out partaking with
excellent appetite of the provisions they had brought with them.

"This is about the wildest place we've been in yet, father," said Chris,
as he looked up at the mighty cliffs by which they were enclosed.

The doctor nodded, but Wilton, who heard the remark, made reply.

"Yes," he said; "I shouldn't care about being here in a storm. I should
expect to have the rocks loosened by every peal of thunder, and come
tumbling down upon our heads."

"A frightful gorge," said Bourne; "but we seem to have come to the end.
It closes in yonder. A regular blind lead."

"Just the sort of place where we ought to search for minerals," said the
doctor.

"Why don't you come and lie down for a rest, Griggs?" cried Ned, for the
American, after hurrying through his lunch, had gone forward a hundred
yards or so to begin climbing up from ledge to ledge, pausing to look
round from time to time.

He heard Ned's question, which came to his ears like a strange whisper,
and then again louder as if it was reflected from the rock-face on his
left; but he only waved his hand by way of reply and went on climbing
higher.

"If he were not as active as a goat," said the doctor, "I should feel
nervous and expect to see him fall."

"Yes, it is very risky," said Bourne thoughtfully, "and, though we have
you with us, a broken limb would not add to the comfort of our journey."

"Oh, Griggs won't fall," said Chris decisively. "He's going up there to
see where the spring comes from."

"No," said the doctor. "He is climbing up beside the fall because the
water has worn the gully into rough steps and formed a staircase by
which we might get out of this gorge and perhaps find ourselves in
another perhaps wilder valley. What's he doing now?"

"Chipping at the stones by the water-side to see if there's any gold,"
said Ned, who was watching their companion attentively. "But he hasn't
found any, for he's going on."

This was the case, and at last they saw him come to a stand as if
unwilling, or unable, to go any farther.

"Quite a blind lead there," said the doctor.

"You wouldn't attempt to take the mules up there, would you," said
Wilton, "even if he said it was passable?"

"No, it would be folly; too much risk. We'll go back soon, and try some
other way."

"Here he comes back," said Chris, as he saw the American turn and begin
to descend by another way, leaving the rushing torrent above him and
following the sharp desc