diagram with him, also a pick or a shovel, and powder for blasting.
Jim and Juarez worked together, Tom and Jo also, while Jeems Howell
was a lone prospector, and it seemed indeed like old times to him.

For a short ways they went all together up the shallow valley; then,
after going a half mile, they took separate courses, Jim and Juarez
following the line of the overgrown trail up the valley, and Jeems
striking straight up the slope of the mountain. Tom and Jo wandered
around eagerly and inconsequentially, expecting to see the opening to
the Lost Mine at any moment.

Jeems was the first to make a discovery of importance, but bearing
only indirectly on the location of the mine. After climbing up about
five hundred feet he saw that there had been a tremendous landslide
down the southern slope of the mountain.

"Some earthquake did that," he said, "and not very recently either. I
bet that the lost mine is under the slide." Just then he heard Jim's
voice in a faint halloo below him. He felt sure that they had made a
discovery likewise. He strode eagerly down the slope to tell Jim and
Juarez what he had found out, and to see about their discovery.

"We have found part of the cabin that's in the diagram," cried Juarez
as soon as Jeems hove in sight.

"It was the landslide did that," declared Jeems, and he told them of
his discovery. The boys were jubilant, and rightly so, for at last
they had struck the trail.

The point of departure had been found, for a heavy storm had uncovered
one end of a demolished cabin, over which a part of the landslide had
swept.

"This is the further one," said Jim.

"Yes, the other one is on the upper side of the old trail and is
covered deep," said Juarez.

"Now let's take those figures in feet first," said Jim.

"I'll pace in yards," said Jeems, "we may save time that way," and he
started off from the side of the discovered cabin, while Jim and
Juarez measured the distance in feet, 400 straight up the valley, then
1500 at right angles, and this brought them to a point well up on the
side of the mountain.

"Thirty feet straight down and we will know our fate," said Jim.

They practically had all day before them and they set busily to work
with pick and shovel, beginning at a point below where they had set
the mark.

CHAPTER XXX

THE LOST MINE AGAIN

Fortunately it was not heavy going, as the dirt and gravel was
comparatively loose, and in the morning of the next day