ey waited and presently the woman came back with the bucket full of
water. She entered the cavern without looking around her.

"Let us follow her on foot," suggested Allen, and they tied up their
horses. Soon the entrance to the cave was gained and they peered inside.

For the moment they could see but little, for there was only a low fire
burning in the cavern. Then of a sudden Allen let out a wild cry:

"Look! look! There is my Uncle Barnaby, tied fast to the rear wall!"

CHAPTER XXX.

Together at Last--Conclusion

Allen spoke the truth. There, tied by strong ropes to a projecting rock,
was the uncle of the Winthrop boys.

His face was pale and haggard, showing he had suffered much since his
confinement.

Forgetting the woman, Allen dashed forward.

"Uncle Barnaby! How glad I am that we have found you!" he cried loudly.

"Who is that?" The prisoner sprang up from where he was resting.
"Allen!"

"Yes, uncle! Are you not glad to see me?"

"Glad is not a strong enough word, my boy!" was the reply from Barnaby
Winthrop, and as soon as Allen had released him he caught his nephew in
his arms. "I was praying to be rescued."

"They have not treated you well, I can see that, uncle."

"They have used me worse than a dog. They wanted to get my secret from
me, and used every means in their power to accomplish their purpose."

"But they did not succeed, did they?"

"No. I told them I would die rather than allow the scoundrels to get
rich through my instrumentality."

A scuffle behind them stopped the conversation. Ike Watson was trying to
secure the woman, who was struggling desperately to get away.

By biting and scratching the desperate female at last freed herself from
the old hunter's grasp. Then she bounded for the cave entrance. Watson
aimed his gun at her and then lowered the weapon.

"Reckon I won't," he drawled. "Never did shoot at a woman, an' I'm too
old ter begin now. She don't count, anyhow!"

And thus the woman was allowed to escape. She lost no time in quitting
the vicinity.

The old hunter shook hands warmly with Barnaby Winthrop, who was profuse
in his thanks to Watson for what he had accomplished.

"You shall lose nothing by what you have done, Ike," he said. "Just wait
till I open up that new claim."

"Speaking of the claim, there is somebody else to see you," began Allen,
when the talk was interrupted by the clattering of horses' hoofs on the
rocks outside.

"Saul Mangle an