ings and drained the lake. But the treasure was not there and so far
as known it has never been found. What has become of it!"

A moment of deep silence followed.

"Supposing they didn't put it in the lake at all? Supposing they hid it
in a cave?"

It was Apple Newton who spoke and his speaking was the signal for a
perfect babel of suggestions and guesses.

Spencer held up his hand for silence.

"I did not come here to search for this bullion; but I feel sure that it
did exist and that it may exist yet. Your scout master has invited me to
stay with you for a week. I will tell you all that I know about the
country, and you will help me as much as possible in getting about. We
will hunt for this treasure. I try to be generous, so I will say that
the scout finding it may keep it."

"I have a word to add," said Mr. Newton. "In this treasure hunt we must
have system. Every scout desiring to enter will choose the section which
he thinks most favorable, draw a map of it and present it for our
approval. Afterwards he will give a full report of all his actions, how
he has gone to work and what he has noted."

And then came a third speaker who had been expected by no one. He
stepped from behind a tree, and to the eyes of the boys he was tall and
erect and to some of their eyes he wore feathers and war-paint.

"Boys hunt gold! Boys hunt heap stone!" he said and disappeared.

CHAPTER VI

GETTING ACQUAINTED

Most of the boys around the camp fire sat as if petrified for a few
moments. Some of them clutched at their scalp locks, as if to make sure
of their continued existence.

The first scout to show real signs of recovery was a thin, lanky,
freckled-faced hero of unheroic appearance, who spoke in a jerky fashion
peculiarly his own.

"Help!" he cried. "Help! Mother! Why'd my pa let me come to this wild
place? Injuns! Robbers! Help!"

"Oh, shut up, Chick-chick," cried a small boy. "You'll have 'em coming
back."

A contemptuous laugh came from a big, handsome boy who sat in the middle
of the circle--big and handsome, yet with a supercilious look.

"Never mind, kid," he assured the little fellow. "You are safe enough
here. Chick-chick can't help having hysterics, but you're safe while I'm
here."

"Sure, you're safe," echoed Chick-chick. "Ev'body's safe. Matty will
protect you. Matty protects whole camp. Go after heap big Injun, Matty.
Jes' disappeared northwest by south."

"That's enough from you, Chick-c