, suddenly uttered an exclamation.

"Bless my tooth-brush!" he cried. "That's a most desolate place down
there. A lot of trees blown down around a lake that looks as black as
ink."

"What's that!" cried Ivan Petrofsky. "A lake as black as ink? Where?"

"We just passed it!" replied Mr. Damon.

"Then put back there, as soon as you can, Tom!" called the Russian. "I
want to look at that place."

With a long, graceful sweep the young inventor sent the glider back
over the course. Ivan Petrofsky glued his eyes to the telescope. He
picked out the spot Mr. Damon had referred to, and a moment later cried:

"That's it! That's near the lost platinum mine! We've found it again,
Tom--everybody! Don't you remember, Peter," he said turning to his
brother, "when we were lost in the snow we crawled in among a tangle of
trees to get out of the blast. There was a sheet of white snow near
them, and you broke through into water. I pulled you out. That must
have been a lake, though it was lightly frozen over then. I believe
this is the lost mine. Go down, Tom! Go down!"

"I certainly will!" cried the youth, and pulling on the descending
lever he shunted the glider to earth.

CHAPTER XXIV

THE LEAKING TANKS

Like a bird descending from some dizzy height, the Vulture landed close
to the pool of black water. It was a small lake and the darkness must
have been caused by its depth, for later when they took some out in a
glass it was as clear as a crystal. Then, too, there might have been
black rocks on the bottom.

"Can it be possible that we are here at last?" cried Tom, above the
noise of the gale, for the wind was blowing at a terrific rate. But our
friends knew better now how to adjust themselves to it, and the lake
was down in a valley, the sides of which cut off the power of the gale.
As for the glider it was only necessary to equalize the balance and it
would remain stationary in any wind.

"This is the place! This is the place!" cried Ivan Petrofsky. "Don't
you remember, Peter?"

"Indeed I do! I have good cause to! This is where we found the
platinum!"

"Bless my soul!" cried Mr. Damon. "Where is it, in the lake?"

"The mine itself is just beyond that barrier of broken and twisted
trees," replied the elder Russian brother. "It is an irregular opening
in the ground, as though once, centuries ago, an ancient people tried
to get out the precious metal. We will go to it at once."

"But it is getting late," objecte