ch a theory it will prove more
valuable than Kenneth Evans' father's patent device for cutting lava
jewels from Rainbow Cliffs!" laughed Eleanor.

"What's that?" demanded John, while Tom Latimer wondered how this
Chicago girl ever had heard of Dr. Evans' machine that his father was
financially interested in.

Then Polly and Eleanor had the "speaker's chair" and they told all about
Kenneth, his father's patents, and Old Man Montresor's relationship to
him.

"Why then, if this lad is the direct heir to Montresor, he must inherit
the mine!" declared John.

"Not according to law, because Polly was left the claim, but we had to
discover it all over again under a new claim, you see," explained
Eleanor, anxiously.

"That will make a fine little problem in law, I'm thinking," laughed
Tom, shaking his head.

"It would if all concerned could not agree, but _we_ all intend to
agree--Ken said so!" exclaimed Polly, emphatically.

"Oh--you-all know this 'Ken' so well, eh?" teased John.

"Of course! And he is the nicest boy--as nice as Jim Latimer, anyway,"
retorted Eleanor.

Every one laughed, and Tom said: "Well, after paying my kid brother such
a left-handed compliment, I feel I must continue my work on that mine
problem."

"Give us a chance to finish our reports, won't you, before you tell us
you gave away your interests, or launched us all in a will-contest,"
added John, laughingly. Then he continued:

"Now this is what we have to say about Choko's Find: The pyramids of
trash now covering that area of Top Notch can be readily cleared away.
We set fire to certain parts and opened a way to the ravine. There we
found the old gulch literally filled in with rocks, earth and roots, so
that we could not get through to find the cave. But we brought home bits
of gold ore, just the same."

John rolled the nuggets across the table, and the girls gazed with bated
breath at what they believed had been buried forever under the
land-slide.

"We have much to tell you about this, so let's go to the living-room to
talk," suggested Mr. Brewster, rising.

CHAPTER VIII

"POLLY-ELEANOR COMPANY, INC."

The girls were impatient to hear about the plans Mr. Brewster and the
two engineers had decided upon, but Mrs. Brewster smiled knowingly, as
if she had already been told the secret. Mr. Brewster was morose and
silent, looking more as if he was compelled to consent to something as a
just and fair man, rather than from prefer