igned, "and it only remains to win the case before opening the mine."

"You'll keep us posted about what is goin' on?" Bill asked, and the
lawyer replied in the affirmative, when he and the prospective
stockholder took their departure, leaving the boys and Joe to gratify
the invalid's curiosity concerning the happenings at Blacktown.

On this day Fred saw Chunky for the first time since the discovery of
the vein, and the breaker boy expressed his satisfaction at the result
of the trial.

"I knowed Sam wouldn't steal money," he said, emphatically; "but it
looked one spell as if they'd prove it on him."

"If it hadn't been for Skip matters never would have been made so plain,
and even if he was acquitted, some folks might have thought him guilty."

"Yes, Skip did a good job there," Chunky said, reflectively. "It's funny
he made such great friends with you fellers after bein' so wild to
serve you out. He's left the regulators, too, an' now I can be captain,
if I want to."

"Why, I thought that foolish business had all been done away with."

"Not much it ain't. We can get along without Skip, an' not half try."

"Don't have anything to do with such fellows, Chunky. You'll only get
into trouble, and the time is sure to come when, like Skip, you'll be
sorry for ever having had any connection with them."

"He didn't run the concern same's I'm goin' to do, if I get to be
captain," Chunky replied, with a mysterious gesture, and then he hurried
away in the direction of the breaker.

During the week which followed Sam's acquittal nothing of especial
interest occurred. Bill was getting along as well as could have been
expected; but both he and his partners were decidedly dejected as to the
result of Mr. Wright's claim.

As the days passed they grew more despondent, until Mrs. Byram insisted
that nothing more be said about the suit in the presence of the invalid,
because his extreme nervousness tended to excite fever.

Then came the day on which a telegram was received from Mr. Hunter,
requesting one or more of the partners to call at his office, and Joe
and Fred made ready to answer the summons.

"Don't keep me waiting for the news," Bill said sharply. "I can't help
thinkin' Wright will spring some kind of a game on us, if he thinks
there's any chance this scheme might fail."

"If we're wanted on that business you shall hear the minute we know
about it," Joe replied, and then he and Fred started, preferring to walk
r