silence then for a few moments before Wilton spoke the words
that the two boys were eager to utter.

"I'm afraid it's all the poor fellow's dream," he said. And then, "I
have no hunger or thirst for gold, but I must confess to a feeling of
excitement and desire to know what is in the belt."

"Open it then, and let's all see," said the doctor, and he drew what
looked like the well-rubbed and stained skin of a serpent about four
feet long from his jacket pocket, and laid it upon the table.

"Skin of a rattler--a copperhead, I should say," cried Griggs. "Well,
not a bad idea for a cash belt. There's something hard in it anyhow,"
he continued, as the doctor let the end drop. "But I say, look here:
don't open it for a few moments, because I don't want for us to be
disappointed."

"I don't think we shall be," said Bourne. "It is quite possible that in
his wanderings the poor fellow found gold, even if he magnified his
findings in his imagination."

"That's right, parson," cried Griggs, "but you don't see my point. What
I meant about being disappointed was this--supposing this long shot-belt
sort of thing does hold so many nuggets of gold, what then?"

"What then?" cried Wilton. "Why, it is gold."

"To be sure; but what about finding the tons, doctor?"

"By the bearings the poor fellow mentioned," replied Chris's father.

"Right again, sir," continued the American; "but the bearings--where are
they?"

Every one looked hard at the speaker in silence.

"I don't want to chuck cold water on what may mean a fortune for you,
doctor,--but look here: I'm not a sailor, but I do know that when you go
to find anything by the bearings you have a sort of map or chart with
compass points on it, and arrows and dots and marks to guide you in the
way you are to go. What about them? Had he a pocket-book anywhere?"

"Nothing of the kind," replied the doctor, "and I was surprised to find
his belt."

"Then the poor chap died a bit too soon, and he's taken his secret with
him, I should say."

"It seems so," said the doctor. "I had forgotten all that," and the
boys drew a deep breath as they suffered each a sharp pang of
disappointment.

"Well, I thought it just as well to speak out, doctor," said Griggs.

"I wish you hadn't, sir," cried Wilton angrily. "You seem to have
crushed out our hopes."

"Better to know the truth and the worst at once, my dear Wilton," said
Bourne.

"Oh, I don't know that," replied Wilton.