I can't believe it!" he stammered. "Look, boys, and tell
me what you see!"

CHAPTER XXIV

CONCLUSION

"It's the gleam of the real metal in the rock, sir---what's what
it is," gasped one of the miners, as he held up a lantern to aid
him in his quest.

It lay there, in streaks and rifts, a dull gleaming here and there.
To be sure, it was nothing at all like a solid golden wall, but
Tom Reade could be contented with less than Golconda.

In spots the precious metal showed in darkish streaks, instead
of yellow. But these dark streaks showed admixtures of silver.

"Run and get me a hammer, one of you," cried Tom, breathing fast.

When the miner returned with the chisel-nosed hammer he found
the young engineer eagerly exploring the whole length of the new
wall thus laid bare.

"I knew that a real vein lay here," Tom went on, as he took the
hammer. "The only trouble with us, men, was that we were working
eight or ten feet south of where the true vein lay. Now, by the
great Custer, we've hit it---thanks to the enemy!"

Eagerly Tom chipped off specimens of the rich gold and silver
bearing rock. He loaded down two men and carried more himself.
Every piece of rock was a specimen of rich ore.

Up the shaft they went, emerging into the sunlight.

"I'd like to know who the scamps were that fired the blasts in
the mine," Tom muttered joyously. "I'd like to reward them."

"Party coming, sir," reported a miner, pointing to the southward.

Over the snow came a cutter, drawn by two horses, slipping fast
over the snow. From one side of the cutter a pair of skis hung
outward.

"That's Jim Ferrers and the doctor from Dugout," Tom breathed.
"But who can the other lot of people be."

A pung, drawn also by a pair of horses, contained five men.

Jim was quickly on hand to explain matters.

"I've brought Dr. Scott. He'll have to see Hazelton quickly, and
then get back to Dugout," Jim declared. "The doctor is afraid the
crust may melt, and then he'll be stalled here with his outfit.

"Those men over there?" inquired Reade, as the pung stopped, and
the five men got out "Two of them look familiar to me."

"I reckon," nodded Jim Ferrers. "They're officers---all of 'em.
They've come over here to hunt the rocks to the south of here.
Up at the jail the keepers worried out of Eb some information
about a cave where Dolph Gage hangs out. It seems that Gage and
his pals have been stealing supplies at the Bright Hop