“Hurrah, a hole full of small stones!” cried Dick, and leaped down to pick the stones out.  Tom followed, and so did the guide.

“Dick!  Tom!  Hullo! hullo!” came the unexpected cry from a short distance away.

“Who is that calling?” demanded Dick.

“It’s Sam,” replied the guide, looking up.  “He’s coming here as fast as he can track it.”

“Then something is wrong,” said Dick, and for the moment the treasure was forgotten.

It did not take Sam long to reach them.  He was so out of breath that for several minutes he was unable to talk connectedly.  At last he gasped out: 

“Dan Baxter and that big guide—­they attacked me and I ran away.  They—­they are in possession of our traps.”

“Baxter!” ejaculated Dick.  “That’s the worst yet.  They’ll steal all our things and leave us to starve!”

“We might as well go right after them,” put in John Barrow.

“Oh, say, let’s unearth this treasure first,” pleaded Tom.  “If we leave that, Baxter may follow up our tracks, as Sam did, and take it from under our very noses.”

“Tom is right—­get the treasure first,” said Dick.

Once more they set to work, Sam watching them while trying to get back his breath and strength.  Soon the last of the loose stones were removed from the hole, and they came upon a thin metallic slab having in the center a small ring.  They pulled the slab up and disclosed a small square opening, in the middle of which rested a metallic box, about a foot and a half square and a foot in depth.  The box was so heavy they could scarcely budge it.

“The treasure at last!” came from all of the boys.

“Putty heavy, no mistake about that,” was John Barrow’s comment.  “If it’s silver it’s wuth considerable!”

“We must get it out somehow,” said Dick, who was as excited as anyone.  “Let’s get the crowbar under it.”

This suggestion was carried out, and after a good deal of trouble the box was brought up out of the hole.  Beneath it lay an iron key, which fitted the rusty lock of the treasure casket.  Soon they had the box open, and all gazed intently inside.

“Gold and silver!” shouted Tom.  “See, the gold is on top, and looks as if it had been put in some time after the silver.  Wonder what the stuff is worth?”

“Some thousand dollars, that’s sure,” said Dick.

Now that the treasure was found the boys scarcely knew what to do with it.  Then the guide came forward with a suggestion.

“We’ll hide it in the snow for the present.  Then the Baxter crowd won’t know where it is.  The empty hole will throw ’em off the scent.”

A nearby place was readily found, and into this the box was placed and the snow was thrown loosely over it.  This accomplished, they started back for the camp with all possible speed.

It was a long tramp, and although he did his best Sam lagged behind.