Part 44 (1/2)

”True, but the landslide changed things, remember. We may now find an opening down there,--not the opening your uncle made, but another, made by the slide.”

”It won't do any harm to look down there. While we are here I am going to look in every spot I can reach.”

”Sure thing!” cried Phil. ”But say, if we are going to climb around these rocks all day to-morrow I am going to bed and get a good night's rest.”

”I guess we all need a rest, so we'll turn in at once,” answered Roger.

Their camp was located between the rocks and not far from the trail by which they had come to the vicinity. The horses were tethered at a point where a patch of coa.r.s.e undergrowth gave them something to nibble at.

The animals were of no use to them, now they were in the district where the lost mine was supposed to be located.

It was a little after nine o'clock when the boys turned in, and a few minutes later the two old miners followed them. So far they had not deemed it necessary to have a guard, for none of their enemies nor wild beasts had come to annoy them.

Roger and Phil were soon sound asleep, and it was not long before their snoring told that Abe Blower and Tom Dillon were likewise in the land of dreams. But Dave, for some reason he could not explain, was restless, and he turned over several times, sighing heavily.

”If I were at home I should say I had eaten too much supper,” he told himself. ”But here rations are too scarce. I don't know what keeps me awake, unless it is that I'm too tired to go to sleep.”

The campfire had burned so low that the spot was almost in total darkness. There was no moon and only a few stars shone in the sky, which was partly obscured by clouds. A gentle breeze was stirring, but otherwise all was quiet.

At last Dave thought that if he had a drink he might go to sleep with more ease, and he turned over to sit up and get to his feet. A bucket of water was close at hand, so he would not have to go far for what he wanted.

Just as Dave sat up he saw something that startled him. A dark figure was moving at a distance from the camp, coming closer slowly.

At first the youth could not make out if the figure was a man or an animal. He strained his eyes and then made out the form of a person.

At once our hero thought of Link Merwell and those with him. It must be one of their enemies, and if so, what had brought him to this spot at such an hour of the night?

”Maybe he is after our horses,” reasoned the youth, and then he dropped down again and rolled over to where Roger was lying. He shook his chum and at the same time placed a hand over the other's mouth.

”Roger! Don't make any noise!” he whispered. ”Somebody is coming here in the dark.”

The senator's son awoke and heard what was said. Then, as Dave took away his hand, he whispered:

”Where is he? Who is it?”

”There he is,” and Dave pointed with his hand. ”I don't know who it is, but I guess it is one of Link's crowd.”

”I'll wake up Phil, and we can watch the rascal,” said Roger, and this was done, although not without difficulty, for the s.h.i.+powner's son was inclined to give a yell when aroused from such a sound slumber.

”Who--who is it?” he stammered. ”Say, maybe we had better get our pistols ready!” And he felt for his weapon.

”I've got mine all ready,” answered Dave.

”And here is mine,” whispered Roger. ”If that fellow thinks he is coming here unseen, won't he be surprised!”

”Hus.h.!.+” came softly from Dave. ”Look behind him! There is a second fellow coming!”

Our hero was right, a second figure had emerged from the shadow of some rocks. The two persons were coming along slowly, as if to make certain that they were not being observed.

”I know that second fellow!” whispered Dave, a moment later. ”See how tall and thin he is. It's old Haskers!”