I don't know," replied Sandy. "But when you say that he might have
known exactly where to look, you set him down as a fool, because he has
been searching a long time and never came upon it until today."

"I think I can understand that," Mr. Buck said. "This man you speak of
probably knew where to find the money provided he could discover the
right drift, bench, chamber or tunnel. Like Mr. Carson, here, he could
doubtless go straight to the cache if directed into the right
apartment."

While the four stood together at the bottom of the chamber, their
searchlights making the place as light as day, an exclamation came from
the shaft above, followed by two pistol shots.

Carson dropped to his knees and began twisting at his automatic, which
had in some way become entangled in the lining of his pocket.

"There are your robbers!" he shouted. "Put out your lights!"

"Don't you do anything of the kind!" argued Sandy. "Get out of range of
the old shaft and keep your lights burning so you can shoot any one who
drops down! I guess we have them hemmed in!"

"It's a scheme to get away with my money!" shouted Carson.

"I wish you had your old money chucked down your throat!" exclaimed
Sandy. "I'm getting sick of the sound of the word!"

All members of the party now drew back toward the dip, where they were
entirely concealed from any one in the old shaft.

Directly there was a rattling of shale and slate, and then the lights
showed the figure of Tommy sitting astride the peak of the pyramid.

"What you fellows trying to do down there?" he asked.

"We're looking for Carson's money?" replied Sandy.

"Did you get it?" the boy demanded.

"Not yet!"

"That's the boy that's got my money!" shouted the banker.

"Money's a good thing to have!" grinned Tommy.

"What have you done with the highwaymen?" asked Sandy.

"Why continue this senseless talk about highwaymen?" demanded Carson,
"when you know just as well as I do that there are no robbers here other
than yourselves! Mr. Buck," he added, turning to Elmer's father, "I call
upon you to assist me in restraining these robbers until the proper
officers can be summoned."

"Where did that fat man come from?" asked Tommy.

"You impertinent rascal!" shouted Carson.

"Sure!" answered Tommy. "But where did you say you came from?"

"I'm president of this mining company!" screamed Carson, "and I'll have
you all in jail if you don't produce my money!"

"Is this the gentleman w