rted. But
ye ain't gut it an' ye is a long, long way from gettin' it. But if ye
don't divide yer intrests, we is goin' ter git it, an' arter that we
is goin' ter git th' girl, if she's anywhere atop th' earth."

"I believe you, Stubbs," answered Wilson, with renewed enthusiasm.
"And I believe that with you we can do it. We'll make a bargain now;
share and share alike every cent we find. Give me your hand on it."

Stubbs reached his big hand across the table and the two men shook.

"Now," he said, "we'll have a bite to eat and a mouthful to drink and
begin work."

During the next week they followed one faint clue after another, but
none of them led to anything. Wilson managed to secure the names of
many men who knew Sorez well and succeeded in finding some of them;
but to no purpose. He visited every hotel and tavern in the city, all
the railroad and steamship offices, but received not a word of
information that was of any service. The two had disappeared as
effectually as though they had dropped from the earth.

At the advice of Stubbs he kept out of sight as much as possible. The
two had found a decent place to board and met here each night, again
separating in the morning, each to pursue his own errands.

Both men heard plenty of fresh stories concerning the treasure in the
mountains. Rumors of this hidden gold had reached the grandfathers of
the present generation and had since been handed down as fact. The
story had been strongly enough believed to inspire several expeditions
among the natives themselves within the last twenty years, and also
among foreigners who traded here. But the information upon which they
proceeded had always been of the vaguest so that it had come to be
looked upon as a fool's quest.

The three hundred dollars was sufficient with careful buying to secure
what the two men needed. Stubbs attended to all these details. They
wished to make themselves as nearly as possible independent of the
country, so that they could take any route which seemed to be
advisable without the necessity of keeping near a base of supplies. So
they purchased a large quantity of tinned goods; beef, condensed milk,
and soup. Sugar, coffee, chocolate, flour, and salt made up the
burden of the remainder. They also took a supply of coca leaves, which
is a native stimulant enabling one to withstand the strain of
incredible hardships.

Each of them secured a good Winchester. They were able to procure what
ammunition