on halt in his rather clumsy passage down the gangway, and
draw an automatic revolver from his pocket.

There was a quick shot and the banker rushed ahead!

CHAPTER XXI

"I TOLD YOU SO!"

Directly Elmer, Sandy and Mr. Buck heard the banker shouting at the top
of his lungs and dashed on toward the mysterious tunnel.

"He'll get his head shot off in there!" exclaimed Sandy.

"I don't care if he does!" declared Elmer.

"Your uncle isn't such a bad old fellow, after all," Mr. Buck exclaimed.
"He has plenty of courage, at any rate!"

"But I don't understand why they don't open fire on him!" exclaimed
Sandy. "The robbers certainly were in there not very long ago. We heard
the scuffle when they geezled Jimmie."

"Who fired that shot?" asked Mr. Buck.

"Uncle Stephen did," replied Elmer. "I saw the flash spring out from the
spot where he stood!"

"Well, what do you know about that?" exclaimed Sandy. "The old chap is
actually making his bluff good! He's getting into Tunnel Six single
handed and alone! I guess we'll have to advertise for those three
outlaws if we find 'em in here! He's a nervy old fellow, isn't he?"

The three now followed fast on the heels of the banker, and soon came to
where he stood swinging his searchlight at the end of a short drift
which ended, after sliding under a dip, in a chamber which at first
glance seemed to be piled high with a mass of shale.

While the three looked on, Carson dropped on his knees beside a crevice
in the wall and began an eager exploration of the opening.

Directly he sprang to his feet with rage and disappointment showing on
every feature of his face. He raved about the cluttered chamber for a
moment, almost dancing up and down in his anger and chagrin, and then
sat limply down on the pile of shale.

"It's gone!" he said. "The money's gone!"

"So it wasn't hidden back there in that cross-cutting at all?" asked
Sandy. "We thought sure we had a cinch on the coin several hours ago!"

"It was hidden here in this chamber!" declared Carson wearily. "The
minute I entered the place I remembered where I had hidden it. And now
it's gone! I've had all my trouble for nothing."

As he ceased speaking, he glanced suspiciously at Sandy. And Sandy, in
turn, made a most provoking face.

"I believe you know something about my money!" Carson said.

"Sure I do!" replied Sandy.

"Then where is it?"

"The robbers got it!"

"That's a nice story to tell," howled Carso