go to the depot. You will find me right here." + +"I shall want a cigar to smoke in the meantime," said Casper. + +It was right on the end of Claus's tongue to make a flat refusal, but +there was something in Casper's eye, which he turned full upon him, +that made him hesitate. He growled out something about not being made +of money, but finally put his hand into his pocket and produced +another dollar. + +"You need not mutter so lustily every time I ask you for money," said +Casper to himself as he left the pool-room. "I will have to give up +this business before long, and I am going to make all I can." + +Casper went straight to a restaurant and got his dinner, and with a +cigar for company took up his usual hiding-place in the doorway and +waited to see what was going to happen. He stayed there until four +o'clock in the afternoon, and then began to grow interested. He saw +Julian come out and hasten away, and something told him that he had +gone for a carriage. But why was it that Casper got so mad, and threw +his cigar spitefully down upon the pavement? Julian was dressed in a +suit of new clothes, and he looked like a young gentleman in it. The +suit that Casper wore was the only one he had, and when that was gone +he did not know what he should do to get another. + +"That fellow must have received a good many tips while he was in the +office," muttered Casper, "or else he saved his money. I wish to +goodness I had saved mine, instead of giving it all to Claus." + +Julian soon came back with a carriage, and it became evident that they +were going to take the train for Denver. Julian and the hackman went +upstairs, and when the boys came down again they each wore a +traveling-coat and had a small valise in their hands. They got into +the carriage and were driven away for the depot. + +"Now, then, I am going to see if Claus is fooled," thought Casper, as +he hurried off in another direction. "The box is not in those +gripsacks; they are not large enough. Now, you mark what I tell you." + +"What's the news?" said Claus, who was loitering at one of the windows +of the pool-room. "Did you see them go?" he asked, in a whisper. + +"I did," answered Casper. "We have just time to get down there, and +that is all. You are making a mistake by not taking some baggage +along." + +"No, I am not. We shall go as far as the station at which the +passengers take breakfast, and then we will stop and come back. That +is as far as we want to go." + +"And come back as empty-handed as we went," said Casper to himself. +"I'll bet there won't be anything worth having in those valises." + +It took Claus and Casper a long time to walk to the depot, although +they went with all the speed they could command; but when, at last, +they got there, they found that the ticket office was not open. It was +no trouble at all for them to find the boys whom they were seeking; +they occupied a couple of seats in the gentlemen's waiting-room, +sitting pretty close together, too, and were engaged in earnest +conversation. + +"Those are the ones, are they not?" questioned Claus. "They are +dressed up so fine that I would not have known them." + +"Yes; they have new clothes on," said Casper. "They are going off as +though they were business men starting out on a vacation." + +"That is the way we will travel when we get our money," said Claus, +with a wink. + +"And when we do get it you may go your way and I will go mine," said +Casper to himself; "I am not going to stay around where you are all +the while bothering me to play a game with you. I am going to save my +money; that's what I will do." + +It was shortly after they reached the depot that the ticket office was +opened, and Julian went to purchase tickets for himself and companion. +Casper watched them until they were safe in the train, and then Claus +bought two tickets for Casper and himself, and they took seats in the +car behind Julian's. In that way they would keep out of sight. They +did not intend to show themselves until the train stopped for +breakfast the next morning, and then they would show themselves to +some purpose. + +The night was a long and wearisome one to Casper, who did not once +close his eyes in slumber. He was wondering what was going to be the +result of this new scheme of theirs, and telling himself over and over +again that it would not amount to anything. It did not look reasonable +that the boys should carry their box in a valise, and leave it behind +when they went to breakfast while there was so much in it that needed +their constant care. + +"And then, after he gets the valises and finds that there is nothing +in them, that is the time for me to look out," thought Casper. "He +won't get away from me if I have to stay awake for two or three nights +to watch him." + +Finally, to Casper's immense relief, day began to dawn and some of the +wakeful passengers to bestir themselves. He arranged his hair with the +aid of a comb which he had in his pocket, and then sat on the seat +and waited impatiently for Claus to wake up. All night long the German +had slumbered heavily, as though he felt at peace with himself and all +the world. That was something that Casper could not understand. Here +he was, fully intending to steal a fortune from a boy who had come +honestly by it, and yet he could sleep peacefully and quietly over it! + +"I wonder if I shall be the way he is?" soliloquized Casper. "I will +try this once, and if we don't get the box I will go back and go to +work--that's the best thing I can do." + +It was not long before a brakeman came in and told them that they were +approaching the place where they would be allowed fifteen minutes for +breakfast; whereupon Casper leaned over and shook Claus by the +shoulder. + +"It was time you were getting up," said he in a whisper; "it is time +to go to work." + +"I heard every word that was said," said Claus. "This is the place to +which I bought tickets, and it is as far as we shall go. Go forward, +and see if they are in the car ahead of us." + +"But suppose they see me?" said Casper. + +"You must not let them see you. Keep out of their sight. If they leave +their valises behind when they go out to breakfast, it is all I want." + +Casper went, but he walked slowly, as if he did it under protest. When +he arrived at the end of the car he found he could not see anything +from there, so he opened the door and went out on the platform. He was +gone a good while, but when he came back his face told Claus all he +wished to know. + +"They are there," Casper whispered, "and are getting ready to go out. +I saw the valises in the rack over their seats." + +"That's all right. Now, when we go out you must keep close behind me. +I will come in at the front end of the car as if I had a perfect right +there, and if I say anything to you, you must just nod your head." + +"What must I do that for?" asked Casper. + +"Because there may be somebody looking. I want to convince everybody +that I have a right to the valises. Now, you go on ahead, and do as I +tell you." + +Casper did not approve of this plan at all. The understanding between +him and the German was that he was to have no hand in stealing the +valises, but this looked as though he was the prime mover in the +affair. Before he could make any further objection the cars stopped, +the gong sounded for breakfast, and the passengers began to move +toward the door. + + + + +CHAPTER XIV. + +HOW CASPER WAS SERVED. + + +"Come on, now, and remember what I told you," said Claus, getting on +his feet. "There they go! All we have to do, now, is to go in there +and get the valises. You know where they sat, don't you?" + +Casper glanced toward the front end of the car, and saw Julian and +Jack step down and hurry toward the dining-room. Claus waited until +most of the passengers got off, and then, with a motion to Casper to +follow him, he went boldly forward and climbed the steps. He opened +the door, and, when Casper went in, he said, + +"Now tell me exactly where they sat, so that I can pick up the valises +without exciting anybody's suspicions." + +"Do you see that red-faced man sitting on the right-hand side?" +whispered Casper. "And do you see those valises in the rack directly +in front him? Well, they are the ones you want." + +"All right! We will have them out of there in a jiffy." + +"I don't like the way that man looks at us," Casper ventured to +remark; "perhaps he knows them." + +"It don't make any difference to me whether he does or not. If he says +anything to us, we will tell him the valises belong to us, and that we +have come after them." + +Calling a smile to his face, Claus went down the passage-way, looking +at the various valises stowed away in the racks. When he arrived +opposite the seat where Julian had sat before he left the train, a +look of surprise spread over his countenance, and he stepped in and +took them down, one after the other. + +"These are ours, ain't they?" he asked, turning to Casper. + +"Yes--they are the ones." + +"I don't see what those boys put them in here for. Now we will take +charge of them ourselves." + +He passed one valise to Casper, who took it and made his way out of +the car, while Claus kept close at his heels. + +"Now we want to go somewhere and get out of sight as soon as we can," +said Casper, looking around guiltily, and almost expecting a policeman +to take him by the collar. "I shall not feel easy until this train +goes." + +"Well, we don't want to get out of sight just yet," said Claus. "That +red-faced man kept his eyes on us, didn't he? Let us see what he will +make of it now." + +"Why, Claus, you are not going in there?" queried Casper, when his +companion led the way toward the waiting-room. "Julian and Jack went +in there, and they will be certain to discover us." + +"No, they won't. You follow me, and do just as I do." + +Casper turned his eyes and looked back at the train. There was the +red-faced man, sitting by the car window, closely watching all their +movements, and when he saw them enter the waiting-room into which +Julian and Jack had gone a few moments before, his suspicions, if he +had any, were set at rest, and he settled back in his seat and picked +up a newspaper which he had just purchased. Claus kept on to the +waiting-room, but he did not stop when he got there. He kept right on +through and went out at the other door, and after walking briskly for +a few minutes, and turning several corners until he was sure that the +depot had been left out of sight, he seated himself on the steps of a +deserted house, took off his hat, and wiped his forehead. + +"It was not such an awful thing to get those valises, after all," said +he. "When that train goes, we will go and get our breakfast." + +"But I would like to know what is in those valises first," said +Casper. "I tell you, you are fooled. I have felt this valise all over +on the outside, and there is nothing in it that feels like a box." + +"I don't suppose you could feel anything of that kind in it, because I +don't believe the box was put in there," said Claus. "My only hope is +that they took the papers out of the box and put them in here; +consequently they left the box at home." + +"Good enough!" exclaimed Casper, catching up his valise and feeling +the outside of it, to see if he could feel anything that seemed like +papers that were stowed away on the inside of it; "I never thought of +that. Now, how shall we go to work to get the valises open? I haven't +a key in my pocket that will fit them." + +"I haven't, either; but as soon as we get our breakfast we will go up +the road a little distance and cut them open. These gripsacks will +never be worth anything to anybody after we get done with them." + +Even while they were talking in this way they heard the shriek of the +whistle twice, followed by the ringing of the bell, and knew that +their train was getting ready to start on again; whereupon Claus got +up and said he was as hungry as a wolf, and that he must procure a +breakfast somewhere. + +"I shall not eat much till I find out what those valises are hiding +from us," said Casper. "It would be just dreadful if we should fail, +after all the trouble we have been to." + +By the time they got back to the depot the train was well under way; +but Claus went out and looked after it, to satisfy himself that the +coast was clear. Then they placed their valises in charge of the clerk +at the desk, enjoyed a good wash, and went in and took their seats at +the table. Their meal was a better one than they had had served up to +them at St. Louis, especially when they were hard up for money; and, +after taking their time in eating it, Claus settled the bill, took his +valise, and started up the railroad track. + +"Have you a cigar?" he asked, before they had gone a great ways. "That +is all right. We will go on until we get into that sagebrush, and then +we will stop and look into these things. I will take just a hundred +thousand dollars for my find." + +"I'll bet you will take less than that," said Casper; for, somehow, he +could not get over the idea that the box had been sent by express. +"There is nothing in them that you want." + +It did not take them more than a quarter of an hour to get into the +sagebrush; and, after looking all around to make sure that there was +no one in sight, they stepped down from the track and seated +themselves on the bank beside it. Claus did not waste any time in +trying his keys upon the valise, but stretched out his legs and put +his hand into his pocket, and when he pulled it out again he held a +knife in it. + +"The shortest way is the best," said he, thrusting the blade into the +valise he held in his hand. "Come out here, now, and let us see what +you have." + +His knife made short work of the valise, but nothing in the way of +papers could be found. It was Jack's valise that he had destroyed, and +all he found in it was a brush and comb, and half a dozen +handkerchiefs. + +"I just knew how it would be," said Casper, despairingly. "You will +find the same things in here." + +He had never seen Claus look so angry and disappointed as he was at +that moment. With a spiteful kick of one foot he sent the valise out +of sight in the sagebrush, and was about to send the other things to +keep it company, when he happened to think of something. + +"I guess I'll keep the handkerchiefs and brush and comb for the good +they may do me," said he. "Where's your valise?" + +Casper handed it over, and in a moment more that valise was a wreck, +also. They found things in it similar to those found in Jack's +gripsack, with the exception of a book which Julian had purchased to +read on his journey, the leaves of which were uncut. Casper took +possession of the handkerchiefs and the brush and comb, while Claus +slowly rolled up the book and sat with his eyes fastened on the +ground. He was mad--Casper could easily see that, and he dared not +interrupt his train of thought. Claus sat for some moments communing +with his own thoughts, then broke into a whistle and got upon his +feet. + +"To say that I am disappointed, and angry, too, would not half express +my feelings," said he, pulling off his hat with one hand and digging +his fingers into his head with the other. "I did not suppose they +would send those papers by express, for I know it is something that I +would not have done. I would have kept them by me all the while, so +that I could see that they were safe. Now, the next thing is to +determine upon something else." + +"Do you intend to make another effort to get the money?" asked Casper, +very much surprised. "Your 'three times and out' did not amount to +anything--did it?" + +"No, I don't suppose it did," said Claus, who was evidently thinking +about something else. "I guess you have done about all you can do, and +so you had better go back to St. Louis." + +This was nothing more than Casper expected. He had his ten dollars +stowed away somewhere about his clothes, together with small sums +which he had saved from the amount that Claus had paid him, and so he +could pay his way back to St. Louis easily enough; but what should he +do when he got there? He shuddered when he thought of it. Here was +winter coming on, and unless he should obtain work very soon he would +have to go out to where his mother lived, which was all of two hundred +and fifty miles from there. And what should he say when he got home? +He had gone to St. Louis with big boasts of what he intended to do +when he got there, and for him to turn up penniless and friendless at +his mother's house was rather more than he had bargained for. + +"And what will _you_ do?" asked Casper. + +"I haven't had time to think the matter over," said Claus, who was +rather surprised that his companion took his discharge, or whatever +you might call it, so easily, "but I think I shall go on to Denver." + +"And I can't be of any use to you there?" + +"No, I don't think you can. I may not be back to the city before next +spring." + +"I wish you would tell me what you are going to do when you get there. +You can't get the box; that will be safe in the bank." + +"But perhaps I can pass myself off for Mr. Haberstro. I have some of +his cards in my pocket." + +"But you will only get yourself into trouble if you try that game. +There are people out there who know Haberstro." + +"Well, that is so," said Claus, looking reflectively at the ground. "I +shall have to think up some way to get around that. At any rate, you +cannot be of any further use to me, and so you had better start by the +next train." + +"Well, you had better give me some money before you turn me off in +this way," said Casper. "How am I going to get back to the city +without money?" + +"Where is that ten dollars you got out of the telegraph office when +your time was up?" asked Claus, who did not like it whenever the +subject of giving some of his hard earnings was brought up before him. +"You have not spent all of that, I know." + +"Yes, I have. I have just a quarter, and there it is," said Casper, +pulling out of his pocket the coin in question. + +"I wish to goodness I had never seen you!" said Claus, shoving his +hand into the pocket in which he kept his money. Casper heard the +jingling of some silver pieces, and thought that perhaps his companion +might be tempted to give him a few dollars. That would be better than +nothing, and he would have some money left when he reached St. Louis. +"If I had never seen you, I would have more dollars left in my pocket +than I have now," said Claus, bringing out a handful of small change. + +Casper said nothing in reply. He wanted to see how much Claus was +going to give him; and, once he had the money in his hand, he could +talk to him as he pleased. + +"There are five dollars that I will give you, and you need not ask me +for any more," said Claus, counting out the money; "for, if you do, +you won't get it." + +"I don't know whether five dollars will pay my fare to St. Louis or +not," said Casper. "Give me six." + +"No, sir; that's all I have to spare. It will take you so close to the +city that you can easily walk in," said Claus, turning on his heel and +starting toward the town they had just left. "You can walk twenty-five +miles very easily." + +It was right on the point of Casper's tongue to "open out" on Claus, +and give him as good as he sent. Wouldn't he have had more dollars in +_his_ pocket if he had never met the man who was anxious at all times +to play a game of billiards or pool with him, especially on pay-day, +when Casper was known to have money in his pocket? But, on thinking +the matter over, he decided that he would say nothing about it. Claus +was a pretty big man, and there was no knowing what he would do if the +boy made him angrier than he was now. + +"He is going to be fooled again," said Casper, as he fell in behind +Claus, who walked toward the town as if he were in an awful hurry to +get there. "What good will it do him to go on to Denver? He can't get +the box there, neither can he cheat Julian out of his money. Julian +will find any amount of friends there--I never heard of a boy with a +hundred thousand dollars in his pocket who could not find somebody to +stand by him--and they will tell him what to do. Oh! why did I make so +great a mistake! I ought to have started for Denver the moment I got +my hands on that box. Well, I got five dollars out of Claus, anyhow." + +Casper sauntered along behind Claus, who was walking rapidly, and +when he reached the depot he looked all around for his companion, but +failed to see him. Claus had gone off somewhere, and Casper was there +alone. + + + + +CHAPTER XV. + +HOW A MINE WAS HAUNTED. + + +"Well, boys," said Mr. Fay, when they had reached the street and were +walking toward their hotel, "I have somehow taken a great interest in +you, and I am anxious to see you come out all right. It is the most +remarkable thing I ever heard of. You did not know what was in that +box when you bought it, did you?" + +"No, sir," replied Julian; "it was all sealed up. The auctioneer said +something about a miner having hidden the secret of a gold-mine in it, +and I bought it for thirty cents." + +"The auctioneer happened to hit the matter right on the head. I will +go with you in search of a cheaper boarding-house than the one at +which you are now stopping, and you had better remain there until Mr. +Gibson hears from those people in St. Louis. That will be two weeks, +probably. If, at any time, you grow weary of walking about our city, +looking at what little there is worth seeing, come down to the office, +and we'll sit there and swap a few lies." + +Mr. Fay continued to talk in this way while they were walking along +the streets, meanwhile turning several corners, and the longer he +talked the more the boys saw the traits of his Western character +sticking out all over him. He talked like a gentleman, and then +spoiled it all by remarking that they would "swap a few lies" when +they came around to his office. He had probably been out West so long +that he had become accustomed to Western ways of conversation. + +At length Mr. Fay turned off from the sidewalk, ascended the steps +that led to the door of a house, saying, as he did so, "Now we will go +in here and see what we can do," and rang the door-bell. It was a very +different-looking house from the one they had been in the habit of +living in when in St. Louis. There were no broken-down doors to be +opened before they went in, nor any rickety steps to be climbed, but +everything was neat and trim, and kept in perfect order. A +motherly-looking old lady answered Mr. Fay's pull at the bell. + +"Ah! good-morning, Mrs. Rutherford," was the way in which Mr. Fay +greeted her. "Let me introduce Julian Gray and John Sheldon. They are +looking around for a cheap boarding-house,--not too cheap, mind +you,--and I have called to see if you have any place in which to hang +them up for the night." + +Mrs. Rutherford was glad to meet Julian and Jack, invited them into +the parlor, and asked them if they wanted a room together. The boys +replied that they did, and she conducted them upstairs, to show them a +room that was vacant. They were gone not more than five minutes, and +when they came downstairs again Mrs. Rutherford was putting some bills +away in her pocket-book, and the boys acted as though they were well +satisfied. + +"Well, you have found a place, have you?" said Mr. Fay. "Have you +jotted down the street and number?" + +No, the boys had not thought of that, and Julian quickly pulled his +note-book from his pocket. + +"Your city is somewhat larger than we expected to find it," began +Julian. + +"You don't find many wigwams around here now," answered Mr. Fay. "We +keep spreading out all the time. Can you boys find the way back to +your hotel?" + +Julian and Jack thought they could find it if they were given time +enough, but Mr. Fay thought he had better go with them. It was right +on the road to his office, and he walked off so rapidly that his young +companions were obliged to increase their speed in order to keep up +with him. Before they had gone a great way, Julian, who was anxious to +learn all he could about their surroundings, asked how far it was to +the mountains behind them. Mr. Fay had evidently answered such +questions before, for all he said in reply was, + +"How far do you think it is?" + +"I think two miles would cover the distance," he answered, for he was +determined he would guess enough while he was about it. + +"How far do _you_ say it is, John?" said Mr. Fay, turning to Jack. + +"I would rather be excused from expressing an opinion, but I think we +could walk out there in two hours." + +"And come back the same day?" + +"Why, yes; certainly." + +"Now, let me tell you," said Mr. Fay: "If you have made up your minds +to go out to the mountains, hire a good, fast walking-horse, and go +out one day and come back the next." + +"Is it as far as that?" exclaimed the boys, looking at each other with +amazement. + +"It is all of twelve miles. You must take into consideration that the +air is very rare up here, and that things appear nearer than they are. +You are 5135 feet above the level of the sea." + +"My goodness! I didn't think we were so far out of the world!" + +"We have awfully uncertain weather here," continued Mr. Fay, "but +still we regard our climate as healthy. Our thermometer sometimes +changes as much as forty degrees in twenty-four hours. Since +Professor Loomis took charge of the matter, the mercury has changed +forty-five times in one day. What sort of a place did you expect to +find Denver, anyway?" + +"Well, I did not know what sort of a place it was," said Julian. "We +thought we should find more wigwams here than houses, and you can't +imagine how surprised we were when we found ourselves in a depot full +of people." + +"Denver used to be full of wigwams, but it is not so now. Until the +year 1858 the Indians lived in peace; but in that year gold was +discovered by W. G. Russell, a Georgian, on the banks of the river +Platte, which is but a little way from here, and that settled the +business of the Indians in a hurry. Denver, Black Hawk, Golden City, +and many other cities that I can't think of now, were founded in 1859, +and a host of immigrants appeared. Since that time we have been +spreading out, as I told you, until we have a pretty good-sized city." + +"It shows what Western men can do when they once set about it," said +Jack. "Now, answer another question while you are about it, if you +please. If the mercury changes forty degrees in twenty-four hours, +working in the mines must be dangerous business." + +"That depends upon where you are working," said Mr. Fay. "If you are +at work in a placer-mine, you stand a good chance of leaving your +bones up there for somebody to bring home; but if you are working +under the ground, it does not make any difference. Are you thinking of +going out to Dutch Flat to try your hand at it? I don't know where +that is, but you can find plenty of men here who can tell you." + +"I have not said anything to Julian about it, but I think that would +be one of the best things we could do. You see, we are not settled in +that property yet." + +"I see," said Mr. Fay. "Gibson may get word from those fellows in St. +Louis that you are impostors, and that you stole that box instead of +buying it at a sale of 'old horse.' That would be rough on you." + +The boys did not know how to take this remark. They looked at Mr. Fay, +but he was walking along as usual, with his hands in his pockets, +bowing right and left to the many persons he met on the streets, and +did not seem to think anything of it. Perhaps it was his ordinary +style of talking. + +"I am not at all afraid of that," remarked Jack. "If he finds us +impostors, we are willing to go to jail." + +Mr. Fay threw back his head and laughed heartily. + +"I have no idea of anything of the kind," said he, as soon as he could +speak. "I was just wondering what you would think of it. But what were +you going to say?" + +"This property is not settled on us yet," replied Jack, "and we may +want something to keep us in grub while we are here. We have a perfect +right to work that mine, have we not?" + +"If you can find it--yes. Go up there, and if nobody else is working +it, pitch in and take fifty thousand dollars more out of it." + +"And what will we do if somebody else is working it?" + +"You had better give up to them, unless you think you are strong +enough to get the better of them. But you need not worry about that. +The mine is haunted, and you won't catch any of the miners going +around where ghosts are." + +"Who do you suppose are haunting it?" asked Julian. "That letter says +the writer worked the mine alone, and took lots of money out of it, +and never saw a thing to frighten him." + +"Perhaps somebody has been murdered up there; I don't know. You won't +see anything until you get down in the mine, and then you want to look +out. I heard of a mine up at Gold Cove that was haunted in that way. +There were a dozen miners tried it, and each one came away without +getting anything, although the gold was lying on top of the ground. As +often as a miner went below (it was about thirty feet down to the +bottom), he was sure to see somebody at work there before him. He was +picking with a tool at the bottom of the shaft in order to loosen it +up, accompanying every blow he made with a sonorous 'whiz!' which +showed that he was an Irishman. Some of the miners retreated to their +bucket and signaled to their helper to pull them up, and you couldn't +hire them to go into the mine again. Others, with a little more +bravery than they had, went up to put their hands on the man, but as +fast as they advanced he retreated; and when they got to the end of +the shaft, the phantom miner was still ahead, and picking away as fast +as ever." + +"Then the mine is deserted?" + +"Yes, and has been for years. It is one of the richest mines around +here, too." + +"Why, I should think somebody would shoot him," said Jack. + +"Shoot him! He has been shot at more times than anybody could count; +but he pays no attention to it. He is a ghost, and he knows you can't +hurt him. I never saw it, and, what is more, I don't want to; but I +would not go down into that mine for all the gold there is in the +hills." + +"Did anybody think a murder had been committed somewhere around +there?" said Julian. + +"I never heard that there was." + +"Well, I just wish our mine would be haunted with something like +that," said Jack. "I would find out what he was, and what business he +had there, or I would know the reason why." + +"Well, you may have a chance to try it. Does this look like your +hotel? Now I will bid you good-bye, and I will see you again +to-morrow, if you come around." + +Mr. Fay departed, taking with him the hearty thanks of the boys for +all his kindness and courtesy, and then they slowly ascended the steps +to the office. They had secured one thing by his attentions to them--a +boarding-house at which the money they had in their pockets would keep +them safely for a month, if it took Mr. Gibson that long to hear from +St. Louis; but, on the whole, Jack wished Mr. Fay had not used his +Western phraseology so freely. + +"Does he want us to work that mine or not?" asked Jack. + +"I don't know. He talked pretty readily, did he not?" + +"I wonder if that is the way all Westerners talk? Did he scare you +out of going up there to that mine?" + +"No, sir," replied Julian, emphatically. "Do you know that I rather +like that man? He reminds me of Mr. Wiggins, and talks exactly like +him." + +"What do you suppose it was that those fellows saw in that mine?" + +"I give it up. Some of these Western men are good shots with a +revolver, and it seems to me they might have struck the fellow if they +had had a fair chance at him." + +"But he was a ghost, you know." + +"Oh, get out! If they saw him there, you can bet that there _was_ +somebody there. Some of the miners had their minds all made up to see +something, and of course they saw it." + +"But how do you account for that 'whiz!' that he uttered every time he +struck with his pick?" + +"They never heard any 'whiz!' coming from that man; they only imagined +it." + +"Do you think their ears could be deceived, as well as their eyes?" + +"Jack, I am surprised at you. You are big enough and strong enough to +whip any ghost that I ever saw, and yet you are afraid to go down in +that mine!" + +"Wait until we find it, and then I'll show you whether I am afraid or +not. Now, if you will go on and pay our bill and have our trunk +brought down, I'll go and get a carriage." + +In five minutes this was done, and the boys were soon on their way to +their boarding-house. + + + + +CHAPTER XVI. + +GOOD NEWS. + + +For a week after Julian and Jack went to their new boarding-house they +had much to occupy their attention--so much, indeed, they did not +think of going down to the telegraph office and "swapping a few lies" +with the chief operator. Their new home charmed them in every +particular. Mr. Fay had not forgotten that _he_ had been a boy in the +not so very long ago, and the boarding-house he had chosen for them +was such as he would have chosen for himself. The boarders were young +men who, like themselves, had come out West to seek their fortunes, +and they were all employed in various avocations in the city. Jack +noticed one thing, and that was they did not run around of evenings to +any extent; or, if they did, they went down to the library, where they +spent their time in reading. + +"Do you know that that is something that strikes me," said Jack one +night when they went upstairs to their room. "We ought to join the +Young Men's Christian Association." + +"Have you forgotten our mine?" asked Julian. + +"No, I have not; but I don't believe in going up there in winter. A +thermometer that can change so many times within twenty-four hours is +something that I want to keep clear of." + +"Well, where is the money to come from?" + +"Humph!" said Jack, who had not thought of that before; "that's so. +Where is it?" + +The first thing the boys thought of, when they got up the next +morning, was to take a trip to the mountains. Jack was in favor of +walking. It was only twelve miles, and the amount they would have to +pay out for a horse would keep one of them a week at their +boarding-house. But Julian could not see it in that light. + +"I tell you, you have never walked twenty-four miles in a day," +remarked the latter. "I have done it many a time, but I am not going +to do it now, when there is no need of it." + +"You act as though you had that money in your hands already," retorted +Jack. "Now, I'll tell you what's a fact: I am going to have the same +trouble with you that I had in St. Louis. There won't be any 'old +horse' for you to spend your money on, but you will squander it in +some other way." + +"You will see," said Julian, with a laugh. "Come on, now; I am going +to get a saddle-horse--one that can take me out there in an hour." + +Jack reluctantly yielded to his companion, who made his way toward a +livery-stable which he had seen when they came to their +boarding-house. There they engaged a couple of saddle-horses which +seemed to know what they were expected to do, for when allowed the +rein they put off toward the mountains, and went along at a brisk +pace. Jack could not get over grumbling about hiring horses to do what +they could do themselves, but Julian did not pay the least attention +to it. When they had gone a long distance on the road they met a +teamster, and of him Jack inquired how many miles they had yet to +travel to reach their destination. + +"Them mountains?" asked the man, facing about in his seat. "They are a +matter of six miles from here." + +"If I had a good start for a run I believe I could jump that far," +said Jack. + +"Yes, it does look that way," said the man; "but it would be a mighty +lengthy jump for you. I guess you are a tenderfoot--ain't you?" + +"I never was so far West as this in my life." + +The man had evidently heard all that he wanted to hear, for he started +his team, smiling and nodding his head as if to say that Jack would +learn more about distances on the prairie before he had been there +long. + +The distance was fully as great as the boys expected to find it; and, +when they drew up in front of a little hotel in the foothills, the +mountains seemed to be as far off as ever. The proprietor came to the +door, bid them good-morning in his cheery way, and asked if there was +anything that he could do for them. + +"How far off are those peaks from here?" questioned Jack. + +"Twenty miles," said the man. "You are not going out there to-day, are +you?" + +"Why, the folks in Denver told us that the mountains were twelve miles +away," said Jack, greatly surprised. + +"Well, you are twelve miles from Denver now. These little hills here +are the beginning of the mountains." + +"I guess you may feed our horses and give us some dinner, and then we +will go back," said Julian. "Well, Jack, we've seen the mountains." + +"Yes, and laid out six dollars for the horses besides," replied Jack, +in disgust. "The next time you want anything to carry you, we will go +on foot." + +The man laughed heartily as he took charge of their horses, and the +boys went into the hotel, where they found a fire on the hearth, and +were glad to draw up close to it. + +"I declare, I did not know it was so cold," said Julian. "I suppose +it is warm enough in St. Louis. How high is that city above the +sea-level?" + +"I don't know," answered Jack, who could not get over the feeling that +those people in Denver had played too much on his credulity. "Twenty +miles! I guess we won't go up to the top of those mountains, yet a +while, and look for California. I wish those horses were back in the +stable where they belong." + +"We will have them back there in three hours," answered Julian, "and +if you don't want me to hire any more horses, I won't do it." + +The boys got back to Denver without any mishap, and after that they +were eager to see the city. Jack did not have anything to grumble +about during the week that followed, for they went on foot, and there +were no horses hired. Finally, after viewing all the fine buildings +that were to be seen, they thought of the telegraph operator, and +decided to take him in the next day; so on Monday they presented +themselves at his office. Mr. Fay was there; and, unlike Mr. Wiggins, +he did not seem to have much to do, for he was sitting in an +easy-chair, with his feet perched upon the desk in front of him, +playing with a paper-cutter. The boy who came forward to attend to +their wants seemed to have made up his mind that Mr. Fay was the man +they wanted to see, and so he conducted them into his private office. + +"Halloo! boys," he cried, taking down his feet and pushing chairs +toward them; "you are here yet, are you? Have you been out to look at +your gold-mine?" + +"No, sir," replied Julian; "we could hardly go out there and come back +in a week--could we?" + +"No, I don't believe you could. I have been thinking about you," +continued Mr. Fay, depositing his feet on the desk once more, "and if +you know when you are well off you won't go out there this fall. I was +talking with a man who has come in from Dutch Flat, and he says it is +getting most too cold up there to suit him. He has made a heap of +money, and has come here to spend it. I suppose that is what you will +be doing when you get to work out there--make all you want in summer, +and come here in winter and spend it." + +"No, sir," asserted Julian, emphatically; "we have worked hard for +what little money we have, and we know how to take care of it. I +thought it would not make any difference to us how cold it was if we +were working under the ground; I thought you said something like +that." + +"Certainly, I said so," affirmed Mr. Fay; "but you will have to take +provisions with you to last you six months. If you don't, you will get +snowed up in the mountains; the drifts will get so deep that you can't +get through them." + +"I did not think of that," said Julian. + +"Well, you had better think of it, for if you get up there, and get +blocked by drifts, my goodness!--you will starve to death!" + +"Did you say anything to the man about our claim up there?" + +"No, I did not, for I did not know where it was located. I will tell +you what you can do, though. He is going back in the spring, and he +can assist you in getting everything you need." + +"We are very much obliged to you for saying that," responded Jack, who +felt that a big load had been removed from his and Julian's shoulders. + +"I am only speaking of what I know of the man," remarked Mr. Fay. +"Miners are always ready to help one another, and I know he will do +that much for you. I will tell you where you can see him. Do you know +where Salisbury's hotel is?" + +The boys replied that they did not. They had been all over the city, +but did not remember having seen any sign of that hostelry. + +"Well, I will go with you," said Mr. Fay "Come around about two +o'clock and we'll start. By the way, that lawyer has got back." + +"What lawyer, and where has he been?" + +"I mean Gibson--the lawyer that you employed to do your business for +you. He has been to St. Louis." + +"Good enough!" exclaimed Jack. "He has found out by this time more +than we could tell him." + +"I saw him last night just as he got off the train, and he desired me +to tell you, if I happened to see you before he did, that he would be +glad to see you around at his office as soon as you could get there," +said Mr. Fay. "So you can run down there as soon as you please. You +know where he hangs out--don't you?" + +Yes, the boys were certain they could find his office without any +help, and arose and put on their caps. They told Mr. Fay they would be +sure to come around at two o'clock, to go with him to call upon the +miner who had recently come from Dutch Flat, bade him good-bye, and +left the office. + +"What do you think of the situation now?" asked Julian, as they +hurried along toward the place where the lawyer "hung out." "Are you +still sorry that I bid on that 'old horse?'" + +"I only hope there will be no hitch in the business," said Jack. "If +he should ask us some questions that we could not answer--then what?" + +"We will tell him the truth," said Julian. "He can't ask us any +questions that we can't answer. Claus and Casper could go in on +telling lies, but that way would not suit us." + +As the boys had taken particular note of the location of Mr. Gibson's +office, they went there as straight as though they had been in Denver +all their lives, ran up the stairs to the first floor, and opened the +lawyer's door. Mr. Gibson was there, as well as two men whom he was +advising on some law-point they had brought to him to clear up. When +the boys came in he stopped what he was saying, jumped up, and +extended a hand to each of them. + +"I was coming around in search of you fellows as soon as I got through +with these men," said he. "How have you boys been, out here, so far +away from home? Please excuse me for fifteen minutes or so." + +The boys took the chairs he offered them, and for a few minutes kept +track of what he was saying; but that did not last long. It was about +a fence that a neighbor of the two men had built, but which their +cattle had broken down, and they were anxious to get out of a lawsuit +for the field of wheat their cattle had ruined. They heard the lawyer +advise them, honestly, that they must either compromise the matter or +get into a lawsuit, in which case they would have to pay full damages; +and while he was talking to them he proved that he was a man who could +do two things at once. He opened a drawer and took out two +photographs, which he compared with the boys, one after the other. It +did not take him long to decide upon this business, and then he +devoted himself to the question of fences again. + +"It is as plain as daylight to me," said he, as he arose to his feet. +"Your cattle broke the fence down, went in, and ate up the man's +wheat. It was a good, strong, staked-and-ridered fence, too. There are +only two ways out of it: Yon can either settle the matter with him, or +you can go to law; and if you do that, you will get beaten." + +One of the men then asked him how much he charged for his advice, and +when he said "Five dollars," the boys cast anxious glances at each +other. If he charged that way for advising a man to keep out of law, +what price would he demand for taking care of one hundred thousand +dollars? Mr. Gibson showed them to the door, bowed them out, and then +turned to the boys. + +"I ought to have charged that man ten dollars," he declared, with an +air of disgust. "He is always in a row; he never comes here to seek +advice but that he wants to beat somebody. Do you recognize these +pictures?" + +"Of course I do," replied Julian. "This is a photograph of me, and +that is my signature on the back; the other one is Jack's." + +"I have been to St. Louis since you were here," Mr. Gibson went on. "I +called upon the men whose addresses you gave me, and found out all +about you. I tried my best to find Mr. Haberstro, but could not do it, +and so I have concluded that the money is yours." + +"Everything?" exclaimed Julian. "The gold-mine and all?" + +"Everything belongs to you," answered Mr. Gibson; and one would have +thought, from the way in which he announced the fact, that somebody +had left the fortune all to Julian. "Of course, if Mr. Haberstro ever +turns up you will have to surrender the money; but I don't take any +stock in his turning up. Julian, you now have very nearly twenty +thousand dollars coming to you." + +"But Jack must have half," said Julian, earnestly. "He has stuck to me +like a good fellow, and I don't know what I should have done without +him." + +"Well, then, that makes you worth ten thousand dollars apiece." + +Julian drew a long breath and looked at Jack. The latter leaned his +elbows on his knees, whirled his cap in his hand, and looked at the +floor. + + + + +CHAPTER XVII. + +MR. BANTA IS SURPRISED. + + +"You fellows look surprised," said Mr. Gibson, running his eyes from +one to the other of the boys. "It seems to me, if a man told me I had +that amount of money coming to me, and that I had ten thousand dollars +where I could draw on it at my leisure, this room would not hold me; I +should want the whole city to splurge in." + +The boys made no reply. Jack drew his hand once or twice across his +forehead, as if to brush away some wrinkles, while Julian got up and +walked to the window. + +"You did not expect to get it--did you?" continued Mr. Gibson. + +"No, sir, we did not," replied Julian; "but we hoped to get it. We +tried our level best to find Mr. Haberstro, following the advice of +Mr. Wiggins in everything he told us to do; but he was out of our +reach." + +"He is dead, probably," said Mr. Gibson. "I know just what you tried +to do, and all about it. Of course there will be some law to go +through with before you can step into the property. Do you wish me to +take charge of it for you?" + +"Oh, Mr. Gibson, we really wish you would. We know nothing about law, +and consequently we should not know how to act." + +"And do you wish me to take charge of the rental of your blocks of +buildings?" + +"Yes, sir; go on just as you did before, and when we want money we +will come to you." + +"Well, that is a different thing altogether," said Mr. Gibson, looking +down at the floor. "The twenty thousand dollars that I told you of is +now in the bank, subject to my order. I guess I had better go up there +with you and have it changed. You can then get money whenever you want +it. By the way, Julian, Mr. Wiggins sent his kindest regards to you; +and, furthermore, he gave me a letter which he wished me to hand to +you. I've got one for you, Jack, from your boss; what do you call +him?" + +"Master mechanic," replied Jack. + +Mr. Gibson opened his desk and took out two letters, which he gave to +the boys. The sight of Mr. Wiggins's handwriting on the envelope was +almost too much for Julian, for he put the letter into his pocket and +walked to the window again. + +"There is some good advice in those letters, and I want you boys to +follow it out implicitly," said the lawyer. "You will always find me +here, ready to tell you what to do in case you get into trouble. You +must come to me or to Mr. Fay every time you get into a box. But, +first and foremost, don't have anything to do with strangers. There +are some of them who are bound to hear of your good fortune, and will +take every means in their power to get hold of it. Don't sign any +papers unless you bring them to me." + +"We have already had a little experience in that line," said Julian, +with a smile. "Claus came up to us and tried to pass himself off for +Mr. Haberstro, and he is the one who stole our valises on our way +here; but he didn't make anything by it." + +"Yes--I heard all about this man Claus, and about that friend of +yours, Casper Nevins. You know enough to steer clear of such fellows +in future. Now, if you are all through, we'll go up to the bank." + +The boys followed Mr. Gibson out of the office, along the street, +turning three or four corners, until they reached the bank. He did not +have any business to do with the man who stood behind the desk +counting out the money, but he simply asked him, + +"Is E. A. in?" + +"Yes, sir; he is in his private office," replied the cashier. + +The boys did not know who E. A. was, but they found out a moment +later, for the lawyer led them into the presence of the president of +the bank. He was gray-headed and wore a pair of gold spectacles, but +he stopped his work and shook Mr. Gibson warmly by the hand. He looked +curiously at the boys, but when the lawyer began his story, talking +very rapidly, for there was a card hung up over his desk which said on +it, "This is my busy day," he laid down his pen and glanced at Julian +and Jack with some interest. + +"And you want the twenty thousand dollars changed, so that it will be +subject to their order?" said he. + +"Yes, sir, that is my errand up here." + +The president got upon his feet and walked into the room where the +cashier was. When he went, the boys had not more than ten dollars in +their pockets that they could call their own; when he came back, they +had a small fortune coming to them. + +"It is all right," said he. "And which of you boys was it who bid on +the 'old horse?'" he continued, extending a hand to each of them. "You +are the one? Well, my son, remember that there is an end to your money +somewhere, and if you go to work and spend it all without waiting for +some more to come in, the end of it is not far off. I wish you good +luck." + +The boys retraced their steps to the cashier's desk, and the transfer +of the property from Mr. Gibson's order to their own was easily +completed. Mr. Gibson signed a check, the boys attached their names +to a big book which was thrust out at them, and then the cashier +wanted to know if they needed any money. + +"We would like about one hundred dollars apiece," said Julian. + +"Very well; make out a check for it and sign your names to it, and you +can get it all right. You will find the checks there on that desk." + +The boys accordingly made out their checks for the money, and Mr. +Gibson stood watching them, smiling to himself when he saw how the +boys' hands trembled, and how anxious they were to have everything +correct. The money was paid on the checks, and Julian and Jack put it +into their pockets. + +"You got it, didn't you?" said the lawyer. + +"Yes, sir; thanks to you, we have got it," said Julian. "Mr. Gibson, I +can't begin to tell you how much we thank you----" + +"Oh, that is all right," said the lawyer, opening the door of the +bank; "only, don't get into a fuss and lose it all." + +"When we came here," continued Julian, "we had no money at all; now +see how different it is! I assure you that we are not going to get +into any fuss. The money is safe where it is." + +"Well, let it stay there. I am pretty busy this morning, so I beg that +you will excuse me. Good-bye." + +The lawyer hurried away, and Julian stood a little on one side of the +door of the bank, one hand thrust into his pocket where he had placed +the bills, and his eyes fastened upon Mr. Gibson as long as he +remained in sight. + +"Say, Jack," said he, suddenly; "I don't believe Mr. Gibson had any +right to give us this money." + +"He hadn't?" exclaimed Jack. "Why, it was his." + +"No, it was not; it belongs to that Haberstro estate. It seems to me +he ought to have got an order from the court before giving any of the +money up to us." + +"Perhaps he has an order," said Jack. + +"Then why did he not say something about it? I would like to know when +the court sits. If the Judge finds any blundering in the business, +why, then we are up a stump. What will we do if this man Haberstro +comes up, all on a sudden, and tells us he wants this hundred +dollars?" + +"Whew!" said Jack; "I did not think of that." + +"But Mr. Gibson probably knew what the decision of the court was going +to be or he would not have done this," added Julian, after a moment's +pause. "I guess we are all right, but I shall feel better when we have +all that property in our hands." + +Julian wished now, when it was too late, that he had not spoken to +Jack about this. During the dinner hour he was unusually silent and +thoughtful, and the landlady's questioning could not get a word out of +him. He would arouse up long enough to reply, and then he would fall +to thinking again. + +"I will never tell you another piece of news as long as I live," said +Julian, as they went up to their room to get ready to accompany Mr. +Fay to call on the miner. "You always have enough to say at dinner, +but to-day you were as solemn as an owl." + +"I could not help it," said Jack. "If that man who owns this property +turns up here, I tell you we shall be in a fix. We shall spend this +before the winter is over, and how are we to get a hundred dollars to +pay him? I'll speak to Mr. Gibson about that the next time I see him." + +"I believe that would be a good plan," said Julian, after thinking the +matter over. "I'll bet you that he has some good reason for it." + +In due time the boys arrived at Mr. Fay's office, and found him ready +to accompany them. All he said was that he was going out for half an +hour, and if anybody came to see him he was to be told that he would +soon be back; and then he set off, with his long strides, to lead the +way to Salisbury's hotel. The boys found it as much as they could do +to keep up with him. + +"I guess you have been a messenger-boy in your day," said Julian. + +"I was a messenger-boy for six years," replied Mr. Fay. "Of course I +did not want to hold that position all my life, so I learned +telegraphy at odd times, and got my promotion as fast as I was +qualified for it, until at last I got where you see me now. That's the +way that young men ought to do--look out for promotion." + +"We received good news down there at Mr. Gibson's office," continued +Julian. + +"I knew you would. Have you the property all in your hands?" + +"No; there is some law-business to go through with, first. We told Mr. +Gibson to go ahead with it, as he did before." + +"That was the best thing that you ever did," said Mr. Fay, earnestly. +"Gibson is an honest man, even if he is a lawyer, and you will get +every cent that is coming to you. Now, then, here we are. You will +find this rather a different hotel from the one you first stopped at +when you came here, but the old fellow makes lots of money out of the +miners. There is nobody stays here except those who have shovelled +dirt." + +Mr. Fay opened the door as he spoke, and the boys speedily found +themselves in the living-room of the hotel. Before they had time to +look around them the chief telegraph operator walked up and laid his +hand upon the shoulder of a man who sat with his back to him. + +"You are here yet, are you, Banta?" said he. + +"Yes," replied the miner, looking up to see who it was that accosted +him. "I am on hand, like a bogus coin made out of iron pyrites; you +can't get rid of me." + +"I have brought some boys with me who would like to know something +about the mines at which you are working," said Mr. Fay; and he +proceeded to introduce Julian and Jack. + +Banta speedily proved that he was a gentleman, for he straightway got +upon his feet to shake hands with the boys. + +"All right," said the miner; "if anybody can tell them about Dutch +Flat, I am the man." + +"They are going to stay here this winter, and go out with you next +spring," Mr. Fay went on. + +"All right," said the miner, again; "I will put them where they can +dig gold so fast that you won't see anything but gold coming out of +the pit." + +"But they have a gold-mine up there already." + +"They have? Where is it located?" + +Mr. Fay could not answer this question, so he stood aside and waited +for Julian to tell him the whereabouts of the mine. The boy began by +asking him, + +"Do you know the mine that Winkleman used to work when he was here?" + +Mr. Banta started, and looked at Julian to see if he was in dead +earnest. The boy gazed fixedly at him, and the miner finally settled +back in his chair and pulled himself down until his neck rested on the +back of it. + +"Of course I know that mine," said he. "You don't think of working +there, do you?" + +"We thought some of trying it," replied Julian. + +"Pete, what do you think of that?" asked Mr. Banta, pushing his hand +against the shoulder of the man who sat nearest him, with his eyes +closed, as if he were fast asleep. "Here are two boys going up to +Dutch Flat next spring to work the Winkleman mine." + +"Well," replied Pete, without lifting his head, "I am glad I am not +going up there." + +"Are the ghosts so awful thick up there?" asked Julian, who felt his +courage oozing out at the ends of his fingers. + +"You know something about it--don't you? The ghosts are so thick up +there that you can't go down in the mine to shovel a bucketful of dirt +without scaring some of them up." + +"Well, you will have to excuse me," said Mr. Fay. "I should like to +see what those ghosts are, but my work calls me. You will take charge +of the boys next spring, will you, Mr. Banta?" + +"Sure I will; but they are plumb dunces if they try to work that mine. +I will go with them as far as I can, and the balance of the way they +will have to depend on themselves." + +Mr. Fay said he believed they could do that, opened the door and went +out, and Julian and Jack were left alone. + + + + +CHAPTER XVIII. + +GRUB-STAKING. + + +"Sit down," said Banta, pushing chairs toward the two boys with his +foot; "I want to talk to you about that mine. What loon has been so +foolish as to grub-stake you?" + +"Grub-stake us?" repeated Julian, for the words were quite new to him. + +"Yes; he does not expect to get his money back again very soon. I mean +the fellow who has furnished you with grub and tools, and such things, +to work the mine with." + +"We never heard that before; we did not know there was anybody who +_could_ grub-stake us." + +"Say, Pete, what do you think of that?" said Banta, once more pushing +the man who sat nearest him. "Here are a couple of tenderfeet, come +away out West from--where did you come from?" + +"From St. Louis; this is as far West as we have ever been." + +"Here are a couple of tenderfeet from St. Louis who didn't know that +they could get anybody to grub-stake them," continued Banta. "What do +you think of that?" + +Pete, who had by this time got his wits about him, straightened up, +pushed his hat on the back of his head, and regarded the boys with +some curiosity. Julian and Jack looked at him, too, and concluded that +he and Banta were partners in working a mine. He was roughly dressed, +but there was a good-natured look about him that made the boys take to +him at once. There were other men, dressed as miners, in the room, and +they all seemed to be interested in the conversation. + +"Then I reckon I shall have to tell you about this grub-staking +business," said Banta, squaring around in his chair so as to face the +boys. "You are going to lay in a supply of things yourselves, I +suppose?" + +"Yes, we are; and we shall have to depend on you to tell us what to +get." + +"Well, there is plenty of time between this and spring, and we will +have time to talk that over afterward. Now, about this grub-staking +business. There are lots of fellows who come out here who haven't got +the money to enable them to go prospecting, and what do they do but +hunt up some fellow who is willing to buck against a hole in the +ground, and get their provisions and tools of him. He gets half of +what they make. The men stay out there until they have eaten up all +their provisions and then come in; and if they have had good luck, so +much the better. But if they have wasted their time in looking for +gold where there wasn't any to be found, why, so much the worse; that +man is just so much out of pocket. + +"Well, along in '90 Pete and me struck this very town, and we flew so +light that we couldn't hardly stay on the ground. We didn't have +enough to buy our next meal with; but we struck a gang whom we knew, +and headed along with them for the gold country. Of course we had +nothing, but we managed to strike a grub-stake and went prospecting up +there behind Dutch Flat. We lit into that rock and dirt, working like +beavers, but the sign didn't come right. It looked well enough at the +start, but it did not pan out much. We stuck to it for nearly three +months, and then concluded that we had better go down and get another +grub-stake and strike in somewhere else. So I stayed up there alone, +and Pete went down and brought up the man that employed us. He looked +at the hole, liked the looks of it, and wanted us to go farther; but +Pete and I couldn't see it in that light. One word brought on another, +and he offered us three hundred dollars for the hole." + +"For the hole!" exclaimed Julian. "And there was not a sign of gold +about it?" + +"Now, hold on till I tell you," returned Banta. "There was a little +sign of gold about it, but there was not enough to pay Pete and me for +digging. We snapped him up quicker'n a flash, and what does that man +do? He went down to Dutch Flat, brought up his tools, and set in to +working the hole, and before he had gone two feet farther he struck +the richest vein you ever clapped your eyes on. He took sixty +thousand dollars out of it. Now, some of you fellows talk about hard +luck. If any of you can beat that story, I'll give you what little I +made on Dutch Flat this summer." + +"That _was_ hard luck, I must say," said Julian. "And you lacked only +two feet of being rich?" + +"Only just two feet," returned Banta, "We might have been running +around now with two niggers to drive the team--one dressed as a +coachman and the other as a footman. Pete didn't get over pulling his +hair for a month after that." + +"But we are going to stake ourselves next summer," said Julian. "If we +lose, it will come out of our own pockets. Have you been anywhere near +this mine that we are going to work?" + +"What do you think of that, Pete?" exclaimed Banta. "He wants to know +if we have been near his mine. Not much! I'll bet there are two +hundred miners on Dutch Flat this minute, and not one of them has ever +seen that mine. They have heard about it, they know there is plenty +of gold up there, but nobody has ever been near it. The last two that +went up there came away so badly frightened that they packed up and +left the country so quick that you could not see them for the dust +they kicked up along the trail. They saw something down there in the +pit, and it took all the pluck out of them." + +"What did they see?" asked Julian. + +"Well, perhaps I was a little too fast in saying that they saw +something," said Banta. "They heard something, and that was as good as +though they had seen it. It first began with a scurrying on the +ground, as if somebody was hurrying over it. Where it came from nobody +knew; it seemed to fill the air all around them. Before they had time +to get frightened at this there was a shriek that made it appear as if +the pit was full of unearthly spirits, and then all was still; but the +fellows had heard enough. The man down below yelled to his partner to +pull him up, and when he found himself safe on top he laid down on the +ground and swore he would never go down there again. Oh, you boys +have something to face, if you are going up there!" + +"Could not the sound they heard have been occasioned by bats that had +been disturbed while trying to take a rest?" asked Julian. "He had a +light, of course." + +"Bats!" exclaimed Banta, with deep disgust; "it was a great deal +larger than bats. And he could have seen them if he had a light, could +he not?" + +"And, besides, bats don't shriek that way," said a miner who had not +spoken before. "There used to be a miner who was working that pit +along with Winkleman----" + +"You hold your yawp," exclaimed Banta, fiercely; "I am telling the +boys nothing but facts. I want them to know just what they have to +face. I don't go into any of this cock-and-bull story about a dead +miner. If that man died up there, and was buried, he's there yet, and +he can't come out to work in the pit any more." + +"What about him?" asked Julian. "We want to know everything connected +with the mine, then we will be prepared for anything." + +"But this thing is not connected with the mine," said Banta; "it is +some sort of a story the miners have, and there is not a word of truth +in it. They tell about a miner being seen there by everyone who goes +down, and when you try to get up to him, he is not there. He goes +farther and farther away every time you approach him." + +"We have heard that story before," said Julian, with a smile; "Mr. Fay +knows all about it." + +"Then of course you don't believe it. I have told you the truth about +the mine, and now you can go up with me next spring or stay away, just +as you have a mind to." + +"Oh, we will go with you," said Julian. "I never was interested in any +property yet that I was afraid to work just on account of some things +you could not see. When we bid you good-bye at Dutch Flat we shall +know what there is in that mine before we come back." + +"I like your pluck," said Banta; and the look of admiration he +bestowed upon Julian more than confirmed his words. "If you live up +to that, I hope you will get some gold." + +"They say that gold is plenty up there," said another miner. "They say +it is lying around under your feet." + +"And you never went there to get it!" exclaimed Julian with surprise. + +"It isn't as thick as that," said Banta. "Probably every bucketful you +send up to be washed will yield you from ten to fifty dollars. You +will get rich at that rate." + +"Well, I guess we have troubled you long enough," said Julian, rising +to his feet. "We are really obliged to you, Mr. Banta, for offering to +take charge of us, although we are nothing but tenderfeet. There are +no Indians out there, are there?" + +"Indians!--no; and if there were some on the warpath, we have miners +enough up there to make them hunt their holes." + +"I am glad of that; we don't want anything to do with those savages, +after what we have read about them. We will see you again, Mr. Banta." + +"Do so, and the next time I will tell you what things you want to +buy, to make your enterprise successful. Good-morning." + +"There's two boys that have gone plumb crazy," said one of the miners, +after the door had closed upon Julian and Jack. "I wonder how they got +that mine, in the first place?" + +"The boys are bound to get gold there, if they can stick it out," said +another. "One of the men who came down from there showed me a piece of +metal as big as a marble, which he had picked up on the bottom of that +pit; but the trouble is, can they stick it out?" + +"I believe _they_ will," said Banta, settling down in his chair once +more. "That boy who did most of the talking is one who has plenty of +'sand' to see him through. After they get fairly settled, I believe +I'll go up and see how they are getting along." + +"Then you will go without me," said Pete; "I am as close to that mine +as I want to be." + +"Well, Jack," said Julian, as he buttoned his coat, "what do you think +of our mine? Shall we go up and try it? The miners all think there is +gold up there." + +"We will have plenty of time to talk about that between this time and +spring," returned Jack. "Mr. Haberstro may come up before we get ready +to start, and demand his money." + +"I have no fears on that score," replied Julian. "Did not the lawyer +say that he did not look for that? But, Jack, I really believe you are +afraid of that mine." + +"You need not be. When we get up there, and get things fixed, I will +be the first to go into it." + +"All right. I'll stand back and let you. Now, Jack, what are we going +to do this winter? We can't sit around all the time without something +to occupy our minds." + +"I have been thinking about that. Let us call on Mr. Fay, and see what +he says." + +Julian thought this a piece of advice worth acting upon, and they bent +their steps toward Mr. Fay's office, where they found him seated, as +before, with his feet on the desk in front of him. When he saw who his +visitors were, he jumped up hastily and seized each of them by the arm +with a firm grip. + +"Oh, boys, you surely haven't made up your minds to go up to that +mine next spring, have you?" he asked, almost in a whisper. + +"Why, yes, sir," said Julian, somewhat surprised by the man's actions. +"I reckon it is ours, and we want to see what gold is to be found in +it." + +"But think of the ghosts you will have to contend with," said Mr. Fay. +"You will hear scurrying of feet--What was that?" he continued, +looking toward a distant part of his office and pulling the boys +around in front of him. "I am certain there is a ghost there." + +Julian and Jack began to see into the matter now. The man was so full +of his fun that he could not keep it in under any circumstances, and +it had come to the surface when he saw the boys come into his office. +Perhaps a lingering smile around his mouth had something to do with +it. + +"I don't believe you heard any ghost there," said Julian; "they are so +busy up there at the mine that they have no time to come down here to +trouble you." + +"All right, boys; sit down. What did Banta say the spirits looked +like?" + +Julian replied that he could not tell, for he had not seen them; and +with this as an introduction he went on and repeated the miner's +conversation as nearly as he could recall it. Mr. Fay listened, highly +amused, and when Julian ceased speaking he said, + +"If you can see them, what's the use of your being afraid? And as for +that phantom miner, that happened a long ways from here. I ought to be +kicked for trying to frighten you." + +"It will take something more than that to scare us out," said Julian. +"Now, Mr. Fay, we want to ask your advice." + +"I am ready to give it. Do you want to invest some property in a +gold-mine?" + +No; Julian assured him that it had no reference to their property, +which was not theirs yet until the court had passed upon it, but it +was in regard to their going to school in order to learn something. +Mr. Fay was all attention now, and when Julian spoke of joining some +mercantile academy, he slapped his hands down upon his knees as if +that was the best thing the boys could do. + +"I have no fears that your money will not prove useful to you," said +he; "the idea of your wanting to go to school is a big feather in your +caps. Some young men, with such an amount of money as you have coming +to you, would loaf around and do nothing until their funds were all +gone; but you don't act that way. Believe me, there is an end to that +hundred thousand dollars somewhere." + +"That is just what the president of the bank told us when we called +upon him," said Julian. "We have worked so hard for the little money +we have that we intend to take care of it. But, Mr. Fay, we don't +believe that Mr. Gibson did right in giving us these funds." + +"What's the reason you don't?" + +"Why, he said he would have to get word from the court before all the +property could be turned over to us--" + +"Oh, that's all right; Mr. Gibson knew what he was doing. You will +find it all right when the Judge hears the case. Now, do you know +where the business college is situated?" + +Julian was not so sure about that, but he received certain +instructions from Mr. Fay that made him think he could find it; so the +boys put on their caps and went out. + + + + +CHAPTER XIX. + +GOING TO SCHOOL. + + +"Is the boss mechanic anywhere about?" asked Jack, who chanced to be +the first who entered the college when they found it. + +They had opened a door, and found themselves in one of the study-rooms +of the school. There were fifty men and women there, all interested +with their books, and the best of order prevailed. A young man, whose +seat was near the door, on seeing that the boys were strangers, had +arisen and asked them what he could do for them. + +"The boss mechanic?" he repeated, in a surprised tone. + +"He means the man who is at the head of this institution," said +Julian. We want to see him for a few minutes, if you please." + +"Oh, yes," said the young man, as he gave Jack a looking over. "I +guess you have worked at manual labor all your life." + +"Yes, I have," replied Jack; "I have done nothing but lift heavy iron +for a good many years, and now I want to find an easier way of making +a living." + +"You have come to the right place to find it. Step this way." + +The student led the way around the room, passing close to the +scholars, some of whom merely glanced up, others paying not the least +attention to them, until he opened a door and ushered them into a +private office. He introduced the boys as persons who had come there +to see the "boss mechanic," and then went out; while a pleasant-faced, +elderly gentleman replied that he was the "boss mechanic" of that +school, and asked them what they wanted. Jack, who had made a blunder +by the first question he asked, remained silent, leaving Julian to do +all the talking. + +"We want to get an education," said Julian. + +"Well, that is what this school can give you," said the man. "What do +you want to study?" + +"Stenography and type-writing." + +"And you?" he added, turning to Jack. + +"Bookkeeping and writing; I write a fearful hand." + +The superintendent, having made a start with the boys, invited them to +sit down, and in a few minutes he learned something of the boys' +history, and what occupation they had been engaged in previous to +coming to Denver. Without telling him anything of their circumstances, +they chanced to mention the names of Mr. Fay and Mr. Gibson, and after +that Julian thought he seemed to take more interest in them. After a +little conversation the boys pulled out their roll of bills and paid +for six months' instruction and the books they would need, and then +arose to go, after telling him they would be on hand in the morning, +ready to go to work. + +"I'll tell you what's a fact," said Jack, pausing on the stairs and +pulling out his diminished roll of bills; "we will have to go to the +bank and get some more money, the first thing you know." + +"That is so," replied Julian. "And I have just thought of another +thing. Did you see how neatly all those students were dressed? I am +going to draw two hundred dollars--" + +"Man alive!" said Jack, appalled by the sum mentioned. "Suppose Mr. +Haberstro comes up--" + +"I don't bother my head about him. We will go and get some money, and +then we will go to a tailor's and get some clothes worth having. If +Mr. Haberstro is going to appear, Mr. Gibson will show us the way +out." + +Jack was not convinced by any means, but he kept close by Julian's +side until he reached the bank. Julian made out the check for him and +he signed his name, and the money was paid to each of them without a +word of protest. Jack felt a little uneasy after that. He did not like +to have so much money about him. He carried his left hand in the +pocket where he had placed the bills, and looked at every +roughly-dressed man he met, as if he were afraid that somebody would +rob him. + +"I don't feel exactly right," said he to Julian. "As soon as we get +home I'll put this money in my trunk, and then I know it will be +safe." + +"Don't keep your hand on it all the while, or you will lead somebody +to suspect something," said Julian. "Now, here is a tailor shop; let +us go in and see what we can do." + +Jack fairly gasped when Julian said he wanted the finest suit of +clothes there was in the store. He wanted two suits--one for every day +and one for Sundays. Of course the merchant was eager to show them to +him, and the result was that he ordered the best suits he had ever had +in his life. Jack did not believe in expensive clothes, but Julian +urged it upon him, telling him that he would look as though he came +from the country among all those nicely-dressed students, and Jack +finally yielded to him. + +"That's the worst expenditure of money that I was ever guilty of," +said he, when they were fairly on the street. + +"Grumbling again, are you?" was Julian's comment. "Never mind; you +will get used to it after a while." + +The next thing the boys had in view was to join the Young Men's +Christian Association, so that they could get some books to take home +with them; and when that was done they considered themselves settled +for the winter. They went to school the next day, and from that time +until spring opened they never missed a lesson. Jack was rather +awkward at first. The hands which had been in the habit of lifting +heavy bars of iron could not accommodate themselves to a pen very +readily; and oftentimes, when Julian sat in his room, of nights, +reading, Jack was there learning to write. No two boys ever behaved +themselves better than they did, and it was not long before they +became favorites, both with the boarders and others who came there to +visit. Jack soon got used to his fine clothes, and wore them as if he +had been accustomed to them all his life. They took an evening now and +then to call upon Mr. Banta, and they always found him as talkative as +ever. Sometimes they became so interested in his tales of life in the +gold-camps that it was ten o'clock before they returned home. Mr. Fay +and Mr. Gibson also came in for visits occasionally, and once the +latter took out a bundle of papers, which he handed to Julian. + +"What are these?" he asked. + +"They are your property," said the lawyer. "You can keep the papers +yourself, or you can let me keep them, and I will put them in my till +in the bank." + +"Do you mean that all comes to us?" inquired Julian, while a thrill +shot all through him. + +"Yes, sir; the court decided so a week ago." + +"Jack," said Julian, turning to his companion, "are you sorry, now, +that I went to the express office and invested in that 'old horse'?" + +Jack could not say anything. He remembered how he had scolded Julian +for that, and he did not want it thrown up to him so often. Julian +then went on and told Mr. Gibson what had happened in their room the +night he brought the "old horse" home, and the lawyer laughed loudly +at his description of it. + +"Mr. Gibson, we really wish you would take charge of this matter for +us," said Julian. "You hope so, too--don't you, Jack?" + +"Of course; we don't know what to do with it." + +And so the matter was settled, and the boys breathed a good deal +easier while they were on their way home. There was one thing that +often came into their minds, and that was, What had become of Claus +and Casper Nevins? Had they given up all hopes of gaining possession +of that hundred thousand dollars? Jack scouted the idea. Casper might +have given it up, but Claus would stick to his idea until he got into +jail by it. He was not a man who gave up so easily. It is true they +had not seen anything of him since they came to Denver, but Jack was +sure they would hear from him at some other time. + +"You will see," exclaimed Jack, when he confided his opinions to +Julian. "You want to be on the watch, or the first thing you know he +will jump down on us." + +"I guess Mr. Gibson can shut him up very easily," said Julian. + +"Yes; but it may happen when Mr. Gibson is not around." + +"Eh? Do you mean that he will come down on us while we are up at the +mine?" + +"Such things as that have happened. When you see a German you want to +look out." + +Things went along in Denver as they usually did, and when winter +fairly opened on them the boys thought they had never experienced such +cold weather before. But it did not interfere with their business in +any way. It was not long before Mr. Banta began to talk to them about +the things that would be necessary for them to have if they were going +to operate their mine successfully, and the boys had a lengthy list of +things they would have to buy. They thought they could get along +without some of them, but Banta assured them that everything they had +down would be of use to them sooner or later. As time wore on, the +prospect of leaving Denver and going off to the mountains alone, where +they were destined to encounter some risks that they did not know +whether they could stand up against or not, made the boys silent and +thoughtful. In Denver they had friends--they were sure of that; but +when they got out to their mine they would be left all to themselves, +and Julian and Jack did not know what they would make of it. Jack had +less to say about it than his companion, but it was plain enough to +see that he was not going to back out. + +"I tell you I hate to go away and leave all the kind friends we have +gathered about us," said Julian, as they left Salisbury's hotel after +Mr. Banta had told them that by two weeks from Monday they must be on +hand bright and early, all ready to start for the mountains. "I wish I +knew what was in that mine." + +"So do I; and the only way we can find out is to go and see," replied +Jack. "I don't believe in ghosts, but I have heard so much about the +things up there in that mine that I am almost ready to give in to +them." + +There was another thing that Jack thought of, although he did not +mention it. Julian had always been one of the first to talk about +going to the mine, and he was ready to accuse Jack of cowardice; but +when the time for their departure drew near, Julian did not open his +mouth. Jack thought of that, but said nothing. + +Mr. Banta told them, finally, that they had better go to work and get +their things ready, and they set about it in earnest. The first thing +they did was to take leave of the students at the college. The boys +were all sorry to see them go, and the superintendent said he hoped +Julian and Jack had given up the idea of a gold-mine, for they were +getting on so rapidly in their studies that he trusted to see them +complete the course. He predicted they would come back poorer than +when they went away. He had heard of such things before; and, after +the young men had eaten up all their provisions, they would be glad to +find somebody to grub-stake them back to Denver. + +"You will see us back here in the fall," said Julian, confidently. "We +are not going to give up our chances of learning something." + +"But you may meet your death up there," said the superintendent. "I +have often heard of such things." + +"I was awfully afraid you were going to say something about the ghosts +in our gold-mine," said Jack, as they went down the stairs. "You +looked at me several times as though you wanted to say something about +it." + +"It was right on the end of my tongue," said Julian, "but I thought I +had better keep still about it. If we should come back here before +fall, they would say right away that we had been frightened out and +dared not go back." + +Mr. Banta was busy getting his own things together, but he found time +now and then to overlook the boys' expenditures. Under his +instructions they bought three horses,--two of them for riding, the +other intended as a pack-horse to carry their utensils,--and then he +led the boys away to a gun-shop, where they were to purchase rifles. + +"Look here, Mr. Banta," said Julian; "we don't need anything in here. +We have got a revolver apiece, and, if the truth must be told, we have +spent a good deal of time in practicing with them." + +"What good will a revolver do you?" asked Banta, greatly surprised. +"If we chance to meet any Indians----" + +"But you told us there were no Indians," said Julian. "We don't want +to shoot at anybody unless they are close at hand. Maybe they will +come in handy on the ghosts, you know." + +"Well, you don't know anything about the plains--I can see that, plain +enough. If you think revolvers are going to do you, why, I am done +with you." + +"Then we have purchased everything we want, have we?" + +"I think so. Be on hand on Monday morning, because we shall be off +before the sun gets an hour high." + +The boys drew a long breath when they heard this. If they had not +talked so much about visiting their mine it is probable that both of +them would have backed squarely out. + + + + +CHAPTER XX. + +WATERSPOUTS AND BLIZZARDS. + + +"Hi! Nellie; get on, there! Strike a trot! We won't get to the +mountains in seven years, at this gait." + +It was Mr. Banta who spoke, and he emphasized his remarks by making +the whip he carried in his hand crack loudly. The old, white bell-mare +pricked up her ears and slowly quickened her pace, closely followed by +all the pack-mules and horses belonging to the train. + +"That old pack-mare knows where we are going as well as we do," said +Banta, squaring around and throwing his leg over the horn of his +saddle so that he could face the two boys whom he was addressing. "She +has been up here so often that she knows every foot of the way. If we +get hard up for deer meat, all we have to do is to take her bell off, +and then we can go twenty miles out on the prairie, and she will +bring us back home again. You can't get lost if you are on her." + +"Why do you take the bell off when you want to go hunting with the +mare?" asked Julian of Mr. Banta, who, by reason of his age and +experience, acted as leader of the company. "Does the noise of the +bell frighten the game?" + +"That is one reason," replied Banta; "and the other is, we don't want +all the pack-mules and horses to follow us. Wherever they hear the +bell, they will go to it. If we were on the other side of a wide +river, even though it was swimming-deep, and some of these mules don't +like water any too well, and should sound that bell a few times, they +would all come over. If anything should happen to that old bell-mare, +and she should die, we'd send a man on with that bell, and the mules +would follow him wherever he went." + +It was Monday morning, and the sun was just rising. The cavalcade had +been on its way for two hours, for they left the hotel, amid wishes +for good luck from all who saw them go, at the first peep of day. They +went directly past the hotel at which Julian and Jack had stopped to +eat dinner when they first came there, and were now alone in the +foothills which arose on all sides of them. There were at least a +dozen miners in the company, and they had all set out for Dutch Flat +in the hope of digging up a fortune before the winter's storms +overtook them. Julian and Jack were there, dressed in rough miners' +clothing, and the horse which bore their provisions and tools was with +the others who were following the bell-mare. + +Anybody could see at a glance that these boys were tenderfeet, and +they did not attempt to deny it. Every other miner had a heavy +Winchester slung at his back, while the only firearms the boys +exhibited were Smith & Wesson revolvers, which they carried strapped +to their waists. They did not look forward to the future with as brave +hearts as most of the miners did. They could not get the idea out of +their minds that the gold they wanted to find was protected by +something which they did not want to see. The miners now and then cast +curious looks at them, to see if they were not afraid of the prospect +before them, but finally came to the conclusion that the boys were +"going through with it." The miners were happy, and sang rude songs +and cracked jokes with each other; but the boys were busy with their +own thoughts, and took no part in what was going on around them. + +"And I don't blame them, either," said one miner, in a low voice, to +his companion. "I wouldn't take any part in the singing if I were in +their place. They are brave enough now, but wait until they have been +up to that mine about two days; then we will see them at our camp, +frightened to death." + +"Banta has rather taken them under his care, judging by the way he +keeps watch over them," said the other miner. + +"Yes; he was made acquainted with them by some high man in Denver, and +so he keeps an eye on them. But he can't go up to their mine with +them. More than that, those ghosts will not stop for him or anybody +else." + +Julian and Jack were not accustomed to being in the saddle from +daylight until dark, and the ride was long and wearisome to them. +They stopped at noon to eat their lunch and to let their animals crop +the grass for a few minutes; but their packs were never removed from +them until they halted for the night at a place which showed that +there had been a camp before. Lean-to's were scattered around, partly +unroofed by the storms of winter, and remnants of fires were to be +seen; and Banta said that no one had been there since he and his party +made the camp last fall. + +"We made this camp while we were going down to the city," said he. "It +was raining when we stopped here, and that accounts for the lean-to's. +We had a waterspout that night, this little stream was filled twenty +feet deep, and some of us began to look wild." + +"A waterspout?" queried Jack. "What is that?" + +"Why, I don't know that I can describe it so that you can understand +it," answered Banta, scratching his head. "It is caused by the large +quantity of water that sometimes falls among the hills up-country, and +when it all rushes into these ravines--well, you can imagine how it +looks, but I cannot describe it. This stream has not much water in it +now--you can step across it anywhere; but I have seen it bank full +from rains in the up-country, while there was not a drop of it fell +here. I remember that night. I was sound asleep in a lean-to. I had +told the boys that before morning we would have to get farther up the +bank or run the risk of having some of our things carried off, and +about midnight I awoke with a feeling that there was something going +on. You don't know anything about that, do you? Well, you wait until +you have acted as guide for two or three mule-trains, and then you'll +know it. Everything depends upon you to see that the train comes out +all right. + +"I could not go to sleep again when once I woke up, and so I arose and +went out. It was still raining heavily, but the brook didn't show much +sign of it. I placed myself on the edge of the bank, and hardly had I +got there before a long, creamy wave, which extended clear across this +gully, crept with a hissing sound across the sand and rocks. +Following with equal speed, and about a hundred feet behind it, was +another wave, an unbroken mass of water at least five feet in height. +It was not rounded into a wave, as at sea or on the lakes, but rose +sheer and straight, a perfect wall of water. I knew that in five +minutes this little creek would be brim full, so I raised a yell and +awoke everybody in camp. The men I had with me were all veterans, and +there was no need that I should explain matters. They took just one +look at the water, and then grabbed their things and made a rush for +the high bank behind the lean-to's. After placing them where they +would be safe, they came back and made a rush for the horses. Pete, +there, caught the bell-mare, and by dint of pulling and boosting we +finally got them to that level spot you see up there." + +Mr. Banta pointed to the bank, which seemed almost as straight as the +side of a house, and the boys looked on with perfect astonishment. + +"How in the world did you get the mules and horses up there?" inquired +Julian. + +"A man can do a heap of things when he is working for his life and for +things that he can't afford to lose," said Banta, with a laugh. "Pete +has a heap of strength in those arms of his, and when I get hold of a +mule's tail and begin to twist it, he goes somewhere as soon as he +can. We got them up easy enough, and there we stayed for two whole +days, until the water had all passed away. We didn't lose so much as a +pound of bacon. But if I had been asleep, like the rest of the fellows +were, we would have had a time of it; somebody would have had to swim +for his life, and the current ran like lightning, too." + +"I did not know you had to look out for water on the plains," remarked +Julian. "Is there anything you don't stand in fear of out here? You +see, we want to know it all." + +"Well, a waterspout is one thing, and a blizzard is the next," said +Banta. "I mean a blizzard where the clouds send down chunks of ice at +you as big as your fist. Oh, you needn't laugh. Look at that." + +Banta stripped up his leggings, and showed the boys a long, ragged +scar which he had received in one of the commotions of nature +referred to. The wound must have been a dangerous one. + +"And the worst of it was, I did not have a doctor look at it for two +weeks," Banta went on. "You see, I was out alone, and making the best +track I could for the fort. The sky had all along been hazy, and on +this day I had to go across the Twenty-mile desert, where there was +not a willow-twig big enough for me to get under. When I was about +half-way over it began to rain, and in less than an hour afterward the +blizzard came a-ripping. My horse and mule were made so frantic by the +pelting of the ice that I finally let them go; but before I released +the horse I took my knife and cut the saddle and blankets off him. +What did I do that for? Because I was too cold to use my fingers. I +settled down there on the prairie, put the saddle and blankets over my +head, and waited for the storm to cease; but before I did that, there +came a big bunch of ice and struck me on the leg. I never had anything +hurt so bad in my life." + +"How long did you have to stay there?" asked Jack. "I hear that some +of these storms last two or three days." + +"This one lasted one day, and I was glad to see the ice quit dropping. +I was thirty miles from the fort, and I'll bet I didn't do two miles +of walking in all that distance. I left everything except my weapons +and crawled all the way. This is the saddle, right here." + +"I should keep that for the good it had done," said Julian. "Your +saddle probably saved your life." + +"It will stay with me while I live," said Banta, casting an +affectionate look upon the article in question. "Now, boys, suppose +you get ready and chop some wood and start the fire. I'll take the +things off the animals and straighten up the lean-to. You boys don't +know how to make a lean-to, do you? If you take a good look at this +one, you will see how it is done." + +There was one satisfaction the boys had in listening to Mr. Banta's +stories--they were true, every word of them. If any of the "boys" +tried to make things different from what they were, Banta always shut +them up. That was the reason the boys thought so much of him, and +anything he had to say in regard to working their mine was always +listened to with the keenest interest. + +The change that a few experienced men made in that deserted camp in a +short time was wonderful. Every stroke of the axe counted for +something, and every step the men made to and from the places they had +chosen to make their beds seemed to count for something else; so that +by the time Julian and Jack had cut wood enough to last them all night +the lean-to's were covered with fresh boughs, those who did not choose +to sleep under shelter had their beds made up under the protecting +branches of trees, the animals were staked out, and two of the cooks +were busy getting supper. It was all done without the least commotion, +for each man knew what his duty was. + +"If a rain-storm was coming up you couldn't have made this camp +quicker," said Julian. "It beats the world how soon men can get ready +for the night." + +"Yes, but that comes from experience, you know," said Banta. "Do you +know that I have been thinking of something? When we get up to Dutch +Flat, and you get ready to go up to your mine, I believe I will go +with you." + +"That's the best piece of news I have heard for a long time," declared +Julian, who was delighted beyond measure. "We don't ask you to go down +in the mine, you understand, but if you will just stay there until we +get things fixed you will confer a great favor upon us." + +"Yes, I guess I had better see to your wants a little," said Banta. +"You are tenderfeet, you have never lived alone in the mountains, and +perhaps I can tip you a wink now and then that will be of use to you. +You will need the mine cleared away--it has all grown up to grass by +this time--and you will need a windlass and a lean-to; and maybe I can +be of assistance." + +"I know you can; and of great assistance, too. I tell you, I feel +easier. I have often wondered how that mine looked, and how we were +going to get it in shape to work it, but I don't worry about it now. +We are much obliged to you for your offer." + +"Oh, that's all right. I remember that I was a boy myself, and any +such little help as I have offered you would have been a regular +blessing to me. Now let us go and see if supper is ready." + +Supper was almost ready, and the neat manner in which it was served +up, and the way it was cooked, told the boys that if the miners could +always get such food as that, they could work their claims to the best +possible advantage. + +"Can we help you a little?" said Julian to one of the cooks after the +meal was over and the man began gathering up the dishes. + +"What a-doing?" asked the cook. + +"We want to help you wash the dishes," said Julian. + +"Why, bless you, that's no trouble. There is only one way you can help +us, and that is by sitting by and looking on. I never yet saw a +tenderfoot that didn't get in the way. You will have enough of it to +do when you get up to that ghost-haunted mine of yours and have to +cook your own meals. You had better take my advice," said the cook, in +a lower tone, "and stay down on Dutch Flat with us. There are no +spirits down there." + +"But it is ours, and I don't see why we can't work it," replied +Julian. "If there is anybody there, we will make him show himself." + +"You will see," said the cook, going to the camp-fire for a bucket of +water. "The next time we see you, you will be all ready to go back to +Denver." + +The cook struck up a whistle as he began washing the dishes, and the +boys, taking this as a gentle hint that he would rather be alone, +walked off to another fire which had been kindled in the upper end of +the camp. All the miners were gathered about there, and each one of +them had a story to tell about some wonderful "find" which he had +almost struck, and then ceased digging because he was discouraged by +the way the gold "showed up." Banta was there, and after relating +three or four stories of his own, he began to stretch and yawn as +though he were sleepy, and finally arose and went into his lean-to. +The boys followed him, hoping he would say something more about going +up to their mine with them; but he talked on other topics until he got +into bed, and then he became silent. He had already decided what he +would do when they reached Dutch Flat, and there the matter ended. + + + + +CHAPTER XXI. + +THE CAMP AT DUTCH FLAT. + + +The boys slept as comfortably as if they had been at home in their +boarding-house. It is true their blankets were rather hard, and their +pillows were not as soft as they might have been, being simply their +saddles with nothing but the horse-blankets over them, but they never +knew a thing from the time they went to bed until they heard Mr. +Banta's voice roaring out "Catch up!" + +They found all in the camp busy. Some were raking the embers of the +fire together, others were getting ready to cook breakfast, but most +of them were engaged in packing the animals. This last was a task that +the boys always wanted to see, for the operation was so complicated +that they did not think they could ever learn how to do it. The mules +were blinded, in the first place, so that they could not kick when the +heavy pack was thrown upon their backs, and the man on the near side, +who seemed to "boss" the business, placed his foot against the mule's +side and called lustily for the rope which the other fellow held in +his hands. + +"You have more rope there, and I know it," was the way in which he +began the conversation. + +"Here you are," said his companion, and the rope was passed over the +pack to where the other fellow was waiting to receive it. + +"Come, let's have a little more rope," repeated the first man. + +"There's oceans of it here, and you can have all you want of it." + +"Are you all fast there?" + +"I will be in a minute. Here's your end." + +"All fast here. Now let us see him kick it off," said the first man; +whereupon a dexterous twist tore off the blinders, and the mule was +free to go and join his companions. It was all done in two minutes, +and the pack was safe to last until the train halted for the night. + +"Come on, boys," said Mr. Banta, turning to Julian and Jack, who +stood, with towel and soap in their hands, watching the operation of +packing the animals. "You must get around livelier than this. When you +get to digging out gold by the bucketful you won't wait to wash your +faces or get breakfast; you'll be down in that mine before the sun is +up." + +"Are we not going to eat at all?" asked Julian, who was amused at the +man's way of telling them that they would be so anxious to find the +gold that they would not spend time to cook their meals. + +"Yes, I suppose you will have to eat sometimes, but you will hold your +grub in one hand and use the spade with the other." + +The miners were in a hurry, now, to resume their journey, and it took +them about half as long to eat breakfast as they devoted to their +supper. Five minutes was about the time they applied themselves to +their meal, and when Mr. Banta arose from his seat on the ground and +drew his hairy hand across his mouth to brush away the drops of coffee +that clung to his mustache the miners all arose, too. In less time +than it takes to tell it they were all in their saddles and under +way, and when they stopped again for the night they were in a camp +which they had occupied on the way down to Denver. Mr. Banta was as +talkative as usual, and when he had got his pipe going, and had taken +three or four puffs to make sure that it was well started, he began +his round of stories, which the boys were always ready to listen to. + +They were all of a week in making their journey; and about three +o'clock in the afternoon, when the old bell-mare struck a trot, Mr. +Banta turned to Jack and gave him a poke with his finger. + +"We are almost home," said he, joyfully. "I don't suppose this will +seem like home to you, but it does to me, for it is the only home I +have." + +"Do you never get tired of this business?" asked Julian. "I should +think you would like to go back to the States, where you belong." + +"How do you know that I belong in the States?" asked Mr. Banta. + +"I judge by your way of talking, as much as anything. You were not +raised in this country--I am certain of it." + +"Well, I will go back when I get enough." + +"How much do you call enough?" + +"Half a million dollars." + +Julian and Jack opened their eyes and looked surprised. + +"I've got three hundred thousand now in the bank at Denver." + +"Then you are not so badly off, after all. I think I could live on the +interest of that much." + +"There are some objections to my going back," said Mr. Banta, looking +off toward the distant mountains. "When I get back there I will have +to settle down to a humdrum life, and there won't be nothing at all to +get up a little excitement. Here the thing is different. We live here, +taking gold in paying quantities all the time, and the first thing we +know we hear of some new placers, which have been found somewhere +else, that make a man rich as fast as he can stick a shovel into the +ground. Of course we pack up and go off to find the new placers. We +have a muss or two with some outlaws, and when we get rid of them we +go to work and find out that there is nothing there." + +"Then you wish yourself back at Dutch Flat," said Jack. + +"That's the way it happens, oftentimes. It is the excitement that +keeps us a-going. Now, in the States I would not have any of that." + +"Did you find many outlaws in this country when you first came here?" + +"They were thicker than flies around a molasses barrel," answered Mr. +Banta. "But we have got rid of them all, and your life is just as safe +here as it would be in St. Louis. Whenever we go to a new country, the +outlaws are the first things we look out for. There's the camp, all +right and tight, just as we left it." + +The camp covered a good stretch of ground; but then Mr. Banta had not +told them that there were fully two hundred miners in it, and of +course such a multitude of men, where nobody owned the land, would +spread over a good deal of territory. The boys had a fine opportunity +to take a survey of the first mining camp they had ever seen. They +were surprised at the neatness of it. Things in the shape of old +bottles or tin cans were not scattered around where somebody would +stumble over them, but such articles were thrown into a ravine behind +the camp, out of sight. The most of the miners had erected little log +cabins to protect them from the storms of winter, and the others had +comfortable lean-to's which served the same purpose. Most of the men +were busy with their mines, but there were three or four of them +loafing about, and when the noise made by the pack-animals saluted +their ears they turned to see who was coming. One glance was enough; +they pulled off their hats and waved them by way of welcome. + +"Well, if here ain't Banta!" they all exclaimed in a breath. "Did you +drop your roll down at Denver and come back to get more?" + +"Nary a time," replied Mr. Banta, emphatically. "We got just what we +could eat and drink, and that is all the money we spent. Who has +passed in his checks since I have been gone?" + +(This was a miner's way of asking "Who's dead?") + +"None of the boys who are here shovelling for gold," said the man, +coming forward to shake hands with Mr. Banta, "but those four outlaws +who came up here from Denver to deal out some whiskey and start a faro +bank could tell a different story, if they were here." + +"They did not get a foothold here, did they?" asked Mr. Banta. + +"I'll bet they didn't. We hardly gave them time to unpack their goods +before we jumped on them and spilled their traps on the ground. One of +the bums grew huffy at that, and he took a wounded arm down for the +doctor to bandage up." + +"Have any of the boys made their pile?" + +"Some have, and some have not. Tommy Moran has struck a vein with +sixty thousand dollars in it, and has been loafing around for the last +two months, doing nothing. He went out to-day to see if he can get +some more. He wants to go home, now." + +"I should not think he would like to travel between here and Denver +with that amount of money about him," said Mr. Banta. + +"Well, there will be plenty more to join in with him when he is ready +to go. The discouraged ones number a heap. The sign looks right, but +the paying-stuff don't pan out first-rate. Some are going home, and +the rest are going off to hunt up new diggings." + +Having briefly got at the news of what had been going on at the camp +while he had been away, Mr. Banta led the way toward his own log +cabin, which was fastened up just as it was when he left it. There was +one bed, made of rough boards, an abundance of dishes, a fireplace, +and one or two chairs, and that was all the furniture to be seen. But +Mr. Banta thought his cabin just about right. + +"It don't matter how hard it rains or blows, this little house has +sheltered me for a year, and has got to do so until my vein gives out. +Now, boys, catch the pack-animals and turn them over to me, and I'll +soon make things look as though somebody lived here." + +Julian and Jack managed to secure the pack-animals by catching the +bell-mare and leading her up to the door of the cabin, and it was not +long before the bundles which they had borne for two hundred miles +were placed on the ground, and Mr. Banta was engaged in carrying the +things into his house. He unpacked all the bundles except the one that +belonged to the boys, and that would not be opened until they reached +their mine. + +"Are you fellows decided on that matter yet?" he asked. "Had you not +better stay with us here on the Flat? We will promise you that no +spooks will trouble you here." + +"The more you talk about that mine, the more determined we are to see +what is in it," answered Jack. "You need not think you can scare us +out in that way." + +"I like your pluck, and if you are determined to go there, why, I am +going with you. It is only five miles, and we can easily ride over +there in two hours." + +"Where is it you are going?" asked one of the miners, who stood in the +doorway unobserved. + +"You know that haunted mine, don't you?" + +"Great Moses! You ain't a-going up there!" said the man; and as he +spoke he came into the cabin and sat down in one of the chairs. + +"The boys are going there, and I thought I would go with them to see +them started," said Mr. Banta. "The mine is all grown up to grass, +because there hasn't been anybody up there for some time now." + +"No, I should say not!" exclaimed the miner, as soon as he had +recovered from his astonishment. "Are the boys plumb crazy? I tell +you, lads, when you see----" + +"Tony, shut your mouth!" cried Mr. Banta. "The boys won't see +anything, but they'll hear something that will take all the sand out +of them. I have talked to the boys many times about that mine, during +the past winter, but they have their heads set on it, and I don't see +any other way than to let them go." + +"Well, if we hear anything, there must be something that makes the +noise," asserted Julian. + +"It will be something that you can't see," said the miner, shaking his +head and looking thoughtfully at the ground. "Two fellows went up +there since I knew the mine, and when they got down to the bottom of +the pit they were so frightened that they came down here as fast as +they could and struck out for Denver. They were both big, stout men, +and were armed with Winchesters and revolvers. If they had seen what +made the noise, they would have been apt to shoot--wouldn't they?" + +"I should think they would," answered Jack. + +"Will you go down into the mine when you get there?" asked the man, +turning to Mr. Banta. + +"Not much, as anybody knows of," declared the latter, shivering all +over. "The ghosts don't bother anybody working at the top, so I shall +get along all right." + +"Well, that puts a different look on the matter," remarked Tony, +evidently much relieved. "Then I shall expect to see you back in two +or three days." + +"Yes, I'll be back by that time," asserted Mr. Banta; and he added to +himself, "if anything happens to the boys after that, why, I shall be +miles away." + +This was the first time that Mr. Banta had anything to say to the +miners about what he intended to do when he reached Dutch Flat, but it +was all over the camp in less than five minutes. The miner went slowly +and thoughtfully out of the cabin, as if he did not know whether it +was best to agree to his leader's proposition or not, and it was not +long before the men who were busy with things about their houses came +up in a body to inquire into the matter. They were filled with +astonishment; and, furthermore, they were anxious to see the boys who +were going to take their lives in their hands and go up to work that +pit, from which strong men had been frightened away. And it was so +when six o'clock arrived, and the men all came in to get their supper. +Some of the miners declared that it was not to be thought of, and some +said that if Mr. Banta was bound to go, they would go with him to see +that he came out all right. + +"You see what the miners think of this business," remarked Mr. Banta, +as he began preparations for their supper. "They think you are out of +your heads." + +"Well, you will not see anything of it, because you won't go into the +mine," said Jack. + +"You are mighty right I won't go into the mine," declared Mr. Banta, +looking furtively about the cabin, as if he expected to see something +advancing upon him. "We will go up there and put the pit all right, +and then you will have to work it." + +"I wonder if there is any gold up there?" asked Julian. + +"There is more gold up there than you can see in Dutch Flat in a +year's steady digging. The men who have been down in the mine say so." + +"Well, when we come back you may expect to see us rich," said Julian, +compressing his lips. "And you may be sure that the spooks won't drive +us out, either." + +This was all that was said on the subject--that is, by those in the +cabin; but when the men had eaten their suppers they all crowded into +it, and the stories that would have been told of ghosts interfering +with miners who tried to take away their precious belongings would +have tested the boys' courage; but Mr. Banta did not allow them to go +on. + +"As I told these boys down at Denver, I am telling them nothing but +facts in regard to this mine, and I want you to do the same," said he. +"Don't draw on your imagination at all." + +Before the miners returned to their cabins, it came about that the +boys were going to have a small army go with them on the morrow. At +least a dozen miners declaimed their readiness to go with Banta "and +see him through," and Banta did not object. + +"The more, the merrier," said he, when they had been left alone and he +turned down his bedclothes. "Now, you boys can spread your blankets on +the floor in front of the fire and go to sleep; I will have you up at +the first peep of day." + + + + +CHAPTER XXII. + +THE HAUNTED MINE. + + +Mr. Banta kept his word the next morning, for the day was just +beginning to break when he rolled out on the floor and gave the order +to "Catch up." All the miners were astir soon afterward; but there was +no joking or laughing going on in the camp, as there usually was. The +men went silently about their work of cooking breakfast, or sat +smoking their pipes in front of the fire, for their thoughts were busy +with that mine up in the mountains. Even the talkative Mr. Banta had +nothing to say. He seemed to have run short of stories, all on a +sudden. + +"Say, Julian," remarked Jack, as they stood by the stream washing +their hands and faces, "why don't Banta talk to us the way he usually +does? I'll bet he is thinking about what is going to happen to us." + +"I was just thinking that way myself," replied Julian. "But we have +gone too far to back out; we have got to go on." + +"Of course we have. I wouldn't back out now for anything." + +Breakfast was cooked and eaten, and the same silence prevailed; and +that same silence did more to shake the boys' courage than all that +had been said against their mine. Mr. Banta answered their questions +in monosyllables, and when he had satisfied his appetite he put the +dishes away unwashed and went out to catch his horse. + +"Take hold of the bell-mare and lead her up the path," said he, +addressing the miners who were getting ready to accompany him. "We +have to take her and all the stock along, or the boys' pack-horse +won't budge an inch." + +The miners were talkative enough now, when they saw the boys getting +ready to start on their journey. They crowded around them, and each +one shook them by the hand. + +"Good-bye! kids," said one. "The next time I see you, you will be so +badly scared that you won't be able to tell what happened to you up +there; or, I sha'n't see you at all. I wish you all the good luck in +the world, but I know that will not amount to anything." + +"Do you think they can whip all these men?" asked Jack, running his +eye over the miners, who were getting on their horses and making ready +to go with Mr. Banta. + +"That ain't the thing; you won't see anybody; but the sounds you will +hear when you get fairly on the floor of that pit you will never want +to hear again." + +The bell-mare was caught and led along the path, the stock all +followed after her, and the miners brought up the rear. Then Mr. Banta +opened his mouth and proceeded to talk all the way to the mine. + +"You boys may come along here pretty sudden, some time, and if you +don't find Dutch Flat you will stray off into the mountains and get +lost; so I will just blaze the way for you." + +As Mr. Banta spoke he seized a handful of the branches of an evergreen +and pulled them partly off, so that they just hung by the bark. + +"Now, whenever you see that, you are on the right road," said he; "but +if you don't see it, you had better turn back and search for a blaze +until you find it." + +For once the boys did not pay much attention to Mr. Banta's stories, +for their minds were fully occupied with their own thoughts. At +last--it did not seem to them that they had ridden a mile--the man +with the bell-mare sung out "Here we are!" and led the way into a +smooth, grassy plain which seemed out of place there in the mountains, +and to which there did not appear to be any outlet except the one by +which they had entered it. It was surrounded by the loftiest peaks on +all sides except one, and there the plain was bounded by a precipitous +ravine which was so deep that the bottom could not be seen from the +top. Near the middle of the plain was a little brook, placed most +conveniently for "washing" their finds, which bubbled merrily over the +stones before it plunged into the abyss before spoken of; and close on +the other side were the ruins of the mine--a strong windlass, which +had hauled up fifty thousand dollars' worth of gold--and the rope that +was fast to the bucket, or rather to the fragments of it, for the +bucket itself had fallen to pieces from the effects of the weather, +and lay in ruins on the ground. Still farther away stood the +lean-to--firmly built, of course, but not strong enough to stand the +fury of the winter's storms. Taken altogether, a miner could not have +selected a more fitting camp, or one better calculated to banish all +symptoms of homesickness while they were pulling out the gold from the +earth below. Mr. Banta kept a close watch on the boys, and saw the +pleased expression that came upon their faces. + +"I know it looks splendid now, but it will not look so before long," +said he, with a knowing shake of his head. "Now, boys, let us get to +work. We want to get through here, so as to get back to Dutch Flat +to-night." + +The miners unsaddled their horses, grabbed their axes and spades, and +set in manfully to make the "mine all right," so that the boys could +go to work at it without delay. Some repaired the lean-to, others +laboriously cleared the mouth of the pit from the grass and brush +which had accumulated there, and still another brought from the boys' +pack the new bucket and rope which they expected would last just about +long enough for one of them to go down and up--and they were positive +that the boy would come up a great deal faster than he went down. The +boys did not find anything to do but to get dinner, and they were +rather proud of the skill with which the viands were served up. + +"I didn't know you boys could do cooking like this," said Mr. Banta, +as he seated himself on the grass and looked over the table--a blanket +spread out to serve in lieu of a cloth. "If the cooking was all you +had to contend with you could live like fighting-cocks as long as you +stay here." + +"We had hardly enough money to pay for a housekeeper while we were in +St. Louis, and so we had all this work to do ourselves," said Julian. +"You must give Jack the credit for this. We kept bachelor's hall while +we were at home. He cooked, and I swept out and helped wash the +dishes." + +"Now, boys," said Mr. Banta, after he had finished his pipe, "I guess +we have Julian and Jack all ready to go to work whenever they feel +like it. Look over your work, and see if there is anything you have +missed, and then we will go back to Dutch Flat. I tell you, I hate to +leave you up here in this sort of a way." + +"You need not be," said Jack. "If you will come up here in two weeks +from now, we will have some gold-dust to show you." + +Mr. Banta did not say anything discouraging, for he had already +exhausted all his powers in that direction. He inspected all the work, +to satisfy himself that it was properly done, and then gave the order +to "catch up." + +"Of course your stock will go back with us," said he. "You could not +keep them here away from that old bell-mare." + +"That was what we expected," said Julian; "we may be so badly +frightened that we won't think to bring our weapons with us." + +"I am not afraid to say that I'll risk that," said Mr. Banta, leaning +over to shake Julian by the hand. He told himself that the miner's +heart was in that shake. It was very different from the clasp of the +hand that he gave him when he was first introduced to him in Denver. +"Good-bye, Julian. That is all I can say to you." + +The other miners rode up to take leave of them, and all looked very +solemn. Some had a parting word to say, and some shook them by the +hand without saying anything, the man with the bell-mare led off, the +stock followed, the miners came last, and in two minutes more they +were alone. Julian sat down on the grass feeling lonely indeed, but +Jack jumped up and began to bestir himself. + +"Come on, boy--none of that!" said he, beginning to gather their few +dishes together. "We must get these things out of the way and I must +get ready to go into that mine." + +"Are you going down to-day?" asked Julian. The time had come at last. +For long months Julian had talked about going down into that mine--not +boastingly, to be sure, but he had said enough to make people believe +he would not back out, and now the opportunity was presented for him +to do as he had agreed. "Why can't you let it go until to-morrow?" + +"Because I am just ready to go now," said Jack; and there was a +determined look on his face which Julian had never seen there before. +"I am fighting mad, now, and to-morrow I may be as down-hearted as you +are." + +"Do you think I am afraid?" exclaimed Julian, springing up and +beginning to assist his chum. "I'll show you that I am not! If you +want to go first you can go, and I will go the next time." + +Julian went to work with a determination to get the dishes done as +soon as possible. When they had got them all stowed away where they +belonged, Jack stopped to roll up his sleeves, examined his revolver, +which he strapped to his waist, lighted his lamp, and led the way +toward the mine without saying a word. Julian gave a hasty glance at +him and saw that his face was as calm as it usually was, and he began +to take courage from that. + +"It looks dark down there, does it not?" asked Julian, leaning on the +windlass and peering down into the pit. + +"It is dark enough now, but it will be lighter when I get down there +with my lamp," replied Jack. "Now, Julian, are you sure you can hold +me up?" + +"Of course I can. If I can't, we had better get another man up here." + +Jack stopped just long enough to shake Julian by the hand, then seized +the rope and stepped into the bucket, his partner holding the windlass +so that he would not descend too rapidly. Slowly he went down, until +finally the bucket stopped. + +"All right!" called Jack; and his voice sounded strangely, coming up +from thirty feet underground. "This hole is bigger down here than it +is at the top. Somebody has cut away on each side to try to find +gold," and at last he started off toward the gully. + +Julian leaned over the pit and followed his companion's movements by +the light of his lamp. He saw him as he went around to the "false +diggings," and finally his lamp disappeared from view as Jack went +down toward the ravine. His face was very pale; he listened intently, +but could not hear that rustling of feet nor that moaning sound that +had frightened two men away from there, and his courage all came back +to him. + +"I wonder what those men were thinking of when they started that story +about this mine being haunted?" Julian muttered to himself. "There is +nothing here to trouble anyone." + +Hardly had this thought been framed in Julian's mind than there came a +most startling and thrilling interruption. The boy was leaning over +the pit with his head turned on one side, so that he could hear any +unusual sounds going on below, and all of a sudden he sprang to his +feet and acted very much as though he wanted to go below to Jack's +assistance. He distinctly heard that rustling of feet over the rocks +below, some of them made by Jack as he ran toward the bucket, and the +other by something else that made Julian's heart stand still. And with +that sound came others--moans or shrieks, Julian couldn't tell +which--until they seemed to fill the pit all around him. This lasted +but a few seconds, and then came the report of Jack's revolver and the +sound was caught up by the echoes until it appeared to Julian that a +whole battery of artillery had been fired at once. + +"There!" said Julian, greatly relieved to know that Jack had seen +something to shoot at. "I guess one ghost has got his death at last!" + +A moment afterward came Jack's frantic pull on the rope, accompanied +by his frightened voice-- + +"Pull me up, Julian! For goodness' sake, pull me up!" + +Julian jumped for the windlass and put every atom of his strength into +it. At first the resistance of the bucket was just about what it would +have been if Jack had stepped into it; but suddenly the resistance +ceased, the crank was jerked out of his hand, and Julian was thrown +headlong to the ground. + +"What was that?" exclaimed the boy, regaining his feet as quickly as +he could. "Jack, did you fall out of the bucket?" + +There was no response to his question. He leaned over and looked into +the pit; but Jack's light had gone out, and everything was silent +below. The rustling of feet had ceased, the moans had died away, and +the mine was as still as the grave. + +"Something has happened to Jack!" exclaimed Julian, running to his +lean-to after his revolver and lamp. "I am going down there to see +about it if all the ghosts in the Rocky Mountains should be there to +stop me!" + +Julian worked frantically, and in less time than it takes to tell it +he was ready to go down to Jack's help. He hastily unwound the rope +until all the length was out except the extreme end, which was +fastened to the windlass by a couple of staples, and swung himself +into the mine. He went down much faster than Jack did, and when he +reached the bottom he let go his hold on the rope, and, holding his +revolver in readiness for a shot, he turned slowly about, as if he +were expecting that whatever had frightened Jack would be upon him +before he could think twice. But nothing came. In whatever direction +he turned his light, everything seemed concealed by Egyptian darkness, +and finally he resolved to let the ghosts go and turned his attention +to Jack. There he lay, close to Julian's feet, his lamp extinguished +and his revolver at a little distance from him; and it was plain that +he was either frightened or dead, for Julian had never seen so white a +face before. His own face, if he only knew it, was utterly devoid of +color, and his hands trembled so that he could scarcely use them. + +"I would like to know what it was that could make Jack faint away in +this fashion," muttered Julian, first looking all around to make sure +that nothing had come in sight before he laid his revolver down. "How +to get him into that bucket, and the bail over him, is what bothers me +just now; but he must go in, and get out of this." + +Jack was a heavyweight, and if any boy who reads this has ever been +called upon to handle a playmate who remained limp and motionless in +his arms he will know what a task Julian had to put him into the +bucket. And remember that he must go inside the bail, otherwise he +could not pull him out; and the bail would not stay up without +somebody to hold it. But Julian worked away as only a boy can under +such circumstances, and was just getting him in shape, so that in a +moment more he would have had him in, when he noticed that one of his +hands was wet. He stopped for a moment to look at it, and at the sight +of it he seemed ready to sit down beside Jack and faint away, too. + +"It is blood!" murmured Julian. "My goodness! you must get out of +here, and be quick about it! What was that?" + +Julian straightened up again, but he had his revolver in his hand. +That moaning sound was repeated again, but the boy could not tell +where it came from. It was not so great in volume as the first one +that had saluted Jack, but it was a complaining kind of a sound, such +as one might utter who was being deserted by the only friend he had +upon earth. Julian stood there with his revolver in his hand, but, +aside from the sound which rung in his ears for many a night +afterward, his eyes could not reveal a single thing for him to shoot +at. Julian thought now that he had got at the bottom of the mystery. +Hastily slipping his revolver into his belt, he turned his attention +to Jack, and in a few moments had him ready to hoist to the top. Then +he seized the rope, and, climbing it hand over hand, he reached the +surface, when, throwing off his hat and revolver, he turned around to +haul up Jack. + + + + +CHAPTER XXIII. + +HAUNTED NO LONGER. + + +This time Julian laid out all his strength on the windlass; but the +bucket resisted, and he knew that Jack's weight was safely within it. +Presently his head and shoulders appeared above the pit, whereupon +Julian slipped a bucket over the crank, and in a few minutes Jack was +safe above ground. To tumble him out of the bucket and dash into his +face some water that he dipped up from the stream with his hat +occupied but little of his time, and almost at once Jack opened his +eyes and looked about him. + +"Well, sir, you saw them, did you not?" asked Julian, with a smile. + +"I tell you, you wouldn't have smiled if you had been in my place," +replied Jack. "That thing looked awful as it came at me." + +"What thing?" + +"There is some animal down there who is not going to let us work this +mine if he can help it," said Jack, feeling around with his right hand +to examine his shoulder. "As I stepped into the bucket with one foot +he jumped--my goodness! I don't like to say how far it was; but I saw +his eyes shining green in the darkness, and just as I pulled on him he +sprang at me, dug his claws into my shoulder, and pulled me out. I +thought I was gone up, sure; then all was blank to me. Did you see +him?" + +"I did not see anything," said Julian. "When the bucket came up +easily, as though you were not in it, I went down after you; but I did +not see a thing. What was it?" + +"You tell. It was some kind of an animal that I never saw before. And +didn't he make a howling just before he jumped! I wish you would look +at my shoulder; it smarts awfully." + +Jack could handle himself well enough now, and it was no trouble for +him to roll over on his face and give Julian a chance to view his +wounds. His shirt was torn completely off, and underneath were four +scratches which went the whole length of his back and spent +themselves on the thick waistband of his trousers, which they had +ripped in two. Very little blood came from the wounds, and Julian +assured him that they were not deep enough to cause him any +inconvenience. + +"You must have killed him before he got to you," said Julian. "A bear +could not jump that far, and if it were a panther--why, you have done +something to be proud of. You have done it anyway, for you have +cleared up something that scared those two men away from here." + +"Do you really think so?" asked Jack. + +"I know it." + +"But think of the howling he made! It seemed as if the pit was full of +bears and panthers, and I didn't know which way to look. Have you got +all the blood off? Then let us go down there and see about it. We +can't work our mine with those fellows in there. If I killed him at +once, how did he come to jump so far? And then he took himself off +after clawing me; that is something I don't understand." + +"You have to shoot one of those fellows through the brain or in the +spine, in order to throw him in his tracks. Did you have a fair chance +at his heart?" + +"I don't know. I simply shot a little ways below that green spot, in +the darkness, and the next thing I knew I didn't know anything." + +"Because, if you had a fair chance at his heart, a wild animal will +sometimes run a good way before he drops. He is down there somewhere, +and I'll bet you will find him. But, Jack, there are others that we +must get rid of before we own this mine." + +"What do you mean by that? I was in hopes I had shot the last one of +them." + +"Well, you did not. While I was working over you I heard those moans +repeated. That proves others are there--don't it?" + +"I am going down to clear it up," persisted Jack, who had got upon his +feet by this time and started toward the lean-to. "Hold on till I get +cartridges to put in this revolver. I used to grumble at you because +you spent so much money in Denver, last winter, in shooting at a +mark, but I begin to believe you were right and that I was wrong. If I +had been as awkward with this shooting-iron as I used to be, you would +have got the whole of that hundred thousand dollars to spend for +yourself." + +"Don't speak about it!" exclaimed Julian, who wondered what he should +do if Jack was taken away from him. "I need somebody to grumble at me, +and you will do as well as anybody. Are you not going to put on +another shirt?" + +"Not much, I ain't. Maybe I did not kill that animal, whatever it was +and he will come for me again. Now, you hold up and let me go," said +Jack, when he saw Julian place one foot in the bucket." + +"I am a better shot than you are, and if I pull on one of those ghosts +you will see him drop," returned Julian, drawing the other foot in. +"Take hold of the windlass and let me down easy. If I halloo, you must +lose no time in hauling me up." + +Jack was obliged to submit to this arrangement, and he carefully +lowered Julian out of sight. When the bucket stopped he seized the +rope, and in a moment more stood beside him. + +"I am glad it is animals that are interfering with us, for I am not at +all afraid of them," declared Jack. "Now, where is that other sound +you heard?" + +The question had hardly been formed on Jack's lips when that sound +came to their ears--not faint and far off, as was the one that caused +Julian to handle his revolver, but louder and clearer, as though the +animal that made it was close upon them. Sometimes they thought it was +in front, and they held their revolvers ready to shoot at a moment's +warning, and then, again, it sounded behind them; and in a second more +it appeared as if the rocks on each side of them concealed the enemy +that was uttering those startling sounds. + +"It is the echo--that's what it is," said Julian. "There is only one +animal in here, and we can't shoot him any too quick." + +Julian, aided by his lamp, led the way cautiously along the +subterranean passage, which would have been level but for the +carelessness or haste of the men who had worked the pit before them, +peering into every little cavity he saw, until at last he stopped +suddenly and pointed his revolver at something that lay upon the +floor. + +"What is it, Julian?" whispered Jack, pressing eagerly to his side. + +"Well, sir, you have done it now," answered Julian, bending over and +examining the animal as well as he could by the light of his lamp. +"This is the thing that frightened the other two men away." + +"What is it?" repeated Jack. "A panther?" + +"No, sir; this animal will make two of the biggest panthers you ever +saw. It is a lion!" + +"In America?" said Jack, in astonishment. + +"It is what the miners call them, anyway. When we get it into the +bucket I will let you have the crank, and we will see if it does not +weigh almost as much as you do. This animal is a mother, and her +babies are crying for her." + +Jack was surprised when he saw what a monster animal his lucky shot +had put out of the way, for he did not lay any claim to his skill as a +marksman in making that shot. He must have shot her plumb through the +heart, or else she would not have died so quickly. She looked as big +as a yearling, marked for all the world like the panthers he had seen +in the shows which he had attended; but it was her size more than +anything else which impressed him. It was wonderful, too, what a +change the sight of this animal made in Jack. His courage all came +back to him, and after taking a hasty glance at his trophy he took the +lead and pressed on toward the farther end of the passage. Every few +feet he found what the miners called "false diggings"--that is, places +that they had dug, either on the right-hand side or the left, to see +if the vein they were following turned that way. In one of these +"false diggings" Jack stopped and pointed silently before him. Julian +looked over Jack's shoulder, and saw that the miner had dug through +the embankment there and into a cave which extended through into the +gulch--the boys could see that by the little streaks of light which +came in at the other end. On a slight shelf which formed one side of +the passageway some leaves had been gathered, and in this bed were two +cubs about the size of full-grown cats, while a third had crawled out +and was trying, in his clumsy way, to follow his mother into the mine. +The little thing was wild, and set up a furious spitting as the boys +approached. + +"These things account for the noise you heard," remarked Jack, picking +up the cub and beating its head against the floor. + +"What made you do that, Jack?" exclaimed Julian. "We ought to save the +young ones alive." + +"Well, suppose we do; what will we raise them on? It is true that we +might tell the milkman to leave us an extra quart or two to feed them +on, for such little things can't eat bacon and hard-tack. Now, after +we get through--" + +"By gracious, Jack--look out!" exclaimed Julian, suddenly. "The old +man is coming home to see what's the matter with his young ones!" + +Jack dropped the cub he had picked up, and which he was about to serve +as he had the first, and, looking toward the farther end of the +passageway, saw that the light was shut off by the head and shoulders +of another monstrous lion that had stopped when he discovered the +boys. In an instant two revolvers were aimed at the white spot on his +chest. + +"Be sure you make as good a shot as you did before," whispered Julian, +whose face was as pale as Jack's was when he pulled him out of the +pit. "It's a matter of life and death with us." + +The revolvers cracked in quick succession, raising an echo that almost +deafened them. Without a moment's delay they fired again, then threw +themselves prone upon the floor of the cave, for they saw the lion +coming. He had evidently got all ready for a spring, and when the +first two bullets struck him he made it, jumping over them and landing +in the pit beyond. The moment he touched the ground two more balls +went into him, and then the boys jumped to their feet; for they did +not want the lion to spring upon them while lying down. But the +animal made no effort to recover his feet; he was too badly hurt for +that. He struggled frantically, springing from the ground as high as +the boys' heads, and his motions were so quick and rapid that there +was no chance to shoot him again; but this lasted only for a few +seconds. His struggles grew weaker, and he soon lay upon the floor, +stone dead. + +"There, sir," said Julian, who was the first to speak; "this is a +haunted mine no longer. Our little 44-caliber revolvers did as good +work as Banta would have done with his Winchester." + +"Whew! I am glad it is all over, and that we were not frightened out +of coming here. I don't believe in ghosts, anyway." + +"How do you account for that man in the mine up the country who always +gets farther and farther away every time anybody tries to touch him?" +asked Julian. + +"I believe that story originated in the minds of some miners who were +afraid to go there. And as for their shooting at him, I don't take any +stock in that, either. Now, I will finish what I was going to say +when the old gentleman came in and interrupted me. After I have killed +these cubs, we will go to work and fill this cave so full of the rocks +which some of the miners have left scattered about that there won't be +a chance for any other animal to make a commotion in this mine." + +The work of dispatching the cubs was very soon accomplished, and then +the boys wanted to get the lions above ground, so that they could see +how they looked. But when they undertook to lift the "old gentleman," +to carry him to the bucket, they found they had more than they could +do; so they each took hold of a hind leg and dragged him to the shaft. +When they came to put him in, they saw there was not room enough for +the cubs, for the bucket would not hold any more. + +"I'll go up and haul the old fellow out," said Jack. "I tell you, he +is big enough to scare anybody--is he not?" + +"Yes," answered Julian, with a laugh; "and if we had been frightened +away, and somebody else had found out that they were lions, and not +unearthly spirits, it would have been all over Denver inside of a +month." + +Jack, who said he thought that was so, seized the rope and began +working his way toward the top. Then the bucket began to move, and +presently Julian saw it go out over the top. In a few minutes Jack +came down again, and they got the mother of the family ready to be +hoisted up. Julian went up this time, tumbled the lion out beside his +mate, and let down the bucket for the dead cubs and Jack, who, when he +stepped out, found Julian with his hat off and drawing his +shirt-sleeves across his forehead. + +"I tell you, Jack, if the dirt you send up weighs as much as these +ghosts did, the one who pulls it out will have the hardest part of the +work," said Julian. "Now let us sit down and take a good look at +them." + +The longer the boys looked, the larger seemed to grow the animals that +had created so great an uproar in the country for miles around. They +regretted they had not brought a tape-line with them, that they might +take measurements; but they came to one conclusion--if they found an +animal like either of those in the mountains, they would give it a +wide berth. They had read of encounters with them by men, and during +their stay in Denver had listened to some thrilling stories, told by +miners, of their fierceness, and they decided that those men had more +pluck than they had. + +"Let us take the skins off, and by that time it will be night," said +Julian. "We can fill up the hole to-morrow." + +"I don't know how to go to work at it--do you?" asked Jack, taking off +his hat and scratching his head. "I never did such a piece of business +in my life." + +"We are not going to take them off with the intention of selling them; +we are going to show them to the miners. If we tell them our story +without anything to show for it, they will think we are trying to +shoot with a long bow. If we make a few holes in the skins by a slip +of our knives, who cares?" + +The boys went to work on the cubs first, one holding the hind legs and +the other doing the skinning, and they got along so well with them +that they went to work on the big ones with more confidence. By the +time it grew dark the skins were removed, and the carcasses were +dragged away and thrown into the ravine. Then the boys began supper +with light hearts. The mystery of the haunted mine had been unearthed, +and Julian and Jack were ready to dig up the treasure--that is, if +there was any there waiting for them. + + + + +CHAPTER XXIV. + +"THAT IS GOLD." + + +"Jack, come up here; I have something to show you." + +"What is it? Have you made yourself rich by washing out the last +bucket of earth I sent up?" + +"I have something, and it looks like gold. Wait until I haul this +bucket up, and then I'll send it down for you." + +This conversation took place between Julian and his chum on the third +morning after their arrival at the mine. The hole that led into the +cave which the lions had made their habitation had been filled up so +tight that even a ground-squirrel would have found it a hard task to +work his way through; all the little rocks had been cleared away from +the floor of the pit, making it an easy matter for them to carry the +earth in a basket to the bottom of the shaft, and the digging had been +going on for two days without any signs of "color" rewarding their +anxious gaze. The buckets of dirt, as fast as they were sent up, were +washed in the brook by the aid of a "cradle" which the boys had +brought with them, but their most persistent "rocking" failed to leave +a sediment behind. All the dirt went out with the water, and the +cradle was as clean when they got through rocking it as it was before +they began. + +"I believe the fellow who wrote that letter must have taken all the +gold in the mine," remarked Julian, one night, after they had spent a +hard day's work at the pit. "Fifty thousand dollars! That's a heap of +money to take out of one hole in the ground." + +"I think so myself," replied Jack; "but we will keep it up until our +provisions are gone, and then we will go back to Dutch Flat." + +But on this particular day Julian, who was washing the dirt at the +head of the shaft, thought he saw some settlings in the bottom of his +cradle, and forthwith began to handle it a little more carefully. The +longer he rocked the more the sediment grew, until at last he had a +spoonful, which he gathered up and then approached the mouth of the +pit. + +"If you have any gold to show me I'll come up before the bucket does," +declared Jack; "the bucket can wait." + +"I have enough here to buy another block of houses," exclaimed Julian, +as Jack's head and shoulders appeared. "What do you think of that?" + +"Is it gold or not?" asked Jack, who was inclined to be suspicious. +"Maybe it is some of that iron that Mr. Banta told us about." + +"That is just what I was afraid of," said Julian; "but I reckon iron +pyrites comes in lumps, don't it? If it does, this is gold, sure +enough." + +The boys did not know what to make of it, and they finally decided +that they would put it away until Mr. Banta came up to see how they +were getting along, which he had agreed to do at the end of two weeks. +The boys spoke of their "find" as iron pyrites, for they did not like +to think they would be lucky enough to dig gold out of the ground, +and this was not the only spoonful of dust that went into their bag. +The bag grew in size as the days wore on, and finally, at the end of +two weeks, it was almost full. + +"I tell you, Jack, I don't like to show this to Mr. Banta," declared +Julian, holding up the bag, and looking ruefully at it. "Perhaps we +have done all our best digging all for nothing." + +"Well, it can't be helped," was Jack's reply. "They were inexperienced +when they first came out here, and there was nobody to tell them +whether they had iron pyrites or gold. But we have done one thing that +he can't laugh at--we have worked the haunted mine." + +Two weeks had never passed so slowly to the boys before. They worked +early and late, but they found time now and then to glance toward the +entrance of the valley, to see if Mr. Banta was approaching. All this +while the bag grew heavier and fuller, until Julian declared that it +would not hold another spoonful. + +"Then we must tie it up tight and hide it somewhere," said Jack. + +"What is the use of hiding it?" asked Julian. "Nobody knows that we +have been so successful in our haunted mine." + +"No matter; such things have happened, and we want to be on the safe +side. We must hide it a little way from the lean-to, for there is the +first place anybody will look for it." + +Julian readily gave in, although he could not see any necessity for +it, took a spade, and went with Jack to what he considered to be a +good hiding-place. A hole was dug, the bag put in, some leaves were +scattered over the spot, and then Jack drew a long breath of relief. + +"One would think we are surrounded by robbers," said Julian. "Who do +you suppose is going to steal it?" + +"I don't know; but I have never had so much money, or what is +equivalent to money, in my charge before, and, as I said before, I +think it best to be on the safe side." + +"Our two weeks have passed, and Mr. Banta ought to be here to-morrow," +observed Julian, leading the way back to the lean-to. "I expect he +will look for us to be all chawed up." + +The very next day Mr. Banta appeared. The boys had found an extra +"find" that morning. Julian was rocking the cradle back and forth, and +Jack was leaning over his shoulder to see what gold there was in it, +when they heard the sound of horses' hoofs on the rocks, and looked up +to find the miner and his partner, Pete, standing in the entrance to +the valley. + +"Now we will soon have this thing cleared up," exclaimed Julian, +joyfully. "Mr. Banta, you don't know how glad we are to see you +again!" + +Mr. Banta did not say anything in reply. He and his partner rode +slowly toward them, looking all around, as if they expected to +discover something. + +"Is it the ghosts you are looking for?" asked Jack. "Come along, and +we will show them to you." + +"Boys," stammered Mr. Banta, as if there was something about the +matter that looked strange enough to him, "you are still on top of +the ground. Put it there." + +The boys readily complied, and they thought, by the squeeze the miner +gave their hands, that he was very much surprised to see them alive +and well, and working their mine as if such things as ghosts had never +been heard of. + +"Did you see them?" he continued. + +"You are right, we did," answered Julian. "Jack, pull off your shirt. +He has some marks that he will carry to his grave." + +Jack did not much like the idea of disrobing in the presence of +company, but he divested himself of his shirt and turned his back to +the miners. On his shoulder were four big welts, which promised to +stay there as long as he lived. + +"It was a lion!" exclaimed Mr. Banta. + +"That is just what it was. Now come with me and I will show you the +skins. We have something to prove it." + +The miners followed after the boys, when, as they were about to pass +their pit, Julian said he wanted to see them about something that had +been worrying them a good deal ever since they first discovered it. + +"What do you call that?" he asked, gathering up a pinch of the +sediment that still remained in the cradle. + +"Good gracious! Do you gather much of this stuff?" exclaimed Mr. +Banta, who was all excitement now. + +"It is not iron pyrites, is it?" + +"Iron your grandmother!" retorted Mr. Banta. "It is gold, and a bag +full of that stuff will be worth about ten thousand dollars to you!" + +"We have a bagful of it hidden away," asserted Julian; while Jack was +so overcome with something, he didn't know what, that he sat right +down on the ground. "Jack thought we had best hide it, but I will get +it and show it to you." + +"Well, well! this beats anything in the world that I ever heard of! +Don't it you, Pete?" asked Mr. Banta, dismounting from his horse. +"Here's you two, come out here as tenderfeet from St. Louis, who never +saw or heard of a gold-mine before, and you come up to this pit, +which has all manner of ghosts and other things wandering about it at +will,--so much so that they scared away two of the best men we had on +Dutch Flat,--and then you get the upper hand of the spirits and make +ten thousand dollars out of the mine in two weeks! I tell you that +bangs me; don't it you, Pete?" + +Jack came up to take the horses and hitch them to swinging limbs, and +Mr. Banta turned to Julian and told him he was anxious to see that bag +with the ten thousand dollars in gold in it; whereupon Julian caught +up a spade and hurried out, and Jack, who had returned to the lean-to, +was told to sit down and tell them the story about the haunted +gold-mine. + +"There isn't much to tell," said Jack, who, like all modest fellows, +disliked to talk about himself. "I went down to see what the inside of +the mine looked like, and one of the lions pitched onto me and I shot +him." + +"There's more in the story than that comes to," declared Mr. Banta. +"Let us go out and look at the skins; we will hear the straight of the +matter when Julian comes in." + +The skins were rolled up,--they had been stretched on the ground until +the sun dried them,--but Jack quickly unrolled them, and the miners +looked on as if greatly surprised. They could not understand how one +ball, fired in the dark, had finished the lion so speedily. + +"It is a wonder she did not tear you all to pieces," said Pete. "You +must have made a dead-centre shot." + +The other skin was unrolled, too, and by the time the miners had +examined it to their satisfaction Julian came up with the bag. Mr. +Banta untied it, and one look was enough. + +"That is gold," said he; "there is no iron pyrites about that. Now, +Jack, you go on and get dinner for us, and we will listen while Julian +tell us about those ghosts." + +"I told you I did not believe in such things," remarked Julian. "And +the whole thing has come out just as I said it would." + +"What have you in this pack?" asked Jack. "It looks like provisions." + +"That is just what it is. We thought you must be nearly out by this +time, and so we brought some along. Let the mule go home, if she +wants to; she misses that old bell-mare." + +The story which Jack did not tell lost nothing in going through +Julian's hands. He described things as nearly as he could see them +before Jack's light went out, and told of the lucky shot and the +savage shrieks that came up to him through the pit. + +"Those shrieks were what got next to me," declared Julian, with a +shudder. "I can't get them out of my mind yet. I thought that the +ghost had Jack, sure." + +"Well, go on," said Mr. Banta, when Julian paused. "There were two +lions there--how did you get the other one?" + +When Julian told how Jack had taken charge of the matter, and had gone +ahead in order to hunt up the other ghost, Mr. Banta acted as though +he could scarcely believe it; while Pete thrust his spurred heels out +before him and broke out into a volley of such quaint oaths that +Julian threw back his head and laughed loudly. + +"If you had not done anything else since you have been up here but go +to hunt up that lion with revolvers, I should know you were +tenderfeet pure and simple," declared Mr. Banta. "Why, boys, that was +the most dangerous thing you ever did!" + +"Well, we did not know what else to do," explained Julian, modestly. +"Jack said the lion would not let us work the mine if he could help +it, and so we had to go and find him." + +"I know some miners down at Dutch Flat who would think twice before +going for that lion with their Winchesters," declared Pete, "and you +had nothing but little popguns!" + +"They did the work, anyhow," asserted Julian. + +"Well, boys, you have been very lucky," said Mr. Banta. "Take your bag +of dust and hide it where nobody will ever think of looking for it. +And remember--if any person comes here and asks you for money, you are +to give him what is in the other bag, and keep still about this full +one." + +Julian's eyes began to open wide as this hint was thrown out. He +looked at Jack, who was by this time engaged in dishing up the +dinner; but the latter only shook his head at him, as if to say, +"Didn't I say we had better hide that gold while we had the +opportunity?" + +"Who do you think is going to rob us?" asked Julian, as soon as he +could speak. + +"I am sure I don't know; but we have some men down at the Flat who +would not be any too good to come up here and see how you are getting +along. Of course this thing will get all over the Flat in less than +five minutes after we get there. We must tell just how we found you; +for, if we try to keep it secret, the miners will suspect something +and come up here in a body. But if they do that, then you will be +safer than if you were alone." + +"We don't want any truck with such people," declared Jack. "If we +shoot as well as we did at the lion that wore that big skin, you will +hear something drop. Now sit up and eat some dinner." + +"Jack, I believe you have the most pluck," said Pete. + +"He has it all," replied Julian. "He don't say much, but he keeps up a +dreadful lot of thinking." + +Dinner over, the miners lit their pipes, and then Mr. Banta said they +wanted to go down into the mine to see how it looked. + +"It is my opinion that you won't get much more gold out of here," said +he, as he stepped into the bucket. "You are gradually working your way +toward the ravine, and when you break through the wall, you will find +no color there." + +"I don't care," replied Julian. "If it will hold out until we get +another bag filled, that will be all we want. We can say, when we get +back to Denver, that we have been in the mines." + +"And had some adventures there, too," remarked Mr. Banta. "Lower +away." + +Julian and Pete followed Mr. Banta down to the bottom of the mine, and +Jack stayed up above to manage the bucket. They were gone a long time, +for Julian was obliged to tell his story over again; and, when they +were pulled up, Mr. Banta repeated what he had said before he was let +down, namely, that the boys had about reached the end of their vein. + +"But even with these bags full, you have got more than some men have +who have been on the Flat for two years," said he. "Now, boys, is +there anything we can do for you before we bid you good-bye?" + +No, Julian and Jack could not think of anything they wanted. They +thanked the miners for bringing them some provisions, and offered +payment on the spot; but Mr. Banta said they would let that go until +the boys had got through working their mine. They shook them by the +hand, wished them all the good luck in the world, turned their faces +toward home, and in a few moments the sound of their horses' hoofs on +the rocks had died away in the distance. + + + + +CHAPTER XXV. + +CLAUS, AGAIN. + + +"There!" said Mr. Solomon Claus, as he entered at a fast walk the +railroad depot, passed through it, and took up the first back street +that he came to; "I guess I have got rid of him. Now, the next thing +is to go somewhere and sit down and think about it." + +Claus kept a good watch of the buildings as he passed along, and at +last saw a hotel, into which he turned. He bought a cigar at the bar, +and, drawing a chair in front of one of the windows, sat down to +meditate on his future course; for this German was not in the habit of +giving up a thing upon which he had set his mind, although he might +fail in every attempt he undertook. He had set his heart upon having a +portion of that money that Julian had come into by accident, and, +although something had happened to upset his calculations, he was not +done with it yet. + +"That was a sharp trick, sending off the box by express, when they +might as well have carried its contents in their valises," said Claus, +settling down in his chair and keeping his eyes fastened upon the +railroad depot. "Wiggins was at the bottom of that, for I don't +believe the boys would ever have thought of it. I wonder how they felt +when they found their valises gone? Now, the next thing is something +else. Shall I go home, get my clothes, and spend the winter in Denver, +or shall I go home and stay there? That's a question that cannot be +decided in a minute." + +While Claus was endeavoring to come to some conclusion on these points +he saw Casper Nevins coming along the railroad and entering the depot. +By keeping a close watch of the windows he discovered him pass toward +the ticket office, where he made known his wants, and presently Claus +saw him put a ticket into his pocket. + +"So far, so good," muttered Claus, as he arose from his chair. "I +guess I might as well get on the train with him, for I must go to St. +Louis anyhow. Perhaps something will occur to me in the meantime." + +Casper was sitting on a bench, with his hands clasped and his chin +resting on his breast, wondering what in the world he was going to do +when he got back to St. Louis, when he heard Claus's step on the +floor. He first had an idea that he would not speak to him at all; but +Solomon acted in such a friendly manner, when he met him, that he +could not fail to accost him with + +"You were trying to shake me, were you?" + +"Shake you! my dear fellow," exclaimed Claus, as if he were profoundly +astonished. "Such a thing never entered my head! I simply wanted to +get away by myself and think the matter over. Have a cigar." + +"I don't want it!" declared Casper, when Claus laid it down upon his +knee. "I don't believe I shall want many cigars or anything else very +long." + +"Disappointed over not finding that wealth, were you?" asked Claus, in +a lower tone. "Well, I was disappointed myself, and for a time I did +not want to see you or anybody else. I have wasted a heap of +hard-earned dollars upon that 'old horse.'" + +"Have you given it up, too?" inquired Casper. + +"What else can I do? Of course I have given it up. I will go back home +again and settle down to my humdrum life, and I shall never get over +moaning about that hundred thousand dollars we have lost." + +"Do you think we tried every plan to get it?" + +"Every one that occurred to me. They have it, and that is all there is +to it. What are you going to do when you get back to St. Louis?" +inquired Claus, for that was a matter in which he was very much +interested. He was not going to have Casper hanging onto him; on that +he was determined. + +"I suppose I shall have to do as others do who are without work," +replied Casper. "I shall go around to every store, and ask them if +they want a boy who isn't above doing anything that will bring him his +board and clothes. I wish I had my old position back; I'll bet you +that I would try to keep it." + +"That is the best wish you have made in a long time," said Claus, +placing his hand on Casper's shoulder. "If I was back there, with my +money in my pocket, I would not care if every one of the express boys +would come and shove an 'old horse' at me. I tell you, 'honesty is the +best policy.'" + +Casper was almost ready to believe that Claus had repented of his +bargain, but he soon became suspicious of him again. That was a queer +phrase to come from the lips of a man who believed in cheating or +lying for the purpose of making a few dollars by it. For want of +something better to do, he took up the cigar which Claus had laid upon +his knee and proceeded to light it. + +"Well, I guess I'll go and get a ticket," remarked Claus, after a +little pause. "I don't know how soon that train will be along." + +"'Honesty is the best policy,' is it?" mused Casper, watching Claus as +he took up his stand in the door and looked away down the railroad. +"Some people would believe him, but I have known him too long for +that. I wish I knew what he has in his head. He is going to try to +get his hands on that 'old horse'; and if he does, I hope he will +fail, just as we have done. He need not think that I am going to hold +fast to him. I have had one lesson through him, and that is enough." + +Claus did not seem anxious to renew his conversation with Casper. He +had heard all the latter's plans, as far as he had any, and now he +wanted to think up some of his own. He walked up and down the platform +with his hands behind his back, all the while keeping a bright lookout +down the road for the train. + +"I must go to Denver, because I shall want to make the acquaintance of +some fellows there whom I know I can trust," soliloquized Claus. "I +can get plenty of men in St. Louis, but they are not the ones I want. +I must have some men who know all about mining, and perhaps I can get +them to scrape an acquaintance with Julian. That will be all the +better, for then I can find out what he is going to do. Well, we will +see how it looks when I get home." + +For half an hour Claus walked the platform occupied with such +thoughts as these, and finally a big smoke down the track told him the +train was coming. He stuck his head in at the door and informed Casper +of the fact, and when the train came up he boarded one of the forward +cars, leaving his companion to do as he pleased. + +"You are going to shake me," thought Casper, as he stepped aboard the +last car in the train. "Well, you might as well do it at one time as +at another. I have all the money I can get out of you, but I am not +square with you by any means. From this time forward I'll look out for +myself." + +And the longer Casper pondered upon this thought, the more heartily he +wished he had never seen Claus in the first place. He did not sleep a +wink during his ride to St. Louis, but got off the train when it +reached its destination and took a straight course for his room. The +apartment seemed cheerless after his experience on the train, but he +closed the door, threw himself into a chair, and resumed his +meditations, for thus far he had not been able to decide upon +anything. + +"I am hungry," thought he, at length, "and after I have satisfied my +appetite I will do just what I told Claus--go around to the different +stores and ask them if they want a boy. I tell you that will be a big +come-down for me, but it serves me right for having anything to do +with Claus." + +We need not go with Casper any further. For three nights he returned +from his long walks tired and hungry, and not a single storekeeper to +whom he had applied wanted a boy for any purpose whatever. Sometimes +he had sharp words to dishearten him. "No, no; get out of here--you +are the fifth boy who has been at me this morning;" and Casper always +went, for fear the man would lay violent hands on him. On the fourth +night he came home feeling a little better than usual. He had been +hired for a few days to act as porter in a wholesale dry-goods store, +and he had enough money in his pocket to pay for a good supper. The +wages he received were small--just about enough to pay for breakfast +and supper; but when the few days were up the hurry was over, and +Casper was once more a gentleman of leisure. And so it was during the +rest of the summer and fall. He could not get anything to do steadily, +his clothes were fast wearing out, and the landlord came down on him +for his rent when he did not have a cent in his pocket. Utterly +discouraged, at last he wrote to his mother for money to carry him to +his home; and so he passes out of our sight. + +As for Claus, we wish we could dispose of him in the same way; but +unfortunately we cannot. Everybody was glad to see him when he entered +the pool-room where he had been in the habit of playing, and more than +one offered him a cigar. He told a long story about some business he +had to attend to somewhere out West, and when he talked he looked up +every time the door opened, as if fearful that Casper would come in to +bother him for more money. But Casper was sick of Claus. The lesson he +had received from him was enough. + +Claus remained in St. Louis for two months; and he must have been +successful, too, for the roll of bills he carried away with him was +considerably larger than the one which Casper had seen. When he was +ready to go he bade everybody good-bye, and this time he carried his +trunk with him. He was going out West to attend to "some business," +which meant that he was going to keep watch of Julian and Jack in some +way, and be ready to pounce upon them when they worked their +mine--that is, if they were successful with it. + +"That will be the only thing I can do," decided Claus, after thinking +the matter over. "They have the buildings by this time, at any rate, +so that part of it has gone up; but when they get out alone, and are +working in their mine, that will be the time for me to take them. They +will have all the work, but I will have the dust they make." + +When Claus reached this point in his meditations, he could not help +remembering that some of the men who were interested in the mines were +dead shots with either rifle or revolver, and that if he robbed the +boys he would be certain to have some of them after him, and what they +would do if they caught him was another matter altogether. + +"I can shoot as well as they can," thought he, feeling around for his +hip pocket to satisfy himself that his new revolver was still in its +place. "If I have some of their money in my pocket, I would like to +see any of the miners come up with me." + +When Claus reached Denver, his first care was to keep clear of Julian +and Jack, and his next was to find some miners who were familiar with +the country in the region bordering on Dutch Flat; for thus far Claus +had not been able to learn a thing about it. Dutch Flat might be five +miles away or it might be a hundred, and he wanted somebody to act as +his guide. He put up at a second-rate hotel, engaged his room, and +then came down into the reading-room to keep watch of the men who +tarried there. + +"I must find somebody whose face tells me he would not be above +stealing a hundred thousand dollars if he had a good chance," decided +Claus; "but the countenances of these men all go against me--they are +too honest. I guess I'll have to try the clerk, and see what I can get +out of him." + +On the second day, as Claus entered the reading-room with a paper in +his hand, he saw before him a man sitting by a window, his feet +elevated higher than his head, watching the people going by. He was a +miner,--there could be no doubt about that,--and he seemed to be in +low spirits about something, for every little while he changed his +position, yawned, and stretched his arms as if he did not know what to +do with himself. Claus took just one look at him, then seized a chair +and drew it up by the man's side. The man looked up to see who it was, +and then looked out on the street again. + +"Excuse me," began Claus, "but you seem to be a miner." + +"Well, yes--I have dabbled in that a little," answered the man, +turning his eyes once more upon Claus. "What made you think of that?" + +"I judged you by your clothes," replied Claus. "Have a cigar? Then, +perhaps you will tell me if you know anything about Dutch Flat, where +there is--" + +"Don't I know all about it?" interrupted the man. "Ask me something +hard. A bigger fraud than that Dutch Flat was never sprung on any lot +of men. There is no color of gold up there." + +"Then what made you go there in the first place?" asked Claus. + +"It got into the hands of a few men who were afraid of the Indians, +and they coaxed me and my partner to go up," replied the man. "But +there were no Indians there. I prospected around there for six months, +owe more than I shall ever be able to pay for grub-staking, and +finally, when the cold weather came, I slipped out." + +"I am sorry to hear that," remarked Claus, looking down at the floor +in a brown study. "I have a mine up there, and I was about to go up +and see how things were getting on there; but if the dirt pans out as +you say, it will not be worth while." + +"You had better stay here, where you have a good fire to warm you +during this frosty weather," said the man, once more running his eyes +over Claus's figure. "If you have a mine up there you had better let +it go; you are worth as much money now as you would be if you stayed +up there a year." + +"But I would like to go and see the mine," replied Claus. "There was a +fortune taken out of it a few years ago, and it can't be that the vein +is all used up yet." + +"Where _is_ your mine?" + +"That is what I don't know. I have somehow got it into my head the +mine is off by itself, a few miles from everybody else's." + +"Do you mean the haunted mine?" asked the man, now beginning to take +some interest in what Claus was saying. + +"I believe that is what they call it." + +"It is five miles from Dutch Flat, straight off through the mountains. +You can't miss it, for there is a trail that goes straight to it." + +"Do you know where it is?" + +"Yes, I know; but that is all I do know about it. I saw two men who +went there to work the pit, and who were frightened so badly that they +lit out for this place as quick as they could go, and that was all I +wanted to know of the mine." + +"Then you have never been down in it?" + +"Not much, I haven't!" exclaimed the man, looking surprised. "I would +not go down into it for all the money there is in the mountain." + +"Did those men see anything?" + +"No, but they heard a sight; and if men can be so badly scared by what +they hear, they don't wait to see anything." + +"Well, I want to go up there, and who can I get to act as my guide?" + +"I can tell you one thing," answered the man, emphatically--"you won't +get me and Jake to go up there with you. I'll tell you what I might +do," he added, after thinking a moment. "Are you going to stay here +this winter?" + +"Yes, I had thought of it. It is pretty cold up there in the +mountains--is it not?" + +"The weather is so cold that it will take the hair right off of your +head," replied the man. "If you will stay here until spring opens, you +might hire me and Jake to show you up as far as Dutch Flat; but beyond +that we don't budge an inch." + +"How much will you charge me? And another thing--do I have to pay you +for waiting until spring?" + +"No, you need not pay us a cent. We have enough to last us all winter. +I was just wondering what I was going to do when spring came, and that +made me feel blue. But if you are going to hire us--you will be gone +three or four months, won't you?" + +Yes, Claus thought that he would be gone as long as that. Then he +asked, "How far is Dutch Flat from here?" + +"Two hundred miles." + +The two then began an earnest conversation in regard to the money that +was to be paid for guiding Claus up to Dutch Flat. The latter thought +he had worked the thing just about right. It would be time enough to +tell him who Julian and Jack were, and to talk about robbing them, +when he knew a little more concerning the man and his partner. He had +not seen the other man yet, but he judged that, if he were like the +miner he was talking to, it would not be any great trouble to bring +them to his own way of thinking. + + + + +CHAPTER XXVI. + +CLAUS HEARS SOMETHING. + + +Never had a winter appeared so long and so utterly cheerless as this +one did to Solomon Claus. The first thing he did, after he made the +acquaintance of Jake and his partner, was to change his place of +abode. Jake was as ready to ask for cigars as Claus had been, and the +latter found that in order to make his money hold out he must +institute a different state of affairs. He found lodgings at another +second-rate hotel in a distant part of the city, but he found +opportunity to run down now and then to call upon Bob and Jake,--those +were the only two names he knew them by,--to see how they were coming +along, and gradually lead the way up to talking about the plans he had +in view. It all came about by accident. One day, when discussing the +haunted mine, Claus remarked that he knew the two boys who were +working it, and hoped they would have a good deal of dust on hand by +the time he got here. + +"Then they will freeze to death!" declared Bob. "What made you let +them go there, if you knew the mine was haunted?" + +"Oh, they are not working it now," said Claus. "They are in St. Louis, +and are coming out as soon as spring opens. They are plucky fellows, +and will find out all about those ghosts before they come back." + +"Yes, if the ghosts don't run them away," answered Bob. "I understood +you to say they are boys. Well, now, if they get the better of the +ghosts, which is something I won't believe until I see it, and we +should get there about a month or two after they do, and find that +they have dug up dust to the amount of ten or fifteen thousand +dollars--eh?" + +"But maybe the gentleman is set on those two boys, and it would not +pay to rob them," remarked Jake. + +"No, I am not set on them," avowed Claus, smiling inwardly when he saw +how readily the miners fell in with his plans. "I tried my level best +to get those boys to stay at home, for I don't want them to dig their +wealth out of the ground, but they hooted at me; and when I saw they +were bound to come, I thought I would get up here before them and see +what sort of things they had to contend with." + +"What sort of relationship do you bear to the two boys?" asked Bob. + +"I am their uncle, and I gave them a block of buildings here in Denver +worth a hundred thousand dollars and this haunted mine; but, mind you, +I did not know it was haunted until after I had given it to them. But, +boy like, they determined to come up, brave the ghosts, and take +another fifty thousand out of it." + +Bob and Jake looked at each other, and something told them not to +believe all that Claus had said to them. If he was worth so much money +that he was willing to give his nephews a hundred thousand dollars of +it, he did not live in the way his means would allow. + +"And another thing," resumed Claus. "I would not mind their losing ten +thousand dollars, provided I got my share of it, for then they would +learn that a miner's life is as full of dangers as any other. But +remember--if you get ten thousand, I want three thousand of it." + +This was all that Claus thought it necessary to say on the subject of +robbing the boys, and after finishing his cigar he got up and went +out. Jake watched him until he was hidden in the crowd on the street, +and then settled back in his chair and looked at Bob. + +"There is something wrong with that fellow," he remarked. "His stories +don't hitch; he has some other reason for wishing to rob those boys. +Now, what is it?" + +"You tell," retorted Bob. "He has something on his mind, but he has no +more interest in that pit than you or I have. He never owned it, in +the first place." + +"Then we will find out about it when we show him the way to the Flat," +said Jake. + +"Oh, there will be somebody there working the mine--I don't dispute +that. But he is no uncle to them two boys. But say--I have just +thought of something. We are not going up there for three dollars a +day; and if we don't make something out of the boys, what's the reason +we can't go to headquarters?" + +Jake understood all his companion would have said, for he winked and +nodded his head in a way that had a volume of meaning in it. The two +moved their chairs closer together, and for half an hour engaged in +earnest conversation. There was only one thing that troubled +them--they did not like the idea of staying at Dutch Flat, among the +miners, until they heard how the boys were getting on with their mine. + +"You know they did not like us any too well last summer," said Bob, +twisting about in his chair. "If we had not come away just when we +did, it is my belief they would have ordered us out." + +"Yes; and it was all on your account, too. You were too anxious to +know how much the other fellows had dug out of their mines. You must +keep still and say nothing." + +Claus went away from the hotel feeling very much relieved. Bob and +Jake had come over to his plans, and they had raised no objection to +them. The next thing was to bring them down to a share in the spoils. +He was not going to come out there all the way from St. Louis and +propose that thing to them, and then put up with what they chose to +give him. + +"I must have a third of the money they make, and that is all there is +about it," said he to himself. "They would not have known a thing +about it if it had not been for me. Who is that? I declare, it is +Julian and Jack!" + +The boys were coming directly toward him, and this was the first time +he had seen them since his arrival in Denver, although he had kept a +close watch of everybody he had met on the street. He stepped into a +door, and appeared to be looking for some one inside; and when the +boys passed him, he turned around to look at them. The latter were in +a hurry, for it was a frosty morning, and they felt the need of some +exercise to quicken their blood; besides, they were on their way to +school, in the hope of learning something that would fit them for +some useful station in life. They were dressed in brand-new overcoats, +had furs around their necks and fur gloves on their hands, and Julian +was bent partly over, laughing at some remark Jack had made. He +watched them until they were out of sight, and then came out and went +on his way. + +"I tell you we are 'some,' now that we have our pockets full of +money," soliloquized Claus, who grew angry when he drew a contrast +between his and their station in life. "Most anybody would feel big if +he was in their place. But I must look out--I don't want them to see +me here." + +Fortunately Claus was not again called upon to dodge the boys in his +rambles about the city. He kept himself in a part of the city remote +from that which the boys frequented. The winter passed on, and spring +opened, and he did not again see them; but he heard of them through +Bob and Jake, who made frequent visits to the hotel where Mr. Banta +was located. + +"I guess we saw your boys to-day," said Bob, who then went on to +give a description of them. "They have it all cut and dried with +Banta, and he is going to show them the way to their mine. No, they +did not mention your name once. They are going to buy a pack-horse, +and load him up with tools and provisions, and are going out as big as +life." + +"That is all right," said Claus. "Now, remember--I am to have a third +of the dust you get." + +"Of course; that is understood," answered Jake, who now seemed as +anxious to go to Dutch Flat as he had before been to keep away from +it. "It would not be fair for us to take it all. Where are you going +after you get the money?" + +"I haven't got it yet," remarked Claus, with a smile. "Those ghosts +may be too strong for the boys, and perhaps they will come away +without anything." + +"Then we will pitch in and work the mine, ourselves," said Bob. "They +say that gold is so thick up there that you can pick it up with your +hands. We won't come away and leave such a vein behind us." + +"What about the ghosts?" queried Claus, who could not deny he was +afraid of them. "They may be too strong for you, also." + +"If they can get away with cold steel we'll give in to them," said +Jake. "But I'll risk that. Where are you going when you get the money? +Of course you can't go back to St. Louis." + +"No; I think I shall go on to California. I have always wanted to see +that State." + +"Well, we will go East. Three thousand dollars, if they succeed in +digging out ten thousand, added to what we shall make--humph!" said +Bob; and then he stopped before he had gone any further. + +It was a wonder that Claus did not suspect something, but his mind was +too fully occupied with other matters. Where was he going when he got +the money? That was something that had not occurred to Claus before, +and he found out that he had something yet to worry him. + +"You fellows seem to think you will get rich by robbing those boys," +remarked Claus, knowing that he must say something. + +"No, we don't," answered Jake; "but that will be enough to keep us +until we can turn our hands to some other kind of work. Now about our +pack-horse, tools and provisions. You have money enough to pay for +them, I suppose?" + +"Oh, yes--that is, I have a little," Claus replied, cautiously, for he +was afraid the miners might want more of it than he felt able to +spend. "But I tell you I shall be hard up after I get those things." + +"You have other money besides what you gave the boys," said Bob. "You +can write to St. Louis for more." + +"But I don't want to do that. I have with me just what I can spare, +for my other funds are all invested." + +"Oh, you can get more for the sake of what is coming to you," said +Jake, carelessly. "Now, we want to start for Dutch Flat in about a +week. That will give the boys time to fight the ghosts and get to work +in their pit. Suppose we go and see about our pack-horse and tools." + +Claus would have been glad to have put this thing off for a day or +two, but he could not see any way to get out of it. He went with the +miners, who knew just where they wanted to go, and the horse he bought +was a perfect rack of bones that did not seem strong enough to carry +himself up to Dutch Flat, let alone a hundredweight of tools and +provisions with him. The tools he bought were to be left in the store +until they were called for, and the miners drew a long breath of +relief, for that much was done. If Claus at any time got sick of his +bargain, and wanted to haul out, he could go and welcome; but they +would hold fast to his tools and provisions, and use them in +prospecting somewhere else. + +The morning set apart for their departure came at last, and Claus and +his companions put off at the first peep of day. They made the journey +of two hundred miles without any mishap, and finally rode into the +camp of Dutch Flat just as the miners were getting ready to have their +dinner. They all looked up when they heard the newcomers, and some +uttered profane ejaculations under their breath, while others greeted +them in a way that Claus did not like, for it showed him how his +partners stood there with the miners. + +"Well, if there ain't Bob I'm a Dutchman!" exclaimed one, +straightening up and shading his eyes with his hand. "You are on hand, +like a bad five-dollar bill--ain't you? I was in hopes you were well +on your way to the States by this time." + +"No, sir; I am here yet," answered Bob. "You don't mind if I go and +work my old claim, do you? I don't reckon that anybody has it." + +"Mighty clear of anybody taking your claim," said another. "You can go +there and work it, for all of us; but we don't want you snooping +around us like you did last summer." + +"What is the matter with those fellows?" asked Claus, when they were +out of hearing. "What did you men do here last summer?" + +"Just nothing at all," replied Jake. "We wanted to know how much gold +everybody was digging, and that made them jealous of us." + +"But if you can't mingle with them as you did then, how are you going +to find out about the haunted mine?" + +"Oh, we'll mix with them just as we did last year, only we sha'n't +have so much to say to them," said Jake. "Here is our claim, and it +don't look as though anybody had been nigh it." + +Claus was both surprised and downhearted. If he had known that the +miners were going to extend such a reception as that to him he would +have been the last one to go among them. There he was, almost alone, +with two hundred brawny fellows around him, each one with a revolver +strapped to his waist, and their looks and actions indicated that if +necessity required it they would not be at all reluctant to use them. +He managed to gather up courage to visit the general camp-fire, which +was kindled just at dark, where the miners met to smoke their pipes +and tell about what had happened in their mines during the day. This +one had not made anything. The dirt promised fairly, and he hoped in a +few days to strike a vein that would pay him and his partner +something. Another had tapped a little vein, and he believed that by +the time he got a rock out of his way he would stumble onto a deposit +that would make him so rich that he would start for the States in +short order. + +"Well, partner, how do you come on?" asked the man who was sitting +close to Claus, who was listening with all his ears. "Does your dirt +pan out any better than it did last summer?" + +"We have not seen the color of anything yet," replied Claus. "I do not +believe there is any gold there." + +"You are a tenderfoot, ain't you?" + +"Yes; I never have been in the mines before." + +"And you will wish, before you see your friends again, that you had +never seen them this time. If you get any dust, you hide it where your +partners can't find it." + +There was one man, who did not take any part in the conversation, that +kept a close watch on Claus and listened to every word he said. It was +Mr. Banta, who wondered what in the world could have happened to bring +so gentlemanly appearing a man up there in company with Bob and Jake. + +"He must have money somewhere about his good clothes, and that is what +Bob is after," said he to himself. "But if that is the case, why did +they not jump him on the way here? I think he will bear watching." + +Three nights passed in this way, Claus always meeting the miners at +the general camp-fire, while his partners stayed at home and waited +for him to come back and tell them the news, and on the fourth evening +Banta seemed lost in thought. He sat and gazed silently into the fire, +unmindful of the tales that were told and the songs that were sung all +around him. At last one of the miners addressed him. + +"Well, Banta, I suppose this is your last evening with us," he +remarked. + +"Yes; I go off to-morrow." + +"Don't you wish you had not promised to go up there?" + +"No, I don't; I shall find out if the boys are all right, anyway. That +is what I care the most about. I shall take some provisions with me, +and if the boys are above ground I will leave them; otherwise, I shall +bring them back." + +"Oh, the boys must have the better of the ghosts by this time," said +another; "they would have been here before this time if they had not. +You will find them with more gold stowed away than they know what to +do with." + +"And didn't they see the ghosts at all?" + +"Why, as to that, I can't say. But they have beaten them at their own +game. You will see." + +Claus pricked up his ears when he heard this, and when the miners had +all drawn away, one by one, and sought their blankets in their +lean-to's, he asked of the man who sat near him, and who was waiting +to smoke his pipe out before he went to bed, + +"Where is Banta going?" + +"Up to the haunted mine," was the reply. "You see, he went up there +two weeks ago with the boys, and promised to come back in two weeks to +see how they were coming on. His two weeks are up to-night." + +"What is up there, anyway?" + +"Well, you can ask somebody else to answer that question," said the +miner, getting upon his feet. "I don't know what is up there, and I +don't want to know." + +The miner walked off and left Claus sitting there alone. He was +certain that he was on the right track at last. As soon as Banta came +back they would know something about the haunted mine. + + + + +CHAPTER XXVII. + +BOB TRIES STRATEGY. + + +"Well, what did you hear this time?" asked Bob, who lay on his blanket +with his hands under his head and a pipe in his mouth. "Everybody kept +still about the haunted mine, I suppose?" + +"No, sir; I heard about it to-night for the first time," answered +Claus. "Banta is going up there to-morrow." + +"Then we will know something about it when he comes back," remarked +Bob. "I hope the boys have got the better of those ghosts in some way, +and that they are working their mine. Go on, and tell us what you have +heard." + +Claus did not have much to tell, for the miners had cut the +conversation short; but what little he did say created great +excitement between those who heard it now for the first time. The boys +had got the better of those unearthly spirits in some way, for if the +ghosts had driven them out and not allowed them to work their mine, +the miners would have found it out long before this time. + +"I don't see why Banta put it off for two weeks," said Jake; "I reckon +he was afraid of them spirits." + +The next day was one which Claus often remembered. There was much +excitement in the camp, although it did not show itself. There was +none of that singing and whistling going on, but every man worked in +silence. Banta and his partner had got off at daylight, and ten hours +must pass away before they could look for their return; but evening +came on apace, the camp-fire was lighted, and the miners gathered +around it and smoked their pipes without making any comments on the +long delay of Mr. Banta and the man who had gone with him. There was +one thing that troubled them, although no one spoke of it--the mule +which had carried their pack-saddle came home alone, and was now +feeding in company with the old bell-mare. That looked suspicious, but +the men said nothing. For an hour they sat around the fire, and then +one of them broke the stillness. He was an old, gray-headed man, +experienced in mining, and of course all listened to what he had to +say. He spoke in a low tone, as if there had been a patient there and +he was afraid to arouse him. + +"Ten miles in ten hours," said he, knocking the ashes from his pipe. +"Boys, something's got the better of those two men. I remember that +several years ago I was waiting for a partner of mine who had gone +away to prospect a mine----" + +"What was that?" exclaimed a miner, jumping to his feet. + +"I heard something, but I don't know what it was," said another. + +It was done quicker than we could tell it. In less than a second two +hundred men sprang to their feet, and two hundred hands slipped behind +them and laid hold of as many revolvers. Of all those men, there was +not one who would have hesitated to fight Indians with the fear of +death before their eyes, but there was not a single instance of a +miner who did not change color at the sound of a noise which seemed +to come upon them from no one could have told where. + +"Which way did the noise come from?" asked a miner. + +"What did it sound like?" queried another. + +"There it is!" said the miner who had at first detected it--"it sounds +like a horse's hoofs on the rocks. There! Don't you hear it?" + +And so it proved. The noise was heard plainly enough by this time, and +in a few moments more two men came out of the willows and rode into +the circle of light that was thrown out by the camp-fire. They were +Banta and his partner; and one look at their faces was enough--they +were fairly radiant with joy. + +"Halloo! boys," cried Banta. "I declare, you act as though you had +lost your best friend; and some of you have revolvers drawn on us, +too!" + +"Say, pard," said one of the miners, shoving his revolver back where +it belonged and extending a hand to each of the newcomers, "where +have you been so long? Your pack-mule has been home all the afternoon, +and has kept the camp in an uproar with her constant braying. She +acted as though she wanted to see your horses. Did you see the boys?" + +"Yes, sir, we saw the boys," answered Banta. He did not seem in any +particular hurry to relieve the suspense of his friends, which was now +worked up to the highest degree, but dismounted from his horse very +deliberately and proceeded to turn him loose. + +"Well, why don't you go on with it?" asked another miner. "Were the +boys all right?" + +"The boys were all right and tight, and digging away as hard as they +could." + +"Did they--did they see the ghosts?" + +"Of course they did; and the ghosts are now lying up there with their +skins off." + +"Were they animals?" + +"You are right again. Now, hold on till I light my pipe and I'll tell +you all about it. Tony, you ought to have gone up there; you would be +ten thousand dollars better off than you are this minute." + +Tony was a man who was noted far and near for his success in killing +the lions which were so abundant in the mountains. He would rather +hunt them than dig for gold, because he was almost sure to get the +animal he went after. He was filling his pipe when Banta was speaking, +but he dropped it and let it lay on the ground where it had fallen. + +"It is the truth I am telling you," declared Banta. "If you don't +believe it, you can go up there to that haunted mine and find out all +about it. The boys killed them with nothing but revolvers." + +Banta had his pipe lit by this time, and the miners crowded around +him, all eager for his story. Bob and Jake were there, and no one +seemed to pay the least attention to them; but they were impatient to +learn all the particulars of the case. There was one question they +wanted answered immediately, and that was, Did the boys really have a +bagful of dust, or was Banta merely joking about that? Fortunately +Tony recovered his wits and his pipe at the same time and asked the +question for them. + +"Did the boys get ten thousand dollars in two weeks?" he asked. + +"Well, they brought a bag out for us to examine, and they thought it +was nothing but iron pyrites," said Banta; and then he went on smoking +his pipe. + +"We took one look at the bag," said his partner, "and we took a big +load off the boys' minds when we told them it was gold, and nothing +else. Yes, sir--they have it fair and square." + +"The boys are going ahead as though there had never been any ghosts +there," said Banta; and then he went on to tell the miners everything +that had happened during their trip to the haunted mine; and when he +got started, he followed Julian's narrative, and paid no attention to +Jack's. It was certain that the story did not lose anything by passing +through his hands. + +"Jack pulled off his shirt," said he, in conclusion, "and he has some +wounds on his back that will go with him through life." + +"And is the gold as thick as they say it is--so thick that one can +pick it up with his hands?" + +"It is not quite as thick as that," replied Banta, with a laugh. "But +every time one washes out a cradleful he finds anywhere from a +teaspoonful to three or four which he wants to put in his bag. I tell +you, the boys have been lucky." + +"I am going up there the first thing in the morning," said a miner. +"Here I have been slaving and toiling for color for six months, and I +can hardly get enough to pay for my provisions, but I'll bet it won't +be that way, now, much longer." + +"Wait until I tell you something," answered Banta. "Neely, you can go +up there, if you are set on it; there's no law here that will make you +stay away. There are plenty of places where you can sink a shaft +without troubling the boys any, but whether or not it will pay you is +another question. The boys will be down here themselves in less than +two weeks' time." + +"How do you account for that?" + +"Their vein is giving out. It will end in a deep ravine that is up +there, and there their color ends." + +"Why don't they go back farther and start another?" asked the miner. + +"It won't pay. The man who started that shaft upon which they are now +at work was a tenderfoot, sure enough. There is not the first sign of +color about the dirt anywhere. He thought it was a pretty place and so +went to work, and the consequence is, it has panned out sixty thousand +dollars. But go ahead if you want to, Neely." + +Neely did not know whether or not he wanted to go ahead with such a +warning in his ears. Banta was an experienced prospector, and he could +almost tell by looking at the ground if there was any gold anywhere +about there. A good many who had been on the point of starting for the +haunted mine with the first peep of day shook their heads, and +concluded they would rather stay where they were than go off to a new +country. There were three, who did not say anything, whose minds were +already made up as to what they would do. They waited until the +miners were ready to go to their blankets, and then Bob attracted the +attention of those nearest him by saying, + +"What Banta says throws a damper on me. The haunted mine is going to +play out in a day or two, this place here is not worth shucks, and we +are going off somewhere at break of day to see if we can't do better +than we are doing here." + +"Where are you going?" asked one. + +"I don't know, and in fact I don't care much. I'll go to the first +good place I hear of, I don't care if it is on the other side of the +Rocky Mountains. I came out here expecting to get rich in a few days, +and I am poorer now than I was ten years ago. These mountains around +here have not any gold in them for me." + +"And I say it is good riddance," whispered the miner to some who stood +near him. "If you had acted as you did last year, you would have been +sent out before this time." + +Having paved the way for the departure of himself and companions, Bob +joined them and led the way into his own cabin. They seated +themselves close together, for they did not want to talk loud enough +to be heard by anyone who was passing their camp. + +"Well, they have it!" exclaimed Claus, who was so excited that he +could not sit still. + +"And it is gold, too," declared Jake. "Banta says so, and that is +enough." + +"In the morning, after we get breakfast," said Bob, "we'll hitch up +and take the back trail toward Denver. We will go away from the +haunted mine, and that will give color to what I told them a while +ago." + +"What if you should chance to miss your way?" asked Claus. + +"You can't lose me in these mountains; I have prospected all over +them, and I have seen where the haunted mine is located a hundred +times. What a pity it was that I did not stay there. Sixty thousand +dollars! Jake, if we had that sum of money we would be rich." + +Jake did not say anything--that is, anything that would do to put on +paper. He stretched himself out on his blanket and swore softly to +himself, so that nobody but his companions could hear him. + +"That will be three thousand three hundred dollars apiece," said +Claus, who did not like the way that Bob and Jake left him out +entirely. "Remember, I am to have a third of it." + +"Of course; and it will be more than that. The boys will have some +time to do more digging, and maybe they'll have another bagful. I +understood you to say that the boys were pretty plucky." + +"You may safely say that," replied Claus. "The way they stood up +against those lions, when they did not know what was onto them, is +abundant proof of that. You will have to go easy when you tackle them, +or some of you will get more than you want." + +The three continued to talk in this way until they grew tired and fell +asleep--that is, all except Claus, who rolled and twisted on his +blanket for a good while before he passed into the land of Nod. But he +was out before daybreak and busy with breakfast, while the others +brought up the animals and packed them for their journey. There was +only one man who came near them, and that was Banta, who wanted to +make sure they were not going toward the haunted mine. + +"Well, boys, are you going to leave us?" he inquired. "Where are you +going?" + +"Not giving you a short answer, we don't care much _where_ we go," +replied Bob. "There is nothing here for us, and we will go elsewhere. +We are going to take the back track." + +"Are you not deciding on this matter suddenly?" + +"We determined on it yesterday. We decided to go up to the haunted +mine if you came back with a favorable report of the condition of +things, but you say the lead is played out, and of course that knocks +us. Wherever we go, we can't find a much worse place than this." + +"Well, boys, I wish you luck, and we'll all go away from here before a +great while." + +"Why are you so anxious to find out about where we are going?" asked +Bob. + +"Because I wanted to remind you to keep away from that mine up the +gully," answered Banta, looking hard at Bob while he spoke. "The boys +have that mine all to themselves, and we are going to stand by them." + +"We have no intention of going near that haunted mine," asserted Bob, +rather sullenly. "If those boys have gold, let them keep it." + +"All right! Then I have nothing further to say to you." + +So saying, Banta turned on his heel and walked away. There was nothing +insulting in what he said, but Bob and his companions knew that he was +in earnest about it. They all kept watch of him as long as he remained +in sight, and then looked at each other with a broad grin on their +faces. + +"I guess Banta didn't make anything by trying to pump me," said Bob. +"When we get a mile or two down the gully, we'll save what little +provisions we want, push our horses over the bluff----" + +"What do we want to do that for?" exclaimed Claus, in great amazement. +"Can't we turn them loose?" + +"Yes, and have them come back here and join the old bell-mare," said +Jake, in disgust. "We have to be in a hurry about what we do, for we +must get a long start of the men here. If our nags appeared among the +other horses here, the miners would know we had been fooling them and +would start for the haunted mine at once." + +"Couldn't we tie them up?" asked Claus; "or, we could shoot them. That +would be an easier way than pushing them over the bluff." + +"But there's the report our pistols would make," replied Bob, turning +fiercely upon Claus. "The easiest way is the best. Now, if we have +everything we want, let us dig out from here." + +The men in the camp saw them when they mounted their horses and +started down the gully toward Denver, but there was not one who +shouted a farewell after them. When they disappeared from view, Banta +drew a long breath of relief. + +"It is just as well that they took themselves off before we had a +chance to tell them that their room was better than their company. I +do not like the way they have been acting since they have been here." + + + + +CHAPTER XXVIII. + +AN INHUMAN ACT. + + +"I'll bet no men ever went away from a camp before without somebody +said good-bye to them," said Jake. "They don't care where we go, or +what luck we have, provided we don't go near the haunted mine. If they +will just stay that way until to-morrow, they can all come on at once, +if they have a mind to." + +Claus was the soberest man in the party. He was waiting and watching +for that bluff at which their faithful steeds were to give up their +lives to make it possible for their owners to get away with the amount +they expected to raise at the haunted mine. There was something +cold-blooded about this, and Claus could not bring himself to think of +it without shivering all over. + +"I don't see why you can't tie them there," Claus ventured to say; +"they won't make any fuss until we are safely out of the way. It +looks so inhuman, to kill them." + +"Look here!" said Bob, so fiercely that Claus resolved he would not +say anything more on the subject--"if you don't like the way we are +managing this business, you can just go your way, and we'll go ours." + +"But you can't go yet," interrupted Jake; "we are not going to have +you go back to Dutch Flat and tell the men there what we are going to +do. You will stay with us until we get that money." + +"Of course he will," assented Bob. "When we get through with that +haunted mine we'll go off into the mountains, and then you'll be at +liberty to go where you please." + +"Of course I shall stay with you," said Claus, not a little alarmed by +the threat thus thrown out. Then he added to himself, "I reckon I +played my cards just right. If I can keep them from searching me, I'll +come out at the big end of the horn, no matter what happens to them." + +For the next hour Claus held his peace; but he noticed that his horse +turned his head and looked down the gully as if he feared they were +not going the right away. He did not remember that he had come that +route before, but concluded that Bob was gradually leaving the trail +behind them, and was veering around to get behind the camp at Dutch +Flat. Then the mule which bore their pack-saddle began to be +suspicious of it, too, for he threw up his head and gave utterance to +a bray so long and loud that it awoke a thousand echoes among the +mountains. + +"Shut up!" exclaimed Jack, jerking impatiently at his halter. "I hope +that bluff is not far away. We'll soon put a stop to your braying when +we get there." + +In another hour they came upon the bluff, one side of which was +bounded by a deep ravine that seemed to extend down into the bowels of +the earth, and the other was hemmed in by lofty mountains which rose +up so sheer their tops seemed lost in the clouds above. Here again the +mule became suspicious, for, in spite of the jerks which Jake gave at +his halter, he set up another bray that sounded as if the mountains +were full of mules. + +"Hold fast to him, Jake, until I take his saddle off," said Bob, +hastily dismounting from his horse; "I can soon stop that, if you +can't. There--his pack is off. Take him by the foretop--don't let him +get away from you. Now, then, look at you!" + +The mule got away in spite of all Jake's efforts to hold fast to him. +The moment the bridle was out of his mouth he dodged the grab that +Jake made for his foretop, and with a flourish of his heels and +another long bray made for the gully by which he had entered the +bluff. The horses made a vain attempt to follow him, and the animal on +which Claus was mounted seemed determined to go away, but he was +finally stopped by his rider before he reached the gully. Bob and Jake +were fairly beside themselves with anger. Bob stamped up and down so +close to the ravine that the least misstep would have sent him over +the brink, and Jake sat down on the ground and swore softly to +himself. + +"I tell you, this won't do!" said Bob, coming back to the horses. "Let +us put them over without the least delay; and, mind you, we won't +take their bridles off at all. That mule will be in camp in less than +an hour, so we must make tracks. Let their saddles go, too." + +The men went to work at pushing the horses over into the ravine as if +they were in earnest. First Bob's horse went; then Jake's; and finally +they took Claus's bridle out of his hands and shoved his horse over, +too. Claus did not see any of this work. The animals went over without +making any effort at escape beyond putting out their feet and trying +to push themselves away from the brink; but the miners got behind +them, and all their attempts to save themselves amounted to nothing. +He heard the horses when they crashed through the branches of the +trees below him, and then all was silent. + +"What else could we do?" exclaimed Bob, who thought Claus looked +rather solemn over it. "Dutch Flat is not a mile from here, and some +one there would have heard their whinnying. I am sorry to do it, too, +but when there is ten thousand dollars in sight, I don't stop at +anything. Now pitch that mule's things over, also, and then we'll get +away from here." + +This being done, the three, with a small package of provisions on +their shoulders, set out once more at a rapid pace, Bob leading the +way. + +For a long time no one spoke, the travelling being so difficult that +it took all their breath to keep pace with Bob; but finally he turned +about and made a motion of silence with his hand, and then they began +to pick their way through the bushes with more caution. After a few +moments he stopped, pushed aside the branches of an evergreen, and +after taking a survey of the scene presented to his gaze he made +another motion, which brought his companions up beside him. + +"We have caught them at it!" said he. 'Julian is on top, and Jack is +down below, shovelling dirt. Where are your revolvers?" + +"Those fellows from the Flat have not come yet," said Jake, looking +all around to make sure that the boys were alone. "Lead ahead, Bob, +and remember that we are close at your heels." + +Leaving his provisions behind him, Bob arose to his feet, stepped out +of his place of concealment and advanced toward the pit. Julian was so +intent on watching his companion below that he did not hear the sound +of their footsteps until they were so close to him that he could not +pull his partner up; so he simply raised his head, and was about to +extend to them a miner's welcome, when he saw something that made him +open his eyes and caused him to stare harder than ever. There was +something about that short, fleshy man which he was sure he +recognized. It did not make any difference in what style of clothing +Claus was dressed in,--whether as a gentleman of leisure or as a +miner,--his face betrayed him. He saw that it was all up with him, for +he had no time to go to the lean-to after his revolver. + +"Pitch that dirt out of the bucket and come up, Jack," called Julian, +shaking the rope to attract the attention of his comrade. "Claus is up +here." + +There was a moment's silence; then Jack's voice came back in no very +amiable tones. + +"Get away with your nonsense!" he exclaimed. "If I come up there again +for just nothing at all, I pity _you_! If Claus is there, make him +show himself." + +"Why, he's your uncle," asserted Bob, who began to wonder if that was +the first lie that Claus had told them. + +"That man?" exclaimed Julian. "Not much, he ain't. Jack, is Claus your +uncle?" + +"Tell him to come down here and I'll see about it," said Jack, who +could not yet be made to see that there was something really going on +at the top. "That makes two I have against you, old fellow." + +"No, you haven't got anything against me," said Julian. "Here is +Claus. Don't you see his face? Any man who would claim such an uncle +as that--" + +"That is enough out of you!" interrupted Jake. "Fetch that partner of +yours up, and then bring out your money--we must get away from here in +a hurry." + +"Well! well!" cried Jack, who happened to look up and catch a glimpse +of Claus's face. "I will come up directly." + +"Say, you, down there," called Bob, bending over the shaft, "if you +have a revolver down there, be careful that you keep it where it +belongs." + +"Don't worry yourself," answered Jack; "I haven't anything in the +shape of a revolver about me. Hoist away, Julian." + +The dirt was emptied out by this time, and Jack stepped into the +bucket and was promptly hoisted to the top. Then he stood waiting for +the three men to make known their wants; but he devoted the most of +his time to scrutinizing the face of Claus, to whom he was indebted +for the presence of the other two. + +"Do you think you could recognize me if you should chance to meet me +again anywhere?" asked Claus. + +"Certainly, I could," answered Julian; "I would recognize you if I saw +you in Asia. You are bound to have some of that money, are you not?" + +"That is just what I am here for," said Claus, with a grin. "You have +one bagful and another partly full, and we want them both as soon as +you can get them." + +Jack was astonished when he heard this, for Mr. Banta had told him to +keep the full bag hidden where no one could find it. How, then, did +Claus know anything about it? Julian was equally amazed; but, after +thinking a moment, he turned on his heel and led the way toward their +lean-to. Bob and his companion kept close by the side of the two boys, +for they did not want them to find their revolvers before they knew +something about it. They had heard from various sources that the boys +were fair shots, and they did not want to see them try it on. + +"Well, Claus, you slipped up on one thing," said Julian; "you didn't +get any of that block of buildings--did you?" + +"Come, now, hurry up!" insisted Bob. "Where are those bags?" + +"Here's one you have been talking about," answered Jack, pulling the +head of his bed to pieces and producing the article in question. +"Julian, you know where the other one is." + +While Jack was engaged in performing this work the revolvers were kept +pointed straight at him, for fear he might pull out another one and +turn it loose upon them before they could draw a trigger. But the boys +did not seem to care any more about the revolvers than if they had +been sticks of wood that were aimed at them. Claus had a revolver, but +he did not seem inclined to use it. + +"Are you sure it is gold in here, and not something else?" asked Bob. + +"You have got the bag in your hands, and you can look and see for +yourself," said Jack. + +"Go out in front of the lean-to and sit down on the ground so that I +can watch you," said Bob. "Jake, go with that boy and dig up the other +one. Is this all you have made since you have been here?" + +"Yes, that's all. Now, what are you going to do with us?" + +"I'll tell you when Jake comes back. Is there much more of that lead +down there?" + +"Well, you have charge of the mine, now, and there is no law to hinder +you from going down and finding out," retorted Jack. "Claus, where are +you going? I don't expect to see these gentlemen any more, but I +should like to keep track of you." + +Claus did not see fit to answer this question, and in the meantime +Julian and Jake returned with the other bag. + + + + +CHAPTER XXIX. + +A TRAMP WITH THE ROBBERS. + + +"Oh, it is gold!" exclaimed Jake, as Bob took the bag and bent over +it; "it is not iron pyrites." + +"Stow that about your clothes, Jake, and then we'll go on," said Bob; +"and we want you boys to gather up provisions enough to last you for +three or four days. But, in the first place, where are your +revolvers?" + +"Don't you see them hung up there, in plain sight?" asked Jack, +pointing to the articles in question, which were suspended from the +rack of the lean-to, in plain sight. "What are you going to do with +us?" + +"We are going to take you a three days' journey with us, and then turn +you loose." + +"Why can't you let us go now?" queried Julian. "We have nothing else +that is worth stealing." + +"No, but you are too close to Dutch Flat," Jake replied. "We haven't +got anything against you, and when we get out there in the +mountains--" + +"You might as well shoot us on the spot as to lose us among these +hills. I pledge you my word that we will not stir a step--" + +"That is all very well," interrupted Bob with a shake of his head +which told the boys that he had already decided on his plan; "but, you +see, it don't go far enough. If you don't go to the miners, the miners +will come here to you, so we think you would be safer with us. Gather +up your grub and let us get away from here." + +The boy saw very plainly that Bob and Jake wanted to make their escape +from the miners sure; so Julian collected some bacon and hard-tack, +which he wrapped up in a blanket and fixed to sling over his +shoulders. There was one thing that encouraged him--"if he did not go +to the miners, the miners would come after him"--and proved that they +must in some way have had their suspicions aroused against Bob and +Jake. Jack also busied himself in the same way, and in a very few +minutes the boys were ready to start. + +"I must say you are tolerably cool ones, to let ten or fifteen +thousand dollars be taken from you in this way," remarked Bob, who was +lost in admiration of the indifferent manner in which the boys obeyed +all orders. "I have seen some that would have been flurried to death +by the loss of so much money." + +"If Claus, here, told the truth, they have a whole block of buildings +to fall back on," answered Jake. "But maybe that is a lie, too." + +"No, he told you the truth there," said Julian. "He tried to cheat us +out of those buildings while we were in St. Louis--" + +"I never did it in this world!" declared Claus, emphatically. + +"Did you not claim to be our uncle?" asked Julian. + +"Uncle!" ejaculated Jack. "Great Scott!" + +Claus did not attempt to deny this. Bob and Jake were almost within +reach of him, and they looked hard at him to see what he would say, +and he was afraid to affirm that there was no truth in the statement +for fear of something that might happen afterward. He glanced at the +boys, who were looking steadily at him, and Jack moved a step or two +nearer to him with his hands clenched and a fierce frown on his face, +all ready to knock him down if he denied it; so Claus thought it best +not to answer the question at all. + +"You won't think it hard of me if I hit him a time or two?" asked +Jack. + +"Come here and behave yourself," said Julian, walking up and taking +Jack by the arm. "I think, if the truth was known, he is in a worse +fix than we are." + +"But he claims to be my uncle!" exclaimed Jack. + +The tone in which these words were uttered, and Jack's anger over the +claim of relationship, caused Bob and Jake to break out into a roar of +laughter. + +"We'll take your word for it," said Bob, as soon as he could speak; +"but we can't waste any more time here. Follow along after me, and +Jake will bring up the rear." + +Bob at once set off to the spot where they had left their provisions, +and, having picked them up, led the way down the almost perpendicular +side of the ravine until they reached the bottom. Now and then he +would look over his shoulder at Jack, who was following close behind +him, and would break into another peal of laughter. + +"So you didn't want that fellow to claim relationship with you?" said +he. "Well, I don't blame you. He has done nothing but tell us one pack +of lies after another ever since we met him. The only thing that had +the least speck of truth in it was that we should find you here at the +haunted mine." + +This remark was made in a low tone, so that it did not reach the ears +of Claus, who was following some distance behind. If Claus had not +seen already that he was in a "fix," he ought to have seen it now. + +"Now, perhaps you wouldn't mind telling us what you are going to do +with us," Jack ventured to say, in reply. + +"Well, the men there at Dutch Flat are hot on our trail now," asserted +Bob. + +"How do you know that?" + +"Because our mule got away from us when we tried to shove him over the +bluff. We wanted to destroy everything we had that we could not carry +on our backs, but he got away from us. Banta warned us against coming +up here, and we fooled him by making him believe we were going +straight down to Denver; but he will be after us now. If he comes, he +had better take us unawares; that's all." + +"We don't want to see that fight," remarked Jack. "You'll let us go +before that comes off?" + +"Oh, yes; when we get you so deep in the mountains that you can't find +your way back readily, why, then we'll let you go. If you behave +yourselves, you won't get hurt." + +Bob led the way at a more rapid pace when they reached the bottom of +the gorge, jumping from rock to rock, and climbing over fallen trees +that lay in their road, and Jack followed his example. He knew that +Bob was making the trail more difficult to follow, but it was done in +order to keep out of argument with his charge; for Bob often stopped, +whenever he came to a place that took some pains to get over, and saw +that those who were following him left no tracks behind them. + +"There!" said Bob, pulling off his hat and looking back at the way +they had come; "I reckon Banta will find some trouble in tracking us +up here. I am hungry, and we'll stop here and have something to eat." + +After they had satisfied their appetites they took a little time to +rest, and then set off again at a more rapid pace than ever. It was +almost dark when they stopped to camp for the night. The boys were +tired, and they showed it as soon as they had disposed of their bacon +and hard-tack by wrapping their blankets about them and lying down to +sleep, with their feet to the fire. Their slumber was as sound as +though they were surrounded by friends instead of being in the power +of those who had robbed them of their hard-earned wealth. + +It seemed to them that they had scarcely closed their eyes when they +were awakened by the sound of footsteps moving about, and threw off +their blankets in time to see Bob cutting off a slice of bacon. It was +as dark as pitch in the woods, and the boys did not see how Bob was to +find his way through them. + +"It will be light enough by the time we have our breakfast eaten," +said he, in response to the inquiry of Julian. "You have a watch with +you. What time is it?" + +Julian had a watch with him, it is true, but he had been careful how +he drew it out in the presence of Bob and Jake. It had no chain +attached to it, and the boy was not aware that Bob knew anything about +it; but he produced the gold timepiece and announced that it was just +five o'clock. This was another thing over which Julian had had an +argument with Jack, who believed that, with the money he had at his +disposal, he ought to have the best watch that could be procured, and, +in spite of Jack's arguments, he had purchased the best American +patent lever he could find. Jack's watch was an ordinary silver one, +and he said that by it he could tell the time when dinner was ready as +well as he could by a good timepiece. + +"Do you want this watch?" asked Julian, because he thought the man who +would steal his money would not be above stealing his watch also. + +"Oh, no," replied Bob, with a laugh; "you can keep that. I wanted your +money, and, now that I have it, I am satisfied." + +By the time breakfast was cooked and eaten there was light enough to +show them the way, and Bob once more took the lead. There was no trail +to guide them--nothing but the gully, which twisted and turned in so +many ways that Julian almost grew heart-sick when he thought of +finding his way back there in company with Jack. More than once he was +on the point of asking Bob if he did not think they had gone far +enough, but the man had been so friendly and good-natured all the time +that he did not want to give him a chance to act in any other way. So +he kept with him during that long day's tramp, looking into all the +gullies he crossed, and once or twice he slyly reached behind him and +pulled down a branch of an evergreen that happened to come in his +way. + +"That's the way our women used to do in old Revolutionary times when +they were captured and wanted to leave some trail for their rescuers +to follow," soliloquized Julian; "but Bob doesn't take any notice of +it." + +"Well, I reckon we'll stop here for the night," remarked Bob, when it +got so dark that he could scarcely see. "This is as far as we shall +ask you to go with us, Julian. I suppose you are mighty glad to get +clear of us." + +"Yes, I am," assented Julian, honestly. "If you will give us what you +have in your pockets, you can go your way and we will make no attempt +to capture you." + +"Oh, we couldn't think of that! You have wealth enough to keep you all +your lives, and I have struggled for ten years to gain a fortune, and +to-day I have just got it." + +"What would you do if somebody should catch you along the trail, +somewhere? You would come in for a hanging, sure." + +"Don't you suppose we know all that? It is a good plan for you to +catch your man before you hang him. We have two revolvers apiece, and +you know what that means." + +"You don't count Claus worth anything, then," remarked Jack. + +"Eh? Oh, yes, we do," exclaimed Bob, who wondered what Claus would +think of him for leaving him out entirely. "But Claus is not used to +this sort of business, you know. He could make a noise, and that is +about all he could do." + +"We know we should come in for a hanging if those fellows at Dutch +Flat should ever get their hands on us, but when they do that we'll be +dead. You need not think we are going to stay in this country, where +everybody has got so rich, and we be as poor as Job's turkey all the +while. We have just as good a right to be rich as they have." + +When Jake got to talking this way it was a sure sign that he was +rapidly getting toward a point which Bob called "crazy." He was always +mad when he spoke of others' wealth and his own poverty; and the boys, +who were anxious to get him off from that subject, began their +preparations for supper. They were glad to know they had gone far +enough with the robbers to insure their escape, and they were +disposed to be talkative; but they noticed that Claus was more +downhearted than he had ever been. He lit his pipe, leaned back +against a tree, and went off into a brown study. + +"I suppose he'll get a portion of the money that was stolen from us," +said Jack, in a low tone. + +"No, he won't," answered Julian in the same cautious manner. "He has +been promised some of that money, but I'll bet you he don't get a cent +of it. He is here in these fellows' power, and they'll take what they +please out of him." + +The boys, although as tired as they were on the previous day, were not +by any means inclined to sleep. In fact they did not believe they had +been asleep at all until they heard Bob moving around the fire. It was +five o'clock by Julian's watch, and his first care was to find out +what had become of Claus, who lay muffled up, head and ears, in his +blanket; but he would not have stayed there if he knew what was going +to happen to him during the day. + +"Now perhaps you will be good enough to tell us what route we have to +travel in order to get out of here," said Jack. + +"Have you a compass with you?" asked Jake. + +No, the boys had none; they did not think they would need one when +they were surrounded by friends who knew the woods, and consequently +they had not brought one with them. + +"You know which way is east, don't you? Well, place your backs to the +sun, and keep it there all the time. Dutch Flat lies directly west of +here." + +"That will be good if the sun shines all the time," said Julian. "But +if it goes under a cloud--then what?" + +"Then you will have to go into camp, and stay until it comes out +again," replied Bob. "But at this time of the year you have nothing to +fear on that score. Are you going already? Well, good-bye. Why don't +you wish us good luck with that money we took from you?" + +"Because I don't believe it will bring you good luck," said Jack. "We +worked hard for it, and we ought to have it. I wish you good-bye, but +I don't wish you good luck." + +"Shake hands with your uncle, why don't you?" asked Bob. + +"Not much!" returned Jack. "If that money doesn't bring him some +misfortune I shall miss my guess." + +Julian and Jack shouldered the blankets which contained the few +provisions they had left, plunged into the thicket, and were out of +hearing in a few minutes. The robbers sat by the fire without making +any effort to continue their journey, and presently Bob turned his +eyes upon Claus. + +"Now, my friend, it is time for you to go, too," said he. + + + + +CHAPTER XXX. + +HOME AGAIN. + + +Claus had been expecting something of this kind. It is true he had a +revolver, but by the time he could reach back to his hip pocket and +draw it he could be covered by Jake, whose weapon lay close at hand. +There was but one thing to be done--he had to surrender. Instead of +getting three thousand dollars for his share in the robbery, he would +be turned loose in that country, two hundred miles from anybody, +without a cent left in his pockets--that is, if Bob searched him. + +"Well," said Claus, "I suppose you want all the money I have around +me. I should think you might leave me a little." + +"How much have you?" asked Bob. + +Without saying a word, Claus unbuttoned his vest, worked at something +on the inside, and presently hauled out a belt, which he handed over +to Bob. It did not stick out as though there was much money in it, and +when Bob began to investigate it, all he drew forth was twenty-five +dollars. + +"You are a wealthy millionaire, I understood you to say," exclaimed +Bob, in great disgust. "This looks like it!" + +"I told you, when I had purchased the pack-mule, provisions and tools, +that I should not have much left," answered Claus. "That's all I have, +and if you take it from me I shall starve." + +"Stand up!" commanded Jake, who was as disgusted as Bob was. "You are +sure you haven't got any about your clothes? But, first, I'll take +possession of that revolver." + +The revolver having been disposed of, Jake then turned his attention +to feeling in all Claus's pockets, but he found nothing more +there--Claus had evidently given them the last cent he had. + +"Take your little bills," said Bob, throwing Claus's belt back to him. +"If you are careful of them, they will serve you till you get back to +Denver." + +"And when you get there, you can go to one of those men who own that +block of buildings and borrow another thousand or two. Now, get out of +here!" put in Jake. + +"I thank you for this much," returned Claus. "But I should thank you a +good deal more if you would give me my revolver. I may want it before +I reach Denver." + +"Give it to him, Jake. He hasn't pluck enough to shoot at us or +anybody else. Make yourself scarce about here!" + +"They think they are awful smart!" thought Claus, when he had placed +some bushes between him and the robbers. "Why didn't they think to +look in my shoe? I have three hundred dollars that they don't know +anything about. Now I guess I'll go back to St. Louis; and if anybody +ever says anything to me about an 'old horse,' I'll knock him down." + +We are now in a position to take a final leave of Claus, and we do it +with perfect readiness. Did he get back to St. Louis in safety? Yes, +he got there in due course, but he had some fearful sufferings on the +way. In the first place, he was nearly a week in finding his way out +of the mountains; and by the time he reached a miner's cabin he was so +weak from want of food that he fell prone upon the floor, and stayed +there until the miner came from his work and found him there. Of +course he was taken in and cared for, and when he was able to resume +his journey he offered to present the miner with every cent he +had,--twenty-five dollars,--to pay him for his kindness; but the miner +would not take it. + +"You will need every cent of that before you get to Denver," said he. +"The food and care I have given you don't amount to anything. +Good-bye, and good luck to you." + +He was nearly three times as long in finding his way back to Denver. +He tried to buy a horse on the way, but no one had any to sell. He now +and then found a chance to ride when he was overtaken by a teamster +who was going somewhere for a load, but the most of his journey was +accomplished on foot. His long tramp never cost him a cent, for +everybody pitied his forlorn condition. + +"I tell you, if I had been treated this way by those robbers I +wouldn't look as bad as I do now," Claus often said to himself; "I +would have seen California before I went home." + +All this while, Claus was on nettles for fear he would see some of the +men from Dutch Flat who were in pursuit of him; but the trouble was, +the miners all went the other way. They never dreamed that Claus was +going home, but saddled their horses at Mr. Banta's command, and, +making no attempt to follow the devious course of the robbers through +the mountains, took the "upper trail," and did their best to shut them +off from the towns toward which they knew the men were hastening to +buy some more provisions. What luck they met with we shall presently +see. + +No man ever drew a longer breath than Claus did when he came within +sight of Denver. He went at once to the hotel where he had left his +clothes, but the landlord did not recognize him and ordered him out of +the house; but he finally succeeded in making himself known; and, now +that he was safely out of reach of the miners at Dutch Flat, he had +some fearful stories to tell of his experience. + +"You know I left my clothes with you on condition that you would keep +them for me for a year," said Claus, who thought that was the wisest +thing that he ever did. "Well, I want them now. I have the key to my +trunk, so everything is all right." + +Claus was not long in recovering from the effects of his journey, for +he could not help thinking that Mr. Banta, or some other man who +belonged to the Flat, would find out that he had gone to Denver and +come after him; so he remained there but two days before he took the +cars for home. + +"Now I am safe," said he, settling down in his seat and pulling his +hat over his eyes; "I would like to see them catch me. But what shall +I do when I get back to St. Louis? I must settle down into the same +old life I have always led, and that will be a big come-down for me." + +Claus is there now, spending his time at the pool-rooms, where he +makes the most of his living, and ready at any time to talk about the +mines and the terrible experience he had there. + +And where were Julian and Jack all this while? To begin with, they +were in the ravine, making all the haste they could to leave the +robbers behind and reach the haunted mine before their provisions gave +out. That troubled them worse than anything. + +"If our grub stops, where are we going to get more?" asked Jack. "I +don't believe there is a house any nearer than Dutch Flat." + +"And we can't get there any too soon," returned Julian. "At any rate, +we are better off than Claus is. What do you suppose they intend to do +with him?" + +"I suppose they intend to divide the money with him. What makes you +think they would do anything else?" + +"From the way they treated him. If we could learn the whole upshot of +the matter, you would find that they don't intend to give him a +dollar." + +"I wish we could see Mr. Banta for about five minutes," said Jack. "I +don't like to give up that money. It is the first we ever earned by +digging in the ground, and I was going to suggest to you that we keep +some of it." + +Julian replied by lengthening his steps and going ahead at a faster +rate than ever. He, too, did not like to confess that the money was +lost,--that is, if they could only get word to Mr. Banta in time. He +did not know where the robbers were heading for; but, with two hundred +men at his back, Julian was certain he could come up with them before +they had left the country entirely. + +"But I hope they will not hurt the robbers," said Julian. "If they +will just get the dust, that is all I shall ask of them." + +About five o'clock in the afternoon, when it began to grow dark in the +ravine, Julian, who had been all the time leading the way, stopped and +pointed silently before him. Jack looked, and there was the camp they +had occupied two nights before. + +"We are on the right road, so far," said he. "If we don't miss our +way to-morrow we are all right." + +The boys had not stopped to eat any dinner, and for that reason they +were hungry. They spent a long time in cooking and eating their bacon, +and Julian said there was just enough for two more meals. He did not +like to think of what might happen when it was all gone, and, after +replenishing the fire, bade his companion good-night, wrapped his +blanket about him, and laid down to rest; but sleep was out of the +question. A dozen times he got up to see the time, and there was Jack, +snoring away as lustily as he had done at the haunted mine. Julian +wished that he, too, could forget his troubles in the same way, but +when morning came he had not closed his eyes. + +Julian proved to be an invaluable guide, for that night they slept in +the first camp they had made after leaving the haunted mine. If he had +always known the path, he could not have brought his companion +straighter to it. + +"Now keep your eyes open for the trail we made when we came down from +our mine, and then we are at home. But I say, Julian, I shall not be +in favor of staying here. All our money is gone, I don't feel in the +humor to work for any more, and we will go down to Dutch Flat." + +"And we'll stay there just long enough to find somebody starting out +for Denver, and we'll go with him," replied Julian. "I don't want +anything more to do with the mines as long as I live." + +The night passed away, and the next morning, without waiting to cook +breakfast, the two boys started to find the trail that led up the +bluff to the haunted mine. They were a long time in finding it--so +long, in fact, that Julian began to murmur discouraging words; but +finally Jack found it; and now began the hardest piece of work they +had undertaken since they left the robbers. The cliff was as steep as +it looked to be when they gazed down into its depths from the heights +above, and they did not see how they had managed to come down it in +the first place. + +"Are you sure the mine is up here?" asked Julian, seating himself on a +fallen tree to rest. "I should not like to go up there and find +nothing." + +"Didn't you see the trail we made in coming down?" inquired Jack. "Of +course we are on the right track; but if you spend all your time in +resting, we shall never be nearer the top than we are this minute." + +Julian once more set to work to climb the hill, and in half an hour +more Jack pushed aside some branches that obstructed his way and found +himself in plain view of the mine. Julian was satisfied now, but +declared he could not go any farther until he had recovered all the +wind he had expended in going up the bluff; but Jack wanted to see +that everything in the camp was just as they left it. He walked on +toward the lean-to, and the first thing that attracted his attention +was that his goods had been disturbed. The skins were gone, some of +the blankets were missing, and there were hardly provisions enough to +get them a square meal. Julian came up in response to his call, and +was obliged to confess that there had been other robbers while they +were absent. + +"Let us dish up the few provisions left, take those things we want to +save, and dig out for the Flat," said Julian. "I am sure there is +nothing here to keep us, now." + +"And we'll leave the dirt-bucket here for somebody else to use," added +Jack. "If he thinks there is a lead down there, let him go and try it. +I did not send up enough dust the last time I was down there to pay +for the rope." + +At the end of an hour the boys resumed their journey, each one loaded +with a few things they wanted to save, and in two hours more they +arrived within sight of Dutch Flat. Some few of the men had already +given up their workings and were sitting in front of the store, +smoking their pipes; but one of them speedily caught sight of the +boys, and the miners broke out into a cheer. In a few seconds more +they were surrounded, shaking hands with all of them, and trying in +vain to answer their questions all at once. + +"This is no way to do it," declared Julian. "Let us put our things in +the cabin and get our breath, and I will tell you the story." + +"In the first place," began Jack, as he deposited the things with +which his arms were filled and came out and seated himself on the +doorsteps of Mr. Banta's cabin, "let me ask a few questions. I won't +delay the story five minutes. Where is the man who owns this house?" + +"Mr. Banta?" said one of the miners. "He took the upper trail two or +three days ago, and rode with all possible speed in the direction of +Mendota. He hopes in that way to cut off those villains." + +"He will do it, too, for they have no horses," said Julian. + +"No horses? What did they do with them?" + +"I don't know, I am sure," answered Julian, in surprise. "They were on +foot when they came to rob us." + +"Why, their mule came up here a few hours after they left, and made +the biggest kind of a fuss, and Banta suspected something at once. He +called for some men to go with him, and he went as straight as he +could to your mine. You were not there, and that proved that those +miners had paid you a visit." + +"We are going to get our dust again!" said Julian, slapping Jack on +the shoulder. "But I hope they won't hurt the robbers after they catch +them." + +"Well, that is rather a difficult thing to tell. A man who comes into +a mining-camp and watches his chance to steal money instead of working +for it, takes his life in his hand." + +"Then they must have been the ones who disturbed our things," said +Jack. + +"Probably they were. They brought the skins of the ghosts back, and +also some of your provisions. They are there in his cabin now. Now let +us have that story." + + + + +CHAPTER XXXI. + +CONCLUSION. + + +When Julian had fairly settled down to tell his story, which he did by +crossing his right leg over his left leg and clasping his hands around +his knee, he discovered that there was not so much to be told as he +had thought for. His adventure with the robbers was nothing more than +might have happened to any one of the miners who were standing around +him; the only question in his mind was, would the other miner have +fared as well as he did? + +"They came to our mine and stole our dust; but I don't see how they +found out about the full bag. Mr. Banta told us to be careful about +that." + +"Why, Mr. Banta told it himself!" remarked one of the miners. "He said +you had a bagful hidden away." + +"You see, he had to do it, or the men here would have become +suspicions and gone up to your mine in a body," explained another. "Go +on--what next?" + +"They took the full bag, as well as the half-empty one, and told us we +would have to go with them on a three days' journey into the +mountains, so as to keep you fellows here in ignorance of the robbery +as long as possible but they took us only a two days' journey, and +then told us we had gone far enough. That's all there was of it." + +"Is that all you have to tell?" asked one. + +"Well, no. They went away from here on horseback, you said. Now, what +did they do with their animals? They were on foot when they came to +see us, and they never said 'horses' once during the two days we were +with them." + +"Probably they rode their horses as far as they could, and then killed +them." + +"No doubt they pushed them over a bluff," said a man who had not +spoken before. + +"We did not see any horses; of that much we are certain. The only +thing I can't see into is, what they did with Claus after we went +away. Of course they agreed to give him a portion of the money they +got off us." + +"Maybe so, but I don't think they did it. Go on--how did they treat +you?" + +"As well as they knew how," answered Julian, emphatically. "That is +the reason why I hope Mr. Banta will be kind to them if he catches +them." + +"Well, you'll see how he'll treat them," retorted a miner. "You'll +never see those three men again." + +Julian became uneasy every time the men spoke of the way the miners +would use their prisoners if they found them, but he knew it would be +of no use to say a word. If anything was done to them, he was in hopes +the miners would get through with it before they came to camp. He was +not used to any Western way of dealing with criminals, and he thought +he was getting too old to become used to it now. + +This was the way Julian told his story, in answer to numerous +questions of the miners, who finally heard all they wanted to know. In +regard to what had happened to Claus, none of the miners had any +idea. He did not get any of the dust that was stolen from the boys, +and he would be lucky if he got away with a dollar in his pocket. + +"Do you know, I have been on the watch for them fellows to get into a +squabble of some kind before we saw the last of them?" remarked a +miner. "That Bob was a regular thief--one could tell that by looking +at him. The short, pursy fellow--you called him Claus, didn't +you?--looked like a gentleman; but his face did not bear out his good +clothes." + +The miners then slowly dispersed, one after the other,--some to their +work, and some to lounge in front of the grocery, smoking their +pipes,--and the boys were left to themselves. Their first care was to +get something to eat, for they had not had a sufficient quantity of +food, the bacon and hard-tack they first put into their blankets +having disappeared until there was none left. Provisions were handy in +Mr. Banta's cabin, and when they had got fairly to work on it they +heard a sound from the miners whom they had left outside. + +"Here they come!" shouted a voice. "Now we'll see what will be done +with those prisoners!" + +The boys looked at each other in blank amazement. They had caught the +robbers, so their dust was safe; but what were they going to do with +the culprits, now that they had captured them? + +"I declare," said another miner, at length, "they haven't brought any +prisoners with them! And there's Tony, with his arm tied up in a +sling!" + +The boys had by this time reached the door, and saw Mr. Banta, +accompanied by a dozen miners, ride into the camp. The boys looked +closely at them, but could not see anybody that looked like Bob and +Jake; but Tony did not seem to have left all the fight there was in +him up in the mountains, for he raised his rifle and flourished it +over his head. + +"Halloo! Mr. Banta," shouted Julian. "You meant to catch them, did +you? But I guess you came out at the little end of the horn." + +"Well, there!" exclaimed Mr. Banta, stopping his horse and addressing +himself to his men; "didn't I tell you those boys would come back all +right? Put it there, kids!" + +Julian and Jack shook hands with all the returning miners before they +saw an opportunity to propound any other questions; and then, when +they did ask them, they did not get any satisfactory answers. + +"Did you get our dust?" asked Jack. + +"Yes, sir! And the men--ah!" said Mr. Banta, who stopped and looked +around at the miners as if he hardly knew what to say next. + +"Well, what about the men?" inquired Julian. "You saw them, of +course." + +"Oh, yes, we saw the men; and when we asked them where the dust was +that they stole down here at the haunted mine, they took it out of +their clothes and gave it to us. Ain't that so, boys?" + +The men around him nodded their heads emphatically, as if to say their +leader had told nothing but the truth, but there was something in +their faces that told a different story. The boys concluded they +would ask no more questions while Mr. Banta was around, but when he +went away they were sure they would get at the truth of the matter. + +"And, Julian, there's your money," continued Mr. Banta, who had been +trying to take something out of his coat-pocket. "There is the full +bag, and there is the other. The next time I leave you with such an +amount of money to take care of, I'll give you my head for a +football." + +"Why, Mr. Banta, _you_ told them all about this!" asserted Jack, +laughingly. + +"No, I never!" shouted Mr. Banta. + +"Didn't you tell the men what we had done and all about the dust we +had?" asked Julian. "You _did_ tell them, and the robbers were sitting +by the camp-fire, and heard it all." + +"Eh? Oh, well--I did say--I could not well help it--let us go into the +cabin and see what you have to eat." + +Mr. Banta lost no time in getting into the cabin, for the boys had +asked a question he could not answer, and when they followed him in he +was engaged in filling his pipe. + +"We rode to the haunted mine and found you were not there, so we came +back and took the upper trail on the way to Mendota," said the miner, +talking rapidly, as if he hoped to shut off any questions the boys +might have ready to ask him. "We had a good time. We found the men +there and asked them for the money, and they gave it over as peaceable +and quiet as could be. Now, don't let us hear any more about it. You +know the whole of the story. Is this all you have to ease a man's +appetite? Why, I could eat it all myself!" + +"That's a funny story," whispered Jack, as he and Julian went to the +spring after a bucket of water. + +"Well, keep still," said Julian. "He told us not to say anything more +about it, and that's just the same as an order. We'll get the straight +of the matter yet." + +"Who will you go to?" + +"We'll go to Tony for it. He was the man who was shot in the fracas, +and he will tell us all about it." + +It was two days before Julian had an opportunity to speak to Tony in +private. Tony's right arm was injured so badly that he could not use +a shovel, and the boys volunteered to go down in his mine and help +him--a voluntary act on their part which gained them the good-will of +all the miners. One day, when Tony was sitting by his mine smoking his +pipe and Julian was waiting for Jack to fill up their bucket, the +latter thought the chance had come, for Tony was unusually talkative +that morning. + +"Now, there is no need that you should keep this thing away from us +any longer," said Julian, suddenly. "Who shot those two men?" + +Tony was taken off his guard and looked all around as if he was +waiting for some one to suggest an answer. Finally he took off his hat +and dug his fingers into his hair. + +"Who said anything about shooting a man?" he asked. + +"No one has said anything about it this morning, but I just want to +know if everything I suspect is true," answered Julian, with his eyes +fastened on Tony's face. + +"Some one who was there can't keep his mouth shut," remarked Tony, in +great disgust. "Mr. Banta said he didn't want you to know anything +about it, and here that man has gone and blowed the whole thing! But +you'll remember that I didn't say a word about it--won't you?" + +"No one shall ever know what you tell me," asserted Julian. "Did you +shoot them?" + +"Well, I couldn't help it--could I? We came up with them just before +we got to Mendota. We rode right plump onto them before we knew it, +and without saying a word they began to shoot. If they had had rifles, +some of us would have gone under; but they had nothing but revolvers, +and the first thing I knew something went slap through my arm, and I +began to shoot, too. I got in two shots while you would be thinking +about it, and then Mr. Banta looked through their clothes and got the +dust. We went down to Mendota and reported the matter to the sheriff, +and he sent up and buried them." + +"It is a wonder to me that they didn't arrest you," said Julian. + +"Who--me? What did I do? The men were shooting at us, and I was +defending myself. It would have taken more men than they had there to +arrest me, for any man would have done the same. Anyhow, we got your +money back. Say! Don't lisp a word of this to Mr. Banta. He would go +for me hot and heavy." + +Julian was obliged to promise again that Mr. Banta should never hear a +word of what Tony had told him; but that night he told it to Jack, who +said that his "funny story" had come out just as he thought it would. + +"You said you didn't want them to deal with the culprits here in camp, +and you have your wish," said Jack. + +Not long after that the miners, discouraged, packed up, by companies +of half a dozen or more, bid good-bye to their associates, and struck +out for other localities. Dutch Flat was "played out," there was no +gold there for them, and they were going where they could do better. +Some of them talked of going home, while others, whose "piles" were +not quite as large as they wished, were going to try it again for +another year. Mr. Banta lingered there for some time, and then he, +too, astonished the boys by bringing up his tools and telling them +that next day he would strike for Denver. + +"And when I get there I don't think I shall stop," said he. "I have +been away from my home in the granite hills so long that I won't know +how to act when I get there, and I can't learn any younger than I can +now. I am going as far as St. Louis with you, and then I shall strike +off alone." + +This put new life into the boys. As soon as it became known in camp +that Mr. Banta was going away, a dozen others joined in with his +party, and when they rode away from the camp the few miners who were +left behind cheered themselves hoarse. The boys had been "to the +mines," had met with some adventures while there, and they were ready +to go back among civilized people once more. + +Their stay in Denver did not last more than a week, and the boys were +made to promise, over and over again, that after they had seen their +friends in St. Louis they would go back there to live. Everything +they had in the world was there, the Western country seemed to agree +with them, and there they would remain. They had not yet completed +their course at the business school, and when that was done they must +look for some useful occupation in which to spend their lives. + +Mr. Banta proved that he had some money in the bank before he had been +in Denver two days. The boys left him at his old hotel, clad in a +miner's suit, and looking altogether, as he expressed it, "like a +low-down tramp," and when they saw him again they could hardly +recognize him. The barber had been at work on him, the tailor had done +his best to fit him out; but the squeeze he gave their hands proved +that he was the same "old Banta" still. The boys never forgot him; his +kindness had saved them many a dollar. + +After taking leave of Mr. Banta at St. Louis the boys took up their +quarters at a leading hotel, and for two weeks devoted themselves to +calling upon their friends. As they signed their names to the register +Julian whispered, + +"I have often thought, while I have been carrying messages here in the +city and looked into this hotel while hurrying past it, that the men +who could put up at a first-class house like this must be a happy lot, +and now I have a chance to see how it goes myself. Jack, let us go +down and have a glass of soda water. Why don't you grumble about that +the way you did the last time we were here?" + +But Jack did not feel like grumbling--he was too happy for that. He +did not think, while he was finding fault with Julian for the wages he +had spent at the express office in buying 'old horse,' that he was one +whose fortunes hung upon the letter that was to tell him about The +Haunted Mine. + + +THE END. + + + + +THE JOHN C. WINSTON CO.'S POPULAR JUVENILES. + +HARRY CASTLEMON. + +HOW I CAME TO WRITE MY FIRST BOOK. + + +When I was sixteen years old I belonged to a composition class. It was +our custom to go on the recitation seat every day with clean slates, +and we were allowed ten minutes to write seventy words on any subject +the teacher thought suited to our capacity. One day he gave out "What +a Man Would See if He Went to Greenland." My heart was in the matter, +and before the ten minutes were up I had one side of my slate filled. +The teacher listened to the reading of our compositions, and when they +were all over he simply said: "Some of you will make your living by +writing one of these days." That gave me something to ponder upon. I +did not say so out loud, but I knew that my composition was as good as +the best of them. By the way, there was another thing that came in my +way just then. I was reading at that time one of Mayne Reid's works +which I had drawn from the library, and I pondered upon it as much as +I did upon what the teacher said to me. In introducing Swartboy to his +readers he made use of this expression: "No visible change was +observable in Swartboy's countenance." Now, it occurred to me that if +a man of his education could make such a blunder as that and still +write a book, I ought to be able to do it, too. I went home that very +day and began a story, "The Old Guide's Narrative," which was sent to +the _New York Weekly_, and came back, respectfully declined. It was +written on both sides of the sheets but I didn't know that this was +against the rules. Nothing abashed, I began another, and receiving +some instruction, from a friend of mine who was a clerk in a book +store, I wrote it on only one side of the paper. But mind you, he +didn't know what I was doing. Nobody knew it; but one day, after a +hard Saturday's work--the other boys had been out skating on the +brick-pond--I shyly broached the subject to my mother. I felt the need +of some sympathy. She listened in amazement, and then said: "Why, do +you think you could write a book like that?" That settled the matter, +and from that day no one knew what I was up to until I sent the first +four volumes of Gunboat Series to my father. Was it work? Well, yes; +it was hard work, but each week I had the satisfaction of seeing the +manuscript grow until the "Young Naturalist" was all complete.--_Harry +Castlemon in the Writer._ + + +GUNBOAT SERIES. + + 6 vols. BY HARRY CASTLEMON. $6.00 + + Frank the Young Naturalist. + Frank on a Gunboat. + Frank in the Woods. + Frank before Vicksburg. + Frank on the Lower Mississippi. + Frank on the Prairie. + + +ROCKY MOUNTAIN SERIES. + + 3 vols. BY HARRY CASTLEMON. $3.00 + + Frank Among the Rancheros. + Frank in the Mountains. + Frank at Don Carlos' Rancho. + + +SPORTSMAN'S CLUB SERIES. + + 3 vols. BY HARRY CASTLEMON. $3.75 + + The Sportsman's Club in the Saddle. + The Sportsman's Club Afloat. + The Sportsman's Club Among the Trappers. + + +FRANK NELSON SERIES. + + 3 vols. BY HARRY CASTLEMON. $3.75 + + Snowed up. + Frank in the Forecastle. + The Boy Traders. + + +ROUGHING IT SERIES. + + 3 vols. BY HARRY CASTLEMON. $3.00 + + George in Camp. + George at the Fort. + George at the Wheel. + + +ROD AND GUN SERIES. + + 3 vols. BY HARRY CASTLEMON. $3.00 + + Don Gordon's Shooting Box. + The Young Wild Fowlers. + Rod and Gun Club. + + +GO-AHEAD SERIES. + + 3 vols. BY HARRY CASTLEMON. $3.00 + + Tom Newcombe. + Go-Ahead. + No Moss. + + +WAR SERIES. + + 6 vols. BY HARRY CASTLEMON. $6.00 + + True to His Colors. + Marcy the Blockade-Runner. + Rodney the Partisan. + Marcy the Refugee. + Rodney the Overseer. + Sailor Jack the Trader. + + +HOUSEBOAT SERIES. + + 3 vols. BY HARRY CASTLEMON. $3.00 + + The Houseboat Boys. + The Mystery of Lost River Canyon. + The Young Game Warden. + + +AFLOAT AND ASHORE SERIES. + + 3 vols. BY HARRY CASTLEMON. $3.00 + + Rebellion in Dixie. + A Sailor in Spite of Himself. + The Ten-Ton Cutter. + + + COMPLETE CATALOG OF BEST BOOKS FOR BOYS AND GIRLS + MAILED ON APPLICATION TO THE PUBLISHERS + THE JOHN C. WINSTON CO., PHILADELPHIA + + + + +The Roundabout Library For Young People + + +THIS WELL-KNOWN SERIES OF BOOKS is recognized as the best library of +Copyright Books for young people, sold at popular prices. + +THE AUTHORS represented in the Roundabout Library are not only the +best well-known writers of juvenile literature, but the titles listed +comprise the best writings of these authors, + +OVER 100 TITLES are now in this Library and all new titles will be +selected with the same care as in the past, for stories that are not +only entertaining but equally _instructive_ and _elevating_. This +respect for wholesome juvenile literature is what has made and kept +_the Roundabout Library better than any other library of books for +Boys and Girls_. + +OUR AIM is to maintain the supremacy of these books over all others +_from every viewpoint_, and to make the superior features so apparent +that those who have once read one, will always return to the +Roundabout Library for more. + + _Bound in Extra cloth, with gold title and appropriate cover + designs stamped in colors, attractive and durable, printed + on the best paper from large clear type. Illustrated, 12mo._ + + PRICE PER. VOLUME, $.75 + + Catalogue mailed on application to the Publishers. + + THE JOHN C. WINSTON CO., Publishers + PHILADELPHIA + + + + +ROUNDABOUT LIBRARY + +FOR YOUNG PEOPLE + +Selected from the works of Alger, Castlemon, Ellis, Stephens, Henty, +Mrs. Lillie and other writers. + +Price, per volume, $0.75 + + + =Across Texas.= By Edward S. Ellis. + + =Adventures in Canada; or, Life in the Woods.= By John C. + Geikie. + + =Alison's Adventures.= By Lucy C. Lillie. + + =American Family Robinson, The; or, The Adventures of a + Family Lost in the Great Desert of the West.= By W. D. + Belisle. + + =Bear Hunters of the Rocky Mountains, The.= By Anne Bowman. + + =Ben's Nugget; or, A Boy's Search for a Fortune.= By Horatio + Alger, Jr. + + =Bob Burton; or, the Young Ranchman of the Missouri.= By + Horatio Alger, Jr. + + =Bonnie Prince Charlie; A Tale of Fontenoy and Culloden.= By + G. A. Henty. + + =Brave Billy.= By Edward S. Ellis. + + =Brave Tom; or, The Battle that Won.= By Edward S. Ellis. + + =By England's Aid; or, The Freeing of the Netherlands + (1585-1604).= By G. A. Henty. + + =By Pike and Dyke; A Tale of the Rise of the Dutch Republic.= + By G. A. Henty. + + =By Right of Conquest; or, With Cortez in Mexico.= By G. A. + Henty. + + =By Love's Sweet Rule.= By Gabrielle Emelie Jackson. + + =Cabin in the Clearing, The.= A Tale of the Frontier. By + Edward S. Ellis. + + =Camping Out, As Recorded by "Kit."= By C. A. Stephens. + + =Camp in the Foothills, The.= By Harry Castlemon. + + =Cornet of Horse, The.= A Tale of Marlborough's Wars By G. A. + Henty. + + =Cruise of the Firefly.= By Edward S. Ellis. + + =Dear Days, A Story of Washington School Life.= By Ada Mickle. + + =Diccon the Bold.= A Story of the Days of Columbus. By John + Russell Coryell. + + =Do and Dare; or, A Brave Boy's Fight for Fortune.= By Horatio + Alger, Jr. + + =Dog Crusoe, The. A Tale of the Western Prairies.= By R. M. + Ballantyne. + + =Dog of Cotopaxi, The.= By Hezekiah Butterworth. + + =Doris and Theodora.= By Margaret Vandegrift. + + =Dr. Gilbert's Daughters.= By Margaret H. Matthews. + + =Dragon and the Raven, The; or, The Days of King Alfred.= By + G. A. Henty. + + =Elam Storm, the Wolfer; or, The Lost Nugget.= By Harry + Castlemon. + + =Elinor Belden; or, The Step Brothers.= By Lucy C. Lillie. + + =Esther's Fortune.= By Lucy C. Lillie. + + =Floating Treasure.= By Harry Castlemon. + + =Four Little Indians.= By Ella Mary Coates. + + =Family Dilemma.= By Lucy C. Lillie. + + =Floating Light of the Goodwin Sands, The.= By R. M. + Ballantyne. + + =For Honor's Sake.= By Lucy C. Lillie. + + =Four Boys; or, The Story of the Forest Fire.= By Edward S. + Ellis. + + =Fox Hunting, As Recorded by "Raed."= By C. A. Stephens. + + =Freaks on the Fells.= By R. M. Ballantyne. + + =Gascoyne, the Sandalwood Trader.= By R. M. Ballantyne. + + =Girl's Ordeal, A.= By Lucy C. Lillie + + =Gorilla Hunters, The.= By R. M. Ballantyne. + + =Great Cattle Trail, The.= By Edward S. Ellis. + + =Hunt on Snow Shoes, A.= By Edward S. Ellis. + + =Hartwell Farm, The.= By Elizabeth B. Comins. + + =Hector's Inheritance; or, The Boys of Smith Institute.= By + Horatio Alger, Jr. + + =Helen Glenn; or, My Mother's Enemy.= By Lucy C. Lillie. + + =Helping Himself; or, Grant Thornton's Ambition.= By Horatio + Alger, Jr. + + =Honest Ned.= By Edward S. Ellis. + + =Haunted Mine, The.= By Harry Castlemon. + + =In Freedom's Cause.= A Story of Wallace and Bruce. By G. A. + Henty. + + =In the Reign of Terror; The Adventures of a Westminster Boy.= + By G. A. Henty. + + =Jack Midwood; or, Bread Cast Upon the Waters.= By Edward S. + Ellis. + + =Joe Wayring at Home; or, The Adventures of a Fly Rod.= By + Harry Castlemon. + + =Kangaroo Hunters, The; or, Adventures in the Bush.= By Anne + Bowman. + + =King's Rubies, The.= By Adelaide Fulaer Bell. + + =Lady Green Satin.= By Baroness Deschesnez. + + =Left on Labrador; or, The Cruise of the Yacht "Curlew."= By + C. A. Stephens. + + =Lena Wingo, the Mohawk.= By Edward S. Ellis. + + =Lenny, the Orphan.= By Margaret Hosmer. + + =Lion of the North. The; A Tale of the Times of Gustavus + Adolphus.= By G. A. Henty. + + =Luke Walton; or, The Chicago Newsboy.= By Horatio Alger, Jr. + + =Lynx Hunting.= By C. A. Stephens. + + =Limber Lew, the Circus King.= By Edward S. Ellis. + + =Marion Berkley.= By Elizabeth B. Comins. + + =Missing Pocket-Book, The.= By Harry Castlemon. + + =Mysterious Andes, The.= By Hezekiah Butterworth. + + =Northern Lights.= Stories from Swedish and Finnish Authors. + + =Off to the Geysers; or, The Young Yachters in Iceland.= By C. + A. Stephens. + + =On the Amazon; or, The Cruise of the "Rambler."= By C. A. + Stephens. + + =On the Trail of the Moose.= By Edward S. Ellis. + + =Orange and Green; A Tale of the Boyne and Limerick.= By G. A. + Henty. + + =Oscar in Africa.= By Harry Castlemon. + + =Our Boys in Panama.= By Hezekiah Butterworth. + + =Our Fellows; or, Skirmishes with the Swamp Dragoons.= By + Harry Castlemon. + + =Path in the Ravine, The.= By Edward S. Ellis. + + =Plucky Dick; or, Sowing and Reaping.= By Edward S. Ellis. + + =Queen's Body Guard, The.= By Margaret Vandegrift + + =Question of Honor.= By Lynde Palmer. + + =Righting the Wrong.= By Edward S. Ellis. + + =River Fugitives, The.= By Edward S. Ellis. + + =Romain Kalbris.= His Adventures by Sea and Shore. Translated + from the French of Hector Malot. + + =Rose Raymond's Wards.= By Margaret Vandegrift. + + =Ruth Endicott's Way.= By Lucy C. Lillie. + + =Shifting Winds; A Story of the Sea.= By R. M. Ballantyne. + + =Snagged and Sunk; or, The Adventures of a Canvas Canoe.= By + Harry Castlemon. + + =Squire's Daughter, The.= By Lucy C. Lillie. + + =Steel Horse, The; or, The Rambles of a Bicycle.= By Harry + Castlemon. + + =Store Boy, The; or, The Fortunes of Ben Barclay.= By Horatio + Alger, Jr. + + =Storm Mountain.= By Edward S. Ellis. + + =Struggling Upward; or, Luke Larkin's Luck.= By Horatio Alger, + Jr. + + =Tam; or, Holding the Fort.= By Edward S. Ellis. + + =Through Forest and Fire.= By Edward S. Ellis. + + =True to the Old Flag; A Tale of the American War of + Independence.= By G. A. Henty. + + =Two Bequests, The; or, Heavenward Led.= By Jane R. Sommers. + + =Two Ways of Becoming a Hunter.= By Harry Castlemon. + + =Under Drake's Flag. A Tale of the Spanish Main.= By G. A. + Henty. + + =Under the Holly.= By Margaret Hosmer. + + =Under the Red Flag; or, The Adventures of Two American Boys + in the Days of the Commune.= By Edward King. + + =Ways and Means.= By Margaret Vandegrift. + + =Where Honor Leads.= By Lynde Palmer. + + =Wilderness Fugitives, The.= By Edward S. Ellis. + + =Wild Man of the West, The.= By R. M. Ballantyne. + + =With Clive in India; or, The Beginning of an Empire.= By G. + A. Henty. + + =With Wolfe in Canada; or, The Winning of a Continent.= By G. + A. Henty. + + =Wyoming.= By Edward S. Ellis. + + =Young Adventurer, The; Tom's Trip Across the Plains.= By + Horatio Alger, Jr. + + =Young Circus Rider, The.= By Horatio Alger, Jr. + + =Young Conductor, The; or, Winning His Way.= By Edward S. + Ellis. + + =Young Explorer, The; or, Among the Sierras.= By Horatio + Alger, Jr. + + =Young Miner, The; or, Tom Nelson in California.= By Horatio + Alger, Jr. + + =Young Ranchers, The; or, Fighting the Sioux.= By Edward S. + Ellis. + + =Young Wreckers The.= By Richard Meade Bache. + + + + +THE JOHN C. WINSTON CO.'S POPULAR JUVENILES + +J. T. TROWBRIDGE. + + +Neither as a writer does he stand apart from the great currents of +life and select some exceptional phase or odd combination of +circumstances. He stands on the common level and appeals to the +universal heart, and all that he suggests or achieves is on the plane +and in the line of march of the great body of humanity. + +The Jack Hazard series of stories, published in the late _Our Young +Folks_, and continued in the first volume of _St. Nicholas_, under the +title of "Fast Friends," is no doubt destined to hold a high place in +this class of literature. The delight of the boys in them (and of +their seniors, too) is well founded. They go to the right spot every +time. Trowbridge knows the heart of a boy like a book, and the heart +of a man, too, and he has laid them both open in these books in a most +successful manner. Apart from the qualities that render the series so +attractive to all young readers, they have great value on account of +their portraitures of American country life and character. The drawing +is wonderfully accurate, and as spirited as it is true. The constable, +Sellick, is an original character, and as minor figures where will we +find anything better than Miss Wansey, and Mr. P. Pipkin, Esq. The +picture of Mr. Dink's school, too, is capital, and where else in +fiction is there a better nick-name than that the boys gave to poor +little Stephen Treadwell, "Step Hen," as he himself pronounced his +name in an unfortunate moment when he saw it in print for the first +time in his lesson in school. + +On the whole, these books are very satisfactory, and afford the +critical reader the rare pleasure of the works that are just adequate, +that easily fulfill themselves and accomplish all they set out to +do.--_Scribner's Monthly._ + + + + +THE JOHN C. WINSTON CO.'S POPULAR JUVENILES. + + +JACK HAZARD SERIES. + + 6 vols. By J. T. TROWBRIDGE $7.25 + + Jack Hazard and His Fortunes + The Young Surveyor. + Fast Friends. + Doing His Best. + A Chance for Himself. + Lawrence's Adventures. + + +CHARLES ASBURY STEPHENS. + +This author wrote his "Camping Out Series" at the very height of his +mental and physical powers. + + "We do not wonder at the popularity of these books; there is + a freshness and variety about them, and an enthusiasm in the + description of sport and adventure, which even the older + folk can hardly fail to share."--_Worcester Spy._ + + "The author of the Camping Out Series is entitled to rank as + decidedly at the head of what may be called boys' + literature."--_Buffalo Courier._ + + +CAMPING OUT SERIES. + +By C. A. STEPHENS. + +All books in this series are 12mo. with eight full page illustrations. +Cloth, extra, 75 cents. + +CAMPING OUT. As Recorded by "Kit." + + "This book is bright, breezy, wholesome, instructive, and + stands above the ordinary boys' books of the day by a whole + head and shoulders."--_The Christian Register_, BOSTON. + +LEFT ON LABRADOR; OR, THE CRUISE OF THE SCHOONER YACHT "CURLEW." As +Recorded by "Wash." + + "The perils of the voyagers, the narrow escapes, their + strange expedients, and the fun and jollity when danger had + passed, will make boys even unconscious of hunger."--_New + Bedford Mercury._ + +OFF TO THE GEYSERS; OR THE YOUNG YACHTERS IN ICELAND. As Recorded by +"Wade." + + "It is difficult to believe that Wade and Read and Kit and + Wash were not live boys, sailing up Hudson Straits, and + reigning temporarily over an Esquimaux tribe."--_The + Independent_, New York. + +LYNX HUNTING: From Notes by the Author of "Camping Out." + + "Of _first quality_ as a boys' book, and fit to take its + place beside the best."--_Richmond Enquirer._ + +FOX HUNTING. As Recorded by "Raed." + + "The most spirited and entertaining book that has as yet + appeared. It overflows with incident, and is characterized + by dash and brilliancy throughout."--_Boston Gazette._ + +ON THE AMAZON; OR, THE CRUISE OF THE "RAMBLER." As Recorded by "Wash." + + "Gives vivid pictures of Brazilian adventure and + scenery."--_Buffalo Courier._ + + + + + +End of the Project Gutenberg EBook of The Haunted Mine, by Harry Castlemon + +*** END OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK THE HAUNTED MINE *** + +***** This file should be named 37857.txt or 37857.zip ***** +This and all associated files of various formats will be found in: + https://www.gutenberg.org/3/7/8/5/37857/ + +Produced by Melissa McDaniel and the Online Distributed +Proofreading Team at https://www.pgdp.net + + +Updated editions will replace the previous one--the old editions +will be renamed. + +Creating the works from public domain print editions means that no +one owns a United States copyright in these works, so the Foundation +(and you!) can copy and distribute it in the United States without +permission and without paying copyright royalties. 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