s of hungry prospectors, besides Kracker, had done everything in
their power to locate the mine; though none had descended to his last
unworthy methods of trying to torture Jerry Rawson's son, in the hope
of profiting thereby. As the claim of the original discoverer rested
only on a scant foundation, of course the man lucky enough to find the
silver lode again would have a right to hold possession, in the eye of
the law. He might choose to pay the widow something, but even that was
a matter resting solely upon his conscience.

Thad had a reason for carrying the only lantern belonging to the
scouts; and he hoped that if they were so lucky as to find that
Aleck's rude little chart told the truth, they might utilize that
means of illumination when entering the mine.

Of course both of them carried their guns, for there was no telling when
they could return to camp. An arrangement had been with Allan, so that
day and night there would be a sign shown, calculated to tell the absent
ones whether the coast were clear, or the lawyer and sheriff still
hovered near by, waiting to entrap the Rawson boy, should he show up.

They had moved along for some time, when Aleck broke the silence by
saying, with considerable feeling in his voice:

"It makes me glad to know you believed what I told you, Thad, about
that business of my uncle. If you could only meet up with him once,
I'm sure you'd know the tricky kind of man he is, just from his looks,
and the smooth way he talks. But no matter what they all do and say,
I'm just bound to carry my plans out. My mother approves of what I am
doing; and she is thinking of me, and praying all the time I'm up
here, trying to take dad's place."

"Don't mention it," said Thad, quickly. "Of course we all believe
every word you told us, no matter whether we've met this rascally
uncle of yours or not. Our chum Step Hen did, and I reckon he wasn't
much impressed with him, from the way he talked. And as you belong to
the scouts, our first duty is to stand by you through thick and thin."

"Only as long as you believe in my word, Thad," added the other.

"That's true," returned the other, quickly; "even a scout has no
business sticking up for a comrade when he knows the other is in the
wrong; but we believe in you, Aleck. And if only you could find that
mine, I feel sure all of this funny business would stop. Once you had
put in a claim, with the proper witnesses, and hurried to file it
before the co