has gone out to get things
ready for us, in case we managed to slip by the river guard and arrived
here unexpectedly. In other words, Jimmy, they are salting the mine with
rich copper ore!"

CHAPTER X.

SCOUT TACTICS.

"Gee! that ought to settle the business!" breathed Jimmy, as he
continued to stare at the three workers.

These men seemed as busy as beavers, passing from crevice to crevice,
and managing in some way to insert what were very likely pieces of rich
copper ore, brought from some distant and well-known mine, for the
purpose of deceiving any one sent up to inspect this new venture.

Ned himself felt that he could have no better evidence of fraud than was
exhibited in the actions of these laborers. He knew that if this scene
was incorporated in his report, it would sound the doom of the intended
big deal, whereby a million, perhaps many of them, was to pass into the
hands of the swindlers.

And knowing this, Ned was also aware of the fact that should the
employees of the company running the game learn that the scouts had
actually been inside the mine, and watched its being so beautifully
"salted," they would realize that desperate tactics must be employed in
order to silence the spies.

That might mean either their speedy dispatch, or being kept prisoners
in that region so far away from civilization until the deal had been put
through, and the vast amount of cash changed hands.

He could easily enough imagine these desperate scoundrels making him
sign a glowing report declaring that the property was fabulously rich.
Plainly, then, it would be greatly to the advantage of the scouts to get
out of the mine without being discovered.

"Well, do we go on and see what the fellows have to say for themselves?"
asked Frank, chafing under the delay.

"If we have to do that, please let me take care of old Blackbeard, Ned,"
urged Jimmy, who seemed to have taken an especial dislike toward the
giant, whom he had been comparing with the old-time pirate.

"We'll back out!" said Ned, shortly.

"Seem to have seen enough, eh?" Jack whispered, with a little vein of
disappointment back of his words, just as though he had really been
hoping they might see some lively action, while up in this "neck of the
woods."

"When your father learns about this job, he'll want to throw up his
hands and wash them of the whole business," the other assured him.

"Then it's no use going deeper," admitted Jack.

Of course