Part 14 (2/2)
Van Dorn and Lindlay had agreed before hand that they would keep entirely separate, and each pursue his own course of investigation independently of the other,--Van Dorn of course not being able to take any measurements, as he was not supposed to be an expert,--and compare notes later. As the two emerged into daylight and their eyes met, Van Dorn's laughing, blus.h.i.+ng face would have betrayed him, had any one known his real business there, but a young inventor, exploring mines just for the fun of the thing, is supposed to find plenty of amus.e.m.e.nt. Under the big, blond mustache of the Englishman, a pair of lips curled scornfully, and his eyes rolled wildly for a moment, but that was all.
As the gentlemen gathered around the dump, the last vestige of Mr.
Blaisdell's irritation seemed to have disappeared, as he blandly expatiated upon the quant.i.ty and quality of the ore.
Van Dorn's eyes sparkled as he saw the s.h.i.+ning lumps from the Yankee Boy, and he and Lindlay exchanged quick glances.
”Look at that,” said the latter, quickly extracting from his pocket a sample of the Sunrise ore and placing it beside a piece taken at random from the dump; ”does any one pretend to tell me that those are from the same vein?”
”It is a different cla.s.s of ore altogether,” replied Van Dorn, ”such ore as that never would be found under the conditions existing in that mine, but I'll be blest if I wouldn't like to see the mine it did come from.”
Mr. Rivers had observed this little side conversation and Van Dorn's close scrutiny of the samples, and was at his side in a moment, inquiring in his smoothest tones:
”What do you think of that ore, Mr. Van Dorn?”
”Very fine ore, so far as I can judge,” said Van Dorn carelessly, ”I would like to see it run through that concentrator and amalgamator of mine; if these men ever get through talking about mines, Mr. Rivers, I must get you and Mr. Blaisdell interested in my machinery.”
At the suggestion of Mr. Lindlay, the party next paid a visit to the Morning Star mine, that being the one which Mr. Blaisdell had declared was on the same lead as the Sunrise. This they found to be a valuable mine, but there was not the slightest indication of the vein being identical with that of the Sunrise, its strike carrying it in a totally different direction, and its characteristics being wholly dissimilar.
As it was too late for any further mining explorations, the team was ordered, and preparations made for a return to the house.
Lindlay and Van Dorn, by mutual agreement, started up the canyon road together, in advance of the others.
”Boys, where are you going?” called Mr. Winters.
”Going to walk on ahead,” answered Van Dorn.
”Just as cheap to ride,” said Mr. Winters.
”Plenty of room,” added Mr. Blaisdell.
”We can't wait for you, you're too slow,” laughed Van Dorn.
”Give our places to those gentlemen,” said Lindlay, indicating Haight and Morgan, and with rather a painful emphasis on the word ”gentlemen.”
”Egad!” he exclaimed a few moments later, ”Van Dorn, what do you think of that for a mining proposition?”
”It's pretty tough, in fact, about the toughest I ever saw,” replied Van Dorn, ”but then, you remember we got a hint at Silver City that they were sharpers.”
”Sharpers!” exclaimed Lindlay, ”but I don't call them sharpers; I can admire a good, genuine piece of keen rascality, don't you know, for I can play just as sharp a game myself as the best of them, but w'en it comes to such downright, beastly work as this, so blundering and bungling you know, w'y it looks too much as though they thought we were all born idiots, to be very complimentary.”
”I'll admit it looks that way,” said Van Dorn, laughing, ”it doesn't look as though they had a very flattering opinion of our acquirements, or our natural penetration, if they suppose we can be gulled in this way. They are about the worst set of mining sharks I've ever had the pleasure of meeting, and I shall tell Houston so.”
”By the way, that Mr. 'Uston seems a very decent sort of a man,”
commented Lindlay.
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