Part 44 (1/2)

”Well,” observed Julian, ”this is interesting, but I want to see your gold mine behind that waterfall.”

”The waterfall isn't much for size,” returned Norris, ”but it's a wonderful accident of nature; and I will say Carlos's father had a remarkable head on him to discover what it hid. But wait till you see his gold mine, and the stuff in the cave, that's come out of it, and you'll have an eyeful.”

”Yes,” added Ray. ”And you'll see a monkey in there that's always filling Wayne's pocket full. That monkey and Wayne are in cahoots.”

Our first care was to recover the gold-laden chest that went down with the boat. By diving, we got a hawser through the two rope handles. And when the tide was all in--and that was about two o'clock--we warped the schooner over to the place; and with block and tackle on the foresail boom, swung above, we had soon lifted the chest aboard. Many hands made light work of the other boxes.

With careful sounding, as we moved under reefed mainsail and jib, we got the _Pearl_ to a good anchorage near the upper end of Crow Bay. And as there were still some hours of daylight, we took the empty chests in two boats, and sought out the bayou that took us into the mouth of the creek whose waters flowed from the gold mine.

Julian this time accompanied the party; and I got renewed thrills, to see how he marveled at the wonders that blazed the trail, from the little cascade that screened the entrance, to the placer mine, and the s.h.i.+ning gold horde in the cave.

CHAPTER x.x.xI

WE RUN THE GAUNTLET--HOME BOUND

”Too bad we can't put in a week, getting some more gold out of this creek,” said Norris. He was plucking little bits of the precious metal out of a pan of gravel he'd just washed. ”There's no end of the stuff here still,” he complained.

”Well, but aren't we coming back some day?” observed Robert.

”Just like some folks,” said Ray. ”The more they get, the more they want.”

We had gone to the diggings to break up the Long Tom, to make boxes for floating the horde of mined gold through the hole in the cliff. The little bamboo cylinders offered too slow a means to satisfy our impatience.

Our party divided, some remaining in that outer cavern, to receive the boxes, as they floated to the net, and empty them into the chests outside; the empty boxes being towed back again, by ropes, to be new-laden with the gold. What with making our three little ”under-sea-boat” boxes, and finding proper floats for them, we did not get much of our precious freight through that first day. Jean Marat, Robert, and Carlos slept in the boats on their side of the cliffs; the rest of our party, including Andy Hawkins, and the black boy, took cheer among Duran's huts within. We gathered round a fire after we'd had our supper, and it was a blithesome party, of which the monkey was a part, perched the greater part of the time on either my shoulder or the black boy's.

There was some exchange of yarns, most of them of Norris's telling. And Andy Hawkins had some experiences to tell that were a bit off color. It came to riddles at last. And here Norris shone again; and Hawkins was not at a loss for one or two. Norris insisted that we must each offer one riddle at the least, and out came the one about, ”Why does a miller wear a white hat?” and others of later coinage. Norris held back Ray for the last. He must have been sure Ray should break up the party.

”Now your turn, Ray,” said Norris.

”Aw, I don't know any,” pouted Ray.

”Make up one,” insisted Norris.

”Well,” began Ray, drawling his words, ”Mary had a little--Now don't interrupt!”

”Who is interrupting?” said Norris. ”But you might give us something new.”

”Well, if it don't suit you,” shot back Ray, ”you tell it.”

”Go on,” said Norris.

Ray continued: ”It followed her to school--one day. The teacher dropped his book, and bent down for it. But--but--” (Ray seemed to have got to the end of his powers of ”make up”) ”but--but--but--”

”Well, go on,” pressed Norris. ”But what?”

”The teacher, of course,” said Ray, frowning. ”What do you suppose Mary brought the goat to school for?”

We turned in early, meaning to rise with the sun for the next day's labors.