say exactly, just how soon, probably within the next
seven or eight days."

"In what direction is the drifting to extend?"

Haight looked slightly surprised but replied: "We're a little
undecided about that, just what course to take; Rivers was for one
thing, and Blaisdell and I for another. After they have blasted a
ways, we can tell something from the character of the rock in what
direction it will be best to run the drift."

After a few more questions, some of which Haight did not answer so
readily as might have been expected, Houston left him. He did not
proceed at once to the building where Van Dorn was at work, but first
returned to the mines, where he discovered that the powder was not
only being stored in the Yankee Boy group, but also in the Lucky
Chance, and one or two others of the surrounding mines. A little later
he made an errand to that part of the mills where Van Dorn was to be
found, and quietly calling him to one side, related to him what he had
discovered, and his talk with Haight.

Van Dorn was more familiar with mines, their methods of operation, and
the rules governing their underground workings, than Houston, and he
immediately exclaimed:

"By George! that fellow is a fool, Everard, or else he was simply
'stuffing' you; to drift in the direction he mentioned would be a
useless expenditure of time and money, there would be nothing in it,
it is utterly absurd!"

"I mistrusted as much," said Houston, "and I have my own opinion as to
the meaning of all this, but I wished to get your idea of the matter.
What do you think of it?"

"It looks to me," said Van Dorn slowly, "as though they were making
preparations to blow up these mines, at a moment's warning."

"That," said Houston, "was just the conviction that forced itself upon
my mind when I saw that powder, though I will admit I had never once
thought of their resorting to such measures as that."

"It's about the only thing left for them to do, by George! after the
shape in which they have got things; their idea probably would be, in
the event of Mr. Cameron's coming, to destroy in this way all the
evidence, as they think, existing against them. It shows pretty
conclusively that they have no suspicions of us, for if they knew the
evidence in our possession they would blow us up rather than the
mines. You will telegraph at once for Mr. Cameron, will you not?"

"At once; we must get him here as quickly and as quietly as we can;
before they