ck's lips were closed
again, and he stared defiantly at the detective.

'Well, well,' groaned Downy, 'this is the most extraordinary thing in
boys that I have ever encountered, but he's a mass of grit--for good or
bad, all grit. Shake hands, Dick.'

Dick brightened up, and shook hands cheerfully.

'You're quite sure about that gold? You hid it securely?' queried the
detective.

'Yes, I buried it under the reef quite safe.'

'And nobody knows of this hole but yourself?'

'Yes, Jacker knows, an' Ted, an' Billy Peterson, an'--'

'Bless my soul, the whole township knows! We won't get an ounce of that
gold--not a colour. We'd better make the search at once, Mr. Hardy.
You'll need a rope and tools, I suppose. Hunt up the men you spoke of as
quickly as possible, will you?'

Harry and Dick started off together in quest of McKnight. He was on the
night shift, and they found him in bed. Harry explained. McKnight was
scornful and profane.

'What--that boy Haddon again?' he cried. 'Now what's his little game?
What devilment's he up to?

'But this looks all right,' Harry expostulated.

'All right, my grandmother's cat! You'll be findin' quartz reefs in a
gum-tree next.'

'You ask Jacker an' Ted,' put in Dick resentfully, hurt to find his
well-intentioned efforts so ungraciously received.

'Ask Jacker, is it? If Jacker comes playin' any of your monkey tricks
with me, my lad, I'll make him smell mischief, I tell you.'

'But hang it all, Mack! you might as well come an' see. I own the chances
o' finding a shallow reef in that locality look blue, but you know there
was talk o' something of the kind years ago.'

'Yes, talk by fellers that didn't know a quartz lode from a load o'
bricks or a stone wall. Get out, I'm sleepy.'

'Show him the specimen,' said Dick.

Harry handed it over.

'The boy says this is from his show. How's that?' he said.

McKnight took the stone indifferently, cast his eye over it, and then sat
up with a jerk. He moistened the stone here and there, glared again in a
strained silence, and one leg shot out of bed. He weighed the specimen in
his hand, and the second leg followed. Then McKnight fell to dressing
himself; he literally jumped into his clothes, and as he buttoned his
vest all askew, he gasped:

'Hold on there--I'll be with you in two twos!'

'Wouldn't break my neck about it, old man,' said Harry sarcastically,
'p'raps the boy made that specimen out of a door knob an' a bit of
bric