Early on the afternoon of the third day another thought struck Frank
Mansley, and he ceased shovelling gravel into the rocker for his
companion.

"What is it now?" asked Roswell with a smile.

"Don't you remember that on the first day we arrived here, while we
were prospecting up the little stream, we saw that friend of Ike
Hardman?"

"Yes, of course."

"Well, we never told Jeff about it."

"I declare!" exclaimed Roswell. "How came we to forget it?"

"This gold drove it out of our minds. I never thought of it until this
minute. I tell you, Roswell, I believe something has gone wrong."

And Frank sat down, removed his cap, and wiped his moist forehead with
his handkerchief.

"What could have gone wrong?" asked the other lad, who, despite his
jauntiness, shared in a degree the anxiety of his friend.

"All the gold we have gathered is in the cavern. I believe Hardman and
those fellows are in the neighborhood and mean to steal it."

"It's a pity we didn't think of this before," said Roswell, laying down
his shovel. "Let's go back to the cavern and keep watch till Jeff comes
back."

Inspired by their new dread, they hastily gathered up what gold had
been washed out, stowed it into another canvas bag, and then Frank
slung it half filled over his shoulder and started for the cavern,
something more than an eighth of a mile away.

They walked fast and in silence, for the thought in the mind of both
was the same. From the first the most imprudent carelessness had been
shown, and they could not understand how Jeff ever allowed the valuable
store to remain unguarded. It is true, as has already been stated, that
the section, despite the rush of lawless characters that have flocked
thither, is one of the best governed in the world, and no officers
could be more watchful and effective than the mounted police of the
Northwest; but the course of our friends had much the appearance of a
man leaving his pocketbook in the middle of the street and expecting to
find it again the next day.

A bitter reflection of the boys was that this never would have been the
case had they told Jeff of the presence of the suspicious individual in
the neighborhood. If anything went amiss, they felt that the blame must
rest with them If matters were found right, they would not leave the
cavern until one or both of their friends returned.

When half the distance was passed, Roswell, who was in the load, broke
into a lope, with Frank insta