be worth a great deal more than the boy dreamed of.
That Arthur Breen had gone out of his way to send for Jack--knowing,
as Peter did, how systematically both he and his wife had abused and
ridiculed him whenever his name was mentioned--was positive evidence
to Peter's mind not only that the property had a value of some kind but
that the discovery was of recent origin.

"Would you know yourself, Jack, what the property was worth,--that is,
do you feel yourself competent to pass upon its value?" asked Peter,
lifting his glass to his lips. He was getting back to his normal
condition now.

"Yes, to a certain extent, and if I fail, Mr. MacFarlane will help me
out. He was superintendent of the Rockford Mines for five years. He
received his early training there,--but there is no use talking about
it, Uncle Peter. I only told you to let you see how the same old thing
is going on day after day at Uncle Arthur's. If it isn't Mukton, it's
Ginsing, or Black Royal, or some other gas bag."

"What did you tell him?"

"Nothing,--not in all the hour I talked with him. He did the talking; I
did the listening."

"I hope you were courteous to him, my boy?"

"I was,--particularly so."

"He wants your property, does he?" ruminated Peter, rolling a crumb of
bread between his thumb and forefinger. "I wonder what's up? He has made
some bad breaks lately and there were ugly rumors about the house for
a time. He has withdrawn his account from the Exeter and so I've lost
sight of all of his transactions." Here a new idea seemed to strike him:
"Did he seem very anxious about getting hold of the land?"

A queer smile played about Jack's lips:

"He seemed NOT to be, but he was"

"You're sure?"

"Very sure; and so would you be if you knew him as well as I do. I have
heard him talk that way to dozens of men and then brag how he'd 'covered
his tracks,' as he used to call it."

"Then, Jack," exclaimed Peter in a decided tone, "there is something
in it. What it is you will find out before many weeks, but something. I
will wager you he has not only had your title searched but has had test
holes driven all over your land. These fellows stop at nothing. Let him
alone for a while and keep him guessing. When he writes to you again to
come and see him, answer that you are too busy, and if he adds a word
about the ore beds tell him you have withdrawn them from the market.
In the meantime I will have a talk with one of our directors who has
an i