Part 31 (1/2)
Old Tosh shook his head.
”I don't take much stock in gold,” he said. ”But I liked that cave because it was so sheltered. Only, sometimes, I couldn't stay in it on account of the gas.”
”That's the gas we mean,” explained Nort. ”The poison gas these men sprayed out of cylinders to keep us away so we wouldn't find there was gold in the cave. But we got gas masks and drove 'em out.”
Again Old Tosh shook his head.
”I don't know anything about gas in cylinders,” he said. ”But then I been away a long time, in another county, getting different kinds of herbs. My Elixer is better than ever now and stronger.”
”I'll say it's strong!” declared Slippery Mike.
”So I came back to see if I could use my cave,” went on Old Tosh. ”Now about this gas----”
But he was not allowed to go on, for Bud, seeing the effect of the Elixer on Sam and his companions had a new thought.
”Will that save the dead steers--I mean the steers that seem to be dead?” he asked the hermit. ”There's half a dozen of 'em out on the hill, and----”
”No,” replied Tosh, ”this stuff won't bring the dead back to life. It will only revive where a spark of life remains. And, in any case, it isn't effective on animals. It is only for humans.”
”Then our steers are dead,” sighed d.i.c.k.
”Guess that's a foregone conclusion,” agreed Nort. ”But what do you think of him, anyhow?” he asked Bud in a whisper, indicating Tosh.
”You mean do I have any suspicions against him?”
”Yes. Do you think he may have gotten hold of a cylinder of the poison gas and sprayed it on these men so as to get a chance to use his Elixer to revive them?”
Before Bud could answer there was a noise as of men and horses coming up the defile, and, thinking it was some of the former gang returning, guns were whipped out. But they were not needed. Two mild-mannered and inoffensive appearing men rode into sight. They had the look of college professors. Behind them rode Billee Dobb.
”h.e.l.lo, boys!” greeted Billee, all unaware of the recent sensational happenings. ”Here's the mine experts your dad sent out to look over our gold prospects, Bud. They're going to test the quality of the ore, and see how much it a.s.says to the ton. That's the right way to express it; ain't it?” He turned to the older of the two men.
”That is perfectly correct, Mr. Dobb. And if you will show us the mine we can soon tell you, approximately, how valuable it is.”
”It's in that cave. You'll find lots of gold there. And the first lot that comes to me is goin' to be spent for a self-playin' piano. But what happened here?” Billee asked, for he was now aware that something unusual had taken place.
”The darn scoundrels!” he exclaimed when he had been told of the death of the cattle and the plight of the men. ”So they come back; did they?
Well, we'll soon have a big force here takin' out gold and we'll keep better guard.”
Meanwhile the mining experts went into the cavern to test the gold mine.
CHAPTER XXIV
A STRANGE DISCOVERY
Billee Dobb, having listened to the stories of Bud and his cousins, and the tale told by Sam and his pals, shook his head dubiously.
”I can't figger it all out,” he said. ”But you sure done a n.o.ble job, Tosh, and we thank you for it. Can you tell us anything about those rascals with their tanks of gas?”
”I don't know nothin' about gas tanks,” said the old man. ”But more than once I've warned you men about----”